412 Amphibious Engineer Troop are the only British Army Reserve unit in Germany and are celebrating its 20th anniversary. The troop drive, pilot and command the Army’s M3 amphibious vehicles, which are used to ferry troops and equipment across rivers or create temporary bridges. To mark the anniversary, a unique German-British unit has been showing off what’s considered to be the world’s most advanced military bridging system. The Germany based engineers from 23 Amphibious Engineering troop, Reservists from 412 Amphibious Engineering Troop and their German Counterparts from 130 Pioneer Battalion are unique in their ability. The M3 rigs move their display carefully across the Weser river, manoeuvring into position to create the bridge, and separating to two pieces, or ferries, to move vehicles from one side to the other. The wheeled vehicles turn in to boats, which become a bridge, and then split to form those long ferries that can move at speed. This collaboration and its unique capability could be under threat with the Army leaving Germany under the 2020 restructuring, but its future is certainly not yet decided.
