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 CBE ... 1999 Brigadier D R ff Innes ADC ... 2002 Colonel C P R Bates ... 2002 MEMBERS Ex Officio CRE (Th Tps) Brigadier G C W Dodds OBE 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 G C Watts MBE CRE 3 (UK) Div Colonel T P Grimshaw Elected Members Colonel C J Rose 1998 Lieutenant Colonel M W Whitchurch MBE 2000 Lieutenant Colonel M A Wood BEM 2000 Lieutenant Colonel R H Brown TD 2000 Major I A McDougall 2000 Colonel M R Cooper 2002 Coopted (non-voting) Corps RSM Warrant Officer Class 1 C Barton 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 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 Administrative Officer: Mrs M Reddick 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 Many of you may be expecting to read articles size of articles and the guidance given to authors. on the recent deployment to Iraq (Op Telic) in I have revised the advice to authors, with this edition. Sadly, I am not yet in a position to regard to the suggested length of articles and publish any Iraq articles but intend to include have updated the imagery specifications. I hope them in later publications. the former will prompt a few future authors to I would like to direct you to the progress report share some easier to read thoughts, past or pre- issued by the Journal Review Working Group sent. The latter is coupled with the wider use of and their subsequent draft recommendations. Do digital cameras. We welcome their use, but these recommendations suit you? If you have any please do not try to produce the finished product. comments, please use the normal Institution con- Please provide us with the text (in any for- tacts to make sure your opinion is aired. Two mat) and if images are digital, they should be major change recommendations are to do with the in as high a definition as possible. 90 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 August 2003 No 2 Contents 1EDITORIAL ....................................................................................................................................................90 2THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL – A PROGRESS REPORT ............................................................................92 3THE DEFENCE – DO WE THINK WE CAN STILL DO IT? Major S A M Fawcett, 22 Engr Regt.....................................................................................................94 4WHERE DOES ALL THE S**T GO? Major M P Walton-Knight...................................................................................................................105 5POLES (OR EGYPTIANS AND RUSSIANS) APART – REMINISCENCES OF THE RIVER NILE AND SPANDAU PUMPING STATION Major D M Longman...........................................................................................................................109 6EXPEDITIONARY AIR SUPPORT – OPERATION FINGAL, AFGHANISTAN Major J V White ..................................................................................................................................113 7ENGINEERS ON THE HOOK, KOREA, NOVEMBER 1952 – JULY 1953 Colonel V H S Hannay OBE MC........................................................................................................124 8RISK – THE DOMINANT FACTOR IN INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING (AND DEVELOPMENT) Major S L Bell .....................................................................................................................................136 9MESOPOTAMIA 1914-18 Brigadier J B Wilks CBE.....................................................................................................................140 10 IRAQ IN WW II Colonel W G A Lawrie........................................................................................................................143 11 EMERGING NATO JOINT ENGINEER DOCTRINE AND THE EMPLOYMENT OF ENGINEERS AT CORPS LEVEL Lieutenant Colonel D G Bowyer .........................................................................................................146 12 OPERATION FRESHMAN – NOVEMBER 1942 WO2 N E Fitzsimons and Corporal A Dye .........................................................................................155 13 BATTLEGROUP BATTLE PLANNING COURSE Major S G Tenison...............................................................................................................................158 14 CARPE DIEM Colonel W G A Lawrie........................................................................................................................162 15 JOURNAL AWARDS FOR DECEMBER 2002 AND APRIL 2003, AND ANNUAL AWARDS FOR 2002 . .167 16 MEMOIRS Lieutenant Colonel C E P Mulhern OBE ............................................................................................168 Lieutenant Colonel E E N Sandeman OBE .........................................................................................169 Brigadier J R E Hamilton-Baillie MC .................................................................................................170 Captain J W Wright MC......................................................................................................................172 Major F I Robbie .................................................................................................................................173 Colonel E C O’Callaghan MBE MC ...................................................................................................174 17 CORRESPONDENCE ......................................................................................................................................176 18 REVIEWS.....................................................................................................................................................181 19 ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THIS JOURNAL.....................................................................................................184 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. The Royal Engineers Journal A Progress Report Members will be aware that a review of RE Institution publications is currently underway, and after the initial article which “challenged” people to comment, it is deemed appropriate that an update should be provided. One has to say that the response from the article in April’s edition has been superb. The Working Group has had responses from a wide spectrum befitting the Institution’s membership (young/old, serving/retired, officer/warrant officer). We have had more than 30 THE formal replies, so thank you to those who have contributed to the ROYAL ENGINEERS debate! Interestingly, we have received correspondence using just JOURNAL about every type of communication media, except maybe the carrier pigeon, which supports the fact that the Institution has a diverse and active membership. THE RESPONSES make more contributions. This will potentially IT is fair to say that the majority of responses, strengthen membership of the Institution. mirrored by the views of the Working Group, are in general terms coherent. There are a • Articles and the Journal itself need a style number of constant themes in the feedback, “make-over”. The present style is described by some as “dignified but ossified”. The article written many of which are within the Editor’s control: by Maj Fawcett has had some style changes made to it, such as the journalistic “hooks”, more pho- • “It aint bust”, with specific accolades to past and tographs, colour diagrams and so comment is wel- present Editorial staff. come. Indeed comment would be welcome on the content if we want to start as we mean to go on! • The scope of the RE Journal is about right. Given the diversity of the