|
Copyright and source:
The Long,
Long Trail
The
brass “collar dog” insignia worn by men of Pioneer Battalions in the
British Expeditionary Force. The design is of a crossed rifle and pick,
representing the battalion's dual fighting and labouring role.
The 10th (Service) Battalion (Cornwall Pioneers)
was formed at Truro on 27th March 1915 by the Mayor and the City of
Truro, and assembled at Penzance to commence intensive individual
and collective training for combat
operations. The Battalion moved to a camp at Hayle, near
St Ives for further training in trench warfare. The
Battalion was sufficiently trained and manned to be adopted by War
Office on 24th August 1915 who formally took over command.
On 19th June 1916 the Battalion embarked at Southampton aboard SS
Princess Clementine and landed at Le Havre on 20th June 1916, and was
placed under
command of 2nd Division, as the Divisional Pioneer Battalion.
(A Pioneer Battalion's duties, as well as being a fully equipped and
trained infantry battalion, included road and rail repairs,
demolition, digging trenches and constructing defences). The Battalion served with 2nd Division in France and Flanders
throughout the war, fighting at the Somme 1916, Arras
and Cambrai in 1917, the Somme and Hindenburg Line and Selle in
1918, but was temporarily attached to 66th (2nd East
Lancashire) Division between 17th July 1917 and 7th November 1917
for work in the Nieuport area. At the Armistice the
Battalion was stationed at Bermeries, south east of Valenciennes,
and continued working on the local road network. On 14th
November 1918 the 2nd Division was ordered to form part of the
Occupying Forces in Germany and the Battalion commenced its march to
Germany, repairing roads and buildings along the way. The
German frontier was crossed on 9th December 1918 near Xhoffraix,
north east of Malmedy and the Battalion reached and was based at
Duren, southwest of Cologne from 14th December 1918. On
3rd January 1919 the Battalion was moved to Arnoldsweiler, north of
Duren, where the GOC 2nd Division awarded the Battalion the King's
Colour on 23rd January 1919. The Battalion continued
with Company and fitness training. The Battalion was
moved to Immigrath, north of Leverkusen, east of the Rhine, on 10th
February 1919 where Company and fitness training was continued and
area construction and repair work commenced. On 6th
March 1919 orders were received that the battalion was to be reduced
to cadre strength and that that volunteers, of all ranks, (9
officers and 173 men) would be transferred to 1/5th Battalion
Devonshire Regiment of the 62nd (2nd West Riding) Division, which
occurred on 14th March 1919. On 8th and 9th March 1919
the first drafts of officers and men left the Battalion for the UK
and demobilisation. The Battalion was reorganised on a 2
company basis on 15th March 1919 and Company training continued.
Drafts for demobilisation and the posting of volunteers for transfer
to the Devonshire Regiment throughout March 1919 reduced the
strength of the Battalion to 9 officers and 259 men. Further
drafts occurred in April 1919 reducing the strength of the Battalion
on 1st May 1919 to 6 officers and 49 men. The cadre was
moved to Buir, south of Elsdorf, on 11th May 1919 in preparation for
the move to the UK for demobilisation. On 27th May 1919
the cadre, of 4 officers and 41 men, entrained at Duren
railway station for Antwerp where they boarded HMT Sicilian on 31st
May 1919 bound for Tilbury and onward journey to Catterick Camp for
demobilisation.
Full details of the Battalion's actions
and movements throughout the Great War can be viewed in the
Battalion War Diary, which can be seen at the National Archives in
Catalogue WO 95/1335/1.
Fatal casualties of DCLI personnel of the 10th Battalion :
Officers 14 - men 253. |
