Böcker av Col G H Addison

This volume deals with two types of RE schools established in the BEF, they were: School of Instruction - For OCs and 2ICs of Field Units, first started in the winter 1916-17; and Training School - For all ranks of the Royal Engineers, later opened to officers and NCOs of Pioneer battalions, formed early in 1917. There were two 'Schools of Instruction', one at Le Parcq, the other at Blendecques. The staffs consisted of a Commandant (Lt Col), two instructors (Majors) and a QM. Classes were 40 strong and the course were at first of ten days duration, later extended to three weeks. The 'Training School' was at Rouen, RE Base Depot and ran different types of courses and an appendix gives the daily syllabus for the Construction course for regular RE officers (36 days). One of the plates has a detailed drawing of the school showing all the facilities.The text describes all the subjects taught and explains the photos and the plates.

In 1914 the BEF did not have any technical units to deal with the problems of water supply, electricity, machinery or workshops forward of the L of C. With the steadily increasing number of troops, and the consequent extensions of fronts, with the demands of all sorts of trench warfare contrivances, and requirements of a higher degree of comfort in living conditions the lack of skilled personnel became apparent to all. However, the problem of water supply in the Somme battles brought matters to a head and resulted in the formation during the winter of 1916-17 of an Electrical and Mechanical Company for each Army, followed in the summer of 1917 by a similar number of Army Workshop Companies RE. This volume traces in details the story of these units and the nature of their work. Numerous tables and lists provide details of the personnel and their trades in an E & M Company, types of equipment in use, drawings of equipment and a diagram showing a typical organization for work in an E & M Company. One plate shows the principal electric stations in British Army areas and another illustrates the electric lighting of the Hulluch-Cuinchy subways. This is a comprehensive account.

This short piece of work is a summary of the development of anti-aircraft searchlights in France between 1915 and 1918. In 1915 the resources amounted to two sections each with three searchlights, which were employed for the protection of GHQ at St Omer. The narrative describes how the searchlight component of the RE grew (personnel numbered 3,000 all ranks by the end of the war) and notes the different types of projectors in service. It also describes the use of lights, their deployment, their successes and limitations on various parts of the battlefield. It concludes with a section on anticipated development had the war gone on. In the summer of 1940 the responsibility for searchlights passed to the Royal Artillery