ISSN 0035-8878 C X z C- IrTHE I ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL INSTITUTION OF RE OFFICE COPY o DO r NOT REMOVE o Volume 94 MARCH 1980 No. 1 , 1 THE COUNCIL OF THE INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS (Established 1875, Incorporated by Royal Charter, 1923) Patron-HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN President Major-General M E Tickell, CBE, MC, MA, C Eng, FICE .......... .......... .. 1979 Vice-Presidents 1975 Brigadier J R E Hamilton-Baillie, MC, MA, C Eng, MICE ........... .......... 1977 Major-General C P Campbell, CBE, FBIM ................................ Elected Members Colonel B A E Maude, MBE, MA ................................ 1965 Colonel A J Carter, (V), OBE, TD ...................... .......... 1977 Captain R L Walker, RE .......................... .............. 1977 Major J M Wyatt, RE ............................................. 1978 Colonel W C S Harrison, CBE, ERD, C Eng, FICE, MIHE .............. 1978 Lieut-Colonel R M Hutton, MBE, BSc, C Eng, FICE, MIHE ............. 1978 Brigadier DJ N Genet, MBIM .......... ......... ..... .......... 1979 Colonel A H W Sandes, MA, C Eng, MICE ........................ 1979 Colonel G A Leech, (V), TD, C Eng, FIMunE, FIHE ............. ......... 1979 Major J W Ward, BEM, RE ............ .......... ..... .......... 1979 Captain W S Baird, RE ........................................... 1979 Ex-Officio Members Brigadier R A Blomfield, MA, MBIM .......................... ....... D/E-in-C RE Colonel K J Marchant, BSc, C Eng, MICE .............................. AAG Brigadier A C D Lloyd, MA ...................................... Comdt RSME Major-General F M Sexton, CB, OBE ................................ D Mil Survey Colonel Colonel J B Wilks ..... ......................................... Regtl Engr Gp Brigadier C W Beckett, BSc ........................................... Comd II Engr Svcs Brigadier N R Sturt, MA, C Eng, FICE, MI Mech E ....................... D Brigadier J W Bridge .............. ............................. DPCS Corresponding Members Brigadier J F McDonagh Australian Military Forces .............................................. 1974 D J O'Brien, BE(H), MNZIE, ANZIM, RNZE Lieut-Colonel 1979 Royal New Zealand Engineers ...................................... N S Freeman, CD Major-General 1979 Canadian Forces ................ ............... ................. Brigadier S R Bagga Indian Engineers ............. ......................................... 1978 Brigadier-General Chen Kwee Fong, KMN, AMP, PJK Malaysian Armed Forces ........................................... 1978 Secretary and Editor RE Journal 1972 Colonel E E Peel, BSc, C Eng, FICE .............................. .......... Bankers Lloyds Bank, Ltd, Cox's and King's Branch, 6 Pall Mall, SW1 A Suggested Forces Mortgage Scheme for Officers and Other Ranks - J W Diplock 3 THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL gratuity, the service to afford to buy a comparable dwelling with his upon leaving to overcome this prob- terminal benefit and resettlement commutation. He also has of raising a mortgage lem at the time that he is settling into civil life with the problem whilst looking for a job. if he is to be Whilst in the service he is required to live in service accommodation life at that duty station. accompanied and to take an active interest in the Regimental return to their own home Regimental life suffers when a large number of servicemen away from duty stations at the weekend. the serviceman has to The existing system of married quarter rental means that choose between:- (a) living in service accommodation paying rent, or find a suitable tenant (b) to purchase a private house at a duty station, hoping to at the new duty when posted, or to incur the expense of selling and then buying station. own house has many Despite recent improvement a serviceman living in his especially when posted and either has to:- problems help from MOD (a) sell and buy a house in his new location with little financial impossible to comply with (the current rules governing refund of expenses are almost to recover the costs), (this is the cause of (b) live in barracks and return to his family when possible, and consequential loss of much loss of regimental life, separation, marriage problems trained service personnel), the well publicised (c) or occupy a married quarter and rent out his house risking high rates and insur- problems concerning repossession, damage, poor rent (taxed), married quarters rent ances, loss of furniture etc, as well as having to pay a mortgage, and contents insurance. serviceman to choose Clearly there is a requirement for a scheme to enable the Many consider that between continuing to rent and to buy "his" married quarter. they cannot afford to with the present increase in house prices (24% in 1978) ever own their house. continue to pay rent but must start a mortgage if they are to THE SOLUTION The serviceman should be given the choice of either:- existing rules based on (a) to continue to pay rent calculated in accordance with review), council house rents (or any charges resulting from the current (b) or to contribute to a "Forces Mortgage Scheme". with the assistance MOD forms a separate agency to administer the scheme The quarter from Building Society. The serviceman is able to "purchase" a married of a repayments are the MOD Agency. A deposit is paid and the monthly mortgage Societies. Tax relief is calculated using the current formulae used by the Building to the individuals' per- allowed by the Inland Revenue on interest paid according rates, additional mainte- sonal situation and an additional payment is added to cover nance carried out by PSA and furniture pack rental. produced by the The value of the property is fixed yearly by using the figures value for that type Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors/PSA and is the average ignoring geographical differences. The serviceman decides on of dwelling calculated mortgage advance that he requires and pays the deposit accordingly. A the mortgage has to show a advance ceiling is fixed at a maximum of 95% so that the serviceman serviceman's pay is commitment. The repayments are then calculated and the debited at source. and is allocated a When the serviceman is posted he moves to his new location and in, and continues to married quarter according to existing rules. He marches out size of married quarter pay his unchanged mortgage repayments. If he changes the certain quarters etc, he due to a change in family size, promotion, unavailability of and commences a fresh "sells" back to the MOD Agency at the new (higher value) agreement based on his "new" married quarter value. quarter to the MOD At the completion of his service he "sells" back his married Y ...... THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL Published Quarterly by The Institution of Royal Kent ME4 4UG. Telephone Engineers, Chatham Medway (0634) 42669 Printed by W & J Mackay Limited, Lordswood, Chatham, Kent MES 8TD Volume 94 MARCH 1980 No. 1 1 EDITORIALTHE Contents RIGHT PERSPECTIVE 2 A SUGGESTED FORCES PAGE MORTGAGE SCHEME RANKS. By FOR OFFICERS AND WOI J W Diplock (with OTHER 3 A POSTAL PALLIATIVE. tables) By Colonel D J 4 ALLIED GEOLOGISTS London (with photograph) IN THE SECOND 7 John Sutton WORLD WAR. By Professor 5 GERMAN MILITARY GEOLOGISTS Lieut Colonel IN THE SECOND E P F Rose WORLD WAR. By 6 Yo HAD BETTER BELIZE IT. By 14 Major T J W Robertson (with 7 COMMEMORATION OF THE ANGLO-ZULU Colonel A B Shepperd WAR OF 1879. By Lieut 8 OPERATION CORKSCREW. 23 By Colonel F H 9 FOOD FOR THOUGHT. Foster . .? By Major J A Jennings-Bramly 25 10 TECHNICAL INFORMATION By CENTRE, ROYAL ENGINEERS. 28 Lieut Colonel J G F Clarke TICRE 11 THE (with cartoon) DEVELOPMENT AND TRAINING OF THE WEST AFRICAN 33 AND WORKS SERVICES ENGINEERS IN WEST AFRICA TO 1949. H W Baldwin (with tables) By Brigadier 12 BOOK REVIEW 13 CONFESSIONS OF A CONSTRUCTION S G Tenison (with TROOP COMMANDER. photographs) By Lieutenant 46 14 THESTRIP BUILDING INDUSTRy OF BURMA-PART 47 B R White I. By Lieut Colonel 15 CORRESPONDENCE THE NEW RE CAREER STRUCTURE SAPPERS FIT FOR WAR (two letters) CORPS CUSTOMS GENERAL SIR WILLIAM DOBBIE 60 DISTINGUISHING MARKS 61 ESCAPE FROM SINGAPORE 62 16 MEMOIRS 62 LIEUT 63 COLONEL E H BOWEN BRIGADIER E J B BUCHANAN MAJOR GENERAL R L BOND BRIGADIER R S G STOKES 64 LIEUT COLONEL E F BRAWN 66 BRIGADIER R D KEANE 68 17 BOOK REVIEWS 6 Authors 70 alone are responsible for the statements made and the opinions expressed in their papers 71 4,250 Editorial THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE? have not been Mummy and Daddy, a long time, I hope you "Dear written to you for such a few of I am sorry I have not I was lucky to escape with the fire in the dormitory the net worried. When we had I unfortunately missed too I jumped from the window says that my other girls, but when the doctor the time in hospital. Fortunately, am careful I then had to spend some and providing I and me with any lasting disability, head injuries will not leave a fairly normal life. apartment. be able to lead comfortable in this small should to know that I am quite "You will be glad to go, and Mark-h he school destroyed, we had nowhere After the school was that I should move in with up when I fell--suggested going to be man who helped pick me tell you that we are boiler and I cannot wait to it will He is such a nice boy, and broad-mindedness him. customary tolerance is not I know that with your prospective son-in-law married. that the colour of your his father runs an no difference to you family in the Congo, where make He comes from a good am dyingto see you and same as ours. quite well off. Mummy-I be business, so they are I realize that there will armaments you about the baby. heart-to-heart talk to any prejudices which to have a work together to overcome but I know we can all problems, neighbours at home. circle of friends and this I am glad to say may arise in our you have read as far as and Daddy-now that living with a coloured "Dear Mummy not been injured, I am not Level has been no fire, I have however, failed my 'A' that there am I pregnant.