Craftsman Magazine - October 2021

THE CRAFTSMAN

Magazine of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

October 2021

Foreword

Introduction to the Corps from Colonel Jason Phillips ADC

I

t’s a great privilege for me to write this short foreword for the October 2021 Craftsman Magazine to introduce myself to you as your Corps Colonel.

I must start by thanking my predecessor, Colonel Andy Rogers, on the Corps’ behalf, for his selfless and determined leadership over the last 3 years. He has steered us through these unprecedented times with great calmness and an unshakeable smile.

Andy, thank you; all the very best for your time on RCDS and all that follows.

I commissioned into the REME some 31 years ago and have served in numerous Corps facing roles including at: 1, 2 and 6 Battalions; DEME(A); the Army Personnel Centre; the REME Manning Brick and most recently Regional Command. I’ve also deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan and on postings to the US and Canada. I have been Chairman of REME Cricket for the last 3 years – as a proud Yorkshireman you would expect nothing less I suspect – and for those that keep asking me: yes, it is true, I have a sibling who is also serving in the Army.

Turning to more important matters, as we emerge from the COVID constraints of the last 18 months, I see much for all of us to be enthusiastic and positive about.

The Integrated Review and Reserve Forces 2030, now Future Soldier, offers an exciting expeditionary future for all our people in an Army transformed by digitised equipment. More than ever before, every service person counts; more precisely every technically agile and competent service person counts. You should be reassured that the Corps is at the very front of delivering this Army transformational change with our people leading in the procurement and integrated

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delivery processes, as well as organising structures and defining future training requirements.

With all this change on the near horizon, of course there is much for the Corps to do to keep pace. This is my absolute priority and starts with delivering the intent of the REME Trade Review; developing our technical training programmes to connect much more closely with rank progression and have more through-career injects.

Concurrently we will develop and deliver a REME Strategy that informs our Skills Review and will ultimately shape how we will deliver Equipment Support effect in the digitised future. All of this will be challenging but is essential to our enduring success. What I would ask of all members of the Corps at every level (and I know you will deliver) is to: support these transformational steps at every opportunity as they are introduced; use your initiative to make the most of the opportunities these changes present; keep building team spirit and a Corps ethos through sport and Adventure Training; and, above all, look after each other and support each other along the way.

In return I promise that the REME, the Army’s Professional Engineers, will build on the success of all those veterans who have gone before us and continue to offer you a professionally rewarding career. A career bursting with opportunity and a career forming collective and lifelong friendships as a member of the REME family.

Arte et Marte Jason

Info

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Corps Formation: 1 October 1942 Corps Motto: Arte et Marte Corps Patron Saint: St Eligius (Celebrated 1st Sunday in December)

OCTOBER 2021

Contents Volume 77 No. 10

FEATURES Engineering in Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Editor: Capt Luke Langley + Corporate Communications Officer RHQ REME, The Prince Philip Barracks, Lyneham, CHIPPENHAM, SN15 4XX  craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk (preferred method)  subscriptions@reme-rhq.org.uk (for changes of address) ( Mil: 95481 4529 Civ: 01249 894529

Year in the Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Ex TIGER ESCAPADE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Coast to Coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Ex SAILFISH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Relay Channel Swim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Friendship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Ex TYROL SPANNER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Ex Noble Jump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Gap Year Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Curious REME Job . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Battlefield Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42

REGULARS Guest Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 UK Activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Global Reach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 From the Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Screwjack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Corps Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Corps Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

SUBMITTING ARTICLES TEXT: should be submitted in MS Word and name saved as per the article. No formatting, columns, power point etc. Articles to be cleared by CO/OC/EME or appropriate REME CoC, or nominated substitute and should be submitted as soon as possible.

PHOTOGRAPHS: MUST be submitted separately, in jpeg format and be at least 500kb preferably 1mb or more. Only photos over 3mb can be considered for the front/back covers and please remember captions.

FILESHARE: websites, such as dropbox are ideal for submitting larger files.

EMAIL: The ONLY email address which should be used is: craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk. Not MODnet.

Please use the article title not ‘Craftsman Article’ as the email title.

TIMINGS: The latest submission date is the first day of the month prior to publication. This does not guarantee the article will be published in that specific edition.

Births, Engagements, Marriages and Deaths: These will be inserted free to all past and present members of the Corps.

Contents: The contents of The Craftsman are strictly copyright and all rights are expressly reserved. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Editor, the Corps or the MOD, therefore no responsibility for these will be accepted. Whilst including an advertisement we are not necessarily endorsing the product and as a result, the publisher and its agents do not accept responsibility for any transaction between the reader and the advertiser.

Whilst we take all precautions with regard to advertising, readers are advised to take professional advice before entering into any commitments.

Letters concerning reproduction, contributions or any other matter should be addressed to the Editor. © Published by RHQ REME. Funded by The REME Charity. www.remecharity.org.

Advertising All communications regarding commercial advertising rates should be made direct to the Editor.

Sustainably produced on paper sourced from responsible sources using vegetable based inks.

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Front cover: 4Bn REME taking over Ceremonial Public Duties at Buckingham Palace.

General Handling: This publication contains official information and should be treated with discretion.

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The importance of Professional Registration in the Armed Forces By incoming IET President, Air Marshal Sir Julian Young KBE CB FREng CEng FIET Professional Registration is increasingly important in the Armed Forces and plays a significant part in creating a competent and skilled work force across the UK. Qualifications and associated Continued Professional Development should help bridge the gap between military and civilian trades. Although simply being registered doesn’t guarantee ex-military engineers a job, it could level the playing field and get someone an interview.

After a 40-year career in the Royal Air Force (RAF), I’ve always supported people developing themselves further through additional qualifications. The route often is through distance learning, which is hard work in a busy job. However, when you’re dipping into academia and then back into the workplace, the first time you answer a question or write an essay, you are better in your role because you are instantly applying that new knowledge and thinking.

I led the team with the MOD and HM Treasury that helped the roll out of the Defence Engineer Registration Scheme (DERS) across different branches within the Armed Forces; the scheme demonstrates clear value in people. The streamlined application process is excellent, and the Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) that step forward and take on the work to translate military skills and experience into qualifications will benefit greatly from doing so. I’m proud to be a member of the IET, because when I started campaigning on professionalisation within the RAF some 15 years ago, it was the first PEI to offer a streamlined route to Chartered Engineer (CEng). The IET for me was the RAF’s PEI of choice. Anything that can help streamline both the route of people into a PEI and the payment of fees is a positive.

As well as the DERS agreements, the IET is working hard to implement Central Payment Schemes in the Armed Forces. Having been successful with the RAF, with over 1,000 members Professionally Registered, we should be looking to roll Central Payment Schemes out for the other Services as widely as we can, including more companies in industry that already have had a lot of success with it. The IET welcomes engineers and technicians from all backgrounds; if you care about engineering in any or multiple sectors, the IET can be your professional home and has a unique position to fill. We need to be engaging with seniors and Fellows in all engineering organisations to promote the value in their people being Professionally Registered.

I’m looking forward to my term as IET President (2021-2022) and follow in the successful steps of all past Presidents. My specific area of focus will be to champion technicians and seek to facilitate the continued growth in their membership. I believe the majority of the ‘missing 3 million’ mentioned in Professor Uff ’s 2017 review of our engineering profession are technicians. We need to understand better what technicians are, what it means to be a technician and then offer them more through membership of the IET.

Find out more about becoming professionally registered by attending our latest webinar: What you will learn: – Benefits of membership and professional registration – Professional registration categories and application process – Our guidance and support

Register here:

theiet.org/craftsman-magazine The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No. 211014) and Scotland (No. SC038698).

The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Michael Faraday House, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2AY, United Kingdom.

Eat, sleep, engineer, repeat Julian’s President’s Address will be broadcast live on 14 October 2021 at 1pm BST

Sign up to watch at:

theiet.org/presidents-address

Guest Editorial

Colonel Paul Hughes CEng MAPM FRAeS Chief Engineer Remotely Piloted Air Systems Delivery Team ‘Information is the foundation of integration’ Defence in a Competitive Age - Mar 21

H

aving completed the OLAE course in 1997 to qualify as an Army Aviation Engineering Officer (AEO) I have never been disappointed by the engineering challenges the aviation world has offered. Currently the Chief Engineer and Type Airworthiness Authority at DE&S responsible for Defence’s Strategic Portfolio of Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) I would assert that the area in which I now work will however likely have the greatest impact on the future battlefield.

Over the last 3 years I have been privileged to hold responsibility for the larger RPAS in use by all three services in addition to some capabilities still in development. I have supported the Royal Navy as they procure FTUAS which will offer an unmanned threat identification capability in support of ship borne operations. For the Army Watchkeeper (now sitting with Col Nick Moore) an established capability which proved its wide-ranging utility during Op DEVRAN successfully searching for migrants crossing the channel. For the Royal Air Force Reaper an armed ISTAR capability which has been continually deployed on operations since 2007 (watch Helen Mirren’s Eye in the Sky for a taste of this capability).

It is however not the platform which is key but the ability for it to carry sensors and rapidly provide information and effects for a commander to make decisions which is the critical component; but what is next?

My current focus is leading full airworthiness certification of the RAF Protector capability which will replace Reaper mid this decade.

‘The introduction into service of the 16 long-range Protector remotely piloted systems will be the backbone of persistent, multispectral surveillance, with the ability to strike and act decisively against our potential adversaries around the globe’.

Defence in a competitive Age 2021.

A global first this Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) RPAS will be the only one in its class able to operate in unsegregated airspace alongside manned civil aviation. With an endurance in excess of 40 hours Protector will provide significant utility not just on operations but also in support of non-combat activity both within the UK and internationally using the advanced sensors it carries. This exciting capability has already gained significant international

Col Hughes alongside the Protector UAV interest with nations such as Belgium and Australia having announced their own procurement of this UK platform.

It is however some of the concept platforms with which I have been involved which hint at the exciting RPAS capabilities just over the horizon. An example being Zephyr, a High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) RPAS, which operates at the edge of space and smashed the world record for the longest flight by achieving over 25 days endurance powered purely by the sun. Alternatively, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) capability which the Defence In A Competitive Age paper (2021) describes as an: ’ innovative systems of optionally-crewed and autonomous systems to preserve our operational a dvantage long into the future.’

FCAS encompassing programmes such as Mosquito which is developing a swarming drone capability and LANCA a loyal wingman concept which pairs unmanned aircraft with those conventionally operated.

My time in this exciting arena has shown that the science fiction of the past is now being realised through UK and international innovation. The UK is on a path to develop and procure advanced defence capabilities which provide exciting opportunities for all involved to exploit both established and new skills to harness the true utility such current and future RPAS platforms offer.

Protector. Source: Defence Imagery, UK MOD © Crown copyright 2021

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REME UK Activity IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Ex Tiger Escaped AT Soldiers from 1 Royal Welsh LAD completed a multiactivity adventurous training package in Snowdonia National Park. Due to Op CABRIT 10, this was the last opportunity for 1 R Welsh this level of AT until 2023. See what they got up to on pages 18-20.

Ex Tyrol spanner AT 7RHA LAD undertook adventurous training in the Brecon Beacons completing multiple different activities. Pages 31-33 shows more.

Relay Channel Swim Key: RHQ REME Operations Exercises Other

Soldiers from 26 Regt RA Wksp completed a relay swim across the channel. They describe the experiences on pages 26-28.

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UK Sgt Fry, WO2 Thomas and WO1 (ASM) Browning completed a charity ride, cycling from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Tynemouth in Tyne and Wear. Read more on pages 20-21.

Coast to Coast Public Duties – 4 Bn REME have taken over Public Duties in London.

An article will be dedicated to this historic occasion next month. See also the front cover, with 4 Bn showing off their drill.

Battlefield Study 103 Bn REME conducted a Battlefield Study to Lenham in Kent. Find out what these REME soldiers were doing during the Second World War on page 42.

REME Global Reach I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Ex NORTHERN CHALLENGE Soldiers from 29 EOD&S Group Workshop have deployed to Iceland for Ex NORTHERN CHALLENGE.

Ex GREEN DAGGER REME Commando tradesman have deployed on Ex GREEN DAGGER 21 to test lightweight agile Equipment Support concepts in support of 40 Commando and alongside the USMC.

Op NEWCOMBE Members of 36 Engineer Workshop have deployed to provide equipment support to 20 Field Squadron; who in turn are tasked with constructing and developing aircraft hangers as well as accommodation for the CH-47 crews deployed there. Whilst the Vehicle Mechanics will provide equipment support to plant machinery and vehicles used for the task, they will also assist the wider Engineer Workshop where necessary as they are part of the team.

Ex PINESTICK

Key: RHQ REME Operations Exercises Other

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Ex PINESTICK is a Royal Engineers construction task. The REME workforce is there to provide repairs, inspections and maintenance to the plant equipment and vehicles used during the task. They will also get a chance to conduct AT whilst deployed in Cyprus.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Op CABRIT REME soldiers from numerous units are deployed to Estonia in support of Op CABRIT 9.

Op PITTING Soldiers from 2 PARA LAD deployed alongside their Parachute Regiment colleagues in the evacuation of personnel from Kabul Airport. An article describing the events will be included in next months edition of the Craftsman Magazine.

Ex KHANJAR A team from 29 EOD&S Group Workshop, including 3 Vehicle Mechanics, 1 Electronics Technician and 1 Recovery Mechanic, have deployed to Oman in for Ex KHANJAR OMAN.

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Engineering Excellence

RTR LAD CPD Engineering Project – Drift Trike build

The finished trike

Colin Furze - Drift Trike http://www.colinfurze.com/drift-trike.html Build team – Cfn Isherwood (VM2), Cfn Gray (RM3), WO1 (ASM) Bush.

Welding instructors – Capt C Milne (previous EME), Cpl Rostron (RM1).

Scribes – Cfn Isherwood and WO1 (ASM) Bush. EME – Capt G McKenna.

WO1 (ASM) Bush If you are looking for an interesting project that will enhance your engineering skills with a great toy as the resultant product have a look at Colin Furze on YouTube. Some of his builds are completed with basic tool kits opening them up to those new to engineering and perfect for REME engineers of all competencies.

His version is built without the use of welding equipment

simplifying it, we decided to use a welder to teach the skill.

During the national lockdown I spent some time looking for a project to test the engineering skills of some of the junior tradesmen within the LAD once we could return to work in a more normal capacity. The Colin Furze Drift Trike looked like an interesting build and the most fun once completed.

Recruiting a build team was easy once the YouTube instructional video had been seen by all, Cfn Isherwood and Gray offered their help immediately. We then set about sourcing the parts required and planning the build.

Cfn Isherwood After watching the video, I wanted in. The opportunity to build something like this from scratch looked amazing and just what I needed when returning to work after a period of being dispersed.

Essentially this build is the front end of a BMX, the rear axle of a go-kart held together by a bespoke fabricated chassis made from box and angle iron, a 110cc pit bike engine to power it and UPVC sleeves fitted to the rear tyres. The sleeves serve three purposes; firstly, for fun, drifting this trike is great fun and secondly to prevent the trike reaching its max speed of 60mph. So, safety has been considered. Thirdly from an engineering perspective they replace the differential or freely rotating hubs by allowing power to be lost through less friction with the road surface.

Chassis Made from box and angle measuring, cutting and welding were key to this. We had to consider: • The chassis length would accommodate the engine.

Wide enough to support the axle and house the bearings.

• Ground clearance.

• How to fix it to the BMX.

Drift trike 711s

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Rear axle and rolling chassis The next stage was to attach the chassis to the BMX this involved cutting an arc into the box to maximise the material contact with the BMX crank housing and welding them together.

The completed chassis

Cfn Gray welding the chassis

Setting up the rear axle was tricky in that the height was dictated by the size (top-bottom) of the bearing housings and the diameter of the sprocket, not creating a harsh angle between the engine output and the rear axle. This took a lot of measuring to find the right positions for all components, this was achieved and the bearings fitted over horizontal cut-outs for ease of removing the axle once the bearings were detached.

Drive The engine has four mounting bolts on its underside that we fabricated a plate to secure it to the chassis. The position of the plate would also determine chain tension.

In order to tension the chain first we needed to drill out the centre of the sprocket so it could be fitted to a go-kart hub

Finding the centre of a 10mm dia hole

secured with a key to the axle. This involved finding the exact centre which was tricky and I suggest you watch the video to see the method, pics attached to provide an idea. Three broken hole saws later and we had the sprocket and carrier bolted together and fitted. Thanks go to our then EMELt Lt Garraway (8 Fd) for drilling the hole!

Fuel and Electrics Not many junior tradesmen have experience with carburetted engines, working with a simple pit bike engine like this made the fuel and air delivery method easy to understand. The fuel tank is very basic, attached to the handlebars and we decided to fit an in-line paper filter that are very cheap to buy and protect the carb and engine.

The engine is 110cc, 4-speed semi-automatic with a kick start.

Fitting and setting it up was very straight forward as the engine came with all its required ancils. As for the electrics this was simple too, all colour coded, we added extra heat shrink for more

Ready for drilling

Drilling the sprocket using the centred pilot hole

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Rear axle set up

Fuel and electrics left to go on

protection and carefully thought through routing to prevent cables melting on the engine and exhaust.

Seat A metal tractor seat fitted over the rear axle. Using the box to set the height, and the inner circumference of an old brake disc to add strength means the rider can adjust their position forward and rearwards on the seat without bending it and remain a safe distance from the exhaust.

Lessons learned We would often stop the build and talk things through using a white board to explain various systems also drawing on the knowledge of other members of the LAD who provided input where needed.

Going into this both myself and Dec Gray had no welding experience. The EME kindly offered his assistance and taught us how to complete what we needed to and some of the theory behind it. This was a great skill to learn and I hope to do more of it on future projects.

We also learned the importance planning each step of the build as a decision in the early stages could affect an action further on meaning planning was key as was making decisions dynamically and solving issues as they arose. There were a few occasions where we needed to conduct re-work thinking problems through in detail and preventing them from occurring again.

Understanding how a carburetion works was really interesting. We stripped the carb to see in detail the components and discuss its operation. It’s a simple system and seems common on these small bike engines so definitely worth understanding if you do a similar build to us. The effort in the evenings was well worth it; its fun to use and most of all we built it, we understand it and can repair it and even modify it if we wish.

WO1 (ASM) Bush If interested to complete a project like this one I have added a parts list and costings to assist you in planning. If you want to know more about our build please get in touch with the LAD and ask for any of the build team, all of which would be happy to help. I have added a link to Colin Furze’s webpage above or find him on YouTube for other project ideas.

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Brake disc seat mount

Year in the Life

A Year in 26 Engineer Regiment Light Aid Detachment Introduction – Capt Bromidge, OC LAD

B

ill Murray once said, ‘Whatever you do always give 100%, unless you’re donating blood’, and I can honestly say that 26 Armoured Engineer Regt LAD consistently gives 100%. There has been the donation of blood (2 times inter-sqn boxing champions and the odd spanner rash) but for sustained periods it has been hard sweat and tears to ensure the Regiment meets its commitments. We have never failed yet!

26 Armoured Engineer Regiment is sat in 25 Engineer Group, part of 3 (UK) Div. It provides close combat engineer support to each of the battlegroups within 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade. When I arrived in May 2019, elements of the LAD were deployed on Op CABRIT 4 whilst commitments on the home bank remained frenetic, and it hasn’t stopped since. The ability to conduct our core business during my tenure has been challenging as we strive to maintain the balance of supporting our dependant sub-units whilst safeguarding our own training and maintenance requirements. The LAD has continued to provide tactically and technically trained REME personnel who are fully integrated within their dependent sub-units.

Supporting circa 30 variants of equipment including plant and armour whilst stroking the ears of Titan, Trojan (T2) and Terrier to

ensure they don’t ‘fall over’ has been demanding. REME tradesmen have continued to support a myriad of commitments with deployments to Belize, BATUS, Kenya and Germany whilst our excellent relationship with 4Bn REME has allowed shared synergies to develop. We are currently committed to Op CABRIT until Sep 22 whilst continuing to meet our demands on home soil and overseas training activities. It continues to be busy but its ‘good busy’ with plenty of opportunities. Consisting of 4 cap badges, across 11 nationalities and Cornwall, the relentless dedication, professional pride, and cohesion of the soldiers within the LAD is tremendous; always raising the bar, they never miss the ‘line of departure’.

OP IRON KRANE – 8 AES Fitter Section Scribe: Cpl McNeil Since the end of summer leave 2020 and the easing of the first national lockdown, 26 Engineer Regiment have been in full time, with FHPI measures in place we came back to a fleet state not looking too healthy. Before we knew it, there was a plan in place to rejuvenate the fleet so 30 Armd Engr Sqn could begin Collective Training. The Operational Readiness Matrix had been advanced by 12 months, so they were first out of the door for the Op CABRIT rotation.

Whilst the fitter section assisted in the preparation of equipment for exercises and other background activity, we were requested to provide unique Armd Engr SQEP in support of Op IRON KRANE. Working under 4 Bn REME we prepared the Land Training Fleet (LTF) in Sennelager that arrived from BATUS. This was a great success where we managed to present all Armd Engr platforms to the start line in good condition. Following a well-earned Kayaking and Sailing AT package at Portsmouth’s Army In-Shore Sailing Centre we went on Christmas leave for a break. On return, the unit adopted a muchneeded EC surge to enhance the LATF fleet and raise the BUF availability as it was transferred to 33 Armoured Engineer Sqn who would start pre deployment training for the 2nd rotation of Op CABRIT. Easter came and went, and we were straight back into the grind as 8 Armd Sqn would now hold the BUF prior to our mission readiness training serials. To bring my fitter section up to speed I introduced a Special to Arms training plan. Every Tuesday I would take members of the LAD out on to the training area and go through scenarios such as Trojan power pack lifts in the field and WR 512 recovery capabilities. This was also a great success as skill fade had hit everyone hard through lock down, so it was good to get out and get dirty.

Ex TALLINN DAWN – 33 AES Fitter Section Scribe: Cfn Fairhurst/Cfn Lindsey

The view from the top of a Titan

4th January 2021, a week before the rest of the regiment returned to work, we found ourselves staring down the barrel of an intense period of pre-deployment training. Our first big milestone was Ex SCARAB RUN, the squadrons CT CHARLIE exercise, a chance for the

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squadron OC to validate his squadron on behalf of the Commanding Officer.

The workload was high and the timeline short and with an inexperienced section we knew we had a large task to undertake.

33 AES fitter section had to make sure the fleet was ready, this included everything from the complex Titan, Trojan and Terrier platforms down to smaller pieces of equipment like Light Field Generators (LFG). All the equipment plays a different, yet vital role in the squadrons capabilities so everything must be on point and available for use. As the start of exercise (1st March) approached the intensity increased, the inevitable lastminute break downs, coupled with the increased assurance checks prior to deployment. All-important activity that tests every individual, ensuring our personal admin is on point! No room for failure!

Deployment day had arrived, and the squadron deployed, it was my first ever armoured engineer exercise and seeing it all roll out of the back gate was impressive. The 2-week package was designed to slowly build up in intensity, for the fitter section is was graft from the start! Complex and varied equipment brings complex and varied problems, it sure was an eye opener to see just how hard an armoured exercise is. But by the end I felt really proud of what I and the section had achieved. We kept the squadron moving and ensured they achieved their required training objectives. By the end of March 2021, we had completed our CT CHARLIE training, the first round of ranges, repaired 2 Terriers for RE TDU in order to assist PROJECT ATLAS, repaired the Warrior 512 crane which included a full removal and refitting, roped in the RSM to help change 320 track pads on our CRARRV and completed the BUF HOTO to 8 AES. I knew coming here I would be busy, but 26 Engineer Regiment is vital in delivering and developing the armoured engineer capability and therefore that means an incredibly large workload for the LAD. I have never needed leave like I needed Easter leave in April, but I knew that was only the start and post leave we step it up to BG level! Post Ex SCARAB RUN, the HOTO process to 8AES squadron and a wellearned Easter leave we returned to work recharged and prepared for our Mission Ready Training in Sennelager, (Ex TALLINN DAWN).

Ex TALLINN DAWN was the squadron’s first chance to work as part of the RTR BG and the fitter sections first opportunity to meet RTR LAD and the other BG fitter sections. This was the first major test for the squadron and fitter section, far from Salisbury plain and into the depths of Sennelager training area, Germany. For some of the section it was their first deployment with the army, it’s safe to say we were excited to get amongst the new challenges it would inevitably

33 AES Fitter Section in Sennelager present. Upon arriving in Germany, we took a day or two to establish ourselves and evaluate the task at hand. The peace did not last long and soon the inevitable flood of faults started to come in.

Immediately starting the HOTO process of the fleet, workshop, and equipment. We were able to focus on preparing the fleet for the time out in the field with minimal disruption, a good experience and a great place to learn our core trades and the handy tips tricks of the trade! We have learned more about the equipment unique to Armoured Engineers, Titan, Trojan and Terrier and the specialised role they play in enabling mobility, counter mobility and survivability for the battlegroup.

We hit the exercise phase with force, immediately getting an upper hand on the equipment and its resistance to doing its job! As a 3rd man on the fitter sections 434, I spent plenty of time working on Bulldogs. It was my first ever major exercise and it was a shock to the system, long days, even longer nights and what felt like a neverending workload. But both myself and the section stood together and tackled everything as it came at us, as an ever-stronger team. An incredible working experience for myself but also for the other less experienced members in the section. The bonds that were growing between the section grew ever stronger which helped the three weeks out in the field to pass by that little bit quicker.

Our time in Germany was very good, lots of work to do, more than enough to keep us busy. We were able to work closely with the RTR battlegroup and therefore help us gain a better understanding on how they do their business. The lessons that we have learnt along the way will allow us to grow as soldiers, trade persons but most importantly as a section all of which will help us prepare for Op CABRIT 9.

Arriving back in the UK was a good feeling, it was good to be back at home. Our ten days isolation period gave us a chance to reset and spend essential time with our families. Having handed over the majority of the BUF our work was certainly slower once we returned to the UK, giving us a chance to conduct range packages and predeployment checks for the ultimate challenge and test that was our operational deployment. The others and I are excited and are raring to go for our deployment. A lot of quality training has occurred, and I couldn’t feel more prepared to deploy. All the hard work, preparation and additional grey hairs on Tiff’s head were worth it and meant we were ready to tackle the next task, Op CABRIT 9!

30 AES Fitter Section – Op CABRIT Scribe: Cfn De Roche/Cfn Bickers From the point of knowing we were deploying on Op CABRIT 8 the Fitter Section recieved adequate training and familiarisation. As a collective we attended a vast array of MATT Instructor, driving, automotive and communication courses. The majority of the fitter section completed one or more course in order to improve their professional competency to further support 30 AES without having to rely on outside REME help. In turn this helped the squadron and 14 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

Overlooking Tallinn Bay on Freedom Day Estonia later battlegroup achieve operational effectiveness.

30 Armoured Engineer Squadron landed in a bitterly cold Estonia in March but thankfully Germany had already prepared us.

A frustrating handover due to COVID 19 endured but we managed to get stuck into the fleet. The first exercise, Ex BOLD EAGLE was the perfect opportunity for the section to get out on the ground and see how the squadron would operate over the Estonian terrain. A successful low-level exercise which brought up its fair share of issues that kept the tradesmen on their toes. Following Ex BOLD EAGLE, the tempo increased as we prepared for Ex SPRING STORM. A multi-national exercise where the BG could test, not only its own capability and tactics but more importantly the Estonian conscripts, as this is their final exercise before they are fully trained soldiers. The fitter section was split up into combat teams which entails, small elements from each sub-unit coming together to

RSM looking on as StA training is conducted make a more effective fighting force. This meant the fitter section was able to integrate with other fitter sections and see the capabilities of the equipment they support. Ex SPRING STORM wasn’t plain sailing, with the engineer assets being used constantly to clear minefields and lay bridges, it was a constant struggle to keep the equipment in the fight. It hasn’t been all work over the past 3 months, the fitter section has been able to get away on battlefield studies, adventurous training packages, ALDP, Driving competency including MOD 1&2, cultural visits to Tallin and Tartu, even SSgt Thomas and Sgt Gravestock were able to get away and compete in the Estonian Ironman.

38 Headquarter and Support Sqn – Perham Down Scribe: Cfn Tutt

CrARRV towing a Terrier AET during Op CABRIT

26 Engineer Regiment LAD took part in a series of CT exercises beginning with Ex TROJAN CRAWL a weeklong BCS Exercise which included 4 sections of 8 soldiers, refreshing basic soldiering skills in

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WALK in a mounted capacity with a plethora of various vehicle platforms.

Our fleet consisted of MAN SV, Bulldog, a light tracked armoured personnel carrier, seen with different role effective variants; CRARRV, perhaps the most important piece of recovery equipment the REME owns within an Armoured content. With all this equipment deployed, we could successfully learn how to camouflage these platforms according to our environments. Thus, allowing us to effectively operate in the field whilst remaining unseen to the enemy. Our knowledge would increase by learning how to replenish our supplies in the field through ‘Rolling Replens’ and understanding the basic tools required for self-recovery, such as the T35 Tirfer Winch using our Royal Engineer Fitter colleagues.

The LAD football team

4 Bn REME Integration Whilst the LAD relearned basic skills and drills, it is also very important to develop relationships. Over the past few months 4 Bn REME have supported us with enhanced level 2 support and FRT’s which has allowed them to develop T2 competency whilst reinforcing the LAD workforce. This has seen an increase of equipment availability during a hectic Equipment Care (EC) period whilst class 3 tradesmen from 4 Bn REME progressed through their 32 book. The strong partnership between 26 Engr Regt LAD and 4 Bn REME will provide further opportunities Having bonds with other units enhances teamwork and communication, which builds on a strong foundation for success.

Sport & AT During this time, it hasn’t been all work and no play. With the recent lifting of restrictions, the LAD was quick off the blocks to organise Sports and Adventure Training. Members of the LAD have been away conducting Adventurous Training events such as Novice and Intermediate level parachuting, with LCpl Cracknell (RE) taking part in and winning the Armed Forces Parachuting Championships. We also have sailing and a week in Weymouth to look forward to before the years end. The LAD has recently reformed its football team where we’ve played against the RDG and the Regiment whilst we continue to train in preparation for the Craftsman Cup.

Optimising Human Performance Taskforce (OHPT) Scribe: Cfn Tutt

LCpl Graham went to extremes to find his 10mm socket the field and developing personal drills. It commenced on foot from Swinton Barracks onto Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) with an insertion patrol and immediate set up of our Harbour Area, effectively commencing harbour routine, each section was briefed on the Area of Operations (AOR) and the developing situation. With the tactical scenario set in place, each section was tasked with various patrols and training methods to ensure the mission was achieved. Learning about advanced field lessons such as grenade drills and conducting GPMG WHT, which for some was a fresh insight.

We also had the exciting opportunity to learn about Explosive Ordnance (EOD) training and tell-tale signs in the field environment.

Following this exercise, it’s safe to say that all the soldiers attending either gained new skills or refreshed on practices that will help them develop in future operations. A lot of which we do not touch as often as we should. Our next exercise ended up being delayed with the focus on protecting the force during the Coronavirus pandemic.

A long dispersed period ensued and it was in October 2020 before we were able to deploy on the next TROJAN Series with Ex TROJAN 16 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

Representation of the LAD throughout the Regiment is vastly encouraged. With various strengths and abilities residing in the LAD, we can apply these strengths to other groups and task. As part of the OHPT, I had the opportunity to design the logo for the Soldier-made, mental health support group, ‘Optimising Human Performance’. I have represented the LAD on various visits including Commander Field Army, 25 Group Commander and most recently DCG 3(UK) Div. The OHP group is set to improve conditions and wellbeing throughout the Army, starting with Swinton Barracks. This has been successful including the upgrade of Snack and Food preparation areas within the Single Living Accommodation, setting up a page solely for the purpose of support for Soldiers and plans to encourage social and individual development. The OHP team is comprised of various cap badges within the Tidworth Area, utilising various capabilities and strengths from the RE, RAMC, AGC, RLC and REME.

Charity Scribe: SSgt Swiggs & Cpl O’Doherty On Summer Solstice, 21st June 2021 members of 26 Engineer Regiment LAD undertook a challenge suitable for the longest day of the year. They embarked on 24 hours of continuous running in aid of raising money and awareness for the Walking with The Wounded

Charity (WWTW). The event was organised by SSgt Mitch Swiggs and Cpl Karl O’Doherty who obviously didn’t want to make it too easy for those taking part, as they say “we do put the punch in the Army’s fist”.

Established in 2010, WWTW is a military charity for ex-military in the UK, providing a pathway for disadvantaged veterans to reintegrate back into society and sustain their independence. At the heart of this journey is employment.

WWTW recognise the inherent skills of armed forces personnel and want to complement these qualities, as well as provide support to transfer their skills into the civilian workplace. They offer assistance through programmes to those vulnerable veterans who have been physically, mentally, or socially disadvantaged by their service and assist them in sustaining their independence through new sustainable careers outside of the military. This includes providing support to homeless veterans and veterans in the Criminal Justice System, areas which are too often ignored and overlooked.

For the event, the twenty personnel from the LAD and 4 Battalion REME who were split down into teams of two in the dark hours and upto 4 in daylight hours. Each team ran a 5km loop and as many 1km loops as possible in an hour gaining as much distance as they could before passing on the baton to the next team. As you would expect for a day in the middle of any English summer, the heavens opened, and it poured with rain for over 12 hours. Despite this, spirits remained high throughout. Even those participating in the early hours had smiles on their faces and couldn’t wait to don their charity t-shirt and hit the tarmac. To keep the runners out of the elements during rest period, a large gazebo was erected on the tennis court and this acted as the hub for the event. Chocolate bars, Haribo and a burco boiler were awaiting the teams when they returned for a rest period, no wonder no one wanted to head back to work.

Despite starting the event at midnight, the distances set early doors were quite impressive and set the tone for the rest of the day, with the first team SSgt Mitch Swiggs and Capt Jo Ellett completing 11.13km in their hour. Everyone said they were just going to do their best and not worry about the distance however you’d constantly catch teams cautiously checking the distances completed by other teams prior to setting off barely able to run anymore but determined to do a minimum of 8km. Some showing more of a competitive edge than others with some healthy internal competition. Mid-morning the team were joined by Brian Wood MC, one of the charities ambassadors. After greeting everyone he changed into pre-prepped kit and laced up a spankers new set of AKU’s and with a huge smile on his face he completed numerous laps with the teams with a huge smile on his face. Never shying away from a photo opportunity, he signed copies of his book ‘Double Crossed’ for the members of the

LCpl Smith discussing the CV12 with DCG 3 (UK) Div Regt and joined the LAD for a group photograph.

Overall, this was an excellent event raising valuable money and awareness for a charity which we all might be in need of once day. A total of £720.00 was raised, with a total distance of 624.54km being covered. An outstanding effort by all that participated.

Conclusion Scribe: WO2 (AQMS) McNamee Reading back over the LAD activity from the past 12 months just puts into perspective how much of a strong team we have. An LAD consisting of 60 highly skilled and motivated tradesmen excelling at their own field of expertise which has enabled the LAD and wider Regiment to move forward on a sustained footing ready for the success and challenges that will come our way.

Members of the LAD looking fresh – It must have been early in the day

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Adventurous Training

Ex TIGER ESCAPADE

1 Royal Welsh LAD

Scribe: SSgt McLuskey 1 R WELSH LAD

E

xercise TIGER ESCAPADE (Ex TE) started life as a 1 R WELSH HQ Coy 2week package. Due to the unit deployment on OP CABRIT 10 this was going to be the last opportunity 1 R WELSH would have to conduct AT at this level until 2023. I was essentially told we have been allocated the money and you need to spend it. As a result, Ex TE evolved into a 5-week Bn package with the intent to train 150 soldiers in an AT discipline. The Ex was based out of Capel Curig training camp in Snowdonia National Park and we conducted Hill walking, Kayaking, Canoeing, Rock climbing and Mountain biking. Due to the relentless tempo of commitments that are felt by all first line armoured units, by the time of deployment 1 R WELSH were unable to fill week 4 and 5 internally. As a result, and with the risk of cancelling the last 2 weeks of training I pushed our available spaces to multiple units. This resulted in filling these spaces from: 3 R WELSH, AJAX Sqn RTR, 28 Engr Sqn, 4 ACS Bn REME, 5 FS Bn REME, ATR Winchester and 1 soldier from RCDM. Organising an event of this size in a COVID environment was problematic to say the least. Plan A was to conduct AT for 254 soldiers, some doing a 5-day course and receiving a qualification and some completing a 5-day multi-event package. Snowdonia National Park immediately shut this down and were unwilling to let these numbers conduct training. Due to COVID, Capel Curig was restricted to a maximum capacity of 130. I lost count of how many plans we went through but it was agreed that we could bring 40 ish people a week for a 5-week period. This was just the start of the issues. 12 Brigade refused to fund any AT until September and 1 week before deployment the loan pool stores informed me that they might not be able to loan us any equipment due to a COVID compliance issue. After I had stopped crying, I managed to make the best of a bad situation and produced a plan that would hopefully allow us to continue training.

On Friday 7 June the Chief Instructor for the ex (WO1 ASM Townsend) managed to collect equipment that would work for us from the loan pool and we were off to Capel Curig. Capel Curig is a tired but functional training facility that is ideally placed to conduct some excellent training.

Coral Whiteway (Site Manager) and her team were excellent at facilitating our every need, due to the length of our deployment we took over a large portion of the camp. On Sunday 10 June our first tranche of students arrived, and training commenced.

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Hill walking Scribe: Cfn Asparassa 1 R WELSH LAD Adventure Training in Snowdonia was a great experience, it allowed me to test my likes and dislikes and gave me the opportunity to take something I had done for years and turn it into a qualification. I really enjoyed hillwalking with Martin, our instructor, as he was extremely knowledgeable about the local

Lcpl Tarazona, Cfn Dennie and WO2 Corfield MBE

build my confidence and support me. On day one I cried entering the water and by the end of the week I was jumping out of my Kayak into it. He taught me to trust in myself and the kit. The course and the team were amazing! I feel like I made friends to last a lifetime. I would like to say a big thank you to 1 Royal Welsh for allowing me to take part in their AT package.

Canoeing Scribe: LCpl Smith 1 R WELSH LAD Recently I deployed on an AT package organised by the 1 R Welsh LAD. I was lucky enough to be able to do the full 5 weeks doing numerous different disciplines. My favourite was C2F (Canoeing). At the very start of the course I couldn’t do anything but go in circles, the instructor was full of knowledge, and by the end of the week I was a much more confident and stronger paddler.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the AT package, and would recommend that anyone who gets the opportunity, to take it!

Cfn Asparrassa and LCpl Tarazona area and hill walking in general. He found us the most picturesque place to stay the night! I found the whole experience really enjoyable, I then managed to complete kayaking and rock climbing during the following 2 weeks.

Kayaking Scribe: Pte Goodwell RCDM I took part in the KF2. I was taught by WO1 (ASM) Paul Townsend. He was so professional and taught to the highest standard. I’ve never been a confident individual when it comes to water however, he really took time to

Cfn Asparrassa

LCpl Bain and LCpl O’Kane

Mountain Biking Scribe: Fus Dodson 1 R WELSH

LCpl O’Kane

I was recently on an adventure training package organised by SSgt McLuskey. Whilst on the AT I undertook my MBT foundation level 1 which was led by LCpl O’kane. LCpl O’Kane was a capable and competent instructor who was very understanding and patient with all levels and experiences. The bike parks and trail centres were good fun and challenging for all levels of

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experience, he passed on lots of experience and knowledge. Overall, I thought this was a very well run AT package and I really enjoyed the package.

Rock Climbing Scribe: LCpl Klue 5 FS Bn REME Adventure training week with the Royal Welsh down in wales: I did rock climbing for the week and Jamie Waddington was our

instructor. I absolutely loved the whole week, thoroughly enjoyed rock climbing as well as the group of people I was with.

I couldn’t fault it in any way, and I feel like I had gotten a lot from this week as I pushed myself to be in situations I wouldn’t normally put myself in.

I’d never climbed on real rock faces before and this was a new experience for me.

Overall, I genuinely have nothing bad to say about the week and hope to have the opportunity to go again when there are more courses running.

Closing Words Organising an event of this size was hard work but extremely rewarding. It was nice to get so many REME personal away on AT especially after the year we have just had. I hope everyone who attended enjoyed the exercise.

In total over the 5 weeks we managed to give 87 qualifications in an AT activity.

Hopefully we have ignited a spark that will result in some of the instructors of the future. I would like to personally thank ASM Townsend as the Chief Instructor and all of the instructors we used over the duration of the Exercise for facilitating some excellent training, and the Capel Curig staff for being so helpful and accommodating.

Charity

Coast to Coast Charity Ride Challenge Scribe: Sgt Fry (LEAT (M))

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Whitehaven start point. Left to right: Sgt Fry – WO1 (ASM) Browning.

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s with most of the UK, the Land Equipment Assurance Teams (LEATs) normal routine has been quite disrupted during the lockdown periods, with audits being conducted remotely and most of the staff having to work from home. Therefore, after a light bulb moment, I thought it would be a great idea to get some of the team together to blow out the cobwebs and to organise a road cycling team bonding challenge. As a keen cyclist, I decided to take on the Coast to Coast Challenge and to combine the event with raising money for charity. We decided all the money donated would be given in aid of WO1 (ASM) Simon Cooper’s home renovation fund. I settled on a two-day ride, starting on the 14 July 2021 from the West coast of Whitehaven to the East coast of Tynemouth. Covering approximately 140 miles and climbing 12,000ft (which is higher than Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon if they were all stood on top of each other) through the Lake District and the Pennines.

Most riders taking on this route generally complete it in around four days. Surprisingly

Garmin course map

with this in mind, I had two sporting volunteers who accepted the challenge (WO1 (ASM) Browning and WO2 Thomas) and a willing support crew (Civil Servant) Darren Mawdsley and my wife Kirsty); we now had a team.

On day one, we set off from Whitehaven and began the 80-mile ride to our campsite in Alston. The first day was tough, I broke the distance down into 10-15-mile check points, where we met our support crew to refill essential water and to take on food (we needed it). The hills were steep, and some seemed to go on forever (we all now know what thigh burn feels like!). We worked hard as a team and managed to keep together and push each other on. Thankfully it was not all climbing, there were a lot of long speedy descents which were enjoyable but sacrificed all the hard work climbing beforehand.

This process continued for the duration of the day, after which we had completed almost 8200ft of the climbing and in a strange way was quite satisfying. Day one ended by cycling down a 25% hill into Alston. Luckily, we were not heading in the opposite direction to start day 2!

After a well-deserved night’s rest and with only 60 miles remaining to cover and much of the climbing behind us, we set off for day 2.

The first 20 miles mirrored day one as we entered Northumberland and then shortly into County Durham. With plenty of ascents and descents to start, we encountered some of the biggest and longest climbs of the trip so far, but also some of the most stunning scenery.

Some of the hardest road climbs in the UK are in County Durham giving testimony to how challenging this terrain is. After much of the climbing was thankfully behind us, we enjoyed a nice ‘relatively easy’ remaining 40 miles into Tynemouth, which for the most part, was an absolute pleasure. Throughout the trip, morale stayed high with lots of mutual encouragement and thankfully not a puncture or broken chain in sight.

Overall, the route was amazing and the majority of the route had great surfaces to ride on. The views were also spectacular to enjoy, once you had managed to catch your breath from the steep climbs.

The team including all the support crew were outstanding. It is particularly noteworthy that one of the cyclists was on his second ever ride on a road bike, making this trip an even bigger undertaking (with only 2 cleat incidents as well!). It was a real privilege to be able to organise and take part in such a challenge for a good cause, and to enjoy a change of scenery from our normal places of work. This was a highly enjoyable challenge that I would recommend to all budding cyclists.

Entering Northumberland. Left to right: Sgt Fry, WO2 Thomas and WO1 (ASM) Browning.

Tynemouth finish point. Left to right: WO2 Thomas, Sgt Fry and WO1 (ASM) Browning Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 21

Overseas Exercise

Ex SAILFISH 21/1 Ex SAILFISH is a Joint Force Enabling Exercise (JFEE) held in the hot and humid conditions of Belize, on the Caribbean Coast. Belize is a paradise country and presents unique opportunities to conduct construction in a challenging, austere, and real-world environment at the extremis of both logistics and lines of communication. This iteration of the Exercise consisted of three task sites using 30 pieces of plant equipment and multiple pieces of green fleet. 53 Sqn Fitter Section was responsible for the activation of the plant, the receipt of the green fleet, maintaining fleet availability during the Exercise and handing back the green fleet and deactivating the plant at the end.

LCpl Evans VM Class 2

5

3 Squadron, 39 Engineer Regiment deployed on Exercise SAILFISH21/1 on 2nd May 21 after 10 days of isolation in Kinloss Barracks. After 12 hours on the coach to Brize Norton followed by a nonstop 12-hour flight, we finally arrived at Price Barracks in Belize. This was to be our base location and where the LAD would be sited. As usual for the first few weeks of an exercise, we were extremely busy activating a fleet of plant vehicles at 0% availability.

COVID has ruined most things and the plant availability was no different. The RE Fitters embedded within the Fitter Section and the Plant Operator Mechanics (POMs) set about the fleet to try and achieve the highest possible availability to enable the three task sites to begin work. The Class 1 Vehicle Mechanics inspected the Green fleet loaned to us from BATSUB. I and one other Class 2 VM began to fit the spares that we brought from the UK. Acclimatisation PT was a particular highlight at the start of the

Exercise, walk for 50 minutes, 10-minute break and then walking for another 50 minutes was really exciting and action packed. After around two weeks of grafting on the plant kit, we managed to achieve the required availability for the Royal Engineers to deploy onto their sites and begin the construction phase of the JFEE. About halfway through the exercise the work calmed down and we were able to concentrate on the worse vehicles and we were able to max out availability at 79%. No mean feat when you consider the state of the equipment and the three-month lead time for spares! Once we were in a good place, we were able to do more things such as going out and seeing the amazing country of Belize and what it had to offer. The two biggest jobs we faced was replacing the clutches on two Land Rovers. As we didn’t have any overhead cranes, we used the SV(R) crane to lift the engines out. As usual, towards the end of the exercise the workload picked up again as the Engineers finished their tasks and collapsed back into Price Barrack. Both Class 1 Fitters and Class 1 VMs swung into action, began triaging the equipment and the Class 2s would fix them if we had the spares or demand them, before we handed the kit back to BATSUB.

LCpl Newman VM Class 2

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Altun Ha Mayan Temple, not far from camp.

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deployed on Ex SAILFISH 2021 and was lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit one of the islands called Caye Caulker. While I’ve been here over the course of the exercise, I decided to take advantage of being in the Caribbean and planned to do an Open Divers course. This was open to the entire Fitter Section including the RE Fitters, RLC storeman and Recy Mech. The PADI Open Divers Course was spread over 4 days which accounted for bad weather. We spent the first day completing theory lessons including a 3.5-hour DVD which was emotional, but totally worth it for what took place over the next few days. After that we were given our diver manuals to revise from. These had quizzes at the end of each chapter ranging from personal admin, how to deal with cramps, decompression, and the importance of the buddy/buddy system while on diving expeditions.

On the second day it was all hands on practical after meeting our instructor and deckhand. We went through how to set up all the gear, fittings & skills

and drills. This included things like mask flooding, oxygen tank becoming insecure, running out of air and a controlled emergency swimming ascent. This was practiced down at 5-6 meters and we would have to get up safely due to no air and on our last breath. At one point the instructor even turned off our regulators so we would have no oxygen. We then had to turn to our dive buddy to get air off them! This was followed by three more dives, each a little deeper. The last day were the “real dives” took place and was by far my favourite day.

Our deepest dive (15-17 meters) was where I found my favourite spot called “Rock Beauty”. We managed to stay there and enjoy the beautiful scenery for 36 minutes.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get to A Nurse shark on the sea floor A Ray swimming along see a turtle, but that just means was in Price Barracks working with the Vehicle Mechanics and I’ll have to try again next time! On each day we had lunch on the helping them in any way possible. This allowed me to learn a lot and boat, and on the last day we had good music and we were it was really beneficial to my trade. I was also lucky enough to surrounded by Nurse sharks and Stingrays which we were allowed to shadow the BATSUB Recovery Mechanic who was able to give me an just jump in and swim about with them too. We finished the course introduction to Lifting Equipment testing at the start of the Exercise. with 4 quizzes and a final exam. We all passed, got our logbooks, logged our dives, and went away happy. After all the planning and preparation I put in, I’m please we all came away with a qualification that allows us to go diving anywhere in the world. It is definitely an experience none of us will forget.

Cfn Legge Recovery Mechanic Class 2

I

’d been a Class 2 for five months prior to deploying on Ex SAILFISH 21/1 and I was the sole Recovery Mechanic from 39 Engineer Regiment in Belize. My primary role was to recover any vehicles that were stuck or broken down anywhere in Belize and to provide recovery advice to the Squadron. Before deploying we were briefed on what the weather may be like as it was at the start of monsoon season. This would make a big difference on the road conditions and would indicate how busy I was going to be. Thankfully, at the start of the Exercise, the rain was not too much of a problem, but the heat was.

Early in the Exercise I had two recovery jobs due to overheating which led to significant coolant leaks and radiator damage. I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to fly in a helicopter to visit both construction sites that were outside the wire.

Typically, whilst in mid-air, a vehicle had broken down and recovery was needed, and unfortunately this cut my flight short. I did get to visit the two sites (Camp Charlie and Cooma Cairn) which gave me a bit of knowledge on what the roads were going to be like.

When doing so, I figured that the SV(R) would not get up the last part of the journey to Cooma Cairn due to the width of the road and the two small bridges that wouldn’t take the weight of the SV(R). Whilst I was not doing any recovery jobs, I

SV(R) helping with a clutch change

Cfn Legge with the first of many successful recoveries

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MENTAL RESILIENCE

How are you feeling during these challenging times?

Fears about COVID19 can take an emotional toll, the mental resi

SELF ISOLATION

SINGLE PAREN

WORKING FROM HOME

ANX I

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SOLDIER WORKPLACE

If you’re isolating or working from home, you can create a daily structure, which will be your goal.

For example: • • • •

Consider what is important and set priorities.

Set clear working hours, take regular breaks.

Set aside time for exercise and eat healthily.

Communicate with others ; friends, family and work colleagues.

Stay Positive and we will get throu We must be Ready. We must be Res

DURING COVID19

ilience skills can help you remain motivated, focused and calm.

MENTAL RESILIENCE

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LEARNT SKILLS LEARNT SKILLS

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

SOCIAL SUPPORT

COPING

SENSE OF PURPOSE

MENTAL CONTROL

EMOTIONAL CONTROL

POSITIVE AFFECT

SELF-BELIEF

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PERSONALITY PERSONALITY

What pillars are a昀ected by this?

Think positive, challenge any unhelpful or negative thoughts, focus on things you can control: • • •

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We have a military family - support each other.

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26 Regt RA WKSP Relay Channel Swim

Team RA & Team REME leaving Larkhill

OIC Major Owen Larsen. Scribe Cpl Kristian Paylor

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t 0100hrs on Wed 16th June, 26 Regiment Royal Artillery Workshop set out with a 6 person relay team to swim the English Channel. This meant that each swimmer would swim for a 1-hour rotation before handing over to the next. Throughout, we were guided alongside a safety boat all the way to the French shore. Each swimmer was only allowed to wear one swim cap, goggles and swimming briefs, and with the sea temperature at 14°C the no wetsuit rule was particularly chilling.

The Wksp relay team consisted of; SSgt Chris Branford, SSgt Ben Quinn, Sgt Sean Kenny, Cpl Taylor Cox, Cpl Alan Jones and Cpl

Kristian Paylor and we were racing a second team from the Regiment made up of Regimental 2IC, BC19, RSO, BSM 55 Bty, BSM 159 Bty and the SSI. Our OC Wksp, Maj Owen Larsen was the support member for our team and also the instigator of this venture having already completed a solo swim himself.

Training started back in 2020 with a good mix of pool and sea water swimming until the country went into a 2nd lockdown and were then unable to train. The training window had suddenly been halved and the task of swimming the channel became even more daunting.

Team night time swim training

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Swimmer Number 1 Cpl Alan Jones I was the first of the six members to experience the notso-delightful conditions of the sea on that dark and chilly morning. Being the starting swimmer, I had to swim from the boat to the shore before we could be set off as the swim officially has to be beach to beach. The two minutes I had to wait, shivering on the beach, felt like a lifetime when I was waiting for siren to go off. I shook hands with BC 19 Major Mallett the lead swimmer for the Regimental Team and on the klaxon at 0132hrs we both dived into the dark water to begin the race. The first hour was hard; I wanted to push to get us through the initial waves and rough water which resulted in me pulling a muscle in my side which did slow me down towards the end. Overall was a great swim and really enjoyed the experience. Next up... A solo swim!

Team REME embarking The sea swims started off in Dec 20 with a chilling sea temperature of 8°. In these conditions we were only initially able to withstand 20minute exposure swims. We gradually increased the swim time over the coming weeks.

A couple of days before our swim window, we finally got the good news from both skippers that we had the green light for the swim.

The 2 teams travelled down to Folkstone ready for an early start. The forecast was promising, and we got off to a great start. However, we soon realised the skipper had slightly misjudged the tidal currents causing us to be pushed up the channel further than planned. By around 1000hrs the sun was shining, and the sea conditions were perfect. The team had to start pushing hard on every leg to cover the larger distance whilst the tide was with us.

After a gruelling 12 hours we were a mere 3 miles from shore. The headland we were originally aiming for looked within touching distance. But it was too late, the tide had turned, we got caught in the strong tide and starting drifting east across the coastline, helplessly watching the headland disappear. Nevertheless, with a great effort all-round with the team finally reached the French shore at around 1930hrs with a time of 17 hours and 55 minutes. Every swimmer had a full 3 turns in the water. Sadly, despite being almost within touching distance of the Regimental team throughout, in the coastal French waters Team RA are able to beat back against the tide slightly better and finished in a time of 16 hours 29 minutes. Still a monumental effort all round.

Cpl Jones in ideal conditions

Swimmer Number 3 Cpl Taylor Cox My experience of the swim was slightly different to a lot of the team, mostly due to the fact I didn’t seem to feel the cold. Gaining my morale from the shivering wrecks that clambered aboard and layering up with every piece of warm kit, whilst still struggling to put a sentence together really made me chuckle inside.

Sunbathing in my speedos and eating biscuits was my post swim routine. I did have to make the most of the good weather!

All 3 of my swims went well apart from a little detour on my first leg. I somehow decided to create my own path to France, apparently, I ended up at least 100 metres away... oblivious to all the shouting and sirens going off. The boat ended up chasing me down and I got a good telling off from the skipper!

Swimmer Number 4 SSgt Ben Quinn

Team REME finish

My first swim was at 0432hrs. The sun was cresting the horizon and the water was still. Some may say the conditions were ideal. However, the water temperature was a touch under 14°C which I can assure you is somewhat unpleasant. The first 20 minutes of my stint went by in a flash; my thoughts were centred around the task at hand and what an amazing opportunity I have been given… I’m swimming the English Channel! These

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thoughts were quickly and violently replaced with an overwhelming concern my entire body was shivering and how can I make it stop. Turns out I couldn’t. The cold water had got me and got me good. My stroke rate fell to low 30s and my body wanted it all to end.

Thankfully Maj Larsen had us training in the sea when the water temperature was sub 10° so I knew I was more than capable. I’ll not lie though… the next 40 minutes were rough. My subsequent 2 swims were much nicer. The sun was out, and the water had warmed up by a degree or so which made all the difference.

Swimmer Number 6 Sgt Sean Kenny I had the privilege to swim the final leg into the French coast. My energy levels were near depleted, but I needed to stay focused, keep my head down and keep swimming as hard as I could; we only had around 15 minutes before the tide changed again. Eventually the hard work paid off. I had landed on the beach in France accompanied by two other team members. I was exhausted, but once we were on the beach and lifted the REME flag the sense of achievement outweighed all the negatives that I had experienced earlier on in the trip.

Team REME rest area

Sgt Kenny nearing the finish

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Carving through the shipping lanes The accomplished 26 Regiment RA swimmers were as follows: Team REME (Channel Swimming Pilots Federation) SSgt Chris Branford 176 BFS SSgt Ben Quinn 132 BFS Sgt Sean Kenny 132 BFS Cpl Taylor Cox 159 BFS Cpl Kristian Paylor 159 BFS Cpl Alan Jones 159 BFS Team Coach – Maj Owen Larsen REME OC Wksp Team RA (Channel Swimming Association): Maj Paul Leister Regt 2IC Maj John Mallett BC 19 Bty Capt Ryan Thomson RSO WO2 (BSM) Jaime Shilling BSM 159 Bty WO2 (BSM) Adam Swinscoe BSM 55 Bty SSgt Steven Burnell SSI Team Coach – Capt Harry Grantham RHA (Kings Troop)

Team REME swim track

Peoples Stories

Friendship Lt Col (Retd) John Edwards OBE recounts some of the friendships made during a long and varied career in the REME. Scribe Lt Col (Retd) John Edwards OBE

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ntil I read the April edition of The Craftsman, I didn’t know that there was an “International Day of Friendship” to be held on 30th July.

That date is not in my diary, my wedding anniversary the following day is!

As for REME friendship, where do you begin? You make friends right from the start. I still keep in touch, and meet up, with friends going back to school days from Welbeck College (1973-75) then the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (1975 – 77), and then to the Royal Military College of Science, Shrivenham (1978-82). Jon, a REME friend from my youth, was going to be my best man but found himself in the Falklands War (1982) and I was forced to have a Sapper replacement. There are many stories about our (Jon and I) friendship from RYO Courses (what goes on courses stops on courses) to my mum doing his washing, to later, my wife doing his washing (he eventually bought a Hotpoint), and to bumping into him on the helipad in the Green Zone, Baghdad (2006). I could go on, especially as our friendship blossomed when he was Regt Col and I worked for him on Corps recruiting but having spoken to the editor, I have been limited to 500 words.

Bill and I dressed appropriately to watch the annual Warrant Officer John Muise ice hockey tournament at the Andy Anderson arena, Base Borden So, my special friendship story is about the time (1995-97) spent in Canada, at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Borden, when as a British Exchange Officer, I was OC Artisan Company responsible for overseeing the technical training for all Canadian EME soldiers/technicians in the trades: Fire Control Systems, Materials and Weapons. It was a wonderful 2 years, and my

Maj Bill Thompson (left) and I in our day, 1996, prior to the annual CFSEME Parade

Capt Greg Crowe (left), Bill (right) and I in 2019 having Canadian refreshment

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family and I had a really enjoyable time making many more friends; friends we still see today.

A really good friend, a friend for life, was Maj Bill Thompson, OC HQ Coy. I relied on him a great deal, he was experienced in all manner of things EME, was a fountain of knowledge on all things technical training, and had a thoroughly good sense of humour; he had been about a bit and had seen a lot. A truly good man with a lovely family, who lived 3 doors down, at 7 Popular Place. My wife, Rosemary, got on very well with his wife, Jane, and our daughter, Charlotte, made friends quickly with their daughters, Kelly and Meghan. We spent a great deal of time together; we have the same values and standards, and it was fun. Sadly, Meghan has died but she is remembered when we FaceTime. Whilst at Borden, I learnt to play ice hockey and Bill lent me the kit, same for skiing.

We would spend time at the ice rink cheering on the CFSEME “A” team, at which he would explain the rules. Knowing the rules came in handy when we both played for the “C” team in the annual EME Tournament – a week of playing ice hockey and because so many teams Bill and I in 2019 watching the Barrie Colts - Ontario Hockey League Ice Hockey had entered, we had to play at ‘ridiculous and I had one in Capt Greg Crowe. I realise delegation is an ’art’ and I o’clock’ – being woken by Bill at 0400 hours to put on cold kit to go gave Greg a lot to do but he immediately knew and understood my and play is not to be recommended. He introduced me to Harley intent, which was a tad scary – he done good. Now a police officer in Davidsons, skidoos, Canadian beer, Canadian whisky, Canadian the Barrie/Toronto area, he is doing another fine job. I’ve sat in the maple syrup and much much more. Bill went onto command Art Coy back of his police car just for the experience – promise! That’s and never once complained about the skeletons that I left behind in friendship. For the first time in many a year, because of COVID, I failed the cupboard; an all-round decent person. That’s friendship. to return to Canada last Nov to watch some ice hockey, primarily, the To allow me to explore Borden and Canada, and have time to play REME Stallions and BATUS Wolves, and, of course, meet up with ice hockey, soccer (football), go on the ski slopes, and trips to friends; fingers crossed for Nov 2021.

Niagara Falls with visitors, I needed a good, an incredibly good 2IC,

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20/01/2021 20:26:45

Adventurous Training

Ex TYROL SPANNER 7RHA LAD

Scribe: LCpl Neil. OC Wksp: Capt Fox ASM: WO1 Collenette

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f what can only feel as an overly long and overdue period without Adventure Training (AT) due to the constraints of COVID-19, on the first week in July, 7 PARA RHA Wksp deployed to the Brecon Beacons to conduct Level 2 AT. With a firm base at Maindy Barracks in Cardiff, the Ex allowed the majority of Wksp personnel to hone their skills on a number of challenging outdoor pursuit activities; mountaineering, mountain biking, gorge scrambling and some additional outsourced team building events.

DAY 1 We kickstarted the week with a five hour journey from Colchester to the ever sunny Brecon Beacons national park. With the Wksp split into two groups for instructor to student ratios, those mountain biking arrived at Afan Forest and were immediately sized up onto our bikes for the day ahead by our steely eyed instructors; Sgt Smith, Cpl Gutteridge and LCpl Finch. We were instantly put into the deep end and started the ascent on one of Afan forests notoriously hilly red routes. It was a lactic acid shock to the system and challenging but also rewarding at the same time. The day was long and challenging but rewarding and set the scene for the week ahead.

Pen-y-Fan descent

Mountain Biking Afan Forest

DAY 2 The next day the groups rotated, and it was my time to submerse myself into the mountaineering activity. We were somewhat surprised, yet keen to find out we were doing a part of one of the UKSF selection routes and what’s arguably one of Wales’s most famous landmarks - Pen-y-Fan. Our navigation skills and mental reliance were certainly tested and on what can only be described as the mountaineering equivalent of ‘going off-piste’. Each of us had the opportunity to lead a leg at different checkpoints of a circular route within the Black mountains. We were of course faced with the standard typical welsh weather throughout the day, which made the navigation even more challenging. It was however an amazing experience once we completed the walk. I felt accomplished and confident with my navigation skills but also tired from a nearly 20mile walk!

DAY 3 Halfway through the week, the two groups came together to go mountain biking again in Afan forest.

This time we used our newly found skills and tackled even more technically challenging routes. The groups were split into 3 for the varying abilities, which allowed our confidence to grow and for everyone to benefit. The routes were longer and harder than first anticipated, but everyone managed to get through the day ending it in the bike skills park. Of course, it wouldn’t be a challenging activity if those involved didn’t push themselves – fortunately those stuntmen had only bruised their egos and apart from the odd graze here and there, everyone made it home for tea and medals.

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DAY 5 For those of us that had any energy left from the week, the last day culminated with a morning at the ever popular GO Ape. Who doesn’t want to climb up and jump off trees, and further expose themselves to some underestimated tree heights! Shortly after this event, we swapped the harnesses for a set of speedos and a wetsuit to tackle Cardiff bays aqua park, an inflatable assault course on water. From the junior ranks to the seniors everyone forgot what the rules were and simply let loose…maybe getting into trouble here and there but everyone had a lot fun and it was a great ending to a challenging and thoroughly enjoyable week of AT.

Cpl Gutteridge Wheely

DAY 4 The following day we all went gorge scrambling. It basically consisted of jumping into freezing cold water, fast flowing torrents and rivers, crawling through tight ravines and spaces and being dragged away by the current from waterfalls at varying heights.

There were also a number of confidence tests that stimulated some acrophobia in some but with some supportive teamwork and healthy banter – this was easily overcome. This to me, this was the best activity of the week, it was fun, exciting, a test of character and promoted some good competition.

Cardiff Bay Aqua Park

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LCpl Neil collision

Exercise

3rd Bn The RIFLES LAD OC LAD: Capt Sean Hunter ASM: WO1 Michael Foster Scribe: Cfn Niamh Brookes

Ex NOBLE JUMP 2 - Romania

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lements of 3 RIFLES LAD deployed on Ex NOBLE JUMP from April until July as part of NATOs Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). The exercise consisted of over 5,000 troops from 13 different nations, providing a great insight into other nation’s capabilities, whilst also providing opportunities for some inter-operability activities. Fire Support Coy Ftr Sect, led by SSgt Moore, provided the 3 RIFLES 1st line ES, supporting over 35 platforms of predominantly Jackal and MAN SVs. The limited knowledge about the terrain, coupled with the geographical reach and logistical constraints meant that the deployment would be challenging throughout.

Following a substantial period at sea, the fleet arrived at Constanta Port and embarked on a 500km road move across Romania to Cincu. Despite generating some ES workload along the way, the troops enjoyed the opportunity to travel on the famous Transfagarasan highway, which was featured in the ‘Romanian Road Trip’ episode of Top Gear and was branded by Jeremy Clarkson as one of

the greatest roads to drive in Europe. This enlightened what was a testing phase of the exercise, despite the news that two Jackal gearboxes would require our attention when we finally reached Cincu.

Being attached to an Infantry sub-unit, it presented the Coy Ftr Sect with numerous opportunities to participate in some low-level military training. Range packages were aplenty, and this allowed junior tradesmen to hone their skills on various weapon systems such as the Glock, HMG and GMG. Cfn Brookes displayed her marksmanship talent on the Glock weapon system on more than one occasion, showing up several Infantrymen. The Joint Allied Power Demonstration Day (JAPDD) was a major event of the Ex STEADFAST DEFENDER 21, designed to demonstrate the collective defence capabilities and fire power that NATO is capable of at short notice. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) was provided by Fire Support Coy with the inclusion of 9 Jackals, designed to operate at high speeds over rough terrain.

With the current climate of COVID-19, AT and excursion opportunities were at a premium, but the Coy Ftr Sect were able to deploy out and visit Dracula’s Castle in Brasov. There was also some free fitness on offer, mountain biking through the Carpathian Mountains and a worthwhile day trip to enjoy the local towns and culture. The deployment finished on a high with Cpl Philp receiving a CO’s coin for his outstanding technical and leadership abilities and contribution throughout the exercise.

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REME Careers

My Year as a Gap Year Commissioned Officer Second Lieutenant Will Barker details his experience serving with the REME during his Gap Year Commission. Getting a chance to see what military life is like and the variety of employment opportunities, this is undoubtably more exciting than your typical placement job. The scheme aims to attract the best Graduates to the Army, bringing us in line with our civilian counterparts and ensuring that we maintain the quality needed when recruiting future leaders.

Foreword – Maj Owen McNamee, RHQ REME, SO2 Officer Recruiting

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he Gap Year Commission (GYC) scheme has been rebranded and will be known as the Army Internship Scheme from 2021 onwards. The only significant difference between the two schemes is that the Internship is open to recent Graduates, up to the age of 28, as well as those who are between school and university and have a firm offer to study. The scheme remains funded for 30 places per annum, across the Army and the REME normally takes 2 cadets per year. All cadets will complete Mod A-E of the Commissioning Course Short (CCS).

The application process for the Army Internship Scheme remains the same as the GYC scheme. Candidates apply by visiting the Army Officer Internship page on the Army Jobs site (googling ‘Army Internship’ will also bring the link straight up).

They will undergo eligibility and medical checks before attending Briefing and Main Board assessment events at Army Officer Selection Board. Candidates must select three choices of capbadge with whom they wish to complete their Internship.

The National Recruiting Centre (NRC) will supply candidates with a list of placement opportunities which includes contact details for Regtl reps. Once candidates have completed Briefing events they may arrange interviews with RHQs to discuss their placement. Once through the Commissioning Course and on promotion to 2Lt the Officer now moves onto their unit to begin their one year adventure with the REME.

Scribe: Second Lieutenant Will Barker 2 Close Support Battalion REME Second Lieutenant Will Barker

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My name is Will Barker and in September 2020 I attended The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) to undertake the Professionally Qualified Officer (PQO), or Short Commissioning Course, number 203. This would mark my first experience with

the Army, evolving from civvie to soldier and the following year proved to be most memorable.

Two-days prior to the course starting proper, myself and the rest of the Gap Year Commission (GYC) officers arrived for the briefing stage. Here we got to start learning about each other’s backgrounds and make strong friendships before then starting with the wider course intake. The commissioning course was eventful from start to finish, whether it was non-stop days of PT, lectures, or whatever else they could throw at us. It gave all of us a taste of what the full, 11-months commissioning course would be like by skimming the surface of all the modules, including social events to give us a taste of officer life. As the GYC officers join the PQO course we were able to gain a fascinating insight into a number of professions represented in the Army, including Doctors, Nurses and Padres, as well as training with Reservist officers. I will always remember the nine-weeks I spent at Sandhurst in the autumn of 2020, it has given me a good preparation for the full commissioning course if I am given a place in the future. Overall, the experience left me excited and prepared for the year ahead, despite COVID-19 restrictions.

I arrived at 2 Close Support Battalion REME (2 REME), Leuchars, Scotland in mid-December 2020 to have a two-week stint to settle into the surroundings and get used to what would become a large part of my life for the near future, before breaking for Christmas leave. There was a range of understanding of what a GYC officer was throughout the Battalion, with some having heard of it and others not having a clue. The other junior officers were helpful during this time and made sure that I wasn’t left in the dark; it was a particularly busy time with the Headquarters and a Company deploying to Preston on Op RESCRIPT. After the Christmas break I joined 7 Close Support Company on their Collective Training (CT) A/B exercise out to Cyprus for five-weeks (Ex LION SUN). This was an amazing experience as it allowed me to see how a company training for operational readiness actually conducted an exercise, instead of how a Sandhurst exercise works; I was able to see the similarities and differences. There was a well struck balance between hard-work and free time set by the headquarters, which was complemented by a well thought-out training timetable and plan, something that had had a lot of attention due to the pandemic restrictions. Overall, the exercise gave me some great new experiences – among them shooting a GPMG – and more memories for my early adult life, plus great dits for university!

After returning from leave, I got to experience a Battalion level orders process on Ex ANGUS STALLION. From this I was able to

GPMG firing

2Lt Will Barker (Ex LION SUN)

draw parallels from what I knew from Platoon or Company level and see it put into practice at the next level up. It also showed me all the extra detail required, including all of the golden thread products and how they are used. Subsequently, I was attached to the Echelon Company, which included all of the Quartermaster’s domains, the Adjutant General’s Corps personnel and Royal Logistic Corps Stores Troop. Initially, I spent time learning about the wide number of trades and roles in the Company, how they operate in and out of barracks and how they support the two deployable Close Support Companies. Having deployed with 7 Close Support Company to Cyprus, I then deployed with the Echelon to Barry Buddon Training Area, just outside Dundee for their CT A training package; Barry Buddon is not Cyprus! I found this short stint with the Echelon really eye opening to see how vital a strong and cohesive supply line was to any military operation.

At the start of July I attended the Military Systems Engineering Course (Land), the REME officer Phase 2 training course in Lyneham for a two-weeks period; this is all we as GYC officers are required to complete for Phase 2.

Although not at the start of the course, the two-weeks were well timed as I was able to fill gaps in

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my knowledge about the Corps and its trades. It also gave the opportunity to learn about parts of the Corps I had no, or little exposure to in a Close Support Battalion, including armoured vehicles, the Medical and Dental Technicians, hydraulics and electronics. I was also able to get hands-on with some unfamiliar kit and equipment and see how platforms like the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank work.

Consequently, I came away with a greater insight into the REME Armoured Battalions and was able to see the differences from what I had already experienced in Leuchars.

On returning to the Battalion I was aligned to 11 Close Support Company, joining their CT A/B exercise and lessons; I now started to finally feel like I was at the stage of fully understanding what was being taught, assimilating all of the information and seeing it all come together. Around this time, I shadowed a Platoon Commander quite closely, which was very useful to me personally and practically as not only did it show me how a Platoon runs and what the officer does, but also all the background activity. Across my time with the Battalion, getting my coveralls on and my hands dirty with the Vehicle Mechanics, Recovery Mechanics and Metalsmiths in particular were memorable experiences. The VMs showed me how some of the vehicles are repaired in practice, while the Recy Mechs took me through basic recovery principles and I was taught how to make some souvenir nut and bolt men by the Metalsmiths.

At the end of my GYC, I can say wholeheartedly that I have enjoyed my experiences and have gained a really valuable insight into how the Army and specifically the REME operates.

I am now off to Brighton University to complete a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but I will return to the Army and I know the experiences I have had will stand me in good stead to become a full commissioned officer in the future.

Lastly, I would just like to say a big thank you to all at 2 Close Support Battalion REME, the Corps Headquarters and the RMAS team for allowing me to have such a good experience; being ‘at’ university, or rather sat at home on Zoom would have been rubbish, I had a much better pandemic year in the Army!

Ex LION SUN 2

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84 Sqn Helicopter

Interest Piece

Curious REME Job “One of the most alien cultures a REME guy could experience” – How Robin Ford, a retired ASM who served the Corps from 1951 to 1970, remembers how, despite intentionally not joining the Navy, he still ended up all at sea as a REME Corporal.

Dedicated to Brenda Ford; his clerk, scribe and inspiration of 63 years.

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s an ex Corps member (retired ASM), I recently purchased a copy of “From the Archives” by Mike Sibbons. He included stories and anecdotes of great interest and made me reflect on a rather unusual posting I had during my service (19511970). It was not only unusual for me, but also for any V + P Electrician (as was) of those days. Whilst I am one who believes our youth and young soldiers are as good today (and sometimes better) than they were in my younger days in the REME, I wonder how current generation would have tackled the posting I am about to describe.

In 1959, I was coming to the end of a three year tour in Singapore and anxiously waiting for the ‘lottery’ letter of my next posting. The Singapore posting at LAD 3 BOD RAOC had probably been the best posting in my service. The chief clerk at the “kremlin” informed me one day that I am to be posted back to the UK and to a workshop at Chislehurst, then part of Kent. I constantly heard “you lucky so and so”; even the Padre said it was known as ‘love in a cottage’ country. Having just got married in the garrison chapel, I thought this was great! However, it didn’t last, as another “lottery ticket” was delivered; the bad news was that this cancelled the former and telling me that I was now being posted to a RASC unit. The good news was, or so I thought, was that this job was in Portsmouth. Really good news as I was born in Portsmouth and all my family resides there. I couldn’t believe my luck again – somebody up there likes me!

May I digress, troop shipping was phasing out and air trooping Supplying Unit on St Kilda with usual assortment of stores/spares and a new diesel generator

Oct 1958. Beached on St Kilda delivering radar spares (St Kilda scanned the North Sea/Atlantic during the Cold War)

was coming in, so my wife and I felt lucky to be able to experience a plane fight. However, after staying in chartered hotels in Karachi, Calcutta and Basra, we were not sorry to arrive in the UK after four days of traveling.

And so to Portsmouth and my new posting. On completion of my disembarkation leave, I was instructed to report to my new unit based at Southsea Castle on the Common. How strange, I thought the last bloke to switch the lights off there was Henry VIII. This was the castle where I had spent many a play day in my youth.

Although clearly wearing two stripes, I was greeted by a surly RASC clerk who glared at me with “yeah, what do you want”? He turned out to be a disgruntled young London stock broker doing resentful national service. I will skip my equally belligerent but satisfying response and gave my rank and my name. With a rather more respected attitude, he asked me how long I had been on disembarkation leave. When I told him, he said “well the good news is you’ve got an extra ten days as your boat won’t be back from Stanraer till then as it is on a run to St Kilda!

“Boat! Boat! What boat?”

“Oh! You’re with RASC water borne transport. The transport is a 1000 ton Tank Landing Craft of which there are seven. Your boat is LCT 4097. This is only the land based headquarters for only us twelve ‘lucky ones’.” I was to find out what ‘lucky’ really meant!

With my young wife settled in the bosom of my family

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and waiting for a married quarter, I was given joining instructions and a railway warrant to Stranraer – hoke of the Belfast ferry. The long tedious journey to Stranraer via Euston and Dumfries over, I arrived at the jetty at Cairnryan on the Loch Ryan at six in the morning. How do I remember the time – all will be explained. Moored to the jetty was a thousand-ton Mk 8 tank landing craft – my posting!

I put my compliment of kit down on the jetty and went down a short gang plank, but to my amazement, there wasn’t a soul around – was this a modern day version of the Mary Celeste? Then a bleary eyed “Quartermaster” appeared and asked me who I was. Things started to happen and a little life was stirring as well as a mug of tea.

As I was talking, I heard engines starting up, which caused me to panic as my kit was still on the jetty. “Don’t panic, it’s just the generators kicking off for a seven o’clock start.

That’s how I recall the exact time – panic!

I was now in the land (or perhaps sea) of the ‘Army’s Navy’ as I called it. One of the strangest, most unusual and alien posting any REME bod could have. It might be beneficial to describe 76 Sqn RASC before moving on. The MOD (known as the War Department then) had six of these craft, which were an American design built in the UK for the D-Day landing, but like so many other things, it was not finished in time. There evolved a need to carry military equipment to various locations, for example – Northern Irish garrisons, the Hebrides as well as scheduled sea invasion exercises for UK forces and NATO. So there I was, and it took me twenty minutes to orientate myself – why?

Because just one month previously, I was on Singapore embarkation leave, laying on a sandy beach of a tropical island called Blakang Mati and now I stood in the middle of a tine crammed mess deck with some twenty-five squaddies waiting to be served breakfast.

This was my rude awakening to one of the most alien cultures a REME guy could experience. Nobody bothered to speak to me, as new arrivals were common as this was the main ‘National Service boat’ where only one objective dominated – do your time and get out as only ‘regulars’ are mental enough to tolerate this.

But I have to say that contrary to this, service on this vessel was at times enjoyable (just a bit) and some parts good (only just!). At this stage, I have to say that I could write chapter after chapter of anecdotes that would perhaps protract this article to an unacceptable length, so I will included only my most memorable facts of interest.

I was second to a REME Sergeant Electrician and our job obviously was all things electrical – some might as well have

come off another planet. No matter how competent you may feel, nothing prepares you for what stared me in the face; like the diesel engine starters the size of a wheel barrow or electric cabling six feet under the bilge water in a copper clam. There were Paxman Ricardo diesel engines each the size of a car, several generators and a switch board the size of a barn door. Lucky I am so emphatic, because there was no pre-training or familiarisation with this world. The method of learning was “sitting with Nellie” or trial and error. My problem was ‘Nelly’ was on shore leave for a week when I arrived and I stood around sucking my thumb and trying to look non phased. The RASC Marine Engineers were of an excellent standard, very competent and led by a WO1 Engineer (the most pleasant and helpful mentor you could have). Mostly the Engineers were quite contemptuous of REME with little respect for REME as they knew we were plucked out of the blue.

I will recall my first day and say that I made my way around this Tardis with narrow passageways, tiny mess room and one ablution for 35 people. The WO2 Quartermaster took me to the sleeping deck where some 32 stacked bunks were creamed in. If

This was my switch board for the whole boat

Engine 1000 HP Paxman Ricardo engines.

The starters were as big as a small car engine

38 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

‘Empty’ – in rough seas, it skipped across wave tops and rolled into troughs – very unpleasant

you have been on a troopship, you would have found that as a ‘deluxe’ standard compared to the LCT. The Quartermaster showed me a bunk – third up from the floor. The mattress, I believe, was a leftover from a RSPCA dog home but what could I do but ‘bite the bullet’. (He remarked, smiling, that as a REME bloke I was “one of the chosen few” – it took all of my will power not to say – I wish they… chosen someone else!) I was now living and sleeping in a biscuit tin, so what about all this army kit – where to put it?

“That’s easy,” he said, “put it in your case and kitbag and it is stowed in a hatch locker ‘forrard’ but keep your eye on it as time to time there are people who up their deficiencies before they leave”. So what was this all about – my service for this unwelcome hour? The job consisted of the general maintenance of the ship board plant and electric equipment. Not least of all, an emergency lightning system of individual hanging lights with an alkaline battery – constant attention was needed. The heavy winches, motors and generator bearings needed scheduled lubrication, regular cable inspection, sea corrosion checks and other things too numerous to mention. Sounds fairly routine.

However, at a hundred miles from the Outer Hebrides in a force eight gale when a diesel pump packs up in an engine room clouded in diesel oil vapour and yourself covered in seasick vomit – I promise you it is not routine.

Wheel house 50 years before SATNAV From the human aspect, many of the crew were ex-merchant men who had jumped ship either in Ozzy or Lagos and on return Kilda out in the Atlantic. All in all, the good parts balanced out were nabbed for National Service. Many had total disregard for the unpleasant parts and the experiences alone were priceless. discipline and even less interest in Army life. NCO rank counted Even Nicholas Monserrat based part of one of stories on a vessel for nothing as everybody had to contribute to domestic life, moored in Kilda Bay (where the dramatic event actually including a role known as ‘duty peggy’ when two of you served happened). the entire crew with meals that day. This was done in the Eventually the posting brought promotion to Sergeant and, confines of a biscuit-tin-sized mess deck, where every cubic inch apart from direct entries into rapid Artisan Sergeants Course, I was precious. Army jargon has always existed but this landing was one of the youngest in the Corps with three stripes. The craft had a language of its own; part Army, part Navy, part bonus was I moved into the senior ranks cabin and mess where, Merchant Navy, all corrupted by local dialects – mainly Scots and as they say, rank has its privileges. After two years at sea an West Country. application for a posting to enable me to apply for the Tiffy Creature comforts were sparse. No TV, no chance to practise course was surprisingly accepted and I went shore side, back to hobbies, radio without channel choice. There was even a strict the land of REME. rule prohibiting fishing over the side – ships protocol but what a This narrative could go on and on as there are dozens of lost opportunity! As for freshly washed clothes… no chance! Only anecdotes to relate – amusing, dramatic and even tragic but when docked for a while where a local laundry was given a that’s another story. I would not have missed this experience for contract. There was a ‘NAFFI’ run out of a hatch locker, which I as the world, but would I have liked to do it again – NO! If, as a an NCO had to account for, but with crew that you compared to a Pompey man, I had wanted to go to sea I would have joined the ‘box of crafty monkeys’ it wasn’t an easy duty. You took the blame Navy – that’s why I joined REME but had to take any posting as it if it ran out of rationed bottle beer. The galley was staffed by two came. You cannot pick and choose.

ACC cooks – one a conscientious tryer, the other known as Meanwhile, Craftsmen all, enjoy your service – you can’t beat it.

‘Blackest Tom’ (he was a constantly filthy Engineer), so you can imagine his hygiene standards with his greasy whites, filthy hands, and constant “BO” in a tiny hot galley.

However, we never went hungry and at sea the seasick man denied me food anyway.

But as I settled down to everyday duty as you do, with regular visits to my home port in Portsmouth, where I lived ashore in quarters. When not in Portsmouth the craft took us to many ports of call around the UK and add a changing scene. I was privileged to visit places in Scotland, far more than the average Scot, like Tobermory, Loch Boisedale and, the Ornithologist’s dream, St 1959 in Appledore Harbour with Lt Swale on the bridge

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Museum

Mussolini’s boots O

ne of (or should that be two of?), the most unusual objects in the collection of the REME Museum are Benito Mussolini’s boots. They are not a pair of boots he actually wore, but rather these remarkable items were once part of a bronze statue that stood in Tripoli’s Piazza Castello, a grand public square near the harbour of the Libyan capital. The story of REME’s connection to the boots is a fascinating tale.

As part of its policy to create an empire, Italy began to try and

forcibly colonise Libya in 1911. These efforts intensified from 1922 onwards, as Mussolini became the Italian Prime Minister in October of that year. The second Italo-Senussi War (the Senussis are a Muslim political group who led the fight against the Italians), was fought for the next ten years, but was eventually won by Italy (significant war crimes were committed by the Italian military during this period, and the government agreed to pay compensation to the Libyan people in 2008).

Not long after coming to power, Mussolini began to impose the concept of Fascist rule on Italy and the lands under its control. He used art, architecture and iconography to deliberately connect his new Italian empire to Rome at its imperial height, in an effort to inspire Italians and to impress the world. Photographs and posters of Il Duce, as he liked to be known (a word derived from the Latin for leader, dux), appeared everywhere, and architecture and art was consciously used to emphasise the link between modern Italy and ancient Rome.

What particularly appealed to Mussolini was installing enormous contemporary statues in the public places of Italy and its empire. The statues were usually either of himself, copies of figures from the Roman period or a race of idealised “Aryans”, to which Mussolini believed the Italian people belonged (Aryanism was a popular ideology among Fascists like Mussolini, as it suggested Europeans are a group of humans naturally superior to all other types. It is an idea that has long been discredited as nonsense).

There were a number of reasons for this approach. He knew ancient Roman leaders commissioned many marble statues of themselves, both to remain in the public eye, and to ensure both Romans and those they oppressed knew who was in charge. Mussolini followed this same approach This is the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a building forming part of Rome’s EUR for exactly those reasons. He was also, like many dictators district. It was inaugurated in 1940 despite being unfinished, as it was intended since, very concerned with his country’s image abroad. He to play a part in the planned 1942 World’s Fair; the War meant this event never took place. The architectural links to The Coliseum are obvious and deliberate; thought the rest of the world would come to admire him and Italy if he portrayed Italians in stone and metal as Romans even call it The Square Coliseum. The contemporary statues in the foreground serve to further emphasise the links Mussolini conscioulsy wanted perfect human beings.

The Tripoli statue of Mussolini on horseback is a perfect to make to Rome and its ancient empire. Image taken by Jeremy Thompson, expression of this political and cultural policy. It was cast in March 2010, and reproduced under the Creative Commons licence bronze by the sculptor Quirino Ruggeri (1883 – 1955), and unveiled in 1933 by Marshal Italo Balbo, Governor General of Libya. It is a typical example of the Fascist statuary so admired by Mussolini: large, deliberately exaggerated, stilted, lifeless and devoid of emotion or humanity. He probably saw the statue for himself in 1935 when he made an official visit to Tripoli, and no doubt he approved.

What would certainly have been less agreeable to Il Duce was the fact that it did not remain in place for long.

Following victory in North Africa, the Allied leaders decided the next phase of the War would begin with the invasion of Sicily. This campaign, codenamed Operation Husky, began in July 1943 and used the Allied bases on the North African coast as launching points. Tripoli was home to 3 Advanced Base Workshop REME, and it was men from this unit that were given permission by the British Military Administration to melt down the statue for the bronze it contained. They removed it from its stone plinth in December 1943 and gave it to the RAOC to be used in the manufacture of spare parts.

Unfortunately it was discovered the quality of the bronze was so poor that the metal could not be used for any Roman mosaics are known and revered throughout the world. Mussolini’s military purpose. All was not lost however, and typical government purposefully used the same art form, both to link his regime to British military ingenuity led to a series of napkin rings of Italy’s early forbears and also to extol their own virtues. Image taken by Michael various sizes being made (a number of these are in the Tinkler, March 2011, and reproduced under the Creative Commons licence Museum’s collection). The horse’s testicles were transformed

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into an ashtray; regrettably, history does not record what happened to this, nor what it looked like. One of the horse’s nostrils was also kept intact and is currently being sold by an antiques dealer in Suffolk. Taken together, these represent excellent early examples of recycling.

This is not all that was saved. The boots ended up with 693 Base Manufacturing Workshops REME in Naples, and were placed either side of the fireplace in the Sergeants’ Mess where they held the fire irons. The Workshops were disbanded in June 1946, and the boots were packed up and sent back to Britain. Each still bears a plaque that reads “Presented to REME Training Establishment by 693 Manufacturing Workshops REME C.M.F. 1946” (CMF stands for Central Mediterranean Force).

A report written in December 1947 described the scene when the statue was pulled down in late December 1943, “Ropes were fixed, the breakdown lorry pulled, the statue was down and placed on a trailer, cameras clicked, civilians cheered. Then followed what must have been the most undignified journey in the life of any statue. Arabs and Italians alike cheered wildly, as the trailer with its load passed through the streets to the foundry where Mussolini and horse were melted down.”

The scene described here is redolent of very recent events that have resulted in monuments to Britons involved with the slave trade or American Confederate generals forcibly taken down, covered up or simply removed. The symbolic power of such statues was equally not lost on Mussolini, nor on those he subjugated.

Acknowledgements I would like to thank my excellent colleagues at the REME Museum, Celia Cassingham (Archivist) and Zoë Tolman (Archives Assistant), for their help in the preparation of this article. My gratitude is also due to Jennifer Allison, Deputy Director of the Army Museum Ogilby Trust and former Curator of the REME Museum, for her assistance in tracking down the source of the December 1947 report. Finally, the author would be very interested in speaking with anyone who has further information about the image taken in Tripoli in March 1941.

This group of statues form part of the sixty figures surrounding Rome’s Stadio dei Marmi, one of the stadia in what was originally called the Foro Mussolini but is now named the Foro Italico. Both the Stadio dei Marmi and the statues were built between 1928 and 1938. The figures are each four metres tall and are made from Carrara marble, the same material used by classical Roman sculptors. Each statue represents a particular athletic sport, but is also meant to represent the ideal human, a crucial element in both Fascist ideology and Mussolini’s beliefs about the Italian people. Image taken by Florence, March 2007, and reproduced under the Creative Commons licence

(Right) The Mussolini statue, as well as the boots, can clearly be seen on the left of this image. This is a fascinating picture in its own right, as it shows the formal parade of a Panzer Division of the Afrika Korps as it made its way through Tripoli on 1st March 1941. The Korps’ commander, Erwin Rommel, knew this event would be watched by Allied spies, so he is said to have arranged for the Panzers to drive around the city a few times in order to confuse the Allies into believing he had more tanks at his disposal than was actually the case. Image courtesy and copyright of The REME Museum

An image of the boots as they currently appear on display in the REME Museum, as well as a close-up of the commemorative plaque. Images courtesy and copyright of The REME Museum

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Battlefield Study

103 Bn REME – Lenham BFS 24/06/21 Scribe: Sgt Nuttall

O

n the morning of 24th June, the Permanent Staff of 103 Bn REME set off from their various Coy locations and made their way to 133 Rec Coy in Ashford. The aim was to conduct planning and hold a (COVID compliant) mini Battlefield Study.

133 Coy were chosen to host due to their proximity to Charing Heath, where 77 years earlier, the largest single loss of REME life occurred. This article, hopes in some way to inform the wider Corps audience of a tragic incident that they may not know of. Our historian, Maj Phil Linehan, briefed us about the formation of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade Workshop and explained to us the crucial role they played in upgrading the Brigades Churchill tanks prior to their upcoming deployment to Normandy.

Following months of continuous hard graft, the workshop had been granted a short period of respite before they were to depart for Normandy 2 days later.

Sadly on the morning of 24th June 1944, a V1 flying bomb was intercepted by an allied aircraft, knocking it off course and causing it to detonate on one of the accommodation blocks, killing 52 and

Lenham Memorial

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seriously injuring 21 more, the vast majority of which were junior ranks. Because of security reasons, orders were made to conduct an active service burial in the nearby village of Lenham. A mass grave was dug and the dead were buried that night by lantern light. The Wksp 2IC and ASM recorded the exact placement of the bodies on a plan, a copy of which was sealed in a bottle and placed under a wooden cross after the grave had been filled in.

Following the war, the Commonwealth War graves Commission took charge of the mass burial site and thanks to the meticulous detail of that plan they were able to erect 52 headstones to record the names of those who died. Years later, the REME Association decided that a permanent memorial should be erected at the cemetery and 44 Command Wksp, based in Ashford was given the task of designing and constructing memorial gates which are still maintained by 133 Coy to this day. Every year 103 Bn remember those who lost their lives at Charing Heath and this year was no different, with the BFS culminating in a short service next to the graves and the laying of a wreath.

The Screwjack Letters – No. 22 Arrival in Hong Kong

I

n late 1965 the Royal Navy in Singapore invited REME and RAF engineers in Malaya to send a few men on leave to join HMS Triumph for a trip to Hong Kong and back. The ship was originally an aircraft carrier but had been converted into a heavy repair ship. I and three members of 34 company Workshop were accepted for it. I took the necessary uniforms and a suit and we joined the ship. I had a small bunk space and shared the attendance of an oriental steward.

The ship was powered by steam turbines with four boilers but I was told that one was not working. Nevertheless, in early December we set sail into the South China Sea. A few hours out from Singapore we heard the sound of Triumph’s pom-poms (anti-aircraft guns). I went on the deck and saw they were firing at a drogue towed by a Blackburn Buccaneer for target practice. I decided to explore the ship and had a look at the engine room, but all I could see was the shafts driving the propellers. I went to the quarter deck low at the stern to see the impressive wake above the propellers a few feet away. I often did this during the trip.

In the wardroom bar there was a no-treating rule. Everyone had a bar number and we signed chits for drinks. If you invited someone to have a drink with you, you wrote their bar number for their drink and your number for your own. The only but frequent exception was during the game of liar- dice where each loser had to buy a round.

The only libation during liar dice was a “horse’s neck” ie brandy and ginger. Each loser in a five player game would call “Steward!”, the bar steward would come over with a chit and pencil, and the loser would write “5 HN” and sign his name and bar number.

On arrival at early morning in Hong Kong, Triumph was moored at a quay called HMS Tamar. On the other side of the quay was HMS Manxman, a ship designed to be a minelayer. Manxman was reputed to be the fastest warship in the world, capable of 40 knots. I soon discovered that Royal Navy folklore abounded with tales of Manxman’s exploits, usually to the slight detriment of the US Navy.

After breakfast I went ashore on a family mission. My father’s older brother Charles had a master’s ticket in the merchant navy but had decided to take holy orders and he became a priest. He had been the chaplain at the Missions to Seamen in Hong Kong when the Japanese invaded in 1940. Uncle Charles was taken prisoner and spent the rest of the war in Shamshuipo POW camp further inland.

Conditions there were appalling, but he never spoke to me about it.

My grandmother said that he had been the camp chaplain but, true to his origins in a Somerset farming family, he had also organised the growing of tomatoes for food on the camp excrement. He received an MBE after the war.

I took the Star ferry to the mainland and hired a rickshaw to visit the Missions to Seamen. For fun I got the driver to sit in the rickshaw to guide me while I jogged between the shafts. At the Mission, incredibly, I met a ships engineer who had been taken POW with my uncle. He said that by misfortune he was wearing brown overalls that day. The Japanese insisted that he was therefore military and he was ill- treated accordingly. He said that after his release he would only ever wear blue. He said that Uncle Charles had worn a small hand-

made wooden cross in Shamshuipo camp and had given it to St John’s cathedral in Hong Kong after the war. I just had to see it, so I went to St John’s. I saw the cross, it was about six inches high. With it was a typed label with my uncle’s name and a few words about its origin.

That evening the wardroom had a cocktail party and each officer was asked to host a guest or couple. I was honoured to be asked to look after the Italian consul’s secretary, a mature lady called Gabriella.

Guests began to arrive at 7pm and one man was asked “Is Gabriella coming?” The man, presumably the consul, said “No, I gotta new secretary, she is Elena;” A few moments later the room fell silent as a vision from Vogue with an aura of Chanel walked in. I approached her, and she confirmed she was Elena. As the steward offered a tray of drinks, I told her I was in the Army and she asked what was my job on board. I said I played liar dice and I explained the game to her. I said we had played every day since leaving Singapore and all the ships officers were disgraceful liars. I said that as a keen player I had graded the ability of each one on a scale of one to ten. Elena was bright as well as beautiful and probably guessed where this was leading. I said “Would you like me to introduce you to each one of them? I will tell you his liar grade first.” Elena stifled her laughter and agreed. Before each introduction I whispered the number in her ear, right by the Chanel. This went well, Elena could hardly go wrong. After about two hours the party began to break up and I suggested going ashore.

She agreed and I remember the Master at Arms’ odd look as we crossed the ship’s rail. I left it to Elena to choose where to go, I only knew the Cathedral and the Missions to Seamen. She chose the Dragon Boat bar in the Mandarin Hotel. Then followed an extraordinary evening of drinking endless cups of lemon tea, laughter and chat about our respective countries, idiosyncrasies and languages. Then I walked with her to her flat and said goodnight at the door. And no, I am not lying now.

Screwjack

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Are you ex-serving REME? Did you have a partner or family who were in REME? Where Are They Now? is a new feature, giving you the chance to share your stories with the wider REME Family.

If you have a story to share, email it to craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk # T h e R E M E Fa m i l y

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Extracts from the London Gazette 10 AUGUST 2021 The following have been awarded the 1st Clasp to the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military) CAPT, M. T. BEELEY, REME, 24922940 WO1, P. D. GARDNER, REME, 25051207 WO2, B. G. HARDEN, REME, 25052429 LCPL, D. A. KYDD, REME, 24810787 MAJ, A. J. PARKINSON, REME, 548672 The following have been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military) SGT, E. G. COOK, REME, 25160477 SSGT, C. A. CZORNYJ, REME, 25163746 SGT, M. J. KNELL, REME, 25209860 SGT, D. J. J. MARTIN, REME, 25218955 CPL, J. M. PRETORIUS, REME, 25220099 WO2, W. SKENE, REME, 25040065

17 AUGUST 2021

REGULAR ARMY Regular Commissions (Late Entry) Major (Acting Lieutenant Colonel) S. A. MANSFIELD 24801518 to be Lieutenant Colonel 13 December 2020 (Belated Entry Short Service Commissions Second Lieutenant C. M. BEARD-BUCKTROUT 30158532 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant J. P. HARRIS 30073874 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant T. A. JAMES 30244637 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant E. A. M. LINDSAY 30301670 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant V. NAKER 30241803 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant J. OLIVER 30201673 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant P. N. PATEL 30201269 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant M. E. RUDGE 30227110 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant J. E. TRAPNELL 30301676 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant M. R. WALTER 30308272 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant C. W. WATERS 30303594 to be Lieutenant 14 December 2020 (Belated Entry) Warrant Officer Class 1 Craig Gordon BEAMAN 25086777 to be Captain 4 May 2021 ARMY RESERVE Group A Andrew James CUPPLES 25139812 to be Second Lieutenant (on probation) 29 January 2021 (Belated Entry)

31 AUGUST 2021

REGULAR ARMY Regular Commissions (Late Entry) Major A. R. GRAINGER 565045 to be Lieutenant Colonel 25 March 2021 Major M. W. PATEY 24783209 to be Lieutenant Colonel 31 March 2021 Captain (Acting Major) S. C. CONNOR 25036747 to be Major 19 March 2021 Captain (Acting Major) A. D. MURRAY 25047109 to be Major 19 March 2021 Intermediate Regular Commissions (Late Entry) Warrant Officer Class 1 Richard Peter KERR 25122725 to be Captain 3 May 2021 ARMY RESERVE Group A Lieutenant N. ATKINSON 24678852 to be Captain 2 April 2021 (substituted for the notification in Gazette (Supplement) dated 19 February 2019) Second Lieutenant (on probation) A. J. CUPPLES 25139812 to be Second Lieutenant 29 January 2021 (Belated Entry) REGULAR ARMY Short Service Commissions Captain J. L. HORTH 30256924 retires on medical grounds 23 June 2021 44 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

ARMY RESERVE Group A Second Lieutenant (on probation) J. BATE 30218242 is confirmed as Second Lieutenant 1 November 2014 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant (on probation) K. R. MORGAN 30223462 is confirmed as Second Lieutenant 9 March 2018 (Belated Entry) Second Lieutenant (on probation) H. G. B. BRIMACOMBE 30223918 is confirmed as Second Lieutenant 9 March 2019 (Belated Entry) The following have been awarded the 3rd Clasp to the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal LT COL, C. J. BATES, REME, 545413 WO2, C. SHANKLAND, REME, 24929986 SGT, D. J. COOMBES, REME, 25120277 SSGT, N. S. HUNTER, REME, 24680360 WO1, M. SMITH, REME, 25106804 The following have been awarded the 1st Clasp to the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal 29 CPL, C. ERSKINE, REME, 24867431 LT COL, E. TESSUM-COTTON, REME, 537156 The following have been awarded the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal CPL, T. A. BENSON, REME, 30049855 CPL, A. A. HENDERSON, REME, 30148467 LCPL, A. B. LENTON, REME, 30146758 SSGT, M. J. OWEN, REME, 24678338 SSGT, D. P. SELLORS, REME, 25098741 CPL, J. A. WHITTAKER, REME, 30143132

14 SEPTEMBER 2021 REGULAR ARMY Intermediate Regular Commissions (Late Entry) Warrant Officer Class 1 Stuart John DUNCAN 25068077 to be Captain 4 May 2021 Warrant Officer Class 1 Robert Howell John PURSER 25063451 to be Captain 5 July 2021 Warrant Officer Class 1 Jonathan Lee GRIFFITHS 24930279 to be Captain 12 July 2021 ARMY RESERVE Group A Officer Cadet Rheana Krishna PARMAR 30305588 to be Second Lieutenant 17 July 2021

Obituaries

Officer Assignments NAME ASSIGNED TO Lieutenant Colonel ANTHISTLE JM DEF AC – ACSC 25 CARY MP DEF AC – ACSC 25 GISBY RW DSEME – SO1 TRAINING PLANS HUGGINS A UK STRATEGIC COMMAND – SO1 SF MASSEY MPD DEF AC – ACSC 25 Major AITKEN NGE DEF AC – ICSC 18A CLENCH SJ DEF AC – ICSC 18A CORNES CJ DEF AC – ICSC 18A COWARD CB DEF AC – ICSC 18A DONALDSON NH DEF AC – ICSC 18A HANKS JC DEF AC – ICSC 18A HART EJ BFSAI - SO2 J4 ES HOCKLEY PC DIRECTOR CAPABILITY- SO2 ES ORG KENNY JA DEF AC – ICSC 18A KENT TR 3 REGT AAC – OC WKSP KING AJ JHC HQ LAND – SO2 ATTK LAWSON JS DEF AC – ISCS 18A MCCANN EG DES COMLAND LE OSP PMVP ABW – DES LE VST PMVP OPS SO2 MCGLYNN S DSEME – SO2 TRG PLANS PEAK MDB DEF AC – ICSC 18A POGSON-HUGHESEMANUEL R 5 REGT RA WKSP – OC WKSP REDBURN C DEF AC – ICSC 18A SCHENK JR BRITISH SUPPORT TEAM (USSC-R) – OP GLANCE – ASST PROG MNGR SMITH DL DEF AC – ISCS 18A TAYLOR RN HQ 1 UK DIV – SO2 FUTURE OPERATIONS MST WEBB DP HQ 3 UK DIV – SO2 G4 ES DIV TPS WHITEHOUSE JM 101 BN REME – QM WOOSTER PR DEF AC – ICSC 18A Captain BROWN PA ROYAL BRUNEI ARMED FORCES – 2IC LTTS CLARKE NA HQ 1 AVN BDE – SO3 ES LAND GARRARD MR HQ 3 UK DIV – SO3 COPS ES JOHNSTONE JM HQ 102 LOG BDE – SO3 ES OPS KING LM HQ 1 AVE BDE – SO3 ES LAND MATTHEWS J 4 ARMD CS BN REME – QM TECH MACFADDENMARSH H 1CS BN REME 12 COY – 2IC COMPANY McGETTIGAN GP HQ RC SUP – SO3 ES TECHEVAL MOOREY NRF 26 ENGR REGT LAD REME – OC PATTERSON CF 2 CS BN REME – OPS ENG WILSON G HQ BFC J4 – SO3 ES YOUNG DM 102 BN REME – OPS ENG Lieutenant CAMPBELL IR DEFENCE ACADEMY DTOEES THUNDER COURSEISDO STUDENT JONES S DEFENCE ACADEMY DTOEES THUNDER COURSEISDO STUDENT

DATE 06/09/21 06/09/21 20/09/21 13/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 02/09/21 02/09/21 06/09/21 01/09/21 02/09/21 06/09/21 01/09/21 01/09/21 06/09/21 27/09/21 06/09/21 23/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 01/09/21 06/09/21 06/09/21 14/09/21 02/09/21 30/09/21 30/09/21 02/09/21 06/09/21 01/09/21 06/09/21 30/09/21 06/09/21 05/09/21 06/09/21 01/09/21 01/09/21

BRIGADIER (Retired) Vernon Stuart Stuart-Smith, C.Eng, FIMechE, FRAeS, FCIM, 1926-2021 Brigadier Stuart- Smith was born in Wales in 1926, attending school and college there. In 1943 he was selected for a Government sponsored Engineering Cadetship and obtained a diploma in 1945.

He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1946 and served in India, U.K. and Germany until 1951. During this period, he was involved with road and airfield construction and military field engineering. In 1951 he transferred to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and served in Germany as a Brigade electrical and mechanical engineer. He then served two years with the Royal Horse Guards prior to attending the Technical Staff C o l l e ge a t S h r ive n h a m .

There followed two years in FVRDE at Chobham Common when he was responsible for the planning, execution and assessment of vehicle trials. Between 1960 and 1964 he served in MOD AG21before commanding a REME Field Workshop in Hong Kong and Germany.

During the period 19641965 he worked in the U.K. assessing the quality control structure of industry undertaking work for MOD. At this stage he attended an aircraft engineering course and then commanded the aircraft engineering branch in HQ DGEME. He then served as the Project Manager for the Gazelle helicopter, part of the Anglo/French package deal. From 1971 until 1974 he was the Chief Aircraft Engineer at Middle Wallop for Army aviation and then followed three years commanding a Proof and Experimental Establishment. In 1977 he was appointed Director of Equipment Engineering for Army vehicles, guns, aircraft and associated equipment.

He retired from the army in 1981 in the rank of Brigadier and for several years continued working as a consultant engineer until he was 68 years old.

He was a great sportsman and played rugby, tennis and golf to a very high level but also enjoyed skiing, hiking and gardening until into his nineties. He died peacefully at home in his sleep on 6th August 2021, aged 95. He was a very proud father, grandfather and great grandfather and will be dearly missed.

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Death Notices

The Cra�sman Magazine Editor Cra�smanEditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

SHEPPARD – Former WO1(ASM) Graham Leslie Sheppard passed away on 08 September 2021 aged 83. Dates of service 19541979.

SMITH – Brig (Retd) Vernon Stuart Stuart-Smith passed away on 06 August 2021 aged 95. Dates of service 1946-1981.

The Digital Media Manager Dawn.Cainey100@learn.mod.uk Change of postal address Subscrip�ons@reme-rhq.org.uk Submissions (Digital and Print) remerhq-comms-groupmailbox@mod.gov.uk Other Communica�ons and Media requests remerhq-comms-groupmailbox@mod.gov.uk

Death Notice Requirements In order to publish a death notice we require the following information: Surname, first name, rank, full date of death, ages and dates of service. An obituary with additional career and life information is welcome. To inform us of the death, please contact Ms Bev Bate, Corps Welfare Manager on ( 01249 894523 or  benevolence@reme-rhq.org.uk

Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 45

The REME Charity The Trustees of The REME Charity acknowledge with sincere thanks the donations received during the month of AUGUST 2021. They also wish to acknowledge the regular subscriptions received from the Officers and Soldiers of the Corps and retired members of the REME Institution:

Donations 05/08/2021 05/08/2021 21/07/2021 21/07/2021 21/07/2021 21/07/2021 21/07/2021 28/07/2021 28/07/2021 27/07/2021 27/07/2021 04/08/2021 04/08/2021 11/08/2021 11/08/2021 11/08/2021 11/08/2021 11/08/2021 17/08/2021 17/08/2021 16/08/2021 16/08/2021 16/08/2021 16/08/2021 17/08/2021 25/08/2021

In memory of Eric Moore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£25.00 In memory of John Buckland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£175.00 100 miles march on The South Downs Way .£280.00 29 Commando Workshops Ultra Runners . . . .£85.00 Roy Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£148.00 Ssgt Housden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£150.00 Anonymous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£20.91 Sean Lang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£30.00 Hayley Costanzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£15.00 CAFGYE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£10.00 Via Stripe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£2,319.05 Virtual London Marathon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£30.00 Payroll Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£1.94 Swim The Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£46.00 Southern Venture 7 Regt RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . .£22.50 Michael Elliot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£10.00 Sam Melvin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£7.50 Nik Brock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5.24 E A Bevis, Alfred and Guthrum Lodge . . . . . . .£500.00 Mrs K F Combe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£30.00 Southern Venture 7 Regt RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . .£15.00 Mr Nainesh Patel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£128.00 Tony Newton,Barry Faith & Terry Axon . . . . . . .£50.00 IMO Cpl Paul Gimson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£2,000.00 Amazon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£462.49 The Camidge family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£35.00 Date sent to Craftsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31/08/2021 Total Donations (Aug) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£6,601.63 Total £’s paid in Grants (Aug) . . . . . . . . . . . .£16,441.61 No. Grants (Aug) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Average Grant (Aug) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£865.35

If you would like to see how your money is spent, we welcome one or two observers at The REME Charity meetings. The meetings are held midweek, approximately every three weeks. If you would like to observe a meeting, please contact The REME Charity Secretary on ( Mil: 95481 4527 or Civ: 01249 894527 in the first instance.

The REME Charity is here for both veterans and serving personnel in times of hardship or need. Contact via SSAFA ( 0800 731 4880 www.ssafa.org.uk or The Royal British Legion ( 0808 802 8080  www.britishlegion.org.uk or your Unit Welfare if serving. All enquiries and information is dealt with in the strictest confidence. If you wish to discuss any benevolence need you can contact us on ( 01249 894523.

Anyone wishing to leave a legacy to The REME Charity, which is exempt from inheritance tax, can add a codicil to their will. Our registered charity number is 1165868

YOUR MAGAZINE NEEDS

YOU YOU The Craftsman Magazine exists for The REME Family but it is only kept going because you provide the articles in it.

From engineering to fencing, if it is about the Corps you can write an article about it.

See inside the front cover for guidelines.

46 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

SERVICE LEAVERS The Army Reserve is ready to welcome you There are 25 REME Reserve units across the UK, with many vacancies for junior tradespeople and Subaltern Officers now.

The offer: • Make use of your skills and excel as a competent recent former Regular.

• Meet and work with like-minded people.

• Serve your country, but on your own terms.

• Enjoy pay and benefits, plus an annual tax-free bounty.

• Reduced initial commitment for the first three years: 19 days, reduced MATTs, no deployment liability.

• Opportunity for more work or increased commitment if you want it, including personal development and AT/sports.

Leavers process: ‘COs are to direct unit staff, especially RCMOs, to; signpost opportunities in the Army Reserve to their Service Leavers (SLs), support those showing interest in joining the Army Reserve and to process applications expeditiously.’ This includes facilitating visits by Service Leavers to Army Reserve units during the resettlement period.

Transfer process: Annex G to SToS - includes a useful flowchart at Appendix 1 to Annex G.

SUDOKU Easy

Hard

Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

Corps Diary Dates 2021 All events listed are subject to Covid-19 restrictions

OCTOBER 2021 8

Quartermaster’s Dinner Night

9-10

Reserves Conference

21

Master Generals conference & Corps Autumn Guest Night

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1 4

Corps Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess Dinner Night

11

Corps council Meeting

18

Corps Dinner Night

JANUARY 2022 19

Commanding Officers CABAL & dinner night

20

Corps dinner night

22

REME Reserves Management Board (Teams)

FEBRUARY 2022 25

Regimental Guest Night

MARCH 2022 10

Colonels Commandant Night

APRIL 2022 21

Spring Guest Dinner Night

M AY 2 0 2 2 19

Corps dinner night

@REME_Official

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