Biblio of RE books for WWII

Discussion in 'Royal Engineers' started by Old Git, May 20, 2021.

  1. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    OK, not sure where to put this. RE, Books or Historiography so thought I'd shove it in Gen Pop and if Adam's thinks it ought to be elsewhere he might correctly slot it for me?

    So, trying to compile a list of all the books I know about that concern the RE in WWII. Not looking for War Office published Mil Engineering volumes, just History books like Ken Ford's book on the Seine Crossing or Brian Harpur's book on the Bailey Bridge or the PO River Crossing, or Gerald Mortimer's, Tony Daniell's memoirs. BAOR Battlefield Tours etc.also acceptable and any privately published unit/personal accounts, Journal or magazine articles.,

    This is what I've got so far, but I'm sure you lot can add to this: ...

    Now separated into Memoirs/First-Hand accounts, Secondary Sources and Technical Volumes....

    MEMOIRS AND FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS


    Cripps, Jack H. H.

    (2006)

    ‘The Defending Officer's Dog: A Royal Engineer Abroad in the Second World War’. UK, Milltrace

    Currie, Stewart

    (2000)

    'The Royal Engineers At War: The Work of the Transportation Directorate In Persia, September 1941 - March 1943'. UK, Privately Published


    Dunstan, Peter

    (2015)

    ‘Apprentice To Airborne: Memoirs Of A World War Two Royal Engineer’. Self-Published, Dunestone Press, via amazon.co.uk

    Guy, Brian R.

    (2014)

    ‘Cameos of War’. Broadoak, Dorset: Honeybee Books

    Hayton, Pauline

    (2013)

    ‘A Corporal's War: The WWII Adventures of a Royal Engineer Paperback’. Self-Published via Amazon

    Henslow, John

    (1986)

    'A Sapper in the Forgotten Army'. UK, Privately Published under imprint 'John Henslow'


    HQ Pl. 71st Fd Coy RE

    (1945)

    Short History of 71st Field Company R.E. in North Western European Campaign, 1944 – 1945 (Typescript manuscript copy in author’s collection). Copies in IWM.

    Lloyd, Lt-Col. T.I.

    (1946)

    “The Seine!, The Seine!” A Military Bridging Narrative. Sifton Praed, London

    Mortimer, Gerald

    (1993)

    ‘Never A Shot in Anger’. Worcester, Square One Publications.

    Rainer, Maj. Peter,

    (2014)

    'Pipeline to Battle: An Engineer’s Adventures with the British Eighth Army'. Kindle ed. via Amazon.co.uk. Lucknow Books

    Riordan, Thomas M.J.

    (1984)

    ‘A History of the 7th Field Company RE, 1939 – 1946’. (Privately Published}

    Turner, Sydney (Maj. A.S.)

    (1998)

    'Engineer in the War: Bomb Disposal, Jungle, Sikhs'. UK, Onyx Publishing

    Watkins, Leonard

    (1996)

    ‘A Sappers War’. London, Minerva Press

    Womack, Cpl. J.A. *

    Wolfe, Celia

    (1996)

    ‘Summon Up the Blood: D-Day and the NW Europe Campaign May 1944 to February 1945’. Barnsley, Pen and Sword



    SECONDARY SOURCES

    Anderson, Richard C.

    (2010)

    ‘'Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall: the 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers on D-Day’. MechanicsBurg, PA. Stackpole Books

    Armstrong, Anthony

    (1949)

    ‘Sappers At War’. Aldershot; Gale and Polden

    Aston, D.P (Maj.)

    (1993)

    ‘A Short History, The Royal Engineers’. Chatham: Institution of the Royal Engineers.

    Aves, William A.T.

    (2012)

    ‘Supporting the British Expeditionary Force: The Royal Engineer Railway Units in France 1939-40’. UK, Shaun Tyas

    Bailey, D.C

    (1945)

    ‘Engineers in the Italian Campaign, 1943-1945’. Printing and Stationery Services, C.M.F., 1945

    Daniell, A.P. de T. (Tony)

    (1990)

    ‘Mediterranean Safari: March 1943 – October 1944’. Londo; Buckland Publications.

    Ford, Ken

    (2011)

    ‘Assault Crossing, The River Seine 1944’. Barnsley: Pen & Sword

    Ford-Jones, Martyn R. &Jones, Robert R.W.

    (2017)

    ‘A Royal Engineer at War, 1940 – 1945. Stroud, Gloucs, Fonthill Media

    Hatcup, Guy

    (1970)

    The Challenge of War: Scientific and Engineering Contributions to WWII.

    Hatcup, Guy

    (2006)

    ‘Code Name Mulberry’. Barnsley, Pen & Sword – (originally published 1977 by David & Charles).

    Harpur, Brian

    (1980)

    ‘The Impossible Victory: A personal account of the battle for the River Po,. London, William Kimber.

    Harpur, Brian

    (1991)

    ‘A Bridge to Victory: The Untold Story of the Bailey Bridge’. London: HMSO

    Hudson, S.A.M.

    (2010)

    ‘UXB Malta: Royal Engineers Bomb Disposal 1940-44: The Most Bombed Place on Earth’. UK, The History Press.

    Hughes, Austin

    (2000)

    'Diesel Taff: From the Barracks to Tripoli'. Northwich, Cheshire, Leonie Press

    Joiner, J. H.

    (2001)

    ‘One More River to Cross: The story of British Military Bridging’, Leo Cooper, Barnsley

    Jones, Charles

    (2004)

    ‘Ordinary Heroes: The extraordinary tale of 106 Army Troops Company Royal Engineers’ Self-publsihed, Writers Print Shop via Amazon

    Kennedy, Paul

    2013

    ‘Engineers of Victory’. London, Allen Lane

    Pakenham-Walsh, R.P.

    (1958)

    The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Vol. VIII. Institute of Royal Engineers, Chatham

    Pakenham-Walsh, R.P.

    (1958)

    The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers, Vol. IX. Institute of Royal Engineers, Chatham

    Stilz, John

    (2010a)

    Basic Function: The 4th Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers At Arnhem: Volume 1 (Market Garden Engineer Series). On Demand Print via Amazon.com

    Sliz, John

    (2010b)

    Engineers At The Bridge: The 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers At Arnhem (Market Garden Engineer Series). On Demand Print via Amazon.com

    Sliz, John

    (2011)

    A Long Tradition: The 9th (Airborne) Field Company, Royal Engineers (Market Garden Engineer Series). Toronto, Service Publications.

    Sliz, John

    (2012)

    ‘Bailey Bridge in Canadian Service’. Toronto, Service Publications.

    Sliz, John

    (2013)

    Commander Royal Engineers: The Headquarters of the Royal Engineers at Arnhem: Volume 8 (Market Garden Engineer Series). Toronto, Service Publications.

    Sliz, John

    (2015)

    A Token Force: The 261st Field Park Company Royal Engineers (Airborne) at Arnhem (Market Garden Engineer Series). Toronto, Service Publications.

    Sliz, John

    (2016)

    Bridging the Club Route: Guards Armoured Division's Engineers During Operation Market Garden (Market Garden Engineer Series). Toronto, Service Publications.


    TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS

    British Army of the Rhine

    (1945)

    Bridging Normandy to Berlin, Royal Engineers.



    Chief Engineer,

    BAOR

    (1946)

    ‘Royal Engineers Battlefield Tour I: Normandy to the Seine’, HQ 8 AGRE. BAOR

    Chief Engineer, BAOR

    (1947)

    ‘Royal Engineers Battlefield Tour I: The Seine to the Rhine, Volume 1.’ HQ 8 AGRE. BAOR

    Chief Engineer, BAOR

    (1947)

    ‘Royal Engineers Battlefield Tour I: The Seine to the Rhine, Volume 2.’ HQ 8 AGRE. BAOR

    G Trg (HQ) BAOR


    BAOR Battlefield Tour: Operation Neptune, 43(W) Division Assault Crossing of the River Seine, 25 – 28 August, 1944.

    Hathrell, J.A.E.

    (1968)

    The Bailey and Uniflote Handbook, Acrow Press, London

    ICE – Institution of Civil Engineers

    (1948)

    The Civil Engineer in War: A Symposium of Papers on War-time Engineering Problems. Vol.1. Airfields, roads, railways, and bridges. London: Institution of Civil Engineers.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2021
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  2. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    Pipeline To Battle (Adventures with the British Eighth Army) Kindle Books
    Major Peter Rainer
     
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  3. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Thanks for that, now added to the list above.
     
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  4. ChrisR

    ChrisR Senior Member

    Diesel Taff from Barracks to Tripoli by Austin Hughes
    An Engineer in the War by Major A.S. Turner OBE

    I could give you a bunch of titles relating to RE Bomb Disposal, but not sure that's the sort of thing you're after.
     
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  5. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Thanks for that, added to the mix.


    Anything to do with RE in WWII, can make a separate list for Bomb Disposal if need be. Overall though, if it's RE do post it up!

    Fiction too, if it's got a definite RE bent. Want to compile as big a list as possible to be honest.
     
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  6. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Breakdown.
    A History of Recovery Vehicles in the British Army.
    Brian Baxter, 1989.
    ISBN 0112904564
     
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  7. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Is that REME rather RE?
     
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  8. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    For the bridging books "in Canadian Service" I think those entries on amazon.co.uk are actually errors. I think they are staple-bound booklets from Service Publications. Weapons of War

    edited PS - note there are two, one for Bailey and one for Non-Bailey.
     
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  9. idler

    idler GeneralList

  10. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    A Sapper in the Forgotten Army by John Henslow
    Officer in 421 Ind Fd Coy
     
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  11. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    Search for books, Second World War, Royal Engineers at IWM Collections and 734 search returns...but this is a little pamphlet of 25 pages:

    "The Royal Engineers At War: The Work of the Transportation Directorate In Persia, September 1941 - March 1943."
    Subtitle on front cover: The setting up and operation of the Railway L. of C. for "aid to Russia"
    Currie, Stewart ( Author ) Production Date 2000
    whole: Dimensions: 30cm., Pagination: [25]p.: ill.
    Catalogue number
    LBY K. 12 / 1503
     
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  12. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    I have at least one of these booklets and it's a very short format, they were being knocked out by Jon Silz at a rate of 1 or 2 a year and offered via Amazon on a print on demand basis. They might now come under 'Weapons of War' series But I think they were initially offered as stand-alone. I've actually only included them because they exist rather than because they have any real merit as research items, although one or two might be good as basic intro's to a topic.
     
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  13. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Thanks, added to the list
     
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  14. Chris C

    Chris C Canadian

    Fair, but I don't see them available on amazon now. :-/
     
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  15. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Just added it to the list, looks to be privately published. So many RE accounts appear to be private publications, do publishers really think there is no market for RE stuff?
     
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  16. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    I think you're right on that score. He may have stopped 'knocking them out' and handed the rights over to this staple and bind company. I've had a look at mine and it too is Service Publications. I did buy mine through Amazon though that was a few years back. I've modded the entries now though! Thanks for spotting that.
     
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  17. Old Git

    Old Git Harmless Curmudgeon

    Think I'll do that over the weekend, ;-)
     
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  18. Oldman

    Oldman Very Senior Member

    The Royal Engineers Sixth Armoured Division (Padova 1946) from Tunisia to Austria
     
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  19. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

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  20. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    Copying a search at the IWM is a very long-winded affair, so good luck with that !

    I have got the first two volumes of the following as indexed by IWM but there are at least eight volumes and, probably, different editions concerned with building and running military railways. The book does not actually say that it was written by a Royal Engineer. Some volumes ( pamphlet sized ? ) appear to be in files at Kew. I would like to build a set with photographs from Kew, volumes for sale being few and far between, but only because I am interested in the Japanese engineers involved with the Burma/Siam Railway, to compare and contrast. I am definitely not an engineer, but many paragraphs make sense. The equations defeat me.

    "BOOKS
    NOTES ON MILITARY RAILWAY ENGINEERING. PART I : SURVEY, 1940

    DESCRIPTION
    Object description
    Produced under the authority of the Quartermaster General
    Show more
    OBJECT DETAILS
    Category
    Books
    Related period
    Second World War (content), Second World War (content)
    Creator
    WAR OFFICE. QUARTERMASTER GENERAL (Author)
    War Office (Publisher)
    Production date
    1940
    Place made
    London
    Dimensions
    whole: Dimensions: 24cm.
    Catalogue number
    LBY WO 1418"
     
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