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GR022 - Edition 2,000
Pioneer Corps
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. Twenty six Pioneer Companies went ashore on
D-Day in Normandy on 6th June 1944, 79 days later there were 231
Companies - over 68,000 men. 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.
