Twiz Preaching Strange War Antics Cries

NEWS PHOTOS NEWS P9 P32-P37 P14 the P oneer April 2014

1st TEAM 23 Pioneer Regt

1st INDIVIDUAL LCpl Beadle - 23 Pioneer Regt

1st FEMALE SSgt Mason - 23 Pioneer Regt

1st OVER 40 WINNER Capt Andrews - 23 Pioneer Regt

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION WWW.ROYALPIONEERCORPS.CO.UK 23 Pioneer Regiment, RLC not only won this years speed march they won every aspect of the march i.e. first team, first male competitor, first female competitor and first veteran. This is a great achievement and unfortunately because of disbandment maybe the last for Pioneers.

N 1996 it was decided to reconstruct allowed to enter as many individuals as competitor, first female competitor and first the original WW2 speed march to raise possible with the first 5 from their team veteran. funds for the Commando Benevolent counting towards their final score. When you consider because of defence Fund and the Airborne Forces Charities It was decided that a team of Pioneers cuts the Regiment is only half the strength Ias well as other charitable bodies. This would participate in the Commando Speed of other Regiments who participated this is has now become an established annual March to be held on 8th March 2014. a great achievement. The Regiment has military event attracting over 400 entrants a 2011 & 2012 saw 23 Pioneer Regiment only entered this march in the last four year. winning the event and finishing 2nd in years and have won three times and came The initial march took place when the 2013 narrowly behind 7 RHA. Team second on the other, unfortunately because volunteers arrived at Spean Bridge Station. members knew this would the last chance of disbandment this will be the last time for It was not unusual for them to be ordered to regain the trophy prior to disbandment. Pioneers, however it now gives other to leave the train on the opposite side to Training started at the end of Jan14 Regiments a chance of winning! the platform and any man injured jumping under the watchful eye of our RAPTCI SSgt All competitors that took part are to be down on the track would be RTU’d. Heavy Mason. Anyone who has had the pleasure congratulated on their performance on kit would be placed upon the waiting of being involved in one of SSgt Masons what always proves to be a testing route, in transport and the troops were then force training programmes will tell you they are particular the individual winner LCpl Beadle marched to the gates of Achnacarry House well structured and extremely testing. The (pictured on the right in the lead!) who has carrying their fighting order. old saying ‘train hard, fight easy’ has never now won the race for three years The time allowed, to cover the 7 mile been more true. consecutively. route, was 1 hour. Any recruits who failed 20 members of the regiment (including After the Regiment's success some of the to achieve this time were about turned and support staff) set off on Thursday 6 March team took part in AT in the surrounding RTU’d by the next train. Prior to arriving at for the long drive to Kinlochleven in area. Walking in the hills and canoeing in Spean Bridge, the recruits had undergone Scotland. Saturday was race day with 242 the lochs. 23 Pioneer Regt continues the basic fitness training at Wrexham to ensure competitors from 27 units: including 2 Para, ‘sprint to the finish’ in the best possible that they stood a good chance of Royal Marine Commando Training Centre, manner. ■ completing the march. Infantry Battle School, 45 Commando Regt The course consists of a 7 mile road - to name but a few, lining up at Spean march climbing around 400 feet out of Bridge train station to re run this historic Spean Bridge on the A82 before forking left route. onto the B8004 to pass the Commando As you would expect, 23 Pioneer Memorial at the 1.5 mile point. Regiment team put in a fantastic display The challenge for the modern day soldier with our top 5 finishers all being in the top is to complete the 7 miles in under 1 hour 24! 23 Pioneer Regt not only won this carrying 16kg. The event is also used as an year’s speed march they won every aspect Inter Unit competition with units being of the march i.e. first team, first male

RESULTS SSgt Mason 56min 05secs 64 Mick Beadle 47min 17secs 1 (1st female) Capt Andrews 49min 27sec 5 Capt Smale 56min 47secs 71 (1st veteran) Lt Stanford 58mins 03secs 79 SSgt ’Hat’ Clarke 51mins 9 Lt Costin 1hr 1min 08secs 117 SSgt Woods 51min 53secs 17 SSgt Bennett 1hr 1min 31secs 125 Capt Evans -Fry 52mins 46secs 24 Lt Col Clouston 1hr 09min 16secs 191 Capt Cheetam 53min 44secs 33 Cpl Green 1hr 09min 47secs 195 WO1 (RSM) Lane 54min 24secs 39 WO2 Cheung 1hr 11min 47secs 201 Cpl Thomas 55min 20secs 51 LCpl Fowler 1hr 15min 27secs 223 Pictures: Mr Graeme Taylor and 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC Taylor Mr Graeme Pictures:

2 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS

COMMANDO SPEED MARCH Spean Bridge, Scotland, 8th March 2014

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 3 the Pioneer EDITORIAL

REPARATIONS are now underway for the Enclosed with this Newsletter is a return for disbandment of 23 Pioneer Regiment both the last parade of the Regiment through RLC and the end of the Pioneer Trade in Bicester on 27 July and the Disbandment the Army. It is the intention that all RPC Parade/Pioneer Weekend on 26/28 September. PAssociation property be disposed of Please note that accommodation in July is either by donation to RLC Museum, Bicester only available on Saturday 26th and in Town Council, the new RLC Mess or sold to RPC September from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th. Association members - the latter during the Please send you form in prior to 10 Jul and 13 Front Cover Pioneer Weekend in September. Details of Sep respectively. It is anticipated that this year's The Commando Memorial auction items will be displayed on the reunion will attract a large attendance. If you Picture: Stephen Meese / Paul Brown Association Facebook page and sent to those can bring your own accommodation i.e. tent, members who we have an email address for. caravan, motor home etc it would be If you have donated an item and wish to have appreciated. A number of personnel will have it returned please contact the Association as to be accommodated in St George's Barracks soon as possible. Advertisements have been and, as usual, mini buses will be provided to placed in the Telegraph, Northampton Chronicle transport personnel to and from throughout & Echo, Bicester Advertiser, Soldier Magazine the weekend. and The Sustainer. Planning for the weekend has only just As previously mentioned the Association will started but it is intended to “Go Out With a continue (as long as you, the members wish it) Bang", it being the last one at Bicester. It is now albeit with a revised Constitution. It is hoped 22 years since we moved the Weekend from that the HQ will stay in Bicester. Northampton to Bicester and the Regiment has Once again we have, unfortunately, a long certainly looked after us well during that time. list of Obituaries to publish these include a Next year it is intended to use a hotel, former Colonel Commandant and a former probably in Coventry, this will be confirmed at Director as well as some well known the Annual General Meeting on 27th Back Cover personalities, our condolences go to their September. Anniversaries Remembered families. If you have any topic/suggestion for the AGM Picture: Paul Brown

Registered Charity Number 1024036 CONTENTS Patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester 2 Commando Speed March 25 Going – Do Not Forget Us KG GCVO What an achievement! Winners again! Poems by Bernard Fox Vice Patron 6 Disbandment of 168 Pioneer Regt 26 The Labour Corps 1917/18 Major General G W Field CB RLC(V) How our predecessor Corps was formed President A sad but very memorable day at 28 History of Mauritius Forces Brigadier C B Telfer CBE Grantham Formation of a Mauritian work force Chairman 8 Past Events / Future Colonel A Barnes TD JP Events / News 32 Field of Remembrance 2013 Including details of Twiz & Verne’s At the Corps Plot and afterwards for the Controller / Editor Dine-out London Lunch Norman Brown Esq 10 Cenotaph Parade 2013 34 Photo Gallery Design / Editor A record turnout of Pioneers at the Photographs from the last 6 months Paul Brown Cenotaph, London 38 Brigadier HGL Prynne 14 Regimental Boxing Night Including Confessions of a Pioneer ☎ telephone A fantastic night to remember 01869 360694 54 Blast from the Past 16 Pioneers Reunited at Phoenix House Can you help identify the personnel in ✉ email From Sandhurst to Phoenix House the photographs? [email protected] 18 News from 23 Pioneer Regt ✈ 56 Press Cuttings from 1943 website The challenges of a new “Troopie” Pioneer related Press Cuttings from the www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk 19 Mental Health of Veterans year 1943 ✇ facebook group Difficulties post service www.facebook.com/groups/ 57 A short story from Sarajevo chunkies/ 20 1912 Basuto Company 170 Sqn in Sarajevo Officer in Command - Major WN Scott 58 Letters to the Editor 22 51 Commando We welcome you letters, emails and your The Royal Pioneer Pioneers in 51 (ME) Commando views Corps Association 24 Saving Sarah Rigler 60 If WW1 was a bar fight c/o 23 Pioneer Regt RLC St David's Barracks A Pioneer helps to save a life How WW1 could have started Graven Hill Bicester OX26 6HF THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 5 STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS... Planning is now well underway for the Reunion Bicester on 27th July please wear a beret if in Weekend. Full itinerary will be published on the possession. A few spare berets are held at RPC Association Facebook page shortly. Emails will be sent Association and are available on a first come first to those whose email addresses are known. served basis. If attending the Regiment’s last march through Nothing else to report!

please send it to the Association by 10 out of the Newsletters i.e. March and September. September. Also enclosed with the Newsletter are Derby Articles for the Newsletter are always Draw tickets, unless you have already indicated welcome, it would be appreciated if they could that you are unable to sell them, please support include photographs, all photographs will be this draw as it is one of our main sources of returned within 7 days. 5 income. In the next issue of the Pioneer we will be This year a record 142 personnel are reviewing a new book on the Labour Corps attending the Army v Navy Rugby match at “The Great War of George Weeks 1917-1919". Twickenham. Most will be wearing 23 This book was written after the war on seventy- Regiment’s Rugby Shirt (Red and Green), please eight sheets of cut-up wallpaper and edited by look out for us on the TV - it is broadcast on Sky his son. It describes his service in 132 Labour Sports 3. Company - a very rare document and believed Last year a record 42 members marched at to be the only one in existence written by a the Cenotaph (ably led by Brig Telfer!), can we Private soldier. increase the number this year? If you would like Once again I must say a big thank you to my to attend please let the Association know son Paul for the preparation of this Newsletter. 10 (telephone 01869 360694 or email This takes many hours of work (and having to [email protected]) put up with my drafts and dis-organised The attendance at the Field of Remembrance layout!). You will also notice that most of the however was rather disappointing, tickets are photographs were taken by him. It is recognised required for this but can be obtained from the as one of the best Regimental Association Association. Newsletters published. Only twenty one October Newsletters were I hope to see you in either July or September returned “Gone Away", this is less than 1% of (or both!) and also at the Field of Remembrance the total sent out. If you move please let us and the Cenotaph. know in good time - in advance of your move if possible and especially just prior to the posting Norman Brown 14

61 Book reviews Three more books reviewed and recommended 62 Last Post - May they rest in peace Sadly we report more obituaries 16 59 65 Long Lost Trails Can you help? 66 And Finally.. Closure with a little humour 67 Association Shop Please place your orders and help the Association 68 Anniversaries Remembered Anniversaries in 2014

troops to land on the beaches Can you spot of Normandy on D-Day. the Mouse? In most of his paintings Cuneo hid a small mouse which No one found the was his trademark and Cuneo mouse in the somewhere in this Newsletter last edition of the newsletter. we have hidden a Cuneo mouse The mouse was an easy one and it’s not the one on this to find as well! It was on Page page or page 66! 30 in the side window of the Names of correct entries will vehicle. be entered into a draw and the Can you spot the Cuneo first ‘out of the hat’ will win a Mouse in this edition? prize. Terence Cuneo painted Entries should be submitted ‘Sword Beach’ which shows the (by letter, email or telephone) by activities of the Pioneers who 31st Aug 2014. were among the first British Good luck. 33

THETHE ROYALROYAL PIONEERPIONEER CORPSCORPS ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION || 5 168 DISBANDMENT PARADE Grantham, 26th October 2013 Pictures: Paul Brown Paul Pictures:

6 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS The 26 October 2013 is a date that will be pressed not only into the minds of the 500 soldiers and officers of 168 Pioneer Regiment but also the people of Grantham; who turned out in droves to watch the Regiment march through their town. Whilst being very sad, it marked the passing of the Regiment in true pioneer fashion. Labor omnia vincit.

HE 26th started with a villages in Cyprus, and prisoner of war seen and so the flag of 168 Pioneer commemoration service at St facilities. Regiment was lowered at 1546 hours Wulframs Church, where the Bishop The regiment, part of the Royal Logistic marking the formal disbandment of the of Lincoln, The Right Reverend Corps, has also built things for communities Regiment. TChristopher Lowson and Reverend in Lincolnshire and the North East, such as Following this rather sombre moment, Peter Hopkins delivered a fine service which memorials, skate parks and a series of hides the Regiment and its wider family retired to included the blessing of the Regimental for bird watching. the Pioneer Hangar where over the course Commemorative Plaque, which it has been Commanding officer Lt Col Andrew Parry of the next 10 hours the Regiment and its confirmed will be placed in St Wulframs said: “The Army Reserve needed to be guests were entertained by two wonderful church later in the year. shaped to meet future challenges. bands, a magnificent fireworks display and Following the service the Regiment was “Our soldiers realise that and I know will the sort of evening buffet that could grace called to form up at Kings School, where serve their future units with the same any fine hotel. One must also not forget the the Regiment supported by the Band of the commitment they have given to 168 child’s entertainer whose magic tricks even Parachute Regiment marched through Pioneer Regiment, a commitment that has bamboozled some of the old guests. town; quite remarkably the streets were made me proud to be their commanding With the dust having settled, it would lined three back along the entire route, officer.” only be right and proper to thanks those with the Guildhall Square being packed to Col Parry added: “Whilst this parade who have helped to make the say so bursting point, rather poignantly 5 minutes marks the end of an era it is also a time to special; and whilst the list would be to long before the Regiment ‘stepped off’ the celebrate the history and service of the to thank all individually, Councillor Mike clouds parted and the sun shone down on regiment." Cook must be thanked along with the the town illuminating the Regiment as it Following recovery to Prince William of Mayor of Grantham for their hard work marched past the dais delivering an Gloucester Barracks, the Regiment and its liaising with the wider local government, immaculate salute to the Mayor of guests tucked into a fantastic lunch where the Rev Peter Hopkins for stepping in at the Grantham and Major General Poffley. the Regiment was also joined by the Lord last minute to provide a honourable and Soldiers who specialise in construction Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, an hour and fitting memorial service and finally Maj Gen work have marched through Grantham to many sandwiches later the Regiment Tim Cross CBE, the Regiments Honorary mark their regiment being officially formed up on the Square for the formal act Colonel for his tireless work over the past disbanded. The disbandment of the 168 of disbandment. The Commanding Officers years. Pioneer Regiment was announced in July as biding word through out the Disbandment Finally, I think all of you that have served part of Army restructuring. process has been honourable, with a level so proudly in the Regiment throughout its Formed in 1995, the regiment includes of turn out and bearing rarely seen and a history will agree that the 26th October soldiers skilled in areas such as bricklaying precision in drill masking the little time 2013 whilst being very sad, marked the and carpentry. Their support to regular many of the Regiment had to rehearse, no passing of the Regiment in a true pioneer soldiers has included building training more honourable parade could have been fashion. Labor omnia vincit. ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 7 PAST EVENTS

■ THE 67th Past and Present Dinner was held on 11th October 2013 in the Dining out Twiz Sergeants Mess, 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC, Bicester. It was held in the Sergeants’ Mess as this mess is larger. The two guests were Col J Grinstead MBE ADC the Corps Colonel and Brig HJ Hickman CBE who recently retired as President of the RPC Association. and big Verne 66 Past and Present Pioneers sat down to a very enjoyable meal. Maj W Dilkes posted the following on At the Ladies/Generation night held in the Sergeants Mess, Facebook: “I have to say, that was a brilliant Past 23 Pioneer Regiment, Bicester on 18 October 2013 & Present Dinner Night. If I could hand pick a perfect group of men to eat and drink with then most of them were there last night... God bless you all!!"

■ ONCE AGAIN members met at the Corps Plot at Westminster Abbey for the Field of Remembrance. Cpl Beacham stood at the front of the Plot with In-Pensioner Micky Hull where they both spoke to the Duke of Edinburgh. (It should be noted that Sgt Paul Hanson was to nervous to stand at the front). Following the service at the Field, members once again went to the Marquis of Westminster Restaurant for lunch, a beer and a chat. As is tradition we then went to Chelsea to make sure that Micky got home OK. He took us to his local pub where a few more beers were had.

■ THE Northampton Branch held what started out as a Christmas Party but turned out to be a Burns Night as it fell on 25 Jan 14. Over 65 Association members turned up in the Eastgate Pub, Northampton, they came from as far afield as Manchester, Nottingham, London, Leeds, ■ The RSM presents Rich with a badger Picture: Paul Brown Bicester and, of course, Northampton. A great night was had and most enjoyed HE WOs and SNCOs Reunion Club But he is only really happy, when he can the Haggis and Neeps. held a Ladies/Generation night in bawl at you. Kev Young, being of Scottish descent, the Sergeants Mess, 23 Pioneer Verne, always said, “I am a Batchelor, a was going to read out the Ode to the Regiment on 18 October 2013. The batchelor I will stay”. Haggis but at the last minute decided to opportunity was also taken to dine But he hadn’t met the right girl, till she read out “The Ode to the Fart” which T went along the lines of: out WO2 V Matravers and WO2 Twizzell. came along his way. The town-crier for Mablethorpe, ex WO2 He is now engaged to marry, his girl is Oh whit a sleekit horrible beastie, Roy Palmer was going to read an ode for here tonight. It lurks in yer belly efter a feastie! both the Warrant Officers but at the last Keep a tight rein on him Janice, he’s Nae maiter whit ye dae, moment could not attend. His Odes... been known to party, all the night. Awbiddies gonnae hiv tae pay. Verne loves his animals, tractors, also PROCLAMATION for WO2 Rich Matravers combines too. Evn if ye try to stifle, On his Retirement from But his return to Civvy life, will make him It's lik a bullit oot a rifle! Haud yer bum tite tae the chair, The Royal Logistics Corps feel quite blue. Tae try tae stoap the leakin air. Big Verne Matravers, stands over me, as We have a small gift for him, to send him you can see. on his way. Shimmy yersel fae cheek tae cheek, He is known, throughout the world and A little tiny Badger, it should really make Pray tae God it disny reek! the RLC. his day. Then oot it comes lik a thunder clap, You get a lot of Qudos, when you’re Enough tae mak yer shirt tail flap. promoted to WO2. PROCLAMATION For WO2 JG TWIZELL He was posted to the West Indies, right On his Retirement from Richochets aroon the room, The Royal Logistic Corps Michty me! A sonic boom! out there in the Blue. My o' My it fairly reeks, He joined a ship, as Warrant Officer, he Twiz, signed on the dotted line in 1991, Hope a huvny shit ma breeks! couldn’t even swim! while he was very drunk. He had a 2 year paid holiday, who said, He thought he’d joined the Paras, but If you live in Northampton or the that Verne, is dim. woke up in the Chunks. Northampton area and do not receive He has also served with the Pioneer TA During many tours and postings, our the Northampton Branch newsletter sister Regiment. Hero, he has survived. please let HQ RPC Association know and Big Verne, never argued, he just went, A challenge for most, but, Twiz, he surely you will be added to the distribution list. where he was sent. . thrived. It is intended to hold another Branch Function later in the year, He has served on many tours and When an event organiser is needed, then ideas/suggestions on where to hold the postings, in places all around. please, beware. event are always welcome. Some he liked, some were a bore and For, how he gets the job done, he doesn’t We will be, once again, booking a some they were quite sound. really care. mini-bus for the Cenotaph Parade in He marched through Maggie’s town, The Sgt’s Mess were stupid enough, to Whitehall in November. Grantham and on the Parade Ground too. ask him, to lend a hand.

8 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS

■ Twiz exaggerates again Pictures: Paul Brown Stupid? I hear you ask, Twiz, covered the this honour. I feel honoured to have been green suit! Will I miss it, too bloody right I carpet, with 2 tons of sand. sat at the top table, the company was will,BUT, one can't do it alone so I have to He is a Regimental footballer, we all excellent - if a little hazy towards the end! thank a few people: know, that he is good. If you have the space please could you 1. RSM, Sir, Norman and the Reunion But if you’re a Middlesborough place this missive in the next edition of The Club, thank you for inviting me to come Supporter, then football, must be in the Pioneer and if you really have the space home and be dined out on completion of blood. please include a copy of my short speech. my 22 years Colour service in our mess. Middlesborough Football Club, who are Rich (Big Verne) Matravers. 2. All the Pioneers good or bad, without they, I hear you say. Presiding Member, Honoured Guests, you the journey through my career would While saying that, step back, for a ladies and gentlemen. have been very “boring” indeed… I thank backhand may come your way. 22 years is a long time to do any job, let you one and all. That includes the Girls in During your service, the Qudos, you have alone one a varied as mine has been.Trying the mess, Wendy, Annie et al… brought the RLC. to sum it all up in a brief speech is virtually 3. Rob and Karen Hebditch, my guests, Is clearly there, for the Army and all of us impossible I feel. they have been my other family in civvy to see. It's been a number of things to me. street for years and have backed me His proud wife Claire and dear old mum, It's been FUN - like being involved in through good times and bad, I have are here to wish him well. nearly blowing up half of Otterburn Trg become part of their family over the years, Twiz on retirement, if your wife is aught Area on the Sid Blinston bunker episode, or a simple thank you seems very inadequate. like mine, be prepared, for hell. being posted to a ship - as a bloke who 4. Finally Jacqui, my fiancée, soon to be Norman and myself were chunks, the doesn’t like water and can’t swim. Mrs Matravers. Me the PMC of the Mess Army was different then. It's been a challenge - various operational Orphans Club struck down by cupids arrow. Our dreams have not disappeared, we tours and exercises too numerous to Jax used to make special trips to the farm still think we are military men. mention, living out of a bergan, eating to watch me “do farming”. But Twiz, we are in good company and it compo, seeing the same blokes ugly face Me being a bit slow on the uptake will make us proud. day in day out for weeks or months on end, mentioned this to Rob one morning on When you leave this life of purgatory and making hard decisions, making bad ones, leave as we were working, he replied, “she join us, in the civilian crowd. making good ones, gaining good friends, doesn’t come to look at me you dick!” and some times loosing them. It's been There was I believe some intervention by Verne sent me the following letter: rewarding, passing basic, getting my first Karen ref phone numbers and the rest is Norman, could I please thank you and stripe then loosing it! Passing Brecon, history. Jax has put up with me being away the WOs & SNCOs Pnr Reunion Club for teaching Infantry Recruits, seeing them a lot but not for much longer, as we will dining out myself and my fiancee and around the world, gaining entry to the soon be together all the time, and I love her hosting my guests at the Association Ladies most exclusive club in the world THE MESS, very much. Dinner Night on Friday 18th October. getting a few jollies on Adventure Training Everybody toasts absent friends and It was a fantastic evening and I am in Nepal, Corsica, Chamonix etc. rightly so, extremely grateful to be privileged enough Most off all it's been good, certainly I would like to propose a toast to: NEW to have been dined out in “our “ mess as I good to me, 22 years of my life, life in a HORIZONS. am aware that not all Pioneers are offered green suit or should that be a red and Rich (Big Verne) Matravers

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 9 We had a record number of Pioneers turn up on parade, 42 to be exact. Can we beat the record again this year?

NCE again the UK fell silent to marked with the firing of a round by the countries. commemorate war dead on Sunday King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, using a The assembled marchers - who for the 10 Nov 13, and record numbers 13-pounder World War One gun. first time included representatives of a (over 10,000) marched at the A two-minute silence was observed World War 2 unit known as “Churchill's OCenotaph at Whitehall this before the Queen laid the first wreath, this Secret Army” which were members of the included 42 Pioneers (also a record). was followed by other members of the British Resistance Movement, then set off The crowds in central London stood Royal Family and then politicians, Military down Whitehall. quietly as Big Ben struck 1100 hrs and the and emergency service chiefs and We are hoping for an even bigger turn ■ Pictures: Paul Brown Paul Pictures: beginning and end of the silence was representatives from Commonwealth out this year!

10 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS

CENOTAPH MARCH Whitehall, London, 10th November 2013

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 11 FUTURE EVENTS ■ MEMBERS OF all Regimental I will always be red Associations are invited to take part in the annual Walk for Remembrance at the National Memorial Arboretum on Sunday 11 May 2014. Full information and a booking form can be found at: and green at heart http://tinyurl.com/oyav92f

■ 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC is to march Peter Bevan decided it was time to take up charity raising through Bicester Town for the last time on Sunday 27 July 2014. and do his bit for Help the Heroes The day will start with a Church Service in St Edburg's Church at 1100 hours, followed by a march from the Church to Garth Park where a reception will be held. The Regiment has asked Old Comrades to march behind the Regiment, it is hoped therefore that as many as possible attend. Accommodation will be available on Saturday 26 July and a booking form is enclosed with the Newsletter.

■ 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC is to hold a Disbandment Parade on Friday 26th September 2014. This is to be followed by the usual Pioneer Weekend. The Pioneer Weekend will probably follow the usual successful programme, although at the time of going to press with this Newsletter details have to be confirmed. It is expected that the weekend, which is the last to be held in Bicester, will be the largest held. Accommodation will therefore be at a premium. A return for the weekend is enclosed, this must be returned by 5 Sep 14. Please note that some accommodation will have to be in St George's Barracks. To guarantee a place in St David's please bring your own accommodation (Motorhome, caravan or tent). In addition there are a few rooms available for personnel to bring their own camp cots, air mattress etc. Please indicate on the return if you are willing to do this.

■ THE WOs & SNCOs Pnr Reunion Club is to hold a Ladies/Generation Night on Sat 6 Sep 14 at Bicester. Full details and a booking form will be sent to Club members in July.

■ THE NORTHERN Ireland Veterans' Association Service of Remembrance 2014 will be held at 1130 hrs Saturday 20 Sep 14 at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffs. The service will commemorate and remember all those who lost their lives in service of the Crown as a result of the conflict in N Ireland. The service will be followed by a parade down to the Ulster Ash Grove for the laying of wreaths. Following the laying of the wreaths, there will be a 15 minute pause before the parade forms up for the return march to the visitor centre during which the ■ guest of honour will take the salute. Peter Bevan and the crew of the Vos Venturer Pictures: Peter Bevan The service is open to all and all Associations are welcome to parade their ETER BEVAN is a ex Pioneer who Peter now serves as a bosun for Vroon standards. served from 1980 to 1984. He Offshore where he has had great support It would be appreciated if Associations decided it was time to take up from the crew and his Captain John Clark. arranging for groups of their members to charity raising and do his bit for Peter did say though that he will always attend could notify us of numbers and Help for Heroes but especially in be red and green at heart. He managed to confirm if their standard will be P memory of Lee Rigby the poor soldier who raise £942.18 and would also like to say parading. was murdered in London. thank you to everybody that donated.

12 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS Team Charlie Wood

Ex Pioneers are turning a £250 car into a yellow submarine and intend to to drive their way across 5 of Europe's top 10 roads in aid of Help for Heroes

FTER a great Christmas I was Afghanistan in December 2010 whilst Wayne Kipling relaxing messing about with my serving with the Counter-improvised Master mechanic 24 years well he better phone when suddenly I saw a link Explosive Device Task force on Herrick 13. be because he’s going to be one very busy to Help for Heroes banger run Heather said that it is an amazing idea and lad getting our submarine ship shape and A2014 to say that I was intrigued it would be an honour to do it in Charlies maintaining it. was an understatement and I thought it name,so Team Charlie Wood was born. Help for Heroes is about the men and was a fantastic idea. This year’s H4H banger run theme is Best women of our Armed Forces. Since 2007, As the days rolled on I found myself of British so I got my thinking cap on I need H4H has helped hundreds of men and keeping going back and browsing over their to dress up a Peugeot 406 EST to women who have been wounded, injured website. It was then I decided I needed to something very British, (yes I know the cars or become sick in the line of duty since be part of this, I contacted the organisers not very British but have you tried to buy a 9/11. on New Year’s Eve and mentioned that I jag for £250) I went through British films Help for Heroes strives towards 100% was interested in joining them on this year’s and TV looking for iconic British cars to effectiveness – so that for every £1 rally registration for newcomers opens on replicate and then had one of those eureka donated, £1 will go directly to helping 12th January bloody hell twelve days to moments (ok I don’t have them very often) wounded Servicemen and women. So, we wait for registration it couldn’t come quick British Pop and decided to turn a car into do exactly what we say on the tin – your enough I checked in with “the Boss” and the yellow submarine from the best British donations go directly to supporting the got my leave pass in for the end of august band The Beatles, how hard could it be..... wounded boys and girls. if I was to be accepted . The route will include Route 500 in To donate the this worthwhile cause and The 2014 Banger Run will be one of the Germany, the Klausen Pass, Furka Pass & help Team Charlie Wood smash its target hardest yet. San Bernadino Pass as well as the Stelvio for sponsorship you can sponsor via Although not the longest, the bangers Pass all of which are in Switzerland and a justgiving at will be pushed to the limit as teams small part in Italy. www.justgiving.com/teamcharliewood navigate their way across 5 of Europe’s top The route will finish at Lake Como Remember: Donating through JustGiving 10 roads in £250 cars decorated as northern Italy. The team consists of: is simple, fast and totally secure. Your anything that’s very British. The Help for details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll Heroes Banger Run is organised by Royal Steve Miles never share them with anyone or send you Air Force personnel in between their Ex 23 PNR Regt 1993-2000 had the unwanted emails. primary duties and detachments. privilege to know and serve with Charlie in Once you donate, they’ll send your It’s an annual European driving event my time at the Regt. money directly to the charity. which is gaining more and more interest I am currently repairing and painting cars They’ll make sure Gift Aid (an additional each year. It is open to anybody who wants or submarines for Pro Smart Systems ltd 25%) is reclaimed on every eligible to get involved. Due to the nature of the based in Chesterfield. donation by a UK taxpayer, too. That means Help for Heroes charity, the majority of more money goes to the charity, faster, with teams are military but a lot of the general Thomas Keeton JustGiving. Textgiving texts are free. public are entering too. Ex 23 PNR Regt 1990-2002 Text – 70070. I got in contact with Heather Wood and The Highlanders 2002-2008 Message-woii66 asked if she would mind if the team did the Tom is now retired living in Chesterfield Enter amount ££££ run in memory of W02 Charlie Wood who due to injuries sustained in a grenade Or visit www.bangerrun.com and click on was tragically killed on operations in attack on OP Telic 7 in Iraq 2005 the yellow submarine.

Stelvio Pass, Furka Pass, 7969 ft Klausen Pass, 9045 ft 6391 ft

The San Bernardino Pass, 6,778 ft Pictures: Steve Miles

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 13 Pictures: Paul Brown B Leach and Pte Thompson. Pte and Leach Taylor,Pte were Petley,Pte Pte Lang, Cpl magnificently,fought and they disgraced however,others, not The were win. to managed Clarke) SSgt and Lugeba (Pte two only unfortunately boxers 22 the of 7 Brigade. Sp Log 104 from boxer one and Corps 14 bouts. Itwas pleasingtoseemany Associationmembersintheaudience. from 23,24,29Regimentand104LogSpBrigade. Itwas anightoffantastic closelyfought 23 PioneerRegiment,RLCheldanightofboxing on14November 2013. The boxers were It was pleasing to see so many so see to pleasing was It provided Regiment Pioneer 23 Although | THE ROYAL PIONEERCORPS ASSOCIATION and 29 Regiments Royal Logistic Royal Regiments 29 and 24 23, from boxers The 13. Nov David’s14 St on at Barracks bouts fought closely of night fantastic a for together came OXERS have done them better.belongs them credit done The have could deeds of doer the where or stumbles, man strong the how out points who man Roosevelt), Paris, on23Apr1910byTheodore Republic” deliveredattheSorbonne,in evening: the for programme Belcher-Marks).Spencer WO2 to mainly (thanks event organised well a was it agreed all Mess), Sergeants the in later (and audience the in members Association It is not the critic who counts; not the not counts; who critic the not is It (Excerpt fromthespeech“Citizenshipina Arena the in Man The the in appeared following The nor defeat. defeat. nor victory know neither who souls timid and cold those with be never shall place his that greatly,daring while so fails least at fails, he if worst, the at who and achievement, high of triumph the end the in knows best the at who cause; worthy a in himself spends who devotions; great the enthusiasms, great knows who deeds; the do to strive actually does who but shortcoming; and error without effort no is there because again, and again short comes who errs, who valiantly; strives who blood; and sweat and dust by marred is face whose arena, the in actually is who man the to ■ NEWS

BOXING EVENING St David's Barracks, 14th November 2013

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 15 FUTURE EVENTS

■ THE PAST and Present Officers Dinner Two Pioneers reunited is to be held in the Bicester Garrison Officers Mess, Ambrosden on 17 October Two veterans who met at Sandhurst have found themselves 2014. Officers wishing to attend should working together again years later for Help for Heroes. contact the RPC Association.

■ THE 8 Regiment RASC/RCT/RLC ANNUAL Anniversary Reunion Dinner is to be held on Saturday 18th October 2014. These Annual Re-Unions are open to any Ex Member of 8 Regiment, of any of the following Cap Badges: - RASC - RCT - RLC - ROYAL SIGNALS - REME - RPC - RAPC - ACC - AGC - RAPTC, who served in the Regiment between:- October 1964 - July 2012. For further information contact:- Jimmy Aspinall, by Email: [email protected] or David Southall by Email: [email protected].

■ THE FIELD of Remembrance will be held at Westminster Abbey on Thursday 6 November 2014. Tickets are now required for this event, these can be obtained from the Secretary RPC Association.

■ WE WILL, once again, be holding the London Lunch on 6 November 2014. This follows the Field of Remembrance and will be in the Marquis of Westminster Public House, Warwick Way, London (Near Victoria Station).

■ THE CENOTAPH Parade is to be held at Whitehall on Sunday 9 November 2014. Tickets can be obtained from the Secretary RPC Association. Personnel must be on Horse Guards Parade by 1010 hrs. Northampton Branch of the Association will once again be hiring a mini-bus from Northampton Town Centre, if you wish to travel on this please inform the Secretary.

NEWS IN BRIEF

■ THANKS TO all members who supported the Christmas Draw, this is one of the few areas in which we raise money to keep the Association running. ■ Mo Usman and Lawrence Mannion outside Phoenix House Recovery Centre Pictures: Phoenix House The draw was held in the WOs & Sgts’ Mess, 23 Pnr Regt RLC on 12 Dec 13. WO VETERANS who met while housing, finances and leisure. Cheques have been posted to lucky undergoing officer training at For Mo, working for Help for Heroes is winners. Sandhurst have found themselves the ideal position, following his long military 1st Prize £1,000 - F Cooper working together again years later career. Ticket No 36971 T for the charity Help for Heroes. He said: “My greatest enjoyment is the Amersham Mo Usman and Lawrence Mannion, both continued realisation that you can do a lot 52, joined the Royal Pioneer Corps and for those who are wounded, injured and 2nd Prize £500 - P Osborne began their military careers in the mid- long-term sick, including veterans and their Ticket No 47781 1980s. While life then took them in families that’s perhaps just not conceivable Bexhill on Sea different directions, they remained in touch in the general mind. through the years. Very close to that is an absolute passion 3rd Prize £200 - E Joslin Ticket No 01329 After 24 years in the Army, Mo became for forming highly functional and South Benfleet the Centre Manager for the Help for Heroes professional teams to deliver what is Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick, enormously rewarding work.” 4th Prize £100 - S Blake North Yorkshire, which provides support for Mo, who grew up in Nottingham, joined Ticket No 40864 wounded, injured and sick service the Army when he was 24-years-old after Stratford Upon Avon personnel, veterans and their families. becoming interested in the military through Mo quickly realised that Lawrence, who the Air Cadets and then the 4 Parachute 5th Prize £50 - A Marsden Ticket No 47622 served eight years in the Army, would be Regiment TA while at university. He credits Hyde, Cheshire the perfect candidate for Support his experience with the Army Training Corps Programme Coordinator and he joined for giving him the skills to achieve such ■ IN THE October 2013 newsletter on Phoenix House in February, 2012. success with the Pioneers. page 41 the name Mr T Sullivan should A year later, he became the Support Hub He went to Sandhurst in 1986, sponsored read Bill Sears. Manager, a vital role making sure that by the Pioneers. His career saw several tours Hope to see you at this years reunion veterans and families receive all the help to Northern Ireland and Iraq, as well as Bill. they need from psychological support to postings to Germany as a troop commander

16 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS

■ Mo Usman (whilst Adjt 23 Group and Lawrence Mannion Pictures: Phoenix House in 8 Transport Regiment, Malaysia and to For Lawrence, working with Mo again is Lawrence, who now lives in Reeth with Georgia as Chief Operating Officer for a UN both “strange” and “rewarding.” his wife Hilde, trained as a teacher and Mission. “It’s funny how life works out,” he said. became principle of Lindeth College in His last posting was to HQ 6 Division in “Phoenix House is very hands-on and it’s a Windermere for pupils with moderate to York, where he was involved in training vibrant work environment. severe learning difficulties and disabilities. Operational Brigades deploying to Helmand “We are here to support all veterans who He led visually impaired holidays for a Province. Before leaving the Army, he was are wounded, injured or sick and it’s about number of years before joining the Phoenix selected into the appointment of Colonel getting that message out there to as many House team. Commandant for Cleveland Cadet Force – organisations and veterans as possible so For Mo, it’s all about building a good giving something back to the cadets. He we can grow that role and develop that. team to support the wounded, injured and left in June 2010 as a Lieutenant Colonel to “The challenge of the job includes sick. set up a small luxury hotel, The Burgoyne in looking at how we approach different He said: “I like developing individuals, Swaledale, North Yorkshire, with his wife services and how all the organisations pushing people to the limits in a Julia. serving veterans work together or at least constructive way and giving people the At the same time, he was appointed as collaborate” freedom to try things, while making them project officer to set up an interim Lawrence joined the Army when he was realise they can achieve more than they Personnel Recovery Centre as part of the 19 years old, beginning with the personally think. Defence Recovery Capability for the MOD, Intelligence Corps as a soldier. In 1986, he “The work here at Phoenix House spans employed on full-time reserve service. applied for his commission and went to from developing at the very base level to He was then selected by Help for Heroes Sandhurst for officer training, where he met providing input to sophisticated ideas at a to take on the project for them as Centre Mo. strategic level. Manager. He worked pro bono for the He said: “I remember he was very “I am very lucky. My time in the services charity until being officially appointed in studious, diligent and reliable. Both of us was very enjoyable and my career at Help April, 2012. then applied to the Royal Pioneers Corps. I for Heroes is nothing but rewarding. The Mo said he has worked hard to build a was interested in logistics type corps and complexity of characters we see here is strong team at Phoenix House and knew his the Pioneers came top as it had an infantry indefinite and that’s what inspires me to former colleague Lawrence would be a and logistics role.” help unravel those complexities in a huge asset to the Centre. His first posting was with 518 company, supportive and positive way. He said: “At Sandhurst, Lawrence and I where he worked with a platoon in “Our collective role,” Mo said, “is to got on a straight away. He was very Gibraltar as well as serving in Northern inspire, enable and support those in need – supportive of me and I’m not sure if he Ireland. Lawrence was then posted to the it is not to change the world but to help thought I was a foreign officer and needed First Armoured Division and Signal and support those whose world has help, or if he was just thoughtful and Regiment in Verden as a defence platoon changed.” approachable! commander. Anyone who served in the Army, Royal “I think it’s great we are working During his Army career, he was also a Navy, Royal Marines or Royal Air Force who together again. We are different in station fire officer and Regimental NBC needs the support of Help for Heroes character but we have values that are very officer. Lawrence left the Army in 1990 as a Phoenix House Recovery Centre in Catterick similar in nature.” lieutenant. can self-refer by calling 01748 834148.

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 17 NEWS IN BRIEF

■ THE RLC museum is going to move to Further news from 23 a new site at Worthy Down (Project Wellesley) Adventure Training and a troop commanders perspective The position chosen for the Museum is on the main access road and the building show a unique set of challenges will incorporate the reception area and refreshment facilities for visitors. The great advantage the new site offers is that it brings the entire Museum's collection under one roof. They are currently spread over six locations at Deepcut and conditions for the collection are not always to the highest standard. In order to do this the footprint of the Museum will be twice that of the existing building and this offers the opportunity to display more of the collection to visitors than ever before. We intend to use the new exhibition space to tell the full story of the RLC and Forming Corps as part of a thematic and chronological story from today back to the fourteenth century. The plan is for the move to the new Museum site to happen in May 2018 at the conclusion of the relocation process, but this does not mean that work has stopped at the current site.

■ THE SERVICE Personnel and Veterans Agency can be found on www.veterans.uk.info (Tel No 0808 1914 218). This excellent website provides a large amount of information for all veterans, including Pensions, Medals, Welfare and the National Memorial Arboretum. You can also obtain your service records, for a ■ small fee, in which you will be able to read 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC, Boxing Evening Picture: Paul Brown your Confidential Reports! The Veterans UK Helpline handles URTHER NEWS 23 Pioneer events and set targets, or the lucky few due approximately 16,000 phone calls and Regiment RLC. The Regiment to deploy on operations, my 2 fellow troop 1,900 emails per month from veterans, deployed a team to Ex Ski RLC, the commanders and I faced a very different set their families or representatives in respect Corps Skiing Championships in of challenges. Instead of struggling to get of a wide range of veterans related issues. F Ruhpolding, Germany. With many to grips with the intricacies of JAMES and The advice requested through the brand new skiers across both Alpine and MJDI, inspecting vehicles or deploying on Veterans UK Helpline is predominantly Nordic disciplines, silverware was never the exercise, our world has become one of focused on pensions and compensation objective. Instead, exposure to perilously Outreach, the Redundancy DIN and the schemes administered by SPVA and steep icy slopes and gruelling 10 kilometre imminent spectre of the Tranche 4 medals concerns, however, veterans do races ensured that all members of the team announcement. call to seek help on a wide range of topics, showed great grit, determination and This has certainly presented itself with a some of whom are in urgent need of help. courage. pretty unique set of challenges, and it Sticking with the AT theme, a team from would be easy to become downhearted ■ THE NATIONAL Memorial Arboretum the regiment also participated in the when so many of your soldiers are leaving in Staffordshire is looking to recruit Combined Services and British Telemark Ski the unit, if not the wider Army. However, customer service-oriented volunteers to Championships. The team had varying the CO’s insistence that the Regiment does join their visitor welcome team. As the UK's year-round Centre of degrees of ski experience, from ski novice to not go quietly has been keenly Remembrance, the Arboretum is a a multi-disciplined ski expert. For the implemented across the Regiment. Pioneers spiritually uplifting place which honours uninitiated, Telemark races encompass a are certainly not ones to struggle in the face the fallen, recognises service and giant slalom run, a jump, a rap (360 degree of adversity – something I’ve witnessed very sacrifice and fosters pride in our country. banked turn) and a skate section. The only early on with the glut of silverware amassed The new recruits will join an award silverware from the competition was from various competitions and sporting winning team of over 180 volunteers. brought home in the development sprint events. They are a vital part of the Arboretum, race by SSgt Pete Archer who won 2nd Invariably though, the focus across the contributing both time and energy to place. Further adventure training is planned Regiment has been on management on ensuring visitors have a memorable experience, and helping the site to in the upcoming weeks, including a trip to soldiers transferring to new trades, and flourish and grow for the benefit of Wales for a combined hill walking and ensuring Tranche 4 redundees are afforded future generations. mountain biking expedition. The three new the best chance of making a new start in Customer service volunteers get Tp Comds who joined the Regt in January civilian life. This has provided troop involved in all aspects of meeting and have also been told to ‘think big’ with commanders like me with invaluable and greeting visitors, leading guided tours of regards to planning a L3 AT exped – so unique experiences. However, we have not the arboretum and providing watch this space. been left completely bereft of core information to visitors. Successful soldiering activities; a drive towards the applicants will receive training and A Troop Commander’s Perspective by completion of MATTs before the end of the advice from both senior volunteers and 2Lt Doyle-Tanner. external bodies and the chance to work training year has dominated the weekly alongside an experienced volunteer I arrived at Regiment in January 2014 to a battle rhythm, and I’m planning a CT1 Level mentor. very different environment to that of my exercise for the coming months. To apply contact Kim Riley, Volunteers peers from Sandhurst and the RLC Troop Overall, it has been a hectic but & Training Co-ordinator (01283 792333) Commanders’ Course. While most were thoroughly enjoyable time to be part of the email: [email protected] arriving to regiments with a clear forecast of Regiment.

18 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS Mental health of armed forces veterans Research recently corroborated and commissioned show that there has been a negative publicity towards mental health of armed forces veterans and that perception is unjustified

VER the past few months there has Specific Issues experience more mental health problems been a general drip of negative Mental Health. The mental health of than those who served for longer. publicity about the mental state of Veterans is broadly similar to that of the The higher prevalence of susceptibility to Armed Forces’ veterans and general population, notwithstanding that mental health problems amongst ESLs , in Ocontemporary surveys have their military career provides a very specific many cases, accounts for their premature indicated that as many as nine out of ten backdrop and context to some departure from the Armed Forces. members of the public believe that service presentations. For a few ESL the impacts of the various leavers commonly have some kind of A career in the Armed Forces is not negative pre-Service vulnerability factors, physical, emotional or mental health associated with an overall increase in risk of placed on hold whilst in Service, reassert problem that is a result of their military developing a psychiatric or mental health themselves post transition. This may service1. disorder. There is, so far, no evidence to account for the clustering of poor health Support Command has been looking at support the assertion that we are sitting on and social outcomes in the ESL cohort. this issue for some time2. a time-bomb of PTSD among Regulars who Please feel free to publicise and use the Our research, recently corroborated by a have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Contrary above evidence as you see fit. Study commissioned by 42 (NW) Bde jointly to media assertion, the overall suicide risk with the HNS NW conducted by the appears no greater for Veterans than for From Major General R M B Nitsch CBE Universities of Salford and Chester3 , shows the general population. 8 January 2014 that the negative publicity and perception is Criminal Justice. The long gap6 between unjustified. discharge from Service and custody of 1 The Armed Forces & Society – The military General Position. The majority of those7 who do offend makes it difficult to in Britain through the eyes of Service personnel do make a successful transition associate any direct causal link between personnel employers and the public. to civilian life4, although a small percentage service in the Forces and imprisonment. Published May 12 available at: struggle. There is limited evidence from which to http://lordashcroftpolls.com/2012/05/the- The general position is as follows: identify any particular reason for Veteran armed-forces-society Veterans5 are generally robust people offending which distinguishes Veterans who are likely to suffer the same range of from other offenders. 2 20121122-Hindering or Helping Heroes- health/welfare issues as the general What is clear is that the conventional SpComd_ColMed.pdf population. problems associated with criminal behaviour The vast majority of Service Leavers (SL) such as drug and alcohol abuse, 3 Universities of Salford and Chester housing needs are met on transition to homelessness, a poor ability to deal with commissioned by Comd 42(NW) Bde and civilian life and the majority of SL obtain emotions, low educational attainment and NHS NW. gainful employment. financial pressures, appear to be as A small minority of Veterans do common among ex-Servicemen in custody 4 Prof Sir Simon Wessely King’s Centre for experience difficulties post-Service, these as it is among the general prison Military Health Research - KCMHR tend to manifest themselves on average 10 population. Despite the UK male Veteran years after discharge. population accounting for 9.1% of the 5 Veterans – “those that have served in HM The adverse outcomes (common mental population, Veterans account for only 3.5% Armed Forces for at least one day, either health problems, unemployment, social of the prison population. as a Regular or Reservist” Armed Forces isolation, encounters with the criminal However, for the few Veterans that do Covenant justice system) present at a rate less than come into contact with the criminal justice that in the general population. system violence and sexual crimes are 6 59% of veterans in prison are convicted Adversity is more common in the notable occurrences with the misuse of and incarcerated over 10 years post untrained and Early Service Leavers (ESL) alcohol an important recurring factor. discharge cohorts. Vulnerability is associated with pre- Vulnerable Veterans. Counter intuitively; service adversity (childhood disadvantage, it appears that those who serve the shortest 7 The proportion of ex-servicemen who history of anti-social behaviour) rather than time find the return to civilian life the offend is very small in proportion to the a consequence of Service life or combat hardest. total of those discharged from the Force experience. There is some evidence that ESL (0.057% of the UK Veteran population).

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 19 1912 Basuto Company

A painting done during the war of the Landscape of Libya, mum said he only had four colours to draw the scene. 1912 (Basuto) Company was part of the Auxiliary African Pioneer Corps. This short story details William Newby Scott who commanded the Company.

Report: David Stott Durban, Appointed Hon. Adjutant RWFAG Transport and utilised on road construction, Pictures: David Stott forming Basuto, Swazi and Bechuana AAPC bridge building, docks, aerodromes etc.in Coys. Egypt, Libya, Cinenaicia, and Tripolitania & Y father, William Newby STOTT, On the 18th August he arrived in Maseru Tunisia. rejoined the Army on the 24th in Basutoland (now Lesotho) where he On 14th June the records specifically May 1940 with the rank of formed, trained and assumed Command of show the Coy left Gabes in Tunisia for Lieutenant and his Army the 1912 Basuto Coy AAPC NT and was Azizya in Tripoli for the construction of an MPersonnel Number was 119280. appointed G/Major. Records states he had Aerodrome. He joined in the Pioneer Corps and was knowledge of Sesuto Language. posted to No 1 Centre AMP Corps (21 On the 29th November 1941 he left From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Group) as Adjutant at Doddington. Durban with the Company and arrived at Sidi Haneish Airfield is an abandoned World The Pioneer Corps appears to be the Quassasire Egypt on 14th December 1941. War II military airfield in Egypt, in the follow on from the Labour Corps of the Quassasire is described at that time as a western desert, about 35 km east-southeast First World War. At Deepcut in Surrey there sprawling Military Base between Ismalia and of Marsa Matruh; 410 km northeast of is the Royal Logistic Corps Museum which Zagazik. Cairo. It was used by the United States covers both the Labour Corps of the First On the 3 Jan 1942 the records shows he Army, and the Ninth Air Force during the World War and Pioneer Corps of the arrived in Damascus, Syria where he was Eastern Desert Campaign and by the British Second World War. until July. Eighth Army. On the 17th August he was transferred On 2 July departs Syria En- route via to 87 Coy as 2nd in Command at Chard, Transjordania for Aqaba. 7 months later on 14th June 1943 they Somerset and a few weeks later was We do have two pencil sketches drawn in moved on to Al Azizia, Tripolitania to build ordered to proceed to War Office C2c on Aqaba which my sister holds the originals Aerodrome and shortly after this on the duty. and I have copies. One is of Lawrence of 10th July embark by ship from Tripoli to At the start of 1941 on the 19th January Arabia Fort with the Camp of the 1912 Suez and back to Quassasire for the he joined 38 Group Pioneer Corps there Basuto Coy dated 15 October 1942 and the Company to be reorganised and reformed was another three attachments and before other a general view of Aqaba dated 18th into a ‘A Smoke Coy’. Embarkation leave was granted on the 8th October 1942. Here the dates do not quite However on the 16th August he is to 14th February 1941. tie up as his records show him in Palestine posted to H.E on Compassionate Grounds He departed England on the 22nd April at Yibna on 28th September then joins the and on 19th August he embarks on H.M.T.P 1941 and arrived at Durban South Africa on 8th Army at Quassasire on the 8th October 35 for England where he arrives on the 10 the 28th May, he had been appointed before moving to Sidi Haneish on the 3rd September. Officer I/C pay H.M.T.G.10 for the voyage. November. The reason for his return is sketchy, mum On arrival he was at the Chasewood Camp The Coy were with the 8th Army told she thought it was because his mother

20 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION was ill about then, she also mentioned he 28th Jan 1944 Posted to R & D Depot had some shrapnel in his ear and had PC glandular fever. His mother Helen died in Scarborough in 1944. 20th Mar 1944 Posted to no 6 Centre I do have a sketch of a war scene at sea PC any 563 P/W Wkg which mum always told me he drew on his Coy way home but the date of 10/12/43 does not tie up with the dates above and 23 July 44 Posted to166 Pioneer obviously is drawn later. Corps Holding & However it was shortly after his return on Training Unit at Buxton the 29th September 1943 that he married my Mum Barbara Grace Hutton at the 28th July 44 Posted with 605 PWW Fulham Registry Office. Coy to 12 Group at Looking at his medical section on his Richmond records on the 10th May 1943 in Tunisia he is rated A1 (i.e. fit ) and then at a Medical 24 June 1945 Preceded to MCU and Board at City General Hospital, Gloucester SOS no 12 Group PC on 1st January 1944 his health is rated ‘C’ Permanently. My mother seems to think many of these There is no reason stated for this. If ‘C’ attachments involved visiting Italian Prisoner when he applied he would have been unfit of war camps. She does remember having a to be recruited by the army. meal with my father at ‘The Grotto’at His health seems to deteriorate and may Marsden near South Shields with two other have some connection with his early death Officers. in 1947. We were to take her there for a meal in However after this he has various the 1990’s as she reminisced. postings all round the Country, Prestatyn, Southampton, Southborough, Buxton, Courses: Fraisthorpe, Marsden and Richmond, all C.O. Messing Course Aldershot with different Companies of the Pioneer 2 Days 1.11.43 Corps. Pay Course Marylebourne From October 1943 until his release leave 28.3.44- 9.4.44 on 23rd June 1945 he had a whole series of Attachments in England at various depots. He was Struck off Unit strength 23.6.45 Which included; Release leave 24.6.45

18th Oct 1943 Posted with 102 Coy to Date of Official Release from Army is No 50 Group at 16th September.1945 Restating Medals which we now have:- 27th Nov 1943 to 32Group PC at 2nd World War Southborough 1939-45 Star Africa Star 9 Jan1944 to 8 Group Defence Medal at Marsden War Medal 1939-45 ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 21 Looking back at 51 Commando

Commandos and Pioneer Corps, Beach Company, unload stores at Walcheren Picture: British Official Photo published 9th November. 1944 Not much is known about the Pioneers served during the war in special formations, such as the Commandos, Paratroops and other smaller forces and organisations.

Report: The Pioneer, No 132, Sept 1977 men. and if necessary with their bare hands. by Capt C Hilliman MC MM RPC Intensive training began as soon as the They were a fearful lot too, as a number of Picture: RPCA Archive necessary number of officers had arrived. I inhabitants of Ismailia, Suez and other DON’T think that much is known about remember the initial training period of three places would be able to testify. Only I don't those Pioneers who served during the months only too well. The usual PT in the know whether this was by nature or virtue war in special formations, such as the morning and the after-breakfast route of the training. I am, however, more Commandos, Paratroops and other marches, the instruction in boatmanship on inclined to assume the former. Ismaller forces and organisations. the Great Bitter Lake in the afternoons and It was hoped that the unit would be This time, I want to give an account of the heartbreaking night schemes along the employed in a Commando role during the some of the fighting in East Africa in which Suez-Cairo road will never be forgotten by first Western Desert Campaign. Every the 51 (Middle East) Commando played a anyone who took part in them. single man felt very disappointed when he prominent part till the end of the The jokes and the curses in all languages, found his first task was to escort lorry loads campaign. from Dutch to Arabic and from Spanish to of dusty, defeated and dejected Italians I must apologise to the reader for being Greek were as unique as the chaps. from the forward areas to Mersa-Matruh. unable to quote all the names of the There was Andre (he insisted on his name Everybody felt relieved when the unit officers and men mentioned in this story, as being pronounced with the accent on the returned to its base in the Canal Zone with the only source of information is my own 'e') who when asked about his country of embarkation orders to an unknown memory. origin, kept as silent as the Sphinx. Berndt destination. 51 (ME) Commando was formed in Egypt L, a Dutchman would talk about the With the unit's arrival and in September 1940 and consisted almost wonderful time he had had on his parental disembarkation at Port Sudan, there was no entirely of Pioneer Corps personnel who estate in Holland (I knew he was a sailor doubt about the theatre of war in which represented nearly all nations of Europe and who had jumped his ship) and Levy, the the '51' were to fight against the Italians. the Near East. little Russian Jewish artist, with the Three weeks of acclimatisation and Nearly everyone of the men had a story ballerina-like figure, who would insist on intensive training at Gedaref in the Sudan to tell, of hatred and persecution and of relating to his section the culinary delights followed. By the end of that period the adventurous escapes from Nazi dominated of the St Petersburg restaurant where his whole unit which by then numbered about Europe, others, especially our Spaniards, female admirers used to take him after 350 officers, NCOs and men entrained for knew some blood curling stories of savage performances, when everybody was Kassala, the Sudanese frontier town which civil war fighting, imprisonment, violence struggling to negotiate a sand dune at the had been recently recaptured from the and escape, that would make some of our double! Levy, despite his not-too-young Italians who had ventured from their writers of modern fiction turn pale with age could not be troubled by sand dunes or Eritrean colony to there and no further. envy. any other obstacle. “It's all training", he Two days later, the '51' debussed in the The unit was raised and commanded by used to say, “try it five times and then you'll dark of the night at a spot alongside the Lt Col Cator of the Royal Scots Greys, who find it's a piece of cake." Although there road leading front Agordat to Keren. must have been the most determined man really was no language barrier, none too No one will ever forget that night. The in the world to have set his mind at making good interpretership caused at times no horizon was lit up by gun flashes and multi- an efficient fighting unit of what seemed to little chaos, to the secret delight of all coloured flares, whilst everybody was busy be a not too promising body of men. ranks. trying to find a suitable place to bed down. When I joined this unit I was at once struck After about 3 months the men of 51 From all ends abusive cries were heard of by the unusually strong esprit de corps Commando were splendid warriors, who men who in the darkness had spread their which was evident throughout the unit could fight with almost any modern blankets over the top of anthills and found despite the many languages spoken by the infantry weapon in existence, with daggers their bedding and clothes being invaded by

22 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION the disturbed and vicious insects. A six foot shooting and bayonetting. The 'Ities' fight wounded but continued to fight. With the python which had curled itself up on some back magnificently; no quarter is asked and ammunition almost exhausted the order ammunition boxes caused an alarm and left none given. came to break through the enemy ring the men sleepless with a dismal fear of Toni Garcia who hails from Toledo rushes which had been closed around the ‘51'. finding one of those weird reptiles sharing at an Italian officer and with a curse what Down came the men from the hill and their blankets. makes the blood freeze in one's veins threw themselves with a yell on the The following morning passed with plunges his bayonet into him. This is not demoralised enemy. feverish activity. Bren and Tommy gun an ordinary fight between soldiers of The '51' returned to their own lines with magazines were loaded, ammunition was opposing powers. This is a fight full of all their wounded. The three dead were distributed and a large number of 36 hatred, nursed for many years in exile and later buried by the Italians with full military grenades were primed. In the late made worse through the feeling of being honours. The number of the enemy afternoon the briefing of officers and NCOs unwanted, or living without aim and casualties could not immediately be began. Our task sounded spectacular and homesickness. ascertained as reports by the men were adventurous from the start. The '51' were It was a ghastly scene of dead, twisted rather conflicting. It was a great fight by to operate on the flank of the Italian elite bodies laying amongst arms and this band of gallant men, who were formations defending the natural mountain equipment. Empty cartridges and boxes of perhaps not always able to understand stronghold of Keren. We were to harrass ammunition were strewn all over the place. each other's language, but who were the enemy by all possible means, shooting We went through the pockets of the dead bound together by the strongest bond of up his patrols which were protecting his and found that they belonged to the crack comradeship that ever existed in any unit of right flank. This prospect of real fighting Savoy Grenadiers. Fifty yards ahead were the British Army. started an almost crazy enthusiasm the three water-holes we were supposed to After a brief rest the '51' moved into amongst the men. find, but which we certainly would have Abyssinia and fought many actions against The first patrol returned to advanced missed, had the enemy not put up the the remnants of the Italian troops. One base without having come into contact fight, for they were as vital to him as they memorable action took place in the Amba with the enemy. The second attempt was were to us. As we filled our waterbottles Alagi area, which was the mountain much more successful. About twenty-five with the deliciously fresh water, Garcia, the stronghold from which the Duke of Aosta adventurous figures sneaked through the former Republican Captain and Corporal in surrendered to the British. During that bush, rifles and Tommy guns at the ready, the Pioneers sighed: “I have been looking time, an Indian patrol found the diary of a straining their eyes and ears for anything forward to this meeting for three years." dead Italian officer. The following entry was that looked or sounded suspicious. The days which followed saw some sharp of particular interest – 5th March, 1941 - The air was filled with the noise of fighting. The enemy, embarrassed by our “British Troops in regimental strength strange birds and hundreds of monkeys operations brought up reinforcements to attacked - (here followed the name of some which followed the patrol with obvious counter the threat to his flanks. There were location) during the previous evening and curiosity, but the hot, noisy air breathes many clashes with Italians and native temporarily occupied hill (some other danger. Everyone has the nasty feeling of troops, mostly irregulars known as Banda reference followed). Our own reinforced being observed by an invisible enemy and and we experienced fairly heavy shelling combat group threw the enemy out who walking into an ambush from which there and mortar fire, which caused some withdrew after a bitter fight lasting 24 would be no escape. Was there not just a casualties. hours. A British officer, Capt Frost and two movement behind that rock? Was that not On the night of the 5 March 41, a sharp other men were found dead. Despite our the click of a machine gun ready to fire? action was fought in the moon-lit area casualties of 250 dead and wounded, our All men stop dead and remain absolutely north west of Keren. No 3 Troop consisting gallant troops have again covered motionless. Nobody dares to breathe lest of 3 officers and about 45 NCOs and men themselves with glory." that should give away his presence to the were detailed to storm an enemy OP which A feature which later became known as enemy. Sgt Schaffer bellies himself forward was known to be heavily defended. After a “Commando Hill” was taken by No 1 and 3 to investigate. His .38 in his right hand, a march of nearly 'six hours the party met troops after an ascent in pouring tropical hand grenade in his left, he snakes withering fire from a hill position rain. cautiously towards the suspicious spot. . . overlooking the moon-lit plain through The two troops killed the best part of a and two monkeys jump up, squeaking which the “51” were moving cautiously. strong Italian unit and marched off the angrily and disappear in the century old Capt Frost firing his Tommy gun from the remainder into captivity. Two DCMs and trees. The tension drops suddenly, but only hip led the small band up the hill and several MMs were awarded to men who for a short moment because whilst we look wiped out the enemy garrison. took part in this action, during which Sjt into each others grinning faces, a number Twenty-five dead were counted, whilst Khazan, a Cireassion was killed in the of shots ring out about twenty-five yards the rest of the defenders fled in panic. attempt to scale a wall of rock on an from where the men have just risen from After trying to get some sleep in the improvised ladder. During that time, a their crouched position. These shots are captured position, the party was about to detachment commanded by a senior NCO following by a veritable fusillade of move off towards the object of the assault, formed the bodyguard for the British withering automatic fire. As if it was one which according to our guess - how wrong officers commanding the 15,000 odd fuzzy- man, the whole troop has thrown itself on we were was found out in due course - wuzzy guerrilla warriors who were the ground. Where exactly does that could not have been more than an hour's operating in the almost impassable region hellish fire come from? Bullets are whizzing march, when Cpl Said fired a long burst in the north and north-east of the last above our heads uncomfortably close, but from his Tommy gun, shouting: “Here they Italian garrison in East Africa, Gondar. we have no casualties. There is a group of are, the sons of. .." These men had some strange experiences medium sized rocks on our right. Yes, Suddenly, the plain below us was with those Abyssinian tribesmen and will that's where they are. The fez of an Italian swarming with little dark dots. Machine undoubtedly have a store of amusing tales native soldier can be clearly seen; behind it, guns rattled and mortar bombs crashed to last them for the rest of their lives. But two or three topees indicate the presence down on us. And still they came on, the more than once they were forced to cock of European soldiers as well. A group of six black-shirted sons of Mussolini, Alpinis and their guns when, for some real or imaginary men under Lt Hollingsworth has worked native Banda. There were still no casualties grievance the dark warriors were going to itself forward and amongst the din of the amongst the '51' but everyone, officers and use their own initiative in restoring their small arms fire, the bursting of our hand men alike thought anxiously: “How is this supposedly injured rights. grenades can be heard. The enemy fire has show going to end? 45 men against The '51' returned to Egypt in December, decreased in intensity, there must be a hundreds of Italians, 45 men separated 1941. The unit was then disbanded and re- number of casualties, but the machine from the nearest British troops by miles of emerged as D Squadron Middle East gunners and some of the enemy riflemen unfamiliar, rough and Banda infested Commandos. are still at their post. We are only a dozen country." Meanwhile, the Italians seemed to I left the unit soon afterwards for a yards away from the enemy. The noise of lose their heads and were charging blindly different job, but met some of my old small arms fire, the bursting of hand into the fire of the '51' who were still firing friends again in September 1942, when grenades and the terrified screams of the calmly at the excellent targets, as though they took part in Operation Daffodil, Italians is deafening. And then Capt Frost they were at the Geneifa rifle range. A few attempting to capture and hold Axis- raises his voice “Come on, you blokes, frantic Alpinis who had ventured as far as occupied Tobruk, for twenty four hours, what do you think you've got your the foot of the hill were cut down by bursts I don't know what finally happened to all bayonets for?" Even before he has finished of Tommy gun fire. In the meantime Capt those I knew. May be some of them will the sentence, twenty odd chaps have Frost had been killed as well as Ptes Ullrich read “The Royal Pioneer” and remember rushed the enemy position, yelling, and Weinberger. Lt Randall was badly the happy and adventurous days. ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 23 Saving Sarah Rigler

Ten Prisoners of War helped Sarah Rigler survive during the latter stages of WW2. Five were rewarded in 1970 by Israel. Mr Anthony Davies has traced the other five soldiers, one of whom was a Pioneer and a ceremony was held in the House of Lords.

Report: Norman Brown With no hope in sight, Sara's mother, 65 years ago. Pictures: Hannah Sara Rigler Gita, begged her to try to escape. “Somebody said: 'Why did you do it?' Armed with a diamond ring smuggled by And they said: 'Well, we're British.'" Ed note: 10 Prisoners of War helped Sarah her mother, Hannah attempted to buy “Without them, I could never have Rigley survive during the latter stages of some bread from a Polish boy, only to be survived." WW2, 5 of these were rewarded by the arrested by the police and threatened with One of the men who helped Sarah was state of Israel honour of Righteous Among public execution. a Pioneer. 2190073 Pte John Edward the Nations by Israel's Holocaust memorial “I didn't mind being killed but not in BUCKLEY (DOB 1 May 17), he enlisted into authority, Yad Vashem in 1970. Since then front of my mother," she recalls. the Royal Engineers on 3 Oct 39 and was Mr Anthony Davies has traced the other Sole survivor transferred to the Pioneer Corps on 1 Dec five soldiers, one of whom was a Pioneer, Finally, though, an opportunity for escape 39 when his unit 21 Works Labout Coy RE and on Wednesday 23 October 2013 the came and she took the heartbreaking was re-titled 48 Coy AMPC. families of the remaining five soldiers were decision to leave her mother and sister in a The following is an extract from the war honoured with this prestigious award in a bid for freedom. diary of this Coy: ceremony held in the House of Lords. John “People were watching the march... I 12 Oct 39 Formed at FOLKSTONE of 6 Buckley’s wife, who is 92 years of age, is separated [from] two people on my right Reservists and 224 RE Labour still alive and he has a son Robert. Sadly and I ran behind them. Recruits they did not want to take part in the “Then I went into a barn and I lay down Maj W Selby-Lowndes OC, ceremony so their award was posted to in a trough. And then a man came into the Capt JS Alston 2IC and 2Lt R them. barn and I said to him: 'Are you Polish?'... Campbell and he said: 'No, I'm British.' And that was 16 Oct 39 Landed in CHERBOURG and ANNAH Sara Rigler's story of Stan Wells." proceeded to VIGNACOURT survival is a remarkable one, even Sara had run into a group of British 20 Oct 39 Commenced loading and by the standards of the dark times prisoners of war, which also included unloading and stacking petrol she witnessed. Now in her 80s, the George Hammond, Tommy Noble, Alan 31 Dec 39 Handling petrol during month Hstill bright-eyed woman is currently Edwards and Roger Letchford, who had as part of 5 Group AMPC in Britain, perhaps for the last time, telling been captured in 1940 and were working 24 Jan 40 Maj GP Guyer – schoolchildren how British prisoners of war as labourers on local German-owned farms. attached saved her life during World War II. “They were locked up for the night but 12 Feb 40 Maj JS Alston – promoted vice She was born in 1928 as Sara Matuson - they used to let them out in the morning to Selby Lowndes (SOS sick) later changing her name in honour of her go to work and then come back. They then Capt Batchelor – attached sister who died in the Holocaust - into a arranged to have me live in a hole in the Capt R Campbell – Jewish family which had recently returned straw above their camp." promoted 2IC vice home to Lithuania following an abortive She survived there for three weeks cared Alston attempt to emigrate to Palestine. for by the men, who fed her, treated her 25 Feb 40 Maj GP Guyer & Capt But her family life was destroyed frostbite and rubbed paraffin into her scalp Batchelor – ceased attachment following the Nazi occupation in the to kill the lice in her hair. 5 Mar 40 2Lt WH Price – TOS summer of 1941. Her father was taken Shortly afterwards the POWs, who were 14 Mar 40 Lt CB Chancellor – TOS away, never to be seen again. about to be evacuated to Germany, placed 19 Mar 40 Located VYNACOURT Together with her mother and older Sara in the care of a local woman, who Lt WH Price – on convoy duties sister, Sara was sent to the Shavli ghetto, looked after her until she was liberated by (last time with Coy) where they survived until 1944. From here, the Red Army. 31 Jun 40 Lt WH Price – landed at DOVER they were taken to the Stutthof But freedom proved to be bittersweet. (having not been in contact concentration camp. Hannah discovered that she was her with the Coy With the war coming to an end the family's only survivor: her father, mother, Maj JS Alston and Capt R camp's women - with no food, dressed in sister, two uncles, four aunts and six Campbell – possible Prisoners rags and with only wooden clogs on their cousins were all killed in the Holocaust. of War feet - were driven by SS guards in a death Eventually settling in the United States, 16 Jul 40 Lt WH Price reported to march through the snow towards the Baltic Sara changed her name in memory of her HEMSBY CAMP sea. sister and spent many years trying to trace Maj AD Gordon – TOS OC “We were about 1,000 women and her rescuers. Lt WH Price promoted to Capt within one month we were about 300," She was reunited in the 1970s and five of and appointed 2IC she recalls. “People died, they were killed whom have been accorded the honour of Lts Breeze and Brock – TOS and we didn't get any food." Righteous Among the Nations by Israel's 235 Army Class posted in to “I used to say to myself - If I ever have Holocaust memorial authority, Yad Vashem. bring strength to 260 men. enough bread to eat, I'll never, never want On her current visit to the UK, which has It is presumed that Pte Buckley was anything again in my life, just the piece of been organised with the Holocaust captured at the same time as his OC and bread. Maybe, a sliced cold potato on top Educational Trust, Hannah Sara Rigler once 2IC – it appears that 235 men from this as a delicacy." again reflected on the men who helped her Company were killed or captured. ■

24 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION PIONEER POEMS Going, Going, Forget Us Gone! Not Once we were a Corps, A thousand men and more, Labour Omnia Vincit our cap badge proudly read, Who fought and toiled in heat, rain and soil, obeying army law. Labour conquers all was what the Latin said, Then cold war won, our Corps was done, amalgamation loomed, The smallest Corps in Britain when there was not a war, Reducing to some regiments a whole Corps proud but doomed. But largest in the world when Hitler knocked upon our door.

They joined us with some others, to form a great big Corps. In Thirty Nine our corps was formed beneath grey skies of war The loggies or really large Corps, was our name upon the door. And many vets that held V.C.’s came flocking to the Corps, We soldiered on, three wars were won and did our bit with pride, To train those that feared, To earn great reputation, which helped to turn the tide. had been oppressed and volunteered to serve beneath the battered flag of freedom only England then unfurled. Then they played the numbers game at MOD one year, Savings, costs, all now lost, as disbandment draws near. We served in every Country, every theatre of war, All we’ve done, jobs overcome, our freetime so cavalier, And stood beside our fighting arms doing work so they could roar They never will replace us………… the Royal Pioneers! For they could not defeat the foe without our lads close by To keep the wheels a turning and give them their supplies Bernard Fox 2014 We gained the title Royal for all the hard work done From King George Six in Forty Six no other quicker won And bathed in glory with war stories men would proudly stand And raise a toast with those that boast equals with every band

Then many more disruptions of peace throughout the world And Pioneers were sent to clear and guard against bombs hurled Even in the Falklands with a section armed with guns And never got a mention in the saving Regiments or sums.

Then the Gulf and Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, A change of badge and beret for all and every man Until they changed the role again and placed the companies Into a few more regiments now called the RLC.

The last of us must go now the orbat’s changed again And Pioneers everywhere are all just shouting SHAME For we have all served proudly since nineteen thirty nine And now the government and army’s spenders have called Time

But we will be remembered, remembered for our craft For there are few old soldiers that could put up with the graft The Pioneers we shifted, we built, we guarded well But after us they’ll be no more, no Pioneers to tell.

So goodbye to an era. a Corps cut to the bone An empty place in Bicester no more a chunkies home Two axes on a cap badge is all that’s left of us Whilst those that once were Pioneers depart upon a bus!

So think about the days we had since nineteen thirty nine We may not have the pedigree of Guards or right of line For us at last the time has come, for us to call the day And every one who was in the Corps will now gently fade away.

Bernard Fox 2014

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 25 The Labour Corps of 1917-1918

During the last two years of the war the Corps was about the same size as The Royal Engineers. The total number of men engaged on work in France and Flanders alone approximated 700,000 at the end of the war.

Report: Norman Brown the LC. The LC was formed in April 1917 to and capable of fighting as infantry, but that Picture: Colonel John Starling standardise support to the Army. Prior to would normally be engaged on labouring RPCA Historian that date various Labour Companies and work. They were given the name of LTHOUGH the army in France and Battalions existed to support their specific Pioneers. They differed from normal infantry Flanders was able to use some areas but there was no central control and in that they would be composed of a railways, steam engines and this resulted in significant wastage. If a man mixture of men who were experienced with tracked vehicles for haulage, the joined before 1917 he would have either picks and shovels (i.e. miners, road men, Aimmense effort of building and enlisted or been conscripted into a etc) and some who had skilled trades maintaining the huge network of roads, regimental Labour Company. (For example, (smiths, carpenters, joiners, bricklayers, railways, canals, buildings, camps, stores, a Glasgow man, who was in his thirties and masons, tinsmiths, engine drivers and dumps, telegraph and telephone systems, deaf in one ear was conscripted into the fitters). etc, and also for moving stores, relied on Cameron Highlanders Labour Company). A Pioneer battalion would also carry a horse, mule and human. In the Middle From its formation in 1917 the LC grew range of technical stores that infantry Eastern theatres, camels were also used. to over 500,000 by November 1918 of would not. This type of battalion came into In August 1914 there was no formed which some 300,000 served in France. The being with an Army Order in December body of troops specifically designed for last of them didn't come home until 1921. 1914. In early 1916, a number of infantry these tasks. In the infantry, manual work They were employed on a wide variety of battalions composed of men who were near the front lines was carried out by the tasks including maintaining roads and medically graded unfit for the fighting were Pioneer Battalions which were added to railways under shell fire, digging reserve formed for labouring work. They had only 2 each Division. Some infantry regiments positions, moving ammunition and officers per battalion. Twelve such formed labour companies and works battlefield clearance. (The BIG task was battalions existed in June 1916. battalions for work on the lines of finding rotten corpses in the trenches, communication and at home, but the identifying them, putting them into Non Combatant Corps organisation of manpower was haphazard temporary graves, exhuming them when After the passing of the Military Service until the formation of the Labour Corps. safe to do so and then organising a proper Act in early 1916 it was decided to form a The labour units expanded hugely and burial). Some of them were within the Non-Combatant Corps of conscientious became increasingly well-organised. range of enemy guns for 6 months without objectors for work on roads, hutments, However, despite adding large numbers of a break - pretty good for older and less fit timber work, quarrying, sanitary duties and men from India, Egypt, China and men. handling supplies. Eight NCC Companies elsewhere, there was never enough The Labour Corps suffered 9,120 existed by the middle of June 1916. manpower to do all the labouring work casualties. required. The total number of men engaged The Labour Corps is formed on work in France and Flanders alone Before the formation of the Labour Formed in January 1917, the Corps grew approximated 700,000 at the end of the Corps to some 389,900 men (more than 10% of war, and this was in the labour units alone. The Army Service Corps Labour the total size of the Army) by the Armistice. In many cases the men of the infantry, Companies Of this total, around 175,000 were working artillery and other arms were forced to give Among the earliest such units formed, in the United Kingdom and the rest in the up time to hard effort when perhaps the ASC Labour Companies originated to theatres of war. training or rest might have been a more provide manpower to unload British ships The Corps was manned by officers and effective option. and operate the docks in France. Two other ranks who had been medically rated According to the Official History: railway labour companies were also formed. below the “A1” condition needed for front "..although some labour units were raised line service. and eventually labourers from various parts The Royal Engineers Labour Battalions Many were returned wounded. Labour of the Empire and China were brought to The RE raised 11 Battalions for labouring Corps units were often deployed for work France, the numbers were never at any work. within range of the enemy guns, sometimes period sufficient for the demands of a great for lengthy periods. In April 1917, a army operating in a friendly country". Infantry Pioneer and Labour or Works number of infantry battalions were Men were sent to the Labour Corps who Battalions transferred to the Corps. The Labour Corps were not considered to be A1 Fitness, that An early solution to the vast demand for absorbed the 28 ASC Labour Companies is, able to march 5 miles in full kit and have labour was to create in each infantry between February and June 1917. Labour good eyesight. Older men were also sent to Division a battalion that would be trained Corps Area Employment Companies were

26 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION formed in 1917 for salvage work, absorbing Ammunition Column work, as drivers as No Labour No Battle: The Labour Corps the Divisional Salvage Companies. In the well as in the manual tasks. The South Book crises of March and April 1918 on the African Native Labour Corps came to France Our resident historian John Starling has Western Front, Labour Corps units were early in 1917 and established a base at co-wrote an invaluable book relating to the used as emergency infantry. The Corps Arques-la-Bataille. Corps. Here is a short summary by Richard always suffered from its treatment as Holmes. something of a second class organisation: Women's Auxiliary Army Corps This painstakingly researched book will for example, the men who died are Formed in March 1917 after a proposal appeal to far more readers than those who commemorated under their original by the Army Council was welcomed by Sir are tracing the war records of a great uncle, regiment, with Labour Corps being Douglas Haig. Women would be used on for you cannot really understand the way secondary. the Lines of Communication and at GHQ, the British Army went about its business Researching men of the Corps is made on tasks that did not require heavy labour. during the war without understanding how extra difficult by this, as is the fact that few Initially called the Women's Army Auxiliary it used the labour upon which so much records remain of the daily activities and Corps (WAACs), they eventually took the depended. locations of Corps units. formal title of Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary The next time you see a Labour Corps With the shortage of manpower for Corps. headstone in a CWGC cemetery, pause to labouring work continuing, Sir Douglas The women enlisted for a year or remember that they also served who plied Haig requested an increase in the force of duration, whichever was longer. pick and shovel, often in conditions that we an additional 21,000 men. They were used on a wide variety of can scarcely guess at, providing service This demand was filled by importing men tasks, principally in clerical, canteen, motor upon which so very much depended. from China (where the British followed a transport, storehouses and telephone and French lead and signed an agreement with postal roles. Approximately 10,000 WAACs the Chinese for a supply of men), India, saw service, most in France and Flanders. South Africa, Egypt and other places within the British Empire. Demand continued and Entrenching Battalions by the wars end a total of approximately Formed from the small surplus of men 300,000 such workers had been engaged, left after the break-up of many infantry of which 193,500 were in France and battalions in early 1918, and the re- Flanders. allocation of their strength to bring other By the end of 1917 there were 50,000 units up to establishment. Men were all Chinese workers in France, rising to 96,000 regarded as fit and ready to replace losses by August 1918 (with another 30,000 in fighting units at any time. There is some working for the French). 100,000 Egyptians evidence that some Entrenching units were were working in France and the Middle also formed in 1916. East, alongside 21,000 Indians and 20,000 South Africans, who were also in East Use of enemy prisoners of war Africa. Until mid 1916, German prisoners were They were kept on lines of sent to England. From this time onward, NO LABOUR NO BATTLE: THE LABOUR communication and other work well behind prisoners were initially sent to Abbeville. CORPS IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR the fighting line, and as a force were rather Men with useful skills, notably forestry and By J A Starling and Ivor Lee immobile due to the decisions to segregate engineering, were drafted into companies ISBN 10 0752 449753 them - many of these workers were black - of about 100 men each, for use in POW If you would like a copy of this fabulous and provide special camps. Indian labourers Forestry Companies and ASC and RE book than let me know. The price is £30 were more often used closer to the front workshops, respectively. 47 such POW which includes postage and for which lines, on fortification work. labour companies were attached to the includes a £10 donation to the RPC Many Indians were also used in Divisional Labour Corps when it was formed. Association. ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 27 A brief history of the Mauritius overseas forces in World War II

Towards the end of 1940 it was decided the Mauritians could be usefully employed as Pioneers, Artizans, Stevedores and with motor transport companies.

Report: Norman Brown 250 MORs War Establishment for a permanent Training Picture: Supplied The last-named Coy were trade-tested, Centre being contemplated CSM 86 Carpenters, 34 Drivers, 6 Cooks, 32 Hollingdale of the British ORs posted for LTHOUGH the Mauritius authorities Bricklayers. 12 Masons, 19 Electricians, 20 employment with these Coys was retained approached the War office shortly Fitters, 15 Painters, 23 Concreters, 3 Clerks. in Mauritius after the outbreak of war with a They proceeded overseas by HMT En route to Mauritius, HMT ISLAMI called view to providing such manpower TALAMBA on 16 Jan 41 in at Rodrigues, a dependency of this Aas could be used beneficially, no Further recruiting proceeded immediately Colony which has a population of only large-scale recruiting commenced until late after these Companies embarked and a 9700, and embarked 350 volunteers for 1940. complete Motor Transport Coy RASC service with the Pioneers. Prior to this however, a quite large together with a further Pioneer Coy were These were formed into one Company. number of Mauritians had volunteered for raised as follows:- Physically they were a good sample, but the service with the RAF, RAOC, and certain dental standard was very low. They were other services, and many had already 1503 Mauritius Pioneer Coy used to Mosquitoes but ignorant of the proceeded overseas for training. Lt M A Mayer dangers of Malaria as this was non-existent Towards the end of 1940 it was decided 2Lt A E Sauzier at Rodrigues. the Mauritians could be usefully employed 343 MORs The result was a very high incidence of as Pioneers. Artizans, Stevedores and with Malaria. The mental standard of these men Motor Transport Companies. 41st M/T Res Coy RASC was not high but they proved good workers Accordingly, in November 1940 the Capt E J Allan (ex UK) under supervision. military took over the Bell Village Housing Lt Rolls (from RSM ex UK) Much difficulty was experienced in Estate, near Port Louis, and officers of the Lt M J P Chasteau de Balyon finding the correct names of these soldiers local Territorial Force offered their services 426 MORs as most of them knew only their ‘nick- in connection with the training of recruits. names.’ A Camp Staff was formed, consisting of Some idea of the constitution of the MT Meanwhile, recruiting was also continued Capt F Rountree (OC), Lt F Elliott, Lt D Coy can be gained by the fact that it locally and by the end of November 1941 Sauzier (Adjt) and Capt F C Lay MBE MC included 378 Drivers, 27 Fitters, Electricians, two further Coys were ready for (QM) the latter being DO Royal Artillery Coachtrimmers, Turners and Carpenters. embarkation:- who was loaned by 25th Coast Battery. Both units embarked on HMT TALAMBA on Certain local gentlemen also volunteered 3rd April 41. 1507 Mauritius Pioneer Coy for service with the Companies to be A draft of officers arrived from UK in the Capt R R Henry (ex UK) formed and an Officer and 6 British ORs following June, also further British ORs. 2Lt M Cayeux were sent out from UK.. These included Majors Phillips and Cherry 2Lt R Guimbeau Recruiting proceeded very quickly and the MC, Capts Curtis and Colsell, Lts Phillips 395 MORs following Companies were formed:- and Fountain, CSM Hollingsdale DCM MM, CSM kent, CQMS Hall, CQMS Appleby, Sgts 1508 Mauritius Pioneer Coy 1501 Mauritius Pioneer Coy Woodhouse, Charman, Reed and Warrilow. Capt Curzon (ex UK) Lt G C Mayer Major Phillips now assumed command of 2Lt L M Ulcoq 2Lt R Duclerc des Rauches the Camp vice Capt Rountree and the 414 MORs 2Lt L G P Guimbeau following Coys were raised:- 337 MORs These embarked on HMT VARELA on 2nd 1505 Mauritius Pioneer Coy Dec 41 1502 Mauritius Pioneer Coy 344 MORs Lt L Atkinson MM RNF ex Lt F de Brown Northumberland Fusiliers Training Depot (70 2Lt G J M Leclos 1506 Mauritius Pioneer Coy RNF) disembarked HMS CARTHAGE on 1st 2Lt J M B Baissac 348 MORs Dec 41 and the War Establishment for the 345 MORs Mauritius Pioneer Training Centre was Dock Operating Coy approved on 11 Dec 41. 741 Mauritius Artizan Works Coy RE 202 MORs The following disembarkation from UK Major Duncan Taylor on 16 Dec 41:- Capt W E Allen, Lt F K Capt G E Baker-Cresswell (ex UK) All Officers mentioned above together Wright, 2Lts N F Soanes, E E Perry, L Y 2Lt J H Wiehe, CSM Greenhill, CQMS with two local Officers - Lts Hein and Millen, E P Scother also CSM Highfield, McNaughton, Sgt Gazlewood Martin proceeded overseas with these CQMS Metcalf, Sgts Angood, Wells, Cpl Haigh, Cpl Carney, Cpl Butterworth Companies by HMT ISLAMI on 27 Sep 41. Caudwell and Robertson.

28 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION It was decided by War Office that no loading of guns into barges, and their later all volunteers from the Pioneers. further Coys would be formed, but that installation, the construction of concrete Other personnel were later recruited to reinforcements would be needed. Lt Wright gun emplacements, of buildings and other bring to full W/E. CSM Saydraouten was returned to Durban as surplus to essentials to hutted camp. transferred to this Section - a procedure requirements Jan 42. This Company, whilst being concerned which did not please Maj-Gen Smallwood, Recruiting again commenced and a draft for over 12 months with construction of who thought that Saydraouten would be of 475 MORs was raised during the next buildings and other units, had no other more usefully employed with Infantry, two months. accommodation apart from canvas for Saydraouten declined to re-transfer. On 16th Feb 42 emergency commissions themselves, but no complaint was ever A new War Establishment for Mauritius granted to 2Lts R de C Dumee and N C heard. Recruiting and Training Centre was Glenn. 6 Mar 42 Lt Atkinson re-granted Early in 1943 Royal Signals commenced approved for the purpose of recruiting Temp rank of Capt and appointed A/Major work on an ambitious programme that of Clerks, Tailors, Shoemakers and other and Camp Commandant Mauritius Pioneer linking up the whole of the military tradesmen for service in East Africa. HQ Training Centre. installations and units which had previously was a Bell Village, which had been vacated The draft sailed on HMT ASCANIUS on depended upon the civil telephone by Pioneer Trg Centre in July 42. 13 May 43. department. Towards the end of Nov 43 the Mauritius Pioneer Training Centre was ARMINDIA was asked to approve the accommodation at Phoenix was proving now re-organised, the following being on formation of a second Coy but in the insufficient for the needs of both Pioneers permanent staff:- interim period Mauritius was placed under and Signals, and it was decided that East Africa Command who, whilst Pioneers should return to Bell Village, and Major Atkinson Camp Comdt approving the formation, laid down a W/E also absorb the aforementioned unit. 2Lt Dumee Camp QM for the two Coys which in effect provided The move took place immediately and on 2Lt Saueier Camp Adjt for only 40 additional personnel. 1st Dec 43 the distribution of Pioneers 2Lt Scotcher Oi/c Trg Recruiting however had proceeded in was:- HQ Bell Village, No 1 Coy PGME - CSM Hollingdale Camp RSM anticipation of a duplication of the original Bell Village, No 2 Coy PMGR - Mahebourg, Sgt Robertson Drill Instr W/E so that each of the two Coys were 300 Defacements - Vacoas, Quartier Militaire, strong instead of 200 as provided in the Point aux Feuilles, Point du Diable, Isles aux And 48 MORs of low medical Category W/E. Aigrettes and Fort George. Sgt Angood proceeded to UK on Pioneer mobile detachments were The detachment at Fort George was compassionate grounds and was later attached to Sigs and erected poles and composed of a special camouflage squad granted a commission telephone wires from Mahebourg and which carried out a good deal of work for Owing to a heavy RE Defence Works coastal batteries, over the mountains to RE at various parts of the Island. programme, personnel awaiting Vacos, and were responsible for the Lt E F Bishop (Kumaon Rifles) also arrived embarkation had been loaned to the RE for erection of a complete net-work of in early 1943 and was placed in command communications, carpenters on No 2 Coy. He later however was making and erecting appointed OC Trg to Pioneer Units and was crosspieces and other both efficient and popular. The work included the clearance tradesmen doing suitable During December 1943, 17th (Ugandan) other work, so that OC Sigs KAR disembarked at Port Louis, and were of dense undergrowth and commented that these accommodated in Bell Village for several detachments were able to days pending embarkation of 1st Battalion, construction of roads. This very work for long periods without Mauritius Regt. his supervision. Shortly before 1st Bn MR embarked a arduous work was vigorously Also in early part of 1943 new W/E was received which made a CSO visited Phoenix camp and demand for 50 trained soldiers. 50 tackled as was the man-handling discussed the question of volunteers were immediately forthcoming enlistment of Mauritians for from Pioneers, and after being interviewed of guns into barges and their later Sigs. by CO, all were accepted. This was eventually decided Also towards the end of 1943 this HQ installation in concrete gun upon and 200 Mauritians were was provided with a Lt (QM), ex RSM G J placed in the Pioneer Camp Christie being posted in to fill the vacancy. emplacements. Phoenix for their initial Infantry A rather quiet period was experienced at Training, which was the beginning of 1944 but the position undertaken by MPTC. regarding Officers was very acute, and in NCOs were also loaned to March Lt W Taylor and Lt I Richardson were works.This proved so successful that some Mauritius Coast Regt on formation for posted to the Group from East Africa, both 50 tradesmen were held back from the last recruit training. having served during the Madagascar draft, and permission to raise a local In June 1943, 1st Bn Mauritius Regt was Campaign. Company sought.This was granted by unable to cope with intake of recruits for It should here be mentioned that in order ARMINDIA in Sept 42 and 370 men were that Bn, and an arrangement was arrived at to regulate the command of various units in recruited into the Pioneer Coy Mauritius whereby recruits were first posted to Mauritius, the Pioneer Training Centre, 2 Territorial Force. Pioneer Camp for 6 weeks training until Pioneers Coys of the Mauritius Regt , and In October 42 2Lt O M Adam was such time as they could be absorbed. the Mauritius Recruiting and Trg Centre commissioned and 2Lt M E Barclay On completion of recruiting to W/E it was were all abolished in Jan 44 and a new W/E disembarked ex India together with Sgts decided to form a reserve ‘2nd Bn MR’, and approved for A Pioneer Group, Mauritius McCarney, Cardwell, Cairns, Vincent, some 40 volunteers were transferred to Regt. Dowler, Williams, Eves and Brabaeon. form the nucleus of that Bn. This provided for HQ and 1 Recruit Coy These had been demanded as drill At about this time, Mid East called for a and 2 Works Coys. Lt Taylor was appointed instructors. reinforcement of 35 MORs and these were OC of the Recruit Coy with the rank of All; were of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers immediately forthcoming, the men being A/Capt, the full list of officers on with the exception of Mr Barclay (Ghurkas). discharged from their Home engagement reorganisation being as follows:- The War Establishment of the local Coy and being re-enlisted in Pioneer Coys a few was approved conditionally that Major days prior to the date of embarkation. HQ Atkinsion filled the vacancy of OC Coy in East Africa also requested a number of CO Maj L Atkinson MM addition to that of OC MPTC, but vacancy Clerks, and 25 men were sent to this HQ by Adjt 2IC (Capt) was filled by promotion of Lt NSO. Only 14 of these were able to stand QM Lt (QM) G J Christie Dumee in December 42. up to elementary training and these were The work of this Coy included the embarked, the remainder being discharged No 1 Coy clearance of dense undergrowth and as physically unfit with the exception of Pte OC Capt P R de C Dumee construction of roads on Isle Aux Aigrettes Nadia, who was embarked on a later ship 2i/c Capt O M Adam and Isle de la Passe, also similar work at and unfortunately went down with this Lt E P Scotcher Points aux Fenilles and Points du Diable. ship. This very arduous work was vigorously Also in July it was decided to form a No 2 Coy tackled as was later the man-handling and Coast Security Section and these men were OC Capt W G Bishop (Ind Army)

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 29 2i/c Capt M E Barclay (Ind Army) cyclones for many years completely at one period. Lt I Richardson disappeared. During the last two months of the year The loss of stores appeared likely to be further drafts of 837, 160, 360 and 50 Recruit Coy colossal but by virtue of the splendid efforts disembarked from Mid East. OC Capt W Taylor of all ranks, the final write off was a mere Some very large amounts were paid to £300, stores to the value of over £10,000 soldiers on release and a Branch of the Capt H Avice (on loan from HQ MR) Mid having been recovered some of these being Government Savings Bank was established East called for a reinforcement of 800 in collected from a distance up to a mile from in Bell Village. March 1944 and recruiting proceeded the camp. The venture was so successful that almost immediately. On surveying the devastated area, the a million rupees paid out to the end of the Some 100 men from MTF Pioneer Coys local government decided to wash their year, practically a half of this amount was immediately volunteered and were hands of the camp (which was a pre-war invested in newly opened accounts, quite discharged from engagement and re- housing estate), but the OC Troops decided apart from the amount invested by those enlisted in the Pioneer Corps. that a certain amount of reconstruction who already had deposit accounts in the The remainder of the recruits were could be undertaken, especially with a view bank. enlisted within 3 weeks. It was impossible of the desperate position regarding Average payments amounted to over to spare an Officer for Draft Conducting accommodation for the troops. £100 including plain clothes allowances. and Lt Gough together with Sgts Winters Accordingly, a small party of RE set to During the year Major L Atkinson and Sellars were posed from East Africa for work on salvage and reconstruction, the received the MBE whilst the Officer that purpose. troops meanwhile being given permission Commanding Troops - Col R E S Yeldham Also in the early days of 1944 some 100 to sleep at their own homes. (Sherwood Foresters) was awarded the CBE volunteers for transfer to Pioneers from 1st In March 45 Lt N C Glenn who had left for outstanding service. Bn MR were also sent to Mid East from Mauritius in May 42, returned to Mauritius One of the most creditable achievements Madagascar, the Bn being disbanded at with a draft of 321 MORs of low medical during the past 4 years had been the fight that time and re-formed into Independent category. By the same ship was embarked a against Malaria, especially in Bell Village Guard Coys and an Artizan Works Coy. draft of 272 reinforcements. which had enjoyed a terrible reputation, it The new War Establishment was Lt Glenn was appointed OIC Works, and having been said that no man ever escaped approved w.e.f. 1 Jun 44 and the Group buildings were repaired and made habitable the dread disease who entered the Camp. established with HQ, A, B & C Coys. at such a rate that within 6 months of the From an average of 12% of the total On 18th July 44 A/Capt Gough, 2 BORs catastrophe it was possible to provide strength in hospital from all causes in and 796 MORs embarked on HMT SALVEEN accommodation for between 400 and 500 1941/42 a steady decline had been effected for Mid East. men in the camp. and resulted in figures of 8% in 1943, 5% There was no further recruitment during In April 1945 there disembarked Lts A in 1944, and less than 3% for the whole of 1944, but in October some 120 MORs were Clark, D Ball and H Lambert and recruiting 1945. repatriated for leave and home service. commenced immediately for two new During 1945 there was an epidemic of Also disembarked from the same ship were Companies which had been demanded by Infantile Paralysis followed by a cyclone but 150 ORs ex 1st Bn MR who were to be Mid East. none of the personnel of this unit were discharged as “surplus to requirements”. These were completed by the end of May affected. The discharges were carried out by this HQ and ready for embarkation. Again more The shortage of food in the Island and on the same date. than half of these men were volunteers the deterioration of conditions generally A quiet period ensued, meanwhile the from Pioneer Coys MR. Lt Darnell had the effect of inducing the majority of strength of the Group hovered round 700 - disembarked on 9 June 1945 and was TOS. the men who had been struck off strength 800, all being fully employed on local works A further small number of medical cases as Deserters to surrender themselves. for RE, Sigs, Ord, whilst many Clerks, also disembarked for home service. Pioneer Camp at Bell Village was also used Drivers and miscellaneous tradesmen were Shipping was not available until early as a Transit Camp by various units of MR on attached to various units. August, but on the 10th of that month the disembarkation and those units were The beginning of 1945 was marked by two Companies embarked on HMT accommodated in some cases for several FRANCONIA. weeks pending the establishments of their The draft was in own HQ. charge of Capt Avice, A Victory Parade was held on 16th Aug The beginning of 1945 was marked whilst Capt Bishop, Lt 45 and a detachment of Pioneers under Lt Darrell, Lt Lambert, Lt Glenn took part in this. ‘VJ’ Day by the worst cyclone on record for Scotcher and Lt M celebrations were held on 6 Sep 45 and Christie also proceeded both 1064 Docks Operating Coy and an ex over 50 years which resulted in the by the same ship. 741 Art Wks Coy men took part in this Also during the early parade. demolition of practically the whole part of August 45 Pioneers were also used for lining the there disembarked route of procession and for controlling of the temporary military 1064 Docks Operating crowds at various railway stations. Coy with Maj Brown in His Excellency the Governor, Sir Donald establishments and camps on the command and Capt Mackenzie-Kennedy arrived back in the Ulcoq 2IC, the strength Colony on 3rd Jan 46. The Guard of of the Coy was Honour was composed of 100 men ex 741 island, except Group Headquarters! approximately 400. Art Works Coy RE, who put up a splendid Disembarked from show. A further 100 men of this unit, also the same ship were ex-overseas, formed the cordon from the the worst cyclone on record for over 50 204 MORs of 741 Art Wks Coy under Lt quay-side. years which resulted in the demolition of Cateaux and a further 333 who had been The work of excavating and laying cables practically the whole of the temporary repatriated for various reasons, the Group connected with RADAR from the top of Military establishments and camps on the now had a strength of 1600. Signal Mountain to Fort George was Island. Large scale releases were now ordered by undertaken by this unit. These included the four Mauritius Coast East Africa Command, the first being the Towards the end of January 1946, Battery encampments, new buildings disbandment of 1064 Coy on 1st Oct 45. proposals for the re-deployment of Ex- erected for the RASC detachment in Vacoas Authority was also given for the release of Service men were discussed, and the and for the Signals at Phoenix. all men of low medical category, and with possibility of further service in the Mid East The greatest disaster, however, was the the first 11 Age and Service Groups being was muted. complete razing of Bell Village estate with affected, releases commenced at a rate of In this connection Maj Atkinson the one exception of Group HQ building. approx 100 per week and continued at that proceeded to HQ East Africa Command by Nothing but the bare walls remained of rate until the end of the year. air on 23 Jan 46, Capt A Clark assuming some 100 cottages built in brick and Reorganisation was effected, ‘A’ Coy temporary command of the Group. concrete, and even many of these walls had being converted into a Divisional Centre A cyclone warning was received on 29 been blown down, whilst more than a and ‘B’ Coy carrying all other personnel Jan 46 and the cyclone eventually passed further 100 stoutly built and composition (less ‘C’ Works Coy) and acting as Depot. near the West Coast of Mauritius during houses which had withstood many near- Strength of this Coy rose to well over 1400 the night 31 Jan - 1 Feb 46.

30 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION Several roofs were stripped off buildings, NCOs Pool and surplus ORs Strength 202 and from a grove of palm trees on the the cook-house demolished and other side of the road. considerable other damage was noted. These figures include 380 volunteers Both vehicles were forced into the ditch On 7 Feb 46 232 Mauritians and from Rodrigues, HMT HUNAN making a by the intense fire. Rodriguais disembarked ex Mid East. T special trip to collect these during the a/m The occupants of the car were thrown he former were sent home on leave and period. clear, but although unhurt, were the latter accommodated in Fort George A further 5000 volunteers had been weaponless and could not defend pending onwards movement to Rodrigues. registered up to the end of the month, all themselves. Major Atkinson returned by air on 11 Feb having been selected from 46, having made satisfactory proposals much greater numbers as which had been approved by the Governors likely to pass the approved of both Mauritius and Seychelles, details to medical standard. The post mortem reported that the be settled by HQ MEF, HQ EAC, both These will be called Governors and OCT. forward as quickly as eight Mauritian soldiers and the C in C Lt Gen Sir Keith Atkinson KCB, accommodation can be MC visited this HQ 12 Feb 46. found. British soldier were killed by On 14 Feb 46, 161 Rodriguais left by SS Up to the end of May HUNAN for Rodrigues. Lt Rochecouste, Lt 46 approx 5000 MORs gunshot, but there is evidence Pontre and 2 Sgts accompanied the draft had been released via the for the purpose of completing the release Dispersal Centre of this also that their bodies were of these men on disembarkation at unit and well over Rodrigues. Rs5,000,000 (five million) “mutilated” after death by being As a result of the visit of the C in C, it paid in release benefits, was decided that disbandment of 101 Ind some Rs3,000,000 of this struck all over by a “blunt” Gd Coy MR, 102 Ind Gd Coy MR, 131 Art total has been paid into Wks Coy MR, and the Depot MR, should be the Government Savings instrument. effected, and this HQ would be responsible Bank Branch which was for release procedures. First batch of 40 established as a branch of MORs from 101 Coy passed through the ‘Welfare’ in HQ Camp at Dispersal Centre on 25th Feb 46 and the Bell Village. The driver of the lorry dismounted with disbandment was completed by 20th Mar Of the 900 recruits accepted in Mauritius his weapon and lying on the ground, 46. (excluding Rod) some 250 are ex- returned the fire of the attackers. the only It was also decided that Agr and Service servicemen whose release leave had been two men he actually saw firing at them Groups 30 to 36 all Mauritian personnel completed. were auxiliary policemen. stationed in Mauritius should be released by Major Atkinson, having completed 4 After a few minutes a civilian car end April 46. Some 640 men of this unit years service overseas in Sep 45 was called approached from the East and the Warrant were affected and releases started at the forward for repatriation under ‘Python’. Officer, commandeering it was able to rate of approx 30 each day w.e.f. 22nd Mar He agreed to defer until the Dispersal escape with the Corporal to fetch help. 46. Scheme had become efficient and again on They returned with a party of Bren-gun News was also received that a further his visit to East Africa in Jan 46 agreed to carriers, which on approaching the scene of 400 MORs were in Transit Camp in remain in Mauritius until the new recruiting the ambush came under heavy fire from Mombasa, and these would be released scheme was successfully launched. both sides of the road. immediately on disembarkation in On completion of the first 3 Companies, This party also observed Police Auxilliaries Mauritius. Expected that these would arrive and sufficient volunteers being registered to amongst the attackers. Under fire they were by HUNAN in early April. ensure that the scheme would go ahead, able to rescue the bodies of five Mauritian Now confirmed that recruiting would Major Atkinson elected ‘Python’ at end Soldiers from the lorry. shortly commence in order to raise at least May, and Major H P Rowbotham was The following day early in the morning, a 10 new companies for Mid East. It is nominated to proceed from East Africa to party of troops was sent again to the scene planned to return all personnel at present Mauritius to take over command of the of the ambush and on making a thorough serving in Mid East as soon as possible. Pioneer Group approx Mid June 46. ■ search of the area, found the bodies of the New War Establishment to include HQ, remaining three Mauritian soldiers and of Dispersal Centre, Depot Coy, Works Coy, the British soldier who had been in the car. and 2 Holding Coys, the unit meanwhile the body of the British Major was delivered having been organised on these lines as a to the British hospital by an Egyptian Police compulsory measure. officer. An unofficial O2E(?) has also been set up Egypt, on the It appears from the Post Mortem report as the number of casualties to be published that the eight Mauritian soldiers and the have risen to an average of well over 100 British soldier were killed by gunshot, but daily during the past 4 months. threshold of there is evidence also that their bodies were This Depot housed in splendid new “mutilated “ after death by being struck all buildings erected by own personnel from over by a “blunt” instrument and by salvaged material. Revolution stabbing. On 4 May 46 a further 416 MORs It is clear from the evidence of the Post disembarked from HMT HUNAN. These Mortem Report on this Officer, that he was were mostly ex Mid East but approx 50 1945 - 1952 brutally murdered, probably near the scene were Mauritians who had been serving with of the ambush. units in East Africa. All were sent on | from the Library of Congress The Actual Post Mortem/ Autopsy report Release Leave w.e.f.the date of #61/.. (FO.../96...) was performed by Lt Col disembarkation. Major from the Royal Engineers, R. V... (RAMC) Specialist in pathology. The DCO (Draft Conducting Officer) in Deputy Commander of Royal This report is far too brutal to be fully charge of this party was Capt Leclos. Engineers in the Suez Area was reported here but suffice it to say this is as During the month a further 300 (approx) travelling in an Army Car far as this Newsletter will go when it comes men were also released from units Aaccompanied by one warrant to reporting such brutality. stationed in Mauritius, being in Age and Officer and a Private soldier, and followed The only serviceman who was taken Service Groups 37 to 46. by a three-ton Lorry driven by a British prisoner by these Auxilliaries and lived to Recruiting commenced for a 3 years term Corporal and carrying eight Mauritian tell the tale of his harrowing experience of service with Pioneers in Mid East on 13th Soldiers, (Pioneers) and was returning by was LAC Tony Rigden who after a long time May 46 and by the end of the month the coast road from a visit on duty to Port in captivity ended up being thrown out of a attestations had reached 1222. This meant Twefik. taxi onto the streets of Paris, and from that the following Coys had been formed:- As they turned the corner by the Eastern there made his own way home. end of the refinery area, they ran into an He recounted his experience on the 1st (Mauritius) Pioneer Coy Strength 360 ambush which concentrated heavy fire on recent Television special on the Canal Zone 2nd (Mauritius) Pioneer Coy Strength 360 both vehicles. by International Jazz Musician (and SCZ 4th (Rodrigues) Pioneer Coy Strength 360 Fire came from a building in the refinery Veteran) Acker Bilk. ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 31 ■ RPC Plot at Field of Remembrance and RLC Plot at Field of Remembrance (Top Left) Picture: Paul Brown

32 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION GALLERY

■ Members form up at Field of Remembrance Picture: Paul Brown ■ Norman Brown talks to 2 of Sgt Scully's daughters Picture: Paul Brown

■ Cpl Beacham and Micky talk to the Duke of Edinburgh Picture: Paul Brown ■ Members form up at Field of Remembrance Picture: Paul Brown

■ A scene from Micky's local Picture: Paul Brown ■ Norman meets friends from Northampton Picture: Paul Brown

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 33 ■ Kelvin smiling - someone bought him a pint Picture: Paul Brown ■ Two smiling faces at the Burns Night Picture: Paul Brown

■ Bob Fox looking serious Picture: Paul Brown

■ Kev Young prepares to read the “Ode Picture: Paul Brown ■ Some of the attenders at the Burns night Picture: Paul Brown

■ The haggis tastes good Picture: Paul Brown ■ Tony & Liz Bloor at the Burns Nigh Picture: Paul Brown

34 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION GALLERY

■ Dusty centre of attention again Picture: Paul Brown ■ Bob Hyslop shows off his hat Picture: Paul Brown

■ Brummie Whitson and Kelvin Smith pose Picture: Paul Brown

■ More happy faces at the Burns Night Picture: Paul Brown ■ Dusty in camouflage Picture: Paul Brown

■ Tom Appleyard doing a “Selfie” Picture: Paul Brown ■ Vi Butler is happy as the rest are glum Picture: Paul Brown

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 35 ■ WO2 Geordie Holmes, laying a wreath of at the memorial to WO2 ■ Cpl Chilli Wardmen, 104 Pnr Sqn, at the grave of Cpl Ginge Roberts on Charlie Wood, Albert Park, Middlesbrough. Picture: Supplied behalf of 23 Pnr Regt at Acklam Cemetery Middlesbrough. Picture: Supplied

■ Geordie T and Pat Morley Picture: Paul Brown

■ Two Corps “Heroes” Pat Morley (ex TA) and Bob Fox (ex Reg) ■ Norman Brown prepares for Chelsea Hospital Picture: Paul Brown Picture: Paul Brown

■ Pat Morley sneaks in again Picture: Paul Brown ■ Two Bobs make two shillings Picture: Paul Brown

36 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION GALLERY

■ Two smart Pioneers at the National Memorial Picture: Paul Brown ■ Past & Present Officers Dinner Picture: Paul Brown

■ Annie poses with with Patters Picture: Paul Brown ■ The RSM agrees with the saying on the mug Picture: Paul Brown

■ Two Norman's with little wisdom between them! Picture: Paul Brown ■ Dusty again? Picture: Paul Brown

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 37 16577 Brigadier Harold Gordon Lusby Prynne CBE MC 1899-1976 The RPC Association historian, Lt Col J Starling, recently purchased the medals for Brig HGL Prynne, the medals are: CBE military, MC (GV), 1914/15 Star (2Lt 13 London.Regt), BWM, Victory Medals (Capt), 1939/45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medals, MID, Efficiency Decoration, (GVI) dated 1944.

Report: Norman Brown agreed terms for civil labour with the Pictures: RPCA Archive American Command – AIOC and the civil government has been largely instrumental RIGADIER H. G. L. Prynne, CBE MC in the successful solution of the civil labour TD, was probably one of the best problems of all the large scale employers in known figures in the Royal Pioneer Persia and Iraq. Corps, and certainly one of the Bmost popular. To go with the recent Obituary acquisition of his medals by our resident He died in 1976 at the age of 77 and the historian John Starling we thought it only following appeared in The Royal Pioneer fitting to give you some background on this Issue Number 127: character. Brig HH Blanchard writes: His medal citations read: After distinguished service in the First OBE World War, for which he was awarded the As Officer Commanding the Pioneer Military Cross. Brig Harold Prynne kept a Corps Base Depot, this officer has, since very active interest in the Army by October 1941 mobilised and equipped 130 commanding the Queen’s Westminsters; Brigadier Prynne units of the Pioneer Corps and a total of Under his leadership this Territorial Battalion some 50,000 troops have passed through was always up to strength and was his hands. outstanding. of the Corps. Old friends gathered round The organisation and administration of When war came in 1939 he joined the him at Corps meetings and Liza, his wife, his Depot have been of the very highest Pioneer Corps but did not succeed in who died a short time before him, added order and have enabled sudden expansions getting to France with the BEF. Instead his gaiety to the proceedings. to take place smoothly and efficiently. He genius for organisation, allied to his It is good to have known Harold and the has administered as many as 15,000 troops effective but unorthodox methods, resulted Corps owes him a lasting debt of gratitude. in his Depot at one time. His never failing in many units from his Depot at Clacton energy, initiative and enterprise have been being better equipped and trained than War History of the Royal Pioneer Corps an inspiration to his Staff which has most. 1939-1946 by Maj HR Rhodes-Wood resulted in perfect team work and many He became Commandant of the Pioneer Pioneer Units have thus been equipped and Corps Depot at Quassassin in Egypt. His despatched to the theatre of operations far remarkable handling of Pioneers of many earlier than could otherwise been expected. races is a familiar story to readers of “The This officer’s services have been of Royal Pioneer” to which he contributed outstanding merit. articles after the war. He later went, in 1942-43, as Director of Pioneers and CBE Labour Persia and Iraq (Paiforce) where This officer, by the very high standard of again he made his mark. administration and organisation of military I first met him – he was by then a and civil labour in the Command, has legendary figure – in Italy in 1944 when he played an outstanding part in the was Director of Labour Central development and performance of the Mediterranean Force. “The war is won!” administration services. He has under his said the late Maj Leslie Vedrenne to me control two military Pioneers Bns and when he knew that he was coming. twenty-six Companies and an average of A fascinating drive together across Italy (This book has been converted to 100,000 (60,000 in Iraq, 40,000 in Persia) was the start of our long friendship. I shall electronic format by myself and my son civil labour. always remember his pungent wit, crystal Paul and is available from the RPC He has given the AIOC considerable clear and sharp mind, and the laughter we Association on CD Rom at a cost of £10 + assistance in their labour problems and by enjoyed together. £1 pp). personal initiative and efforts in securing After the war he was a regular supporter The following are extracts from the book:

38 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION Leading Old Comrades at Wrexham Pages 119 - 129 where water had been laid on; and huddled which now lay before him. Since the many thousands of Colonial together in a few rows of tents 800 Despite the fact that the recruitment Pioneers to be produced from this vast disconsolate Palestinian and Cypriot campaign aimed at the enlistment of campaign of recruitment were to be Pioneers, survivors of the campaigns in 100,000 to 150,000 Colonial Pioneers, and despatched as speedily as possible to Egypt Greece and Crete; as forlorn as the the project was already in train and gaining it became obvious that a depot would be prospect which surrounded them. Such was momentum, Colonel Prynne’s original required there to receive, equip and train Quassasin on the first day of June in 1941. instructions were to prepare for the the men, and in due course to disperse The selection of Lieutenant-Colonel H. G. reception of 1,600 men. Audaciously, and them in companies to the operational areas L. Prynne, MC, TD, to fill the appointment with a clearer perception of the reality of in which they were needed. A site was of Commandant at the Depot was a future events, he laid out a Depot for ten selected for this purpose in the Sweet fortunate one. Deceptively mild in times that number, with additional spare Water Canal area of the Canal Zone and appearance, Colonel Prynne was the rare accommodation near by should it be here on 1st June, 1941, the Pioneer Corps combination of an astute and successful required, a course of action which more Base Depot, Middle East, was opened. So business man with an international than justified itself, when under the states the official record, but seldom was a knowledge of men and affairs, and a command of Lieutenant-Colonel G. statement more misleading. Most remote of soldier with staff training and experience in Richmond, MC, the Pioneer Corps Base all the military camps in the Canal Zone, set early days-a mixture which seldom blends Depot at Quassasin reached an all-rank deeper in the desert than any other, happily for the keen commercial mind is apt strength of 23,000 men and became in all nothing in all the bleak landscape was to be intolerant of the slow and rigid probability the largest Army unit on record. already more “open” than the three square processes of departmental orthodoxy. Of With the meagre staff allowed him by miles of desert at Quassasin now boundless energy and consumed with a the Establishments Committee-one captain designated as a “Base Depot.” Open to the determination to carry out any task was authorised for the combined duties of burning sun of day and the bitter winds of assigned to him speedily and effectively, he adjutant and quartermaster-and his nucleus night, open to the full force of gritty had already given evidence of the subtlety of Palestinians and Cypriots, the newly sandstorms and stinging dustwhirls; bleak, with which he used his wide knowledge of appointed Commandant prepared the barren, desolate. Here and there an military procedure to overcome the desert site for its occupants and planned in occasional, newly erected, empty obstacles of established custom when on anticipation of their arrival. The purely cookhouse broke the monotony of the the staff of the Pioneer Corps Training military problems of quartering, clothing landscape; a rusted length of piping Centre at Clacton. All his resolution and and feeding were, apart from the projecting nakedly from the sand showed guile was to be called upon in the task unprecedented size of the operation, fairly

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 39 simple of solution. From the outset, he increased from two hours a day to begin ruling which laid down that they did not realised that the normal system whereby with to a full day’s work after ten days. serve native troops. Once again he turned units mobilising at the Depot would The wisdom of this course of action was to his South African friends-and no words individually indent on Ordnance, S. and T., proved later when, by the time the first can express the gratitude which the Corps etc., for their daily requirements of rations 50,000 Colonial Pioneers had passed owes to the Union Defence Force and other and clothing, and their mobilisation needs through the Depot, the cemetery there South Africans for the valuable, and often of stores, equipment and transport, would contained less than two dozen graves, and “unofficial” help they gave our Depot in be too cumbersome and laborious and these casualties were caused by normal the Middle East and the men of many arrangements were made for an enormous disease and accidents. nations who passed through it. Largely due floating stock to be held at Depot Hospital arrangements, too, had to be to Colonel Prynne’s initiative in the first Headquarters of everything individuals or made. British military hospitals in Egypt place the South African Parliament voted a units would require. Provision was made for could not accept Colonial troops because sum of money to be devoted to the welfare the reception and issue at the Depot Ration the medical staffs did not know the many of British Colonial Pioneers and the Union Store of from 10,000 to 16,000 rations languages of the men and so could not Forces carried out the task on a scale that daily during the first few months, whilst the diagnose or treat ailments with certainty, was far ahead of anything that was done Depot Quartermaster’s Store, which became nor were many of them conversant with for British troops at that time. They stocked, more like an Ordnance Depot than a unit tropical diseases-and General Headquarters, supplied the personnel for, and ran store, normally held of the most important Egypt, refused to provide a special hospital. canteens and welfare generally and also items, 30,000 shirts, socks, sets of In desperation Colonel Prynne turned to the sent up from South Africa two excellent underclothing, suits of battle dress, etc. Director of Medical Services of the Union mobile cinemas. 15,000 items of gas equipment, respirators, Defence Force (South African Army) who Throughout the Quassasin Base Area an gas capes, etc, 50,000 blankets, 100 tons was internationally famous for his Egyptian cinema organisation was erecting of G.1098 stores and tentage, 24 trucks knowledge of native problems and who cinemas on sites where other depots were and a similar number of bicycles, 50 agreed that it was essential to have special to be created. These cinemas were not for typewriters. hospital arrangements at the Depot to the use of Colonial troops, nor was the Similarly, sufficient stationery, guard against and deal with any epidemic Pioneer Corps Base Depot to have its own. Once again Colonel Prynne’s ingenuity was brought into play and no one was more surprised at a later date than the Egyptian company when they discovered that they had been talked into building and equipping a cinema in the centre of the Colonial Pioneer area. But since they were business men and the cinema had been completed they operated it, to the mutual benefit of the Pioneers and themselves. Similar tactics were followed by the wily Depot Commander with the NAAFI authorities who were erecting large brick canteens and institutes all over the Middle East, and although they raised a bit of a fuss when they found they had unwittingly built four Institutes in what they discovered was to be a Colonial depot they finally agreed to operate them rather than have them stand idle and unprofitable. In spite of almost insuperable difficulties Sir Winston Churchill greets Mrs V Rhodes-Wood and Colonel Prynne had now, within two weeks Major EH Rhodes-Wood of the arrival of the first batch of recruits, author of “A War History of the Royal Pioneer Corps obtained amenities for the Pioneer Corps 1939-1946”. Depot as good as any in the Middle East- and, indeed, far better than most- specialised medical care and publications, medical panniers and stores, which might break out. He, too, tried to hospitalisation, NAAFI institutes, welfare and in fact everything that a man or unit persuade the British medical authorities to huts and canteens, a permanent cinema, could possibly require-fully to equip ten make adequate arrangements for the two mobile cinemas, and even an assured companies, each of 350 men-was always in Colonial Pioneers, but having achieved no income to finance anything else he was stock with the result that everyone was success decided on his own initiative to likely to require. And this latter was an clothed, equipped and administered bring up from South Africa a general important essential for the pay of Colonial without going outside the Depot. hospital specially staffed and equipped to soldiers was not high, and they were Sixteen camps, each to contain 1,000 deal with them and place it at the disposal inclined to save rather than spend, so the men, were laid out. But the biggest of the Depot, acquiescing to Colonel canteen profits would not be so big as in a problem of all, the human problem, had yet Prynne’s plea that no mention of the comparable British unit, and if the to be solved and already in Africa, India, proposal be made to British General Commandant’s plans for the future, which and the islands of the Indian Ocean the Headquarters until the hospital was already included a bus service to take his men to recruits were preparing for their long on its way to the Middle East. and from the nearest large populated journey to Egypt. acclimatisation, The arrival of this South African hospital centre and educational tours whilst on leave particularly for the Africans with no caused something of a furore in Cairo. in Egypt, were to be developed it was experience of low temperatures and their General Headquarters insisted that they imperative that he have an income for the susceptibility to pneumonia and other could not accommodate it, nor would they purpose. respiratory diseases, was of paramount approve of Colonel Prynne’s offer to erect a But bright though the outlook appeared importance. Like the majority of the recruits complete 1,000-bedded hospital from spare there was a large black cloud on the they would reach the port of tentage which he held in store. Since, horizon. The construction of things which disembarkation clad only in the shirts and however, the South African medical staff even General Headquarters considered to shorts in which they had left their native was on the spot and a compromise had to be essential for natives-latrines, wash- land, and many would be reaching Egypt in be reached they finally agreed to the Depot houses, etc., was not progressing. An the winter. Since the journey from the ship Commander erecting the hospital interview with the CRE provided the to the Depot might well prove fatal to a temporarily until proper accommodation solution. He was, it appeared, a religious number of them plans were made for them could be provided-which was done just fanatic who was deliberately going slow on to be issued with warm clothing on the before the first big draft of Pioneers arrived. the work because “the natives were all quay immediately on disembarkation, and a Welfare for his men presented Colonel pagans”! It took all Colonel Prynne’s schedule of duties, exercises and parades Prynne with a considerable problem. The persuasiveness to convince the man that drawn up to ensure that the amount of Army Welfare organisation was unable to ninety per cent of them were Catholics work they did after arrival was gradually help and NAAFI authorities produced a before he would agree to speed up the

40 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION work. Fortunately he never later visited the they had rarely seen new ideas tried out. going. By the end of December 1941 Depot to check up on the men’s religious Added to this, the advisers were not troops were passing in and out of the beliefs! entirely disinterested but were frequently Depot at an average rate of 10,000 a By October 1941 the first 6,000 Colonial more concerned with post-war problems in month, and regularly each day, six days a Pioneers were expected in Egypt daily. The the territory for which they spoke than with week, one fully equipped and mobilised nights, and frequently the days, were very immediate military requirements. company of 350 men, every man having cold, with a keen wind blowing and with In any event it would have been out of fired a course on the Depot rifle range and occasional days and nights of driving rain. the question to operate and administer a been instructed in gas precautions, was The Army in Egypt had discarded tropical kit large military depot with a confusion of sent out to the operational theatre in the and donned battle dress, to which were regulations and exceptions. Without Western Desert, Syria or Palestine for which added pullovers and greatcoats to combat hesitation Colonel Prynne made up his own it was destined. The administrative work the cold. For three months Colonel Prynne mind as to the course he would follow. involved was immense. and his staff had prepared for every The men had become Pioneers and During the first six months of its contingency and now all that remained was irrespective of what they had been existence the Pioneer Corps Base Depot at to draw the blankets and warm clothing to accustomed to in the past only one Quassasin was approximately at divisional protect the men from climatic conditions to standard would be accepted in the future, strength-it developed later-and throughout which exposure in their shorts and open- that of the British Army, and that standard this period the only accommodation necked shirts, even for a few hours, would would be applied to all details of Depot life. available for Headquarter offices was one for many of them mean pneumonia and Regardless of race, caste, nationality or wooden hut divided into two rooms, each death. Only on arrival at the Ordnance custom every man would march to his about thirty feet by twelve, and the total Depot did Colonel Prynne learn that there meals, have them in a proper dining tent, authorised staff was the Commandant, his was no authority for him to draw clothing sitting on a form and eating properly at Second-in-Command (a Major), his since the original instructions had said that table; the kit lay-out for all would be Adjutant/ Quartermaster, one spare the men would be clothed before leaving identical, as would individual turn-out, subaltern, one Orderly Room Sergeant, one their own country and there were no smartness and behaviour. blankets, for all in stock had been issued to The right of all to share other units. In the turmoil that ensued equally in the Depot’s Rows of tentage to accommodate someone at General Headquarters communal life would be conceived the brilliant idea of immediately respected, the freedom of all 16,000 men covered the desert in shipping masses of warm clothing to South to mingle with the civilian Africa for the men, only to have to order world outside would, subject that it be shipped back again when it was to the restrictions of orderly lines, there were 101 pointed out that the men were not in South personal freedom enforced Africa but at sea and daily expected at on all soldiers, remain cookhouses, 60 unit Suez. Once again Colonel Prynne resorted unimpaired. The rightness of to unorthodox methods which would have the Commandant’s judgment quartermaster's stores, 60 unit appaled a more conventional man in order soon became evident. In to meet the emergency. By guile he canteens and cinemas orderly rooms, 20 unit officers' conjured the warm clothing from Ordnance available to Colonial troops and by guile acquired his 50,000 blankets the men of India, Africa, messes and a similar number of from other camps in the neighbourhood- Palestine, Cyprus, Mauritius, but only the night before the men Syria and Lebanon rubbed unit sergeants' messes. The Depot disembarked and just in time to send them shoulders and formed a by truck for issue to the men as they came brotherhood linked together Stores held 1,000 tons of ashore from the transports. by one intangible thread, And so the first Colonial Pioneers came their common membership materials, the Depot Ration Store to Quassasin, men of a dozen different in the British Army and the nationalities and religions, men speaking a Pioneer Corps. This is not to held 30,000 rations. By the end of score of languages and habituated to a imply, however, that Colonel host of national and tribal customs. Feeding Prynne rejected all advice them involved a variety of ration scales and offered to him. Such action December 1941 troops were called for many forms of cooking and would have been foolish and cooking utensils. Clothing them was he was a man of much passing in and out at a rate of complicated by an assortment of different wisdom and had, in clothing scales. Paying them meant juggling addition, a sincere sympathy 10,000 per month! with numerous varying rates of pay. And and understanding for the with the men came the “expert advisers” soldiers under his care and on native customs and affairs, experienced appreciated many if not all the problems of corporal and three clerks. The Depot in the ways of the tribesmen on their own reorientation which their simple minds Orderly Room had to issue routine tribal ground and genuinely convinced that could not immediately grasp. To such men administration orders for the 16,000 men in age-old customs could not and should not as Colonel DW How, CBE, of the High the Depot, the operation orders for the rifle be altered or disturbed. With all the Commission Territories, who was free from range and gas chambers, and returns of patience he could muster, and patience was accumulated prejudices and approached daily arrivals and departures; to prepare not one of his greatest virtues, Colonel native issues from the practical angle, he time-tables for the drawing of food, Prynne listened to the advice they offered turned gladly when in doubt, as also he did clothing and stores; detail transport him. This race, he was told, should not be to the chaplains who had accompanied the arrangements; compile Part II Orders; allowed to mix with that race or riots and men from their homes and who frequently organise Courts Martial, Courts of Inquiry bloodshed would ensue; this tribe must not had already reached the conclusion that and the running of the Depot Detention meet women, whom they would rape on given the opportunity the men would Camp; and to cope with the hundred and sight; these people must be kept away from respond favourably to any chance to one other problems that inevitably arise strong drink or they would go berserk; improve their status. with a large mass of men. During the same some fed squatting in the open, some only Visibly the Pioneer Depot grew in size. six-month period the Depot Quartermaster’s in the privacy of their tents; some would sit Rows of tentage to accommodate 16,000 Store issued daily over six thousand items of up to table, most had never seen a table; men covered the desert in orderly lines; personal clothing and equipment in some would use a knife, fork and spoon, there were 101 cookhouses; 60 unit addition to transport, tentage and others only handled food with their fingers. quartermaster’s stores; 60 unit orderly accommodation stores. A similar quantity of It soon became apparent to him with his rooms; 20 unit officers’ messes and a stores had, of course, to be drawn daily wide knowledge of the world and its similar number of unit sergeants’ messes; from Ordnance and S and T. in order to people that sincere though the experts the Depot Stores holding 1,000 tons of maintain the stock at its operational level. undoubtedly were in their convictions they materials; the Depot Ration Store In the Training Wing of the Depot 300 men were nearly all presenting old ideas which containing 30,000 rations; the messes and fired a course each day on the rifle range, had been found to work in other offices of the Permanent Staff and similar whilst a similar number were instructed in surroundings but few could advise him on accommodation for the stream of the use of the gas mask and passed the practicability of new ideas, because reinforcements constantly coming and through the gas chamber. The task of the

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 41 Depot Gas Officer, who also doubled up on less.The King-Emperor had need of them had been provided with a Labour other duties, was not an enviable one for and that was enough.To the sophisticated Directorate and a Labour Service in the men had never heard of poison gas, eyes of men of a more developed accordance with modern practice. had never previously seen a respirator, and civilisation there was something humourous Prior to Brigadier Prynne’s arrival no hardly any of them could speak or in the attitude of these men towards their estimate of labour requirements and the understand English. Courses of instruction uniform and drill, but the British officers available supply had been made, nor was it had also to be given in driving and vehicle and NCOs responsible for their training known where labour would be required, maintenance, for each unit on leaving had found their eagerness and earnestness what proportion would have to be skilled or to drive its own transport away, and to the rather devastating and overwhelming. semi-skilled, or what trades were needed. unit cooks and clerks. In this Wing, also, Admittedly it was funny to see an African One of his earliest tasks was to get out an elementary classes were held to teach the become so lyrical over a steel helmet or a appreciation of the supply and demand British officers and NCOs the native battle-dress suit that after drawing his new situation from which it appeared that languages according to which race was kit and equipment he would wear whereas numerically sufficient unskilled eventually to come under their command. everything at once for the sheer joy of labour was available (although there would From the beginning the Depot was also possession, battle dress over khaki drill, be seasonal shortages at harvest time, the Reception Centre for all Pioneer drafts greatcoat over everything, and steel helmet Ramadan, etc.) there was an immediate over his bush hat regardless shortage of around 20,000 skilled and of the temperature. But no semi-skilled men, with a cumulative future trained soldier of any nation, shortage very much larger as the lines of Once the African soldier had been however long his service, communication installations and aid to could fail to appreciate the Russia programme got into their stride. issued his kit and equipment he smart turn-out of the same An additional problem was that most of African a few weeks later the big base installations had been located would wear everything at once for when the first rush of in the desert many miles from any centre of childlike excitement had died habitation, and the majority of them in a the sheer joy of possession. down and he paraded part of Iraq that is intensely hot and dry in ceremoniously in his spotless, the summer and wet and cold in the winter. jealously cared for uniform In order, therefore, to induce labour to arriving in the Middle East. Many of the with blancoed webbing and shining boots. work in these installations it was necessary officers and NCOs viewed the place with And few Army rifles received such loving to create camps with feeding arrangements mixed feelings; it was for them the care and attention as they gave to theirs. for the men, to issue rations and water to beginning of a new life, a new way of life. So keen were they that they drilled each the workers, and to provide hospital They had to learn to speak African dialects, other between parades imitating as best facilities. In the end some 40,000 civilian to understand the ancient laws and they could the, to them, strange foreign workers were accommodated in camps and traditions of the Basuto, or distinguish words of command used by their drill some 120,000 fed by Pioneer officers and between the solid boy from Kenya and the instructors. They could not be punished by NCOs as part of their normal duties. wild tribesman from Uganda; they had to the award of extra guard or picquet duty, The shortage of skilled and semi-skilled learn to hold a balance between Jew and for this they looked upon as a reward of men was serious, particularly in Iraq, an Arab, or between Hausa and Ebo, and they honour and punishment had to be given by agricultural country with only a very small had to accustom themselves to the vagaries the denial of permission to attend parades. industrial population, and a training scheme of Swazi cooking. For all of them the greater part of their was instituted, intelligent young Iraqis’ from In forming, operating and administering service was to consist of hard, the schools receiving instruction at military the Pioneer Corps Base Depot at Quassasin unspectacular toil but to the end they never installations and workshops. In Persia the all Colonel Prynne’s terrific energy and lost their pride in being a soldier. Only those situation was not so acute as many Persians enthusiasm would have been unavailing who served with Colonial Pioneers will take naturally to skilled and semi-skilled without the loyalty of the war-time understand the extent of their devotion to work and are usually very useful with their accomplishments of the Corps brought the Corps and the Corps’s respect for them. hands. Since, however, the local population more the endless hours of work they put in could not supply sufficient men for the to make the unit a success and particular Pages 168 to 173 work Indian Pioneers were attached to mention must be made of the Second-in- It fell to the lot of Brigadier HGL Prynne, military workshops for training and Command, Major G Richmond, MC, a MC, TD, who it will be recalled had formed achieved a quite remarkable standard of tower of strength to his Commandant; to the Pioneer Corps Base Depot at Quassasin, proficiency. They proved particularly apt in the original Quartermaster, a London tram to be appointed Director of Pioneers and the metal trades and eventually the main conductor in civil life, who worked himself Labour to Paiforce and to create order out base workshops were largely staffed by into hospital; to his successor, Captain HH of chaos. It was apparent that a Pioneers who had been trained in a few Rose, who was sent to the Depot because comprehensive labour organisation would months by REME staffs. A Vehicle Assembly he was unfit and left again after months of have to be set up for the Command and a Unit in Southern Iraq, staffed by Indian toil because by then he was even more large number of additional officers would Pioneers trained on the spot, was by the unfit; and to 2Lt HR Johnson who, although be required, for civilian labour control autumn of 1943 turning out a larger without experience, volunteered to act as particularly, and that it called for the number of trucks per day with a smaller Adjutant-but without the rank and pay of introduction of Pioneer Corps Groups to labour force than were units run by General the appointment because there was no organise and administer things. A Motors Inc. of America a few miles away provision on the establishment for an considerable number of Pioneer Corps with a large, highly-skilled and highly- adjutant. When on a tour of inspection of NCOs would also be needed. But since equipped staff. the Middle East the Adjutant-General drafts from the U.K. had to come by sea Application was made to General described the Pioneer Corps Depot as “the convoys via the Cape and the Persian Gulf Headquarters India for Indian Pioneers who eighth wonder of the world” and few if the build-up was a slow process and were employed on these tasks to receive any of the war-time accomplishments of throughout the winter of 1942 a very heavy trade pay if they were able to pass the the Corps brought more distinction to “The burden was thrown on the comparatively tests. After considerable negotiation this Pioneers” than this creation in the barren small number of officers and NCOs already was authorised and several hundred men desert of a city of multi-racial and multi- in Paiforce. qualified for and drew trade rates. lingual men who, newly arrived from their Authority was obtained from India to As had been the case in Palestine, a primitive ways of life, were to sally forth in disband the Auxiliary Pioneer battalions problem requiring early attention was the soldierly pride to serve the Allied cause in which were too cumbersome and form in co-ordinating of labour of the various many corners of the earth. their place Indian Pioneer companies. A interests contributing to the war effort in To the majority of the men it was indeed civilian labour control formation was set up Persia and Iraq which had been competing a matter of pride that they were allowed throughout the Command on accepted with each other for labour, and in some the privilege of wearing the uniform of the British Pioneer lines. Two ADPLs were instances offering inducements to workers British Army. These were no conscripts, appointed, Lieutenant-Colonel G Lowe, to leave one employer for another. These these men of India and Africa, but free men OBE, for Persia, and Lieutenant-Colonel A I interests were: who had volunteered to serve in the forces Macpherson for Iraq; Labour Staff Officers 1. The British Army, Navy and Air Force- of the Crown. No enemy threatened their were attached to the various areas, sub- each of which was offering different homes or their future freedom. Of Hitler areas and formation headquarters, and on conditions of service to civilians. and Mussolini they knew nothing and cared the completion of the organisation Paiforce 2. The United States Forces.

42 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION 3. The Russian Forces. required of it to step up oil deliveries the was over. There were countless instances 4. The Anglo-Iranian and Iraqi Oil drum and tin plants were taken over by where this personal touch between the Companies, for whom 80,000 civilians were 1249, 1300, 1301 and 1303 Companies Pioneer officer and local chiefs enabled us working in oilfields and refineries. and within two weeks increased production to get labour that would otherwise have 5. The United Kingdom Commercial by sixty per cent., which enabled the British been unobtainable. Corporation, which operated some Government to fulfil in full their deliveries As time went on the volume of “Aid to thousands of trucks on aid to Russia, of aviation spirit to Russia which, prior to Russia” materials to be transported along vehicle assembly plants, workshops, etc. the Pioneers taking over, had been getting the many hundred miles of mountain roads 6. General Motors Inc. of America. considerably in arrears.1261 Company and passes of the lines of communication 7. The State Railways. specialised in vehicle assembly and other became very great, several hundred trucks 8. The State Public Works Department. Pioneers were engaged in artisan work of starting each day on the five- or six-day 9. The Persian Road Transport organisation. all kinds in REME workshops. journey to the Russian border where the The co-ordination of the labour Special mention must be made of the Russians took them over and as many as requirements of all these interests had to be excellent work of Pioneer Corps officers eight Pioneer companies were at one period effected and maintained by the Pioneer engaged in recruitment. During the early employed in keeping the vehicle assembly Corps Labour Directorate and competition months neither Iraq nor Persia were line up to schedule. between the various interests abolished. To belligerent and in general neither was Throughout all this period of activity the achieve this it was necessary to get the particularly well disposed towards the Allies general bearing and appearance of the competing parties to arrive at a common so there was no question of obtaining Indian Pioneers was soldierly and their basis for wages and conditions of service, labour by patriotic appeal. Most of the discipline excellent. Their work sometimes no easy task in view of the varying rates people knew little about either side in the entailed risk to and loss of life and when and conditions in existence and the number world conflict and the majority of the more faced with such a situation they showed of workers 400,000 affected. intellectual had a rather higher opinion of themselves worthy of the best Army In Iraq, where the British formed the the efficiency of the Germans than of the traditions. Men died through fumes inhaled predominant interest, the normal conditions Allies. The natives worked for us simply when handling 100-octane spirit in the high of Army employment were accepted because they liked the way they were temperatures of southern Persia; they knew without demur, but in Persia the situation treated by the British officers and NCOs the risk but they also knew that the petrol was so complicated that a new basis they came in contact with. There were was essential to the conduct of the war and acceptable to all had to be arrived at and it certain definite difficulties which conspired the units concerned made it clear that they is worthy of note, because probably unique against consistently maintaining a large would feel insulted if they were replaced by in such matters, that only one meeting labour force in these countries. The people others who would only have to face the under Brigadier Prynne’s chairmanship was are essentially agricultural and whenever same danger. In the mountainous country needed to arrive at and agree on a basis anything was doing in the fields (ploughing, of northern Persia were gangs of bandits and to work out a complete directive sowing or harvesting) a large proportion of who from time to time attacked Pioneers at embodying details regarding rates of pay them went back to the land. They are work so that men of each detachment had for all grades, conditions of service, naturally lazy people and only a proportion to man defensive posts whilst the others rationing, machinery for complaints and would drift back to us after the land work carried out the job on which they were enforcing compliance as between the was over and we had constantly to send engaged. various interests, for assessing skill of recruiting officers into the agricultural Brigadier Prynne made frequent tradesmen, for preventing poaching by one regions, often hundreds of miles away, to representations to General Headquarters interest from another, and in fact a get the tens of thousands of men back India for Indian Pioneers serving in the complete labour directive in all its aspects. again. In addition, the This meeting which was held in Persia on natives have a natural neutral ground (outside any military area, roving disposition and after that is) and lasted three days, transformed working at one place for a When the local Oil Company were the usual Army directive on civilian few weeks they would employment from a very complicated to an wander off somewhere unable to increase deliveries four extremely simple and brief document. For else, and as they had been all skilled and semi-skilled workers there behaving like this for Pioneer Companies took over the were only six different rates of pay, and for thousands of years there unskilled two rates. A man was either a was little we could do drum and tin plants and within two good tradesman or a bad tradesman and about it. A further was accordingly paid one of two rates. complication was that both weeks increased production by Rations were the same for everyone and countries were essentially were considered a part of the wage, i.e. no feudal in their domestic deductions were made on pay rolls thus structure and the ordinary 60%. simplifying accountancy. native, having only the The basis of the new wage scales was vaguest idea what “the the cost of living in Persia and Iraq Government” was or meant consequently Middle East and Paiforce to be given respectively. This modern method of paid little attention to what it said and combatant status since they were taking assessing a fair wage had never been listened to and obeyed only his local chief part in military operations and suffering introduced into these countries, and in fact or sheik. It followed that the Pioneer Corps casualties, whilst yet being under a social cost-of-living statistics had not been recruiting officers had to win and retain the disadvantage at home and a financial maintained by the government of either friendship of local leaders if they were to disadvantage in the Army, and in 1943 he country. The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company obtain the workers they needed. In this paid a visit to Delhi to plead their cause. undertook the responsibility of producing delicate task they received every assistance Largely due to his efforts the concession these statistics monthly, in accordance with from the British political advisers stationed was eventually granted to companies that an agreed formula, so that in cases of need throughout both countries, men who had might be committed to operational roles wages could be adjusted accordingly. The lived for many years in the countries and and these fine soldiers became equal in negotiation of these agreements in the two were well known to and liked by the status to all other Pioneers. countries, coordinating all labour engaged majority of the local sheiks. This close in the war effort, was a personal triumph liaison was of constant value. Cases Pages 245 – 249 for Brigadier Prynne and an example of the occurred where native tribes decided to When towards the end of 1942 Brigadier high standard in all aspects of labour have a local war in an area where a Pioneer HGL Prynne, MC, TD, had been appointed organisation and administration which the Corps officer was recruiting labour. The Director of Pioneers and Labour to Paiforce Pioneer Corps had achieved in its brief local sheiks would request the officer to he had reorganised the Indian Pioneer existence. move out of the area temporarily and when Corps units in that theatre on the lines of Indian Pioneers (none from other the fighting was over sent word to him to the British Army model, a course of action countries were engaged in Paiforce with the return and then directed their people to his which was to have a profound effect on the exception of the British officers and NCOs) recruiting office. When the Kurds decided future of Pioneers and Labour in the Far were never required for normal labour tasks to fight the neighbouring Arabs they East in the years ahead, an early reaction and to a large extent became specialists. informed us they regretted they would have being a similar reorganisation in India by When the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company was to withdraw some of our labour, but that it Brigadier SW Bower, newly appointed its unable to carry out the programme would come back to us after the fighting Director of Labour by General

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 43 Headquarters, India, who as DAQMG with The Royal Pioneer during 1949-1950 that commencement of this new role the CO, Tenth Army in Persia had studied the are considered worthy of a re-print. These Second in Command and Adjutant were all revised system in Paiforce at close quarters. are: sick in quarters with some kind of fever, so In December 1943 Brigadier Prynne had action devolved on me (I was then OC HQ paid a brief visit to India to find to his “SELECTED CONFESSIONS OF A Company) and the QM, who was a quite surprise that South-East Asia Command PIONEER” PART I amazing chap of incredible executive ability. (SEAC) had no military labour organisation Those confessions are described as Recruiting started, but instead of the rate of its own but was relying on the services selected because they are confined to more being 300-500 a week more than a of General Headquarters, India. General Sir respectable- incidents which I think may be thousand arrived the first day. I telephoned Henry Pownall, then Chief of General Staff of interest to readers of” The Royal the War Office and asked if they were at SEAC, who whilst Commander-in-Chief, Pioneer." There are others which even going to do anything about it and they said Paiforce, had noted with approval the “Jimmie” Adamson (Ed note: Lt Col that we must do the best we could - and Pioneer and Adamson was the editor of The royal we did. Labour Pioneer), kindred spirit though he is, would The rate recruits were coming in - 1000 a reorganisation not publish In case it might be thought that day - was 7000 a week, so obviously there, informed I am somewhat light-hearted about these something had to be done about details Brigadier Prynne incidents. I think I may mention that it was like food, clothing, equipment and that he would once intended that soldiering should be my accommodation. We tried “the normal welcome a similar career and anyway it has always been my channels”, but it was hopeless. Every train set-up in SEAC very serious interest in life. But, though an brought a few more hundreds to the camp but, since this was orthodox soldier at heart, during the War it and the Supply Services wanted three days’ outside his seemed to me that once it had been notice in the case of rations, a fortnight or province, decided that a certain objective must be so in the case of clothes and longer for suggested that attained then, as far as I was concerned, equipment or vehicles - and even then they

Brigadier Blanchard Brigadier Prynne “the end justified the means” and if it only had provision for an additional 300- might try to “sell” could not be attained the orthodox way 500 men a week. Action was obviously the idea to SEAC’s then other means had to be resorted to. essential, and here comes my first administrative With hundreds of ex-officers I was confession. I telephoned the two Central staff. To this end “called-up” in October, 1939 and was Ordnance Depots – Didcot and Branston - Brigadier Prynne posted to the Pioneer Centre at Clacton. said that I was their branch at the War turned his energies This had been Butlin's Holiday Camp, at the Office, that recruiting for the new RE Coys and persuasive outbreak of War, had been surrounded with was a far greater success than had been powers, funnelling barbed wire and turned into an Internment anticipated, that hundreds of men were his approach Camp and was subsequently, the internees pouring into the Pioneer Centre at Clacton through the having been removed, taken over by the and that they would be receiving Brigadier “Q” at Pioneers. The accommodation was instructions to supply clothing, stores, SEAC (Brigadier comfortable, provided one did not mind vehicles and equipment on telephone WE Cole) in a Brigadier Eyde sleeping in damp blankets in sweating huts, requests from that Centre and that letter dated 10th or falling over barbed wire when one went formalities, such as indents and so on, January, 1944, at the same time advising out to pay a call at night. would be dealt with later. I then rang off Major-General Friend, the Director of All the officers had “previous service," and a few minutes later phoned them again Labour at War Office, of the action he was but it soon became apparent that in some and said I understood they were being taking. Since Brigadier Cole had also served cases the scope and distinction of that instructed by the War Office to issue stores, in Paiforce where he had had the “previous service” were largely the product etc. to us on telephone requests. They said opportunity of seeing its Pioneer and of the imagination of the officers that they had just heard from the War Labour organisation in action he needed concerned. Others seemed to be under the Office and I asked them to send along little persuasion and in turn carried the impression that they had been called to the immediately clothing and equipment for suggestion on to the American General Bar, not to the Colours. Most of the former five thousand men and vehicles and who was Principal Administrative Officer at spent the entire War doing little but technical equipment for fifteen RE SEAC and who was favourably impressed. explaining how wonderful they were - and Construction Companies. We increased our The outcome of these devious negotiations a few got away with it - most of the latter ration indent by 1000 a day progressively, was that in June 1944 the Supreme Allied were Court Martialed and flung out. For so as to be on the right side, saw the Bank Command South-East Asia (SACSEA) asked those who belonged to neither of these Manager and told him we should be War Office to appoint a Director of Pioneers categories there was plenty of work to be wanting about £10,000 extra per week and and Labour to plan the provision of labour, done, under the shrewd and experienced phoned RE Records and asked them for a coordinate demands and allocate priorities eye of Lt Col KW Macdonald, CIE, DSO, the “block” of 5000 regimental numbers so for overall requirements in the theatre, Commanding Officer, who, after that we could allot numbers to recruits including those of Eastern Fleet Air commanding a battalion in the Indian Army, right away and not await allotment by Command, Civil Affairs and the U.S. Forces, had been Chief of Police in, I think, Burma. Records in the usual way. We then waited and the following month Brigadier GR I always thought that the latter experience to see what would happen. All responded Prendergast was sent out from England to must have stood him in good stead at beautifully except Records, who would not fill the appointment-subsequently Clacton. give us the block of numbers. As a result of designated “Inspector of Pioneers and The liberal accommodation provided by my telephone efforts, Ordnance sent special Labour.” Mr Butlin for his holiday-makers enabled us trains from Didcot and Branston with Later, War Office was asked to appoint to feed, clothe, equip, house and train clothing, stores and equipment and over a two Deputy Directors, one as DDPL to some two thousand troops and the Centre hundred vehicles turned up. The extra ALFSEA (Allied Land Forces, South-East was dealing with the problem of forming, rations arrived and the Bank Manager Asia), the other as Adviser to Commander- and despatching overseas, Pioneer produced the cash. in-Chief, Ceylon, appointments which went Companies with, it seemed to me great One hundred and fifty RE officers arrived, to Colonel HH Blanchard and Colonel JHM efficiency and very little fuss. I was a kind of 145 of whom were newly-commissioned Edye, DSO, OBE, MC. It is of interest to “odd job” officer - one of many – and so 2Lts who had never before had on a suit or note that both these officers were was able to get a fairly good impression of uniform of any kind. As each Company had eventually to become Directors of Labour at what was going on. to have one Major and one Captain we had War Office. At the end of the year we were told that to pick out the most likely looking and In April 1945, ALFSEA asked that their we were to be loaned to the Royal make them Majors or Captains - and they Deputy Director be upgraded as the Engineers as a Mobilisation Centre for were so entirely ignorant on army matters organised labour was then approximately forming RE Construction Companies, for that we had in most cases to explain that 660 officers and 250,000 men and the which recruiting was to be opened and that meant wearing a crown or three stars responsibilities included the administration which were urgently required in France as instead of the one star they had. Much to of local civilian labour in Burma and soon as possible. It was anticipated that our relief, a regular RE Major arrived to beyond. This was done and Colonel about 300-500 men a week would enlist superintend the technical make-up of the Blanchard was promoted to the rank of and the target was for us to form and send Companies. Brigadier. overseas two companies a fortnight. So the RE Construction Company Brig Prynne also wrote four articles for The weather was appaling and at the Mobilisation Centre got going. The place

44 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION was an inferno of activity and the results complaints from the CRE that we were procedure, i.e. by using one's knowledge of were really quite staggering. The CO doing a job that was really his and should these subjects without broadcasting the seemed to be of the general opinion that be done by the Royal Engineers. I don't fact that one possessed it. anything that would “help to get this know how the CO. “got away with that I was accepted as an amateur soldier, bloody war over” was justified and our one," but he did – and again an essential ignorant of procedure, etc., and I was justification was, I think, that we actually job was done in record time by the allowed a lot of latitude and lots of things formed and sent to France twenty-two RE Pioneers. Things began to hot up. The were “forgiven and forgotten” because of Coys within one month of recruiting invasion scare increased and true to the that. But in fact, in a previous military starting. (The target we had been set was traditions of the British Army the Pioneers incarnation let us say, I had qualified at a two companies a fortnight). We had been of Clacton prepared themselves “to hold Staff Course, had held “G," “Q” and “A” told that these Companies were urgently the line to the last man and the last gun." Staff appointments and had served required in France. Well, they got them, The line they were told to hold extended attachments to most of the Services. In fact and all that remained was to “take the can from Mersea to South of Harwich - about I suppose I “knew the form” better than back” for the methods we employed. twelve miles of coastline - the available men the majority of the Officers with whom I It took ADOS (the Ordnance officer) at consisted of about two hundred Reservists had to deal at the various Headquarters District HQs about three weeks to realise (our Pioneer recruits were untrained), the which I served under or with, which put the that something unusual was going on at guns consisted of two machine guns, one odds in my favour in any unorthodox action Clacton and by the time he came to see us on Clacton Pier and one on Walton Pier. I was taking at the time. it was all over. We suggested that all he But out on the North Sea was the British In addition, I had an unusually varied could do was to send some Ordnance Navy, which sounded all right until we civilian experience in different walks of life personnel to take stock of what we had left found that that portion of the Navy and in dealing with various nationalities, in our QM Stores and find out from Didcot consisted of totally unarmed fishing vessels and finally I was always prepared to “take a and Bransfon what they had sent us, supplied with Very pistols in order to give us chance." because, of course, we had received far warning of the invasion. So we “lent” the Therefore if, in reading these notes of more than my original telephone request Navy a Lewis gun - which they put on one mine, you might be inclined to think that I for ordnance supplies for 5000 men and 15 of the fishing vessels and with which they was “lucky to get away with it," you would Companies. So they checked up our stores subsequently destroyed an enemy aircraft be wrong. The odds were in my favour all and found we had left in store items like which tried to bomb them. Thus even the the time and actually I would have been 12,000 shirts and 7,000 suits of battledress Navy had to rely on the Pioneers on darned unlucky not to have got away with - these figures I remember, but of course occasion. it. there were corresponding quantities of Soon Pioneers from Boulogne, Dunkirk But there is one essential to success in other items of clothing and equipment, and elsewhere were arriving in this country such enterprises and that is having the right technical stores, a few trucks, etc. In fact in large numbers. We were asked for the chaps round one and absolute loyalty from we had left what was really a sizeable maximum number we could take and the them.This I never seemed to lack. Many of Ordnance Dump. War Office telephoned to say that two them doubtless often thought that I was We seem to have obtained about thousand more than that £250,000 worth of Ordnance stores number were on the way to without any indents and without our ADOS us and that we just had to knowing about it, which caused quite a stir. take them in somehow. The We had obtained about £250,000 But what caused even more excitement was arrangements were largely the fact that we had expended about my responsibility as OC HQs worth of Ordnance stores without £35,000 in paying these troops and as Coy. The normal machinery nearly all of them had gone overseas for getting billets would any indents and without the without Army numbers there was virtually have taken about a fortnight no way of knowing who actually had had and we had only a few Ordnance knowing about it. the money - there being hundreds of cases hours. So we simplified of two or more men with the same names. matters by me going out But as the Pioneers had, as was to be so with the QM and a pick- often the case, done an important job in helve. We just went to hotels, institutes, behaving like an “absolute so-and so," but record time a general “write-off” was etc., and I broke in with the pick-helve. that did not alter their attitude to the job in authorised and it was decided that all Then to the local Gas Company and hand. should be “forgiven and forgotten," and requisitioned all the gas stoves they had Shortly after our arrival in Middle East we the Centre returned to its normal Pioneer and personnel to fix them in the buildings were informed that my Second in activities. we had broken into, and on to the Command (Major, afterwards, Col Graham But not for long. Electricity Coy to order them, with some Richmond) and I were to leave the Group With the Spring things began to go badly vague Authority we said we had, to and start a Pioneer Corps Depot. So off we with our Forces in France and the coast had connect up those buildings. All the troops set with our baggage, in a 15 cwt truck to be prepared to withstand a possible who arrived were accommodated and our with me driving, to report to the Area invasion. We were told what defensive system of obtaining accommodation had Commander Quassassin. works were to be carried out in our area the merit of being simplicity itself – There we took over a thousand and we had hundreds of troops who could although it certainly did not comply with Palestinian Pioneers and a thousand Cypriot have got on with the job, but no tools or Army regulations on the subject and was Pioneers. The latter had just mutinied and materials. Eventually the Commanding probably illegal. But no doubt it was all marched to the Area Headquarters and Officer persuaded the Corps Commander, sorted out eventually. threatened to shoot the Area Commander, who had come to see us, to say that he Shortly after I left to be Second in so they had had their rifles taken away. I agreed with us obtaining some tools, etc., Command of a Group, where I led a life of had never seen a Cypriot before, except in locally. Doubtless the Corps Commander extreme respectability until at the end of a Police Court charged with being thought we just wanted to make a few the year I was given Command of a Group objectionable to women. But I had these on modest purchases of picks and shovels, but proceeding to Middle East. parade and came to the conclusion that he did not say so and we had other ideas. they might be offensive to women, but We just went out and bought all the tools PART 2 they certainly did not have the guts to in the shops in Clacton and the nearby During the war the professional soldier shoot us – so we gave them back their places, requisitioned all the lorries we could was generally very generous in making rifles. Actually a few weeks later they did find, tore up all the iron railings in Clacton, allowances for the amateur. It was usually mutiny again and got a pretty rough commenced removing the planks from the assumed – and rightly so – that he knew handling for so doing – but stone and Pier, bought cement, sand and gravel and little or nothing about military procedure, knives – preferably in the dark and in the concrete-mixers and went in for the military law or Staff work, except what he back – are more in their line than rifles. construction of defence works in a big way. was picking up as he went along. If one I was then told we had to form, at Then in due course written authority arrived started the war with any such knowledge, it Quassassin, a Pioneer Corps Depot to take from Brigade HQs in confirmation of the was customary to rush about and advertise up to sixteen hundred Native Pioneers (we verbal permission we had got from the the fact on every possible occasion in the had no English Pioneer Coys in the Middle Corps Commander, the only drawback hope that by so doing one would “wangle East during the War) at a time and to being that it limited our purchases to the a good job." It seemed to me that more receive, clothe, equip and arm the Native total value of £50. Then also came could be achieved by reversing that Pioneer Companies that were being

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 45 recruited in Africa, India and other parts of from Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika; West as far as possible, disregard the fact that we the Empire. Africans from various parts; Mauritians and had lots of different kinds of natives from A study of this recruiting programme Seychellois from the Islands; Arabs and Jews different parts of the world and to run the showed that we were more likely to have from Palestine; Syrians and Cypriots; Depot as one administrative unit, only sixteen thousand at a time in the Depot Pathans, Mahrattas, Madrasis and various providing separate accommodation for than sixteen hundred. In actual fact, the different kinds of Indians, men from the British Officers and ORs. Why should natives strength of the Depot, when my successor hills from the plains, from the North and from different parts of the Empire fight Graham Richmond was Commandant, from the South. each other if they met in the same canteen, reached twenty-six thousand at one time – I Incidentally, one of my officers worked as the experts said would happen? It just should think an all-time record strength for out that at one time we had twenty-seven didn’t make sense and anyway the only an Army Unit, and five to six times the size different languages being spoken in the practical solution was that they should of Depots at home. Depot, and he was probably right. meet and see what happened. And, of So we went ahead to lay out a Depot for Personally, I found that the language I course, nothing happened. sixteen thousand men, with further spare employed on occasions formed a kind of Well, we were to have a Depot consisting accommodation nearby if required, common denominator for them all. And I of about three square miles of desert and it The Depot was to be a Mobilisation imagine there were many of the tens of was decided that it should be divided into Centre for Pioneer Units and a thousands that stayed at the Depot in my sixteen camps, each to accommodate a Reinforcement and Training Centre. The time returned home after the War with a thousand men or four Companies of 330 Companies, Groups or Drafts would arrive limited but curiously adequate English each. Water was laid on to the centre of mostly with the minimum of clothing, vocabulary learnt from me. each camp and a cookhouse built there. possibly just shirts and shorts, and with no I was sent a number of “Expert Advisers” And that was that – but that was what? Unit Stores. On arrival they would have to to tell me how to handle the various kinds What about administrative arrangement? be completely armed (all Native Pioneers of Natives. Have you ever seen an old hen All we had was a chunk of desert with were fully armed, combatant troops; except with her chicks? These chaps were water laid on and some cookhouses. the Indians in the early stages and they incredibly like old hens, which are Leaving aside such matters as clothing, later became armed combatant troops) admirable in farmyards but a darned equipping, feeding and training, what clothed and equipped and issued with Units nuisance elsewhere. Each of the twenty or about the hospitalisation of these tens of stores, transport and equipment including thirty different kinds of natives I was to thousands of various kinds of natives? tentage. Also all ranks had to fire a course have was, according to the “experts” to be What about recreation, NAAFI, Welfare at the Depot Range. During this period they treated differently, usually on no account to Huts, Entertainments? were “acclimatised” so as to get than used come in contact with other kinds of natives, The Official answer to these questions to the Egyptian climate and they could do and so on. Whether or not such treatment was simple. It was that as ours were to be little work while this was being done. The was desirable or necessary, which I native troops there was ‘nothing doing.’ Reinforcement part of the Depot received doubted, the real point was that it was Believe it or not, it is an absolute fact that all drafts, casualties, etc, re-clothed and re- obviously quite impracticable. neither NAAFI nor the Welfare Services equipped them as necessary and posted “For Heaven’s sake don’t let the would have anything to do with us – their them to Units as required. The Training part Ugandans get near any of the Indians. orders were quite explicit on the matter – ran Courses as required. They have awful tempers and will be they were only to cater for British White The target was to raise between 100,000 trouble.” “You must keep the Hoochers Troops and they were not to cater for and 150,000 of these Native Pioneers and away from the Woochers, they are sworn British Native Troops. This applied also to they would all come to this Depot where it enemies and have only stopped being cinemas, entertainments, and everything in was thought that they would spend about cannibals.” “Don’t let the Marutas get near the way of welfare amenities. As regards a month. It seemed pretty obvious that the a village or they will get drunk and beat up hospitalisation, the Medical Services did not War Establishment they gave us for the the place.” “The Gazekas must never be say that our natives could be treated in the Depot of 1,600 was hopelessly inadequate. allowed near any women, they are bound ordinary British hospitals, but they refused Actually as far as officers were concerned if to rape them.” So said the “Experts.” And to make any special arrangements for consisted of a Commandant (Lt Colonel), this rather depressed me until I realised dealing with them. Second in Command (Major) and a while they might be expert on advising how As regards NAAFI and Welfare, not only combined Adjutant and Quartermaster, a the various natives had been handled and did they refuse to do anything in the Depot, Messing Officer and four Captains each to had behaved in the past when living normal but they said that orders would be issued command a “Wing.” One would have lives in their own countries it was anyone’s that our natives were not to be admitted to thought that a Unit to deal with the guess as to how they would behave in the any NAAFI or welfare huts, Cinemas or British Army in strange entertainments anywhere. I approached surroundings and thousands “A” Branch to try and get this decision The Medical Services refused to of miles from their homes altered, but they merely held up their hands and native influences. And I in horror and said that far from letting the make any special arrangements thought that my guess was native troops into the NAAFI or Welfare more likely to be right than huts, I must understand that they were not for dealing with Native troops. theirs because my to be allowed even to go to any village or experience in the world was town, but must keep strictly to the limits of wider. But I did want some military camps. This called for some unorthodox adviser to turn to in case of So the official view was that we were to need who really understood have tens of thousands of native troops methods. the native mentality, so I who would be confined to the limits of decided to rely on Colonel military camps and denied any form of Douglas How, of the High Welfare or entertainment while they were administration and equipping of 150,000 Commissioner’s Territories, who always well and not provided with proper medical men, for instance, deserve a full-time approached problems from a practicable attention if they were sick. Having learned Quartermaster and a full-time Adjutant. I angle and free from accumulated prejudice this at GHQ I withdrew. did make a request for a more adequate and for whose wise council I often had But not defeated – deflected. Deflected Establishment, but met with no success. cause to be grateful. It was a great loss to from normal to abnormal methods. But time was short, it was no good arguing me when he died tragically the following These were the unorthodox methods to – I knew how much time one could waste year, and an even greater loss to our which I was deflected by the official refusal dealing with War Establishment Colonial Administration. The other experts I to do anything:- Committees. And there were other far disregarded. Hospitalisation. I knew that the UDF more pressing problems, of which the Obviously we had to approach our (South African Army) had a Director of following are some of the more interesting. problem from a practical angle. Our job was Medical Services who was internationally The job we faced was first of all to see to create a single Native Pioneer Corps, not famous for his knowledge of native that adequate administrative arrangements to pander to individual traditions and problems. I saw him and her told me that it were made for this Depot, which was to habits. It was a problem that no one had was quite essential that we should have accommodate up to 16,000 non-Europeans been faced with before so there could be special hospital arrangements for the depot, from various parts. Basutos, Bechuanas and no such thing as an “expert adviser” on if it were to contain upwards of 16,000 Swazis from the High Commission how to deal with it. The only possible natives newly arrived in Egypt. Apart from Territories of South Africa; East Africans practical way of running this Depot was to, normal sickness, which would anyway

46 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION require special medical attention, if special set down here I “arranged” for four of wash-houses, etc. for my 16,000 who were precautions were not taken to guard these to be built in our Depot, and when due to start arriving in less than a fortnight. against an epidemic, and special treatments NAAFI found that unknown to them, they I went and saw the CRE responsible and were not instantly available if an epidemic had built four institutes in what was to be a found that he was a religious lunatic - he did break out, then we might literally lose Native Depot they raised a bit of a fuss, but was not getting on with work at the Depot thousands of these chaps. Also special of course had to agree for us to run them because, in his own words, “they are all “acclimatisation” treatment was required rather than for them to remain empty. pagans." This sounds incredible, but it is for the first three weeks after arrival. None Cinema. Here again, whereas at intervals true. However, I assured him that about of this could be done by the British throughout the Base Area cinemas were ninety per cent, of them were Catholics and hospitals, because firstly the medical staff being built and run by the Egyptian chain he immediately agreed to get on with the did not have the necessary knowledge of cinema people, and the large depots were job - and did. I hope he never came round native ailments and secondly they did not to have their own, we were neither to have to check up on their religious beliefs. know the language and so could not one nor were our natives to be allowed into All very unorthodox – but when it came diagnose or treat ailments with certainty. any of them. So, posing as a Headquarter to clothing and equipping the natives and This South African DMS came to the Staff Officer, I saw the Managing Director running the Depot generally even more Depot and advised us on layout and native of the Cinema Company and bluffed him unorthodox methods had to be resorted to. administration in general and, at my that one of the cinemas he had agreed to request, he tried to persuade the Medical build should be built where our Depot was PART 3 authorities of GHQ to make adequate to be located, carefully omitting to tell him Having settled the general administrative arrangements for our natives, but they that our Depot was to be there. So he built arrangements for the Middle East Pioneer refused to do so. the cinema and no one was more surprised Depot there were detailed arrangements to I was getting desperate, because it was than the Egyptian Cinema Company when be made before we would be ready to start only a matter of a month before large they found that they had built and receiving the native Pioneers. Amongst numbers of natives were due to begin equipped a cinema in the native Pioneer these were the following. arriving. Eventually the DMS of the South Depot. But having done it they had no Africans said that on his initiative he would alternative but to run it, which they did. Tentage bring up from South Africa, a General Funds. The Depot was now well All the Depot so far consisted of was Hospital specially staffed and equipped to furnished with welfare and other extra- approximately three square miles of desert, deal with natives and place it at the military requirements. But we had very divided into sixteen camp sites with water disposal of the Depot, with a Section of the ambitious plans and must have an income. laid on and cookhouses, wash-houses and Hospital in the Depot itself and an outlying I don't want anyone to think that in any of latrines built. NAAFIs, Welfare Huts, a Section at the port of disembarkation our unorthodox practices we at any time Cinema, etc., were in course of (Suez). He arranged to say nothing about it bribed anyone to get anything done. Other construction, obtained as described earlier to the British until the hospital was methods are more intelligent. But I wanted in these “Confessions." We had to get embarked in South Africa and on the way to do a variety of things - starting a bus tentage for the following: to Middle East. When the hospital was on service from the Depot, for instance - that Living tents to accommodate 16.000 the way we had a meeting with the would require money, and we had to have (sixteen thousand) men. Medical Authorities from GHQ, who were an income somehow. The pay of the natives 60 (sixty) Unit Q.M. Stores. very agitated about it and said they could was not high and they were inclined to save 60 (sixty) Unit Officers. not accommodate it! I said that I would instead of spend. So the canteen profits 20 (twenty) Officers' Messes. erect a complete 1000 bedded hospital for would not be as big as in a comparable 20 (twenty) Sergeants' Messes. them from tentage I had spare, but they British Unit. Depot Q.M. Stores to accommodate said that the whole thing was irregular and The opportunity for getting a good about a thousand tons if stores. they would not accept my offer. But that income presented itself as follows: Every Depot Ration Stores to carry about could not prevent the hospital arriving. Unit in Middle East had a contract with an 30,000 (thirty thousand) rations. And when it did we had to “put it up Egyptian contractor for various domestic Depot Officers' Mess to hold up to 150 temporarily” until proper accommodation matters, including doing the unit laundry. staff and reinforcement officers. could be erected – which was in due course When making a deal with such contractors, Depot Sergeants' Mess to hold up to 200 done just before the first really big arrival of Units had to conform to a standard British staff and reinforcement sergeants natives. Army form of contract. I reckoned that this A study of the items will show the This hospital was, of course, a God-send standard contract was so drawn in favour magnitude of the problem. A call at the and I shudder to think what the situation of the contractor that in our case it meant Base Ordnance Depot resulted in the news would have been with these tens of he would make about £20,000 a year profit that the total number of marquee type thousands of natives and no proper medical out of our Depot, and accordingly asked tents (suitable for offices, stores, messes, arrangements for them. As a friendly GHQ for authority to enter into an etc.), in the Middle East was about one gesture from the South Africans it was just amended form of contract which would hundred. All the other tentage was of the terrific and typical of help I was constantly only give him a more reasonable margin of bell or bivouac type, only really not suitable to receive from them throughout the War, profit. But I was curtly ordered to enter into for living accommodation. A certain on a kind of friendly, unofficial basis. the standard approved form of contract. amount of persuasion resulted in them Welfare. Obviously I was not going to So I did as I was ordered and entered into giving us all the marquee-type tents they accept the GHQ decision that our Native the standard form of contract, but I was had. Thus we drew about one hundred in Pioneers were to have no welfare darned if I was going to let the Egyptian all – and made a central dump of them on arrangements. As the British Army had contractor get away with £20,000 a year the Depot site. I told the Adjutant to put a failed I naturally thought of my South on it. So I told him that he would have to Guard over them, because the Arabs were African friends and suggested to a member contribute £500 a month to Depot PRI very keen to steal the canvas marquee sides of the South African Parliament that they Funds - which gave us an income of £6,000 in order to use the canvas to repair the sails should vote a sum of money to be devoted a year apart from profits from regimental of their boats. But he thought he knew to the welfare of the British Native Pioneers. institutes and “put us in the money” right better than I and did not mount the guard Politically it was a well-timed request and it away. on them. That night the Arabs came and went through. So the South African Forces Thus by the unorthodox methods into stole every one of the marquee walls, even undertook the welfare of our natives. And which GHQ deflected me by their refusal to including one which we had pitched and in they did it on a scale far ahead of anything do anything for us because “we were to which the Orderly Room clerks were that was done for the British troops at that have native troops “ we got amenities for sleeping. So all we now had was marquee time. They stocked, supplied the personnel the Pioneer Depot as good as any in the tops with no sides - and no more marquees for and ran canteens and welfare generally Middle East, and far better than most. or sides in any Ordnance Depot in the and also sent up from South Africa two Specialised medical care and hospitalisation, Middle East. The Adjutant was sacked. He excellent mobile cinemas. The latter I lent to NAAFI Institutes, Welfare Huts and was not a Pioneer, he had been loaned to the British Welfare authorities when we did Canteens, a permanent Cinema, Mobile us by GHQ as a “special favour." not want them - because they had none in Cinemas. Also the necessary income to But if there were no more marquee sides Middle East then. finance anything else we were likely to to be got from Ordnance there were lots of NAAFI Large brick NAAIF canteens and require. standing camps in the Base Area which had institutes were being built all over the Base Then I kind of wondered why what even marquees with sides. And if any camp was Area in Middle East - but, of course, not for GHQ regarded as essential for natives was to go without sides to its marquees I was native units. But by means that shall not be not progressing - the building of latrines, determined that it should not be the

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 47 Pioneer Depot. There was no time to waste got more than they gave and were literally the issue of clothing and stores for native either. having the hell of a time for the next few Pioneer Units. Then I went to Ordnance The first draft of officers arrived, days until a British Colonial official, who with indents signed by me, and bearing this consisting of chaps who had been on the was singularly ill-informed as to the fake “authority” that I had invented for Greece and Crete show and had had a very character of these chaps although he was clothing, arms and equipment for sixteen sticky time. I watched them get out of the an important member of the Administration Pioneer Companies and also for G1098 truck they had arrived in. Graham in Cyprus, got GHQ to intervene and send stores, tentage and accommodation stores Richmond pointed out to me a likely- me a direct order to call off my retaliatory for sixteen Companies. looking lad - HR Johnson by name. So I methods, which were in fact turning these And it worked. I got the clothing, asked him whether he would like to help Cypriots into soldiers. They were then equipment and stores on the “authority” I me steal four hundred marquee walls from moved to a camp on their own under the had invented - and so far as I know we camps in the Base Area, because my late direct eye of the Colonial Official, himself, never used any other. Adjutant had been fool enough to let the where they rapidly degenerated into an But there were no blankets at the Arabs steal ours. He seemed to think it was undisciplined rabble, the majority of whom Ordnance Stores, and I must have fifty a grand idea. So he and I went out deserted when they were ordered to the thousand before the troops arrived. together during the next day or two, with Western Desert. So, armed with the “authority” I had ten-ton trucks I got from Area HQ and invented, the officer who was acting as some native troops who did not know what Clothing and Blankets. quartermaster and I scoured the Base Area was going on anyhow. And we acquired By now it was October and always the trying to find blankets and making up a sufficient sides to re-equip all our nights, frequently the days also, were very variety of stories for getting them. And marquees. cold, with a keen wind blowing and eventually a few thousand from this camp a In the course of the above operation I occasional days and nights of heavy driving few thousand from that Depot sometimes told HR Johnson that what we were rain. We had discarded the “shirts and by making friends, sometimes by telling the forming was a Pioneer Mobilisation, shorts” of the summer for battledress and, tale, we got the 50,000 - quite a lot of Training and Reinforcement Depot about when necessary, greatcoats, pullovers and blankets. 16,000 strong and I asked him whether he all the extra clothing one wears at home in would like to try his hand at being the winter. The native troops were to come Other Supplies Adjutant. He said that he had not been up to me in shirts and shorts. Even a few Once one embarks on a wangle or a commissioned long and really did not know hours in those clothes in the climatic racket one finds that inevitably one gets the first thing about the job, but that he conditions we were then experiencing more and more involved. As I was drawing was prepared to “have a go” if I wanted would almost certainly have meant the enormous quantities of stores on a fake him to. And he certainly did “have a go." death of thousands from pneumonia. So “authority” that I had invented myself it He was Adjutant of the Depot for the next off I went to Ordnance to draw blankets seemed to me that I must at all costs keep and clothing before they the individual units from direct contact with arrived. the Service Depots - Ordnance, Rations and The thousands of Pioneers who To find that there was no so on. Otherwise the myth of my supposed authority for me to draw any “authority “ would be immediately clothing and that the exposed. And the only way to prevent units met him during the War will be Ordnance Depot had already contacting Services direct would be to have issued all the blankets to everything they might want available for interested to know that he got his other units.So there was no them at the Depot. They would then have authority for clothing and no no need to go outside and I alone would be real start in the Army by helping blankets anyway. dealing with the Services. Therefore I must I rushed round GHQ in a draw every kind of store, ration and supply me to steal four hundred marquee kind of panic but achieved in bulk and issue in detail to units in the nothing. The original Depot. walls. instructions for the raising of So I had to extend the “arrangement” I these thousands of native had now with Ordnance and Rations to Pioneers said that they everything else a Company would want. two years, during which time he saw it would be clothed before leaving their own For instance, I found that there were only grow from nothing to a strength, at one country. So there was no authority for one hundred typewriters in store in the time, of 26,000. Afterwards he issues to be made in the Middle East.Then whole of Middle East and I did a deal with commanded a Basuto Company that was someone at GHQ suddenly got a brainwave a Major by name of “Joe," who ran the on board a small craft that was sunk by air and sent masses of clothing, etc, from typewriter department at GHQ, to give me attack on the way to Tobruk and later Middle East to South Africa for them, in fifty of them, so I could issue a typewriter commanded a smoke Company at the order to help the situation. But the chaps apiece to the first fifty units we formed at crossing of the Rhine. “Johnny” was a first- had already left there, so orders were sent the Depot. Then “Joe” promised to give me class adjutant, a first-class officer and a for the clothing to be sent back to Middle more as they became available, keeping my first-class friend to whom I owe a East when it arrived in South Africa. And I stock as near fifty as possible. A similar considerable debt of gratitude.The was then told that apart from nothing “arrangement” was made for bulk supplies thousands of Pioneers who met him during having been authorised for my native of stationery, military textbooks, and the War will be interested to know that he Pioneers this clothing, etc, that was everything down to a censor stamp for got his real start in the Army by helping me wandering around between Middle East each Company. Every item of clothing, to steal four hundred marquee walls. and Africa was kind of debited against stores, equipment and vehicles was drawn One way or another we got all the them anyway. And that officially “there was in bulk by us and issued to Companies and tentage we wanted for the Depot and we nothing doing." they left the Depot completely equipped in got it erected as troops were due to arrive. By this time the first few thousands were every respect without ever having had We also got enough, by devious ways, to due to arrive at Suez any day - and unless dealings with anyone outside the Depot. eventually erect a complete 1000-bedded they were warmly clad in some way Which was how we “got away with it” General Hospital for the South African Unit immediately they disembarked a good without having any proper “authority." I had got the Union Defence Force to send proportion would probably die. The reader may ask why we should have up from South Africa for us. Now, long ago I had discovered two gone about things in this unorthodox way – While all this was going on the Cypriot things about indents for stores. The first obtaining probably four or five million Pioneers, of whom I had about a thousand was known to everyone, the second to few. pounds worth of stores on a fake in the Depot, staged another mutiny and The first was that you cannot get anything “authority." For that is what it amounted set on their British Officers and Sergeants, on an indent without quoting on the indent to. doing quite a bit of damage to some of an official “authority” for the issue. The They may contend that as the formation them. These choice citizens of the British second that provided the indent is of these native Pioneer Companies was Empire had prepared for this outbreak by sufficiently large and the “authority” looks authorised therefore in due course a proper burying hundreds of weapons - mostly alright it is not checked. So I just found out authority for clothing and equipping them knives but also a few revolvers and what kind of “authorities” GHQ was using would have been forthcoming. And I have grenades - in the sand of the desert around for issues of stores (so many letters, so no doubt it would. But it would have been their tents. However, we were not going to many figures, and so on) and invented one too late. stand any nonsense from such scum; they myself, complying with that formula, for We did not resort to the means we

48 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION employed until we were forced to and until Steel helmets 300 per day divided into two rooms, each about 30 feet all normal methods had proved useless. In 45,000 in six months by 12 feet, and one small marquee tent. the end the position was that the first Gas respirators 300 per day And the total staff was my second in batch of natives, some 6,000, was actually 45,000 in six months command, my adjutant, a spare subaltern due, at Suez and we could get nothing for Gas capes 300 per day and myself, with one orderly-room sergeant them. And even after making out the fake 45,000 in six months (who had been batman to my first indents we only finished drawing their Ground sheets 300 per day adjutant), one corporal and three clerks clothing and blankets during the night 45,000 in six months (when we could get them, they were before they disembarked and only just in Blankets 600 per day frequently borrowed from Units in the time to send the blankets on trucks to meet 90,000 in six months Depot). I sat in one of the two rooms with them as they disembarked and entrained Sets of equipment 300 per day my second in command and adjutant and for the Depot. Normal methods had failed 45,000 in six months the spare subaltern kind of hovered about before we resorted to our unorthodox ones. in the same room, the orderly room By taking the action we did we certainly The above items alone give the colossal sergeant, corporal and three clerks spread saved the lives of several thousands of total of over six thousand items of personal themselves over the other room and the those African Pioneers by issuing them with clothing and equipment issued every day or small marquee. blankets or clothing as they stepped off the over one million of such Items during the And with that accommodation and that boat. In that bitter weather a high six months. staff was carried out the amount of work I proportion of them were sure to catch a But, in addition to the above, an average have indicated above - having experienced lung affection they were liable to if exposed of one Company every day was issued with both, I should say about twenty times what to a long journey by train or truck without tentage, G1098 and accommodation stores, was done at the average Group such protection. This I was assured would amounting to several tons in all, and Headquarters. This is not boasting but happen by the South African Director of transport vehicles. In other words, a appreciation, because Graham Richmond, Medical Services - the acknowledged Company a day was fully equipped. my Second in Command, and his authority on the subject of native health. There were also a vast number of smaller successors, “Johnny," the Adjutant, and the Also the probability is that had we waited items of clothing and equipment issued rest of the staff did the work - I was “out for a proper “authority” it would have been daily, not to mention exchanges, and about” most of the time and the for an issue on a scale far inferior to what replacements, and so on. amazing fact is that Graham and Johnny we were drawing on our fake “authority” - One also has to remember that a similar seemed to find plenty of time to help me which was normal British Scale. Because the quantity of stores had to be drawn daily, in outside also. attitude at GHQ towards native troops was order to maintain the stock in the QM more or less that “anything would do for Stores. Personnel them." And our native Pioneers would have A remarkable thing was the ridiculous started off with an inferiority complex and Messing inadequacy of the War Establishment for it would not have been so easy to turn Throughout this six months we drew an the Depot. Our Directorate at GHQ had them into the first-class soldiers they were. average of twelve thousand rations per day. tried to improve it and I attended before Finally, I was not just behaving in an The ration scale and the actual rations the War Establishment Committee at GHQ. irresponsible way and denuding the Supply varied for each type of native at the Depot But I realised that they were quite incapable Depots of stores that might be required for and they were drawn in bulk to the Depot of grasping what was going on at the some other purpose. I had a friend who Ration Store and issued in detail from there Depot because it was so far removed from was very highly placed at GHQ and was accordingly. As a matter of interest it is anything that had happened in their conversant with all administrative planning worth mentioning that there were 101 (one experience. So we gave it up meantime. there and he assured me, privately, that the hundred and one) cook-houses in the And for instance, I was still officially only quantity of stores we would draw would Depot. allowed a “combined adjutant and not embarrass the “provision” programme quartermaster” – one officer to combine in Middle East. So although we drew an The Depot Orderly Room. both jobs. immense quantity of stores on my fake No one who has only served in an But a visit to Second Echelon when I was indents - say four or five million pounds ordinary Unit or Depot - in fact no one who starting the Depot had resulted in some worth – I knew that the actual withdrawal was not actually on my HQs staff at the very interesting discoveries. The officers I of these stores would not interfere with time - can realise the immense amount of met there did not seem to “have a clue “ other plans. work there was to do in the Depot Office. about anything connected with their job Orders for the routine administration of there, the RSM was so incredibly ignorant Administration at the Depot the sixteen thousand men in the Depot, for of even elementary military matters that I The amount of administration work was the rifle range and gas chamber (three do not know how he could have served terrific. This will be realised from the fact hundred men a day each), for the dispatch many years in a Regular Unit (as he had) that during the first six months from the of reinforcements to all Pioneer Units in and learnt so little. Records were in a time the native Pioneers began to arrive we Middle East, for the detrainment and move completely chaotic state - so chaotic that I turned out an average of one Company per into the Depot of an average of a Company lent Second Echelon some clerks I had day. a day and for the move out of the Depot awaiting posting at the Depot, and found and entrainment of similar numbers, through them exactly what was going on. The Depot QM Stores. timetables for the drawing of clothing and It was frankly admitted by the Officer in The average daily issues for the whole of stores and for the issue of 16,000 rations a Charge that they were in such a mess with those six months were as follows: day, the arrangement of transport to draw the ORs records that they were making no about sixty tons of stores a day from attempt to keep Officers' records up to Rifles and bayonets 265 per day Ordnance and sixteen thousand rations date. 40,000 in six months from the Supply Depot, the compiling of So our Directorate at GHQ turned a blind Battledress suits 400 per day Part Two Orders for about 350 men a day eye to what was going on and I knew that 60,000 in six months on an average joining the Depot, the Records did not know. Thus I was able to Pairs of boots 400 per day routine, direct discipline of the about three get officers that were essential for the 60,000 in six months thousand men of depot staff and Depot even though they were not allowed Shirts 600 per day reinforcement “wings” of the Depot, all of on my War Establishment; but I still had to 90,000 in six months whom were dealt with as a separate Unit keep this to a minimum because we were Vests 600 per day with me as CO organising Court Martials, short of officers generally in the Middle 90,000 in six months Courts of Enquiry and running the Depot East. Pants 600 per day Detention Camp (with sixteen thousand 90,000 in six months one would expect to have about the same Training Pairs of socks 600 per day amount of crime as a Division and this had With the exception of the men in the 90,000 in six months to be catered for) and a hundred and one Reinforcement Wings (one wing for each Shorts 300 per day other things I cannot think of here. nationality) this was carried out by the 45,000 in six months Now this is the astounding fact in Group and Company Commanders in the Greatcoats 200 per day connection with this mass of work. The Depot according to a graded programme 30,000 in six months only accommodation we had for Depot which allowed for the gradual Pullovers 200 per day HQs offices during the six months under “acclimatisation” of the native troops. But 30,000 in six months review consisted of one wooden hut certain things had to be arranged, or run,

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 49 by the Depot Staff. very efficient School of Instruction going in the microscopic staff he had to help him. As instances, every man had to fire a both this and other subjects - NCOs After he had worked himself into hospital course on the open range, had to be Courses of Instruction, Drill Courses, came Hughie Rose, an experienced soldier taught to use his gas mask and pass Weapon Training and so on. who came to me because he was unfit through the Depot Gas chamber, men had It will be realised that the three square (what a place for a quartermaster to have a to be taught to drive trucks and instruction miles that comprised the Depot were pretty rest in!), and after months of terrific toil left given to cooks, clerks, and so on. well seething with activity all the time. because he was, of course, a darned sight We had, of course, to construct and run more unfit. a Depot Range. And it had to be quite a Welfare Then the Adjutant - “Johnny” - who considerable range, because an average of Though NAAFI and Army Welfare would originally said he did not know anything three hundred men a day had to fire their have nothing to do with us, there was quite about it but was prepared to “have a go." course on it. It was not elaborate to start a lot going on. He set up and ran this immense with, in fact instruction was of the crudest The Depot were running the five brick administrative machine, in addition to his and the range was just a patch of desert, NAAFIs themselves and the Cinema was personal work as Adjutant, with a staff of with biscuit tins filled with sand as targets. going strong (all obtained by various one junior officer, constantly changing, and But fire they all did and as time went on we “wangles” as explained previously) and two a maximum of five clerks, mostly fairly had quite a high-class range. Anyway it was “Institutes” and mobile cinemas were all unskilled. no mean achievement to start from being ran by the South African authorities, And my original second-in-command, absolutely nothing - we had even to get the as I had arranged privately. Graham Richmond, who worked as I have rifles and ammunition by a “wangle” - and Then we ran our own regular bus services never seen anyone work till we had got the for six whole months to pass through on to Cairo, Ismalia and Palestine and thing on an even keel, much of the time the range an average of three hundred conducted trips to the Pyramids, etc, these with a leg he had damaged driving a motor native Pioneers a day. buses having been obtained out of the cycle over the desert, then went off to Teaching in the use of the gas mask and £500 a month I got “on the side” from the command a Group, came back to passing through the gas chamber an Egyptian contractor who did our laundry. command the Depot while I was sick and average of three hundred men a day was eventually took over from me as again quite a job. These natives had never The Staff of the Depot. Commandant when I left. heard of gas, never seen a gas mask and This Depot must have been unique. It One could go on for hours describing hardly any of them could speak English. organised and administered a strength of that amazing team. They were all The Depot Gas Officer had the hell of a job eventually up to 26,000 on kind of “mass- wonderful – they had to be, otherwise they to first of all explain what gas was, then production” lines, receiving unequipped did not stop on the Depot staff. what a gas mask was, then to get them to reinforcement units or drafts at the average It was tremendously hard work and also I put it on and finally to get them to go into rate of about 350 men per day, month after found it great fun. the gas chamber and not take the gas mask month, and turning out fully equipped Some of the fun we had I will describe in off while they were in there. And he had Companies ready for operational duties if the continuation of these “confessions” - if other jobs as well as being Depot Gas need be, at the average rate of one a day 'Jimmie' Adamson makes me write any Officer. and also despatching regular drafts of more. Many - or most - of the Units had no reinforcements to units all over the Middle men who could drive motor transport and East. PART 4 they had to drive their trucks away when The work my Officers and NCOs put in Before starting this set of Notes there are they left the Depot. So we had to arrange was unbelievable and for the first eighteen two things I want to refer to regarding for a school of instruction to help units months as we only had the War previous articles of this series. train selected men. It was a somewhat Establishment for a Depot of sixteen I have been told that objection is taken hazardous activity - teaching totally hundred, instead of sixteen thousand, none to my reference to “stealing” tent walls in inexperienced natives – who probably could of them could be given rank proportionate my Notes which appeared in the December not speak English - to drive an Army truck to the work they were doing or the issue of The Royal Pioneer. In the Army capable of going at about fifty miles an responsibilities they had. whereas stealing is not permissible hour. The first officer who acted as “scrounging “ or “acquiring “ is looked on In the early days training of cooks, clerks, Quartermaster was a London tram as a fairly legitimate occupation, even if it is etc., and of English to natives and other conductor. Just think of the size of the not officially countenanced. In these Notes languages to British Officers and NCOs was Stores he was responsible for, the hundreds all I want to do is to set on record a sketchy affair, but in the end we had a of tons of stuff he drew and issued weekly something of the enthusiasm, hard work

Brigadier Pryne (Left) at the Ceremony of the naming of The British Railways Locomotive “The Royal Pioneer Corps”

50 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION and enterprise of the little band who had soldier, I guess. But if one is a soldier one guard you were rewarding him not the privilege of helping to create the Royal must know the quality of the troops one punishing him. And in view of this Pioneers in Middle East and elsewhere, commands. enthusiasm, I blush to remember the where I saw it, and of the difficulties they The Official fear as to “what the Africans number of times I paid chaps to do my encountered. But I am obviously not an might do” seemed sometimes to translate guards for me when I was a private soldier. experienced writer and I very much regret if itself into a kind of belief that they might At a very much later date we found that my clumsy choice of words has caused do anything dreadful - the cannibal stories many of them regarded it as a disgrace to offence. Perhaps I might mention here that of their youth seeming to form the basis of be “sent home on leave “until the war was I subsequently went to see the Camp their opinion of the African character and over - a disgrace many of us could very Commandants of the camps from which we habit. One day, shortly after the first easily have got over. acquired” the marquee walls referred to, Africans arrived, I received a phone call The Africans quickly wore down the told them what had taken place and made from Area HQ to the effect that a nearby prejudice against them by and large they due restitution. Possibly therefore, camp Cinema had been raided by a couple were smart, soldierly and well-behaved and “borrowed” is really the most exact of soldiers, the Greek cashier knocked out the general feeling began to swing the description of the operation. and the till stolen. They said it appeared to other way – people being rather out to help The second thing is that I have been told be a carefully planned raid and they than the reverse. This also led to that “rumours are going round” that I have thought it was done by two of my African embarrassment at times. A concert Party received considerable correspondence from soldiers. I said “Oh no, I don't think so." touring the Middle East decided that they the War Office or elsewhere regarding To which they replied “You and your would like to “give a show to the incidents related in these “confessions." Africans, you never will believe anything Africans." Now this was a project we This is not so. And I want to explain why. against them, why don't you think they viewed with some misgiving. But to ask In order to bring home to them the neglect could have done it." To which I replied them not to come would at once have set the Pioneers overseas suffered from and to “Because they have not been living with in motion again anti-African rumours. We avoid it happening again on any future the highly civilised British Army long tried to side-track the Party diplomatically, occasion, I had already told the enough yet - in six months time I will be but failed. But the result was rather dismal. “Authorities” what I had done. And that is prepared to believe they may do it." The The Africans, of course, understood little or also one of the reasons for me publicising raid was eventually traced to the facts in these Notes. two British soldiers who had And now to get on with my story, I find taken an Army truck some GHQ were afraid that our African that at the end of my last Notes I said that I time before and kind of would give some instances of the fun we “turned bandit." Pioneers might cause trouble in had while running the Pioneer Depot in The first two African Middle East in 1941-2. And I find it hard to Groups to arrive in the the Egyptian villages and towns do. It was fun because it is always fun to Depot were a Basuto Group work with a bunch of good fellows, fun to closely followed by a and it was decreed that these command keen and loyal subordinates, fun Bechuana Group. These to be achieving something worth-while in were commanded such circumstances the problems, the crises, respectively by Lt Col Basil towns and villages should be “Out the narrowly averted catastrophes are all Hamborough (Welsh Guards) fun, anyway in retrospect if not perhaps and Lt.Col John Edye (Yorks of Bounds” to them, thus cofining quite so funny at the time. But it is darned and Lancaster Regt.) I have hard to think up any that will amuse, or always thought that it was a them to camps or the desert. even interest, anyone who was not there at very fortunate thing that the time. But possibly the following may. these first two African Without telling the authorities we GHQ were very afraid that our African Groups were commanded by Pioneers might cause trouble in the them because their standard sent a number of Africans each Egyptian villages and towns, not necessarily and example was that of the intentionally but because they were Regular Army and they were day to the nearest town. After two different races with different habits, but the able to, and did, start these same natural instincts, and speaking Africans off “on the right weeks we asked for that particular different languages. So it was decreed that foot." villages and towns should be “out of Equipping these chaps was town to be waived. This was bounds” to them. This virtually confined great fun from many angles. them to camps, or the desert, perpetually. They were so delighted with initially refused until they were GHQ admitted that this was really an everything. One cannot impossible prospect and were anxious for a imagine the British recruit solution of the problem but could suggest becoming lyrical over a steel told that they had been entering none. And it came about this way. The helmet or a battle-dress suit. nearby villages were too filthy to attract the But these men were. It was the town for the last two weeks early African arrivals (some wavered later rather like Father Christmas on) so the problem of the villages solved giving out presents from a and the MPs had not even noticed. itself. As regards the towns we adopted the Christmas tree. And they following plan. Without telling the wanted to wear everything Authorities we sent a number of Africans they received - all at once, if possible. It was nothing of what was going on, which did each day to the nearest town. After a no unusual sight to see members of a not make them an ideal audience. But fortnight we again asked for the ban on Company that had just been issued with another consideration was far more Africans entering that particular town to be their kit wearing, regardless of the embarrassing. One had the alternative of waived. And we were again told that they temperature, battledress over their shirts either letting them applaud and so on, like were quite certain that if the Africans went and shorts together with greatcoat an ordinary audience, or of telling them into the town there “would be trouble." I surmounted by a steel helmet perched on they must remain silent. The former had the then told them that Africans had been top of their ordinary hat. result of them making an infernal din all going into the town every day for the past Then there was their unusual attitude to the time, the latter of turning them into fortnight and so far from causing trouble routine duties, which was devastating until rows of impassive, silent, faces. Either was, they had been so well behaved that the one “knew the form." They caused quite a of course, devastating for the members of Military Police had not even noticed their stir by objecting to act as Mess Orderlies - the Concert Party. Added to which in order presence. GHQ then had, of course to regarded as a nice easy job in my days in to preserve the prestige of the British and in capitulate and allow the Africans into the ranks. But we found that their idea was view of the fact that a small number of the towns, and they told me privately that they that the mess orderly job was one that Africans understood English we had to were darned glad I took the action I did could and should be done by “light duty” warn the Concert Party to very carefully because they realised that the “confined to men, who otherwise loafed about, so that censor the performance, which robbed it of camp” order was impracticable but that a the fit men could do a real job of work. most of the turns which would have variety of considerations prevented them Again, they considered extra guards, entertained the British members of the making any experiments themselves. At piquets and so on a privilege, not a audience - an entirely purified programme GHQ one has to be a politician as well as a punishment - so if you gave a man an extra is not ideal for a soldiers concert. However,

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 51 we got through it somehow – and we had doing it – irrespective of the fact that he Wonder of the World and it seems to me a quite a good party in the Mess afterwards. might say it casually over a pink gin. In him pretty good description." A good We found that these Africans were very we had a staunch and valuable friend. One testimonial to the home base of the Middle good at guard duties, which they took very evening he said that the GOC Canal Area East Pioneers, and I record it because they seriously, but were a bit literal in carrying wanted to come and inspect the Depot. were a marvellous team. out their orders. All over the Depot were This was Major-General Arthur Selby, a And that is a good note, I think on which sentries and their job was important giant of a man whom everyone more or to leave these jottings on my time at the because the Arabs were experts at stealing less went in fear of. We fixed a date for Depot. I eventually handed over command - particularly tents, rifles and so on. It was him to come and inspect us. And I promptly to Graham Richmond, my original Second difficult to see these chaps in the dark and forgot all about it. in Command, who was then commanding they were inclined to wait till you were A few days later I was sitting in my a Group, and during his time as more or less on top of them before they office, which I shared with the Second in Commandant the strength in the Depot at challenged you. And if they were in doubt Command, Adjutant and spare officer, one time exceeded 26,000 (twenty-six as to what to do next they were as likely as when a number of Staff Cars drove up and thousand). This must surely have been the not to decide that they had better just keep the Brigadier and a whole flock of Staff record strength for an Army Unit. you there - with a bayonet unpleasantly officers came in, followed by the General Rommel was prancing about the Western near your chest - until your or their shouts towering over them all. We all stood up Desert and forcing the Eighth Army to brought the NCO of the Guard along. An and there was a kind of awful silence and withdraw, eventually to the El Alamein line. amusing true story is told of one of the first someone said “The General has come to The Canal Area was being organised for guards they mounted outside the Depot inspect you." Well there was no good in defence and I was appointed OC Troops of which was at an important Naval Base. The beating about the bush so I said “I am an area from Tel El Kebir to Moascar. This Admiral did not have much of an opinion sorry, Sir, but we have been awfully busy included a number of units of all branches of the Africans and was rather annoyed at and I forgot all about your inspection." of the Service and additionally one or two his British guard being replaced by them. The general result was rather like a RAF Units, notably the big peacetime RAF So after dinner one night he thought he Bateman drawing – everyone more or less Station at Abu Swer, outside Moascar. All would take a walk and try them out. He fell over backwards. Except the General, troops were to be organised as arrived and the Basuto guard let him pass that is. He said “You have got the Hell of a “Commandoes," particularly to deal with and wander all over the place. The Admiral big job here, Prynne, and I won't trouble landing from the air. And from my private got more and more furious with the you now. Just let the Brigadier know when stock of machine guns I was able to arm “useless African guard” and eventually you are ready for me to come and see your not only my own troops but some in other decided to go back and report them and show. In the meantime if there is anything I areas also. Then I found that the RAF Units ask for his British guard back. But he found can do to help you, let me know." and the had no arms and armed the chaps at the that he couldn't. When he turned round to cavalcade departed. A few days later he RAF Station at Abu Swer and the others go out he found that he was confronted by arrived with his entourage again, but this that came under me with rifles from my a little party of Basutos all standing with time we were ready for him. Now, perhaps I stock. fixed bayonets pointing at him and have an unusual approach to the subject of The next thing that happened was the unpleasantly close to him. And that was all inspecting officers. May be it is the result of arrival of a RAF Staff Officer from their HQ my business training. But in Cairo, who told me that most of the when I am told someone is British RAF in Middle East were unarmed I was told that this Depot was the going to inspect my Unit I and they could neither defend themselves immediately get out a list of nor their airfields and that they could not eighth Wonder of the World and it what I want him to do for get arms from anyone - lots of promises but me. In this way the no rifles. So I gave them 5,000 rifles from maximum advantage results my reserve stock. It is a matter of interest seems to me a pretty good from the inspection. The that the RAF were armed by the Pioneers at inspecting officer sees the that somewhat critical time. description. Unit and also finds out what This made me kind of “RAF minded." assistance they want to They were being forced to evacuate their increase their efficiency. It forward operational airfields and to set up they did, or would do. When he moved always seemed to me that in order to temporary operational airfields in the desert they did not and he either had to walk into achieve this it is as much the duty of the around us. a bayonet or stand still. As long as he had Unit Commander to know what he wants But the only personnel they had to do walked into the Base they had just followed to get out of the inspection as it was the this with was their own RAF ground staff, him, reckoning that the further in he got duty of the inspecting officer to see what who were more than fully occupied with the more difficult if would be for him to get he wants during the inspection. So when the terrific maintenance work entailed by out. But they were not going to let him General Selby arrived I told him that it more or less continuous operational flying. start going out again. And his uniform seemed fairly useless touring the whole I had a lot of Companies at the Depot, meant just nothing to them. So there he three square miles of the Depot with the many forced back by the withdrawal in the stayed for quite a long time till someone three or four Staff cars and his leading with Western Desert. So as the RAF Units arrived came along and dealt with the situation. the flag flying. And I suggested that he in our vicinity I gave them each a Pioneer The Admiral said he thought it was a should leave them behind and that we Company, who just loved working amongst darned good guard. should just take my car, with me driving the operational planes and for whose The Commander of the Sub-Area in and him sitting alongside, and that he services the RAF Units were terribly grateful. which the Depot was located was a very could then see what he wanted to see and I I suppose these are unrecorded incidents large man with a reputation in that part of could show him what I wanted him to see of the campaign. And to my mind the great the world and a liver. He was very friendly and what improvements I wanted. So off pleasure, and privilege, of serving with the to us because he realised that we of the we went, with the Brigadier and a Staff Royal Pioneers was that we were so often Pioneer Depot were trying to do our best officer in the back seat who took notes of able to give a helping hand where it was towards the War effort, which was, I what the General said he wanted done for vitally needed to get on with the War. reckon, his yardstick. He never worried us us. General Selby subsequently went to Then “out of the blue” I was ordered to with inspections, but very occasionally GHQ, Middle East, and eventually MGA, report to GHQ and was told that I was dropped in to see how we were getting on and Commander in Chief, Paiforce and up leaving the Pioneers, was being promoted and invariably helped us when we asked to the time he left that part of the world in and appointed Area Commander south of him to get anything done for us. He 1944 was a tremendous friend of, and the Gulf of Suez, where they had prepared realised I was usually very busy all day and fighter for, the Pioneers. a relief military port because they thought so most evenings he used to ask me to go Another “occasion” was when we were that Suez and the Canal might become round to his HQ and have a pink gin told that the Adjutant General, who was untenable. This I liked because it sounded (usually several) with him before dinner. making a tour of all the Theatres of an interesting, responsible and useful job. Then I used to tell him all the news about Operations, was in Middle East and was But I did not like leaving the Pioneers. the Depot and he used to tell me anything coming to see us. We were warned that he Anyway it is stupid to talk about, or even he wanted us to do - or to stop doing. And did not want any fuss or parade, or to think of, likes and dislikes during a War. As he was the kind of chap who knew when interrupt our usual routine, but just wanted there were certain points to be cleared up I he asked one to do anything or to stop to come and see us. Having done so he said sent my Staff on to Safraga, where my HQ doing anything that we would do it or stop “I was told that this Depot was the eighth was to be, and established myself in

52 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION Shepherd’s Hotel, Cairo, intending to follow In September, I960, at the request of the great deal of fuss, the Pioneer Corps, later when everything was straightened out. But Chairman of the RPC Historical Committee and deservedly to be granted the accolade I never did. After about three weeks I was (Brigadier H H Prynne, CBE, MC), the of “Royal” performed its duties in what is told that I was to hand over to someone Director of Pioneers and Labour wrote a to be hoped was the last totally absorbing else and that I was to be appointed Director letter on behalf of the Colonel ''National Emergency” and has lived up to of Pioneers and Labour, Paiforce. Commandant to the Private Secretary to that magnificent reputation ever since. This was a new command which was Her Majesty The Queen enquiring whether In the early days it seemed that merely being formed in Iraq and Persia, with Her Majesty would graciously consent to “Labouring” was to be our lot, but the test General Maitland Wilson as Commander in accept a copy of the War History. The of time and the requirements of later Chief, and I was just terribly proud of, and Private Secretary replied that Her Majesty moments quickly converted this so called grateful for, being selected for the job. And would be very pleased to receive a copy “Source of Labour” into a practical, realistic after that brief interlude as an Area and indicated that it should be sent to the thinking Force, which created not only its Commander I was back with the Pioneers Palace by post during the week before own abilities to deal with physical again. general publication. situations, but added, also, an imaginative The following article appeared in the Messrs Gale and Polden were then combatism which became a source of great same edition of The Royal Pioneer as Part 4: instructed to prepare the presentation copy strength to those for whom reliability, in its Just as final page proofs go to press word and to inscribe the fly leaf as follows : widest meaning, was of the utmost value. has been received that Brigadier Prynne has “Presented with their humble duty Inevitably, this cost a lot of lives and made another confession – i.e. has become to Her Majesty The Queen by although we may mourn them no longer, engaged to be married. All his friends. the Colonel Commandant and they nevertheless, must be correlated, in Pioneers and otherwise will wish him and All Ranks, Past and Present, terms of the Corps, with its traditions and his Bride-to-be all the happiness that life of the Royal Pioneer Corps. its pride. can bring. OCTOBER, 1960." So, there grew up a modest desire to And in the next edition: The presentation copy reached the War commemorate our heroic dead and your Brigadier H. G. L. Prynne, CBE MC TD, Office on 10th October and was kept on Corps has,to its best abilities, matched their probably one of the best known figures in view there for two days before being sacrifice by erecting in their honour a the Royal Pioneer Corps, and certainly one posted to Buckingham Palace. It is a fine Memorial of natural British stone at the of the most popular, delighted his many piece of work : bound in blue leather, heart of our affairs in the Corps Depot at friends by announcing in May his bearing the Corps Badge in silver on the Northampton. engagement to Miss DE Gully of Reading front and with the page edges gilded. It is a worthy Memorial, designed and Street, near Broadstairs, Kent. Invitations for The inscription had been beautifully done built with loving care and all members, past the wedding at St. Peter's-in-Thanet, near by an expert penman. On 18th October a and present, are invited to give a little of Broadstairs, on 24th June were sent out. letter arrived from the Palace for the themselves not only to meet the material Unfortunately it is not possible to get a Colonel Commandant. cost of £400 but, truly, to honour those of report of the ceremony in time for this us who have, indeed, paid the highest issue. Royal Pioneers in many parts of the The Corps War Memorial price. Empire will wish Brigadier and Mrs Prynne The following letter of appeal was sent to Subscriptions, please, to the General every happiness, and hope that they will be all Branches, Units and individual members Secretary of the Royal Pioneer Corps present at many of our Corps gatherings. of HQ Branch in July, 1964. It is republished Association at 51 St George's Drive, (Unfortunately his wife Doris Elizabeth – through the medium of The Royal Pioneer London, SW1. died 18 Feb 76 and Brig Prynne died shortly for the information of those who did not You will appreciate that this is a matter afterwards on 13 May 76). see the original letter and as a reminder to which should be resolved at an early date, those who did, but have not sent in their but it is proposed that the subscription list Other entries in The Royal Pioneer are: subscription, in the hope that they will do should remain open until 21st December, Presentation of a Copy of the War History so before the closing date : 1964. of the Royal Pioneer Corps to Her Majesty “Dear Member, With my kind and warm regards, the Queen You will recall that quietly and without a (Sgd) H G L PRYNNE, Brigadier. ■

Unveiling of the Corps War Memorial 16 April 1964 THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 53 ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

54 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION BLAST FROM THE PAST

■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive Blast from the Past

Here are a selection of photographs from our archives. If anyone has any Pioneer related photographs than send them in. ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive Background Picture: Do you recognise him? Background Picture: ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive ■ Do you recognise any of these faces? Picture: RPCA Archive

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 55 Press Cuttings for 1943 The following have been taken from our archives. These cuttings are all from the year 1943. It is the intention in future Newsletters to print details from other years.

Report: Norman Brown Hansard 16 Feb 43 Spaniards in North Africa into the Pioneer RPCA Archive LOSS OF KIT (CHARGES) Corps has been suspended; and whether he Sir Smedley Crooke asked the Secretary will give orders for its resumption? HE following have been taken from of State for War whether his attention has Sir J. Grigg I have no information that our archives which detail Pioneer been drawn to recent police court this is the case but I will make inquiry. related events from various proceedings before the Melksham publications. These cuttings are all magistrates who, on conviction of a soldier The Times 15 Apr 43 Tfrom the year 1943. in the Pioneer Corps for a minor offence FUTURE OF REFUGEES and ordering a fine to be paid within 14 TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES The Times 4 Jan 43 days, were told by defendant that he could Sir, - The letter of Wing Commander ALIENS IN THE ARMY not pay the fine as he had been charged James is not quite accurate in its facts and TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES £17 10s. for his kit which was thrown not very generous in its outlook. The SIR – I am about to marry a German alien away, by order, at Dunkirk, and that it was number of refugees admitted from in the Pioneer Corps of the British Army. I being stopped out of his pay; and whether Germany and Austria was authoritatively have recently seen with appreciation the this treatment had the sanction of the War stated by the Prime Minister in the House Ministry of Information’s sympathetic Office? last week as 55,000 adults and 13,000 account of the life of the men in the alien Sir J. Grigg This case has been looked children, and the number from companies in that corps, “Lift your head, into. The soldier's account was in credit on Czechoslovakia as 10,000. The figure of Comrade!” You may imagine my feelings 25th December, 1942, but on 29th January, hundreds of thousands is imaginative. The when I heard the bland though perfectly 1943, it was £1 0s. 6d. in debt due to fact that 6,000 of these refugees have correct statement by the narrator that these forfeiture of 16 days' pay because he had during the war volunteered for service in men who fight for our King and country, if been absent without leave. At no time was the Pioneer Corps, and that thousands taken prisoner, would automatically be shot he charged £17 10s. or any other amount more have been engaged in other forms of as traitors. It seems to me strange that our for loss of kit at Dunkirk. Such charges are war work, so that today almost all are Government cannot afford to these men not made when kit is lost as a result of usefully employed, must surely affect the who risk everything for us the legal enemy action and in circumstances like the conditions on which they were admitted to protection of naturalisation, such as is given evacuation from Dunkirk and I am glad to the country. As to the larger Jewish to German and Austrian aliens immediately have this opportunity to kill this slander. problem, Wing Commander James is on enlistment in similar corps of the mistaken in thinking that south-eastern American Army. Hansard 23 Feb 43 Europe had been the age-long centre of the PIONEER CORPS (ALIENS) majority of the Jewish people. For 2,000 Hansard 19 Jan 43 Mr. Vernon Bartlett asked the Secretary years after the first captivity the majority of PIONEER CORPS of State for War whether all men in the the Jews lived in the Middle East and the Colonel Arthur Evans asked the Secretary Alien Pioneer Corps who are sent overseas Mediterranean lands. It was only after their of State for War whether in view of their are now given identity papers and pay- expulsion from Spain and Western Europe war record, especially as the Pioneer Corps books which make them indistinguishable that the larger numbers were driven to now play their part in combined operations from soldiers of British birth? Poland. The national home of the Jews can and were among the first troops to land in Sir J. Grigg My hon. Friend's suggestions be only in the Bible lands. A Jewish State North Africa and that so many officers and are now under consideration. cannot be conceived in any other country. men have been transferred from Royal NORMAN BENTWICH regiments and corps, he will now Hansard 25 Feb 43 recommend that the title and honour of SIR JAMES GRIGG’S STATEMENT (THE Hansard 22 Apr 43 Royal be granted to the Pioneer Corps? SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR) ALIENS (ENLISTMENT) The Secretary of State for War (Sir James “I have already referred to one of the Captain Nicholson asked the Secretary of Grigg) I think that it will be best to follow natural difficulties which confronted our State for War whether he has now been the normal practice and postpone troops on their arrival in North Africa, able to issue instructions modifying the consideration of such matters as this till the namely, mud. But this was really only a method of enlistment of nationals of those end of the war. super-imposition on the other natural countries with which we are at war? difficulties, and these had all to be taken in Sir J. Grigg As the House is aware, The Times 12 Feb 43 the day's work by the Royal Engineers nationals of countries with which we are at WAR LEVY ON BASUTOS - DECISION OF works and transportation units, the Royal war have hitherto been required to enlist in PARAMOUNT CHIEFTAINESS Army Service Corps, the Royal Army the Pioneer Corps in the first place. As I FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT Ordnance Corps and the Royal Electrical informed the hon. Member for Rugby (Mr. BLOEMFONTEIN, FEB 11 Mechanical Engineers. It would be invidious W. Brown) on 2nd March facilities for The Paramount Chieftainess of to pick out any of these for praise above transfer to other arms of the Service have Basutoland, Mantsebo, has decided, after the others, and so I select for special recently been extended, and I am now able consultation with the Basutoland National mention a different Corps altogether, to announce a further step in this direction. Council and with the approval of the namely, the Pioneers, those men-of-all-work As from 1st May aliens of enemy origin may Basutoland Government, to impose a war of the Army. The Pioneers have done and be considered for direct enlistment into any levy. The money derived from the levy will are doing quite excellent work in North corps other than the Royal Corps of Signals. be used to provide comforts for Basuto Africa, and I am glad to be able to remedy I should add that in order that aliens who soldiers in the African Auxiliary Pioneer to some slight degree the lack of have not previously enlisted in the Pioneer Corps and make an interest-free loan to the appreciation which I know their Colonel Corps may not be at an advantage over British Government. This loan, when Commandant, Lord Milne, has sometimes those who are already serving, candidates redeemed, will be used to finance felt that they have endured.” for direct enlistment into arms other than development works in Basutoland. the Pioneer Corps will be required to show The levy ranges from £5 for the principal Hansard 13 Apr 43 good cause for not having enlisted before. to 10s for the ordinary native taxpayer. Men PIONEER CORPS (SPANIARDS serving in the African Auxiliary Pioneer ENLISTMENTS) Hansard 4 May 43 Corps or native military corps in the Union Mr. Pritt asked the Secretary of State for ALIENS of South Africa are exempted. War why the voluntary enlistment of Mr. W. Brown asked the Secretary of

56 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION State for War how many transfers from the leave North Africa. to the 32,000 natives of the South African Alien Pioneer Corps to combatant and Protectorates, volunteers who have played other units have taken place since 2nd Hansard 5 Aug 43 such an important part in the Middle East March? PIONEER CORPS campaigns from Syria to Tunis in the African Sir J. Grigg Since 2nd March 175 Captain Gammans asked the Secretary of Auxiliary Pioneer Corps” transfers of aliens to technical corps have so State for War what qualifications are far been authorised provided that the required for commissions in the Pioneer Hansard 14 Dec 43 individuals concerned pass the requisite Corps; and whether ex-officers of the last MILITARY PERSONNEL trade tests. In addition, officers war of suitable age and physical standard (USE IN DOCK STRIKE) commanding alien companies of the are eligible for commissions although they Sir Henry Morris-Jones asked the Pioneer Corps have been instructed to may not possess technical qualifications? Secretary of State for War whether forward applications for transfer to the Mr. A. Henderson In general any members of the Pioneer Corps and the infantry, Royal Armoured Corps and other candidate for a commission in the Pioneer R.E.'s, who were called to certain docks in combatant arms and these applications are Corps, including ex-officers, must have the the week ended 6th November last, in the now awaited. following qualifications: course of a dockers' strike, to unload For Labour Duties: experience in the certain cargoes, received any extra pay for Hansard 12 May 43 handling of labour, particularly in the the work; whether any of the men were NORTH AFRICA (INTERNEES) building and allied trades, or of dealing injured; and whether any special Mr. John Dugdale asked the Secretary of with goods in bulk quantities; For Fire recognition was given to the non- State for Foreign Affairs how many political Fighting Wing fire fighting experience in commissioned officers who volunteered to prisoners are still interned in North Africa? the N.F.S. or a commercial firm; For operate the cranes? Mr. Eden No exact figures are available, Accountants in Prisoner of War Camps: Sir J. Grigg I much regret that five men but my latest information indicates that accounting experience. were injured while doing this vital work. between 3,000 and 4,000 have been They were on military duty, and the answer released during the past two months. I Hansard 2 Dec 43 to the first and third parts of my hon. understand that there remain two to three DOMINION AFFAIRS Friend's Question is “No, Sir." hundred Frenchmen and probably rather Sir Alfred Beit. “Many famous feats of Sir H. Morris-Jones Is it not a fact that less than 2,000 internees of all other arms have been performed by Dominion some of these non-commissioned officers nationalities. The majority of these are troops in critical theatres of war, and many volunteered for the work, although they Spaniards, and a large number of these great sacrifices have been made and had no previous experience of it, and that Spaniards are waiting until transport can be grievous losses sustained by them. Let me some of them were injured? provided to take them to Mexico. Others give a few examples. Let us call to mind the Does my right hon. Friend think it is right are waiting for definite jobs and South African triumph in Abyssinia, as well that they should be treated less favourably accommodation to be made available to as the tragedy of Tobruk; the gallant than the highly-trained section of the them. There are likely to be a hundred or performance of the Australians in New population who understand those working two who are medically unfit or incapable of Guinea under conditions of appaling conditions? employment for one reason or another. The hardship; the remarkable exploits of the Sir J. Grigg I think it is the business of the medically unfit are to be admitted into a New Zealand Division in Greece and Crete Army to do anything they are asked to do special rest centre organised with the and in breaking through the Mareth Line in which is essential to the war effort, and assistance of the Red Cross. Up to 1st May, Tunisia. There is, too, Canada's invaluable particularly the military part of it. The 794 internees had joined the British Pioneer contribution to the maintenance of the unloading of those stores was an integral Corps and a further 106 have been North Atlantic sea routes and to the Allied part of the military effort. accepted for enrolment. The French Air Forces in man-power, training and Sir H. Morris-Jones Will not my right hon. authorities in Algiers have stated officially aircraft, as well as her gallant action at Friend reconsider his attitude in this that all internment camps, except those for Dieppe, where she suffered such heavy particular instance, in view of the very enemy nationals, are to be dissolved. I losses. useful service that was rendered? understand that this will be done as soon The House will also remember that Sir J. Grigg I am very well aware that the as employment and accommodation have Rhodesians suffered the first casualties in Army renders extremely useful service in been found for the remaining internees and the first action in the Western Desert at this direction and in a great many others. as soon as transport has been provided for Fort Capuzzo on 12th June, 1940. Last, but That does not alter the fact that the men those of them that are willing and able to by no means least, we desire to pay tribute were detailed to do it as a military duty. ■ Sarajevo - a very short story

A short story about a lads time in Sarajevo under 170 support squadron with temperatures outside at -23 and a frozen moustache.

Report: Cpl Martin Thomas Geordie Forster. I thought it a little odd The following evening while doing my really to have two full screws on a guard usual fag and brew patrol myself and Pte shift. Searle came upon sniper fire at the main ARRIVED in Sarajevo on 12 December As a spare bod, so to speak, I took it barrier, lucky for both of us it was as foggy 1995 as a member of IFOR, my unit was upon myself to make sure the lads had as hell. 170 Support Sqn ARRC. My platoon and copious amount of fags and hot brews, as I If anyone remembers Zetra that's the the remainder of my unit were stationed recall it was -23 that night. reason the checkpoint was relocated to the Iat Kiseljak north of Sarajevo. Walking back from the main check point tunnel. I had arrived four days later than my after having a fag and a brew with Pte We had various cap badges on duty every platoon, accompanied by six other “Brown Bottle” Searle my moustache was night, on one night this young signals lad members of 170 Sqn and two four tonners. frozen solid by the time I got back to the was telling jokes the whole night, and We were met at the airport by the senior guardroom/reception. when we all got to our pits that morning pay officer whose name I cannot remember Just inside the door was a large this young lad shot himself dead. and driven to the HQ which was stationed blackboard saying guardroom/reception I can't remember his name but I will in Zetra stadium. with a pointing arrow, I just remembered never forget his face as long as I live, rest in After undergoing a flash tour of this the movie Ice Station Zebra and underneath peace son. shithole I was put on duty in the makeshift I wrote welcome to Ice Station Zetra, hence Nine days later I was reunited with my guardroom, i.e. reception room with Cpl the name stuck. platoon. ■

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 57 Will not boast about it Jimmy Collins and Steve YSELF AND my family are My family have counted the number of amazed as to how you and times my name and photograph appeared Paul manage to compose such but I am a modest person so will not Kember ? a brilliant and exciting and boast about it. Minteresting Pioneer Newsletter I was about to end this but my family HOW SAD to hear of Joe Smillie's death, I every year. informed me I should include the was stationed at Bicester between 1976/79 However, this October 2013 issue was following phases which formed part of and Joe was, I believe, the goalkeeper in a magnificent and we think it has surpassed the wording printed on page 15 when Pte fine Pioneer Team consisting of Jimmy all others. I have all previous copies in 2 A Taylor received his Friend Memorial Collins (like myself a Spurs supporter) and binders from the original by Major Crook, Trophy, but are relative to you, “You are good enough to have been a professional earlier copies of yours with 19 pages and an excellent communicator, you ooze footballer (always doing detention!), what a all the others of sixty odd pages. confidence, reliability and acumen and waste of football talent, Steve Kember who I only have to mention that the your administration is excellent. I believe Chelsea were willing to PVR him postman has delivered the Newsletter and You strive to ensure that maximum from the Army and sign him. Kevin Chisett there is an uproar as to who gets it first effort is applied to any given task and another good player. after I have read it. ensure they are completed in a timely Do you know if Steve or Jimmy are still The picture on page 41 was a surprise manor and to the highest possible alive? They as a football team were but honestly Norman Bill Sears and I did standard." outstanding to watch.Yours not blackmail you in printing it as we Incidentally they think you should be Robert Moore were hoping to attend the reunion in awarded an OBE in the New Year's Ed note: neither Steve or Jimmy are on 2014 in due course. Honour list. my distribution list - does any member have Bill Sears wants me to mention that he I finally close with the following “May contact with them? has not changed his name to Mr T you always have a smile on your face." Sullivan so he hopes you will rectify this in Yours in comradeship the next issue. George D Pringle I Shall be Only British soldier to go there in spirit

GREAT to hear from you, and very on both the Bruneval and interesting to hear what is happening to 23 Regiment. I am somewhat disabled and unable to St Nazaire raids and he attend any of these functions unless a miracle happens.The mind is till just working at present! I would wish my personal joined as a Pioneer greetings to be passed on to all concerned especially the Regiment or Group as it was in my day! I FOUND this letter someone photo copied I found him. I served in two companies of the Group it to me. It is from one of our Pioneer Mags 13081753 Pte Peter Nagel PC and was 2 i/c. I remember especially the first of the past: Peter enlisted in the army at Richborough parade we held for the Duke of Gloucester on 8 March 1940 as a private in the and all that went with it. The Bruneval Raid Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps (AMPC), So sorry that I cannot attend personally This was the daring and successful raid number 13081753 and was sent to No. 3 but I shall be there in spirit. All the very best 27 February 1942 on the German occupied Centre, 93rd Company at Codford near Mike Grinnell-Moore French coast when a small force composed Salisbury. of all three services physically seized vital His address at the time was given as 35 components of a German secret radar Lowndes Street London SW1. device, at the same time providing of much His religion was given as Church of need morale boost to the whole country England, which was very typical as and empire. European Jews in British Forces were This raid is very adequately described in encouraged to hide their Jewish the PAN paper-back of the title George background in case of capture by the Nazis. Miller and there is one very interesting facet Peter’s justified claim to fame is that he was affecting our Corps. the only British soldier to go on both the A German born member of the British Bruneval and St. Nazaire Army accompanied the raiding party to act Paratroop/Commando raids in World War II. as interpreter and this man, to be known Peter retired in September 1979 but sadly only as Private Newman, was dressed in the fell ill with an aggressive form of skin uniform of a Private in the Pioneer Corps. cancer in the early 1980s and died of a The book does not state he was a brain tumor on September 25, 1983, aged Pioneer but surely the most likely only 67. Peter was cremated on September explanation is that he was a member of 30, 1983 and his ashes scattered in the one of the so-called ‘Alien’ Company’s. Glade woodland area at Gilroes cemetery. These, with the exception of officers and He had remained a member of the 2nd senior NCOs were composed of non-British Paratroop Association (67) and several nationals either northern European or south veterans attended his funeral where they European. placed a Union Jack flag on his coffin. There is no mention in the War History of His obituary (69) appeared in the the Royal Pioneer Corps of this episode and Leicester Mercury on September 28, 1983, would be interesting if anyone can provide page 5 – describing him as a local war hero further confirmation that the Pioneers were and showing a partially blurred photo. involved. Taff Teague CC Gower Ed Note: Found a photo, Peter is pictured (Capt. Retd) on the right.

58 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION LETTERS the See you at the reunion Derek Pioneer

■ HI Norman, just ■ MANY thought I would members are ex drop you a line National and see if I have Servicemen - found the mouse, articles about I think it is on Pioneer Corps in page 66 the pic the UK during the there are what 1950s and 1960s looks like 2 required, less barrels its hiding World War 2 behind the 1st articles please. one I hope. Tony Lunn Ex Cpl AJ Allen (71 and 260 Coys) Ed note: wrong - keep looking Ed note: I can only publish what ■ SORRY we did is supplied to me not get to or what I can Grantham this find, how about weekend but we you submitting an are moving home article, with on Thursday 31 photos if possible. Oct, so things are a bit hectic at the moment. The first ■ SIR, many thing we do when thanks for the latest sending the magazine arrives Pioneer,I really is to get the bad enjoy reading and news out of the keeping up with way and it is so what's going in sad to hear of the the corps.I would passing of so love to be able to many old friends. attend your Alan Evans, Joe functions but Smillie, George unfortunately due Pugh and Tony to poor health am McCormick we not in that spent hours position to do so, walking around however. my Kineton when thoughts are with were on Dog you all good luck Section. That's all in all you do for now will be R Worthington touch soon. ex Sgt RPC Terry Burden

■ DEAR Norman, ■ THANK YOU Very much for your speedy enjoyed the last reply on my magazine, thank grandad, I now you. You and your feel close to him son are doing an with the amazing job - as information you always! Col gave. Sarah (retd) GR Cooper Lyons.

■ Photo of Derek, Remembrance Day 2013 Pictures: Derek Luker Write in or email us... OULD I once again thank you for Musketeers friends, Mr George Pringle. our latest Journal, it seems to get I was so sorry to have missed this year's The Royal Pioneer better every time I receive it, I also Reunion again, I think it must be four take two other Regimental years I've booked and paid for but have Corps Association CJournals (no names no pat drills) been unable to attend. Let's hope I have and ours is second to none. better luck next year, I am hoping my c/o 23 Pnr Regiment RLC I would also like to thank the daughter will bring me. St David's Barracks photographer, I believe it's your son, I Many thanks for your company and Graven Hill really enjoy looking through the photos to help over more years that I wish to Bicester OX26 6HF see who I can recognise, though there are remember old comrade and best wishes very few of the lads I did recognise this to your family. or email us at: time, but I did see one of my old Derek (Taffy) Luker [email protected]

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 59 If World War One was a bar fight Picture: themetapicture.com Picture:

Germany, Austria and Italy Britain replies that France can France gets thrown through a are standing together in the look at who it wants to, that plate glass window, but gets middle of a pub when Serbia Britain is looking at Germany back up and carries on bumps into Austria and spills too, and what is Germany fighting. Russia gets thrown Austria's pint. going to do about it? through another one, gets knocked out, suffers brain Austria demands Serbia buy Germany tells Russia to stop damage, and wakes up with it a whole new suit because looking at Austria, or of the new beer stains on its a complete personality Germany will render Russia change. trouser leg. incapable of such action anymore. Germany expresses its Italy throws a punch at support for Austria's point of Austria and misses, but view. Britain and France ask Austria falls over anyway. Germany whether it's looking Italy raises both fists in the Britain recommends that at anyone. air and runs round the room everyone calm down a bit. chanting. Germany rolls up its sleeves, looks at France, and punches Serbia points out that it can't America waits till Germany is Belgium. afford a whole suit, but about to fall over from offers to pay for the cleaning sustained punching from of Austria's trousers. France and Britain punch Britain and France, then Germany. Austria punches Russia and Serbia look at Russia. Germany punches walks over and smashes it Austria. Britain and France with one with a barstrool, then hand and Russia with the pretends it won the fight all Austria asks Serbia who it's other. by itself. looking at. Russia throws a punch at By now all the chairs are Russia suggests that Austria Germany, but misses and broken and the big mirror should leave its little brother nearly falls over. Japan calls over the bar is shattered. alone. over from the other side of Britain, France and America the room that it's on Britain's agree that Germany thew the Austria inquires as to whose first punch, so the whole army will assist Russia in side, but stays there. Italy doing so. surprises everyone by thing is Germany's fault. punching Austria. Germany appeals to Britain While Germany is still that France has been looking Austria punches Turkey, and unconscious, they go through at it, and that its sufficiently gets punched back. There are its pockets, steal its wallet, out of order that Britain not no hard feelings because and buy drinks for all their intervene. Britain made Austria do it. friends.

60 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION BOOK REVIEWS Throwing empty beer bottles at 87 Company the enemy

Report: Norman Brown and what he had to say then is Report: Norman Brown After Korea, he saw active Pictures: Supplied as valid today as it was then. Pictures: Supplied service in Malaya, Borneo and This book also contains copies Aden before retiring from the ISTORY books tend to of some of his correspondence EYOND the Legend is army, with the rank of describe what in their original English, the authorised Sergeant, in 1968. happened, but the German, Hebrew and Yiddish biography of William Bill Speakman, despite his thoughts, feelings and providing a treasure trove of (Bill) Speakman, who physical size, is a shy and Hthe day-to-day details material for further research. I Bwas awarded one of modest man and does not seek are missing. This book fills a did this after long deliberation only four Victoria Crosses for attention and rarely talks about little of the gap at least as far because in this form the book is action in the Korean War. himself. as the German Jews who an educational resource for It covers his sometimes Although he has been served in the Pioneer Corps in many different types of controversial life, from his mentioned in several books the Second World War are projects. I have only translated childhood in Altrincham, about the VC and the Korean concerned. some of the letters and draft Cheshire, to his later life in War, he has never contributed Moses Jakob Kasser arrived in letters where they clarify some South Africa – about which to a biography or written his England in March 1939 as a of the situations in the writings. little has been known memoirs. refugee from Nazi Germany. This book also describes a previously. The authors have disproved When the war broke out, he number of incidents including Authors Derek Hunt and all the myths surrounding his volunteered to serve in the what happened after the John Mulholland also explore life and how he won his British army and was placed in official Jewish Chaplain had the the myth of the ‘beer bottle Victoria Cross, as well as giving the 87th Company of the Alien audacity to repeat his previous VC’ (in which Speakman was an account of the Victoria Cross Pioneer Corps together with a year's Yom Kippur sermon on said to have fended off the action in his own words. number of other Jewish the following Rosh Hashanah Chinese Communist Army by BEYOND THE LEGEND volunteers with a German and accidentaly omitted a page throwing empty beer bottles at by Derek Hunt & John background. He was ultra- without noticing, while his them after they ran out of Mullholland orthodox and his lifetime of audience did and that led to grenades), bring to light what ISBN 978-0-7524-9430-2 service to Anglo Jewry began in some 'fighting in Britain'. really happened on United Hill a very small way when he THE 87TH COMPANY, THE in November 1951. became the unofficial Jewish PIONEER CORPS Speakman held the attacking chaplain to his unit. A number A MOBILE MILITARY JEWISH Chinese army at bay for over of his wartime sermons and COMMUNITY four hours and led a final some of the artwork they used by Pte Moses Jakob Kasser charge that allowed his for services and other Editor-in-Chief Dr Joseph Kasser company to withdraw from the commemorations have survived ISBN 1493777564 hill. Europe goes to war

Report: Norman Brown should be defeated. The author also describes the Pictures: Supplied His narrative of the early brutal struggles in Serbia, East battles will astonish those Prussia and Galicia, where by N 1914, Europe plunged whose images of the war are Christmas the Germans, into the twentieth century’s simply of mud, wire, trenches Austrians, Russians and Serbs first terrible act of self- and steel helmets. Hastings had inflicted on each other immolation – what was describes how the French army three million casualties. Ithen called ‘The Great War’. marched into action amid virgin The book offers some On the eve of its centenary, rural landscapes, in uniforms of answers to the huge and Max Hastings seeks to explain red and blue, led by mounted fascinating question ‘what both how the conflict came officers, with flags flying and happened to Europe in 1914?’, about and what befell millions bands playing. through Max Hasting’s of men and women during the The bloodiest day of the accustomed blend of top-down first months of strife. entire Western war fell on 22 and bottom-up accounts from a He finds the evidence August 1914, when the French multitude of statesmen and overwhelming that Austria and lost 27,000 dead. generals, peasants, housewives Germany must accept principal Four days later, at Le Cateau, and private soldiers of seven blame for the outbreak. While the British fought an nations. what followed was a vast extraordinary action against the His narrative pricks myths tragedy, he argues passionately oncoming Germans, one of the and offers some striking and against the ‘poets view’, that last of its kind in history. In controversial judgements. the war was not worth October, at terrible cost they CATASTROPHE – winning. It was vital to the held the allied line against EUROPE GOES TO WAR freedom of Europe, he says, massive German assaults in the by Max Hastings that the Kaiser’s Germany first battle of Ypres. ISBN 978-0-00-739857-7

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 61 The Last Post Since the last newsletter it is with great sadness to report the following deaths

DUNBAR JJ (JIMMY) 23247064 2 OCT 13 PETHERAM REX (7937364) 21 AUG 13 (Aged 76) SSgt. Northampton (Aged 93) Pte. Llantarnam, Cwmbran. Jimmy served from Feb 61 until Feb 83 and Served in RAC from Feb 41 and Pioneer will be remembered for his time at Corps from 9 Jun 42 to 11 Sep 46 with 44 Northampton as a recruit instructor. Coy PC/

PARKER NORMAN 22965130 7 OCT 13 ROBERTS JOHN ELWYN (13113941) 10 MAY 13 (Aged 78) Cpl. Bicester (Aged 86) Pte. Rotherham Norman served from 1953 until 1982. Served 9 Apr 42 to 8 Jun 46.

ROSSNEY HAROLD HERBERT STEBBEDS STANLEY JOHN (14546894) 13800791 AND 13046536 27 NOV 13 (Aged 93) 13 OCT 13 (Aged 89) Pte Stow-cum-Quy, Cambs Harold served from 3 Jan 40 until 1946 in Served from 18 Feb 43 - 11 Jan 46 137 and 93 Coys PC before transferring to 32 Graves Registration Team. LANAWAY WILLIAM THOMAS (271623) 29 Helen Fry wrote on Facebook: We DEC 13 remember ex- 'alien' Pioneer from WW2 (aged 101) Lt Col. Redhill, Surrey. Harry Rossney who passed away on Sunday Served from 1943 until 1946 (recalled for 13 Oct 13 at the age of 93. short period in 1956) Landed with 170 Coy PC on D Day - first landings on NAN Harry was assigned after D-Day from the Sector White Beach. Pioneer Corps to the Graves Registration We published details of his 100th Unit, and as a signwriter, wrote the names birthday in the April 2012 Newsletter. on the crosses of our fallen soldiers in the His granddaughter Lesley wrote: cemetery in Bayeaux. “The family are taking comfort in the A fine man and remembered with fact that he did not suffer & that he led fondness by all who knew him - he was a very fulfiling & active life right up until the passionate that the stories of veterans very end. should be told. After finding out more about his time with the Royal Pioneer Corps & then talking WHIPPS THOMAS EDWARD 15 OCT 13 to him recently about it. (Aged 76) I know that he was very proud to have Pte Orpington. Tom served in 251 Coy in served in the Royal Pioneer Corps & spoke Bicester from 1956 - 1958. very highly of the brave men that he fought alongside in WW2." RATNER HENRY ALBERT JOSEPH 13090867 23 OCT 13 TURNBULL GEORGE ROBERT 24116999 26 DEC (Aged 93) Pte. Ilkeston, Derby 13 Served in the Pioneer Corps from 10 Jul 41 (Aged 67) Capt Coalville, Leics. to 11 Apr 45 before transferring to the Served from 1968 - 1993, was Green Howards. Landed on D Day in Sicily, commissioned in 1988. Italy and Normandy with 243 Coy PC. In Normandy this Coy were working with BELGUM DON 487810 8 FEB 14 Rhinos, an exert from the War Diary shows (Aged 76) Capt, the following: Wasaga Beach, Canada. “Landed in NORMANDY. Disembarkation He joined the Corps in late 1969 from the hindered by the state of the sea and being Royal Military Police and his first posting dependant on availability of shore room, was to 522 Coy at Kineton. and safety for landing vehicles which took He was then posted to 908 PCLU and place at various times. was one of the last to leave the Arabian A number of RHINOs were put out of Gulf as he and Capt Bill Elliott (assisted by action by standing beach obstacles and Sgt Dennis McKeown) remained to carry out the final paying of civilian staff. mines. He returned to 522 Coy before being Pte Cheavins killed following a mine posted to A Det 5 PCLU in Hannover, where explosion under a RHINO loaded with he worked extremely hard with the young ammunition and petrol. (he was a scoutmaster). Ptes Hunt, Gascoigne, Palmer & Bradford His final tour was as an instructor in the – injured and evacuated. Pioneer School at Northampton. RHINOs proceeded from LSTs to shore fully laden and commenced ferry service GODDARD ROBERT 22600746 5 FEB 14 between shore and LSTs." (Aged 80) Sgt Eastleigh, Hants. Joined the Association in 1957. SYMONDS RONALD BERTRAM 22193876 27 OCT 13 (Aged 82) MORAN SJ 24031648 25 FEB 14 Pte. Caister on Sea. (Aged 66) LCpl Bolton, Lancs. Served 3 No 49 - 25 Oct 51 in 71 Coy RPC. Ex Dog Section Kineton.

MARTIN LC 23531674 8 AUG 13 FARRAR JAMES 23424789 8 MAR 14 (Aged 78) Pte. Crewe. (Aged 75) Leeds. Served 1960 - 1969 Former Dog Handler 522 Coy.

62 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION RYALL JOHN BLEADEN CBE Brigadier John Ryall died at Bournemouth on 27 October 2013 at the age of 92. In February 1939 he joined the Territorial Army – the 9th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment, which was later re-badged to the Royal Artillery - he and served with this unit in the UK and Egypt. He was originally commissioned as a Quartermaster in June 1946 but later this was converted to a Combatant Commission In 1947 he returned to the UK and after a short spell with HQ 71 Group, Royal Pioneer Corps, was posted in August 1948 as Staff Captain, Labour Directorate, HQ BAOR. A tour as Adjutant 13 Group followed. In March 1953 he returned to Egypt where he served with Mauritian and East African Companies until 1956. This was followed by service with RPC Companies serving in the UK. He returned to Germany in 1958 to serve ■ with a Mobile Civilian Labour Group and a John Bleaden Ryall CBE, 3rd from left Picture: RPCA Archive Pioneer Civil Labour Unit. In March 1962 he was posted to Cyprus last 5 years of her life Mum had developed shops and Banks in Winton, getting there to Command 518 Company and he moved Alzheimer’s. Dad became her full time by mobility scooter. with that unit to Aden. carer and was absolutely devoted to her Dad turned 90 in 2012 and a large family He left Aden in 1963 to attend the despite her illness becoming more and get together was held for him in Diploma Course in Personnel Management more debilitating. They loved to go on Bournemouth in his honour. Despite his at Strathclyde University. Fresh from cruises and Dad and Mum made a good failing health Dad regaled us with his risqué Strathclyde he was again posted to BAOR many lifelong friends on board ship and jokes and limericks and I’m sure his to Command 4 Pioneer Civil Labour Unit, made the most of their retirement booming voice could be heard three streets where he remained until 1967 when he together. After Mum had passed away Dad away. He was always in his element at was appointed Second-in-Command at 13 carried on cruising with the longer round these dos, and his naturally flirtatious Group, the world cruises being the order of the leanings were always evident with any lady In 1969 he was appointed Assistant day. On one such cruise he was joined at that he came across. This also applied to his Director Army Pioneers and Labour where Brisbane by Sue’s Mum Sylv who was various stays in hospital up and down the he remained until being promoted Colonel introduced as “a friend that had just been country. He was fond of saying that he was and posted to HQ BAOR as Director. released from prison”. Some passengers going to live to be a 100 and be a Throughout his service he was a devour may have thought he was being serious miserable old b, and although he never church-goer and an active supporter of instead of being the practical joker that he quite made it Dad had a wonderful life and Garrison Churches wherever he served. He was. He became hugely popular on board was loved by all that came across him. He had an abiding interest in Corps ‘Family ship and spent hours strolling round the was always made to feel especially ‘matters. deck, as seemingly everybody wanted to welcome by the Church and congregation He was promoted Brigadier and stop and talk to him. of St Augustan’s, and it is very fitting that appointed Director Army Pioneers and Dad led a very distinguished career in his memorial service is being held here Labour in March 1975. the British Army, rising from the rank of today. In 1978 he retired from the Army and for Private to Brigadier. In 1977 he was Dad was a larger than life character who a short time took up an appointment with awarded the CBE for services to the military, will be sorely missed. But we are thankful a Building Society until being appointed and considered himself highly honoured. As that he is no longer in pain, and able to re- Bursar of a school in Berkshire. In young children growing up we were lucky join the loved ones that went before him. retirement he campaigned actively on the enough to go to places that Dad would be As someone who for years had expressed a subject of Forces’ Pensions writing tirelessly stationed at, including Aden, Cyprus and wish for his body to be donated to Medical to MPs on the subject. Germany. On one of their tours Dad was Science, Dad would have thought it highly tasked with looking after us children when amusing as well as being highly privileged His son John read the following at his Mum went into hospital for a short while. to learn that his remains have been Church Service: We have very fond memories of the accepted by the Royal College of Surgeons As a family we have been very touched fireman’s breakfast he used to cook for us, in London. by the genuine affection and esteem in and wondered if the name had something which Dad was held, and this has been of to do with the burnt offering that would be great comfort to us at this time. served up. Mum and Dad were well suited Dad was born in 1922 in Hendon and to Army life as Dad in particular was a very was the youngest of three brothers. He was gregarious character, and Mum the perfect blessed with a golden voice and regularly hostess. sang with the choir at his local church of St In August 2011 we were devastated to Albans and St Michael in Golders Green. He learn that Dad had been diagnosed with left school at 14 and followed his eldest Pancreatic Cancer and given just 6 months brother into Estate Agency and quickly to live. Dad being Dad had other ideas of learned the art of selling and bartering, course and the family were never convinced something that stayed with him all his days. that Dad ever really thought that he had He was a savvy and frugal man who cancer at all. Perhaps this was in part due would always head straight for the to an almost negligible understanding of reduced counter at Waitrose, and used to medical matters, and his belief that soldiers enjoy shopping at the value shops such as are made of strong stuff. Thinking that he Lidl, G&T’s, and the 99p shop. Dad always only had a few months to live Tom and loved the challenge of getting a real Helen made Dad very welcome at their bargain. home in Derbyshire where in the end he First and foremost Dad was a family man stayed for 21 months, with Tom and Helen who enjoyed nothing more than being doing the most fantastic job in looking after surrounded by his children, grandchildren him. In May of this year Dad decided that and great grandchildren. He married Joyce the time was right to move back to his flat in 1942 and was a good husband to her for in Bournemouth, whereupon he proceeded 62 years until her death in 2005. For the to renew acquaintances at all his favourite ■ John Bleaden Ryall CBE Picture: RPCA Archive

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 63 The family received the following letter appointed Commandant at RMCS from Lt Col (Retd) John Rayner: Shrivenham. Although I knew your father was gravely During this tour he was responsible for ill I was very saddened to hear of his privatisation of the College to become a passing. wing of Cranfield Institute of Technology. I remember very vividly his ‘phoning me He brought RAF degree students into the in November 1969, introducing himself and college and initiated recognition of Army inviting me to consider a regular Staff courses to second degree level. commission in the Royal Pioneers. During this time student numbers I had just come to the end of my Short increased from 1200 to over 5000 from 37 Service Commission in the Gunners and different countries. was exploring a number of career options, He became Colonel Commandant and most of them rather fanciful, I’m afraid to President, RPC Association during this say. period . Your father invited me to join the He was then appointed Master General Director’s Study Period in early December of Ordnance where he oversaw the entry ■ Gen Sir John Stibbon KCB OBE Picture: RPCA Archive and stay for the annual formal dinner. into service of the Main Battle Tank I have to say that your father’s direct (Challenger), replacements for 155mm self- He was Chairman of RE Corps Soccer, influence upon me was profound: I saw a propelled artillery, (AS90), Multi Launched President and Past Chairman of Army and man; a Lieutenant Colonel then and me a Rocket Systems, (MLRS), new helicopter Combined Services Soccer. subaltern, who was the most considerate family and B Vehicle fleets and A/Tk He was Hon Vice President of the officer I had ever met. weaponry. Football Association between 1988 and I later learned that he would take to During this period he was a member of 1992. heard everyone else’s problems at a the Army Board which approved the In 1993 he was appointed Chief Royal personal level and offer good advice or continuation of the RPC manning of the Engineer, a post he held until 1999. better still, do something about it if he Weapon support Group companies within 8 He was a collector of fossils from his could. Regt RCT .During his many visits to the service days and other visits all over the I liked him enormously and ‘signed-up’, Corps Gen Stibbon was always keen to be world. He had half a ton of them! as they say. among soldiers and to talk with them, He was an accomplished water colourist Apparently I was the first of a ‘new invariably in an amusing, animated and and exhibited regularly with the Armed breed’ as he called us, whatever that meant detailed style, about their sporting and Forces Art Society. but I can say that several of my training activities. He remarked that he achieved what he contemporaries joined from other regiments He had an eye for detail in matters did in spite of never having attended Staff as a result of his initiatives and we were a concerning the Association and was deeply College! body of souls that later directed the Corps interested in ex-service affairs. He is survived by his wife Jean, and down a different but successful path in later He was Chairman of the Governors of daughters Jane and Emma. years that culminated in it becoming part of the Royal Star and Garter Home, becoming the RLC. its Vice President in 1996. GOODE GW (BILL) 23926722 30 DEC 13. The result was that 23 Pioneer Regiment He was Chairman of the Gordon School (Aged 76) Cpl Worcester was and still is held in huge esteem Foundation between 1982 and 1998. Served as a National Serviceman from 15 throughout the Army (sadly for not much He was Commissioner of the Duke of Mar 56 to 15 Mar 58 including service in longer). But it was your father who set that York’s Royal Military School 1993 – 1998, Suez crisis. ball rolling and the Pioneers of today have a and became a Freeman of the City of He was a regular attender at Pioneer great deal to thank him for. London in 1992. Reunion Weekends and was Chairman of I only worked for John once and that was He had a lifetime interest in sport, the 39/93 Club. in Rheindahlen in 1972/73 as a Staff received colours at Sandhurst and RMCS His niece, Caroline Beale, posted the Captain. and played soccer until the age of 46. poem below on Facebook. He was a great director because we all worked well together and achieved a great deal under his light touch. I must say that he seemed to overlook my many misdemeanours and was always kind to me. I regret that I will be unable to attend your father’s memorial service as I am about to depart on holiday abroad with my family until the end of the month. My best wished to all the family at this difficult time. With kindest regards John Rayner A dear man we loved so much, General Sir John Stibbon KCB OBE Was taken from our lives, Colonel Commandant The Lord he opened up his Royal Pioneer Corps 1986 - 1991 arms and asked you to go back General Stibbon died on 9th February at home, We never had the the age of 79. He was educated at chance for proper Cheerios, Portsmouth Southern Grammar School, the Heaven has gained an angel, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and the While we have lost a friend, Royal Military College of Science. You did a lot for everyone and He became one of the Corps’ most we never will forget, distinguished officers. The pain we felt the day you He was commissioned into the Royal left was of sadness not regret, Engineers in August 1954 and We know The Lord ment well subsequently graduated from RMCS as as he only takes the best, BSC(Eng). He knew you was very tired He served widely in RE Field and training and needed a well earned rest, units, in UK and Germany, including with One day we will meet again the RE Wing at RAC Centre, Bovington. which will take away the pain, He commanded 28 Amphibious Engineer Until that day my dear friend, Regt at Hameln; was later appointed We'll continue to miss you so Assistant Military Secretary, and then to Command 20 Armd Bde. R.I.P my sweet uncle Bill After studying at RCDS, he was ■ Bill Goode at the Reunion Weekend Picture: Paul Brown

64 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION LOST TRAILS

NUENEN 1944 As a member of the local history association of Nuenen, the Netherlands. I am interested to get in contact with any relatives of the following RPC members that were quartered in Nuenen in 1944. Long Lost Trails 1.Lt J Cobb, 95 Maudsley Street, Blackburn 2.Lt W Ingham, 20 Joshua Street, Todmorden 3.Capt KF Lewis, Midland Bank Chicester4.EO Duggan, The Moorlands, The following are trying to Rothbury, Northumberland re-establish contact... can you They all belonged to the 265 Company and the addresses given are the last know help? If so please get in touch. addresses, given to us by those people in whose houses they stayed. In that year 1944 the southern part of the Netherlands was already liberated, but the northern part was still was under German occupation. The reason these men stayed here had either to do with helping to repair war damage in this area or was prior to any pioneer work to be done at the frontline, that was located from mid 1944 upto mid 1945 some tenths of kilometer north of here at the big rivers. Contact: [email protected] (Ed note: EO Duggan was OC until 10 Jun 45 and KF Lewis was 2IC until then when he was promoted Maj and appointed OC, Cobb and Ingham were Lts).

521 COY RPC I was stationed at Bicester in 1970-72 before being posted to Aldershot and then Kineton. I would like to make contact with anyone who remembers me from then. Contact David Elson on [email protected]

24470414 CPL DAVID DOUGLAS CHAMBER His son Frankie Franklin is trying to make contact with his father. Contact Frankie Franklin via Facebook or RPC Association.

PUTTING NAMES TO PHOTOGRAPHS Mr Ian Gibson is trying to put names to photographs taken during his service. Out of the three photos at the top of the page he can name Pte Duncan in the front centre of the top left photo - can you help?

THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 65 the Pioneer

Show your appreciation and support at the Disbandment Parade, a former Commanding Officer and some And Finally... Sergeants...

Report: Norman Brown AVID a former CO of 23 Pioneer After several rounds of this the bartender Pictures: RPCA Archive Regiment was in his early 50's, says, “Look Provost, you've been in here retired and started a second ten minutes and you keep talking about N THE past 22 years 23 Pioneer career. However, he just couldn't trouble starting. Just when is this “trouble” Regiment RLC have looked after the Dseem to get to work on time. going to start?" Association and its members very well, Every day he was 5, 10, 15 and The Provost looks at the bartender and so let us show our appreciation and sometimes 30 minutes late. But he was a says, “The trouble starts just as soon as you support them in this their final year. good worker, real sharp, so the Boss was in find out that I ain't got any money." I a quandary about how to deal with it. Let us march proudly with them as they march through Bicester on 27 July and Finally, one day he called him into the office GROUP of Sergeants and a group spectate at the Disbandment Parade on 26 for a talk. of Army Officers take a train to a September. “David, I have to tell you, I like your work conference. Each Officer holds a ethic, you do a bang-up job, but you're It would look good if we all wear our ticket. But the entire group of being late so often is quite bothersome and Sergeants has bought only one berets, I do have some spare used berets other workers are complaining." A ticket for a single passenger. (and old type cap badges), if you would like “Yes, I know Boss, and I am working on one please let me know approx size - first it." The Officers are just shaking their heads come first served. I will, however, expect “Well good, you are a team player. That's and are secretly pleased that the arrogant you to pay the postage. what I like to hear. It's odd though, you're Sergeants will finally get what they deserve. Let us make the final year with the coming in late. I know you're retired from Suddenly one of the Sergeants calls out: Regiment one to remember. the Army. What did they say if you came in “The conductor is coming!”. At once, all late there?" the Sergeants jump up and squeeze into “They said, “Good morning, one of the toilets, they had used this trick Colonel." many times. The conductor checks the tickets of the SERGEANT was Officers. When he notices that the toilet is addressing a squad of occupied he knocks on the door and says: 20 and said: “I have a “Ticket, please!” One of the Sergeants slides the single nice easy job for the ticket under the doors and the conductor Alaziest man here. Put continues merrily on his round. up your hand if you are the For the return trip the Officers decide to laziest."19 men raised their use the same trick. hands, and the sergeant asked They buy only one ticket for the entire the other man “why didn't group but they are baffled as they realise you raise your hand?" The that the Sergeants didn’t buy any tickets at man replied: “Too much all. trouble, sarge." (Note: that After a while one of the Sergeants man was Rob Aspinall in announces again: training!). “The conductor is coming!” Immediately all the Officers race to a toilet and lock HE PROVOST Sergeant themselves in. walks into a bar. Sitting All the Sergeants leisurely walk to the himself down, he tells other toilet. Before the last Sergeant enters the bartender, “Quick, the toilet, he knocks on the toilet occupied pour me a drink, before by the Officers and says: T “Ticket, please!” the trouble starts. The And the moral of the story? Officers like bartender pours a drink and to use the methods of the Sergeants, but watches as the man quickly they don’t really understand them. downs it. Putting the glass on the bar, the Provost says, “Give me SGT Paul Monaghan was another drink before the surrounded by a large enemy force. trouble starts." He was running low on ammo, he The bartender pours another was getting very nervous and glass and the Provost drinks it Ssweating profusely. Just then, his WITH THE CHINESE LABOUR CORPS as quickly as he had the first, SSM (Daz Moore) kicked in the door to his NCO “Don’t yer know yer own bloomin number yet before asking for another, room. He screamed “Hey Crazy!! Get off again adding, ". . . before the the damn playstation and get down to the Chinaman (proudly) “One-Seven-Six” trouble starts." MT!! Coming up in the next newsletter ... ■ Forthcoming events ■ Your stories ■ Your Letters ■ Press Cuttings ■ News ■ Report on Disbandment Parade and Reunion Weekend ■ Photo Gallery of this year’s events ■ Reviews ■ And much more!

Views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the British Army or the Ministry of Defence. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that The Pioneer publication is accurate as possible, no responsibility can be taken by the Royal Pioneer Corps Association for any errors or omissions contained herein. Furthermore, responsibility for any loss, damage or distress resulting from any article in The Pioneer itself, howsoever caused, is equally disclaimed by the Royal Pioneer Corps Association.

66 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION All pricesinclude Association postage, chequespayable to

▲ ▲ ▲ £8 silk &wire Badge Blazer £8.50 each cap badge. one withthenewer cap badgeand ‘Blackpool Tower’ with theolder are available.One Two different styles Corps Tie

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▲ ▲ Hardback. to theRPCAssociation. a£10donation includes published. Price shop andonlyjust A newadditiontothe Ivor Lee by JohnStarlingand War World during thefirst Labour Military No Battle” “No Labour, £30 85-93 badge Wall Shields £20 ▲ £2.00 lovely Tie Pin | 67 ■ Association members before forming up on Horseguards, Cenotaph Parade, London, Nov 2012 Picture: Paul Brown 6 June 2014 4 August 2014 17 October 2014 70th anniversary 100th anniversary 75th anniversary of of the start of UK joining the formation of the of D-Day World War I Pioneer Corps

Very little has been said about Described as the “War to End In WWII the Labour Corps was the Royal Pioneer Corps units all Wars” it took only 21 years reformed but due to the that landed on D Day. Yet the for World War Two to start. association with Labour it was Pioneers played an essential named Auxiliary Military role in that and other The UK lost nearly 1 million Pioneer Corps. campaigns and suffered many servicemen in WW1 and over 2 casualties. million injured (German Direct enlistment into the figures are nearly 2 million Corps began that day. In The only full account of the killed and over 4 million December 1939 a Director of corps is A War History of the injured). Auxiliary Pioneer Services was Royal Pioneer Corps 1939- appointed who worked under 1945 by Maj E H Rhodes-Wood. The Germans expected a quick the Director of Recruiting and victory using the the Organisation. The following is an excerpt Schlieffen Plan this from it... “With each group envisaged a rapid German Enemy Aliens were recruited that landed on the beaches of mobilisation, disregard for the into the Pioneer Corps and Normandy on D-Day was a neutrality of Luxembourg, over 10,000 Germans, Pioneer Corps Group. Their Belgium and the Netherlands Austrians and Italians were task was to clear mines and and an overwhelming sweep of recruited. Some fought in BEF underwater obstacles, unload the powerful German right in 1939 and 1940. landing craft, build wing southwest through ammunition and other dumps, One in six soldiers was a Belgium and Northern France. construct beach tracks to Pioneer at the end of the carry the guns, Armour and However, this ended with four Second World War, during miscellaneous vehicles to the years of Trench Warfare. which 14,444 Pioneers died. firm land beyond, act as stretcher bearers, collect and Unfortunately in July 2012 it The Labour Corps was formed evacuate the wounded, guard was decided under the Army in 1917 to stop the wastage of prisoners and, if necessary, 2020 review that the Pioneer join the assault forces in the labour and became the largest CEG would be deleted and 23 battle.” Corps in the Army (approx 10% Pioneer Regiment RLC would of the total size of the Army). be disbanded (168 Pioneer There were 6,700 Pioneers in Regiment RLC(V) has already Normandy on D Day, some 6% The Corps always suffered been disbanded). of the total. They laid the first from its treatment as 500 miles of the PLUTO fuel something of a second class line to Germany, produced organisation: for example, the smoke over strategic targets, men who died are buried the dead, guarded commemorated under their prisoners, moved stores, and original Regiment, with made roads and airfields. Labour Corps being secondary.