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Subject: Re: [WWII] Australian Pioneer Battalions

I understand that these WWII units were considered infantry units and not engineer units as the term "pioneer" usually indicates. However, they did do light engineer tasks, but could perform as infantry.

Is this correct?

What was their mission/role and internal organization?

How did their organization and equipment differ from infantry battalions?

Gordo

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WWII mailing list WWII@lists.ibiblio.org http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/wwii

Pioneer Battalions were organised, trained and equipped to a similar scale as an equivalent Infantry Battalion though may have lacked some of the heavier weapons particularly early in the conflict.

They could and were used on occasion to replace or supplement infantry battalions that had been hard pushed in an action. The Official Histories are replete with instances of the Pioneer Battalions fighting - see http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/volume.asp?conflict=2.

They were tasked with providing the labour force required by a division for minor engineering tasks that would generally be designed and supervised by the Engineer squadrons. Initially they were recruited from those with experience in carpentry, road making, mining etc.....

They were raised by the British Army (and followed by the Commonwealth and Empire) in the First World War to "soak up" surplus manpower in the lower health grades but were suitable for combat. Eventually one battalion was allocated per division - as partial replacements for the three battalions removed from the divisions when they reduced from 4 to

3 battalions per brigade (and to relieve to a certain extent the fatigues that the "resting" battalions would have otherwise done - but "rest" was figurative rather than real). The organisation of 9 Infantry Battalions, one MG Battalion and one Pioneer Battalion (plus supporting troops) was continued into the second world war. By the time the Pacific opened up divisions (particularly from the 1943 campaigns) were no longer fixed organisations but rather higher HQ for the control of operations in an area with units (usually as Brigade Groups) attached as needed.

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Cheers

Daniel Ross