Written by John Bishop
Peter served for 37 years in the Army, much of this time being as a specialist in surveying, mapping and geospatial intelligence. Subsequently he continued to work for a further 13 years until 2018 as a civilian in this specialist discipline.
Peter described some of the limitations in mapping 300-400 years ago when maps were very crude. It was not until the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745 that in the first detailed survey in the UK was undertaken. This survey was led by General William Roy, from 1747 to 1755. Scotland was mapped on 37 sheets, a truly remarkable product completed in water colours with hill shading to depict elevations. General Roy’s work influenced the establishment of Ordnance Survey (OS) by the Royal Engineers in 1791, with OS producing the first one-inch-to-the-mile maps in 1801. Until 1977 the Director General of OS was a Major General. At that time OS became a completely civilian organisation, leaving the Army’s Surveyors to focus on support to military operations.
The Royal Engineers (Geographic) Branch (RE(Geo)) delivers integrated geospatial intelligence to support defence requirements of the UK and its allies. Peter described how this support is provided during operations, outlining some of the techniques used and the equipment needed.
RE(Geo)’s primary location is at Wyton as part of the Joint Forces Intelligence Group but with its training establishment, the Royal School of Miliary Survey, based in the barracks at Hermitage. Other detachments are spread across the UK and overseas. RE(Geo) units deploy on almost all miliary operations, be it warfighting, peacekeeping or support to natural disasters. RE(Geo) units worked in Iraq and Afghanistan throughout the time that British Forces deployed there.
Peter showed examples of how terrain analysis can support operations. He described how RE(Geo) provides web services, how the very large quantities of geospatial data needed to support operations are managed and why paper maps are still needed. He stressed the importance of international agreements to ensure UK forces have the best geospatial information available.
Peter explained that the land surveying techniques that he was taught in the 1970s had not changed much since the time of General Roy (except perhaps that RE(Geo) surveyors do not include contours drawn as an elephant as a surveyor had done in the 19th Century during the survey of India!). The introduction of GPS, availability of satellite imagery and the massive increase in computer capabilities has fundamentally transformed the work of RE(Geo) during his time in the Army. RE(Geo) officers now complete a Masters’ Degree in Geospatial Intelligence and soldiers complete a Batchelor’s Degree, also in Geospatial Intelligence, as part of their basic training.
Peter concluded his talk by describing how silk maps have been used to support aircrew when shot down over enemy territory and to assist prisoners of war to escape. To do this he brought with him examples of these maps that had been printed during WW2, the Cold War and for subsequent operations, where silk has been replaced by lightweight plastic.