15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron RLC

15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron RLC (Royal Logistic Corps) was the Close Support Squadron (CSS) for 13 Air Assault Support Regiment RLC, and was responsible for supplying transport and combat material to elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade.

The squadron traces its heritage back to the late 1880s, and through various guises has seen service in the First and Second World Wars, the British Army of the Rhine and First Gulf War.

Then known as 15 Attack Support Squadron, 15 Squadron joined 16 Air Assault Brigade following the amalgamation of 5 Airborne Brigade and 24 Airmobile Brigade. It subsequently deployed with 16 Air Assault to Northern Ireland, Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

In March 2006, the squadron deployed again to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 4.  The squadron's main role was to provide close combat support to 3 PARA Battle Group based in Helmand Province.  The squadron conducted numerous Combat Logistic Patrols resupplying locations such as Now Zad, Sangin and Musa Qala.
 
March 2008 saw the squadron deploy again to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick with 16 Air Assault Briagde.  This involved intimate close support to brigade units including the 2 PARA Battle Group. The squadron was mostly based in Camp Bastion, conducting patrols to Sangin, Now Zad, Musa Qala and Garmsir with a small detachment of troop size based at Camp Shoraback, to mentor and train the Afghan National Army in CSS Operations.

The squadron was the first RLC sub unit to move into the remote province of Zabol in support of the 3 PARA Battle Group finding one of the largest improvised explosive devices on route. The squadron also played a major role in Op Oqab Tsuka (Op Eagle's Summit in Pashtu), the biggest equipment move seen since the Second World War. This involved the squadron protecting and moving a hydro-electric turbine across Afghanistan from Kandahar to Kajaki.

A reorganisation of Colchester-based 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps (13 AA Sp Regt RLC) as part of the Army 2020 reforms  resulted in the regiment growing from 500 to 650 soldiers, gaining command of 47 Air Despatch Squadron (47 AD Sqn) and 65 Logistic Support Squadron (65 Log Sp Sqn). 

As a result of these reforms 15 Air Assault Close Support Squadron (15 AACS Sqn) was mothballed. On 23 July 2013, at Merville Barracks, the troops of 15 AACS Sqn gave the salute to Brigadier Nick Borton DSO MBE, Commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade, as they marched off the parade square and into history.

Squadron Commanders

1999-2001        TBC
2001-03             TBC
2003-05             Maj Brian Malcolm RLC
2005-07             Maj Andrew Rhodes RLC
2007-09             Maj Iain Bayliss RLC
2009-11             Maj Andrew Lawson RLC

Record under construction- with grateful thanks to Maj Ian Bayliss and the MoD