ThePioneerThe Newsletter of the Royal Pioneer Corps Association OCTOBER 2008 www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk The Last Post Pioneer Reunion Weekend 2008 ■ John and Terry at the Reunion Weekend 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Steve, Tiny and Wives at the Reunion Weekend 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Jimmy Winters with wife & friends at the Reunion 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Ex QM Graham McLane at the Reunion Weekend 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Taff Durnford and his wife at the Reunion Weekend 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Checking the temperature of the beer at the Reunion 2008 Picture: Norman Brown ■ Norman Brown presents CO with painting Picture: Paul Brown ■ Col Barnes presents CO with Col McAdam’s medals Picture: Paul Brown 2 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION ThePioneer t was nice to see so many attend this year's to paper. Articles are always more interesting Reunion Weekend in July, both regulars and when submitted with photographs. I those attending for the first time. All the feed I try to please most members during the one back that I have received has been positive as and half days per week that I am paid, highlighted on the letters page. A record 173 beds unfortunately it appears that I cannot satisfy all - had to be booked and with those just attending for see article on page 54. It is gratifying, however, the day I estimate that between 350 - 400 to report that both my son and I received many members attended. This must be a record since messages of support so we must be doing our 'home' moved from Northampton. Once something right. The instigators of this 'Vote of again I must thank 23 Pioneer Regiment for the No Confidence' should do something positive for work they put into the weekend to make sure it a change! was a success. Finally may I offer my congratulations to the Unfortunately next year most of the Regiment following: Front Cover will be deployed either to the Gulf or Cyprus, so Liam Dealtry on being appointed the Mayor of Royal Pioneer Corps events will have to be curtailed. We will still Bridlington. Association reunion guarantee that a good weekend will be held. John McDonough on his recent marriage at the weekend July 2008 Have you seen our website age of 72. Picture: Paul Brown www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk lately, if not go Pete (Taff) Thomas on his recent birthday - Fifty online and have a look. We have put online the (he must have had a hard life!). past newsletters, have a shop, updated the forum Stan Hussain on the award of the MBE in HM and have an online gallery about to go live. In Queen's Birthday Honours List. Stan is to receive fact you will be able to see this Newsletter before his medal on 30 Oct 08 and it is hoped to have it even goes to the printers! If this is sufficient for photographs etc in the next Newsletter. you please let me know and I will not send a Finally with this Newsletter we are, as usual, hard copy to you - this will save in postage costs. enclosing Christmas Draw tickets - please give As you can see opposite we have changed the this Draw your support as the funds raised help Association email address it is now: to keep the Association running. [email protected] If you find that you are able to sell more tickets I hope you find the articles in this Newsletter please let me know and I will gladly send you interesting, we try to keep articles varied and are more! always keen to accept stories so why not put pen Norman Brown Back Cover Painting of 23 Pioneer Regiment marching through Bicester CONTENTS | OCTOBER 2008 Picture: David Cosby 4 6 3 Editorial Registered Charity Number Editorial and contents 1024036 4 News / Past Events / Future Events Patron Latest news with details of past and future events HRH The Duke of Gloucester 9 George Pringle’s Story KG GCVO George one of our WW2 Vets who once again attended the Reunion Weekend describes his Vice Patrons call-up and early service 7 55 General Sir John Stibbon KCB OBE 12 My Life 1938-1946 Major General G W Field CB Hugh Sinclair describes his service in 219 Coy President and transfer to RAC Brigadier H J Hickman CBE 13 The Hall Story Fred Hall describes his journey from Westward Chairman Ho to Austria via Monte Cassino Brigadier C B Telfer CBE 16 Prisoner of War Controller / Editor WW2 seen through the eyes of a prisoner of war, a remarkable diary! 26 N Brown Esq 28 Reunion Weekend Photographs Typesetting / Design And what a great reunion weekend! P Brown 31 Letters to the editor Keep the letters coming! ☎ telephone 32 Tragedy of the Lancastria 01869 360694 First published in 1947 33 Smokey Joes ☎ fax Part I of EK Bradley’s experiences of life in a 01869 360695 wartime smokescreen Company ✉ email 48 Annual General Meeting Minutes [email protected] Minutes of the 60th AGM of the RPCA 50 RPC Association Shop ✈ website Please place your Christmas orders now www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk 51 Book Reviews Three books all containing references to pioneers 52 Last Post/Obituaries The Royal Pioneer May they rest in peace Corps Association 53 Death of an Ilfracombe Pioneer / Britain and its fallen heroes / Lost Trails c/o 23 Pnr Regiment RLC Keep your lost trails coming in St David's Barracks 54 And Finally... Graven Hill A little bit of humour and a vote of No Bicester OX26 6HF Confidence THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 3 PAST EVENTS ■ MR & MRS I Dewsnap attended A true pilgrim Founders Day at the Royal Hospital Chelsea to watch our In-Pension Micky Hull march with the rest of the In Pensioners at Founders Day. This is the birthday of Charles II as helps the heroes well as the date of his restoration as King in May 1660. It is also known as Oak Apple Day as it commemorates the escape of the future King Charles after the Battle of Worcester (1651) when he Gruelling 707k walk by Capt. (Retd) David Mills hid in an oak tree to avoid capture by the Parliamentary forces’. The Pensioners are usually reviewed by a member of the Royal Family. During the course of this celebratory day the statue of Charles II in Figure Court is partly shrouded in oak leaves, and all participants in the Parade and spectators wear sprigs of oak leaves to commemorate the King’s escape from forces after the Battle of Worcester in 1651. The statue was re-gilded in 2002 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. ■ TAFF (Peter) Thomas celebrated his 50th birthday by holding a large party in his village hall Community Centre in Roade. Over 150 friends and family were invited but because of the atrocious weather only about 110 managed to attend. Colleagues who had served with Peter during his 22 years service travelled from all over the country to Picture: David Mills help him celebrate. Former members of staff at Simpson Barracks also HE ‘Help for Heroes’ Camino de nationalities are able to transcend attended. Santiago walk is all over now. After 27 language and bigotry and form bonds His wife Christine prepared a five star T days walking approximately one and which in many cases leads to long wonderful buffet, everyone attending a half million paces from the 1st-27th June friendships. congratulated her on such a wonderful spread. 2008, climbing numerous mountains and It is my personal opinion that the core As mentioned earlier the weather was not a little pain, the end came when I values of those that travel the ‘Way of St. awful. An example of this was Dusty entered the Orbisco Square in front of the James’ are consideration, courtesy, caring, Bryant and his wife Zanaib were late Santiago Cathedral of St James. community spirit, cheerfulness and attending so were contacted on their I decided to run the final 8 kms. The courage. Armed with these, people set mobiles. They informed the gathering that they were outside in the car park feeling of satisfaction and joy at reaching out to find their own way and in doing so but it was raining so hard they were the end of a 707km walk is just too much generate bucket loads of happiness for waiting for the conditions to ease a little to even begin to describe here. Suffice to others. before leaving the comfort of their car! say that all the trials and tribulations The hardships induced by a The party went on until the small hours and the Northants Army Cadet encountered along the way were washed combination of the weather, the lack of Force Band gave a wonderful light away in an instant as the cathedral came personal comforts, blisters etc. or just the display demonstration. into view from the nearby hills. My legs loneliness that is common can have a received new power and I was propelled negative effect on even the strongest ■ THE 300,000 members of the Armed along on a wave of emotion and character. So, just when you are feeling Forces who served on Operation adrenalin towards the ultimate goal. sorry for yourself along comes a blind Banner in Northern Ireland, were After a mandatory ‘photo shoot’ to person, someone in a wheelchair or a 90 honoured at a service in St Paul’s ensure the ‘Help for Heroes’ T-shirt was year old on their third trip. Cathedral, London, on Wednesday 10 recorded, it was off to the ‘Peregrinos For myself I found I needed all the September 2008.