Always had good dealings with the RE. Even when the dropped a rock cruncher (or whatever they're called) off the back of a flat bed, no hassle, good bunch of lads. And they can bloody drink too!
One of my younger brothers is ex RE and spent most of his service in operational areas including Bosnia (right at the start) and GW1, where his squadron made safe the MSR's and he held his best mate from basic in his arms as he died after somebody else (non - RE!) initiated a VOIED. So yeah I tend to hold them in pretty high regard. I've also spent some time alongside them at Chatham at the National Search Centre and the Counter Terrorist Search Wing as it used to be known.
Knew 2 Engineers, one's a longtime friend of mine and he spoke highly of his experiences. Now a busy tradesman in Oz.
My Pl Cmdr at RMAS was by far the best in our company, a rising star within the RE as well.
"Poor Ike, it won't be a bit like the Army. He'll find it very frustrating. He'll sit here and he'll say, 'Do this! Do that!' And nothing will happen."
Harry Truman
Of course they can hold there own in combat, maybe not so much when you compare and experienced infantry man with an engi, but that is to be expected. All soldiers are 'trained to fight', all engineers are trained to fight and also in combat engineer training which of course can be useful in the 'field', they can hold there own in battle of course, but in comparison maybe not so but that is to be expected, surely?
