VOL. LXIX. No. 3 SEPTEMBER, 1955 THE ROYAL ENGINEERS JOURNAL CONTENTS Presentation of R.E. Brooch to H.M. The Queen . 206 Presentation of a Pair of Candeiabra to the Officers of the Royal Australian Engineers by the Officers of the Royal Engineers . 207 The Years Between . Leut.-Colonel W. G. A. Lawre 209 Queens' Bridge . Major K. M. Robertson 229 The Leap of Water . Brigad er L. R. E. Fayle 252 Corps Other Rank Manpower--ts Provision and Allocation In Quantity and Quality . Major A. F. L. Colson 263 Free-Piston Gas Generators . Lieut.-Colonel R. A. Lindsell 278 Road Denial in Well-Roaded Country . Lieut.-Colonel R. L Clutterbuck 286 The Use of Plastics for the Protection of Old Stone and Brick in Buildings Brigadier 1.Simson 299 Correspondence, Memoirs, Book Reviews, Technical Notes . 304 PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE INSTITUTION OF ROYAL ENGINEERS CHATHAM, KENT Telephone: Chatham 2669 INSTITUTION OF RE OFFICE COPY AGENT kM 15< S^rllTET.-.TT'- DU NU'' REMUVE CEM E NTATI O N: for sealing water leakages, arresting settlement of structures, remedying deterioration of concrete or masonry works. G U N I T E : for reconditioning defective concrete struc- tures, encasing structural steelwork, lining tunnels, water reservoirs and other works. FO U N DATI O N S: underpinning of damaged property presents little dtfficulty if F RA NCO IS BORED PILES are used. COMPANY LIMITED BENTLEY WORKS, DONCA8TER TeL DON S4177~- ADVERTISEMENTS i KNOW-HOW IN CYPRUS At Dekhelia,Episkopi and Limassol remains to be done, we have com- in the island of Cyprus there is a big pleted a vast amount of work-- and urgent job in hand: the con- within the scheduled times and to struction of permanent camps for the a high standard of workmanship British Forces in the Middle East. and materials-with a limited local Already there have risen fine labour force available. blocks of barracks, towns of com- Doing big jobs well, in minimum fortable married quarters, messes, time, is part of ' Know-how': offices, garages, workshops, clubs of the competence-won-through- and sports grounds of every des- experience we have been amassing cription. Forty miles of sewers, for three-quarters of a century all thirty miles of electricity ducts and over the world. Competence to over twenty miles of roads had to tackle any building or construc- be constructed. An adequate water tional engineering project that calls supply had to be provided in an for speed and quality. Anything of unusually dry terrain. While much any magnitude, any time, anywhere. SIR LINDSAY PARKINSON & CO., LTD. 17I, SHAFTESBURY AVENUE, LONDON, W.C.2 AND IN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, CYPRUS AND INDIA ii ADVERTISEMENTS II ADVERTISEMENTS VIKING JOHNSON FLEXIBLE COUPLINGS for plain ended pipes, 6° of flexi- bility on sizes up to 24 in. dia- meter. Fitted by unskilled labour. When laid, competitive in price with lead and yarn joints. L I VICTAULIC ' 1 ~ 4 FLEXIBLE JOINTS for Service pipelines are ideal for enfergency purposes. The stan- dard bolted joint can be fitted by unskilled labour in under two minutes per joint. P THE VICTAULIC 1 -:, :-; 1 TOGGLE JOINT without nuts and bolts, is easily fastened mechanically, in a few seconds. The War Office, India Stores Department and High Commissioner for Pakistan have standardized Victaulic Joints for mobiliza- tion work. Copy of our Victaulic Catalogue will be sent on request. THE VICTAULIC COMPANY LIMITED Manufacturers of Victaulic Joints and Viking Johnson Couplings Registered Trade Marks 'VICTAULIC' and 'VIKING '. Brook House, Park Lane, W.I ADVERTISEMENTS iii RECONSTRUCTION OF THE GUILDHALL ---- -:·Y i i. ·Q.:-1 ·I-- :"-,34 oJ.n .1.--- Architects: SIR GILES ScoIT, SON & PARTNER Consulting Engineer: BURNARD GEEN ESQ. BUILDERS: TROLLOPE & COLLS (Established 1778 iv ADVERTISEMENTS iv ADVERTISEMENTS RBU/i FOR TOUG# AS4/if MW TS WHEELED The tougher the job the more Onions' equipment rises to the occasion. Opera- SAPRPeRS tors prefer it for every kind of earth IN 9 SIZES moving project. The SCRAPERS are TINED robust, stable and enduring. CABLE CONTROL UNITS are smooth and R/PPRSII light in operation, simple to adjust and IN 6 SIZES maintain. RIPPERS with 3 or 5 tines use all the power of matching tractors to break every kind of hard ground. With t ee.u'g ROOT CUTTER BLADES they clear IN 4 SIZES scrub and sever robts to 30 in. deep. With CULTIVATING KNIFE they ALSO SHEEPSFOOT ROLLERS AND break and crumble ground to 24 in. deep PNEUMATIC CONSOLIDATING ROLLERS without bringing up the top soil. Onions' Tractor Equipment is made to match all the leading makes of Tractor, both British and American. On most sites at home or abroad you will find Onions' equipment keeping pace with the best. Manufactured by ONIONS & SONS (LEVELLERS) LTD., BILSTON Distributed throughout the world by JACK OLDING & CO. LTD. ADVERTISEMENTS v ATIVE STRENGTH, developed over the years, changes the sapling to the giant Cedar. So Cubitts have expanded through more than a century to become the world-wide organisation they are today. Now, as in the past CUBITTS build for the fuitture HOLLAND & HANNEN AND CUBITTS LIMITED ONE QUEEN ANNE'S GATE- IVESTMINSTER. SWI England * Scotland Overseas vi ADVERTISEMENTS You should read this - -y - f0 '7eedin/n7 . ng,( / PROFESSINAL is·-- '' ENGINER,<~S Principal Activities AUTOMATION NUCLEAR PHYSICS CONTROL GEAR APPARATUS GAS TURBINES PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS GENERATING PLANT RADIO & ELECTRONICS GUIDED DEFENCE WEAPONS RECTIFIERS HEATING EQUIPMENT . SCIENTIFIC APPARATUS If you are interested in Progressive INSTRUMENTATION STEAM TURBINES Practical Training co-ordinated MARINE APPLICATIONS SWITCHGEAR MINING TRACTION EQUIPMENT with Post Graduate Studies. MOTORS · TRANSFORMERS NUCLEAR POWER WELDING EQUIPMENT 7--- To obtain a copy write to:- THE MANAGER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. METROPOLITAN-VICKERS ELECTRICAL COMPANY LIMITED. TRAFFORD PARK. MANCHESTER. 17 Member of the AElgroup of companies A/ASOC ADVERTISEMENTS vii Power for SCOTLAND pART of the vast hydro-electric programme for Scotland is the Garry Project, now under construction at Loch Quoich by Richard Costain Limited for the North of Scotland Hydro- Electric Board. This project includes a large rockfill dam (the first of its kind of appreciable magnitude in Great Britain), two subsidiary concrete dams, a system of tunnels and shafts, a generating station, an aqueduct, a fish heck, and ancilliary works. The Consulting Engineers are Sir William Halcrow and Partners. BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRA CTOlS 111 WESTMINSTER BRIDGE ROAD · LONDON * S.E.1 Telephone: WATerloo 4977 MIDDLE EAST * RHODESIA * NIGERIA * CANADA VIiI ADVERTISEMENTS vili ADVERTISEMENTS for IWft! SPEEIL earthmoving Our high speed Caterpillar earth-moving do it for you too I Please consult us for fleet has been breaking production records details either of our contracting or our and cutting costs for others-we can plant hire service. J.IJaekson 4- soNY LTD. 88 PRINCES WAY, LONDON, S.W.19 Telephone: Putney 6857 (Plant depot) Smalley Green, near Derby. Tel.: Horsley (Derby) 384 & 416 : PROOF FROM JOHN BENINGTON LTD: ADVERTISEMENTS ix By Appointment PRINTING Makers of Weatherproof Clothing t the late King George VI Mackays of Chatham, the printers of this journal, are pleased to receive your orders or inquiriesfor printing of any kind. BOOKBINDING The binding department carry out work for the leading London d publishers, and are equipped for all kinds of bookbinding. BLOCKIIAKING In the process engraving depart- Tailors to H.M. Forces ment, line and half tone blocks This officer's uniform is made by Blurberrys, tailors to all branches of H.M. FForces for 50 years. Superbly cut and tailorred to in- are made for all kinds of jobs. dividual measurements, fit and saatisfaction are guaranteed. Write for Burberrys' catalogue of garments, travel and sports accessories; and for de- tails of goods on approva l. W. & J. MACKAY & CO. LTD. BUIRBERII VYS HAYMARKET · LONDON * S.W. FAIR ROW, CHATHAM, KENT D Telephone: WHItehall 3343 BURBERRYS LIMITE Chatham 2248 X ADVERTISEMENTS dependable power units from 4 to 2,450 b.h.p. RUSTON & HORNSBY LTD. LINCOLN, ENGLAND Associated with Davey, Paxman & Co. Ltd., Colchester ADVERTISEMENTS xi ADVERTISEMENTS 'Cl - . - - - - - - . - - - . AK K-.. & . A.-. A . mb-- im HOPE'S WINDOWS ARE HOT-DIP GALVANIZED Send for List No. 294 entitled "The Dover Harbour Experiments" HENRY HOPE& SONS LTD Smethwick, Birmingham & 17 Berners St., London, W. i Al- - ---- ,v W WW Wv v'W r W - - - - BUILDING, CIVIL AND MECHANICAL ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS Head Office: GEORGE WIMIPEY & Co. Limited. Hammersmith Grove, London, W.6 xii ADVERTISEMENTS xii ADVERTISEMENTS PRESTRESSED PILES (illustrated above) offer advantages of smaller scantlings, greater lengths and easier handling. Stent Prestressed Piles have already attained a high standard of efficiency. STANDARD REINFORCED PILES (illus- trated below) Stent H I Piles maintain their long proven popularity, they are reliable, economic and readily available. Stock sizes 12 x 12 in. in lengths 15-40ft. 14 x 14in. in lengths IS-S5 ft. All Piles are available for Immediate Delivery FULLERDETAILS ON REQUEST STENT-SYKESi PIESTRESSED HOL LOW PI LESt Easier to handle and cheaper to transportl These new type piles are longer than solid piles at the same weight, permitting a considerable increase in working load. Prestressed and sectional and incorportting four basic units, this important introduction ensures quick assembly to any required length according to ground conditions. -a - STENT PRECAST CONCRETE LIMITED I Victoria Street, London, S.W.I. Phone: Abbey 2573 & 2416 Works: Dagenham Dock, Essex. Phone: Rainham (Essex) 780 ADVERTISEMENTS xlll ADETSMNSxi 1 11 11 A. *g * I Built-up roofings carried out to standard specifications Features of The | may differ widely in quality of materials and work- Ruberoid Roofing Service manship. But a specification which stipulates that the * Built-up roofing under- taken on buildings of any work is to be carried out by the Ruberoid Roofing shape or size-anywhere highest standards every time.