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Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

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Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:Distinguish Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military unit Template:British Army Arms The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is the maintenance arm of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's professional engineers".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

HistoryEdit

Prior to REME's formation, maintenance was the responsibility of several different corps:

During World War II, the increase in quantity and complexity of equipment exposed the flaws in this system. Pursuant to the recommendation of a Committee on Skilled Men in the Services chaired by William Beveridge, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was formed on 1 October 1942.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Phase IEdit

Such a major re-organisation was too complex to be carried out quickly and completely in the middle of a world war. Therefore, the changeover was undertaken in two phases. In Phase I, which was implemented immediately, REME was formed on the existing framework of the RAOC Engineering Branch, strengthened by the transfer of certain technical units and tradesmen from the RE and RASC.

At the same time, a number of individual tradesmen were transferred into REME from other corps. The new corps was made responsible for repairing the technical equipment of all arms with certain major exceptions.

REME did not yet undertake:

  • Those repairs that were carried out by unit tradesmen who were driver/mechanics or fitters in regiments and belonged to the unit rather than being attached to it.
  • Repairs of RASC-operated vehicles, which remained the responsibility of the RASC; each RASC Transport Company had its own workshop.
  • Repairs of RE specialist equipment, which remained the responsibility of the RE.<ref name=regra>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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Phase IIEdit

In 1949, it was decided that "REME Phase II" should be implemented. This decision was published in Army Council Instruction 110 of 1949, and the necessary reorganisation was carried out in the various arms and services in three stages between July 1951 and January 1952. The main changes were:

  • The transfer to REME of most of the unit repair responsibilities of other arms (Infantry, Royal Artillery, Royal Armoured Corps etc.).
  • The provision of Light Aid Detachments for certain units that had not possessed them under the old organisation.
  • The provision of new REME workshops to carry out field repairs in RASC transport companies. Maintenance of vessels of the RASC fleet whilst in port was given to the fleet repair branch, a civilian organisation which came under the REME umbrella.

This organisation was also responsible for arranging and overseeing ship refits.<ref name=regra/>

Cap badgesEdit

File:REME Cap Badge 1945.jpg
REME cap badge, first version, 1942–1947

After some interim designs, the badge of the Corps was formalised in June 1943 for use as the cap-badge, collar-badge, and on the buttons. It consisted of an oval Royally Crowned laurel wreath; on the wreath were four small shields at the compass points, each shield bearing one of the letters of "REME".<ref>Robert Wilkinson-Latham, Discovering British Military Badges and Buttons, Shire Publications Ltd 2006 Template:ISBN (p.27)</ref> Within the wreath was a pair of calipers.<ref>Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research, Volume 25 (London 1947) (p. 171)</ref> Examples of these early badges can be found at the REME Museum. In 1947, the Horse and Lightning was adopted as the cap badge,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> designed by Stephen Gooden.<ref>D.J. Wright (1982). The History of R.E.M.E. Cap Badge. R.E.M.E. Journal, April 1982, pp 38-41.</ref>

Major Ivan Hirst REME and VolkswagenEdit

At the end of the war, the Allies occupied the major German industrial centres to decide their fate. The Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg became part of the British Zone in June 1945 and No. 30 Workshop Control Unit, REME, assumed control in July. They operated under the overall direction of Colonel Michael McEvoy at Rhine Army Headquarters, Bad Oeynhausen. Uniquely, he had experience of the KdF Wagen in his pre-war career as a motor racing engineer; whilst attending the Berlin Motor Show in 1939, he was able to test drive one.<ref name=volk>REME Archives - Arborfield</ref>

After visiting the Volkswagen factory, McEvoy had the idea of trying to get Volkswagen back into production to provide light transport for the occupying forces. The British Army, Red Cross and essential German services were chronically short of light vehicles. If the factory could provide them, there would be no cost to the British taxpayer and the factory could be saved. To do this, a good manager with technical experience would be needed. Maj. Ivan Hirst was told simply to "take charge of" the Volkswagen plant before arriving in August 1945. He had drains fixed and bomb craters filled in; land in front of the factory was given over to food production.<ref name=volk/>

At first, the wartime Kubelwagen was viewed as a suitable vehicle. Once it became clear it could not be put back into production, the Volkswagen saloon or Kaefer (Beetle) was suggested. Hirst had an example delivered to Rhine Army headquarters, where it was demonstrated by Colonel McEvoy. The positive reaction led to the Military Government placing an order for 20,000 Volkswagens in September 1945.<ref name=volk/>

MuseumEdit

The REME Museum is based at MoD Lyneham in Wiltshire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

TrainingEdit

The Defence School of Electro-Mechanical Engineering at MoD Lyneham meets most of the training needs of the corps.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

UnitsEdit

With minor exceptions, the Corps is responsible for the examination, modification, repair and recovery of all mechanical, electronic, electrical and optical equipment of the Army beyond the capacity of unit non-technical personnel. REME has its Regimental Headquarters co-located with 8 Training Battalion REME based in MoD Lyneham, Wiltshire. All trade training and Artificer training of electro/mechanical trades of REME and various related training to other units within the British Army, Navy and Air Force is conducted by 8 Training Battalion REME. In line with Army 2020 Refine, there are seven regular, one training and three Army Reserve battalions within REME. Alongside these major units, all battalion sized units within the army have a workshop integrated, made up of REME soldiers, called a Light Aid Detachment (LAD).

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    • 8 Training Battalion REME
    • 9 Theatre Support Battalion REME

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File:Two soldiers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) abseil from an Army Air Corps Lynx helicopter MOD 45148285.jpg
Two soldiers from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) abseil from an Army Air Corps Lynx helicopter
File:British helmet mg 3385.jpg
REME full dress home service helmet with Brunswick star cap badge

Separate Units

  • Regimental Headquarters, at Prince Philip Barracks, MoD Lyneham<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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  • Lightning Bolts Army Parachute Display Team, the parachute display team of REME, one of the four official Army parachute display teams.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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List of Directors of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering / Master General REMEEdit

Template:Expand list The head of REME was officially known as Director of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (Army) or DEME(A).

  • Major-General Eric Rowcroft (1942 to 1946)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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In 2012, a new post of Master General REME was created with Lieutenant General Andrew Figgures as the first incumbent.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

List of Colonel CommandantsEdit

  • Lieutenant-General Sir Patrick Sanders (until 1 November 2018)<ref name=LG62486>Template:London Gazette</ref>
  • Major-General G. I. Mitchell, CB (until 2023)<ref name=LG64276 />
  • Major-General David James Eastman (until 2023)<ref name=LG64276 />
  • Lieutenant-General Dame Sharon Nesmith, 1 November 2018–1 November 2023<ref name=LG62486 /><ref name=LG64307>Template:London Gazette</ref>
  • Major-General William O'Leary (until 1 June 2024)<ref name=LG64412>Template:London Gazette</ref>
  • Colonel I. J. Phillips (until August 2024)<ref name=LG64509>Template:London Gazette</ref>
  • Major-General Darren Howard Crook, 31 March 2023–present <ref name=LG64276 />
  • Major-General Anna-Lee Reilly, 1 April 2023–present<ref name=LG64276 />
  • Major-General Neil B. Thorpe, 1 April 2023–present<ref name=LG64276 />
  • Major-General Paul Raymond Griffiths, 1 November 2023–present<ref name=LG64307 />
  • Brigadier Ingrid Anne Rolland, 1 June 2024–present<ref name=LG64412 />
  • Colonel I. S. Wallace, 31 August 2024–present<ref name=LG64509 />

FreedomsEdit

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers has received the freedom of several UK local government areas.

Local government areas awarding freedom to the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers or its units
Date Area Notes Refs
21 October 1978 Borough of Wokingham Berkshire England citation CitationClass=web

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October 1987 Great Aycliffe Durham England 124 Recovery Company (V) <ref name="books.google.ca">Template:Cite book</ref>
12 September 1992 Prestatyn Denbighshire Wales. 119 (Holywell) Recovery Company (V) .<ref name="books.google.ca"/>
2012 Richmond North Yorkshire England. 1 Close Support Battalion citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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5 April 2013 Wrexham Wales. 101 Force Support Battalion <ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
27 June 2015 Bordon East Hampshire England. citation CitationClass=web

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6 July 2017 Royal Wootton Bassett Wiltshire England. 8 Training Battalion citation CitationClass=web

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23 June 2024 Lenham Maidstone Kent England. citation CitationClass=web

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See alsoEdit

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ReferencesEdit

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Further readingEdit

External linksEdit

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