Swiss army to phase out the Bicycle Corps

Tue January 29 2002
Posted Jan 29, 2002
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The Swiss army has used cycling soldiers since 1891. Now, "there isn't a place for us in a modern army" says a disappointed officer. The defence minister wants to phase out the cycling squad by 2003... According to an article in the Independent on Sunday newspaper of 1 April, the reason seems mainly to be the changing face of warfare. Although the cycle squad are still faster (and quieter) than mechanised troops to deploy over distances of up to 30 miles (50km), officers point to their lack of protection against snipers as a serious drawback. The Swiss army bike squad became well-known - and it was regarded as an elite unit in the army, with intense competition from soldiers to be chosen for it.