Death from below

[Chris Boonzaier]

Pionier (Mineur) Kompagnie 281 - Pionier Wilhelm Zeimer 

The award was made on the 9 January 1917, The document was signed (printed) by Hauptmann d.L. XXX Komp.Führer. I have been unable to pinpoint the unit at the date of the award 

One of the more frustrating realities related to document research is that many of the smaller units, as interesting as they may be, are very difficult to research. This is often the case with independent Pionier Companys where with much luck they may be mentioned in an account of a famous battle but otherwise do not appear in current or period literature.  

In some sectors of the Western front the front lines ran too close to each other for artillery to be used effectively. The same was true for certain parts of the front where the protagonists clung to opposite sides of a hill and the enemy on the back slope were not to be reached with artillery. In was in these sectors, most famously on the Vauquois Hill, in some sectors of the Argonne as well as in other sectors such as Les Eparges, Höhe 108 at Berry au Bac, Vimy Ridge and les Hauts de Champagne that the Pioneer Miners were used. For the most part the companies were attached at Armee level. Although they dug tunnels and underground bunkers there main task was offensive mining operations. Starting from the German front lines shafts were dug that led into galleries that went under Nomans land or deep into the side of a hill. Once the gallery was complete it would be packed with explosives, blocked off  then detonated. Tons of explosives would destroy the enemy positions above and the surviving infantrymen would then fight to occupy the crater.    

In some sectors where mining was actively undertaken by both sides there was the constant danger of the enemy breaking into the gallery, or detonating explosives in a parallel gallery and killing the Miners. 

[Chris Boonzaier]

Details of a map belonging to a Pionier Officer serving with the 1st Bavarian Division. It shows the progression of tunnels from the German (Blue) lines to the French (Red). The tunnels were finished on the 30th of November 1915 and detonated on the 8th of February near Neuville St-Vaast as the Germans and French fought for dominance of Vimy Ridge.

[Chris Boonzaier]

A German soldier, buried alive still clutches his rifle. The human cost of war should remain in the foreground when researching documents and awards.

[dond]

 

[Brian R]

Great post, Chris. I think EK awards to Pioniers are among the most interesting because of what these guys did. Much of their work was extraordinarily but it is often lost on the typical collector - definitely the lack of information for specific research is a factor.

 

These guys digging like this, often parallel to the enemy is just mind-boggling. I'm glad that is not my profession!!

[IrishGunner]

While the smaller units and specialized units are more difficult to research, I think that's what makes them a more interesting challenge.  And a more rewarding result when you do find something tangible.  I mean researching the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry Regiment has to be boring.  But a Bavarian Pionier, Jäger or Fussartillerie unit is so much better ... because it is so much harder.