Colloquially referred to as “Sappers”, the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers celebrates its anniversary every year on April 29th.
“Although, the first of July is considered the birth date of the Canadian Military Engineers, we celebrate our birthday on or about 29 April,” explained BGen (Ret’d) R.W. DesLauriers, former Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, in a 2013 message to the Corps.
While the permanent corps of military engineers was formed on July 1, 1903, the non-permanent force of Canadian Engineers amalgamated with the Royal Canadian Engineers on April 29, 1936, creating the current Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers.
5th Canadian Division Support Base (5 CDSB) Gagetown is proud to be the home to the 4th Engineer Support Group (4 ESR), which excels in its specialty engineer capabilities, including counter-explosive threat, theatre opening, water supply, and geomatics intelligence. 4 ESR is also the Canadian Army’s High Readiness Engineer Unit and is prepared to meet the demands of domestic and expeditionary crisis response.
The Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers have and continue to serve Canada with loyalty and courage, as military engineers contribute to the survival, mobility, and combat effectiveness of the Canadian Armed Forces and have done so for over 100 years.
5 CDSB Gagetown congratulates 4 ESR and the Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers on 88 years of amalgamated combat support.
