HI EVERYONE,

THESE ARE A SELECTION OF PHOTOS SHOWING A TRAINING DAY IN KENT, ENGLAND, ON A RARE SUUNY DAY HERE IN THE UK. OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO ASSULT SOME STABLES AND RESCUE THE GENERALS HORSE, A WHITE CHARGER... WHAT ELSE !!!, NAMED " PUFF", WHICH, WAS CAPTURED EARLIER BY SOME SNEAKY GERMANS. FIRST WE HAVE TO CROSS SOME OPEN GROUND ,THEN ADVANCE THROUGH WOODLAND FINALLY USING THE STABLE OUTBUILDINGS AS COVER. RECAPTURE " PUFF" AND RETURN HIM TO HIS GRATEFUL OWNER !!! SINCE THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN WE HAVE ALL RECEIVED PROMOTIONS, THERE BE AN AWFUL LOT OF EYES LOOKING AT THESE, THOUGHT I'D POINT THAT OUT. T5 JEFF 'COOKIE' DEERE ONLY APPEARS THE THE STABLE PHOTO, HE WAS THE CAMERAMAN ON THE DAY.

SGT. MOOSE

Attached Files

  _THE__MOOSE_..jpg (Size: 246.49 KB / Downloads: 0)

A friend of mine sent this and I think you all will enjoy it...

Thought you all would love this song – God Bless our troops…

I loved this song in the movie… Here are the words and the link to listen to the song… Page down to the English conversion of the song – I have it in red…

http://compuball.com/av/audio/SgtMacKenzie.mp3

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

When they come a wull staun ma groon

Staun ma groon al nae be afraid

Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear

Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears

Ains a year say a prayer faur me

Close yir een an remember me

Nair mair shall a see the sun

For a fell tae a Germans gun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Lay me doon in the caul caul groon

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun

Lay me down in the cold cold ground

Where before many more have gone

Lay me down in the cold cold ground

Where before many more have gone

When they come I will stand my ground

Stand my ground I’ll not be afraid

Thoughts of home take away my fear

Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears

Once a year say a prayer for me

Close your eyes and remember me

Never more shall I see the sun

For I fell to a Germans gun

Lay me down in the cold cold ground

Where before many more have gone

Lay me down in the cold cold ground

Where before many more have gone

Where before many more have gone

This is from my friend Tony Cole

...a parting shot a sign i saw whilst leading a ww2 battle field tour at remargen bridge head 2004

"YOU SORRY SOB'S ARE CROSSING THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COZ THE ENGINEERS WERE HERE FIRST! "

kind regards tony cole

From my friend. We've been pals since I was in high school and she was in junior high! We lived across the street from each other in Plymouth, MI.

Here is a picture of our ship, the USS RONALD REAGAN, when we were

leaving San Diego this morning for our three month surge deployment. It

could be longer that we are gone, but we are hoping not. I will send

updates like I did on our last deployment. Hopefully we will be home

before the end of April.

Much love and happiness to all of you. Take care and God bless.

Renae :-)

ACCS (AW/SW) Renae E. Morin

USS RONALD REAGAN CVN76

OPS/OC LCPO

FPO AP 96616-2876

Attached Files

  TheReagan.jpg (Size: 1.56 MB / Downloads: 0)

Papa Art sent this...

Subject: Re: [WWII] Australian Pioneer Battalions

I understand that these WWII units were considered infantry units and not engineer units as the term "pioneer" usually indicates. However, they did do light engineer tasks, but could perform as infantry.

Is this correct?

What was their mission/role and internal organization?

How did their organization and equipment differ from infantry battalions?

Gordo

_______________________________________________

WWII mailing list WWII@lists.ibiblio.org http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/wwii

Pioneer Battalions were organised, trained and equipped to a similar scale as an equivalent Infantry Battalion though may have lacked some of the heavier weapons particularly early in the conflict.

They could and were used on occasion to replace or supplement infantry battalions that had been hard pushed in an action. The Official Histories are replete with instances of the Pioneer Battalions fighting - see http://www.awm.gov.au/histories/volume.asp?conflict=2.

They were tasked with providing the labour force required by a division for minor engineering tasks that would generally be designed and supervised by the Engineer squadrons. Initially they were recruited from those with experience in carpentry, road making, mining etc.....

They were raised by the British Army (and followed by the Commonwealth and Empire) in the First World War to "soak up" surplus manpower in the lower health grades but were suitable for combat. Eventually one battalion was allocated per division - as partial replacements for the three battalions removed from the divisions when they reduced from 4 to

3 battalions per brigade (and to relieve to a certain extent the fatigues that the "resting" battalions would have otherwise done - but "rest" was figurative rather than real). The organisation of 9 Infantry Battalions, one MG Battalion and one Pioneer Battalion (plus supporting troops) was continued into the second world war. By the time the Pacific opened up divisions (particularly from the 1943 campaigns) were no longer fixed organisations but rather higher HQ for the control of operations in an area with units (usually as Brigade Groups) attached as needed.

--

Cheers

Daniel Ross