February sapper mag:Layout 1 21/1/09 16:21 Page 58
REA
Patron: Her Majesty The Queen HQ ROYAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
President: General Sir Kevin O’Donoghue KCB CBE BROMPTON BARRACKS
Chairman: Major General J D Moore-Bick CBE DL CHATHAM, KENT, ME4 4UG
Controller: Lieutenant Colonel J R McLennan Tel: 01634 847005
Deputy Controller: Lieutenant Colonel N A Jordan Website:
www.reahq.org.uk
Email:
info@reahq.org.uk
New Life Members
Since the last edition of the Sapper magazine, the Groups shown below have added a substantial number of new Life
Members to their ranks. Well done to all the Branches concerned.
HQ & Overseas Group 2 London Group 3 South East Group 8
Central Southern Group 1 South West Group 12 South Wales Group -
South Midlands Group 2 East Anglian Group 2 North East Group 23
North West Group 2 North Midlands Group 2 Scotland & NI Group -
Since the last edition of the Sapper magazine a total of 258 Phase 2 recruits, all subscribers to the Days Pay Scheme, received
the REA Welcome Presentation from the PSO at Gibraltar Barracks, Maj Jack Frost. The Association extends a warm welcome
to the REA Life Member recruits of the following Phase 2 intakes.
Intake Number Number of Recruits Intake Number Number of Recruits
08/20 40 08/24 41
08/21 35 08/25 48
08/22 25 08/26 34
08/23 35
Glasgow Branch Sappers Go Forth.
By Rick Tootle, Standard Bearer
It was time for the annual remembrance visit and this year the Glasgow & West of Scotland Drill Team, which includes a
number of REA Glasgow Branch members, decided it would be right and proper to visit Ypres. So after many months of plan-
ning and saving, Mr Ian Reat found himself in charge of the Standard Bearers, wives and friends for the trip across the Channel
during the weekend 25th - 29th Sep 08.
Thursday morning saw the gathering of veterans at various locations but the Sapper contingent boarded the coach at Hanover
Street in Glasgow. Members on parade were George & Jenny McIllwraith, Rick & Corinne Tootle, Eddie & May Sweeney and
Alec Paterson. The trip South was a pleasure and under the control of our driver Dave, who is a veteran of the Tank Corps. After
the overnight crossing with P&O we were ready for our first visit.
The Yorkshire Trench was very hard to find but found nestled between two commercial buildings. The trench is only a few
metres in length but the paths are laid out in such a way that you can see the plan of earthworks dug underground. We were able
to walk along the trench but the steps going underground, and the chambers were still flooded. The bonus of the day was when a
man came up and confirmed Rick’s analysis of the site, who just happened to be the head archaeologist known as ‘The Digger’
who had found & preserved the area. He explained that a lot of the trenches had been back filled and lost but was happy to chat
about his findings. The reason why he was in the area at the same time was that he had just attended the funeral of three soldiers
he had found at the bottom of a nearby excavation. Time to move on and we then paid our respects in Tyne Cot cemetery where
wooden crosses were laid by all members of the group. Unknown Sapper headstones were located and crosses laid. It is only
when one stands in a place such as this; you start to comprehend the huge loss that occurred. Moving on…it was time to head
into Ypres for a recce and a spot of lunch then onto our hotel and our evening meal.
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The Sapper REA
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