Our People
Stephen Bridle
21st March 2018
Steve joined the Royal Engineers as an Apprentice in September 1979. After a two-year Fitter Plant apprenticeship at Chepstow and a brief spell Combat Engineer training in Camberley, Steve was posted to Maidstone. During his 2 1/2 years there he managed to fit in two 6 month tours of the Falklands, a United Nations stint on the Green Line in Cyprus and numerous exercises in BAOR. A posting to Germany followed, with detachments in St Kilda, the Outer Hebrides, France, Northern Ireland and attending as many courses designed to physically test, exhaust or injure him!
Back once again in the UK within weeks he was deployed on Operation GRANBY, based in Saudi Arabia. Promoted to Sergeant Instructor he returned to where it all began, at Chepstow Army Apprentices College. After 3 excellent years there, with plenty of skiing, more courses and his first expedition to Corsica, then a 3month spell leading a Caving project in Siberia with Raleigh International, Steve found time to get promoted, married and posted to the Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham.
Continuing his newly found passion for expeditions he was very fortunate to be asked to be Deputy Expedition Leader with Operation New World leading forty 16 year olds on a life skills adventure in the jungle. More expeditions followed to India and Nepal trekking, and charity work in Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.
After 22 years’ colour service, Steve immediately signed back on as a Reservist Permanent Staff at HQLF Wilton as the RQMS (T). He currently serves as the RQMS at Army Headquarters Andover.
Julie and Steve have been happily married for 21 years and live in a village just outside Salisbury. His spare time includes fair weather riding his cherished Harley, playing golf (albeit poorly), squash (ditto!), downhill skiing, reading military biographies and trying to justify a civilian gym membership!
Steve is a Member of the Institute of Royal Engineers, an Engineering Technician, a TechIOSH, a Graduate in Leadership and Management (GCGI), a Member of the Scientific Exploration Society and ‘Just a Drop’ Water Charity. He has also recently been appointed as a Trustee for The Motivation & Learning Trust, a Young Peoples Charity.