The 13th Engineer Regiment (13 ER) has been raised in Western Australia, making it the newest unit on the Australian Army order of battle. An Establishment Ceremony was held at Irwin Barracks, home of 13th Brigade, on Tuesday 5 July 2022 to celebrate the raising. The Ceremony also honoured the strong heritage of military engineers in Western Australia.
13th Brigade Commander, Brigadier Brett Chaloner, said the raising of the Engineer Regiment is a significant milestone in enhancing Army’s capability in Western Australia and follows the re-raising of Tenth Light Horse Regiment less than 12 months ago. “Western Australia is at the forefront of the Australian Army’s modernisation program to be Future Ready,” Brigadier Chaloner commented. Brigadier Chaloner explained that based on the current 13 Field Squadron, 13 Engineer Regiment will include a new squadron and an evolved focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), the first of its kind in the Army.
“Along with STEM, 13 Engineer Regiment will provide geospatial, combat and force support engineering capabilities to enable joint manoeuvre and survivability,” Brigadier Chaloner commented “The 13th Brigade is continuing to be a test bed for military innovation and transformation for greater Army. This is an exciting opportunity for Western Australians to join the Army, learn new skills and become part of a proud national institution.”