1st Middlesex Engineers

The 1st Middlesex Engineers was the senior engineer unit of Britain's Volunteer Force, raised in 1860 and originally recruited from the South Kensington Museum. It provided Royal Engineers (RE) units to the 47th (1/2nd London) and 60th (2/2nd London) Divisions during World War I, and the 47th (London) and 56th (London) Infantry Divisions in World War II. The engineers served on the First World War's Western Front from 1915 to 1918, and in a number of theatres during the Second World War. It also served in the postwar Territorial Army, until 1967.

Volunteer Force The enthusiasm for the Volunteer movement following an invasion scare in 1859 saw the creation of many Rifle Volunteer units composed of part-time soldiers eager to supplement the Regular British Army in time of need.Money Barnes, pp. 206–8.Beckett. Soon the need for military engineer ('Sapper') units to support the Rifle Volunteers was recognised, and a group from the South Kensington Museum, headed by Norman MacLeod of MacLeod, approached the War Office (WO) with an offer to raise two companies from the engineering and allied professions. The proposal was accepted in January 1860 and enlistment began on 6 February, creating the first Engineer Volunteer Corps (EVC). MacLeod was appointed captain in command and a year later was promoted to major as the unit rapidly grew beyond its initial two companies. By November 1863, the 1st Middlesex EVC had 10 companies and was recruiting an 11th:Beckett, Appendix IX.Edwards, pp. 6–7, 15.Westlake, pp. 11–2.2nd London Engineers at Regiments.orgMonthly Army List, various dates. Nos 1, 2, 3 & 5 Companies at South Kensington Museum No 4 Company at Chelsea No 6 Company at Wandsworth No 7 Company at London University No 8 Company at Brompton No 9 Company at Pimlico No 10 Company at Paddington No 11 Company at 69 Chancery Lane – from solicitors' clerks

From 1863, the new 1st Essex, 1st London and 1st Tower Hamlets EVCs were administratively linked to the 1st Middlesex (these units became independent from 1871, 1868 and 1868 respectively).Westlake, pp. 7, 11, 14.

The unit outgrew its headquarters (HQ) at the South Kensington Museum and moved a short distance to Whitehead's Grove in Chelsea (it dropped its '(South Kensington)' subtitle in 1862) and in 1865 opened a purpose-built drill hall in College Street (today's Elystan Street) in Chelsea, designed by Capt Francis Fowke, RE, who had designed the new South Kensington Museum (the V&A).Edwards, pp. 12–3. MacLeod relinquished command in 1871 and was appointed honorary colonel of the corps.Edwards, Appendix F.

By the end of 1873, the corps had dwindled to 210 men in six companies and a recruiting campaign was held, which brought it back up to nine companies, including two (A and G) in Marylebone and one based at the Royal Indian Engineering College, Cooper's Hill, near Egham. When the 1st Sussex Engineers was raised in Eastbourne in 1890, it was attached to the 1st Middlesex until 1892, when it was transferred to the 1st Hampshires. The Tonbridge School Cadet Corps was affiliated with the 1st Middlesex in 1893. All the EVCs' titles were changed to simply 'Royal Engineers (Volunteers)' in 1896.Edwards, pp. 16–19, 24.

Active service In 1882, the 1st Middlesex offered a detachment for service in the Egyptian Campaign of 1882, which was accepted.Edwards, p. 18.

After Black Week in December 1899, the Volunteers were invited to send active service units to assist the Regulars in the Second Boer War. The 1st Middlesex Engineers sent a detachment of one officer and 25 other ranks (ORs) to work with the Royal Engineers (RE). They embarked at Southampton aboard the Tintagel Castle with similar sections from 11 other EVCs on 10 March 1900. The ship arrived at Cape Town on 31 March. The detachments returned home after a year's service, but the 1st Middlesex sent a second detachment in 1901. Members of the 1st Middlesex also volunteered for other active service units, bringing the total of those who served in South Africa to two officers and 100 ORs, of whom five died.Edwards, p. 23, Appendix Ai.C.M. Watson, pp. 42–3.

Territorial Force When the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908,Beckett, pp. 247–53.Dunlop, Chapter 14.Spiers, Chapter 10. the 1st Middlesex Engineers provided the divisional engineers for the TF's 2nd London Division with the following organisation:London Gazette, 20 March 1908.Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 69–75.Edwards, pp. 30–2.Lord & Watson, pp. 156–8.Money Barnes, Appendix IV.Nalder, p. 610.Watson & Rinaldi, p. 11.

HQ at Duke of York's Headquarters (DOYHQ), Chelsea 3rd London Field Company 4th London Field Company 2nd London Divisional Telegraph Company No 1 Section, Duke of York's Headquarters No 2 (4th London) Section No 3 (5th London) Section No 4 (6th London) Section

Nos 2–4 Sections of the Telegraph Company were attached to and largely manned by the 4th–6th infantry brigades of the division. It was termed a Signal Company from 1911.

Tonbridge School Cadet Corps became part of the Junior Division of the Officers Training Corps, but the Royal Engineer Cadets (2nd London Division) continued to be affiliated to the unit.

First World War Mobilisation When war was declared on 4 August 1914, most units of 2nd London Division had just reached camps at Perham Down to carry out annual training. They immediately returned to their HQs and mobilised. 3rd London Field Company went to Dover to carry out defence works, but by mid-August the whole division was concentrated at its war stations around St Albans. The Divisional Commander, RE (CRE) was Lieutenant-Colonel H.H. Taylor, who had his HQ at Gorhambury, 3rd Company was at Shafford's Farm, 4th Company at Gorhambury Park, and the Signal Company in billets in St Albans.Edwards, p. 43.Maude, pp. 2–3.

On the outbreak of war, TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the WO issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form these into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. Later, the 2nd Line were prepared for overseas service and 3rd Line units were raised.Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.Dalbiac, pp. 17–8.Edwards, p. 91.

The WO also decided that each infantry division should have an additional RE field company, to allow one for each brigade. For 2nd London Divisional Engineers, this should have been the 1/6th London Company, but the 2/3rd Field Company had already been formed at Chelsea in October, and this took the place, so the 1/6th Company joined the 2/2nd London Division when it was formed. 2/3rd Field Co trained with the rest of the 2nd Line at St Albans until it was ready to go overseas.Edwards, p. 44.Watson & Rinaldi, p. 34.Watson & Rinaldi, p. 62.

47th (1/2nd London) Divisional RE Shortly after mobilisation, elements of 2nd London Division went to France independently to reinforce the BEF fighting on the Western Front: 1/3rd London Fd Co left for Winchester in January 1915 to join the newly formed 28th Division, composed mainly of Regular units brought back from Colonial garrisons. 28th Division embarked at Southampton 15–18 January and took its place in the line. The company suffered its first casualties, including the officer commanding (OC), Major S.D. Sewell, killed while working in the line in the Ypres Salient. However, 1/3rd London Fd Co returned to 2nd London Division on 6 April 1915, before 28th Division went into large-scale action.Becke, Pt 1, pp. 108–10.Edwards, p. 38, 45–6.Maude, Appendix D.

1/2nd London Division was chosen as one of the first complete TF formations to join the BEF. It began its move on 8 March 1915 and, by 22 March, had concentrated in the Béthune area.Maude, pp. 9–13.Edwards, p. 48. From the formation of the 2nd Line, the 1st Line Signal Company was commanded by Major Sir Lionel Alexander, Bart, from 23rd Bn London Regiment (and originally the Grenadier Guards). Once in France, although 'vaguely' under the divisional CRE, the company usually came under the control of Corps HQ, while the sections were with their brigades. On 11 May the division was designated as 47th (2nd London) Division, and the RE as 47th (London) Divisional RE.Maude, pp. 18–9.

The division took over a section of the line near Festubert, and its infantry played a part in the Battle of Festubert. The sappers were engaged in improving trench systems, and suffered a steady trickle of casualties, including the OC of 1/4th London Fd Co, Major H.H.S. Marsh.Edwards, p. 49.Maude, pp. 19–20. 2/3rd London Field Company left St Albans on 22 June, embarked on the SS City of Dunkirk for Le Havre, and joined the rest of the divisional RE at Nœux-les-Mines.Edwards, p. 50.

Loos

The division's first major offensive action was the Battle of Loos.The front lines were opposite Loos-en-Gohelle and on 27 August the divisional RE began work on a new start line. Each night an infantry battalion was brought up from Nœux-les-Mines to dig under the supervision of the sappers, and of trenches were dug in three weeks, including special recesses for gas cylinders. At 06.30 on 25 September, after a 40-minute discharge of poison gas, the infantry of 47th Division 'went over the top' accompanied by parties of sappers. Two sections from 1/3rd Fd Co were with 140th (4th London) Brigade and two from 1/4th Fd Co were with 141st (5th London) Brigade; two more sections of 1/3rd Fd Co were with 142nd (6th London) Brigade, which was only to make a demonstration. The remainder of the Divisional RE was in reserve. Casualties in the attack were moderate, and the division's two attacking brigades took their objectives with the exception of one strongpoint where the Germans held out for 48 hours. Major E.B. Blogg, OC of 1/4th Fd Co, was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) after he went out under heavy shellfire to cut the electric leads to mines laid by the enemy under the church tower at Loos. However, the flanking divisions had not done as well, and 47th Division was forced to fight to hold onto its gains. After four days, the frontline brigades were relieved, while 142nd Bde relieved part of the Guards Division, and in turn spent three days in the line. During this period the brigade signal office in a Loos cellar was blown in, causing casualties, but communication back to Divisional HQ was restored in about 10 minutes/Cherry, pp. 105–22, 249.Edwards, p. 51.Maude, pp. 25–35.

Once the front line had settled down, signal lines were quickly laid from brigade HQs to battalion HQs and in some cases company HQs, while the motorcycle despatch riders (DRs) did good work on the exposed road into Loos. Maintaining communication from divisional HQ back to corps HQ proved more difficult, because wagon movements after dar continually disrupted the signal cables.Maude, p. 35. The division was engaged on 8 October when heavy enemy counter-attacks were repulsed. IV Corps used 9000 Grenades in two-and-a-half hours, all of which had to be fused by the RE working under great pressure.Maude, p. 38.