9 Parachute Squadron RE 9 Parachute Squadron RE ( also known as ' 9 sqn ' ) , is an airborne detachment of the Royal Engineers , part of the British Army . Like other units comprising the Royal Engineers , soldiers in the squadron are called sapper s . It is part of the 23 Engineer Regiment ( Air Assault ) based at RAF Woodbridge and is the only airborne Royal Engineers unit . Early history . Now based at Rock Barracks in Woodbridge , Suffolk with the rest of 23 Engineer Regiment ( Air Assault ) , the squadron ' s history goes back to 1787 , when the Chatham Company of " ' Royall Military Artificers ' " was raised at Chatham , which , in 1806 , was numbered " 9 Field Company " in Gibraltar . The next hundred years of the squadron ' s history is rather meagre , but it is known to have served in the Kaffir Wars , the Crimean War , Bermuda , Halifax , Nova Scotia and Hong Kong . It was under the command of the 7th Division during the Boer War . During the First World War the company served with the 4th Infantry Division , bridging the Rivers Marne and Aisne , as well as taking part in the Battle of the Somme . Second World War . The outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 saw " 9th Field Company RE " in France once again , still as part of the 4th Division . It took part in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk . In May 1942 , it was reorganised as " 9 Field Company RE ( Airborne ) " . 9 Field Company RE ( Airborne ) became the engineer support for the newly formed 1st Air Landing Brigade , with about one third of the company being trained in the use of parachutes while the rest were trained as gliderborne troops . The unit ' s first airborne operation was in Norway in 1942 when they were sent to destroy a heavy water plant . However , both gliders crash landed , and the few survivors were executed by the Gestapo . In 1943 " 9 Field Company RE ( Airborne ) " also took part in further airborne operations in North Africa , Sicily and Italy . Operation Market Garden . 9 Field Company RE ( Airborne ) returned to the UK in November 1943 to prepare for D Day . In September 1944 the company took part in Operation Market Garden . With the exception of two gliders that crash landed , the remainder of the unit landed safely at Arnhem , where they played an important role in the defence of the bridge . The platoon was used as the counter - attack force by Lt Col John Frost , the Commanding Officer of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment , and fought with great bravery in the infantry role . However , they took heavy casualties , with just 57 of the original company of 215 men returning to the UK , the rest being captured or killed . Post World War II . On VE Day , 1st Airborne Division was ordered to Norway to accept the surrender of the 400 , 000 German soldiers there . After VJ Day 9th Airborne Squadron went to Palestine with the 6th Airborne Division . The squadron had a difficult time in Palestine , being sent to clear the King David Hotel in Jerusalem after a horrific bomb attack . In Palestine the squadron lost three men killed in action . 9 Independent Airborne Squadron RE accompanied the Division to Germany , returning to the UK in 1950 , since when the squadron has served on active service in countries such as Egypt , Cyprus , Jordan , Kuwait , Bahrain , Aden , Radfan , Borneo , Rhodesia as well as six full tours and two spearhead tours of duty in Northern Ireland . Falklands War 1982 . In 1976 , 16 Independent Parachute Brigade disbanded and 9 Independent Parachute Squadron RE lost its independence and became part of 36 Engineer Regiment , based at Maidstone . 9 Parachute Squadron RE , as it was now called , was to remain in Aldershot to support the Parachute Battalions . In April 1982 , the squadron embarked for the Falkland Islands as part of 5 Infantry Brigade . In true sapper tradition , the squadron was involved in the thick of the action from clearing minefields to repairing bridges . Sergeant Ron Wrega , Sergeant Pete Colclough and Corporal John Foran won the Military Medal during the conflict . Royal Guard . After the Falklands War , the squadron had tours in Belize , Kenya , the Falklands and Canada . In 1987 , in the Royal Engineers 200th Anniversary Year , the squadron was selected to provide the Royal Guard . After six weeks of intense training , the squadron provided the guard for Buckingham Palace , St . James ' s Palace and for the Tower of London . They were also given the duty of guarding the Royal London Palaces in 2009 , 21 years after first performing the task . Rwanda . Between July and November 1994 , the squadron served in Rwanda as part of the UNAMIR mission , for which it was jointly awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace . In Rwanda , the squadron contributed to the stabilising of the difficult situation and to the rebuilding of the country ’ s infrastructure . This was achieved by providing sterilised water , constructing roads and bridges ( including the longest operationally constructed Bailey Bridge since the Second World War ) , providing support to medical and dental facilities , general artisan trade work and mine clearance . Recent activities . In September 1998 the squadron was deployed to Bosnia , being involved in repairing , reinforcing and replacing camp structures . In June 1999 , 100 soldiers from the squadron were deployed to Kosovo , where they were involved in the clearing and securing of the mountain corridor to Kačanik to enable 4 Brigade to pass through . In addition , members of the squadron deployed on a UN mission to Cyprus . Between April – October 2000 , the squadron deployed on another tour to Northern Ireland , carrying out various tasks across the province and dismantling the famous golf towers of South Armagh . In August 2001 , the squadron deployed to the Republic of Macedonia as part of the Multi National Force on Operation BESSEMER . The main squadron task was in support of the weapons collection operation . Members of the squadron also provided the vital infrastructure required to sustain such an operation , as well as constructing extensive force protection measures . During the operation , Recce Troop , on their debut deployment , carried out vital route reconnaissance and with the assistance of geo technicians , produced mapping of routes throughout the country . During this operation , Sapper Ian Collins was killed by Macedonian youths . December 2001 saw a very quick deployment to Afghanistan , having only just returned from Macedonia . The squadron had an integral part to play in the International Security Assistance Force on Operation FINGAL . The squadron , based out of Kabul , provided vital infrastructure and force protection in support of 2 PARA Battlegroup , as part of the Multi National Engineer Group . Since 1976 the squadron had been under command of 36 Engineer Regiment , However , January 2003 saw the formation of 23 Engineer Regiment ( Air Assault ) and with it the command change of 9 Parachute Squadron to the new RHQ . The squadron currently serves as part of 23 Engineer Regiment ( Air Assault ) in Woodbridge ( Suffolk ) and provides close engineer support to 16 Air Assault Brigade . The squadron remains the longest continually serving in - role fighting unit in Airborne Forces . The Squadron recently returned home with the rest of 23 Engineer ( Air Assault ) from Afghanistan . They absorbed the tasks of 12 ( Nova Scotia ) Headquarters and Support ( Air Assault ) Squadron which was placed in suspended animation .