ISSN 0035-8878 THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL © Published in April, August and December by the Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, ME44UG Printed by Staples Printers Rochester Limited, Neptune Close, Medway City Estate, Frindsbury, Rochester, Kent, ME2 4LT Volume 108 August 1994 No2 Contents 1 ANNUAL REPORT TO THE CORPS, Engineer in Chief .... 132 2 DISASTER RELIEF IN CENTRAL NEPAL, Major J R White MBE 142 3 WELL DRILLING IN BOSNIA, Major T W Wye 149 4 SUPPLYING WATER TO THE BRITISH ARMY DURING THE GULF WAR, Captain M P W alton- Knight 154 5 A PIECE OF FORGOTTEN CORPS HISTORY, Museum Director 159 6 UNITED NATIONS OPERATION SOMALIA II, GERMAN ENGINEERS - LESSONS LEARNED Brigadegeneral A Wittenberg 160 7 51 (AIRFIELDS) SQUADRON AIRFIELD REVISITED, KUALA PENARIK 1967-1993, Lieut Colonel J S Farmbrough 166 8 EXCAVATION OF A 2200 TONNE GoLD DREDGE FROM FROZEN GROUND, Major G B 0 R Jones 168 9 16 ASSAULT SQUADRON JUNE-OcTOBER 1944, Major General J C Woollett CBE MC .176 10 AMAZON BRIDGE, Colonel A P Daniell 179 11 INFANTRY FIRST? A POSSIBLE SOLUTION, Lieutenant I E S Nichols 186 12 BING FORCE, Colonel I T C Wilson MBE MC .188 13 REMINISCENCES OF DAYS WITH THE ROYAL BOMBAY SAPPERS AND MINERS, Brigadier J R G Finch OBE 194 14 COAST DEFENCES: SOME EXPERIENCES IN PEACE AND WAR, Brigadier M W Biggs CBE .201 15 "THESE DUTIES MAYBE CONSIDERED AS BEING SIMILAR To THOSE OF A FIRE BRIGADE" Major J D Beaumont .209 16 Two Days by the Upper Tiber, Captain E Lightfoot 216 17 TOWARDS GREATER STABILITY IN EUROPE: REDUCTION OF ARMAMENTS UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONVENTIONAL ARMED FORCES IN EUROPE TREATY, Captain D G Bowyer.. 218 18 ADDU ATOLL 1993, Captain S C Cowan 222 19 MEMOIRS General Sir Charles Richardson GeB CBE DSO 227 Lieut Colonel P M Bennett OBE 230 Colonel A S Murray .233 Colonel J R Simpson 234 Brigadier Montagu Champion-Jones 235 Colonel GAD Young DSO 236 Brigadier GTE Westbrook OBE DL. 238 Brigadier A G P Leahy CBE 240 20 MEMOIR IN BRIEF .241 21 JOURNAL AWARDS 241 22 CORRESPONDENCE .246 23 REVIEWS 245 This publication contains official information. It should be treated with discretion by the recipient. 4100 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 INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS (Established i875, incorporated by Royal Chaner,i923) Patron - HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Chief Royal'Engineer General Sir John Stibbon KCB OBE BSc(Eng) CEng FlCE COlJNCIL President Major General G W Field CB OBE ... 1993 Vice P"lNiidents Colonel A FGeorge TD MA LLM BSc 1990 Major General F G Sugden CB CBE 1993 Members Elected Ex OffICio Colonel W M Davidson BSc(Eng) CEng MiCE .1992 DG Mil Svy Major General M PB G Wilson ARiCS FlMgt Colonel J W F Sweeting LLB....... ....1992 D Engr Sp Brigadier R A Bradbury BSc(Eng) CEng FlCE Lieut Colonel R A Leonard MISM . 1992 Comd EngrUKLF. Brigadier I D T McGill Bsc(Eng) CEng Lieut Colonel N A Sutherland OBE BSc(Eng).. .1992 FlMgtMICE Brig G Hyde . .1994 Comdt RSME Brigadier P J Russell-Jones OBE BSc(Eng) Maj T P Grimshaw . 1994 Regt CoL........................ ....Colonel CPR Bates BSc(Eng)(H) Col PB7 Colonel P S Adams MBE BSc(Eng) MSc FCiS Coopted (non-voting) Corps RSM '" WOl (RSM) P L Brown 'DireCtor National Army Museum (or senior museum professional) Secretary: Colonel R I Rdve OBE ... 1992 Treasurer: Lieut Colonel A J Hicks .. 1989 Corresponding Members Colonel J T R Bradwell OBE BSc(Eng), BLO Fort Leonard Wood, USA Lieut Colonel P W Clarke, BLOPionierschule, Munich Major R C F Braybrook, BLO Engineer School, Angers ''Major E J Ward BSc(Eng), Exchange Appointment, Australian SME Captain P J Langford, Exchange Appointment, Canadian SME PUBLICATIONS C~MITTEE ExOffreio D EngrSp Brigadier R A Bradbury BSc(Eng) CEng FiCE Chairman 'RegtCol Colonel CPR 'Bates BSc(Eng)(H) Vice-Chairman :CoHi:ngr Svcs Colonel N Munro MJ4CEng MiCE RO 1 Author RSME Colonel M RCooperBA 'Surveyor Major A Keeley BSe Editor RE Journal Colonel R I Reive ORE Elected Senior serving officer Colonel I S Mercer CBE.... 1993 Senior retired officer Colonel MJPayne MA MPhil. ....1993 TA officer To be announced Coopted Museum Director Colonel J E Nowers BSc(Econ) FlMgt Secretary: ~s J D Scanlan All correspondence in connection with editorial matters should be addressed to the Secretary, institution of Royal Engineers, Ravelin Building, Brompton Barracks, Chatham, Kent, ME4 4UG The Institution of Royal Engineers is Registered as a Charity Number 249882 BUDGET, INVESTMENT, MEMBERSHIP, SCHOLARSHIP AND MEMORIALS COMMITTlEE Chairman: Colonel A F George TD MA LLM BSc . 1988 Vice Chairman: Colonel R Pridham OBE BSc .. .1993 Members: Colonel A T Brett BSc(Eng) .1993 Colonel CPR Bates BSc(Engr)(H) 1993 Colonel P S Adams MBE BSc(Eng)(H) MSc FCIS .. 1993 Colonel N Munro MA CEng MICE 1993 ColonelJ W F Sweeting LLB .1992 Secretary: Colonel R I Reive OBE Treasurer: Lieut Colonel A J Hicks ROYAL ENGINEERS MUSEUM AND LIBRARY Trustees: The Council MUSEUM EXECUTIVE AND LIBRARY COMMITTEE Chairman: Major General F G Sugden CB CBE Vice-Chairman: Colonel CPR Bates BSc(Eng)(H) Members: Brigadier P J Russell-Jones OBE BSc(Eng) Lieut Colonel E L V Wall MA MIMgt Colonel R I Reive OBE Lieut Colonel A J Hicks Dr J N Rhodes TD MA PhD AMA Lieut Colonel R A Leonard Coopted: J H Fitzmaurice Esq Secretary: Colonel J E Nowers BSc(Econ) FlMgt TRUSTEES RE MUSEUM FOUNDATION Chief Royal Engineer: General Sir John Stibbon KCB OBE BSc(Eng) CEng FlCE Chairman: J H Fitzmaurice Esq Members: Major General G W Field CB OBE Major General G B Sinclair CB CBE Major General W N J Withall CB Colonel Sir Idris Pearce CBE TD DL Colonel P E Williams TD DL Colonel W T Dennison CBE Colonel CPR Bates BSc(Eng)(H) Sir Donald Spiers CB TD A F Budge Esq OBE DL Secretary: Colonel J E Nowers BSc(Econ) FlMgt RE MUSEUM STAFF Director: Colonel J E Nowers BSc(Econ) FlMgt Curator: Dr J N Rhodes TD MA PhD AMA Assistant Curators: Mrs B J Williams J Rattue Esq A Gladwell Esq Administrative Officer: MrsGEden Telephone: Chatham Mil 2312 or Civil: Medway (0634) 406397 or 822312 RE CORPS LIBRARY Librarian: Captain R T Arnold Assistant Librarian: Mrs M Magnuson Annual Report to the Corps by the Engineer in Chief INTRODUCTION major contribution is in the former Republic of THIS is my first annual report to the Corps. Yugoslavia (FRY) where we currently have 387 Sadly, it is also my last as I leave shortly to take all ranks deployed on Operation Grapple. up the appointment as Resident Governor of Her Recognition of the scale of the engineer effort Majesty's Tower of London. and the requirement for proper command and With the exception of the Gulf War, this has control at an appropriate level, resulted in been the Corps' busiest year for a long time. I approval for the deployment of a tactical regi- report later on our contribution to operations in mental headquarters (RHQ) from 38 Engineer Bosnia, Northern Ireland and elsewhere, and on Regiment in February to enhance 11 Field our continuing programme of overseas exercises Squadron Group. The deployment of a second and projects. Running in parallel with this has British infantry battalion in March was accompa- been tbe drawdown to the new order of battle nied by additional Sapper support in the form of with the consequential disbandments, amalgama- elements of 32 Field Squadron, and this deploy- tions and unit moves. We have had to cope with ment was subsequently enhanced in May. I am the effects of redundancy. And with the visit of now satisfied that we have a proper level of Her Majesty The Queen, to Germany, the 50th Sapper support in-theatre to meet the demands Anniversary of D-Day and other high profile and challenges that operations in Bosnia provide. events there has been a great deal going on in As a result of the latest roulement, we have terms of Regimental affairs, as I shall report . RHQ 36 Engineer Regiment, 5 Field Squadron, I am pleased to say that our efforts are being 32 Field Squadron, 61 Field Support Squadron, recognized. CGS (Chief of the General Staff) 524 Specialist Team Royal Engineers (STRE) and VCDS (Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff) (Works) and an explosive ordnance disposal have both written to me about the performance (EOD) section from 33 Engineer Regiment of Sappers in Bosnia. CGS said: "During my (EOD), deployed in-theatre. These units con- visits to Bosnia, I have always been left with a tinue to provide route development and mainte- deep sense of pride in the achievements of our nance, camp hardening and infrastructure sup- Sappers. They have done a wonderful job tack- port as priority tasks, with excellent results ling all their projects with skill and enthusiasm." being achieved in all respects. In addition, there And from VCDS: "There is little doubt that the have been teams from the Military Works Force Royal Engineers are some of the unsung heroes in-theatre throughout, including the Well of Operation Grapple. Their efforts, working Drilling teams, which have provided secure particularly long hours, to improve the Main water supplies to both British and Dutch bases. Supply Route between Tomislavgrad and Vitez Military Survey. Military Survey has continued are obvious and, frankly, amazing." to support the UK contribution to UN operations in the FRY.