Assault pioneers are a special infantry formation of the British Army, designed to provide front line units with organic light engineering support, rather than have them rely on the overburdened combat engineering units. British Pioneer Platoons usually consisted of ten Pioneers with tradesmen, and from 1944 onwards consisted of two assault sections and a pioneer sections. The former totaled ten men with a Jeep, 3-ton lorry, and trailer for transportation, while the latter consisted specialists equipped with gear to clear mines and breach fortifications: Eight tradesmen, a mason, bricklayer, and six carpenters. Apart from breaching obstacles, the pioneers were also responsible for converting buildings into infantry quarters.
In 1st SSB, Assault pioneers came from the 79th Armored Division.