INSTITUTION of ROYAL ENGINEERS Established 1875 Incorporated by Royal Charter 1923
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INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS Established 1875 Incorporated by Royal Charter 1923 Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Chief Royal Engineer: Lieutenant General Sir Scott Grant KCB COUNCIL PRESIDENT Major General C L Elliott CB MBE ... 2002 VICE PRESIDENTS Brigadier A E Whitley CMG CBE ... 1999 Brigadier D R ff Innes ADC ... 2002 Colonel C P R Bates ... 2002 MEMBERS Ex Officio CRE (Th Tps) Brigadier C J Boag Comdt RSME Brigadier J D Wootton MBE Comd Geo Engr Gp Colonel A P Cross Regt Col Colonel M H G Croft Col Engr Svcs HQ RE Th Tps Colonel I A Ogden Col RE MCM Div Colonel A M Mills CRE 3 (UK) Div Colonel T P Grimshaw Elected Members Colonel C J Rose 1998 Lieutenant Colonel R H Brown TD 2000 Major I A McDougall 2000 Colonel M R Cooper 2002 Coopted Colonel I M Tait 2003 Lieutenant Colonel M R Bassett BEM 2003 Corps RSM Warrant Officer Class 1 C Barton 2002 Treasurer Lieutenant Colonel J M H Townsley 2001 Secretary Lieutenant Colonel D N Hamilton MBE 2000 Corresponding Members Lieutenant Colonel D N Wilkinson, BLO Pionierschule, Munich Major G M L Coutts, BLO Engineer School, Angers Major A M F Honnor, Exchange Appointment, Australian SME Colonel J W Shanahan OBE, Engineer School, USA BUDGET, INVESTMENTS, MEMBERSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP, MEMORIAL AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Chairman Colonel C P R Bates Vice-Chairman Colonel M H G Croft Members Colonel I A Ogden Colonel T P Grimshaw Colonel G C Watts MBE Colonel I M Tait Colonel C J Rose Major I A McDougall Warrant Officer Class 1 C Barton Treasurer Lieutenant Colonel J M H Townsley Secretary Lieutenant Colonel D N Hamilton MBE INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS’ STAFF Secretary & Editor RE Journal Lieutenant Colonel D N Hamilton MBE Tel: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 82) 2298 Assistant Sec, Publications: Captain J E Borer Tel: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 842669/82) 2299 Database Manager: Mrs J Thorndick Tel: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 82) 2309 Clerks: Tel: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 82) 2298 Fax: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 82) 2397 All correspondence in connection with editorial matters should be addressed to the Secretary, Publications, Institution of Royal Engineers, Ravelin Building, Brompton Barracks, Chatham, Kent ME4 4UG. The Institution of Royal Engineers is Registered as a Charity Number 249882. Editorial THIS is somewhat of a “bumper” issue to ensure mendations made by the Journal Review the inclusion of Operation Telic articles. More Working Group (the draft report was published details can be found on page 239. in the Journal August 2003). The Committee The remainder of this issue follows the normal recommend to Council that in outline the proce- pattern, with a good mix of articles across the dures, editorial and content of the Journal should whole spectrum of our Corps and associated remain as they currently are. The recommenda- activities. Added to this are some excellent tion to change (at a suitable time) to an A4 pub- Memoirs recording the life and times of some lication, similar to the Royal United Services very interesting “Sappers” Institute and British Army Review publications I have received some letters complaining about is endorsed. Some members however, have the amount of abbreviations in articles and how asked that we do not change and the Journal difficult many of the more recent, operational should stay the size it has been for the last one articles are to read. To authors please, wherepos- hundred years or so. If you have a view or opin- sible, restrict the use of “in house” abbreviations ion please let me know. to a minimum as this makes many articles For the third year running we start this edition unreadable and somewhat boring. For our read- with the Engineer in Chief (Army)’s report on ers, we do update the abbreviations pages when- the Corps. It speaks for itself. Have a safe and ever we spot a new one but understand the pleasant Christmas and spare a little thought for frustration of jumping back and forth. those members of the Corps who are unable to The Budget, Membership and Publications be at home at this time of year. Committee have recently reviewed the recom- Editor 186 ISSN 0035-8878 THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL © Published in April, August and December by the Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4UG. Printed by Stephens & George Magazines, Goat Mill Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, Mid Glamorgan, CF48 3TD. Volume 117 December 2003 No 3 Contents 1EDITORIAL ..................................................................................................................................................186 2ENGINEER IN CHIEF’S ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CORPS ...............................................................................187 3HUMANITARIAN DEMINING – HOW THE OTHER HALF CLEAR MINES Captain J D Webster ...........................................................................................................................199 4DISASTER ON PROJECT MERCURY Major General E Fursdon CB MBE ....................................................................................................205 5TORTURE? ME? By M11 ................................................................................................................................................209 6BACK ON TRACK IN IRAQ Major J D Holman ...............................................................................................................................214 7THE SIEGE OF MANILA – 1762 N C Hayes MA ....................................................................................................................................219 8ALL RANK AND NO PAY. THE ENGINEER AND LOGISTIC STAFF CORPS ROYAL ENGINEERS (VOLUNTEERS), WHAT IS IT AND IS IT RELEVANT TO DEFENCE IN 2003 Major J D Simonds ..............................................................................................................................224 9HOW THE BD SERGEANT PROVED HE WAS LOVED C R Elliott............................................................................................................................................230 10 MEMOIRS OF A CANADIAN MAPPER Warrant Officer E Storey CD CME.....................................................................................................233 11 JOURNAL AWARDS FOR AUGUST 2003..................................................................................................238 12 OPERATION TELIC .......................................................................................................................................239 13 MEMOIRS Lieutenant J B Bradley MBE...............................................................................................................331 Colonel D E Thackeray OBE ..............................................................................................................332 Major E H Jamilly ...............................................................................................................................334 Brigadier R F Semple MBE MC .........................................................................................................335 Warrant Officer Class 1 A W Pullen ...................................................................................................336 Lieutenant Colonel K Stewart .............................................................................................................337 Captain T S Abbott ..............................................................................................................................339 14 CORRESPONDENCE ......................................................................................................................................339 15 REVIEWS.....................................................................................................................................................341 16 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS JOURNAL.....................................................................................................342 3500 This publication contains official information. It should be treated with discretion by the recipient. Opinions are an author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Corps or the MOD. Engineer in Chief’s Annual Report to the Corps INTRODUCTION we are still suffering from overstretch and poor NOT surprisingly, this year’s annual report is domi- retention in certain trades (notably the Fitter nated by the Corps’ contribution to Op Telic. It was Group and C3S), and structural problems (EOD (and continues to be) a truly extraordinary achieve- and MWF) which it is hoped will be largely ment. Op Telic 1 drew upon 54 per cent of the addressed by FAS. Additionally, we are unable to deployable Corps, representing over 14 per cent of offer trade training to soldiers at the rate required the Land Component. In percentage terms, it was without enhancements to the RSME. the largest operational deployment of Royal Engineers since WW2 and was achieved with ORGANIZATION breathtaking speed. Once again, the Corps was able THE implementation of SDR has continued suc- to demonstrate its full range of skills in support of cessfully. In addition the creation of a Joint all three Services and the versatility afforded by CIMIC Group has been endorsed, planned to be multiskilling – the envy of just about every Army in based at Minley. Detailed work is ongoing to the world. But sadly, the Corps’ undoubted success facilitate this plan, but it will see adjustments to on the operation must be balanced against the loss the establishments of CVHQ RE, 29 (Corps Sp) of SSgt Simon