REME officers and soldiers undergo the full range of military training and have always been perfectly able to defend their workshops. Their military skills and regular front line location, have resulted in many gallantry awards to the Corps from World War 2 right up to operations in the 1991 Gulf War. Attempts were made after World War 2 to produce a range of standardised military vehicles with many common components. However, the high cost of this range of 'combat' vehicles and the gradual improvement of equipment types largely designed by civilian firms led to the cheaper 'general service' range of trucks being provided in increasing numbers. For many domestic uses the Army has found unmodified civilian vehicles perfectly adequate.
Civilian vehicles have the advantage in that they can be maintained cheaply by local dealers.
Modern military vehicles have become generally larger and far more complex, most have diesel engines and hydraulic systems. They are, however, more reliable in day to day use, but not invulnerable in accident or war. Therefore, REME continues to train highly skilled vehicle and recovery mechanics. To enable these men and women to operate in action, the mobile workshops include many repair facilities mounted in trucks or in containers which can be easily carried on trucks. Recovery vehicles ranging from modified Land Rovers up to the 60 tonne Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle , ensure that disabled vehicles can be moved to a workshop or a sheltered part of a battlefield so that repairs can be carried out.