Pioneer Gebirgsjaeger?

[Burnside3006]

I was curious if the GJ ever had Pioneers amongst their ranks. I'm thinking of joining a GJ unit but my German impression is all Pioneer. When I first started putting my impression together, I was told that Pioneers were ever where. That was our excuse for just getting folded into a "host" unit at events.

[glenn]

Yep, the Gebirgs-divisions had Pioneers amongst "their ranks". I guess there were only batallions (of usually two companies each) in 1939 (I never saw pioneer-regiments...).

Here are some of these batallions in 1939:
- Geb.Pio.Btl.85 - Salzburg
- Geb.Pio.Btl.82 - Schwaz
- Geb.Pio.Btl.83 - Graz
- Geb.Pio.Btl.84 (ersatz) - Villach

...and also the Gebirgs-Pionier-Bataillon 54 within the 1.Geb.Div, the Gebirgs-Pionier-Bataillon 818 in Italy (44/45), the Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon 7 (becoming later the Gebirgs-Pionier-Bataillon 1057) at Grenoble (France) in 1944, the Gebirgs-Pionier-Bataillon 25 and 27 in Russia (1941) and also SS units such as the SS-Gebirgs-Pionier-Bataillon 13 within the Handschar Division, etc... etc...

Regards,

[Heeresbergführer]

Grüß Di' Gebirgspionier,

Plenty of mountain engineers in every mountain division...needed for clearing/laying mines; building trails, roads and bridges; constructing bunkers and huts; and making cable lifts, etc.




Gebirgspionier vor!
PK

[glenn]

More pic for your impression Burnside3006









Regards,

[Stosser]

Don't worry, Z, we're not going to ask you to build bridges for the unit.
Maybe dig a cat hole or two... LOL!
Craig