A recruitment poster of the period aimed at ‘The Commonwealth’
Sapper recruitment
Rather than concentrate on the British contingent, we shall explore how the bulk of the sappers on the ground are trained. They are Indian, but have predominantly British Officers at OC level. You will have spotted both current and previous Sapper bosses both having service in India.
Meanwhile, in a typical Sapper training unit here in India, the number of recruits has been really fluctuating with the rapid expansion of the programme. It has risen to about 200 recruits a week, in each of the three battalions recruiting up to that quantity every third week. These are formed into one party commanded by a jemadar*.
A reduction in training time from twenty-one months (in peacetime) to thirty-four weeks has had an effect! The number of subjects has not diminished; rather it is pared down to bone. The peacetime standard of no flat feet and ‘can the recruit get round the assault course the first time’ are out the window!
A rough break down? Ma-Bap week (1 week) handyman training (2 weeks) basic training (PT drill etc) (12 weeks) field engineering and trades training (11 weeks) range firing (1 week) field craft (2 weeks) and then some crucial field engineering revision (2 weeks). Then three weeks leave.
Ma-Bap
Ma-Bap (literally mother-father)the recruiting organizations collect volunteers from districts and classes, many of them not normally recruited by the Sappers. They often arrive saying that they had expected enrolment in another arm. Many of them are shocked by the amount of work which allegedly exceeded what had been ‘promised’ them by the recruiting staff (colour me so surprised!).
The majority have no village or family connexion with the Corps or any other regiment to counter the pangs of home sickness. Initially there was much absence without leave. To sort this, the first week of the programme is now ‘Ma-Bap week’. Recruits are met on arrival during the week before and are shepherded about the lines by the Ma-Bap staff, which consist of a jemadar* and several old Sappers resplendent in medal ribbons and chosen for their sympathetic dispositions.[1]
The old complete field engineering syllabus is covered, with certain items having been introduced since the war began, such as anti-tank mines and mine detection, but the concentration is still on the individual training. To this end various parts of the syllabus have, as well as being pared, been simplified.
Tradesmen
Several tradesmen do, however, arrive among the normal non-technical recruit parties. During the second week of handyman training each party has five half-days in the shops. Tradesmen in the party are discovered and tested. If they pass, they obtain their engineer pay immediately.
I should also mention the three demonstration squads, each twelve strong, formed to ‘demonstrate everything demonstrable’ to all the parties before they themselves have a go.[2] Two perform in teams for (e.g.) squad drill, battle drill, highwire fence, watermanship, action under gas spray, etc.; the third demonstrates the more individual activities in field engineering such as mauling a picket, reaving a tackle, erecting a 500-gallon tank, etc.
After this, and the afore mentioned well-earned leave, the Sapper too joins his unit.
Where are we?
Image: IWM EPH 4012 A silk ‘panic map’ with Central Burma on one side and North Burma on the other. Written at the bottom of the map in black pen are the above inscriptions. Certain areas of the map, which were of importance to the owner (Private E Dexter), have been ringed in black pen. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30083545
“All unit officers and soldiers finally on the ground? Good, right, where are we?”
Reach for phone, no signal. No signal, no phone! No satellite, no Google Maps, no Satnav….
CQMS* – “It’s 1942 sir!”
“Right Q hand me a map”.
Q – “THE map sir? The company has one copy of the 1cm to 2.5 km map ‘India and Adjacent Countries’. You will remember sir, the map stock printed in 1940–41 was cleverly stored in Rangoon! (and taken by the Japanese)
“So, it’s compass, contours and find the rivers, Q?”
Q – “fraid so sir. The men suggest they will follow you, if only out of curiosity!”
Author’s notes
1. In 1946 the ‘Royal’ title was bestowed upon the Indian Engineers, and at the same time it was decided that the three corps of Sappers & Miners (Madras, Bengal and Bombay) should drop their time-honoured title of Sappers & Miners and become Groups. As an example – the Royal Bombay Sappers & Miners then became the Royal Bombay Group, Royal Indian Engineers. When India obtained her Independence and became a Republic the royal title ceased to be used and the corps assumed its present designation of Bombay Engineer Group.
2. ‘Promised them by the recruiting staff’ – Although not broadcast then, they really should have caught an episode of Sgt Bilko or two!
3. Personal note 1 Having been a company commander at a sapper training establishment, I raise my hat to the teams at QVO Madras, and all other training establishments of the time, who trained under real duress.
4. Personal note 2 Hands up here, before this research I was not aware we had a Burma Squadron affiliated to the QVO Madras.
5. Maps. My humour is factually correct. There was no military mapping of Burma at this time. The forces with the best maps of Burma were the Japanese and their maps were hurriedly acquired.
Glossary
CQMS – Company Quarter Master Sergent in charge of stores.
EOTS -the QVO Madras Engineer Officers’ training school
Jemadar – A junior commissioned officer typically the lowest so a 2nd Lieutenant equivalent. The internet suggests the word “Jemadar” comes from the Persian word jamādar, meaning “holder of the reins” which seems highly apt!
OCTU – Officer Cadet Training Unit
Pip – metal star or cloth emblem placed on epaulette
[1] (Royal Engineers Journal December 1951, p. 402)
[2] (Royal Engineers Journal December 1951, p. 410)
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