LLT=Long, Long Trail. The 1st. place to look for anything WW1.
The information re his medals provided by Carole came from the Medal Roll. These were compiled by the Regts. & Corps of all men entitled to Campaign Medals.
http://www.royalpioneercorps.co.uk/rpc/history_main2.htmPioneer battalions, created as an expedient in 1914, were a new concept in the British Army. Intended to provide the Royal Engineers with skilled labour and to relieve the infantry from some of its non-combatant duties, Pioneers became the work horses of the Expeditionary Forces. The Coldstream Guards and over three dozen County regiments, each created at least one pioneer battalion. Several new Army battalions were raised specifically as Pioneers, while others were converted Territorials or Kitchener units formed originally as conventional infantry. Adopting a badge of a cross rifle and pick, these battalions wired, dug and revetted in all weathers and in all terrains. On many occasions they abandoned their working tools and fought alongside the infantry in repelling enemy attacksI think the diary entry re the 171st. Pioneer Coy. is a bit misleading. Brigades didn't have their own Pioneers as they operated at Divisional level, so would be the 57th. Divisional Pioneer Battalion.
The first reference to the 57th's PB is 1918 but obviously they had Pioneers prior to this.
It looks to me that men with useful skills were brought together by the 171st. Bde. to form a temporary Pioneer Coy. to work alongside the Divisional RE.
The 171st. Bde. was an Infantry Bde. in the 57th. Div.
Corps such as RE operated at Div. level.
What he did pre war may give you an idea as to why he was attached to them at the time.
The diary of the 421st. Coy. R.E. (who were one of the 57th. Div. R.E. allotments) says that the 2/7th. KLR & the Pioneers were working for them throughout May 1917.
The 2/7th. at the end of the month. Unfortunately there's no mention of any enemy activity or casualties at that time.
Neither of the other 2 R.E. Coys. in the Div. state any losses at the end of May either.