THE BELGIAN ENGINEER / PIONEER UNITS
1944 - 1946
SHORT HISTORY
In the
agreements between the Belgian Government and SHAEF
was foreseen to raise a number of Engineer/Pioneer units.
4 Army Engineer Battalions, 4 Pioneer Battalions, and several other small enigineer units would be raised.
Most of those units were to be put at the disposal of the 21st Army Group.
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March
1945, Leopoldscanal, Belgium. The 1st Army Engineer Battalion contructs a Bailey Bridge. |
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1
British Corps Standing Instructions as issued to the 1st Army Engineer Battalion.
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The Army
Engineer Battalions were a great help to the 21st Army Group in
reconstructing roads
and vital military infrastructure in the Netherlands and in
Occupied Germany.
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Heist-aan-Zee,
belgium, August 11 1945. The 4th Army Engineer Battalion on parade. Front left : Major DE NYS, Commanding Officer. |
The Pioneer
Battalions had not such a heavy equipment as the Army Engineer
Battalions,
and were mostly used by the 21st Army Group for road maintenance,
guarding of vital infrastructure, etc.
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Hamburg, July 21
1945. The 1st Pioneer Battalion on parade. |
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Occupied Germany,
Vlatho, September 12 1945. The 2nd Pioneer Battalion raising of the flag. |
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Oostende
, Belgian Coast, 1945. General ERSKINE inspects the 1st Pioneer Battalion on parade. |
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Oostende
, Belgian Coast, 1945. The 3rd Company of the 1st Pioneer Battalion on parade. |
Several
smaller units were also raised, such as Artisan Works Companies,
Army Troop Companies,
Railway Construction Companies, Railway Operating Companies, a
Pontoneer Company
and a Electro Mechanic Company.
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Lieutenant VAN
LIPPEVELDE Emile, 1st Belgian Railway Construction Company. Died near Tilburg, Netherlands, July 25 1945. |
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Men of the 1st Electro Mechanical Company. |
The Pontoneer Company helped the British Naval Authorities in Antwerp with the demining of the river Schelde.
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September
1945, Xanten, Occupied Germany. 1st Army Engineer Battalion exercises with ferrymaterial. |
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September
1945, Weeze, Occupied Germany. Roadworks by the 1st Army Engineer Battalion. |
Only the 1st
and 2nd Army Engineer Battalion, and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Pioneer
Battalion
really took part in wartime operations.
The Engineer
Company of the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade "Piron" was
incorparated into
the 1st Army Engineer Battalion in December 1944
when the Brigade was reorganised end of November 1944.
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Pay
Book Private VANDERSTRAETEN Oscar 1st Railway Construction Company |
May
1945, Dülken, Occupied Germany. Village where the 2 Army Engineer Battalion was billeted. |
UNIT | Raised | Place |
To 21st Army Group |
Disbanded | Commanding Officers |
1st Army Engineer Battalion | February 4 1945 | Heist | March 18 1945 | Renamed 1st Eng Bat / 1st Inf Div January 10 1946 |
Major GALANT |
2nd Army Engineer Battalion | January 20 1945 | Heist | April 29 1945 | Renamed 2nd Eng Bat / 2nd Inf Div June 15 1946 |
Major LELOUP |
3rd Army Engineer Battalion | March 12 1945 | Heist | June 5 1945 | July 17 1946 | Major GALLEZ |
4th Army Engineer Battalion | January 15 1945 | Heist | July 17 1945 | March 1946 | Major DE NYS Major SCHNEIDER |
1st Pioneer Battalion | December 17 1944 | Hoogboom | January 16 1945 | March 311946 | Major RENAUT Major VERBEENEN |
2nd Pioneer Battalion | November 23 1944 | Hoogboom | December 16 1944 | October 1944 | Major VAN EERDEWEGH Major DETIER |
3rd Pioneer Battalion | January 15 1945 | Hoogboom | March 1945 | Transformed into 4th Woodcutters Corps February 10 1946 |
Major HANESSE Major PANIER |
4th Pioneer Battalion | February 14 1945 | Hoogboom | March 20 1945 | December 31 1945 | Major DERIDDER Major MONTLIBERT |
1st Artisan Construction Company | March 5 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | May 1945 | November 30 1945 (?) | Major THONON |
2nd Artisan Construction Company | March 5 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | May 1 1945 | January 20 1946 | Senior Captain ROSE |
3rd Artisan Construction Company | March 12 1945 | Hoogboom | April 24 1945 | January 20 1946 | Senior Captain COLING |
4th Artisan Construction Company | March 12 1945 | Hoogboom | April 24 1945 | December 21 1945 (?) | Senior Captain DELIÈVRE |
5th Artisan Construction Company | June 20 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | August 18 1945 | December 20 1945 | Major DOBBELEER |
6th Artisan Construction Company | June 20 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | August 1945 | December 31 1945 (?) | Senior Captain BAUWENS |
1st Army Troop Company | February 5 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | March 14 1945 | January 19 1946 | Senior Captain AUBERTIN |
2nd Army Troop Company | March 12 1945 | Hoogboom | April 22 1945 | January 20 1946 | Senior Captain RENAUT |
1st Railway Construction Company | February 3 1945 | Mons | May 11 1945 | December 12 1945 | Senior Captain PATOUX |
2nd Railway Construction Company | March 19 1945 | Erquelinnes | June 1 1945 | January 15 1946 | Senior Captain VAN DE WEGHE |
1st Railway Operating Company | February 3 1945 | Mons | May 9 1945 | ? |
Senior Captain MASSART |
2nd Railway Operating Company | March 19 1945 | Erquelinnes | April 24 1945 | Renamed 2nd Railway Operating Company / Railway Battalion September 6 1945 |
Senior Captain VAN DE STEEN |
The Pontoneer Company | October 10 1944 | Burcht | - |
June 9 1945 | Senior Captain DE GALLATHAY |
1st Electro Mechanic Company | February 5 1945 | Braine l'Alleud | March 14 1945 | December 31 1945 (?) | Senior Captain DE GALLATHAY |
FORMATION BADGES AND INSIGNIA
OF THE ENGINEER/PIONEER UNITS
1944-1946