History
When the Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute (SAFTI) was set up in 1967 as the first military training institute to train officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs, now known as Specialists), an Engineer Training Wing was incorporated into the plan. Two young officers, 2LT Gurcharan Singh and 2LT Chng Teow Hua, were selected to attend a basic engineer officer's course in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States. Upon completion of their course, these two officers, with the Commanding Officer, MAJ George Mitchell, conducted the first Engineer Commanders' Course from April to August 1968. The graduate officers and NCOs from the course formed the nucleus of the SCE.
As its role became more defined and her responsibilities expanded, the Engineer Wing was renamed to School of Field Engineers and moved from SAFTI (now Pasir Laba Camp) to new premises on Pulau Blakang Mati (now Sentosa) in the same year and subsequently branched out to other camps such as Gillman Camp and Loyang Camp (both now defunct). In April 1970, the Engineer Headquarters (EHQ) was established with MAJ Mitchell as the Senior Engineer Officer. The EHQ was renamed HQ Singapore Combat Engineer in 1974 and the commander's designation was changed to Chief Engineer Officer.
Read more about this topic: Singapore Combat Engineers
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