Who is a Sapper?

[McG]

As most engineers knows "the sapper" designation comes from the role the combat engineers had in the two world wars.

The term is much older than that.   Have a look at this description from the U.S. Army:

  The term Sapper can be traced back as far as 1501 to the siege of Rouen during the French Wars. Sappers, throughout time, have proven their abilities to build and repair fortifications, execute field works, and reform the countryside with demolitions and heavy equipment to weaken the enemy and lead the infantry to victory on the battlefield.

In the eighteenth century, French army, engineer officers did not normally command troop units. French engineer Captain Philippe Maigret complained about this as early as 1725, arguing that "engineers are the natural officers of workmen." He concluded that Sappers and Miners ought to be placed under engineer command in peacetime to develop the skills that they would need to employ during a siege. Maigret's arguments did not prevail in the eighteenth century French Army, but many French engineer officers such as Louis Duportail accepted them.

During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress named Duportail as Commandant of the Continental Army Corps of Engineers. Drawing on his French experiences, Duportail proposed to Congress the creation of three companies of Sappers and Miners to provide experience in military engineering to American soldiers and officers. On May 27, 1778, Congress authorized the three companies to receive instruction in erecting field worksâ ”the first step toward technical educationâ ”and direct fatigue parties; repair damaged works and erect new ones. Recruitment continued for more than two years with the activation of the companies on August 2, 1780. Meanwhile, on March 11, 1779, Congress passed a resolution that formed the engineers of the Continental Army into the Corps of Engineers.

The Corps of Engineers and its companies of Sappers and Miners enjoyed their finest hour in October of 1781 at Yorktown where General Washington conducted a siege in the classical manner of Sebastien de Vauban, the great French master of siegecraft. Thirteen engineer officers of the combined French American Armies performed crucial reconnaissance and with the fifty men of the Sappers and Miners, planned and constructed field works. In addition, the Sappers and Miners assembled fortification materials, erected gun platforms, transported cannons and ammunition, and cleared the way for the decisive infantry assault on Redoubt 10. After the battle, General Washington cited Duportail, the first Chief of Engineers, for conduct, which afforded "brilliant proofs of his military genius, " and set the seal of his reputation.

Engineers in today's Army are required to demonstrate qualities similar to their Revolutionary War counterparts, and when they do, they proudly call themselves SAPPERS.

http://www.wood.army.mil/sapper/history.htm

 

[McG]

Another description found in A-JS-007-003/JD-001 CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS OF THE CME:

3. The term â Å“sapperâ ? has been associated with engineers for many generations. The origin of this
term lies in the French word â Å“sape,â ? meaning undermine and in the Middle French word â Å“sapâ ?
that was a spade or hoe. The dictionary defines a 'sap' as a trench that is prolonged by digging away
the earth from within the trench itself.

4. In medieval times, when armies laid siege to a fortification, one of the common methods of
breaching the defences was to dig a trench, or â Å“sap,â ? up to the base of the castle wall. A tunnel would
then be dug under, or into, the wall. Prior to the introduction of explosives, a breach of the defensive
wall would be accomplished by replacing blocks of stone with wooden supports. The supports would
then be burned causing a portion of the wall to collapse. In the French Army, digging a trench
under fire was known as â Å“driving a sapâ ? and the men who did this were known as â Å“sapeurs.â ? Thus, the
term â Å“sappersâ ? became associated with engineers. After the discovery of gunpowder, an explosive
'mine' was used to breach the wall. This task was, of course, also the responsibility of the engineers.

5. In 1813, the Royal Engineers officially adopted the title Royal Sappers and Miners and, in 1856, the rank
of the common soldier was changed from private to sapper. The CME has continued to use this designation
and, just as privates in the artillery are referred to as â Å“gunners,â ? field engineers of the rank of private are
referred to as â Å“Sappers.â ? A sapper should always be addressed as Sapper Smith, not Private Smith. The term
may also be used to refer to a group of engineers who are not necessarily of the rank of private: for example,
â Å“here come the sappers to breach the minefield.â ? All ranks in field engineer units traditionally referred to
themselves as sappers because other trades in the unit were first trained as Field Engineers. Today, it is
primarily combat engineers that are referred to as sappers.

http://www.forces.gc.ca/admie/dgcps/CME_customs_Split_internet/English/Chapter_3_Customs_CME.pdf

 

[geo]

There are:
Sappers
-  Applies to all ranks (041 / 043 trade ) in Field / Combat engineer units and includes combat divers.


Pukka Sappers
To recognize individuals outside the CME who demonstrate these sterling qualities and who have given outstanding service to the Engineers, the highest honour the CME can bestow upon an outsider is induction into the Order of the Pukka Sapper. The sponsoring unit should treat inducted Pukka Sappers as members of the extended CME family


AND all others who would want to be sappers

 

[JackD]

Hi... I seem to remember there was a tradition of making an individual an honourable sapper -  what was it - a glass of rum, drunk upside down? I recall (hazily though) this being done with several members of 1 Service Battallion on a smoker after the 1977 3 field sqn/1 CER fall bridge gallop - maybe the tradition can be revived - albeit the glass of rum might be contrary to current policy and could be waived by the commanding officer's permission. Perhaps signalmen, cooks, admin clerks and craftsmen should take part in one bridge build - just to be welcomed into the regiment/squadron and so building up unit pride. I do remember individuals - cooks, mechanics, supply people who took great pride in being part of the regiment.
    On another note, I live in Poland, the term for a military engineer is "saper" - it is an honourable title.

 

[McG]

Hi... I seem to remember there was a tradition of making an individual an honourable sapper -  

That would be the Pukka Sappers from the post above.

 

[geo]

correct - Pukka sapper = honorary member of the family

Tradition dictates that the individual consumes a beverage (enter beverage of his choice) while standing on his head (he may be assisted (held) or use convenient wall for support). This would refer back to the bad/good old days of the Imperial Raj in India... said sapper would be so diligent in his work while working on well (or other form of proper engineer construction) that he would consume his meal while at his post..... hanging upside down.

The whole history of it can be found in the Engineer's red book

 

[Journeyman]

My first-born son has just informed me that he has signed up, in the CF, as a Combat Engineer.

No words can express my pride.

Chimo!

 

[big bad john]

My first-born son has just informed me that he has signed up, in the CF, as a Combat Engineer.

No words can express my pride.

Chimo!

Congratulations!!!

 

[geo]

So much for temporary insanity

Congratulations!

CHIMO!

 

[SprCForr]

"...You can't compare,
there are none so fair,
as the men of the RCE"

Congrats proud poppa!

BTW, Merry Christmas!

 

[Spr.Earl]

My first-born son has just informed me that he has signed up, in the CF, as a Combat Engineer.

No words can express my pride.

Chimo!

Don't worry dad,we'll look after him. ;D
Welcome to our family.

CHIMO

UBIQUE