Q: Can I get information about my soldier by contacting the Pioneer Battalion Association?
A: No. The Association now only produces the Pioneer News and organises the ANZAC Day March. You should search the various archive or family history sites. This website simply acts as a conduit to obtain a service number, if you know your ancestor served with the 2/1 Pioneers, and allows you to review the Associations Newsletters for any mention of your person.
Q: The text of the 2/1 and 2/2 Pioneer history books is not available online. Can you tell me whether my soldier is mentioned in it?
A: No. New editions of the books have been published recently (see under ‘History’ drop down menu heading) but searchable pdf versions are not avaiable.
Q: If I email the Association via the “Contacts” page will I get an immediate response?
A: No is the short answer. This website was not designed to be interactive. Emails are not regularly checked by the volunteers manning this site.
Q: Can I get photographs from the Association?
A: No. You should search the Australian War Memorial website. The photos on this website are a few personal ones held by the web volunteers.
Q: Why isn’t there a blog on this site?
A: Blogs take considerable time to manage and control. This is currently beyond the capacity of the web volunteers.
Q: Will other additions be made to this website over time?
A: Quite possibly. The original brief of the web volunteers was to publish the collection of the Pioneer News. This was achieved for the Association’s 60th Anniversary in 2012. Other snippets and miscellanea have been added since.
Q: Can I purchase the complete set of digitised Pioneer News?
A: Yes. A single pdf file of the newsletters contained on this website (in one searchable file - which is large!) is available for sale and can be electronically sent to you via an email link. You should contact the organisation via its email address for details of cost and postage etc. Additional donations to the Association are always welcome too.
Q: I can’t read the pdf file you sent me on my computer?
A: You may need to install Acrobat Reader (a free download) or use another pdf reader (such as Preview on Macs). Just Google it or ask a teenager!
Q: I can’t find any reference to my soldier when searching the Pioneer News?
A: Sorry, but they may not have been mentioned.
Q: Will the Pioneer News continue to be published now that both Max and Peg Herron have died?
A: Currently no formal newsletter is being produced only an annual email to coincide with details of the ANZAC Day March. As we come out of the Covid-19 pandemic, and with dwindling veteran numbers, it seems unlikely that further editions of Pioneer News will be produced in the classic format.
An almost 70 year run is not bad!
