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THE ROYAL
      PIONEER CORPS
      ASSOCIATION

      c/o 1 Regiment.       Royal Logistic Corps
      St David’s Barracks       Graven Hill
      Bicester
      Oxfordshire
      OX26 6HF

      telephone
      01869 360694

      fax
      01869 360695

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      royalpioneercorps
      @gmail.com

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      facebook.com/
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      charity number
      
1024036


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    " It was the removal of beach obstacles, the building of
    ammo, food and supply dumps and construction that the
    majority of the 6,000 Pioneers, who landed on D-Day, were
    engaged.
Much of the work was carried out under artillery

    and small-arms fire with the ever present risk of touching
    off a land-mine… "

    
Major E H Rhodes-Wood


  Latest News               last updated -



Association members should be finding the latest issue of The Pioneer dropping through their letterboxes... With this Newsletter you will, as usual, receive tickets for the Christmas Draw (unless you have already indicated that you are unable to sell them). It would be appreciated if you would give this your fullest support.

We know that there are many causes requiring your hard earned money (especially in these difficult times!) but our two Draws per year help to keep the Association going. Please keep your letters coming in and I hope you enjoy reading the many great stories inside this issue !

• Pioneer Weekend
• Latest News
• Past Events
• Future Events
• Pat Morley demonstates to Dusty
• Burns Night Reunion
• PTSD
• Sgt Butlers War
• Postcard from France
• A Conscripts Tale
• Digging through the Archives
• AGM Minutes
• Pioneers on Juno Beach
• Press Cuttings from 1946
• Letters to the Editor
• Blast from the Past

• Photo Gallery
• Your letters
• Book reviews
• Last post / Obituaries
• Lost Trails

and much more !



 Newsletter - October 2015

 Events Calendar

Events are now published on the Facebook Group Events Page,
which can be accessed by clicking the above link.

 

 Joining the Royal Pioneer Corps Association

It is now over twenty years since our Corps converged with the other Forming Corps' to form the Royal Logistic Corps, it is pleasing therefore to report that the Association is standing the test of time and still going strong. So far this year we have recruited hundreds of new members, some who served during World War 2, many from the National Service days of the Fifties and a great number from the Sixties and Seventies who for one reason or another failed to join when they were serving.

Over 21,000 have joined the RPCA since its formation. When you make contact with ex Corps members or ex RLC Pioneers ask if they receive the newsletters - tell them it is FREE! If they do not please send me their address. If you would like to join the RPCA, drop me an email and I will send you details on how to join. Our reunions are open to all Pioneers and we look forward to seeing you all.




A group photo from the Reunion in 2013.


  The Royal Pioneer Corps Association Online...

Patrons
HRH The Duke of Gloucester  KG GCVO

Vice Patrons

Major General G W Field  CB OBE

President

Brigadier CB Telfer CBE

Chairman of Council

Colonel A Barnes TD JP

Controller

Mr N Brown Esq


Although the Royal Pioneer Corps disbanded in 1993 when it was amalgamated with 4 other Corps to form the Royal Logistic Corps, the Royal Pioneer Association still runs and does valuable work with the financial help of the Army Benevolent Fund. It's main work is the relief of "need, hardship and distress" of ex-Pioneers, their wives, widows and dependants.

The Corps has quietly got on with business in hand, sometimes with recognition, often with none at all. A price was paid and you will find the graves of Pioneers in most War Cemetaries overseas - they paid heavily. Our overseas Pioneers must never be forgotten; they too gave their lives and served loyally. The Association will provide the focal point for the Royal Pioneer Corps affairs both socially and supportively. It will need your involvement and encouragement.

The Association publishes two newsletters a year. These newsletters are published on this website. Under the umbrella of the Association there are also a number of organisations - details of their activities are also to be included. In the main these are:

  •  39/93 Club Dinners
  •  Warrant Officers and Senior NCO's Pioneer Reunion Club
  •  Northampton Branch of the Royal Pioneer Corps Association


» website, editorial & assistance- Paul Brown
» historian & research - Lieutenant Colonel John Starling
»
hosted by - 123.reg

and many thanks to all the ex-pioneers, serving
pioneers, relatives and everyone who has submitted articles
and stories to the association, for the benefit of everyone




      The Pioneer
     
 Newsletters

  
April 2016

   October 2015

   April 2015

   October 2014

   April 2014

   October 2013

   April 2013

   October 2012

   April 2012

   October 2011

   April 2011

   October 2010



 There are many
 ways to stay in
 touch.
 
 
The best way is
 via Facebook,  where we have
 quite an active
 group and for 
 which there are
 a few other
 Pioneer related  groups.

 The other way is
 via our forums
 which are still
 there and for
 which there are
 hundreds of
 posts containing
 a wealth of
 historical
 information on
 Pioneer and
 Labour Corps
 research by
 Norman and our
 resident historian
 Lt Col John
 Starling.

  RPCA
      
Facebook

  RPCA
      
Forums

  Nostalgia
      
 Facebook

 Please read the
 forums section  for more info
 on how to use
 them.



             Facts  

  The strength of the   Corps in May 1945
  was probably one
  of the largest in the   Army and included   12,000 officers,
  16,000 UK
  personnel and
  400,000 Pioneers
  from other parts of
  the Commonwealth.
  It was responsible
  for a civilian labour
  force of 1,074,000
  and a prisoner of
  war force of
  173,000.

  Very little has been
  said about the
  Pioneer units that
  landed on the
  beaches on D-Day,
  June 6, 1944 and
  they are the
  forgotten Corps.

. The Pioneers
  however played an
  essential role on
  D-Day and many
  other campaigns
  and suffered many
  casualties.

  At 7.45am, the first
  Pioneers landed,
  53 Coy, and, after
  them, in quick
  succession the men
  of 129 Coy, 170
  Coy, 225 Coy and
  209 Coy. The
  smaller men were
  up to their necks in
  the heavy swell
  which accounted
  for a number of
  those reported
  missing by nightfall.

  26 Pioneer
  Companies went   ashore on D-Day in   Normandy on
  6th June 1944,
  some 6,000 men.
  By D-Day plus 79
  there were 231   Companies. Over
  68,000 men.

  With each group
  that landed on
  D-Day was a
  Pioneer Corps
  Unit. Their task
  was to clear mines
  and underwater
  obstacles, unload
  landing craft, build
  ammunition and
  other dumps,
  construct beach
  tracks to carry the
  guns, armour and
  vehicles to the firm
  land beyond, act as
  stretcher bearers,
  collect and
  evacuate the
  wounded, guard
  prisoners and, if
  necessary, join the
  assault forces in
  the battle. Many
  of the tasks
  undertaken by the
  Pioneers were done
  under enemy fire.

  Army Commanders
  in every theatre of
  war paid tribute to
  the work of the
  Corps without
  which they freely   admitted that the
  war could not
  have been won.

  Over 2,800 British   personnel of the
  Corps laid down
  their lives overseas,
. suffering more
. than 26,000
. casualties.

  This website is
  here to remember
  the role of the
  Pioneers and to
  honour those whom
  have made the
  ultimate sacfifice.

 

      


Labor Omnia Vincit