Breaking news - Bigfoot found!

They're not combat engineers, they are Canadian Assault Pioneers, infantrymen with specialist training in engineer skills with some combat engineer equipment. Each infantry battalion had an Assault Pioneer platoon and by tradition pioneers were entitled to wear beards after completion of the Basic Assault Pioneer course and upon joining their battalions pioneer platoon.

Assault pioneers specialized in building obsticles, fortifications, bridges, minefields (now banned), booby-traps (now IED's) and providing aids to digging, both explosive and mechanical. They were also very good at blowing things up. As an organic part the battalion combat support company, while on operations there was never enough of them to do all the tasks required.

These are old photos, from the FRY in the ninties and the soldier on the left is the platoon Warrant Officer. The assault pioneer platoons were disbanded as a cost saving measure and they are sorely missed in the battalions. Another instance of a false economy...

Good Hunting