Collection: REME Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection history (Collection development policy)

  Plans for the creation of a Museum were included in long term plans drawn up in the early 1940s, before the Corp’s foundation, by REME’s first Director, Major General Eric Rowcroft. A display was initially established at Moat House, Arborfield Garrison in 1958. The Museum later moved to new buildings, also at Arborfield, in 1985 to accommodate the growing collection. Additions and improvements to these premises were made in the subsequent decades. Following the relocation of regimental headquarters and the Defence School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering from Arborfield to MOD Lyneham in 2015, the Museum completed another site move. Doors opened at the Museum’s new Wiltshire location in June 2017.

  For much of the Museum’s history the organisation operated under the name ‘The REME Museum of Technology’. In 2015 the Trustees agreed to change the name to ‘REME Museum’ as whilst the role carried by the Corps is highly technical the Museum focuses on telling the story of REME and not explaining technology. From the onset the Museum collected both items relating to REME heritage and items related to the development of military technology. From the early 2010s, the Museum’s collecting policy has been narrowed to focus on REME-specific heritage items.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date: Not known

  Licence: CC BY-NC

• Collection overview (Collection development policy)

  The Museum collection comprises approximately 130,000 objects and archives relating to REME history and the development of military technology in the twentieth century. The vast majority of the collection dates from 1942 onwards, the formation date of the Corps. There is some earlier material which relates to the Corps which existed prior to the formation of REME but served a similar purpose, such as the Royal Army Ordnance Corps from which some REME soldiers were transferred upon formation. Since the Second World War, REME has been involved in every operation undertaken by the British Army. As such, the geographical areas covered by the collection are worldwide.

  In addition to the permanent collection there is a handling collection, used mostly in educational activities. These items are primarily uniform and replica medals. They are not accessioned and are documented outside of our collections management system.

  The permanent collection is currently divided into 21 sub-collections, comprising:

  Aeronautical

  This collection contains parts and equipment related to the maintenance of aircraft by REME personnel.

  Art

  The Museum’s art collection contains paintings, prints and sculpted items of REME subjects and by REME artists.

  Badges

  This collection covers metal badges, including cap and sweetheart badges, as well as embroidered badges to be sewn onto uniforms. As well as REME badges, the collection also includes badges of other EME Corps. This collection also includes buttons and identity tags.

  Currency

  The Museum holds examples of commemorative coins and everyday currency, used by REME soldiers while on operations. Currency specifically refers to coins, bank notes and other items which carry a nominal value. This category does not include medals.

  Electronic and Mechanical equipment

  This collection consists of electronic and mechanical equipment which was used by REME soldiers or for which they would have had responsibility for maintenance. The material in this collection demonstrates the technical development of electronic equipment and includes items like barometers, wireless sets and radios. This collection also includes vehicle elements, such as drive shafts or power packs.

  Flags

  This collection contains flags, pennants and banners – plenty of them REME but also national and organisational flags.

  Medals

  The Museum is home to medals awarded to REME personnel as well as a small number of medal boxes, replicas and miniatures. A portion of this collection is displayed in the Museum’s Remembrance gallery. Medals may be official or unofficial.

  Miscellaneous

  This collection acts as a catch all for items that do not fit comfortably into any other category and includes items like chocolate boxes and candlesticks.

  Models

  This sub-collection consists of models of various sizes showing vehicles, boats, weapons and trailers as well as dioramas showing REME activities. These items are handmade and a unique part of the collection.

  Music

  This collection consists mostly of items used by the REME Staff Band while it still survived.

  Name boards

  The name boards (also known as Officer Boards and Unit Boards) relate the history of a unit’s commanding officers as well as workshops closures or re-locations.

  Personal equipment

  This collection contains military equipment used by REME soldiers and ranges from pace sticks to a toothbrush used by a REME prisoner or war.

  Plaques

  The collection of plaques and shields show the badges of unit divisions. REME personnel serve with a number of different units and this collection is important in illustrating this.

  Signs

  A small collection including unit signs, door signs, name plates and workshop signs.

  Tools

  The Museum’s collection of tools consists of equipment used by REME soldiers. A large amount of the material is not REME-specific.

  Trophies

  The Museum holds a variety of trophies, cups, shields and medallions relating to a range of events and achievements, primarily sporting.

  Trade test pieces

  The items that comprise this sub-collection were created by REME soldiers at the end of their apprenticeships. They were set a time limit within which they had to complete a specific task such as creating a surface gauge or sliding quadrant. These items are unique to REME.

  Uniform

  The uniform collection consists of military uniforms worn by REME personnel in various conflicts from 1942 onwards and includes accessories such as hats, gloves, lanyards and belts. There are a number of duplicates of certain items, such as battledress blouses, collected because they bear unique badges, illustrating the range and breadth of areas and regiments that REME has served with. This collection benefits from examples of uniform currently issued to REME personnel. Also included in this sub-collection are sports kits and foreign uniform.

  Vehicles

  A unique group of vehicles, predominated by specialist repair and recovery vehicles. A small group of these vehicles are on display in the Museum.

  Weapons

  This collection contains examples that predate the formation of the Corps due to the acquisition of firearms used as teaching materials by trainee REME armourers.

  Source: Collection development policy

  Date:

  Licence: CC BY-NC