64-906: The Bengal Engineer Group (BEG) (informally the Bengal Sappers or Bengal Engineers ) is a military engineering regiment in the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army . The unit was originally part of the Bengal Army of the East India Company 's Bengal Presidency , and subsequently part of the British Indian Army during the British Raj . The Bengal Sappers are stationed at Roorkee Cantonment in Roorkee , Uttarakhand . The Bengal Sappers are one of
128-521: A better system of training for siege operations was required. On 23 April 1812 an establishment was authorised, by Royal Warrant, to teach "Sapping, Mining, and other Military Fieldworks" to the junior officers of the Corps of Royal Engineers and the Corps of Royal Military Artificers, Sappers and Miners. The first courses at the Royal Engineers Establishment were done on an all ranks basis with
192-476: A dedicated force of military engineering specialists were the Romans, whose army contained a dedicated corps of military engineers known as architecti . This group was pre-eminent among its contemporaries. The scale of certain military engineering feats, such as the construction of a double-wall of fortifications 30 miles (48 km) long, in just 6 weeks to completely encircle the besieged city of Alesia in 52 B.C.E.,
256-478: A given volume in a short duration. Specific military engineering occupations also extend to the field of explosives and demolitions and their usage on the battlefield. Explosive devices have been used on the battlefield for several centuries, in numerous operations from combat to area clearance. Earliest known development of explosives can be traced back to 10th-century China where the Chinese are credited with engineering
320-572: A lieutenant-general. These comprised Bengal, Bombay (including Aden), Madras (including Burma) and Punjab (including the North West Frontier). In 1903 the separately numbered regiments of the Bombay, Madras and Bengal Armies were unified in a single organisational sequence and the presidency affiliations disappeared. The Bengal infantry units in existence at the end of the Presidency era continued as
384-693: A part of the East India Company's army. Prior to its formation, by 1740s officers and engineers from the Kingdom of Great Britain served in the Bengal Engineers, Bombay Engineers and Madras Engineers, formed with the respective Presidency armies , while British soldiers served in each of the Presidencies ' engineering companies , namely the Madras Sappers and Miners , Bombay Sappers and Miners , and
448-539: A popular spectacle for the local people by 1843, when 43,000 came to watch a field day laid on to test a method of assaulting earthworks for a report to the Inspector General of Fortifications. In 1869 the title of the Royal Engineers Establishment was changed to "The School of Military Engineering" (SME) as evidence of its status, not only as the font of engineer doctrine and training for the British Army , but also as
512-567: A special allowance or batta . Two of these BNI regiments were serving in China in 1857 and so escaped any involvement in the great rebellion of that year. The East India Company's Bengal Army in 1857 consisted of 151,361 men of all ranks, of whom the great majority - 128,663 - were Indians. A total of 64 Bengal Army regular infantry and cavalry regiments rebelled during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , or were disbanded after their continued loyalty
576-401: A technical discipline, the term civil engineering entered the lexicon as a way to distinguish between those specializing in the construction of such non-military projects and those involved in the older discipline. As the prevalence of civil engineering outstripped engineering in a military context and the number of disciplines expanded, the original military meaning of the word "engineering"
640-406: A whole, including military engineering functions such as engineer support to force protection, counter-improvised explosive devices, environmental protection, engineer intelligence and military search. Military engineering does not encompass the activities undertaken by those 'engineers' who maintain, repair and operate vehicles, vessels, aircraft, weapon systems and equipment." Military engineering
704-594: Is an academic subject taught in military academies or schools of military engineering . The construction and demolition tasks related to military engineering are usually performed by military engineers including soldiers trained as sappers or pioneers . In modern armies, soldiers trained to perform such tasks while well forward in battle and under fire are often called combat engineers . In some countries, military engineers may also perform non-military construction tasks in peacetime such as flood control and river navigation works, but such activities do not fall within
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#1732854930711768-599: Is an example. Such military engineering feats would have been completely new, and probably bewildering and demoralizing, to the Gallic defenders. Vitruvius is the best known of these Roman army engineers, due to his writings surviving. Examples of battles before the early modern period where military engineers played a decisive role include the Siege of Tyre under Alexander the Great , the Siege of Masada by Lucius Flavius Silva as well as
832-412: Is commonly listed under the role of combat engineers who demolitions expertise also includes mine and IED detection and disposal. For more information, see Bomb disposal . Military engineers are key in all armed forces of the world, and invariably found either closely integrated into the force structure, or even into the combat units of the national troops. Brazilian Army engineers can be part of
896-635: Is now largely obsolete. In its place, the term "military engineering" has come to be used. In ancient times, military engineers were responsible for siege warfare and building field fortifications , temporary camps and roads. The most notable engineers of ancient times were the Romans and Chinese , who constructed huge siege-machines (catapults, battering rams and siege towers ). The Romans were responsible for constructing fortified wooden camps and paved roads for their legions . Many of these Roman roads are still in use today. The first civilization to have
960-612: The Battle of the Trench under the suggestion of Salman the Persian to dig a trench. For about 600 years after the fall of the Roman empire , the practice of military engineering barely evolved in the west. In fact, much of the classic techniques and practices of Roman military engineering were lost. Through this period, the foot soldier (who was pivotal to much of the Roman military engineering capability)
1024-1058: The Brahman and Bhumihar caste were common and they would use service in the Bengal Army as an opportunity to raise their wealth and status and for this reason, the Bhumihar zamindaris of Bihar became "prime recruiting grounds" for the Army. In the 1780s, the Company maintained a major recruiting station in Buxar with six companies under a Captain Eaton. These recruiting stations in Bihar were kept as "nurseries" which supplied battalions when drafts were made. Other recruiting centres were located in Bhagalpur , Shahabad , Monghyr , Saran and Hajipur . Brigadier Troup, who served as
1088-513: The Brazilian Air Force is occupied by engineers professionalized by Centro de Instrução e Adaptação da Aeronáutica (CIAAR) (Air Force Instruction and Adaptation Center) and trained, or specialized, by Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA) (Aeronautics Institute of Technology). The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army 's Royal Engineers . The RSME also provides training for
1152-481: The British Army in the conduct of siege operations and bridging. During this war low-ranking Royal Engineers officers carried out large-scale operations. They had under their command working parties of two or three battalions of infantry, two or three thousand men, who knew nothing in the art of siegeworks. Royal Engineers officers had to demonstrate the simplest tasks to the soldiers, often while under enemy fire. Several officers were lost and could not be replaced, and
1216-505: The British Indian Army . The Bengal Army originated with the establishment of a European Regiment in 1756. While the East India Company had previously maintained a small force of Dutch and Eurasian mercenaries in Bengal, this was destroyed when Calcutta was captured by the Nawab of Bengal on 30 June that year. In 1757 the first locally recruited unit of Bengal sepoys was created in the form of
1280-555: The Churchill AVRE . These and other dedicated assault vehicles were organised into the specialised 79th Armoured Division and deployed during Operation Overlord – 'D-Day'. Other significant military engineering projects of World War II include Mulberry harbour and Operation Pluto . Modern military engineering still retains the Roman role of building field fortifications , road paving and breaching terrain obstacles. A notable military engineering task was, for example, breaching
1344-574: The Lal Paltan battalion. It was recruited from soldiers that had served in the Nawab's Army from Bihar and the Awadh ( Oudh ) who were collectively called Purbiyas . Drilled and armed along British army lines this force served well at the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and 20 more Indian battalions were raised by 1764. In 1766, the Monghyr Mutiny , quelled by Robert Clive , affected many of the white officers of
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#17328549307111408-699: The Royal Navy , Royal Air Force , other Arms and Services of the British Army , Other Government Departments, and Foreign and Commonwealth countries as required. These skills provide vital components in the Army's operational capability, and Royal Engineers are currently deployed in Afghanistan , Iraq , Cyprus , Bosnia , Kosovo , Kenya , Brunei , Falklands , Belize , Germany and Northern Ireland . Royal Engineers also take part in exercises in Saudi Arabia , Kuwait , Italy, Egypt , Jordan , Canada, Poland and
1472-510: The Suez Canal during the Yom Kippur War . Military engineers can come from a variety of engineering programs. They may be graduates of mechanical , electrical , civil , or industrial engineering . Modern military engineering can be divided into three main tasks or fields: combat engineering, strategic support, and ancillary support. Combat engineering is associated with engineering on
1536-608: The hamber . Over the years the Bengal Sappers have won many battle and theatre honours , 11 Victoria Cross , 116 Indian Order of Merit , 17 Shaurya Chakra , 93 Sena Medals and 11 Arjun Awards , the highest number of won by any single organization in the country. Lt Gen Joginder Singh Dhillon was commissioned into Bengal Engineer Group in 1936 and commanded the First Republic Day Parade in New Delhi , becoming
1600-479: The 14th-century development of gunpowder , new siege engines in the form of cannons appeared. Initially military engineers were responsible for maintaining and operating these new weapons just as had been the case with previous siege engines. In England, the challenge of managing the new technology resulted in the creation of the Office of Ordnance around 1370 in order to administer the cannons, armaments and castles of
1664-409: The 20th and 21st centuries, military engineering also includes CBRN defense and other engineering disciplines such as mechanical and electrical engineering techniques. According to NATO , "military engineering is that engineer activity undertaken, regardless of component or service, to shape the physical operating environment. Military engineering incorporates support to maneuver and to the force as
1728-474: The Bengal Army was the creation of irregular infantry and cavalry regiments during the 1840s. Originally designated as "Local Infantry" these were permanently established units but with less formal drill and fewer British officers than the regular Bengal line regiments. The main source of recruitment continued to be high caste Brahmins, Bhumihars and Rajputs from Bihar and Oudh, although the eight regular cavalry regiments consisted mainly of Muslim sowars from
1792-451: The Bengal Army. In his deposition, Lieutenant General Jasper Nicolls , who was an army commander stationed in India, stated of the Bengal Army's recruitment that: "It may well be said that the whole sepoy army of Bengal is drawn from the Company's province of Bihar and Oudh, with very few exceptions". The East India Company steadily expanded its Bengal Army and by 1796 the establishment
1856-553: The Bengal Army. Writing in The Indian Army (1834), Sir John Malcolm , who had a lifetime's experience of Indian soldiering, wrote: "They consist largely of Rajpoots ( Rajput ), who are a distinguished race. We may judge the size of these men when we are told that the height below which no recruit is taken is five feet six inches. The great proportion of the Grenadiers are six feet and upwards." Both prior to and following 1857,
1920-518: The Bengal Sappers and Miners. The Bengal Sappers and Miners was originally the Corps of Bengal Pioneers, which was raised from two pioneer companies in 1803, part of Bengal Army of the Presidency of Bengal ; one raised by Capt T. Wood at Kanpur as Bengal Pioneers in November 1803, also known as "Roorkee Safar Maina". In 1819, at the conclusion of Third Maratha War , a part of Bengal Pioneers merged with
1984-544: The Company of Miners (raised in 1808) to become the Bengal Sappers and Miners, and raised at Allahabad , with Captain Thomas Anburey as the Commandant. The remaining part of the Corps of Bengal Pioneers was absorbed in 1833. In 1843 'Broadfoot's Sappers', which had been raised in 1840, merged into the Bengal Sappers and Miners. In 1847 the Bengal Sappers and Miners was renamed Bengal Sappers and Pioneers, and in 1851 it became
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2048-408: The Corps of Bengal Sappers and Miners. On 7 November 1853, the regiment moved to Roorkee , where it has maintained its regimental centre ever since. Lord Kitchener of Khartoum 's 1903 Kitchener Reforms saw it re-designated as the 1st Sappers and Miners, which was again altered in 1906 to the 1st Prince of Wales's Own Sappers and Miners. On the accession of George V to the throne in 1910 it
2112-532: The Indian Muslim biradaris such as the Ranghar (Rajput Muslims) , Sheikhs , Sayyids , Mughals , and Hindustani Pathans . Another innovation introduced prior to 1845 was to designate specific regiments as "Volunteers" – that is recruited for general service, with sepoys who had accepted a commitment for possible overseas duty. Recruits for the Bengal Army who were prepared to travel by ship if required, received
2176-712: The Quadro Complementar de Oficiais da Armada and the Quadro Complementar de Oficiais Fuzileiros Navais. Officers can come from the Centro de Instrução Almirante Wandenkolk (CIAW) (Admiral Wandenkolk Instruction Center) and the Escola Naval (EN) (Naval School) which, through internal selection of the Navy, finish their graduation at the Universidade de São Paulo (USP) (University of São Paulo) . The Quadro de Oficias Engenheiros of
2240-655: The Quadro de Engenheiros Militares, with its members trained or professionalized by the traditional Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME) (Military Institute of Engineering) , or the Arma de Engenharia, with its members trained by the Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras (AMAN) (Agulhas Negras Military Academy). In the Brazil's Navy , engineers can occupy the Corpo de Engenheiros da Marinha,
2304-529: The United States' history of warfare. The Army originally claimed engineers exclusively, but as the U.S. military branches expanded to the sea and sky, the need for military engineering sects in all branches increased. As each branch of the United States military expanded, technology adapted to fit their respective needs. Bengal Army The Bengal Army was the army of the Bengal Presidency , one of
2368-646: The United States. The prevalence of military engineering in the United States dates back to the American Revolutionary War when engineers would carry out tasks in the U.S. Army. During the war, they would map terrain to and build fortifications to protect troops from opposing forces. The first military engineering organization in the United States was the Army Corps of Engineers. Engineers were responsible for protecting military troops whether using fortifications or designing new technology and weaponry throughout
2432-502: The ability of defenders to bring fire onto attacking enemies. Fort construction proliferated in 16th-century Europe based on the trace italienne design. By the 18th century, regiments of foot (infantry) in the British, French, Prussian and other armies included pioneer detachments. In peacetime these specialists constituted the regimental tradesmen, constructing and repairing buildings, transport wagons, etc. On active service they moved at
2496-554: The attack on Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium was conducted by Luftwaffe glider -deployed combat engineers. The need to defeat the German defensive positions of the " Atlantic wall " as part of the amphibious landings in Normandy in 1944 led to the development of specialist combat engineer vehicles. These, collectively known as Hobart's Funnies , included a specific vehicle to carry combat engineers,
2560-583: The battlefield, the Bengal Engineers also rendered valuable peacetime contributions. The military engineer Lt. James Agg designed St John's Church, Calcutta . It was based on James Gibbs 's St Martin-in-the-Fields in London and was consecrated in 1787. St John's was the Anglican cathedral of the city – capital of the Bengal Presidency – until St Paul's Cathedral , begun 1839, was completed in 1847. St Paul's
2624-438: The battlefield. Combat engineers are responsible for increasing mobility on the front lines of war such as digging trenches and building temporary facilities in war zones. Strategic support is associated with providing service in communication zones such as the construction of airfields and the improvement and upgrade of ports, roads and railways communication. Ancillary support includes provision and distribution of maps as well as
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2688-417: The commander of Bareilly , stated of recruitment that the ‘Bengal native Infantry came chiefly from the province of Awadh, Buxar, Bhojpur and Arrah.’ In 1810, Francis Buchanan-Hamilton noted in his account of the districts of Bihar, that the number of men absent from Shahabad to serve in the Army was 4680. The Ujjainiya zamindar of Bhojpur also informed him that 12000 recruits from his district had joined
2752-525: The director of the Establishment, was keen to confirm his teaching, and regular exercises were held as demonstrations or as experiments to improve the techniques and teaching of the Establishment. From 1833 bridging skills were demonstrated annually by the building of a pontoon bridge across the Medway which was tested by the infantry of the garrison and the cavalry from Maidstone . These demonstrations had become
2816-448: The disposal of unexploded warheads. Military engineers construct bases, airfields, roads, bridges, ports, and hospitals. During peacetime before modern warfare, military engineers took the role of civil engineers by participating in the construction of civil-works projects. Nowadays, military engineers are almost entirely engaged in war logistics and preparedness. Explosives are defined as any system that produces rapidly expanding gases in
2880-796: The end of World War I , the standoff on the Western Front caused the Imperial German Army to gather experienced and particularly skilled soldiers to form "Assault Teams" which would break through the Allied trenches. With enhanced training and special weapons (such as flamethrowers ), these squads achieved some success, but too late to change the outcome of the war. In early WWII, however, the Wehrmacht "Pioniere" battalions proved their efficiency in both attack and defense, somewhat inspiring other armies to develop their own combat engineers battalions. Notably,
2944-590: The eve of the First Afghan War (1839–42) the Bengal Army had achieved a dominant role in the forces of the HEIC. There were 74 battalions of Bengal regular infantry against only 52 from Madras, 26 from Bombay and 24 British (Queen's and Company). On average an inch and a half taller and a stone heavier than the southern Indian troops, the Bengal sepoy was highly regarded by a military establishment that tended to evaluate its soldiers by physical appearance. A new feature in
3008-473: The few remaining regiments of the erstwhile Bengal Presidency Army and survived the Rebellion of 1857 due to their "sterling work" in the recapture by the East India Company of Delhi and other operations in 1857–58. The troops of the Bengal Sappers have been a familiar sight for over 200 years in the battlefields of British India with their never-say-die attitude of Chak De and brandishing their favourite tool
3072-600: The first army officer to be awarded the Padma Bhushan in November 1965. Among the three Sapper units of the Indian Army , the Bengal Sappers was the first engineer group to receive the 'President Colours' in recognition of its service to the nation, on 12 January 1989, by Ramaswamy Venkataraman , the eight President of India , who presented the Regimental Colours to Bengal Engineer Group at Roorkee. Besides service on
3136-511: The greatest regard to economy. To reduce staff the NCOs and officers were responsible for instructing and examining the soldiers. If the men could not read or write they were taught to do so, and those who could read and write were taught to draw and interpret simple plans. The Royal Engineers Establishment quickly became the centre of excellence for all fieldworks and bridging. Captain Charles Pasley ,
3200-429: The head of marching columns with axes, shovels, and pickaxes, clearing obstacles or building bridges to enable the main body of the regiment to move through difficult terrain. The modern Royal Welch Fusiliers and French Foreign Legion still maintain pioneer sections who march at the front of ceremonial parades, carrying chromium-plated tools intended for show only. Other historic distinctions include long work aprons and
3264-510: The kingdom. Both military engineers and artillery formed the body of this organization and served together until the office's successor, the Board of Ordnance was disbanded in 1855. In comparison to older weapons, the cannon was significantly more effective against traditional medieval fortifications . Military engineering significantly revised the way fortifications were built in order to be better protected from enemy direct and plunging shot. The new fortifications were also intended to increase
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#17328549307113328-553: The leading scientific military school in Europe. The dawn of the internal combustion engine marked the beginning of a significant change in military engineering. With the arrival of the automobile at the end of the 19th century and heavier than air flight at the start of the 20th century, military engineers assumed a major new role in supporting the movement and deployment of these systems in war. Military engineers gained vast knowledge and experience in explosives . They were tasked with planting bombs, landmines and dynamite . At
3392-401: The right to wear beards. In West Africa , the Ashanti army was accompanied to war by carpenters who were responsible for constructing shelters and blacksmiths who repaired weapons. By the 18th century, sappers were deployed in the Dahomeyan army during assaults against fortifications. The Peninsular War (1808–14) revealed deficiencies in the training and knowledge of officers and men of
3456-423: The same basis of recruitment, traditions and uniform colours as before. A largely unspoken rationale was that an army of diverse origins was unlikely to unite in rebellion. In 1895 the three separate Presidency Armies began a process of unification which was not to be concluded until the Kitchener reforms of eight years later. As an initial step the Army of India was divided into four commands, each commanded by
3520-442: The scope of military engineering. The word engineer was initially used in the context of warfare, dating back to 1325 when engine’er (literally, one who operates an engine) referred to "a constructor of military engines". In this context, "engine" referred to a military machine, i. e., a mechanical contraption used in war (for example, a catapult ). As the design of civilian structures such as bridges and buildings developed as
3584-403: The senior regiments ( 1st Brahmans to 48th Pioneers) of the newly unified Indian Army. The Bengal Army of the East India Company was mainly recruited from high castes living in Bihar and the Awadh. Prior to 1857, company military service was most popular in the zamindaris of North and South Bihar with the East India Company signing contracts to raise levies of troops from them. Recruits from
3648-623: The serving personnel were allocated to the Pakistan Royal Engineers . In 1950 they became the Bengal Centre, Corps of Engineers, after which they became the Bengal Engineer Group and Centre. Short Histories: First World War: Second World War: Military engineering Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications . Military engineers are also responsible for logistics behind military tactics. Modern military engineering differs from civil engineering . In
3712-453: The three presidencies of British India within the British Empire . The presidency armies , like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company (EIC) until the Government of India Act 1858 directly under Crown, passed in the House of Commons aftermath of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 , transferred all three presidencies to the direct authority of the British Crown . In 1895 all three presidency armies were merged into
3776-438: The world's first known explosive, black powder . Initially developed for recreational purposes, black powder later was utilized for military application in bombs and projectile propulsion in firearms. Engineers in the military who specialize in this field formulate and design many explosive devices to use in varying operating conditions. Such explosive compounds range from black powder to modern plastic explosives. This particular
3840-420: Was also designed by a Bengal Engineer, William Nairn Forbes , who was also architect of the "Old Silver Mint" building at the India Government Mint, Kolkata , basing its portico on the Parthenon on the Acropolis of Athens . The Indian Army Corps of Engineers is one of the oldest arms of the Indian Army , dating back to 1780, when the two regular pioneer companies of the Madras Sappers were raised, as
3904-452: Was considered doubtful. From 1858 onwards the Chamars (Outcaste) and the actual high-caste Awadhi and Bihari Hindu presence in the Bengal Army was reduced because of their perceived primary role as "mutineers" in the 1857 rebellion. The new and less homogeneous Bengal Army was essentially drawn from Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs, Gurkhas, Baluchis and Pathans, although twelve of the pre-mutiny Bengal line infantry regiments continued in service with
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#17328549307113968-605: Was largely replaced by mounted soldiers. It was not until later in the Middle Ages , that military engineering saw a revival focused on siege warfare. Military engineers planned castles and fortresses. When laying siege, they planned and oversaw efforts to penetrate castle defenses. When castles served a military purpose, one of the tasks of the sappers was to weaken the bases of walls to enable them to be breached before means of thwarting these activities were devised. Broadly speaking, sappers were experts at demolishing or otherwise overcoming or bypassing fortification systems. With
4032-468: Was renamed 1st King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners , with the '1st' being dropped in 1923, to make it King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners. In 1937 it was renamed King George V's Bengal Sappers and Miners, and in 1941 they became the 'King George V's Bengal Sappers and Miners Group of the Indian Engineers'. In 1946 it became the 'King George V's Group' of the Royal Indian Engineers. On Indian independence and partition in 1947 , about half of
4096-497: Was set at three battalions of European artillery, three regiments of European infantry, ten regiments of Indian cavalry and twelve regiments (each of two battalions) of Indian infantry. In 1824 the Bengal Army underwent reorganisation, with the regular infantry being grouped into 68 single battalion regiments numbered according to their date of establishment. Nine additional infantry regiments were subsequently raised, though several existing units were disbanded between 1826 and 1843. On
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