THE 300th anniversary of the Corps of Royal Engineers is being celebrated this year across the country and in Wellington in May at the Church of St John the Baptist.

The event will include song from Taunton’s Military Wives Choir, music by Wellington Town Silver Band, poetry readings and monologues. It will also feature an insight in the current life of a Sapper by Maj General Urch, a senior serving Sapper. 

The vicar at St John’s is a former Sapper and his Scripture reader is a former Brigadier in the Engineers. The church can seat 400 people and it is hoped to fill it when the event is held on Sunday, May 22, at 6pm.

Somerset has a great affiliation with the Corps of Royal Engineers, partly through Colonel John Rouse Merriott Chard VC RE, who is buried in the churchyard at Hatch Beauchamp.

Col Chard led the 150 men at the mission of Rorke’s Drift against an estimated 4,000 Zulu warriors after being sent there to build a bridge. Stanley Baker portrayed him in the film Zulu.

Col Chard was one of two field officers present but he was senior and took command. For his action he was given the Victoria Cross, one of ten awarded for the battle, the most issued for a single action to this day.

After Chard left the Royal Engineers he went to live with his brother, who was rector of the church at Hatch Beauchamp. Chard only lived a few months as he contracted cancer of the tongue – he had two operations to remove his tongue but could still converse.

Colonel Chard died in his brother’s home in November 1897 aged 49 – he had never married. The village church has a stained glass window that honours Col Chard.

Sam Smalldon, secretary of the Taunton Branch of the Royal Engineers Association, says part of the celebration will involve Col Chard’s family members.

The Corps of Royal Engineers was born on May 26, 1716 by warrant of King George I when the Engineers and Artillery were placed in separate establishments and allowed to develop independently. Sapper 300 commemorates the tercentenary anniversary.

The Corps of Royal Engineers is unique with all its Sappers being multi-skilled soldiers, combat engineers and tradesmen working alongside all parts of the Army. They play a vital role in the British Army in peacetime and on operations.

They have had remarkable leaders such as Gordon of Khartoum and Lord Kitchener, and many other parts of the armed forces have been born from the Engineers – the Pioneer Corps, REME, RCT, Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Army Flying Corps, later to become the Royal Air Force.