Posted on Mar 8, 2020
Where does "Sapper" comes from? Combat Engineer History
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Combat Engineer
21B: Combat Engineer
Military History
Warfare
Posted >1 y ago
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As a retired Combat Engineer, this warmed my heart.
I've always heard a different source of the term- Medieval "sappers" used undermining and other methods to slowly break down castle walls and defenses, "sapping" the strength from the defense.
Trivia question- What was the "sappers battle"?
Stalingrad. The German assault forces were 50% infantry and 50% "pioneeren" (German combat engineers), the engineers blowing holes in walls, tunneling under streets, blowing floors and ceilings in apartments to move up and down apartment blocks without using stairwells, etc.
I've always heard a different source of the term- Medieval "sappers" used undermining and other methods to slowly break down castle walls and defenses, "sapping" the strength from the defense.
Trivia question- What was the "sappers battle"?
Stalingrad. The German assault forces were 50% infantry and 50% "pioneeren" (German combat engineers), the engineers blowing holes in walls, tunneling under streets, blowing floors and ceilings in apartments to move up and down apartment blocks without using stairwells, etc.
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