Twiz Preaching Strange War Antics Cries NEWS PHOTOS NEWS P9 P32-P37 P14 the P oneer April 2014 1st TEAM 23 Pioneer Regt 1st INDIVIDUAL LCpl Beadle - 23 Pioneer Regt 1st FEMALE SSgt Mason - 23 Pioneer Regt 1st OVER 40 WINNER Capt Andrews - 23 Pioneer Regt THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION WWW.ROYALPIONEERCORPS.CO.UK 23 Pioneer Regiment, RLC not only won this years speed march they won every aspect of the march i.e. first team, first male competitor, first female competitor and first veteran. This is a great achievement and unfortunately because of disbandment maybe the last for Pioneers. N 1996 it was decided to reconstruct allowed to enter as many individuals as competitor, first female competitor and first the original WW2 speed march to raise possible with the first 5 from their team veteran. funds for the Commando Benevolent counting towards their final score. When you consider because of defence Fund and the Airborne Forces Charities It was decided that a team of Pioneers cuts the Regiment is only half the strength Ias well as other charitable bodies. This would participate in the Commando Speed of other Regiments who participated this is has now become an established annual March to be held on 8th March 2014. a great achievement. The Regiment has military event attracting over 400 entrants a 2011 & 2012 saw 23 Pioneer Regiment only entered this march in the last four year. winning the event and finishing 2nd in years and have won three times and came The initial march took place when the 2013 narrowly behind 7 RHA. Team second on the other, unfortunately because volunteers arrived at Spean Bridge Station. members knew this would the last chance of disbandment this will be the last time for It was not unusual for them to be ordered to regain the trophy prior to disbandment. Pioneers, however it now gives other to leave the train on the opposite side to Training started at the end of Jan14 Regiments a chance of winning! the platform and any man injured jumping under the watchful eye of our RAPTCI SSgt All competitors that took part are to be down on the track would be RTU’d. Heavy Mason. Anyone who has had the pleasure congratulated on their performance on kit would be placed upon the waiting of being involved in one of SSgt Masons what always proves to be a testing route, in transport and the troops were then force training programmes will tell you they are particular the individual winner LCpl Beadle marched to the gates of Achnacarry House well structured and extremely testing. The (pictured on the right in the lead!) who has carrying their fighting order. old saying ‘train hard, fight easy’ has never now won the race for three years The time allowed, to cover the 7 mile been more true. consecutively. route, was 1 hour. Any recruits who failed 20 members of the regiment (including After the Regiment's success some of the to achieve this time were about turned and support staff) set off on Thursday 6 March team took part in AT in the surrounding RTU’d by the next train. Prior to arriving at for the long drive to Kinlochleven in area. Walking in the hills and canoeing in Spean Bridge, the recruits had undergone Scotland. Saturday was race day with 242 the lochs. 23 Pioneer Regt continues the basic fitness training at Wrexham to ensure competitors from 27 units: including 2 Para, ‘sprint to the finish’ in the best possible that they stood a good chance of Royal Marine Commando Training Centre, manner. ■ completing the march. Infantry Battle School, 45 Commando Regt The course consists of a 7 mile road - to name but a few, lining up at Spean march climbing around 400 feet out of Bridge train station to re run this historic Spean Bridge on the A82 before forking left route. onto the B8004 to pass the Commando As you would expect, 23 Pioneer Memorial at the 1.5 mile point. Regiment team put in a fantastic display The challenge for the modern day soldier with our top 5 finishers all being in the top is to complete the 7 miles in under 1 hour 24! 23 Pioneer Regt not only won this carrying 16kg. The event is also used as an year’s speed march they won every aspect Inter Unit competition with units being of the march i.e. first team, first male RESULTS SSgt Mason 56min 05secs 64 Mick Beadle 47min 17secs 1 (1st female) Capt Andrews 49min 27sec 5 Capt Smale 56min 47secs 71 (1st veteran) Lt Stanford 58mins 03secs 79 SSgt ’Hat’ Clarke 51mins 9 Lt Costin 1hr 1min 08secs 117 SSgt Woods 51min 53secs 17 SSgt Bennett 1hr 1min 31secs 125 Capt Evans -Fry 52mins 46secs 24 Lt Col Clouston 1hr 09min 16secs 191 Capt Cheetam 53min 44secs 33 Cpl Green 1hr 09min 47secs 195 WO1 (RSM) Lane 54min 24secs 39 WO2 Cheung 1hr 11min 47secs 201 Cpl Thomas 55min 20secs 51 LCpl Fowler 1hr 15min 27secs 223 Pictures: Mr Graeme Taylor and 23 Pioneer Regiment RLC Taylor Mr Graeme Pictures: 2 | THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION NEWS COMMANDO SPEED MARCH Spean Bridge, Scotland, 8th March 2014 THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 3 the Pioneer EDITORIAL REPARATIONS are now underway for the Enclosed with this Newsletter is a return for disbandment of 23 Pioneer Regiment both the last parade of the Regiment through RLC and the end of the Pioneer Trade in Bicester on 27 July and the Disbandment the Army. It is the intention that all RPC Parade/Pioneer Weekend on 26/28 September. PAssociation property be disposed of Please note that accommodation in July is either by donation to RLC Museum, Bicester only available on Saturday 26th and in Town Council, the new RLC Mess or sold to RPC September from Thursday 25th to Sunday 28th. Association members - the latter during the Please send you form in prior to 10 Jul and 13 Front Cover Pioneer Weekend in September. Details of Sep respectively. It is anticipated that this year's The Commando Memorial auction items will be displayed on the reunion will attract a large attendance. If you Picture: Stephen Meese / Paul Brown Association Facebook page and sent to those can bring your own accommodation i.e. tent, members who we have an email address for. caravan, motor home etc it would be If you have donated an item and wish to have appreciated. A number of personnel will have it returned please contact the Association as to be accommodated in St George's Barracks soon as possible. Advertisements have been and, as usual, mini buses will be provided to placed in the Telegraph, Northampton Chronicle transport personnel to and from throughout & Echo, Bicester Advertiser, Soldier Magazine the weekend. and The Sustainer. Planning for the weekend has only just As previously mentioned the Association will started but it is intended to “Go Out With a continue (as long as you, the members wish it) Bang", it being the last one at Bicester. It is now albeit with a revised Constitution. It is hoped 22 years since we moved the Weekend from that the HQ will stay in Bicester. Northampton to Bicester and the Regiment has Once again we have, unfortunately, a long certainly looked after us well during that time. list of Obituaries to publish these include a Next year it is intended to use a hotel, former Colonel Commandant and a former probably in Coventry, this will be confirmed at Director as well as some well known the Annual General Meeting on 27th Back Cover personalities, our condolences go to their September. Anniversaries Remembered families. If you have any topic/suggestion for the AGM Picture: Paul Brown Registered Charity Number 1024036 CONTENTS Patron HRH The Duke of Gloucester 2 Commando Speed March 25 Going – Do Not Forget Us KG GCVO What an achievement! Winners again! Poems by Bernard Fox Vice Patron 6 Disbandment of 168 Pioneer Regt 26 The Labour Corps 1917/18 Major General G W Field CB RLC(V) How our predecessor Corps was formed President A sad but very memorable day at 28 History of Mauritius Forces Brigadier C B Telfer CBE Grantham Formation of a Mauritian work force Chairman 8 Past Events / Future Colonel A Barnes TD JP Events / News 32 Field of Remembrance 2013 Including details of Twiz & Verne’s At the Corps Plot and afterwards for the Controller / Editor Dine-out London Lunch Norman Brown Esq 10 Cenotaph Parade 2013 34 Photo Gallery Design / Editor A record turnout of Pioneers at the Photographs from the last 6 months Paul Brown Cenotaph, London 38 Brigadier HGL Prynne 14 Regimental Boxing Night Including Confessions of a Pioneer ☎ telephone A fantastic night to remember 01869 360694 54 Blast from the Past 16 Pioneers Reunited at Phoenix House Can you help identify the personnel in ✉ email From Sandhurst to Phoenix House the photographs? [email protected] 18 News from 23 Pioneer Regt ✈ 56 Press Cuttings from 1943 website The challenges of a new “Troopie” Pioneer related Press Cuttings from the www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk 19 Mental Health of Veterans year 1943 ✇ facebook group Difficulties post service www.facebook.com/groups/ 57 A short story from Sarajevo chunkies/ 20 1912 Basuto Company 170 Sqn in Sarajevo Officer in Command - Major WN Scott 58 Letters to the Editor 22 51 Commando We welcome you letters, emails and your The Royal Pioneer Pioneers in 51 (ME) Commando views Corps Association 24 Saving Sarah Rigler 60 If WW1 was a bar fight c/o 23 Pioneer Regt RLC St David's Barracks A Pioneer helps to save a life How WW1 could have started Graven Hill Bicester OX26 6HF THE ROYAL PIONEER CORPS ASSOCIATION | 5 STOP PRESS..