I can see the engineers getting decorated, seems to me they are destined to be exposed. I would think it takes more than just being able to disarm a mine to be an engineer. You need a certain size of “cajones” to be the first soldiers to penetrate the enemy's static defense zone. I would think that time would be of the essence when you are trying to protect a bridge from being destroyed or clearing a minefield. Since there is a limited number of engineers and they stand to really "gum up the works" whether that be stop your advance, slow your advance or speed up theirs, they represent a major threat. These things would go hand and hand. Armor is only a threat if it can advance. If it takes an engineer to advance it, then stopping the engineer should be equally as important. In fact, I would place snipers in the area to protect mine fields and bridges from interference by someone trying to defeat the defenses I set there.
OK, let's say I'm a Captain of a tank company and we're trying to clear a field of Teller mines that blocks the only route of advance. My tanks aren't able to move off the road due to thick woods or something of the like. A few snipers would not be the choice of the defender to stop the engineers as my tanks will light up every possible sniper hide after the first shot. A smart officer (that's a bit of an oxymoron) would use small arms fire to pin down the engineers while using AT weapons to eliminate the first and last tanks in the column therefore creating an trap that the middle vehicles are stuck in. They can then be knocked out piecemeal.
(jimbotosome @ Nov 8 2005, 06:21 AM) [post=41233]In WWII, once the war started the Germans removed their division patches from their sleaves so that the enemy would not know who was in the area to estimate strength. Why did the Allies leave them on? [/b] This is an explanation of the Patches in the Australian Army and shows those of New Zealand & Canada in all wars. http://www.militarybadges.info/colourpatch...ntroduction.htm
The gist of that article, seemed to be it was conducive to unit cohesiveness and excellence. I think there is a lot of merit to that. I see it today with 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell. Even though the original 101st from WWII trained at Ft Benning Georgia they now are stationed and train in Fort Campbell Ky and they still yell "Currahee".
Much of the reason why we wore the insignia on our sleeves is to do with "Esprit de Corps" pride in your Regiment ...Company....Division.. I am!......Always will be...Why? Because we were the best mate.....The very best. Wearimg that blue and white number 49 with the RE flash and shoulder badge, signified who we were....and what we were. We also had something very precious, The respect from all units...all arms..For we never, on any occasion, turned down a request for help, no matter how Dangerous...mind boggling... Boring... or deadly. I have read where the infantry wrote "the way had been prepared for us by the gallant Engineers" Now with a reputation like that? See what I mean about "Esprit de corps" Captain Edwards RE hed it right, He said "we were the best company in Normandy and we did not mind who knew it" So who would falter in the face of withering enemy fire with that pride? That "Esprit de corps" The snipers...Yes they were a bother, We had a lively one at Pegasus Bridge...broke off, went out and got him. My old mate Captain Jack had the right idea..he alswys carried a double barelled 12 bore sporting shotgun. carried under his arm like a game keepper. I could never quite understand why snipers were taken prisoner when they stayed behind as the front moved forward. It seemed to me that once you were left behind your game was up. Give up or pay the price! Surrender? Sod off! no way, if you kill while in amongst us? No way Sapper
Yes I can see how the patches are effective at symbolism and pride. Makes a lot of sense now. Now I wonder why the Germans pulled them off (I read that in an SS book). As far as the sniper, how did you stop a sniper? I mean I assume they fired, but would they hit the target? I am sure you all had to dive down. How then would you find where it came from and get to him before he moves? This is hard to visualize for those of us who have never been there.
look at the places where he could be, he has to be high enough to take command of the panorama that is laid out before him...So his lair is limited, In this case he was up a church tower. No one offered him the chance to surrender. Shelling and mortaring is bad enough without these bloody snipers ...No quarter mate. Sapper In this case this sniper did have the honour of his demise being in print in my company history.Why? because he had made himself a blasted menace. Forgot to mention that! Sapper
(sapper @ Nov 11 2005, 03:25 PM) [post=41477]look at the places where he could be, he has to be high enough to take command of the panorama that is laid out before him...So his lair is limited, In this case he was up a church tower. No one offered him the chance to surrender. Shelling and mortaring is bad enough without these bloody snipers ...No quarter mate. Sapper [/b] So...British soldiers had a propensity to surrender??? "Pants!" (did I use the expression right Angie?)
Jimbo......you still haven't grasped the fact that the Germans did not wear shoulder patches. Your SS book is quite wrong. SS wore the lightning bolt insignia on their collars, rank insignia on their shoulders, and unit insignia around the cuff of their sleeve.
(GarandGuy @ Nov 12 2005, 02:56 PM) [post=41501]Jimbo......you still haven't grasped the fact that the Germans did not wear shoulder patches. Your SS book is quite wrong. SS wore the lightning bolt insignia on their collars, rank insignia on their shoulders, and unit insignia around the cuff of their sleeve. [/b] You may be right. The book said they wore them only before the war and took them off when war broke out. But the points sapper made was that they should have had them because the benefit a unit more than they would risk anything. That's the main point I was after.
