Ammunition Technician - RAOC/RLC EOD Memorial

RAOC/RLC EOD Memorial

Although a highly decorated trade, the price of recognition for Ammunition Technicians and Ammunition Technical Officers has been high. The Ammunition Technician trade has lost a number of their colleagues killed in action whilst undertaking operational Explosive Ordnance Disposal tasks worldwide. Ammunition Technicians proudly have their own memorial at Marlborough Barracks, Temple Herdewyke in Warwickshire, the home of the trade.

The idea of a memorial was initiated by the senior Warrant Officers of the trade and supported by the Director of Land Service Ammunition and his staff. A RAOC EOD Memorial Working Party was set up and reported progress to the Director General of Ordnance Services. The memorial was funded by RAOC central funds, donations from industry and from private donations from individual technicians within the trade. The memorial was designed by the Fine Arts Department of Coventry Polytechnic and sculpted from local sandstone. The memorial represents a single bomb disposal operator, dressed in the bomb suit and holding his protective helmet. This scene is one that every EOD operator will recognise as being the last few moments before donning the helmet and becoming totally shut off from the team and ready to make the longest walk into danger towards an explosive device. The memorial is enclosed behind double wrought iron gates bearing the trade badges of the ATO and AT. The gates lead into a walled garden with 2 stone benches. The walls bear grey slate tablets, each engraved with the name of those killed, the date and location of the incident. A small brass plaque records the award of posthumous gallantry medals or decorations.

The memorial was formally opened during a dedication service on 23rd June 1991. The service of dedication was led by the Chaplain General to the Forces, The Reverend James Harkness OBE QHC MA with readings by WO1 (Staff Sergeant Major) B Johnson GC and Major General PWE Istead CB OBE GM, Representative Colonel Commandant, RAOC. Amongst the guests at the service where the widows and families of many of those whose names appear on the memorial. A parade and the annual service of remembrance by members of the units based at Kineton is held at the EOD Memorial on Remembrance Sunday in November each year.

The EOD memorial is dedicated to the fallen ATO's and AT's of The Royal Army Ordnance Corps and The Royal Logistic Corps who through their selfless commitment, have singularly taken the "Longest Walk" in the service of their country but sadly, have not returned. Members of the ammunition trade have been killed in Cyprus, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, England, Iraq and Afghanistan, "Sua Tela Tonanti / We Sustain"