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Corps of Royal Engineers

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Historical books online
*[[Madras Sappers and Miners]]
*[[Bombay Sappers and Miners]]
*[[Surveyor]]
==Regimental History==
''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers'' has been published in twelve volumes, many most being available online, [[Corps of Royal Engineers#Historical Books Online books online |refer below]]. <br>In addition there are:'' Volume X: 1945-1960''. ''Volume XI: 1960 to 1980''. is ''Volume XII: 1980-2000''. Available at the [[British Library]]. Also available from the Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE), as books or a CD-ROM.<ref>[https://www.instre.org/pages/publications/books-for-sale/corps-history.php Corps History] and [https://www.instre.org/pages/publications/current-publications/corps-history-cd-rom.php Corps History CD-ROM] The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE)</ref>
''The Work of the Royal Engineers in the European War 1914-1919''. For online editions, refer below. Available at the British Library:
*''Water supply''. [Containing 9 maps showing the] Water supply in France] (1921) UIN: BLL01004844114 ;
*''Work under the Director of Works (France)'' (1924) UIN: BLL01006788368 ; *''Miscellaneous: The organization and expansion of the Corps, 1914-18. Organization of engineer intelligence and information. Camouflage service. Concrete defence works and factories. Forward communications. Machinery, workshops, and electricity. Anti-Aircraft searchlights. Inundations. Schools''. (372 pages) Compiled by Colonel G. H. Addison. 1926. BLL01007769877 . All the ''Miscellaneous'' sections have been reprinted as separate volumes by Naval&Military Press. Also available online [https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000487540 HathiTrust Digital Library] for those with University access. 
==Regimental flash==
The flash, also known as a pagri (puggaree) badge, was generally affixed to the pagri on the sun helmet. The Royal Engineers had three styles of flashes. The first was a rectangular one with blue and red in equal halves - blue to the front. This was introduced in 1884 during the Sudan Campaign. During the 2nd Boer War they adopted a plain yellow flash to better distinguish them from the RA and then in 1902 changed to a red rectangular flash with two narrow royal blue lines near the outer edges i.e. red/blue/red/blue/red.<ref>Stuart_Bates. [https://web.archive.org/web/20111209170351/http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3962&start=15#p17411 helmet flashes] ''Victorian Wars Forum'' 15 November 2010, now archived. Retrieved 5 March 2016</ref>
It is difficult to identify Foreign Service (Wolseley Pattern) helmet flashes because the type of black & white film used at that time distorted coloration. <ref>FROGSMILE. [https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/164297-help-needed-id-ing-unit-flash-on-pith-helmet/?do=findComment&comment=1597197 Help needed ID-ing unit flash on pith helmet] ''Great War Forum'' 30 May 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2018.</ref>
== External Links links ==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Engineers Royal Engineers] Wikipedia<br />
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20071007122401/www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/art-eng-sig/RE.htm Corps of Royal Engineers] regiments.org
====Historical books online====
*''History of the Royal Sappers and Miners: from the formation of the Corps in March 1772, to the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers, in October 1856'' by T W J Connolly, QuarterMaster of the Royal Engineers. 2nd edtion, with considerable additions 1857 (first edition 1855) With coloured plates
:[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=y0XzAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1 Volume I], [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=XNQQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP11 Volume II] Google Books
:Same digital files HathiTrust Digital Library, where images may be rotated. [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hnzw4b?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 Volume I], [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hnzw4c?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 Volume II]
:Transcribed editions from Gutenberg.org, with coloured images [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55776 Vol. I], [https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/59260 Vol. II].
*[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_lqlBAAAAIAAJ ''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers Volume I''] by Maj-Gen Whitworth Porter 1889 Archive.org<br /> Military History to 1860 (Note: catalogued as Volume III, but is Volume I) Archive.org
*[https://archive.org/details/historycorpsroy00watsgoog ''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers Volume II''] by Maj-Gen Whitworth Porter 1889 Archive.org. Military History 1867- 1885, together with Part II Organization, Part III Departmental and Civil Work.
*[https://www.nzsappers.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Corps-History-Vol-08.pdf''History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Volume VIII: Campaigns in France and Belgium, 1939-40; Norway, Middle East, East Africa, Western Desert, North West Africa, and activities in the U.K'']. by Major-General R. P. Pakenham-Walsh. nzsappers.org.nz
:[https://www.nzsappers.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Corps-History-Vol-09.pdf ''Volume IX: Campaigns in Sicily and Italy; the War Against Japan; North-west Europe, 1944-45; minor and non-operational areas; post-war, 1945-48''] by Major-General R. P. Pakenham-Walsh. Both published 1958. nzsappers.org.nz. Note: ''War Against Japan'' includes c 200 pages regarding India, Burma, Hong Kong and Malaya. <ref>idler. [http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/book-content-question-r-e-history.59890/#post-692731 Book content question: R E History] ''WW2Talk Forum'' 13 December 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2018.</ref>
*''History of the Royal Sappers Volume X: 1948-1960'' and Miners''Volume XI: from the formation of the Corps in March 17721960 to 1980'', to see the date when its designation was changed to that of Royal Engineers, in October 1856 website ''NZSappers'' by T W J Connolly, QuarterMaster of the Royal Engineerswhich follows. 2nd edtion, with considerable additions 1857 (first edition 1855) With coloured plates:*The website ''NZSappers Sappers of New Zealand'' includes [https://bookswww.googlenzsappers.comorg.aunz/introduction/heritage-material/books?id=y0XzAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1 Volume I Heritage Material]which contains many online publications as pdfs, some of which are separately listed above. Includes Histories, Manuals, Professional Papers, and an extensive range of editions of ''The Royal Engineers Journal'' from 1905 to 2005.*The website of ''Defence Surveyors' Association'' [UK] includes [https://bookswww.googledefencesurveyors.comorg.auuk/books?id=XNQQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PP11 Volume IIhistorical-papers Historical Papers] including some relating to the First World War, including the [[Western Front]] Google Books:Same digital files HathiTrust Digital Library, where images may be rotated. [[Salonica and the Balkans (First World War)|Salonika]] and [[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hnzw4b?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 Volume IEgypt, Palestine, Syria (First World War)|Egypt, Sinai, Palestine & Syria]], and the [[https://hdl.handleSecond World War]].net/2027/hvd.hnzw4c?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 Volume II]
*[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=cioBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PP5 ''Army Equipment: Part III-Section 1 Engineers : Equipment of a Company of Engineers''] by Lieut-Colonel A. C. Cooke RE 1866 Google Books
*[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5YteAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA1 '' ‪Memorandum on the Employment of the Corps of Royal Engineers in India‬''] by Major G Chesney R E 1868 Google Books
*[https://books.google.com.au/books?id=HlUBAAAAQAAJ&pg=PR5-IA1 ''The Royal Engineer''] by Sir Francis B Head 1869 Google Books.
*''General Sir Alex Taylor G.C.B., R.E.: his Times, his Friends, and his Work'' by A. Cameron Taylor, his daughter. [https://archive.org/details/generalsiralexta01tayl/page/n9/mode/2up Volume I] [https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.88056/page/ii/mode/2up Volume II] 1913. Archive.org. 1826-1911. He arrived in India in January 1845, and took part in [[1st Sikh War]] page 28, [[2nd Sikh War]] page 61, [[Indian Mutiny]] page 143, continues Vol.II, [[Ambela Campaign|Ambeyla]] page 169, Vol.II. He later became President of The Royal Indian Engineering College, Coopers Hill, in England, 1880-1896.
*[http://archive.org/stream/recollectionsofl00harrrich#page/n9/mode/2up ''Recollections of a Life in the British Army during the latter half of the 19th Century''] by Gen. Sir Richard Harrison, Royal Engineers 1908 Archive.org
**[http://archive.org/stream/recollectionsofl00harrrich#page/20/mode/2up The Indian Campaigns 1857-1859], page 21
:[https://archive.org/details/politicalfrontie00holdiala ''Political Frontiers and Boundary Making''] by Col. Sir Thomas H Holdich 1916
*[https://archive.org/details/lifetimesofgener00innerich ''The life and times of General Sir James Browne, R.E., K.C.B., K.C.S.I. (Buster Browne)''] by General J.J. McLeod Innes, RE 1905 Archive.org
*[https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.208528/page/n7/mode/2up ''Four Score Years and Ten: Sir Bindon Bloodʼs Reminscences''] by General Sir Bindon Blood, Representative Colonel Commandant, Royal Engineers 1933. [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.5049/page/n1/mode/2up 2nd file] where images have been rotated. Archive.org. Born 1842, he went to India in 1871, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.208528/page/n65/mode/2up page 47] and in September 1871 was appointed to the Bengal Sappers and Miners. For the years to 1906, he spent the majority of the time in India, and largely was with the BSM with periods out of India. He was with the Chitral Field Force 1895, [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.208528/page/n285/mode/2up page 264]; Malakand Field Force 1897 [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.208528/page/n309/mode/2up page 288]; Buner Field Force 1898 [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.208528/page/n335/mode/2up page 310]. 1901-1906 he was Lieut.-General Commanding the Forces, Punjab.
*[https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b747692?urlappend=%3Bseq=7 ''Gun-running in the Gulf and other Adventures''] by Brig.-Gen. H H Austin [Herbert Henry] 1926 HathiTrust Digital Library. The initial chapter ''Gun-running in the Gulf'' was of events c 1909.
:[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b747693?urlappend=%3Bseq=11 ''Some Rambles of a Sapper''] by Brigr-Genl. Herbert Henry Austin. 1928 HathiTrust Digital Library. He was posted as an Assistant Engineer to the Military Works Department in Peshawur c 1889 and was obliged to retire in 1920, as there was no longer a role for him. He spent most of his careen career in India, with some years in Africa, (for the Indian Government), but appears to have remained as part of the British, not Indian, Army.
*''The River of Golden Sand: being the Narrative of a Journey through China and Eastern Tibet to Burmah'' by Captain William Gill R. E. [https://archive.org/details/riverofgoldensan01gill Volume I 1880], [https://archive.org/details/rivergoldensand02yulegoog Volume II 1880] [https://archive.org/details/cu31924023220217 Condensed [memorial<nowiki>]</nowiki> edition 1883] Archive.org
*[https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Search/Home?lookfor=The%20Work%20of%20the%20Royal%20Engineers%20in%20the%20European%20War&searchtype=title&ft=&setft=false ''The Work of the Royal Engineers in the European War 1914-1919'']. Six Seven full view editions from HathiTrust Digital Library: ''Water Supply - France. Part I. General development of organization, plant and works. Part II. Operations'' (1921); ''Work in the field under the engineer in chief, B. E. F.. Geological work on the Western Front'' (1922); ''Military mining'' (1922); ''Supply of engineer stores and equipment'' (1921); Bridging (1921); ''Miscellaneous: The organization and expansion of the Corps, 1914-18. Organization of engineer intelligence and information. Camouflage service. Concrete defence works and factories. Forward communications. Machinery, workshops, and electricity. Anti-Aircraft searchlights. Inundations. Schools''. Compiled by Colonel G. H. Addison. 1926. (372 pages). All the ''Miscellaneous'' sections have been reprinted as separate volumes by Naval&Military Press; ''Work in the field in other theatres of war. Egypt and Palestine--Water supply'' (1921). Four of these editions are available as pdfs from nzsappers.org.nz under Heritage Material/World War One (refer above).
*[https://archive.org/details/signalserviceine00prie ''The Signal Service in the European War of 1914-1918 (France)''] by R E Priestley (Late Major, R E) 1921 Archive.org. Part of the above series ''The Work of the Royal Engineers in the European War''. Includes information about the use of [https://archive.org/stream/signalserviceine00prie#page/357/mode/1up carrier pigeons] (Index entry)
**[https://archive.org/stream/signalserviceine00prie#page/10/mode/2up/search/Indian Page 11] includes a very brief reference to the Indian Telegraph units of the Indian Army. These were very likely to have been men from the [[Post and Telegraphs Department|Post and Telegraphs Department]] in India, who were appointed to the Army at the outbreak of war.
*[http://pahar.in/wpfb-file/1925-records-of-survey-of-india-vol-20-the-war-record-s-pdf/ ''Records of the Survey of India, Volume 20. The War Record 1914-1920''] 1925. If the download button does not display, locate in Books/Survey Of India, or [https://pahar.in/?wpfb_dl=21751 Direct link] PAHAR Mountains of Central Asia Digital Dataset. [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=jAFEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PR3 Google Books version] (now full view). [https://archive.org/details/records-survey-india-vol.-20 Archive.org version]. Work of Royal Engineers and other staff of the Survey of India mapping in various theatres of war, in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, Macedonia, Arabia, Persia, Palestine, East Africa and Afghanistan.
:Maps for Mesopotamia, not available online, are to be found in The National Archives[UK] series [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14506 WO 302]
*[http://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100023464681.0x000002 ''Mesopotamian Transport Commission. Report of the Commission appointed by the Government of India... to enquire into questions connected with the organisation and administration of the Railway and River Transport in Mesopotamia''] 1918. IOR/L/MIL/17/15/125/1. Qatar Digital Library. This book is also available [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.206468 Archive.org version] mirror from Digital Library of India.
*[https://archive.org/details/inkutcaptivitywi00sand ''In Kut and Captivity : with the Sixth Indian Division''] by Major EWC Sandes R E 1919 Archive.org
*''The Military Engineer in India'' by Lieut.-Colonel EWC Sandes RE. [http://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/37243 Volume I] 1933; [http://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/37244 Volume II] 1935. Digital Repository of GIPE (Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics [Pune India]). Also available in versions from Archive.org with online reading: [https://archive.org/details/engineer1/page/n4/mode/2up Volume I]; [https://archive.org/details/engineer2/page/n2/mode/2up Volume II] missing maps at back, [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.7855/page/n1/mode/2up 2nd file Vol. II] with [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.7855/page/n457/mode/1up maps at back].
*''Papers on subjects connected with the duties of the Corps of Royal Engineers''. Volume 1 1837 to Volume 10 1849 (Quarto Series). New Series Volume 1 1851 to Volume 23 1876. The title then changed to ''Professional papers of the Corps of Royal Engineers'' Volume 1 1877 to 1905 (Volume 31?), being "Third Series". There were 2 further volumes issued in the Fourth Series the second one in 1911, for the period 1908-1911. The format then changed and individual pamphlets were issued. The following volumes are available online:
**[http://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924062304492?urlappend=%3Bseq=5 ''Index to the Subjects and Authors of All Papers that Have Been Published in Royal Engineer Professional Papers from the Commencement of the Quarto Series <nowiki>[</nowiki>1837<nowiki>]</nowiki> to the end of New Series Volume 20 <nowiki>[</nowiki>1872<nowiki>]</nowiki>''] published 1872 Hathi Trust Digital Library
:*[http://archive.org/stream/professionalpap01unkngoog#page/n276/mode/2up "Turbines at Gokak"] page 229 ''Volume 18'', 1892 Archive.org
*[https://archive.org/details/arabianadventure0000glub ''Arabian Adventures : Ten years of joyful service''] by John Glubb (Sir John Bagot Glubb) 1978. The period from 1920, when he was posted to Iraq as a member of the Royal Engineers. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Bagot_Glubb John Bagot Glubb] Wikipedia.
*'''Update''' in respect of the following item. Also see the free website ''NZSappers Sappers of New Zealand'', above, which contains most/all? of the following Royal Engineers Journals.
:[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/royal-engineers-journals-1939-1945?SearchedRecordsetRegion=World&sourceID=13&utm_source=affiliate&utm_content=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wiki.fibis.org&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=%20fmp_uk&awc=2114 Royal Engineers Journals 1939-1945] is a Searchable database available on the pay website [[Findmypast]], located in the category Armed Forces & Conflict/Second World War. The Journals appear to have been published quarterly in March, June, September and December. It is also possible to browse the Journals, although somewhat time consuming. Examples of articles are
:*"The Kohat Pass Rifle Factory" by Lieut-Colonel E E Read pages 539-541 December 1939 (images 62-66). [https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2froyalengineers%2fre-journal-1939-december%2f0062 Findmypast link], need to be signed in to Fmp.
:*"Fortified post for Tochi Scouts at Biche Kashkai and Ghariom" page 542 December 1939 image 67 [https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2froyalengineers%2fre-journal-1939-december%2f0067 Findmypast link], need to be signed in to Fmp.
=====Indian Engineers=====
*''The Indian Engineers, 1939-47'' by Lieut.-Colonel E. W. C. Sandes 1956. [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.505988 Archive.org version], mirror from Digital Library of India.
:An earlier book is [https://www.nzsappers.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Indian-Sappers-and-Miners-1948.pdf ''The Indian Sappers and Miners'' ] by E. W. C Sandes [Edward Warren Caulfeild] 1948. (726p). nzsappers.org.nz. Covers the period from the pioneers in 1759 to the prelude to the Second World War. Available at the [[British Library]] UIN: BLL01011278725
== References ==
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[[Category:British Army]]
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