Engineering Hitler's Downfall. Gwilym Roberts

underground station creating a massive crater on a junction of six important roads. Within 90 minutes sappers and pioneers were clearing the site for the construction of a box girder bridge capable of carrying London buses nose to tail as illustrated in rather a good photograph. It was all completed in just four and a half days, something we can only dream about today.

      The magisterial span of this book includes the vital contribution of women at war and the crucial improvements in medical science. Nor can we forget the iron men in small corvettes battling the North Atlantic gales and beating the U-boats of the cruel sea. Churchill famously stated “The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril”. It was one of the longest battles in history with merchantmen sunk from the first to the last day of the war. Everything on land, at sea or in the air depended ultimately on its outcome. Roberts reminds us that the Battle of the Atlantic was highly technical and despite the bravery of those seafarers, it was won through the most innovative ideas and extraordinary schemes and inventions.

      The book reveals the intricacies of D-day planning and logistics, from the Mulberry harbours, PLUTO and the less well-known DUMBO to Major General Percy Hobart’s ‘funnies’ and advances in meteorological forecasting. It ends in the Pacific and the apotheosis of technical change, the Atom bomb.

      Through this tour de force, which will enthral both layman and expert, Gwilym Roberts has achieved his aim of ensuring recognition for the myriad ‘technologists’ who made victory in World War II possible.

      West of Spithead

      August 2018

       Preface

      The initiative that prompted me to write this book occurred when I was sitting on a committee at the Institution of Civil Engineers that was tasked with proposing the names of a small number of eminent engineers whose names might be added to those already inscribed on the walls of the Institution’s headquarters building in Westminster. Among the names considered was former Institution member R. J. Mitchell, the designer of the Spitfire fighter that played such a vital role in ensuring victory in the Battle of Britain. Although he was not chosen, I went on to appreciate that were it not for him and a few other scientists and engineers who made similar contributions before and during the war, we would not have enjoyed the liberties and lifestyles that we have had the good fortune to share for more than 60 years.

      With Britain, America, Russia, and China all suffering defeats in the first years of the Second World War, the foundations for their later victories were laid by Britain, firstly, when she fought alone and won the Battle of Britain in 1940 and, secondly, by not losing the Battle of the Atlantic during the first two years of the war.

      Although Britain and the Commonwealth were joined by Russia and the United States in 1941, the outcome of the war remained in the balance until 1942–43 when the Allies achieved success in a number of key battles, each of which turned the tide in their respective theatres, thereby leading to the final victory. In each of these key battles new technology played a decisive role.

      Remarkable features of the war, especially when viewed from today’s perspective, are the magnitude of many of the projects, the general tempo of the war, and the speed at which decisions were made, research and investigations undertaken, and machines and structures constructed.

      Much has already been written by various people more knowledgeable than I about the inventions that were crucial to success in the vital battles of the Second World War. This book brings together and summarises such accounts and, set against the various battles and campaigns, gives an overview of the principal technical developments that influenced the course of the war. There are also biographical notes about some of the scientists and engineers whose achievements are described.

      Scientists and engineers of all the combatant nations displayed remarkable ingenuity and invented and manufactured some exceptional machines and weapons. While the book mostly describes British achievements and individuals, some of those of her Allies are also described. In addition there is brief mention of some the significant German inventions that were made in extremely difficult circumstances.

      While scientists undertake basic research and conceive new concepts it is engineers who convert such innovations into practical applications. Engineers and craftsmen are also the persons who fought in such large numbers in the technical branches of the armed services. For these reasons, I have used the term ‘engineer’ to embrace all the scientists, engineers, craftsmen, and other technologists mentioned in this book.

      The book also gives me the opportunity to pay tribute to some of the major influences on my life and career, namely my school and university, the Royal Navy, and the wider engineering profession. I owe a great deal to each of them for having made it possible for me to follow the vastly interesting and varied career that it has been my privilege to have enjoyed.

      Winston Churchill famously paid tribute to the fighter pilots who won the Battle of Britain when he said: ‘Never was so much owed by so many to so few’. The small number of scientists, engineers and other technologists who made war-winning inventions and developments also deserve recognition; they are the real heroes of this book.

      A very much shortened version of the book was presented to the Institution of Civil Engineers in July 2015 as their Smeaton Lecture for that year and can be viewed at ice.org.uk/Smeaton 2015.

      Gwilym Roberts

      Newick, East Sussex

      2018

       Chapter 1

      GOD, CHURCHILL AND THE ENGINEERS

      A winning combination

      His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh expressed it pithily: ‘everything not invented by God was invented by an engineer. and ‘They performed such an essential function,’ he said to a Radio 4 audience in January 2016, ‘that it was hard to imagine life without them,’ and they held ‘the key to the future of humanity and its ability to continue to thrive on the planet.’

      As it is with the challenges of today, so it was in the punishing cauldron of the Second World War. We enjoy our present liberties thanks in large part to those scientists and engineers who helped bring about victory by inventing, designing, developing, and producing vital new systems, machines, structures, and weapons.

      Many more engineers were in the armed forces, fighting valiantly alongside their non-technical colleagues and using the new equipment to maximum effect.

      Britain’s leaders, according to Sir Max Hastings, ‘harnessed civilian brains and scientific genius to dazzling effect’ during that conflict. ‘Churchill’s nation far surpassed Germany in the application of science and technology. Mobilisation of the best civilian brains, and their integration into the war effort at the highest levels, was an outstanding British success story.’

      Definition of an Engineer

      Scientists undertake basic research while engineers develop the results of such research into practical applications, which when built are generally maintained – and often operated – by craftsmen. Together these are often referred to as technologists.

      In this book Engineers are the scientists, engineers and other technologists in both the fighting and civilian services who:

      • Undertook basic research

      • Conceived, designed, or developed new systems, machines, and weapons

      • Manufactured or maintained such equipment

      • Served in the technical units of the armed forces

      More information about the various groups of military and civilian personnel involved and some associated details are contained in