Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
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The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME; pronounced phonetically as "Reemee") is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and AH64 Apache helicopters to dental tools and cooking utensils.
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[edit] History
Prior to REME's formation, maintenance was the responsibility of several different corps:
- Royal Army Ordnance Corps - weapons and armoured vehicles
- Royal Engineers - engineering plant and machinery, and RE motor transport
- Royal Corps of Signals - communications equipment
- Royal Army Service Corps - other motor transport
The outbreak of World War II, with the consequent increase in quantity and complexity of equipment, led to the flaws in this system being exposed. So, following a recommendation from a committee chaired by William Beveridge, the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was formed in October 1942. The corps was unique in being granted the 'Royal' prefix from its inception.
Such a major re-organisation was too complex, however, to be carried out quickly and completely in the middle of a world war. It was decided therefore that the changeover should be 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 which 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.
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 and to vessels of the RASC fleet.
[edit] REME today
With minor exceptions only, REME is now 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 currently has its Arms and Service Directorate (headquarters) collocated with the Level 1 (basic) training base at Arborfield Garrison, in the county of Berkshire. Job specific Level 2 training and advanced Level 3 training is conducted at the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (SEME) at Bordon in Hampshire. [1]
Within REME there are a total of six regular and four TA battalions:
- Regular Army
- 1 Battalion, REME - 4 Armoured Brigade
- 2 Battalion, REME - 7 Armoured Brigade
- 3 Battalion, REME - 20 Armoured Brigade
- 4 Battalion, REME - 12 Mechanised Brigade
- 6 Battalion, REME - 1 Mechanised Brigade
- 7 Battalion, REME - 16 Air Assault Brigade
- Territorial Army
- 101 Battalion, REME (V) - 102 Logistic Brigade
- 102 Battalion, REME (V) - Regional Forces
- 103 Battalion, REME (V) - Regional Forces
- 104 Battalion, REME (V) - 101 Logistic Brigade
5 Battalion REME was superseded by 19 Light Brigade Combat Service Support Battalion in September 2006. On 1 April 2008, 101 and 104 Battalions REME will become integrated (mixed Regular and TA) 'Force Support' battalions.
REME also maintains the REME Museum of Technology, which is situated at Arborfield Garrison and which is open to the public.
The REME have recently decided to change the entry route for officers to include a PQO (Potentially Qualified Officer's) course at RMAS, This is designed to allow the talented engineer graduates to fast track into the corps as it has recently suffered from dwindling numbers.
[edit] Former officers
- William Russell - left as a Major in 1947; later designed a coffee percolator in 1952, and the world's first automatic electric kettle in 1955, to be sold by his company Russell Hobbs.
- Ivan Hirst - left as a Major; saved Volkswagen from becoming a part of the spoils of the war reparations act at the end of WWII.
[edit] References
[edit] Order of Precedence
| Preceded by: Royal Army Medical Corps |
Order of Precedence | Succeeded by: Adjutant General's Corps |
