INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS Established 1875 Incorporated by Royal Charter 1923 Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Chief Royal Engineer: General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue KCB CBE COUNCIL PRESIDENT Major General C L Elliott CB MBE ... 2002 VICE PRESIDENTS Major General K H Cima ... 2004 Brigadier C M Sexton ADC ... 2005 Colonel C P R Bates ... 2002 MEMBERS Ex Officio CRE HQ 8 Force Engr Bde Brigadier S A Burley MBE Comdt RSME Brigadier J D Wootton MBE Comd Geo Engr Gp Colonel D H E Attwater Regt Col Colonel A P Cross Col RE MCM Div Colonel I J Blanks MBE CRE 3 (UK) Div Colonel I G Hitchcock OBE Corps RSM Warrant Officer Class 1 M Garcia MBE Elected Members Colonel I M Tait 2004 Lieutenant Colonel M R Bassett BEM 2004 Lieutenant Colonel T F S Smith TD 2004 Captain N Cooke 2004 Colonel I A Ogden 2005 Treasurer Lieutenant Colonel J M H Townsley 2001 Secretary Lieutenant Colonel D N Hamilton MBE 2000 Corresponding Members Lieutenant Colonel A P Dennis, BLO Pionierschule, Munich Major G M L Coutts, BLO Engineer School, Angers Major W T R Thackwell, Exchange Appointment, Australian SME Colonel P M Davies MBE, Engineer School, USA Major M R Watson, Exchange Officer, Construction Engineering Unit, Canada BUDGET, INVESTMENTS, MEMBERSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP, MEMORIAL AND PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE Chairman Colonel C P R Bates Vice-Chairman Colonel A P Cross Members Colonel I A Ogden Colonel I G Hitchcock OBE Colonel I J Blanks MBE Colonel I M Tait Lieutenant Colonel M R Bassett BEM Warrant Officer Class 1 M Garcia MBE 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 Clerk: Miss J Cork Tel: ATN (9) 4661 (BT 01634 82) 2035 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. An Update on Institution Matters THIS edition of the Journal marks the end of its second year deserves to be, following four years of dedicated work by in the new format and apart from one or two comments about Colonel Gerald Napier and the Institution team. You will find A4 size being incompatible with domestic bookcases, the a review of it by General Sir George Cooper in this issue, and change seems to have found favour with all sections of the if you have not yet ordered your copy, hopefully his words readership. I am delighted to that we continue to receive high will move you to action – Christmas is coming and it will quality articles on a range of subjects from both the serving make a fine gift, personal or corporate. and retired Corps. Correspondence has taken off this year, The digitization project is still ongoing and shortly all volumes although we know that trying to promote a debate when there of Corps History to date, and Journals from 1904 will be avail- are four months between issues is difficult. able on DVD/CD. More information will be published in the With regard to content, it should be remembered that Supplement and Sapper as these items become available. amongst other things, the Journal is an intrinsic part of Corps On the professional Development front, we are continuing History. The official volumes are only published every twenty along the direction set by Council with the aim of becoming years or so and in any case can never go into the detail that a Licensed Institution and awarding body. This should be in personal accounts can offer. Volume 12 of Corps History is place by the end of next year. currently in production and should be in print at the end of This has been a very busy year for all members of the 2006. To complement this in the middle of next year we will Institution Staff and I am delighted in what we have been be publishing a revised Short History of the Corps covering able to achieve to take the Institution forward. most subjects up to the present day. Whilst on the subject of Have a safe and peaceful 2006. history, our Heritage Book, Follow The Sapper, was pub- lished in October and has turned out to be the triumph it well David Hamilton Guidelines for Authors The Editor is always pleased to consider articles for publication in the Journal. Subject. Articles should have some military engineering connection but this can be fairly tenuous, especially if an article is well written and interesting. Length. Articles of any length are considered but should normally be between 1500 to 5000 words. About 1200 words covers one page less photographs. Copy. One copy of the text should be submitted, together with a head and shoulders photograph of the author plus a short pen picture and any other illustrations. Clearance. Articles must be cleared by an author’s CO where applicable. Copyright. If an article has been published elsewhere, copyright clearance must be sought by the author before submission. Where necessary copyright clearance on photographs, maps or illustrations must also be obtained prior to submission. Maps. Permission to reproduce Crown copyright maps, including all military maps, must be obtained in writing prior to submission from: Copyright and Release Branch, Defence Geographic Centre, MacLeod Building, Elmwood Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex. TW13 7AH. Tel: 020 8818 3104. Photographs should, if possible, be of good quality with sharp definition, and have appropriate captions. Files from digital cameras can be used providing they are taken with a camera capable of producing high quality images. The files should not be altered in any way prior to submission and they MUST NOT be embedded in the document. Digital images can be sent via email to [email protected] or on a CD. Rewards can be generous. The publications committee has about £350 in prize money for each issue plus valuable annual prizes. All authors receive £20 to help cover costs. Pseudonyms will not be revealed by the Editor under any circumstances. Contributions should reach the Editor by: 10 February for the April 2006 issue. 9 June for the August 2006 issue. Submissions before the deadline are particularly welcome. 158 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 119 DECEMBER 2005 No 3 Contents 1AN UPDATE ON INSTITUTION MATTERS......................................................................................................158 2ENGINEER IN CHIEF’S ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CORPS ..............................................................................160 3 17 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE ON SEARCH OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF COUNTER INSURGENCY CAMPAIGNS Warrant Officer Class 2 M J Brown ...................................................................................................171 4DUNKIRK 1940 – THE LITTLE SHIPS – A RECOLLECTION Major A Spong ERD...........................................................................................................................175 5“NOMINATIONS WITH PENALTIES REQUIRED . .” Lieutenant Colonel J R White MBE...................................................................................................176 6ADAY IN THE LIFE OF A WOULD-BE SIGNALS OFFICER Colonel E J Sharp ...............................................................................................................................178 7AGENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE SYSTEM OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT FOR MANAGERS IN THE PROFESSIONS Major M A Napier ..............................................................................................................................180 8ROYAL ENGINEER SUPPORT IN PUBLIC ORDER OPERATIONS Captain M Treffry-Kingdom ..............................................................................................................185 9 The Siege of Bharatpur, 1825-26 N C Hayes .........................................................................................................................................194 10 WHY SLOWMO WHEN YOU CAN FLYMO? Lieutenant Colonel M W Whitchurch MBE ......................................................................................201 11 SATELLITE NAVIGATION IN THE MILITARY Major A Stromberg..................................................................................................................................210 12 HAVE LAND ROVER WILL TRAVEL Brigadier J H Hooper OBE SBStJ DL ....................................................................................................217 13 JOURNAL AWARDs .....................................................................................................................................219 14 ROYAL ENGINEERS SUPPORT TO CONSTRUCTING FIELD HOSPITALS Lieutenant S J O Merrett .........................................................................................................................220 15 PILES AT THE GEMENCHE Lieutenant Colonel G N Ritchie..............................................................................................................226 16 MEMOIRS Lieutenant Colonel J R Hill................................................................................................................228