Royal Logistic Corps

Logistic arm of the British Army

Royal Logistic Corps

Insignia and cap badge of the Royal Logistic Corps

Active| 5 April 1993 – present
Country|  United Kingdom
Branch|  British Army
Role| Military logistics
Garrison/HQ| Worthy Down Camp, Winchester
Motto(s)| "We Sustain"
March| On Parade
Lion, Sword and Crown
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief| Anne, Princess Royal
Corps Colonel| Colonel Jacqueline Powell ADC
Master General of Logistics| Major General Jo Chestnutt CBE
Insignia
Tactical recognition flash|

Military unit

The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army.[1]

## History

[edit]

Arms of the British Army
Combat Arms

* Royal Armoured Corps and Household Cavalry
* Infantry

* Guards and Parachute Division
* Union Division
* Queen's Division
* Light Division

* Special Air Service
* Army Air Corps
* Special Reconnaissance Regiment
* Ranger Regiment

Combat Support Arms

* Royal Artillery
* Royal Engineers
* Royal Corps of Signals
* Intelligence Corps

Combat Services

* Royal Army Chaplains' Department
* Royal Logistic Corps
* Royal Army Medical Service
* Royal Army Veterinary Corps

* Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
* Adjutant General's Corps

* Educational and Training Services Branch
* Army Legal Services Branch
* Provost Branch (Royal Military Police
* Military Provost Staff
* Military Provost Guard Service)

* Small Arms School Corps
* Royal Army Physical Training Corps
* General Service Corps
* Royal Corps of Army Music

* v
* t
* e

The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on 5 April 1993, by the union of five British Army corps:[2]

* Royal Engineers Postal and Courier Service
* Royal Corps of Transport
* Royal Army Ordnance Corps
* Royal Pioneer Corps
* Army Catering Corps

The RLC comprises both Regular and Army Reserve units.[3]

The RLC is the only combat service support corps of the British Army with battle honours, derived from the usage of previous transport elements of the Royal Waggon Train, and their successors as cavalry. The battle honours are:[4]

* Peninsula
* Battle of Waterloo
* Lucknow
* Taku Forts
* Peking

## Cap badge

[edit]

The RLC cap badge is an amalgamation of the cap badges of the forming corps:[5]

* The laurel and garter band is from the Royal Engineers
* The Indian star is from the Royal Corps of Transport
* The shield in the centre is from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
* The crossed axes are from the Royal Pioneer Corps
* The motto, "We Sustain", is from the Army Catering Corps

The inscription on the garter band "Honi soit qui mal y pense" can be translated as "Shame on anyone who thinks evil of it".[1] It is the motto of the Order of the Garter.[6]

## Headquarters

[edit]

The Corps Headquarters is at Worthy Down Camp near Winchester. It is headed by a Colonel (Colonel RLC) as the professional head of the Corps. Col RLC is responsible for the Moral Component, regimental infrastructure and support and works to Commander Home Command. Col RLC remains responsible for the Corps of Drums, which often parades with the RLC Band. (AG).[7]

The RLC Band was formed in 1993. It provides musical support while also representing the Royal Logistic Corps, and on occasion, the wider British Army. They are able to produce no more than 12 working ensembles at a time. These include a marching band, big band, fanfare team, and acoustic groups.[8]

### Museum

[edit]

The Royal Logistic Corps Museum was based at Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut near Camberley in Surrey, but was closed prior to a move to Worthy Down near Winchester, where it re-opened in May 2021.[9]

## List of units

[edit]

### Regiments

[edit]

Regular regiments[10]

* 1 Regiment RLC
* 4 Regiment RLC
* 6 Regiment RLC
* 7 Regiment RLC
* 9 Regiment RLC
* 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment RLC
* 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC
* 13 Air Assault Support Regiment RLC
* 17 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC
* 25 Training Regiment RLC
* 27 Regiment RLC
* 29 Regiment RLC
* Gurkha ARRC Support Battalion – (QOGLR personnel)

|  | Reserve regiments[11]

* 150 (Yorkshire) Regiment RLC
* 151 (Greater London) Regiment RLC
* 152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC
* 154 (Scottish) Regiment RLC
* 156 (North West) Regiment RLC
* 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC
* 158 (Royal Anglian) Regiment RLC
* 159 Regiment RLC
* 162 Regiment RLC
* 165 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC
* 167 Catering Support Regiment RLC

|
|

### Specialist sub-units

[edit]

* Commando Logistic Support Squadron RLC – part of the Commando Logistic Regiment
* 383 Commando Petroleum Troop RLC
* 20 Transport Squadron RLC – part of London District
* 44 Support Squadron RLC – part of Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
* 96 (Duke of Gloucester) Squadron RLC - part of 1st Army Training Regiment Pirbright[12]
* 105 Logistic Support Squadron – part of British Army Training Unit Suffield
* 108 (The Princess Royal) Squadron RLC - part of 2nd Army Training Regiment Pirbright[12]
* 132 Aviation Support Squadron RLC – part of 7 Aviation Close Support Battalion REME
* 821 EOD & Search Squadron RLC – part of 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD)
* Joint Helicopter Support Squadron – part of Joint Aviation Command
* 2 Operational Support Group

## Master General of Logistics

[edit]

There is also a ceremonial head (instituted in 2009), who heads the Corps and its wider family such as the Associations and Cadets, known as the Master General of Logistics (MGL). Holders of the post include:

* General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue (2009–2012)[13]
* Lieutenant General Sir Mark Poffley (2012–2021)[14]
* Major General Simon T. Hutchings (2021–2024)[15]
* Major General Jonathan E. A. Chestnutt (2024–present)[16]

## Publications

[edit]

The Sustainer is the magazine of the RLC Association. The Waggoner remains the Journal of the RASC/RCT Association. The RAOC Gazette that of the RAOC Association and The Pioneer of the RPC Association. The Review is an annual magazine of essays published by the Corps.[17]

Royal Logistic Corps landing craft, the RCL Arezzo

## Victoria Cross

[edit]

The RLC has five Victoria Cross holders. All five derive historically from establishments that eventually became the Royal Corps of Transport.

* Private Samuel Morley. Military Train. 15 April 1858.
* Private (Farrier) Michael Murphy. Military Train. 15 April 1858 (later forfeited).
* Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton. Commissariat & Transport Department. 22 January 1879.
* Second Lieutenant Alfred Cecil Herring. Army Service Corps. 23 March 1918.
* Private Richard George Masters. Army Service Corps. 9 April 1918.

## Order of precedence

[edit]

Preceded by

Royal Army Chaplains' Department

|  Order of Precedence | Succeeded by

Royal Army Medical Service

|
|

## See also

[edit]

* United Kingdom portal

* Royal Logistic Corps Museum
* Royal Army Service Corps
* Options for Change
* Loss of Strength Gradient
* British logistics in the Boer War
* British logistics in the Falklands War
* Hong Kong Logistic Support Regiment RLC
* List of roles in the British Army

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Everything You Need To Know About The RLC". Forces Network. 13 November 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
2. ^ "The Royal Logistic Corps and Forming Corps". The Royal Logistic Corps Museum. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
3. ^ "RLC Regiments". British Army website (UK Ministry of Defence). Retrieved 13 May 2013.
4. ^ "Waggoners". 54 Engineer Support and Ambulance Squadron. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
5. ^ "History and background of the Royal Pioneer Corps 4". Retrieved 5 May 2014.
6. ^ "College of St George – Windsor Castle – The Order of the Garter". College of St George – Windsor Castle. Archived from the original on 15 July 2017. Retrieved 4 June 2010.
7. ^ "The Royal Logistic Corps Regimental Association". Archived from the original on 6 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
8. ^ "The Band of the Royal Logistic Corps | The Esplanade". esplanade.ca.
9. ^ "Welcome". Royal Logistic Corps Museum. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
10. ^ "Regular RLC Units". Retrieved 2 February 2021.
11. ^ "Reserve RLC Units". Retrieved 2 February 2021.
12. ^ a b "Army Training Centre Pirbright". Retrieved 23 March 2025.
13. ^ "No. 59126". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 July 2009. p. 12040.
14. ^ "No. 60163". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 2012. p. 10780.
15. ^ "No. 63576". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 2021. p. 23985.
16. ^ "No. 64418". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 2024. p. 11221.
17. ^ "Association". Royal Logistic Corps Association. Retrieved 2 October 2016.

## Sources

[edit]

* Heyman, Charles (2012). The British Army: A Pocket Guide, 2012–2013. Pen & Sword. ISBN 9781848841079.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Logistic Corps.

* The Royal Logistic Corps
* Royal Engineers Museum: Royal Engineers Transportation and Postal and Courier Services (archived 18 December 2006)

* v
* t
* e

Royal Logistic Corps

Close Support Logistics|

* 1 Regiment RLC
* 4 Regiment RLC
* 6 Regiment RLC

Theatre Logistics|

* 7 Regiment RLC
* 9 Regiment RLC
* 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment RLC
* 27 Regiment RLC

Transport|

* 150 Regiment RLC
* 151 Regiment RLC
* 154 (Scottish) Regiment RLC
* 157 (Welsh) Regiment RLC

Supply|

* 156 Regiment RLC
* 159 Regiment RLC

Explosive Ordnance Disposal|

* 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Search Regiment RLC

Air Assault|

* 13 Air Assault Support Regiment RLC

Port & Maritime|

* 17 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC
* 165 Port and Maritime Regiment RLC

Postal Courier & Movement|

* 29 Regiment RLC
* 162 Regiment RLC

Fuel Transport & Storage|

* 152 (North Irish) Regiment RLC

Aviation support|

* 158 Regiment RLC

Catering|

* 167 Regiment RLC

* 25 Training Regiment RLC

* v
* t
* e

British Army

General
(lists)|

* Ministry of Defence
* Army Headquarters
* Army Board
* Chief of the General Staff
* Deputy Chief of the General Staff
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* other ranks rank insignia
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* National Army Museum
* History
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Regiments
and corps|

| Household Cavalry|

* Life Guards
* Blues and Royals
* Household Cavalry Regiment
* Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment

|

Royal
Armoured Corps|

* 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
* Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
* Royal Dragoon Guards
* Queen's Royal Hussars
* Royal Lancers
* King's Royal Hussars
* Light Dragoons
* Royal Tank Regiment
* Royal Yeomanry
* Royal Wessex Yeomanry
* Queen's Own Yeomanry
* Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry

Infantry|

| Foot Guards|

* Grenadier Guards
* Coldstream Guards
* Scots Guards
* Irish Guards
* Welsh Guards
* London Guards

|

Line
infantry|

* Royal Regiment of Scotland
* Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
* Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
* Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
* Royal Anglian Regiment
* Royal Yorkshire Regiment
* Mercian Regiment
* Royal Welsh
* Royal Irish Regiment

Rifles|

* Royal Gurkha Rifles
* The Rifles

Airborne|

* Parachute Regiment

Overseas
regiments|

* Royal Gibraltar Regiment
* Royal Bermuda Regiment
* Royal Montserrat Defence Force
* Cayman Islands Regiment
* Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment
* Falkland Islands Defence Force

Other combat arms|

* Special Air Service
* Special Reconnaissance Regiment
* Ranger Regiment
* Army Air Corps

Combat support arms|

* Royal Artillery
* Royal Engineers
* Royal Corps of Signals
* Intelligence Corps
* Honourable Artillery Company

Combat services|

* Royal Army Chaplains' Department
* Royal Logistic Corps
* Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
* Small Arms School Corps
* Royal Army Physical Training Corps
* General Service Corps
* Royal Corps of Army Music
* Royal Army Medical Service

| Adjutant General's Corps|

* Staff and Personnel Support
* Educational and Training Services Branch
* Army Legal Services Branch
* Royal Military Police
* Military Provost Staff
* Military Provost Guard Service

|

| Other|

* Cavalry
* Yeomanry

|

Category

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

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