History of the Royal Engineers ~ over 950 years of service! The Royal Engineers trace their origins back to 1066, with the Military Engineers brought to England by William the Conqueror, specifically Bishop Gundulf of Rochester Cathedral, and claim over 950 years of unbroken service to the crown. Engineers have always served in the armies of the Crown; however, the origins of the modern corps, along with those of the Royal Artillery, lie in the Board of Ordnance established in the 15th century.