A Royal Engineer at War 1940-1945

Previously unpublished personal diaries reveal the day-to-day life of a British soldier during the Second World War, based on his personal diaries, which were written at the time
A candid insight to the life of a soldier away from home in wartime
Historically rich in detail with previously unpublished photographs of many of the characters involved
A war story encompassing the horror of battle and the emotions of a tangled love life, interspersed with elements of humour


A Royal Engineer at War 1940-1945: From Crossing the Desert to Crossing the Rhine is a British soldier’s account of his life, both private and militarily, while serving with the Corps of Royal Engineers between 1940 and 1946. Based on the diaries of Driver First Class Robert ‘Robb’ Jones, the reader follows him across the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, endures the bombing of Tripoli harbour and accompanies him on the invasion of Sicily and landings on the Normandy beaches.


The reader follows the advance up through Belgium and Holland, and is given a first-hand account of the battle that became known as the Rhine Crossing. The narrative is also interspersed throughout with military events, which occurred during the period. As with all such stories, the reader is given access to the subject’s innermost thoughts, revealing his fears, anxieties, frustrations and emotions; the latter involving the affections of two pretty young ladies. Also, the book is gloriously illustrated with photographs taken by him during his six years as a Royal Engineer.