History and Tradition
The tradition of the pioneer sergeant began in the eighteenth century, when each British infantry company had a pioneer who marched at the head of the regiment. The pioneer wore a “stout” apron and carried an axe, ostensibly to clear a path for all who followed. The apron served to protect the pioneer sergeant's uniform whilst performing his duties, which included being the unit blacksmith. The beard was allowed in order to protect his face from the heat and the slag of the forge. The axe was also used to kill horses that were wounded in battle. A general order of 1856 allowed for one pioneer per company in each regiment. The tools carried by the pioneers included a sawback sword, pickaxe, billhooks, shovels, and axes. In the modern era, the Pioneer Sergeant carries a tomahawk on parade in lieu of a bayonet and is the only soldier in the army who is allowed to wear a full beard, in deference to the ancient tradition. A Pioneer Sergeant can be identified by an embroidered badge of two crossed axes sewn above the Sergeant's rank chevrons on his sleeve.
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