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 (Th Tps) Brigadier C J Boag 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 A M Mills CRE 3 (UK) Div Colonel T P Grimshaw Elected Members Colonel M R Cooper 2002 Colonel I M Tait 2004 Lieutenant Colonel M R Bassett BEM 2004 Lieutenant Colonel T F S Smith TD 2004 Warrant Officer Class 1 N Cooke 2004 Coopted Colonel I A Ogden 2005 Corps RSM Warrant Officer Class 1 C Maxwell 2004 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 W T R Thackwell, Exchange Appointment, Australian SME Colonel J W Shanahan OBE, 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 T P Grimshaw Colonel A M Mills Colonel I M Tait Lieutenant Colonel M R Bassett BEM Warrant Officer Class 1 C Maxwell 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. Institution Affairs Secretary’s Update and Editorial WELCOME to the first Journal of 2005 where we are continuing trial to send the Supplement by email did not receive sufficient with the successful combination of A4 and full colour. I do support to proceed with. To those of you who registered for this hope you enjoy it and may consider you have an interesting initiative thank you for taking the time to assist us. Our mem- story to tell or point to make by submitting an article for publi- bership is increasing with more Warrant Officers taking the cation – you never know, you may win one of the many opportunity to join and there has been an encouraging increase Journal awards on offer. I have often been asked if one of our in applications from the Territorial Army. It is hoped that mem- reporters, authors or photographers would like to cover a story, bership from this source this will continue this year. There has and on a few occasions I have been sent a bundle of papers been little support from Senior and Junior Non Commissioned and photographs with the statement “I am sure this would Officers on membership as this is tied in with the Institution’s make a good article for the Journal”. We do not have reporters involvements with Professional Development. I would like to or authors on hand, nor do we have spare capacity to produce thank all of you who wrote or emailed with your comments on articles. We do struggle to provide extra support to authors in Professional Development and membership. The Engineer in the drawing of maps and tables and we definitely do not have Chief (Army) will be presenting a revised paper on the subject the time to find and research images to complement articles. before the next Council Meeting. To those of you who were Notwithstanding that, we do offer limited graphical support, concerned that with the new initiatives the Institution may drift advice and guidance on articles; we give you the opportunity away from its current core activities and publications, Council to edit your final work and our very small team works won- made it clear at their last meeting that this is not the case and ders in presenting your article in a very professional manner. that expansion rather than changes is what is foreseen. Thanks Another way you can help us is by observing the advice to to the generous grant from General Dynamics we have com- authors by limiting abbreviations and especially acronyms to pleted the project of digitizing all back issues of the Journal the absolute minimum, and then only where they are very and now have the mammoth task of “book marking”. Once this common and well known. We receive more complaints about is complete, I hope the full digitized versions of the Journal abbreviations and acronyms than any other subject. from 1905 will be available in the summer. Our work on the This last year has seen many initiatives and changes not only book “Follow the Sapper” is nearly complete and we hope to to our publications but to our membership and possible publish in September this year. If you would like to place an involvement in Professional Development. The initial idea of a advance order please read the advertisement on page 72. 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. 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 June for the August 2005 issue. 7 October for the December 2005 issue. Submissions before the deadline are particularly welcome. 2 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 April 2005 No 1 Contents 1EDITORIAL .......................................................................................................................................................................2 2FLOATING BRIDGES ACROSS THE TIGRIS Warrant Officer Class 2 A D Pearson BEM..............................................................................................................4 3ALAMEIN – A SAPPER’S STORY Dick Richards MM .................................................................................................................................................11 4THE HIGHEST MOTOR ROAD IN THE WORLD? Lieutenant-General T B Nanda PVSM...................................................................................................................16 5 SO3 SEARCH – A JOB IN ITS OWN RIGHT Captain J J Coughlan BSc ......................................................................................................................................18 6STUDYING FOR STAFF COLLEGE Brigadier J H Hooper SBStJ DL FCMI..................................................................................................................21 7THE FLIGHT DEPARTING FROM GATE 3 – LATEST REPORT Major S G Tenison BSc(Eng) MSc ........................................................................................................................25 8IRAQ – LAND OF TWO RIVERS Colonel W G A Lawrie MA CEng FICE FIL FRSA ..............................................................................................30 9 “Reflectons on Leadership” Captain I J Saunders BSc FCIPD ...........................................................................................................................34 10 ONE WAY OF STAYING FRAGMENTATION FREE Major M P Walton-Knight BEng MSc CEng EurIng MICE MCIWEM...............................................................39 11 “THE QUARTERMASTER – PIRATE OR PRINCE? Captain S M Pemberton..........................................................................................................................................43 12 BRITISH MILITARY GEOLOGY IN