The Regimental Ceremonial
Pioneers
(taken from the regimental handbook)
Four Corporals selected by the Commanding Officer for their
proficiency. act as ceremonial pioneers on Ceremonial Parades.
This is a custom is inherited from the Lancashire Fusiliers
(and we have restarted it in 2016)
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The history of an Assault Pioneer
An Assault Pioneer is an infantry soldier who is responsible for:
" The construction of tools for infantry soldiers to cross natural
and man-made obstacles as well as breaching of enemy fortifications;
" Supervising the construction of field defensive works such as
bunkers, support weapon firing positions, etc.,;
" The use of demolitions, land mines and booby traps, as well as
their clearance; and
" performing of all other normal infantry duties as the situation
requires
Assault Pioneers are lineal descendents of the Pioneers who have formed
an essential part of armies since at least the time of the Roman legions.
These pioneers were normally employed to march in front of the advancing
army, clearing the route as necessary. They could also construct defences
and bivouac facilities. More recently (since the Second World War) assault
pioneers have normally formed a Platoon in infantry battalions, and
such platoons can be found in a number of British Army and Commonwealth
infantry units. In some of these armies, soldiers serving in the Assault
Pioneer Platoon can be identified by a specialist skill badge of two
crossed felling axes sewn on their uniforms. These felling axes have
traditionally been iconic of the pioneer in various armies throughout
history.
The wearing of beards by Assault Pioneer Sergeant has also been a traditional
practice at various times in infantry battalions of both the British
and the Canadian armies. This tradition began in the French Army (possibly
in Napoleonic times) and was one of the dress practices adopted by the
British after their defeat of Napoleon in 1815 (along with the Foot
Guards bearskin headdress). In the Canadian army, on special occasions
some battalions may still parade a ceremonial detachment of assault
pioneers in historical uniforms wearing leather aprons, gauntlets and
gaiters, and carrying the various tools of their trade such as felling
axes, crosscut saws, hatchets and billhooks, picks and shovels.
The term 'Assault Pioneer' reflects the tradition (arising in the First
and Second World Wars) of employing these soldiers in the first wave
of assaults on fortified enemy positions, using their skills and equipment
to support the attacking force in crossing and breaching the enemy's
defences. While Assault Pioneers normally function in a specialist role,
they are infantry soldiers first and are fully capable of engaging in
combat as needed. Another of their jobs was after a Battle and a officer
horse was killed they cut off its huffs which had the horse number on
it so the officer could get a new horses the rest of the horse went
to the cook house I’ll say no more on that.
