大象传媒

鈥淔or we鈥檙e marching on to Laffan鈥檚 Plain,
To Laffan鈥檚 Plain, to Laffan鈥檚 Plain,
Yes we鈥檙e marching on to Laffan鈥檚 Plain,
Where they dont know mud from clay.鈥�

(From 鈥淗urrah from the CRE鈥�, a marching song of the Corps of Royal Engineers.
CRE = Commander Royal Engineers听(of an Army Division)).

In 1937, as an officer cadet in the Royal Engineer Unit of Edinburgh University Officer Training Corps I had passed the Certificate 鈥淏鈥� examination in military engineering and was now eligible for a direct commission in the Royal Engineers in event of war.

On Sunday 3rd September 1939 Britain declared war on Germany. The next morning my comrades and I of the EUOTC queued up at our Headquarters in High School Yards, Edinburgh to offer our services.We were asked to return on 6th September for medical grading and interview by a Selection Board, chaired by Lt Col Moffat DSO MC RE, O.C. of EUOTC Royal听 Engineer Unit. By this time I had decided to apply for a commission in the Royal Navy where my knowledge of large turbines would presumably be useful. Such however was the power of Moffat鈥檚 personality that when he assumed that I had come to join 鈥渢he Sappers鈥漚nd written my name accordingly, I capitulated!

Meanwhile, having months earlier been offered a two year 鈥渃ollege apprenticeship鈥� at a livable wage of 50 shillings a week by Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Company Ltd I kept my starting date with them at their factory in Trafford Park Manchester and started work testing electric motors.

Ten days later a letter arrived, forwarded unopened from my parents Edinburgh address, notifying grant of an emergency commission to 101072 Second Lieutenant A L Shaw Royal Engineers, requiring him to purchase the uniform of his rank and to report to 142nd Officer Cadet Training Unit, Royal Engineers, Aldershot, on 11th October 1939, a date now only two days away. The letter terminated 鈥淚 am, Sir, Your obedient servant, signed Lieutenant, for Major General, Director of Mobilisation" with copies to both G O C in C Aldershot Command and O.C.142 OCTU RE Aldershot. It seemed advisable to get there as soon as possible.

Hastily I settled my lodgings account and explained the position to Metropolitan Vickers, who said that my job would be kept open until the end of hostilities, whenever that might be. There was only just time to catch a train for London and Aldershot, and to sign in at the guardroom at Malta Barracks, near Laffan鈥檚 Plain, on the evening of the Army鈥檚 deadline. On arrival, in civilian dress as I had not had time to acquire uniform, and with a standard civilian gas mask in its cardboard box draped around me by a piece of string, I was enrolled in No.1 (Young Officers) Class.听 Like everyone else in the Class I also had听a dual role, as a member of No. 3 Sub-Section, 鈥淎鈥� Company, 142 OCTU RE.听 This was in case of a surprise attack e.g. by enemy parachutists, and a reminder that Royal Engineers are also combat troops.

Malta Barracks was on the north side of Laffan鈥檚 Road and the Basingstoke Canal and on the edge of Aldershot鈥檚 Watt鈥檚 Common. Between Watt鈥檚 Common and the Farnborough R.A.F Experimental Establishment is Laffan鈥檚 Plain, named for a legendary 19th century Commander Royal Engineers. To its south lies Long Valley then a much churned up area used for tracked vehicle testing. Here I joined forty two other directly commissioned subalterns from the Officers Training Corps Engineer units of Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Oxford and Cambridge Universities. A similar intake entered 141 OCTU RE at Shorncliffe near Hastings. All of us held Officers Training Corps Certificates 鈥淎鈥� (Infantry) and 鈥淏鈥� (Engineer) from service with school and university units.听

This combined initial intake to the two RE OCTU鈥檚 of 86 young men represented the Royal Engineers junior officer requirement for nearly six thousand Sappers of all ranks, enough to provide Engineer support for six Army Divisions totalling 90,000 men.

Although given the benefit of the doubt by direct commission we were now to be put through an intensive six month course before being released into the mainstream of the Regular Army. There was to be one further directly commissioned 鈥淵.O.鈥� Class, No.5, at each RE OCTU. This would be formed of ex students like ourselves who had been delayed due to absence overseas or other commitments. All further intakes were to be of officer cadets selected from the ranks of Army units and commissioned subject to successful completion of their six month course.
听 听听
It was the job of the Regular Army officers, Warrant Officers and NCO instructors of the OCTUs to transform us all into competent Royal Engineer officers and for six months we were to learn to live like the troops we were shortly to command. It was made clear to us from the outset that No.l (Y.O.) Class was to set a standard of excellence for all classes to follow. We realised that we would probably be a rod for the backs of our successors!听

The whole peacetime British Army was designed as a cadre which in time of war could be rapidly and hugely expanded. This concept worked very well.The Commanding Officer 142 OCTU was Lt Col E V Binney DSO RE, a much respected veteran of the 1914-18 war. Sadly he was killed on his bicycle in a road accident some months after our course ended. His 2nd in Command was Major P.A.Clauson MBE RE, a younger man but wearing also the Indian General Service and Palestine campaign medals. Our Class Officer, 2nd Lieutenant L. McLean Young RE, notwithstanding his youth, was obviously picked like the rest of the directing and instructing staff for ability to instruct and lead.
听 听
Regimental Sergeant Major 鈥淭iny鈥� Upton RE, a imposing giant of a man, headed the team of Warrant Officers and NCO instructors. These included an excellent Company Sergeant Major (name, unfortunately forgotten), Sergeant G. McCaffery, Corporal Wiggett and Corporal Taylor.These men bore no resemblance to the bullying NCOs legendary in the 1914-18 war. They were highly knowledgeable, helpful, and controlled us with a light but firm touch.

In accordance with an army officers training tradition, already long established at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (closed as such during WW2) these Warant Officers and NCOs addressed each of us as 鈥渟ir鈥� at all times but on the parade ground could deliver a withering admonition, the terminal 鈥渟ir鈥� hilarious to the onlooker and mortifying to the defaulter. On the parade ground each Warrant Officer and NCO was a formidable figure controlling every manoeuvre by power of voice and personality. Our passing out parade at the end of the course did them credit. We drilled and marched as one, anxious not to let our mentors down. Under such tuition parade ground drill became an art form and when done well, very enjoyable.

The first two or three days had been occupied in being kitted out with basic army clothing and equipment, in medical inspection, barrack room allocation and urgent lectures on protection against war gases. Air spraying of mustard gas by the German Luftwaffe was considered a very real and immediate risk.
听 听听
We lived about twenty to a barrack room, each with an iron bedstead with three 鈥渂iscuits鈥� (square mattress sections) a locker and an adjacent rack for steel helmet, respirator anti gas, webbing equipment and rifle. Some, like myself were still in civilian clothes not having had time to visit a military outfitter to purchase the formal 鈥渟ervice dress鈥� uniform of our rank. I bought mine from Dollimores of Aldershot. The khaki peaked cap. tunic and trousers were of fine barathea. The bronze cap badge was an RE crest, repeated on polished brass tunic buttons

On each tunic lapel was a bronze RE 鈥済renade鈥� badge with nine heraldic flames to distinguish us from the Royal Artillery who have seven. The motto 鈥淯bique鈥� (Everywhere) below each RE Grenade explains why the Corps of Royal Engineers needs display no battle honours. The Corps have provided the Army with more of its Generals than any other Corps or Regiment.

A solitary 鈥減ip鈥� on each shoulder strap denoted our lowly rank. A khaki lanyard was worn looped over the centre of the right shoulder (left, for Royal Artillery officers) attached to a nickel plated whistle in the right breast pocket. With brown leather shoes the ensemble was completed by a brown leather 鈥淪am Browne鈥� belt and crossbelt. The latter, intended to support a sword, was now said to be redundant for the duration of the war. But we still had to buy it. Of that there was to be more anon!

By custom the Sam Browne belt was always removed on entering any Officers Mess. The sole exception was the Orderly Officer of the Day who was thus immediately identifiable in event of emergency.

In 1940 it was decreed that officers would carry loaded revolvers at all times in case of attack by German parachute troops. It then became necessary to purchase a brown leather holster and wear the supposedly redundant crossbelt to support the considerable weight of a Webley 0.45 or Smith and Wesson 0.38 revolver pistol. . We carried a cane 鈥渟wagger stick鈥� about two feet long, optionally leather covered. This 鈥渧estigial sword鈥� was an essential piece of equipment to RE officers. It听 was often used to anchor one end of a measuring tape when marking off fieldworks and measuring bridges etc..
听 听听
For what the army called 鈥渋nclement weather鈥� (rarely acknowledged as such on fieldworks) the uniform included a very warm well cut khaki greatcoat with sword slit and brass buttons. Also a buff coloured belted raincoat of impervious rubberised material.To underwrite the purchase of all this comfortable splendour we claimed a uniform grant of about 拢35, which did not quite cover the actual cost. This uniform was the wartime equivalent of full dress, used on formal parades or 鈥渨alking out鈥�. Our pay was 拢18 per month as RE subalterns.

Fortunately for our pockets the peacetime navy blue 鈥渕ess kit鈥� with red striped trousers etc was abolished for the duration. Also fortunately we were issued free of charge with standard battledress, consisting of rough khaki blouse and trousers with 鈥渇ore and aft鈥� khaki forage cap and blancoed khaki webbing anklets and black boots.

This was normal working dress,covered by tan coloured dungarees when on often incredibly muddy fieldworks. In theory officers and men alike wore the battledress blouse buttoned at the neck to make them indistinguishable in battle,In practice officers wore the neck band open showing collar and tie.While at 142 OCTU we also had to wear around our headgear the hated white 鈥渧irginity band鈥� compelling us to salute all other officers encountered in Aldershot or elsewhere. They were rapidly removed when departing from Aldershot on leave!

Much of our training consisted of lectures, interspersed with fieldworks, from Monday to Saturday inclusive from 0845 to 1645 hours with one hour for lunch. Four grey notebooks still in possession show that the subjects included gas warfare and anti-gas measures, army organisation, infantry tactics, map reading, interpretation of aerial photographs, field works, fortifications, bridging, road building, hutted camp construction, water supply, motor transport, weapons and demolition by explosives.

Experience of gas during the 1914-18 war caused our directing staff to give priority, immediately on our arrival, to issue of personal anti-gas equipment- respirators and eye shields - and to lectures and demonstrations of actions to be taken in event of gas attack from the air, particularly mustard gas spray.
听 听听
Tutorial lectures were supplemented by demonstrations, student lecturettes, and individual and team work in the field, carried out in all weathers.We built 鈥淪mall Box Girder鈥� and 鈥淟arge Box Girder鈥� temporary bridges, and, at nearby Hawley Lake, floating bridges from infantry assault kapok type to tracked rafts and pontoon bridges capable of carrying road vehicles or tanks respectively

We also erected large gin derricks and sheer legs (primitive cranes)and dug trenches to experience the effort involved. We formed syndicates to embark on 鈥淭EWTS鈥� (tactical exercises without troops) to learn use of ground in attack and defence, as Sapper units are trained to operate as infantry in emergency.

Various Royal Engineer officers acted as specialist tutors. Major Capper lectured us on Fieldworks, Bridging , Roads and Military Engineering and Demolitions (use of explosives).Lt Col Donald Portway, a Cambridge University Senior Tutor who had been a keen Territorial Army officer and was author of books on military engineering, lectured on Military Science. Major Cook took us through Orders and Administration. Lt Miller conducted our Motor Transport Course,and 2nd Lieutenant Young taught Map Reading, Aerial Photo Interpretation, Demolitions and Tactics.

The Motor Transport School was a highlight. It took place at a nearby parade ground after extensive M.T. lectures.We were marched there one morning to be confronted with over forty brand new BSA 500 cc military motorcycles, shown the controls and how to mount and then ordered to circle the parade ground several times to familiarize ourselves. After lunch we were each given carte blanche to take a motor cycle, without any further supervision, on to the streets and roads of Aldershot and district for two hours. Fortunately no one was killed or injured. On subsequent days we progressed to the muddy armoured vehicle training ground at Long Valley to practice cross country work. We were to be expert motor cyclists.

Joining the army in these conditions was not unlike being sent to boarding school but starting aged twentytwo. The analogy with public school life was heightened as many of the of No.l Class were ex public schoolboys. They were mostly easy to get on with. Old Etonians, of whom I then and later met a number tended to be very relaxed and easygoing. Having been brought up in England鈥檚 most prestigious school it seemed they felt no need to prove that they were better than anyone else.

An Old Etonian in our barrack room would often while away the last half hour or so before lights out sitting in bed knitting himself a pair of woollen mittens for use on Field Works! Others, not necessarily Old Etonians, displayed musical talents on tin whistle , mouth organ and ocarina. At least one played the bagpipes. Chess was a popular pastime in the dark winter evenings
听 听听
The appalling losses experienced in the stalemate of World War I trench warfare were always remembered and this was reflected in the World War 2 design of earthworks and other fortifications. Defence lines were to be designed as a series of strong points with all round field of fire through which both sides would ebb and flow in a new, mobile type of warfare. Hitler鈥檚 Polish blitzkrieg was already recognised as an example. Modern thinking was evident.

But modern equipment to meet the needs of the Hitler war, and later of the Japanese war, took a long time to materialise in adequate quantities. In 1939, of what was available, almost all went to France with the B.E.F.(British Expeditionary Force) only to be lost during the Dunkirk evacuation. The Bailey Bridge was not mentioned and was yet to be developed.

In addition to technical competence our course was also designed to impart high morale and pride in our Corps of Royal Engineers. Our six months at Malta Barracks was a yardstick against which we measured all subsequent Army experience and tended to compare the units to which we were posted.

One day when walking off duty along Farnborough Road I was overhauled by a bicycling Lieutenant-Colonel with 1914-18 medal ribbons, including I think the MC, to whom I automatically gave a smart salute. He stopped and greeted me by my surname.鈥� Well Shaw, fancy meeting you鈥�.

I noticed he was wearing a dog collar and as a Lieutenant Colonel听 was a Senior Chaplain to the Forces. It was 鈥淧a鈥� Sim, minister of Craigmillar Park Church, Newington, Edinburgh, who had not long since been Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. I had been a member of his Church Scout Troop (although a Methodist!) and his use of my surname instead of Christian name meant I had now grown up!

In January 1940 after Christmas and New Year leave we returned to find Aldershot covered by deep snow. Each morning we drove by bus to the Pontoon Bridging School to find Hawley Lake frozen six inches thick. Launching each pontoon involved the whole Class standing on deck jumping in unison to break the ice. Altogether 142 OCTU was a strenuous but enjoyable introduction to the open air life of the Army.The weather was never allowed to interrupt our activities.It was a pleasant surprise to find how rare bad weather is in Britain given the determination to ignore it!

In mid March 1940 on completion of our six months course No.1 (Y.O.) Class was dissolved. We celebrated with a Sappers Ball culminating in uproarious singing of every verse of 鈥淗urrah for the CRE鈥� , while dancing the conga with our partners round and round the Company Sergeant Major as he performed a Zulu war dance!

After home leave we were individually posted to active service Royal Engineer units over the length and breadth of the United Kingdom. Each of us seemed to go to a unit as far away from home as possible!
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