| The Role of the Royal Engineers |
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The Royal Engineers fulfil a uniquely varied role within the services.
First and foremost a fighting corps, the Sappers are soldiers and engineers. |
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| The men and women of the Royal Engineers are trained and expert in the skills and tactics of combat. In times of conflict they are equipped and ready to operate in the thick of the action alongside, and sometimes up ahead of, the front-line armour and infantry. |
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Their primary role, however, is Combat Engineering - the provision of engineering solutions on the battle field. There can be no doubt that Combat Engineering is engineering at the sharp end. The pressure is intense and the conditions can be tough, but for the trained Sapper this only adds to the challenge.
The skill, expertise and determination of the Royal Engineers has been at the heart of many of the Army's most famous achievements. | |
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| Whatever obstacle stands between the Army and its target, the Royal Engineers are there to overcome it quickly. From building bridges and navigating wide rivers to crossing minefields, the Sappers provide both the brains and the muscle to keep the Army moving. When an enemy is on the move, it is the Sappers again who obstruct its progress, by blocking its path, laying anti-tank mines and destroying bridges and roads. |
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| UNIQUE DUAL ROLE |
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| In peacetime the Corps delivers a wide range of practical civil, mechanical and electrical engineering skills to Service and civilian projects all over the world. From constructing roads and bridges in countries torn apart by civil war to building schools and providing flood relief in remote parts of Africa, Sappers enjoy many opportunities to put their trade skills into practice. |
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| The job of the Royal Engineers has gradually widened to embrace new skills and technologies. Map-making, bomb disposal, counter-terrorist search and support for the RAF in war and peace now fall within its responsibilities. |
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In addition to its purely military responsibilities, the Royal Engineers also fulfil a wide range of civilian and humanitarian duties including relieving flood and storm damage, and improving conditions for people displaced by war. All over the world teams of Sappers are using their specialist skills and experience to deliver practical engineering solutions. |
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| Soldiers and Officers in the Corps experience careers of unrivalled diversity, opportunity and challenge in a role which combines front-line soldiering with the development of specialised practical engineering and construction skills. |
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| It is a demanding choice and one which keeps the Sappers busy every day of the year, but with its combination of variety, professional training and sheer excitement it is a career that few civilian organisations can match. |
