WORK OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS IN THE EUROPEAN WAR 1914-1918: Concrete Defence Works and Factories

The Germans led the way in the construction of concrete fortifications, but a significant disadvantage from the British point of view was the lack of practical experience in that type of work on the part of the majority of engineers. Nevertheless a good deal of in situ work was done, especially for MG emplacements and OPs. The discovery of many concrete defences in the German lines captured during 1917 renewed our interest in this type of work, but again ignorance, especially in the properties of concrete or in its application to defence works led to many faulty constructions along our front. Efforts to put this right came in a Fieldworks Note issued by the Engineer in Chief drawing attention to mistakes and enunciating the main principles of reinforced concrete design. This account shows how the problems were tackled and the amount of resources put into the work. Concrete factories were built and special units were formed, “Transportation Works Companies, RE” composed of men of various trades and each numbering five officers and 257 other ranks. There are a number of plates depicting technical drawings of concrete structures