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Maltese Pioneers

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Maltese Pioneers
Active1800–1801
Country Kingdom of Great Britain
Branch British Army
RolePioneers
Size500 men
EngagementsFrench Revolutionary Wars
Commanders
LieutenantFrancesco Rivarola

The Maltese Pioneers was a pioneer corps that served from 1800 to 1801 within the British Army.

In December 1800, Sir Ralph Abercromby instructed Lieutenant Francesco Rivarola to raise and command a force of 500 Maltese volunteers as pioneers for the expeditionary force in the Egyptian Campaign.[1] The troops were assigned to the Ordnance Department, and their work included cutting wood and loading fuel on transports.[2] Officers could also hire the pioneers as servants. The Pioneers saw combat in March and April 1801.[3] Apart from the pioneers, a third corps of artificers was also set up and joined the Egyptian Campaign.[4]

After their terms of engagement expired, the Maltese Pioneers left Egypt and returned to Malta in late 1801, after a year of service.[4]

The Pioneers shared in the proceeds of the French property captured in Egypt in 1801.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Micallef Eynaud, Maurice (27 September 2005). "Rivarola's salver". Times of Malta. Archived from the original on 14 July 2016.
  2. ^ Young, John (1802). "XI". A History of the Commencement, Progress, and Termination of the Late War Between Great Britain and France. pp. 407–408.
  3. ^ "The Maltese Pioneers 1800 – 1801". maltaramc.com. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017.
  4. ^ a b Baldacchino, James (May 2014). Garrisoning the military 'fief': The Maltese Corps and the Troops (1800 – 1860s) (PDF). pp. 8–9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 August 2017.
  5. ^ "No. 15836". The London Gazette. 20 August 1805. p. 1069.