BILLY MACLEOD MBE
AUTHOR - ROYAL ENGINEERS
France and Belgium, May 1940. As the British Expeditionary Force falls back towards Dunkirk, Sapper Donald 'Donnie' MacIver and the men of Two Section are sent wherever the work is needed. Clearing routes, preparing bridges for demolition, fighting as infantry when required and keeping men moving while everything around them is breaking down.
On 27 May at the Ypres-Comines Canal, three Royal Engineers field companies fixed bayonets and counter-attacked. Sixty soldiers did not come back.
Told through the eyes of one Donnie MacIver, this is a story of a young
Glaswegian’s experiences of military life in the Royal Engineers during the early
stages of the Second World War. It is a compelling account of rank and file life in
the Sappers and follows the exploits of the 59th Field Company during the early
months of the war, culminating in the evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940.
Billy MacLeod writes with a human touch drawn from his own service and
experiences in the Royal Engineers. It is an absorbing tale that captures the
horrors, humour and intense camaraderie of ordinary soldiers thrown together
in times of conflict. It is a hugely engaging read and thoroughly
recommended.
