Yet despite their vital role in keeping the army moving and in touch under all conditions, if you mention REME not many people will not know what you are talking about. Visit Arborfield, amid the rolling fields just west of Wokingham, and the sheer scale of the regiment's duties becomes clear. Surrounded by barracks and the regimental headquarters is the REME Museum of Technology, a two-part exhibit documenting the unit's history, from it's creation in the North African desert in 1942 to the present day and peacekeeping in the Balkans. The first part describes REME's background and covers all manner of non-vehicular work, of which there is a lot, all backed up by an extensive and varied array of genuine military hardware recovered by REME soldiers past and present. The museum's senior curatorial officer Judy Booth, responsible for maintaining and expanding the collection, starts the tour by outlining the regiment's strong points.
All officers have a degree in engineering.
They work on everything from missile technology and electronics to aviation engineering. As if proof of their scope was needed, within minutes of entering the first display area, visitors pass not only the customary guns and badges, but also radio equipment, missiles and small-scale models of the various vehicles they maintain. And there are clear signs of technological advancement too, as my guide points out a great bank of communications machines. The unit's efforts are commemorated in a special medal room, where hundreds of decorations are displayed, with Major Generals' awards alongside those of the lowest ranked men, covering the regiment's 59 years' service as far afield as North Africa, Korea, the Falklands and the Gulf. The centrepiece of the museum is in part two, the Prince Philip Vehicle Exhibition Hall a short walk from the reception building.