'Pioneer Battalions in the Great War by Dr Bill Mitchinson'

Pioneer Battalions in the Great War

Pioneer battalions, created as an expedient in 1914, were a new concept in the British Army. Intended to provide the Royal Engineers with skilled labour and to relieve the infantry from some of the non-combatant duties, pioneers became the work horses of the BEF. Often confused with the Pioneer Corps of the Second World War the work of the pioneers in post-war literature was often ignored or misunderstood.

In his talk Dr Bill Mitchinson will trace the reasons behind the creation of these units, the work they performed and the dramatic transitions many of them had to undergo. It will also examine how and why pioneers have rarely received the recognition they deserve.