143-668: World War II The Renfrewshire Fortress Royal Engineers was a Scottish volunteer unit of the British Army under various titles from 1888. Its main role was defence of the ports and shipyards on the River Clyde , but it also provided detachments for active service in the field during both World Wars. Its successors continue to serve in the Army Reserve . Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Clarke , Inspector-General of Fortifications 1882–6, did not have enough Regular Royal Engineers (RE) to man
286-637: A Neutrality Pact in April 1941, and Japan adopted the doctrine of Nanshin-ron , promoted by the Navy, which took its focus southward and eventually led to war with the United States and the Western Allies. In Europe, Germany and Italy were becoming more aggressive. In March 1938, Germany annexed Austria , again provoking little response from other European powers. Encouraged, Hitler began pressing German claims on
429-564: A cautious French probe into the Saarland . The Western Allies also began a naval blockade of Germany , which aimed to damage the country's economy and war effort. Germany responded by ordering U-boat warfare against Allied merchant and warships, which would later escalate into the Battle of the Atlantic . On 8 September, German troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw . The Polish counter-offensive to
572-509: A half battalions astride the track to Nekhl. In the 10th Indian Division's sub-section of the canal defence system, the 1/1st Renfrewshire Field Company continued work on the defences in the rocky ground near Ayun Musa, and on water supply and light railway work right into March 1916. On 8 March 1916 the Company moved to Esh Shatt to lay light railways, install water storage facilities in the forward defence posts and to construct defences there and at
715-510: A lower scale. Among speakers of Egyptian Arabic , the Port Saidi accent is unique. Port Said is a main summer resort and tourist attraction , due to its public and private beaches, cosmopolitan heritage, museums , and duty-free port, beside the other landmarks like Port Said Lighthouse , Port Said Martyrs Memorial that has the shape of the Pharaonic ancient obelisks , and the building of
858-615: A plant squadron and part of 71 Engineer Regiment . The following officers were appointed Honorary Commandant of the Clyde Submarine Miners: World War II Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and
1001-514: A pretext to initiate the invasion. The first German attack of the war came against the Polish defences at Westerplatte . The United Kingdom responded with an ultimatum for Germany to cease military operations, and on 3 September, after the ultimatum was ignored, Britain and France declared war on Germany. During the Phoney War period, the alliance provided no direct military support to Poland, outside of
1144-765: A pretext to worsen relations. On 29 August, Hitler demanded that a Polish plenipotentiary immediately travel to Berlin to negotiate the handover of Danzig , and to allow a plebiscite in the Polish Corridor in which the German minority would vote on secession. The Poles refused to comply with the German demands, and on the night of 30–31 August in a confrontational meeting with the British ambassador Nevile Henderson , Ribbentrop declared that Germany considered its claims rejected. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland after having staged several false flag border incidents as
1287-469: A secret protocol that defined German and Soviet "spheres of influence" (western Poland and Lithuania for Germany; eastern Poland , Finland, Estonia , Latvia and Bessarabia for the Soviet Union), and raised the question of continuing Polish independence. The pact neutralised the possibility of Soviet opposition to a campaign against Poland and assured that Germany would not have to face the prospect of
1430-496: A significant role in Egyptian history. The British entered Egypt through the city in 1882, starting their occupation of Egypt. At the start of the twentieth century, two things happened to change Port Said: in 1902, Egyptian cotton from Mataria started to be exported via Port Said; and in 1904 a standard gauge railway opened to Cairo . The result was to attract a large commercial community and to raise its social status. In particular
1573-743: A similar pact and rejected ceding part of its territory to the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union invaded Finland in November 1939, and was subsequently expelled from the League of Nations for this crime of aggression. Despite overwhelming numerical superiority, Soviet military success during the Winter War was modest, and the Finno-Soviet war ended in March 1940 with some Finnish concessions of territory . In June 1940,
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#17328761909571716-466: A sizable Greek community grew up. In 1907, the quickly growing city had about 50,000 inhabitants, among whom were 11,000 Europeans "of all nations". During the First World War, Port Said became home to an important Allied hospital. Due to the strategic location of Port Said intersecting Europe, Africa and Asia, thousands of men were sent to this hospital. This included soldiers wounded as a result from
1859-519: A two-front war, as it had in World War I. Immediately afterwards, Hitler ordered the attack to proceed on 26 August, but upon hearing that the United Kingdom had concluded a formal mutual assistance pact with Poland and that Italy would maintain neutrality, he decided to delay it. In response to British requests for direct negotiations to avoid war, Germany made demands on Poland, which served as
2002-574: A wooden wharf, it served as a mooring berth for the boats. Soon after, a wooden jetty was built, connecting the departure islet, as it quickly became known, to the beach. This rock could be considered the heart of the developing city, and it was on this highly symbolic site, forty years later, that a monument to de Lesseps was erected. There were no local resources here. Everything Port Said needed had to be imported: wood, stone, supplies, machinery, equipment, housing, food and even water. Giant water storage containers were erected to supply fresh water until
2145-569: Is football , as is the case in the rest of Egypt and Africa, and Port Saidis are known for their enthusiasm in supporting the local team Al Masry SC . Al Masry Club Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Port Said. Built in 1954, it currently seats 17,988 and is used mostly for football matches, including the 1997 FIFA U-17 World Championship , 2006 African Cup of Nations , and 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup . The 2012 Port Said Stadium riot took place there. The second most popular sport in Port Said
2288-624: Is handball . The city is known for their local handball team Port Said SC that won three Egyptian Handball League titles and also was the champion of the African Handball Champions League in 1990 . Port Said Hall is an indoor hall located in the Sports City in Port Said . It hosts competitions of handball, basketball, and volleyball, and was used for the 1999 World Men's Handball Championship . It holds 5000 people. Hockey , swimming, and other sports are also practiced on
2431-503: Is a compound name which composed of two parts: the French word port (marine harbour) and Said (the name of the ruler of Egypt at that time), who granted Ferdinand de Lesseps the concession to dig the Suez Canal. Urbanized residents pronounce the name [boɾsæˈʕiːd] or [poɾsæˈʕiːd] , while unurbanized residents pronounce it [bɔɾsaˈʕɛˑd] . In Ancient Greek ,
2574-480: Is a public university that follows the Egyptian system of higher education. The most notable faculties of the university are the faculty of engineering and the faculty of science. In addition, the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport is a semi-private educational institution that offers courses for high school, undergraduate level students, postgraduate. Sadat Academy for Management Sciences
2717-578: Is about four hours while the Alexandria – Port Said route can be covered in about six hours. Intercity passenger service is operated by Egyptian National Railways . Tickets can be reserved online using the Egyptian National Railways website. Port Said is linked by ferry to its twin city Port Fouad which is considered the Asian part of this Afro-Asian governorate "Port Said" on the eastern bank of
2860-498: Is an Egyptian Public Academy under the authorization of the Ministry of higher education. Port Said contains about 349 schools in all different educational stages between governmental, experimental, private language schools beside French historical schools. The port of Port Said is the 28th-busiest seaport for container transport, the second-busiest in the Arab world (narrowly behind
3003-496: Is drier. January and February are the coolest months while the hottest are July and August. The highest record temperature was 44 °C (111 °F), recorded on June 20, 1988, while the lowest record temperature was 0 °C (32 °F), recorded on December 25, 1979. Port Said, Kosseir , Ras El Bar , Baltim , Damietta and Alexandria have the least temperature variation in Egypt , additionally, Mersa Matruh and Port Said have
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#17328761909573146-528: The 1st (Renfrew) Field Company, R.E , remaining with that formation on the Western Front for the rest of the war. The unit strength at that time was 6 Officers, 231 Other Ranks, 8 animals and 21 vehicles. 4th Division was a Regular Army formation, part of the original BEF, and had been serving in the Western Front since August 1914. 1st (Renfrew) Fd Coy joined it in time to take part in the bloody Battle of
3289-588: The Anglo-German Naval Agreement and the German–Polish declaration of non-aggression . The situation became a crisis in late August as German troops continued to mobilise against the Polish border. On 23 August the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with Germany, after tripartite negotiations for a military alliance between France, the United Kingdom, and Soviet Union had stalled. This pact had
3432-453: The Axis powers . Nearly all the world's countries —including all the great powers —participated, with many investing all available economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities in pursuit of total war , blurring the distinction between military and civilian resources. Tanks and aircraft played major roles , with the latter enabling the strategic bombing of population centres and delivery of
3575-612: The Battle of the Canal du Nord , the Division constructed dummy figures made of painted canvas on wooden frames to represent an advance in No Man's Land. While its neighbouring division put in a genuine assault on 27 September, 4th Division fired a barrage and pulled up these figures. Then, that night, the divisional engineers constructed a bridge across the Trinquis and 4th Division established posts across
3718-633: The Binche – La Louvière area for demobilisation. 406th Field Company remained on the Continent until at least June 1919. In addition to operating searchlights for the coastal defence guns, the RE fortress companies began to utilise them in the Anti-Aircraft (AA) role. As the war progressed, and raids by airships and fixed wing bombers became more frequent, the RE formed specialist AA Searchlight Companies. In December 1916,
3861-662: The British Empire , with fighting in the Balkans , Mediterranean, and Middle East , the aerial Battle of Britain and the Blitz , and naval Battle of the Atlantic . Through a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany took control of much of continental Europe and formed the Axis alliance with Italy , Japan , and other countries. In June 1941, Germany led the European Axis in an invasion of
4004-566: The German Revolution of 1918–1919 , and a democratic government, later known as the Weimar Republic , was created. The interwar period saw strife between supporters of the new republic and hardline opponents on both the political right and left. Italy, as an Entente ally, had made some post-war territorial gains; however, Italian nationalists were angered that the promises made by the United Kingdom and France to secure Italian entrance into
4147-814: The German invasion of Poland and the United Kingdom and France 's declaration of war on Germany two days later on 3 September 1939. Dates for the beginning of the Pacific War include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or the earlier Japanese invasion of Manchuria , on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor , who stated that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously, and
4290-567: The Italian mainland , and Allied offensives in the Pacific—cost the Axis powers their initiative and forced them into strategic retreat on all fronts. In 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France at Normandy , while the Soviet Union regained its territorial losses and pushed Germany and its allies westward. At the same time, Japan suffered reversals in mainland Asia, while the Allies crippled
4433-537: The Japanese Navy and captured key islands . The war in Europe concluded with the liberation of German-occupied territories ; the invasion of Germany by the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, culminating in the fall of Berlin to Soviet troops; Hitler's suicide ; and the German unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945 . Following the refusal of Japan to surrender on the terms of the Potsdam Declaration ,
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4576-682: The League of Nations as a force to preserve peace. Both Italy and Ethiopia were member nations, but the League did little when the former clearly violated Article X of the League's Covenant . The United Kingdom and France supported imposing sanctions on Italy for the invasion, but the sanctions were not fully enforced and failed to end the Italian invasion. Italy subsequently dropped its objections to Germany's goal of absorbing Austria . When civil war broke out in Spain, Hitler and Mussolini lent military support to
4719-609: The Lighthouse of Port Said (the first building in the world built from reinforced concrete ). Due to its excellent geographic location, Port Said is designed to attract logistics start ups along with import and export businesses. In 2019, the city witnessed the construction of the New Suez Canal, led by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi . The government provides a number of incentives to investors in
4862-693: The Nationalist rebels , led by General Francisco Franco . Italy supported the Nationalists to a greater extent than the Nazis: Mussolini sent more than 70,000 ground troops, 6,000 aviation personnel, and 720 aircraft to Spain. The Soviet Union supported the existing government of the Spanish Republic . More than 30,000 foreign volunteers, known as the International Brigades , also fought against
5005-602: The North Riding Fortress Engineers ), 542nd (formerly East Riding Fortress Engineers ), 543rd and 544th (Palestinian) E&M Companies. The company was disbanded after September 1945. The Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers were reformed in the TA in 1947 as 102 Construction Regiment, RE , with the following organisation: The regiment was assigned to 20 Engineer Group in Scottish Command . 243 Construction Squadron
5148-677: The Rome–Berlin Axis . A month later, Germany and Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact , which Italy joined the following year. The Kuomintang (KMT) party in China launched a unification campaign against regional warlords and nominally unified China in the mid-1920s, but was soon embroiled in a civil war against its former Chinese Communist Party (CCP) allies and new regional warlords . In 1931, an increasingly militaristic Empire of Japan , which had long sought influence in China as
5291-581: The Soviet–Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. By contrast, the Germans were steadily making preparations for an attack on the Soviet Union, massing forces on the Soviet border. Hitler believed that the United Kingdom's refusal to end the war was based on the hope that the United States and the Soviet Union would enter the war against Germany sooner or later. On 31 July 1940, Hitler decided that
5434-580: The Stresa Front in April 1935 in order to contain Germany, a key step towards military globalisation ; however, that June, the United Kingdom made an independent naval agreement with Germany, easing prior restrictions. The Soviet Union, concerned by Germany's goals of capturing vast areas of Eastern Europe , drafted a treaty of mutual assistance with France. Before taking effect, though, the Franco-Soviet pact
5577-689: The Sudetenland , an area of Czechoslovakia with a predominantly ethnic German population. Soon the United Kingdom and France followed the appeasement policy of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and conceded this territory to Germany in the Munich Agreement , which was made against the wishes of the Czechoslovak government, in exchange for a promise of no further territorial demands. Soon afterwards, Germany and Italy forced Czechoslovakia to cede additional territory to Hungary, and Poland annexed
5720-429: The Suez Canal in 1951. The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 occurred. Then on 26 July 1956, President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal Company. The nationalisation escalated tensions with Britain and France, who colluded with Israel to invade Egypt, the invasion known in Egypt as the tripartite aggression or the Suez Crisis . On 6 November 1956, British troops violently landed in Port Said while firing on
5863-407: The Suez Canal . The city is the capital of the Port Said governorate and it forms the majority of the governorate, where its seven districts comprise seven of the governorate's eight regions. At the beginning of 2023 had a population of 680,375 people. The city was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal. There are numerous old houses with grand balconies on all floors, giving
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6006-407: The Sweet Water Canal could be completed. One of the most pressing problems was the lack of stone. Early buildings were often imported in kit form and made great use of wood. A newly developed technique was used to construct the jetties called conglomerate concrete or "Beton Coignet", which was named after its inventor François Coignet. Blocks of concrete were sunk into the sea to be the foundations of
6149-428: The Tanggu Truce was signed in 1933. Thereafter, Chinese volunteer forces continued the resistance to Japanese aggression in Manchuria , and Chahar and Suiyuan . After the 1936 Xi'an Incident , the Kuomintang and CCP forces agreed on a ceasefire to present a united front to oppose Japan. The Second Italo-Ethiopian War was a brief colonial war that began in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war began with
6292-466: The Trans-Olza region of Czechoslovakia. Although all of Germany's stated demands had been satisfied by the agreement, privately Hitler was furious that British interference had prevented him from seizing all of Czechoslovakia in one operation. In subsequent speeches Hitler attacked British and Jewish "war-mongers" and in January 1939 secretly ordered a major build-up of the German navy to challenge British naval supremacy. In March 1939, Germany invaded
6435-506: The Treaty of Craiova . The loss of one-third of Romania's 1939 territory caused a coup against King Carol II, turning Romania into a fascist dictatorship under Marshal Ion Antonescu , with a course set towards the Axis in the hopes of a German guarantee. Meanwhile, German-Soviet political relations and economic co-operation gradually stalled, and both states began preparations for war. In April 1940, Germany invaded Denmark and Norway to protect shipments of iron ore from Sweden , which
6578-401: The United Kingdom and France to declare war on Germany. Poland was divided between Germany and the Soviet Union under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which they had agreed on " spheres of influence " in Eastern Europe. In 1940, the Soviets annexed the Baltic states and parts of Finland and Romania . After the fall of France in June 1940, the war continued mainly between Germany and
6721-426: The Wehrmacht rapidly advanced to the Channel and cut off the Allied forces in Belgium, trapping the bulk of the Allied armies in a cauldron on the Franco-Belgian border near Lille. The United Kingdom was able to evacuate a significant number of Allied troops from the continent by early June, although they had to abandon almost all their equipment. On 10 June, Italy invaded France , declaring war on both France and
6864-451: The aftermath of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe and militarism in Japan . Key events leading up to the war included Japan's invasion of Manchuria , the Spanish Civil War , the outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War , and Germany's annexations of Austria and the Sudetenland . World War II is generally considered to have begun on 1 September 1939, when Nazi Germany , under Adolf Hitler , invaded Poland , prompting
7007-414: The fixed mines being installed to defend British ports. He decided to utilise the Volunteer Engineers for this task, and after successful trials the system was rolled out to ports around the country. In 1885, the 1st Lanarkshire Engineer Volunteer Corps in Glasgow formed No 9 (Submarine Mining) Company and raised a second company of submarine miners in early 1888. The submarine mining establishment for
7150-543: The only two nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II was the deadliest conflict in history, resulting in 70 to 85 million deaths , more than half being civilians. Millions died in genocides , including the Holocaust of European Jews, as well as from massacres, starvation, and disease. Following the Allied powers' victory, Germany , Austria , Japan , and Korea were occupied, and war crimes tribunals were conducted against German and Japanese leaders . The causes of World War II included unresolved tensions in
7293-404: The reunification of East and West Germany to take place and resolved most post–World War II issues. No formal peace treaty between Japan and the Soviet Union was ever signed, although the state of war between the two countries was terminated by the Soviet–Japanese Joint Declaration of 1956 , which also restored full diplomatic relations between them. World War I had radically altered
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#17328761909577436-419: The 1/1st Renfrewshire Field Company and the 1/1st City of Edinburgh Field Company. The former left a detachment at El Kubri and moved to Ayun Musa on 19 January. The company worked on the canal defences, water supply and the light railway from Quarantine upon its arrival at Ayun Musa. The 1/1st City of Edinburgh Field Company, one of the few engineer units to be over establishment, began an outpost line for one and
7579-402: The 4th Division took part in the Battle of Arras ( First and Third Battles of the Scarpe , 8–14 April and 3–4 May), and the later stages of the Third Ypres Offensive . These were the successful attacks at Polygon Wood , 28 September–3 October, and Broodseinde , 4 October, followed by the terrible actions at Poelcappelle , 9 October, and the First Battle of Passchendaele , 12 October, where
7722-409: The 4th Division was involved in the defence of Hinges Ridge during the Battle of Hazebrouck and then the repulse of the German breakthrough towards Béthune . During the Allied Hundred Days Offensive , 4th Division fought as part of the Canadian Corps in the Battle of the Scarpe and the Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line . It then reverted to the British XXII Corps for the rest of the war. For
7865-409: The Allies were attempting to cut off . Denmark capitulated after six hours , and despite Allied support , Norway was conquered within two months. British discontent over the Norwegian campaign led to the resignation of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , who was replaced by Winston Churchill on 10 May 1940. On the same day, Germany launched an offensive against France . To circumvent
8008-400: The Axis war against the Soviet Union, in Romania's case partially to recapture territory ceded to the Soviet Union . In early June 1940, the Italian Regia Aeronautica attacked and besieged Malta , a British possession. From late summer to early autumn, Italy conquered British Somaliland and made an incursion into British-held Egypt . In October, Italy attacked Greece , but the attack
8151-421: The Blitz , but largely ended in May 1941 after failing to significantly disrupt the British war effort. Using newly captured French ports, the German Navy enjoyed success against an over-extended Royal Navy , using U-boats against British shipping in the Atlantic . The British Home Fleet scored a significant victory on 27 May 1941 by sinking the German battleship Bismarck . In November 1939,
8294-476: The Coy. 4th Division went back into action later in the Somme offensive, at the Battle of the Transloy Ridges (10–18 October), with little better success. Capt Hodgart commanded the Fd Coy through the battle of Le Transloy before promotion in the field to the substantive rank of Major on 20 December 1916. In February 1917, the TF RE companies were allocated numbers in sequence with the Regulars; 1st (Renfrew) Fd Coy became 406th (Renfrew) Field Company . During 1917
8437-398: The Egyptian government to prepare for the Yom Kippur War (1973). The city was re-inhabited after the war and the reopening of the Canal. In 1976, Port Said was declared a duty-free port, attracting people from all over Egypt. Now the population of the city is 794,720. Port Said has been ranked the second among the Egyptian cities according to the Human Development Index in 2009 and 2010;
8580-568: The Egyptian military. Port Said next was bombed by the British, to terrorise the civilians, of whom hundreds died. There was also heavy fighting in the streets with again many civilian casualties, and the resulting fires destroyed much of the city. The withdrawal of the last soldier of foreign troops was on 23 December 1956. Since then, this day was chosen as Port Said's national day. It is widely celebrated annually in Port Said. The French-speaking European community had begun to emigrate to Europe, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere in 1946 and most of
8723-405: The European Axis declaring war on the US. Japan conquered much of coastal China and Southeast Asia , but its advances in the Pacific were halted in mid-1942 after its defeat in the naval Battle of Midway ; Germany and Italy were defeated in North Africa and at Stalingrad in the Soviet Union. Key setbacks in 1943—including German defeats on the Eastern Front, the Allied invasions of Sicily and
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#17328761909578866-410: The French possessions of Syria and Lebanon , assisted by the Free French . With the situation in Europe and Asia relatively stable, Germany, Japan, and the Soviet Union made preparations for war. With the Soviets wary of mounting tensions with Germany, and the Japanese planning to take advantage of the European War by seizing resource-rich European possessions in Southeast Asia , the two powers signed
9009-445: The Gallipoli campaign in 1915. Following the end of the World War I , the directors of the Suez Canal Company decided to create a new city on the Asian bank, building 300 houses for its labourers and functionaries. Port Fouad was designed by the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris . The houses follow the French model. The new city was founded in December 1926. Since its foundation people of all nationalities and religions had been moving to
9152-426: The Germans, and the last large operational unit of the Polish Army surrendered on 6 October . Despite the military defeat, Poland never surrendered; instead, it formed the Polish government-in-exile and a clandestine state apparatus remained in occupied Poland. A significant part of Polish military personnel evacuated to Romania and Latvia; many of them later fought against the Axis in other theatres of
9295-450: The Nationalists. Both Germany and the Soviet Union used this proxy war as an opportunity to test in combat their most advanced weapons and tactics. The Nationalists won the civil war in April 1939; Franco, now dictator, remained officially neutral during World War II but generally favoured the Axis . His greatest collaboration with Germany was the sending of volunteers to fight on the Eastern Front . In July 1937, Japan captured
9438-511: The North convoy to transit the Suez Canal to carry out stevedoring operations or to be supplied with provisions and bunkers. The dwelling area is divided into two sections: The Northern Area is allocated for vessels with deep drafts. The Southern Area is for all vessel types. Port Said is served by Port Said Airport located about 6 km (3.7 mi) away from city centre. The airport was reopened in February 2011 after being modernised to be fit for international flights. Scheduled flights from
9581-476: The Quarantine bridgehead. On 12 March, the company was detached from the 10th Indian Division. Major Hordern assumed command of the company on 12 April 1916. The company received orders to leave Egypt for the Western Front in Europe and sailed to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France. They embarked at Alexandria on 17 April 1916 bound for France, disembarking at Marseilles on 24 April. They were assigned to 4th Division on 2 May 1916 and redesignated
9724-417: The Renfrewshire Fortress Company formed No 33 (Renfrew) AA Company at Glasgow, taking over an existing number from an AA company previously operated in Northumberland by the Tyne Electrical Engineers . In January 1918, the AA defences were reorganised and RE searchlight personnel were attached to AA gun companies of the Royal Garrison Artillery . Postwar, the Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers were reformed in
9867-400: The River Clyde was established at Greenock in Renfrewshire . It occupied Fort Matilda (first built in 1814 to defend the Port of Glasgow), which later had quick-firing guns and searchlights installed to cover the minefield between Greenock and Kilcreggan . In March 1888, the War Office decided to constitute the submarine miners as separate 'divisions' within the Volunteer Engineers. Thus
10010-452: The Royal Navy putting three Italian battleships out of commission after a carrier attack at Taranto , and neutralising several more warships at the Battle of Cape Matapan . Italian defeats prompted Germany to deploy an expeditionary force to North Africa; at the end of March 1941, Rommel 's Afrika Korps launched an offensive which drove back Commonwealth forces. In less than a month, Axis forces advanced to western Egypt and besieged
10153-550: The Scottish Coastal Defences, and ranked ninth in the list of Fortress Engineers. By World War I , its organisation was as follows: Renfrewshire (Fortress) Royal Engineers On the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, the Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers mobilised and moved into their war stations. Shortly afterwards, the men of the TF were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service and WO instructions were issued to form those men who had only signed up for Home Service into reserve or 2nd Line units. The titles of these 2nd Line units were
10296-573: The Somme 1–13 July 1916. Under orders issued by VIII Corps , the divisional RE was not intended to take part in the initial assault on 1 July 1916 ; one section of a company was placed at the disposal of the commander of each assaulting brigade, but was not to be ordered forward until the objective had been gained. The remainder of the RE were held back to work on improving forward roads and water supply, and then to consolidate strongpoints at night. The division sustained disastrous losses in its assault; although
10439-584: The Soviet Union occupied the entire territories of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as well as the Romanian regions of Bessarabia, Northern Bukovina, and the Hertsa region . In August 1940, Hitler imposed the Second Vienna Award on Romania which led to the transfer of Northern Transylvania to Hungary. In September 1940, Bulgaria demanded Southern Dobruja from Romania with German and Italian support, leading to
10582-835: The Soviet Union , opening the Eastern Front and initially making large territorial gains. Japan aimed to dominate East Asia and the Asia-Pacific , and by 1937 was at war with the Republic of China . In December 1941, Japan attacked American and British territories in Southeast Asia and the Central Pacific , including Pearl Harbor in Hawaii , which resulted in the US and the UK declaring war against Japan, and
10725-621: The Soviet Union and Mongolia . The Japanese doctrine of Hokushin-ron , which emphasised Japan's expansion northward, was favoured by the Imperial Army during this time. This policy would prove difficult to maintain in light of the Japanese defeat at Khalkin Gol in 1939, the ongoing Second Sino-Japanese War and ally Nazi Germany pursuing neutrality with the Soviets. Japan and the Soviet Union eventually signed
10868-738: The Soviet Union should be eliminated and aimed for the conquest of Ukraine , the Baltic states and Byelorussia . However, other senior German officials like Ribbentrop saw an opportunity to create a Euro-Asian bloc against the British Empire by inviting the Soviet Union into the Tripartite Pact. In November 1940, negotiations took place to determine if the Soviet Union would join the pact. The Soviets showed some interest but asked for concessions from Finland, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Japan that Germany considered unacceptable. On 18 December 1940, Hitler issued
11011-552: The Suez Canal, the ferry is used to cross the canal between the two cities, holding both people and cars as well (for free). The time between the two cities across the canal by using the ferry does not exceed 10 minutes. Public buses are operated by Port Said Governorate's Agency for Public Passenger Transport. Private Transport also are available referred to as Micro Buses (14 seat minibus ). White and blue saloon car taxicabs are comfortable, asking reasonable prices. Earlier trolleybuses existed in city. The Port Said Library at
11154-492: The Suez Canal. Port Said acted as a global city since its establishment and flourished particularly during the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century when it was inhabited by various nationalities and religions. Most of them were from Mediterranean countries, and they coexisted in tolerance, forming a cosmopolitan community. Referring to this fact Rudyard Kipling once said "If you truly wish to find someone you have known and who travels, there are two points on
11297-402: The US dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on 6 and 9 August. Faced with an imminent invasion of the Japanese archipelago , the possibility of further atomic bombings, and the Soviet declaration of war against Japan and its invasion of Manchuria , Japan announced its unconditional surrender on 15 August and signed a surrender document on 2 September 1945 , marking
11440-568: The United Kingdom and France guaranteed their support for Polish independence ; when Italy conquered Albania in April 1939, the same guarantee was extended to the Kingdoms of Romania and Greece . Shortly after the Franco - British pledge to Poland, Germany and Italy formalised their own alliance with the Pact of Steel . Hitler accused the United Kingdom and Poland of trying to "encircle" Germany and renounced
11583-538: The United Kingdom attacked on 3 July in an attempt to prevent its seizure by Germany. The air Battle of Britain began in early July with Luftwaffe attacks on shipping and harbours . The German campaign for air superiority started in August but its failure to defeat RAF Fighter Command forced the indefinite postponement of the proposed German invasion of Britain . The German strategic bombing offensive intensified with night attacks on London and other cities in
11726-455: The United Kingdom. The Germans turned south against the weakened French army, and Paris fell to them on 14 June. Eight days later France signed an armistice with Germany ; it was divided into German and Italian occupation zones , and an unoccupied rump state under the Vichy Regime , which, though officially neutral, was generally aligned with Germany. France kept its fleet, which
11869-640: The United States was assisting China and the Western Allies, and had amended the Neutrality Act to allow "cash and carry" purchases by the Allies. In 1940, following the German capture of Paris, the size of the United States Navy was significantly increased . In September the United States further agreed to a trade of American destroyers for British bases . Still, a large majority of the American public continued to oppose any direct military intervention in
12012-590: The Yellow River ; this manoeuvre bought time for the Chinese to prepare their defences at Wuhan , but the city was taken by October. Japanese military victories did not bring about the collapse of Chinese resistance that Japan had hoped to achieve; instead, the Chinese government relocated inland to Chongqing and continued the war. In the mid-to-late 1930s, Japanese forces in Manchukuo had sporadic border clashes with
12155-542: The airport ceased in 1996. There are three main highways that connect Port Said to other cities in Egypt: The Port Said train station is on Mustafa Kamal Street and was built around 1904 when the Egyptian Railway Authority extended service in the region. There are frequent train services from Cairo, Alexandria and other main Egyptian cities to Port Said. The travel time between Cairo and Port Said
12298-502: The capital Nanking in December 1937. After the fall of Nanking, tens or hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed combatants were murdered by the Japanese . In March 1938, Nationalist Chinese forces won their first major victory at Taierzhuang , but then the city of Xuzhou was taken by the Japanese in May. In June 1938, Chinese forces stalled the Japanese advance by flooding
12441-634: The changes. The HQRE and 236th Field Company were based in Aberdeen, the 237th Field Company was in Dundee and the 238th Field Company was at the Drill Hall, Whitehaugh Avenue, Paisley. On the outbreak of World War II, the unit's organisation was as follows: Renfrewshire Fortress Engineers, RE The unit formed part of the Clyde Coast Defences during the early part of the war. On 5 December 1940, one company
12584-560: The city a distinctive look. Port Said's twin city is Port Fuad , which lies on the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. The two cities coexist, to the extent that there is hardly any town centre in Port Fuad. The cities are connected by free ferries running all through the day, and together they form a metropolitan area with over a million residents that extends both on the African and the Asian sides of
12727-592: The city and each community brought in its own customs, cuisine, religion and architecture. By the late 1920s the population numbered over 100,000 people. In the 1930s for example there were elegant public buildings designed by Italian architects. The old Arab Quarter was swallowed up into the thriving city. Port Said by now was a thriving, bustling international port with a multi-national population: Jewish merchants, Egyptian shopkeepers, Greek photographers, Italian architects, Swiss hoteliers, Maltese administrators, Scottish engineers, French bankers and diplomats from all around
12870-437: The city was called Πηλούσιον ( Pēloúsion ). Port Said was founded by Sa'id of Egypt on Easter Monday, April 25, 1859, when Ferdinand de Lesseps gave the first symbolic swing of the pickaxe to signal the beginning of construction. The first problem encountered was the difficulty for ships to drop anchor nearby. Luckily, a single rocky outcrop flush with the shoreline was discovered a few hundred meters away. Equipped with
13013-730: The coast defence searchlights that had been used to illuminate the minefields. Thus the Greenock unit became the Clyde Division (Electrical Engineers) (Volunteers) , but the Haldane Reforms came into effect the following year, under which all the Volunteers were subsumed into the Territorial Force (TF). The Clyde Division was retitled as the Renfrewshire (Fortress) Royal Engineers , part of
13156-535: The common French. In 1936 a treaty was signed between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Egypt called the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 . It stipulated the British pledge to withdraw all their troops from Egypt, except those necessary to protect the Suez Canal and its surroundings. Following World War II , Egypt denounced the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 , leading to skirmishes with British troops guarding
13299-403: The conflict well into 1941. In December 1940, Roosevelt accused Hitler of planning world conquest and ruled out any negotiations as useless, calling for the United States to become an " arsenal of democracy " and promoting Lend-Lease programmes of military and humanitarian aid to support the British war effort; Lend-Lease was later extended to the other Allies, including the Soviet Union after it
13442-443: The coolest summer days of any other cities or resorts, although not significantly cooler than other northern coastal places. Modern Port Said is divided into seven districts: Port Said's districts are further subdivided in to eight qism (police ward) which had a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 680,375 people: (January 2023 Est.) Port Said has a number of higher education institutions. Port Said University
13585-515: The creation of a " New Roman Empire ". Adolf Hitler , after an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the German government in 1923, eventually became the Chancellor of Germany in 1933 when Paul von Hindenburg and the Reichstag appointed him. Following Hindenburg's death in 1934, Hitler proclaimed himself Führer of Germany and abolished democracy, espousing a radical, racially motivated revision of
13728-470: The directive to prepare for an invasion of the Soviet Union. Port Said Port Said ( / s aɪ d / , Egyptian Arabic : بورسعيد , romanized: Bōrsaʿīd , pronounced [boɾsæˈʕiːd, poɾ-] ) is a port city that lies in the northeast Egypt extending about 30 km (19 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea , straddling the west bank of the northern mouth of
13871-739: The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, and Russian Empires. To prevent a future world war, the League of Nations was established in 1920 by the Paris Peace Conference . The organisation's primary goals were to prevent armed conflict through collective security, military, and naval disarmament , as well as settling international disputes through peaceful negotiations and arbitration. Despite strong pacifist sentiment after World War I , irredentist and revanchist nationalism had emerged in several European states. These sentiments were especially marked in Germany because of
14014-409: The division made some advances despite the mud. The 4th Division was defending positions in front of Arras when the second phase of the German spring offensive ( Operation Mars ) struck on 28 March 1918. After stout defence by the British troops, the attacks petered out in the afternoon, and the German operation was a complete failure. When the Germans renewed their offensive ( Operation Georgette )
14157-404: The economic base of the city is fishing and industries, like chemicals , ultra-processed food , and cigarettes . Port Said is also an important harbour for exports of Egyptian products like cotton and rice , and additionally a fueling station for ships that pass through the Suez Canal. It thrives on being a duty-free port, as well as a tourist resort especially during summer. It is home to
14300-637: The end of May completed the German conquest of the Balkans. Partisan warfare subsequently broke out against the Axis occupation of Yugoslavia , which continued until the end of the war. In the Middle East in May, Commonwealth forces quashed an uprising in Iraq which had been supported by German aircraft from bases within Vichy-controlled Syria . Between June and July, British-led forces invaded and occupied
14443-463: The end of the war. World War II changed the political alignment and social structure of the world, and it set the foundation of international relations for the rest of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The United Nations was established to foster international cooperation and prevent conflicts, with the victorious great powers—China, France, the Soviet Union, the UK, and the US—becoming
14586-516: The first language of children born to parents from different communities. Italian was also widely spoken and was the mother tongue of part of the Maltese community, since the ancestors of the latter had come to Egypt before the Anglicization of Malta in the 1920s. Multilingualism was a characteristic of the foreign population of Port Said, with most people continuing to speak community languages as well as
14729-566: The first step of what its government saw as the country's right to rule Asia , staged the Mukden incident as a pretext to invade Manchuria and establish the puppet state of Manchukuo . China appealed to the League of Nations to stop the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. Japan withdrew from the League of Nations after being condemned for its incursion into Manchuria. The two nations then fought several battles, in Shanghai , Rehe and Hebei , until
14872-843: The former Chinese imperial capital of Peking after instigating the Marco Polo Bridge incident , which culminated in the Japanese campaign to invade all of China. The Soviets quickly signed a non-aggression pact with China to lend materiel support, effectively ending China's prior cooperation with Germany . From September to November, the Japanese attacked Taiyuan , engaged the Kuomintang Army around Xinkou , and fought Communist forces in Pingxingguan . Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek deployed his best army to defend Shanghai , but after three months of fighting, Shanghai fell. The Japanese continued to push Chinese forces back, capturing
15015-523: The globe you have but to sit and wait, sooner or later your man will come there: the docks of London and Port Said". Port Said is an important city in Egypt for trade and business, due to its location on the coastal region. The name of Port Said first appeared in 1855. It was chosen by an international committee composed of Great Britain , France , the Russian Empire , Austria , Spain and Piedmont . It
15158-512: The invasion of the Ethiopian Empire (also known as Abyssinia ) by the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy ( Regno d'Italia ), which was launched from Italian Somaliland and Eritrea . The war resulted in the military occupation of Ethiopia and its annexation into the newly created colony of Italian East Africa ( Africa Orientale Italiana , or AOI); in addition it exposed the weakness of
15301-457: The jetties. Still more innovative was the use of the same concrete for the lighthouse of Port Said , the only original building still standing in Port Said. In 1859 the first 150 laborers camped in tents around a wooden shed. A year later, the number of inhabitants had risen to 2000 — with the European contingent housed in wooden bungalows imported from northern Europe. By 1869, when the canal opened,
15444-489: The leading troops penetrated the strongpoint known as 'The Quadrilateral', the following waves came under heavy fire. Under cover of darkness, the battle front was cleared – the engineers assisting in bringing in the wounded – and defences were reorganised, but the Quadrilateral had to be abandoned the following morning. In the middle of the Somme battle, Major Hordern was admitted to hospital and Capt Hodgart assumed command of
15587-580: The new unit titled 71 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers). Following the amalgamation of 71, 72 and 76 Engr Regts, 102 (Clyde) Fd Sqn RE (V) was an Air Support Squadron, providing military engineering and infrastructure support to the Royal Air Force. Since the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010, the Squadron has been named 102 Field Squadron Royal Engineers and has been based at Anzio Lines, Paisley, as
15730-497: The permanent members of its security council . The Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers , setting the stage for the Cold War . In the wake of European devastation, the influence of its great powers waned, triggering the decolonisation of Africa and Asia . Most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery and expansion . World War II began in Europe on 1 September 1939 with
15873-496: The permanent population had reached 10,000. The European district, clustered around the waterfront, was separated from the Arab district, Gemalia, 400 m (1,300 ft) to the west, by a wide strip of sandy beach where a tongue of Lake Manzala reached towards the sea. This inlet soon dried out and was replaced by buildings; over time there was no division between the European and Arab quarters. Since its establishment, Port Said played
16016-571: The political European map with the defeat of the Central Powers —including Austria-Hungary , Germany , Bulgaria , and the Ottoman Empire —and the 1917 Bolshevik seizure of power in Russia , which led to the founding of the Soviet Union. Meanwhile, the victorious Allies of World War I , such as France, Belgium, Italy, Romania, and Greece, gained territory, and new nation-states were created out of
16159-512: The port of Salalah in Oman ), and the busiest container seaport in Egypt, with 3,470,000 TEU transported in 2009. The port is part of the Maritime Silk Road . It is divided into: The port is bordered, seaward, by an imaginary line from the western breakwater boundary till the eastern breakwater end. And from the Suez Canal area, it is bordered by an imaginary line extending transversely from
16302-583: The port of Tobruk . By late March 1941, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia signed the Tripartite Pact ; however, the Yugoslav government was overthrown two days later by pro-British nationalists. Germany and Italy responded with simultaneous invasions of both Yugoslavia and Greece , commencing on 6 April 1941; both nations were forced to surrender within the month. The airborne invasion of the Greek island of Crete at
16445-460: The reconstituted Territorial Amy (TA), consisting of two company at Fort Matilda. The unit was designated as Coast Defence Troops in 52nd (Lowland) Divisional Area . In 1920, the 406th Field Company was redesignated as the 238th Highland (County of Renfrew) Field Coy RE , a 1st line TA Unit based in Paisley. They were part of the 51st (Highland) Divisional Engineers that were reconstituted as part of
16588-528: The remainder left Egypt in the wake of the Suez Crisis, paralleling the contemporary exodus of French-speaking Europeans from Tunisia. Most of the Greek community was also expelled or left the town under the rule of Gamal Abdel Nasser. After the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, also called the Six-Day War , the Suez Canal was closed by an Egyptian blockade until 5 June 1975, and the residents of Port Said were evacuated by
16731-693: The remainder of Czechoslovakia and subsequently split it into the German Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia and a pro-German client state , the Slovak Republic . Hitler also delivered an ultimatum to Lithuania on 20 March 1939, forcing the concession of the Klaipėda Region , formerly the German Memelland . Greatly alarmed and with Hitler making further demands on the Free City of Danzig ,
16874-520: The reserve unit for 51st (Highland) Division 's divisional engineers, but did not proceed overseas, and was probably absorbed into the central training organisation. 1/1st Renfrewshire Field Company, R.E. (T) was attached to 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division at Thetford from 16 November until 19 December 1915. It then embarked at Plymouth and sailed for Egypt as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. On 10 December 1915, Capt Hodgart
17017-543: The river. The Battle of the Selle involved another major assault bridging operation, and the pursuit of the defeated Germans entailed much bridging of destroyed culverts and cratered roads left by the enemy. 4th Division's last operation of the war was the Battle of Valenciennes on 1 and 2 November, and it remained in the area of that city after the Armistice with Germany came into force on 11 November. In January 1919, it moved to
17160-487: The same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. They absorbed most of the recruits that flooded in. Britain's harbour defences were never seriously tested during the war, but the fortress engineers formed companies for service with the armies in the field. During 1915 the Greenock unit formed 1/1st Renfrewshire Field Company R.E. (T) composed of 1st Line Territorials. The 2/1st Renfrew appears to have been incorporated into 408th (Highland) Reserve Field Company,
17303-577: The scheme including zero tax and duties on tools, machines and raw materials related to the production of goods for export. Port Said has a hot desert climate (BWh) according to Köppen climate classification , but blowing winds from the Mediterranean Sea greatly moderates the temperatures, typical to the northern coast of Egypt , making its summers moderately hot and humid while its winters mild and moderately wet when sleet and hail are also common, yet less common than in Alexandria because Port Said
17446-458: The significant territorial, colonial, and financial losses imposed by the Treaty of Versailles . Under the treaty, Germany lost around 13 percent of its home territory and all its overseas possessions , while German annexation of other states was prohibited, reparations were imposed, and limits were placed on the size and capability of the country's armed forces . The German Empire was dissolved in
17589-479: The southern bank of the Canal connected to Manzala Lake, and the railways arcade livestock. Two breakwaters protect the port entrance channel: the western breakwater is about 3.5 mi (5.6 km) long, and the eastern breakwater is approximately 1.5 mi (2.4 km). The Suez Canal Dwelling Area is situated between latitudes 31° 21' N and 31° 25' N and longitudes 32° 16.2°' E and 32° 20.6' E. where vessels awaiting to accede Port Said port stay whether to join
17732-494: The start or prelude to World War II. The exact date of the war's end also is not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 15 August 1945 ( V-J Day ), rather than with the formal surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945, which officially ended the war in Asia . A peace treaty between Japan and the Allies was signed in 1951. A 1990 treaty regarding Germany's future allowed
17875-575: The strong Maginot Line fortifications on the Franco-German border, Germany directed its attack at the neutral nations of Belgium , the Netherlands , and Luxembourg . The Germans carried out a flanking manoeuvre through the Ardennes region, which was mistakenly perceived by the Allies as an impenetrable natural barrier against armoured vehicles. By successfully implementing new Blitzkrieg tactics,
18018-403: The time of its inauguration reached about 14,000 books and was supplied by encyclopedias and modern references. Port Said has about 11 theatres. [1] Port Said has 23 parks which includes the Ferial Park (21,904 square meters ), the Farma Park (12,469.4 square meters), the Khazanat Park (2,000 square meters), and the Aldawlia Park (8 Hektars ). [2] The main sport that interests Port Saidis
18161-458: The two Lanarkshire companies became the Clyde Division, Engineer Volunteers, Submarine Miners, RE , with its headquarters at Fort Matilda. The first honorary commandant was Col Sir Donald Matheson, who had been commander of the 1st Lanarkshire Engineers since 1865. The new unit took its precedence from the 1st Lanarkshire (1860) and ranked third in the list of Submarine Miners. A further two companies were raised in 1892 and 1900 respectively. In 1901,
18304-415: The two wars became World War II in 1941. Other proposed starting dates for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939. Others view the Spanish Civil War as
18447-476: The unit was redesignated the Clyde Division, Submarine Miners, R.E. (V) at Greenock. In 1903, its establishment was reduced to three companies. At the Royal review of 1905, Clyde Division had 10 officers and 175 other ranks. In 1907, the War Office decided to hand over all submarine mining duties to the Royal Navy and the Clyde Division was reduced to a single company of 4 officers and 70 other ranks (ORs) and redesignated as Electrical Engineers to make wider use of
18590-407: The war were not fulfilled in the peace settlement. From 1922 to 1925, the Fascist movement led by Benito Mussolini seized power in Italy with a nationalist, totalitarian , and class collaborationist agenda that abolished representative democracy, repressed socialist, left-wing, and liberal forces, and pursued an aggressive expansionist foreign policy aimed at making Italy a world power, promising
18733-475: The war. Germany annexed western Poland and occupied central Poland ; the Soviet Union annexed eastern Poland ; small shares of Polish territory were transferred to Lithuania and Slovakia . On 6 October, Hitler made a public peace overture to the United Kingdom and France but said that the future of Poland was to be determined exclusively by Germany and the Soviet Union. The proposal was rejected and Hitler ordered an immediate offensive against France, which
18876-404: The west halted the German advance for several days, but it was outflanked and encircled by the Wehrmacht . Remnants of the Polish army broke through to besieged Warsaw . On 17 September 1939, two days after signing a cease-fire with Japan , the Soviet Union invaded Poland under the supposed pretext that the Polish state had ceased to exist. On 27 September, the Warsaw garrison surrendered to
19019-483: The world order , and soon began a massive rearmament campaign . France, seeking to secure its alliance with Italy, allowed Italy a free hand in Ethiopia , which Italy desired as a colonial possession. The situation was aggravated in early 1935 when the Territory of the Saar Basin was legally reunited with Germany, and Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles, accelerated his rearmament programme, and introduced conscription. The United Kingdom, France and Italy formed
19162-420: The world. All lived and worked alongside the large local Egyptian community. And always passing through were international travelers to and from Africa, India and the Far East. Intermarriage between French, Italian and Maltese was particularly common, resulting in a local Latin and Catholic community like those of Alexandria and Cairo. French was the common language of the European and non-Arab population, and often
19305-554: Was invaded by Germany. The United States started strategic planning to prepare for a full-scale offensive against Germany. At the end of September 1940, the Tripartite Pact formally united Japan, Italy, and Germany as the Axis powers . The Tripartite Pact stipulated that any country—with the exception of the Soviet Union—that attacked any Axis Power would be forced to go to war against all three. The Axis expanded in November 1940 when Hungary , Slovakia , and Romania joined. Romania and Hungary later made major contributions to
19448-458: Was a collaborative effort of the British Royal Engineers and Royal Navy with US and Italian engineers, under an Electric Power Committee set up in December 1943. Once the Allies reached Rome in mid-1944, they discovered that less than 10 per cent of the 800,000 kW generating capacity of central Italy was in working order. Over the succeeding months, 540th E&M Company was engaged in re-establishing transmission lines, alongside 541st (formerly
19591-563: Was converted into 540th Electrical and Mechanical Company, RE , in the War Office Reserve, earmarked for overseas service. 540th E&M Company served in the Italian Campaign 1943–5. During the campaign, the re-establishment of electric power supplies was critical. Power stations in the south of the country were quickly captured intact, but north of Naples and Foggia the Germans had destroyed everything to do with electricity supply: power stations, sub-stations, hydro-electric dam sluices, transmission lines and pylons were all wrecked. Repair
19734-508: Was converted into the independent 243 (Rutherglen) Bomb Disposal Sqn in 1950, but was disbanded in 1967. 276 Construction Sqn was converted into a Plant Sqn in 1956 and transferred to 143 Plant Regiment . Also in 1947, the Renfrewshire Fortess Engineers formed the following port squadrons at Glasgow: These were assigned to a new 80 Port Regiment, RE in 1956, and 330 and 332 squadrons were disbanded in 1961. The regiment formed part of 264 (Scottish) Beach Brigade, later 4 Port Task Force, RE. It
19877-401: Was in temporary command. Disembarking at Port Said on 3–5 January 1916 it was allotted to 'Army Troops', working on the Suez Canal Defences. The company arrived at El Kubri, Egypt on 15 January 1916 and was immediately attached to the 10th Indian Division. The 10th Indian Division (two brigades only) was already on the canal with its single field company of engineers when it was augmented by
20020-403: Was postponed until the spring of 1940 due to bad weather. After the outbreak of war in Poland, Stalin threatened Estonia , Latvia , and Lithuania with military invasion, forcing the three Baltic countries to sign pacts allowing the creation of Soviet military bases in these countries; in October 1939, significant Soviet military contingents were moved there. Finland refused to sign
20163-657: Was repulsed with heavy Italian casualties; the campaign ended within months with minor territorial changes. To assist Italy and prevent Britain from gaining a foothold, Germany prepared to invade the Balkans, which would threaten Romanian oil fields and strike against British dominance of the Mediterranean. In December 1940, British Empire forces began counter-offensives against Italian forces in Egypt and Italian East Africa . The offensives were successful; by early February 1941, Italy had lost control of eastern Libya, and large numbers of Italian troops had been taken prisoner. The Italian Navy also suffered significant defeats, with
20306-441: Was required to go through the bureaucracy of the League of Nations, which rendered it essentially toothless. The United States, concerned with events in Europe and Asia, passed the Neutrality Act in August of the same year. Hitler defied the Versailles and Locarno Treaties by remilitarising the Rhineland in March 1936, encountering little opposition due to the policy of appeasement . In October 1936, Germany and Italy formed
20449-599: Was transferred to the Royal Corps of Transport in 1965. In 1961, 102 Regiment was reorganised as 102 (Renfrew) Corps Engineer Regiment, RE . 276 Sqn returned as a Field Squadron and 540 converted to a Field Park Squadron, while 238 Construction Sqn became an independent squadron at Glasgow. When the TA was reduced into the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) in 1967, the regiment became 102 (Clyde) Fd Sqn RE (V) . Its HQ remained at Paisley and it formed part of 71 (Scottish) Engineer Regiment. In 1999, 71 (Scottish) Engineer Regt merged with 72 and 76 Engineer Regts with
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