The Fighting Pioneers
The story of the 7th Battalion DLI
by Clive Dunn
published by Pen & Sword Military, 2015
ISBN 978 147382 348 8
Hardback 222 pages plus appendices: list of awards, Boer War volunteers, list of battalion’s recipients of Territorial Force War Medal, battalion’s battle honours, list of officers who served, list of men who landed in France with the original battalion, bibliography and index. Illustrated.
Cover price £25.
Inspired by his grandfather who served with the battalion, Clive Dunn has assembled an admirable history of an unsung unit of the Territorial Force, the 7th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. It went to France in April 1915 as part of 151st Infantry Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division but in November of that year was converted into the Division’s Pioneer Battalion. It subsequently served with 8th Division after the 50th was reorganised in mid-1918. The title “fighting pioneers” refers to the fact that despite its role as a unit that provided manual labour for front line work, it certainly played its part in fighting. The loss of 600 dead and many more wounded through the years of the war are testimony to it. All pioneer battalions remained organised, armed and trained as other battalions were and in a sense the title applies to all of these relatively ignored units.
Over the last couple of decades we have become used to seeing the publication of unit histories. A great many are the work of individuals like this author, who had a family or other personal connection to their unit. Their dedication and effort, attention to detail and pursuit of small details stands out – and “The Fighting Pioneers” can now be added into a list of such work. Dunn has chased down facts from many sources and assembled a readable book that will also be valuable as a reference to the war and work of the battalion. It includes a good, if relatively small, collection of photographs (none of which I had seen before). It could perhaps have benefited from the addition of maps for those who are unfamiliar with the actions and places described.
Overall, very good work and of great importance for anyone interested in the battalion or the Northumbrian Division.
The title of the book is mis-spelled on the dust jacket of the copy I have: “The Fighting Pionners”. I can only assume they are all like this. Shame on the publisher: is there no quality assurance of these things these days? I can only sympathise with the author.
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