UP CLOSE WITH THE ENGINEERS

The REME Museum has launched a new online photo archive of many previously unseen images from the British Army’s vital maintenance corps

Inside the REME Museum’s new online photo archive of the army’s maintenance corps

The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) is the corps that keeps the British Army’s equipment in fighting condition. These professional engineers maintain, repair, recover, manufacture and modify everything from trucks to weapons systems, and REME’S expertise is crucial to the success of the operations they support, both at home and overseas. The REME Museum in Wiltshire,

England, tells the corps’ story, starting with its formation during WWII. Based just outside the former RAF Lyneham, the museum’s modern, family friendly displays unlock this fascinating facet of army history.

Like other museums and visitor attractions, the REME Museum closed its doors for much of 2020. However, its staff have still been busy making the sure its remarkable collection can still be enjoyed. It’s now proud to launch a brand new online archive, sharing hundreds of rarely seen military history photos with the public.

The photo archive was created by digital specialists Max Communications, with its team scanning thousands of photographs from albums in the REME Museum’s archive. The museum team then began the intensive work of transcribing options, putting names to faces and identifying locations.

The museum’s new webpage, which has been years in the making, is a treasure trove for family historians, military history enthusiasts and those interested in army life. An intriguing, wide-ranging record of REME activities across the years, the images chart REME personnel’s service in many 20th century conflicts, including the Korean War and Mau Mau Uprising, as well as training, parades and the social side of army life.

Visitors to the website can browse by date, location and theme. Users can also search using keywords, which is great when researching units or barracks where family relatives may have served. Prints in a range of sizes can be purchased for a reasonable fee and shipped worldwide.

The museum’s director Major Rick Henderson (Retd.) says, “When the REME was at its largest during WWII, it employed more than 150,000 soldiers and 80,000 officers. If you have relatives with an engineering background, who were in the army during the war or completed their National Service, there’s a good chance they served with the REME. This fantastic project will provide the opportunity for researchers to access images that will hopefully add to their family history story.”

To view the new REME photo website visit: www.rememuseum.photos

REME personnel work on a Scammell Explorer recovery vehicle and Sioux helicopter in the Far East, c.1960s

Male and female radar maintenance officers pictured during their training at Petersham, Greater London, during WWII

BELOW: The museum has a variety of vehicles in its collection, including specialised recovery vehicles and tractors, tanks, helicopters, cars and half-tracks

The less serious side of REME life is also shown on the new website, including this photo of a Sergeants’ Mess Ball at the School of Electronic Engineering in October 1972