RE: Obstacles, Part 2

-----Original Message-----
From: jatkins6@ix.netcom.com [mailto:jatkins6@ix.netcom.com]
Subject: RE: Obstacles, Part 2

>>I knew what you meant by Engineers being Combat engineers.  Assault
>>Pioneers are infantry trained to do combat engineer tasks.  In the
>>Canadian army there is one platoon for every infantry battalion.  It
>>gives the bn cmd an engineer asset to be used at his/her discretion.
>
>That's not a concept I'm familliar with, so I don't really know how 
>competent they'd be.  Institutional rivalry says I'm shocked they don't

>blow themselves to shreds. . . :P
>
>John M. Atkinson

(Hackles rising)

Assault Pioneers are eminently competent! Aslt Pnrs are another
specialist platoon you will find in a Brit/Canadian/Australain or NZ
Infantry Bn. They will be as competent and well trained as
Recon/Snipers, Mortars or Anti-Armour at their repsective jobs. Unlike
Field/Cbt Engrs Aslt Pnrs generally are only employed in combat related
tasks at Battalion level. Whilst they are capable of preparing field
defences and obstacles; Mobility and Counter Mobility tasks are the
realm of Corp of Engineers. They will have all the hardware to do earth
moving etc. Pioneers will generally have nothing heavier than chain saws
and jack-hammers, zodiac assault boats and flame throwers. As far as
breaching goes, they can carry just as much plastic explosives,
bangalore torpedoes and the likes as engineers, but not the variety of
devices.

Owen G