Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Ubique Vir

@ubiquevir.bsky.social

150 followers 390 following 120 posts

Life of a Royal Engineer. A digital archive created from the military collection and memoirs of Col. Douglas Victory Hutchinson MBE RE 29/05/1919 - 26/03/2002

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Oct 16

Bluesky posts about the periods of which Col DV Hutchinson MBE RE served.
Plus all things maps, bridges & Sapping.

1940-42•N Africa/Syria
1942-44•India/Burma
1945-46•Germany
1947-56•SME/SMS
1957-59•Cyprus/Iraq/Aden
1960-68•BAOR/AFCENT/NATO
1969-72•Ordnance Survey

ubiquevir.wordpress.com

Ubique Vir

The Life & Military service of Col. Douglas Victory Hutchinson M.B.E. Memoirs of a Royal Engineer in the British Army From humble beginnings Growing up on a farm taught Douglas the practicalities of l...

ubiquevir.wordpress.com

1 5

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 15

Remembering my Grandpa & the ‘fine fellows’ he lost along the way serving King & Country in the Far East.

After 38 months in India & Burma his VJ Day passed with little fanfare as he helped dismantle camps & rebuild German infrastructure.

Life went on for the living.

#VJDay80

Memorial to those who fought in the Far East

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 14

Thought I’d mark the occasion and let some of the collection see the light of day. Even dug the old desert goatskin out of the garage. 🐐

PS don’t tell anyone but the LRDP Sappers wore it better than those little-known SAS chaps! 😉😎

Personal items of Col DV Hutchinson MBE from WWII

Reposted by Ubique Vir

RG Poulussen @rgpoulussen.bsky.social · Aug 14

59 Infantry Division sappers. (#OTD in 1944. Class 9 folding boat bridge spanning the Orne at La Bagotière, France. #WW2 #HISTORY)

2 5 55

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 13

#VJDay80 obviously

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 13

Final call to sign up to watch this tomorrow night.
#RoyalEngineers supporting the armoured & infantry formations throughout the lesser known Operations in the Western Deserts, Syria, Burma & Assam during WWII.
Maps, bridging, fieldworks and more.
#REspect
#VEDay80

www.instre.org/events/my-gr...

14 August 25 "My Grandpa's war in the 12th Field Company RE" with Nathan Hutchinson - The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE)

Royal Engineers Historical Society (REHS)Webinar series 2025"My Grandpa's war in the 12th Field Company RE" with Nathan Hutchinson

www.instre.org

1 1 2

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 13

So many great tips from some amazing presenters on here.
My growing fear for tomorrow nights @rehs-1716.bsky.social webinar is palpable, I’m up to my 4th hard edit and it’s still feeling too wordy for the time allowed.
Fingers crossed it’ll be alright on the night

2 5

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 10

Having just given this Thursdays Webinar a ‘hard-edit’ and read through, I was horrified to see it is still running 30 minutes over.
Time to take the chain saw to it and resign all that research to the cutting room floor!
It won’t be the same without every CRE etc but 5 years into 50 mins is tough.

Map of troop movements in the Western Deserts.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Aug 7

‘Sapping the strength out of the river’ was right there!

Back to journalism school for those hacks!!

Reposted by Ubique Vir

Susan @ssyu.bsky.social · Jul 29

I'm a complete amateur, gave talks at work but hated it. Thankful that Woody gives viewers the chance to tell their stories and with much encouragement by the sidebar mates. www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3cv...

Quin Shen Yu and the Burma Road

YouTube video by WW2TV

www.youtube.com

2 4 13

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jul 29

Honoured to shine a light on my Grandpa’s time in 12 Fld Coy RE during WWII.
From Palestine, the Western Deserts, to the Arakan & beyond.
Defence, logistics, desert patrols, Chindits & maps.
@rehs-1716.bsky.social
@crusaderproject.bsky.social
@thinkdefence.bsky.social
@merrynwalters.uk

Link in ALT

Royal Engineers Historical Society Webinar on 14/08/25 - My Grandpa’s war in the 12th Field Company RE.

https://www.instre.org/events/my-grandpas-war-in-the-12th-field-company-re/

1 3 6

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jul 20

So many creations of engineering ingenuity that came together to form the greatest logistical supply chain in history.
Meanwhile 8000 miles away, it was good old ‘stick & string’ doctrine that filled the void from lack of resources.

Not sure a bamboo dreadnought would fare well on the Channel mind?

Taken from an original 1940s British Army document showing how to construct a 36’ Dreadnaught, designed to carry troops, mules and equipment across rivers.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jul 20

Thanks RG.
It has been long neglected & I’ve many new research discoveries that need to be updated throughout the site. (And then there’s the part of me that want to pull it all down because of AI data farming etc)
A mini ‘virtual museum’ would be my preferred way to display the collection/stories!

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jun 25

If you expect to hear someone attempt to convert a man’s life & 5 years of conflict into 50 minutes of incoherent rambling, then you won’t be disappointed!

www.instre.org/events/my-gr...

14 August 25 "My Grandpa's war in the 12th Field Company RE" with Nathan Hutchinson - The Institution of Royal Engineers (InstRE)

Royal Engineers Historical Society (REHS)Webinar series 2025"My Grandpa's war in the 12th Field Company RE" with Nathan Hutchinson

www.instre.org

1 1

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jun 24

Been absent of late but your threads are always a joy to return to, lots to think about.

Here’s a Battleaxe treat I cobbled together for a recent talk. (Also August 14th REHS webinar)

Can you imagine this lot trundling up the Escarpment?
What a sight/sound to behold.

@robertglennie.bsky.social

Diagram showing the 22nd Guards Brigade (Escarpment Force) Desert Formation in June 1941 at the outbreak of Operation Battleaxe on the Egyptian/Cyrenaica border.

1 1 9

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jun 7

A thoroughly enjoyable telling of the professional soldier Stanley Henshaw on @ww2tv.bsky.social.
Honoured to get a name check from the great @philipwblood.bsky.social too.

This video hints at the impossible jungle topography where Stan earned his MM on May 1 1944.

youtu.be/PIMbYYslhho?...

1944 - 12th Field Company R.E. Khuzami airstrip.

YouTube video by Devon Dad

youtu.be

1 1 4

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Jun 7

That’s a shame, missed you in Bilbao by only a few weeks.
Safe travels.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 31

What a touching letter she wrote to the mother’s?

A reputation for bravery well earned. The first allied reinforcements to bolster the Canal Brigade in Oct 1939 with Neame’s 4th Indian Division.
Post Op Brevity in May 1941 their reputation truly cemented with exemplary conduct & courage under fire.

Reposted by Ubique Vir

Alex Churchill @alexchurchill.bsky.social · May 31

Today thanks to Queen Mary and a band of hard working volunteers, you can learn all about the brave exploits of Indian soldiers in Africa at the beginning of #WW2

achurchill.substack.com/p/article-in...

ARTICLE: Indian Valour in Africa 1941-2

A few months ago I did a piece based on a guidebook to India that was presented to soldiers bound for the sub-continent.

achurchill.substack.com

2 13 64

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 30

Remarkable indeed.

Like a recent connection with the Grandson of a local tribal leader that helped my Grandpa build the airstrips in the Naga Hills 80 years ago over 5000 miles away!
Also connecting with a dozen or so descendants of 4 Border men on social media. 💙

bsky.app/profile/ubiq...

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Apr 29

The internet is not a total lost cause.

Only today I met the Grandson of the Naga Chief who commanded the levy that helped my Grandpa’s Chindit Commando Platoon build the roads & airstrips deep in the Assam jungles in impossible conditions in 1944, #Burma.

I can’t help but feel emotional.

ALT ✏️

Noksang Ao of the Ao Tribe, Mokokchung.
Commander of No.2 Pioneer Naga Coy of 23rd Long Range Penetration Brigade, Special Force.
Oversaw a 600 strong labour force to construct roads, mule tracks, airstrips alongside the Royal Engineers Commando Platoons.

1 3

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 30

Very much looking forward to this episode of @ww2tv.bsky.social.
I was excited to share a handwritten note from 34 Coln commander to 23rd Inf Bde C/O Montague Stopford, detail the attack whilst my Grandpa was off recceing suitable grounds to build a jungle landing strip!

@historybowsh.bsky.social

Hand note from John Burgess to Montague Stopford written in the Naga Hills in May 1944 detailing the airstrip built by the Commando Platoon of 12th Field Company RE/34 Chindit Column.

1 3 10

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 15

The RAF were crucial in disrupting Axis supply lines & reinforcements, keeping the Luftwaffe away from the battlefield.
As the bombardment fell 12th Fld Coy RE moved up Halfaya with 4RTR 22 Gds Bde.

Allied communications continued to be their own undoing.

ubiquevir.wordpress.com/2021/05/12/1...

12th Field Company War Diary (12 May) #OTD 1941

Operation Brevity Operation Brevity was an Allied offensive conceived by General Archibald Wavell. As Commander-in-Chief Middle East, Wavell had seen earlier successful offensives against the Itali…

ubiquevir.wordpress.com

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 8

#OTD 80 years ago parachute training continued for 12th Fld Coy RE.

They started their long war based in Palestine & ended it in Punjab.
Both countries still blighted by war today.

#VEDay80 marks a win against past aggressions, but will the world ever know peace?

📷 Rawalpindi

1945 Rawalpindi.
A Dakota drops a stick of men from 44th Indian Airbourne Division.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 8

Both my Grandfathers felt ‘forgotten’ in the British forces.
One, a Sapper of the Forgotten Army in Burma. Another patrolling the North Sea in RAF ASR.

So many across the globe contributed to the war effort from Palestinian to Naga Pioneer Coys.

To the forgotten on #VEDay80

Image depicting the many countries that contributed to the Victory over European Fascism in WWII.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · May 2

*See also September 2

Star Wars meme with Anakin saying he will mark the anniversary of the end of WWII, with Padme asking if he is referring to August 15.

Ubique Vir @ubiquevir.bsky.social · Apr 29