For all us RCEME-EME-LORE guys and gals

Like the other "green trades" incl engineers, supply, and transport, RCEME went thru a lot of growing pains after integration. The trades and related training for the "greenies" who joined after integration was focused on the base system with no concessions made for unique army and navy environmental skills. The airforce didn't have this problem as the base system was the airforce system. These were tough times for the people concerned and the learning curve was pretty steep when they were posted to a field unit. Some former airforce people just couldn't make the transition. I recall a couple of sad cases from around 1970 when the Service battalion in Calgary had two fairly senior ex-RCAF people posted in to fill slots requiring their new LORE rank and trade. One was an ex-RCAF MWO whose area of expertise was painting roundels on airplanes. The other was a former RCAF motor transport officer who, as a major, wound up being OC of the maintenance coy:sok2. It was not a happy experience for them or the unit. At that time most of the new "green trades" were getting no field training at all. It was all focused on static base activities. There were other peculiarities at this time incl the big flush of surplus navigators who had been back seaters in the CF-100 interceptor. A lot of them got the golden handshake, but many were re-incarnated as officers in the Service and Ordnance Corps in the 1965-1967 timeframe having had little to no field training or experience.

Its nice to see that RCEME has finally returned to its roots. My uncle was one of the original RCEME men, having been switched over from being a tank fitter in the Ordnance Corps when RCEME was broken out of the RCOC in the spring of 1944. He went thru NW Europe from Normandy to the end engaged in recovery and repair of knocked out or broken down armoured vehicles, mostly Sherman tanks. I still have his original issue S&W pre-Victory revolver that he carried through Europe as well as his cap badge and shoulder flashes. I have thought about donating them to the RCEME Museum if it still exists. I recall visiting the RCEME museum in Barriefield/Kingston in 1965 and seeing one of the big WW1 Mauser 13mm anti-tank rifles on display there. I wonder what ever happened to it.
 
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On our old battle dress uniforms we wore our trade badges. When they introduced the unified forces green uniform they dropped the trades badges. I only learned this week that they were brought back. When did that happen?
I only kept one uniform for posterity when I got out. My "Jolly Greens"
My battle dress and tws I had growen out of (no, not too fat). I should have kept them but what the hell.

On the subject of badges. When I first got into the Airborne in 71, there was only one kind of jump wing. It was the one with the red maple leaf. Later on in the seventies, they introduced the silver leaf ones to signify having served with the Airborne. I have a tough time telling people that there had been that change.
 
Purple: thanks for sharing the stories. It's good to know that there were times in the past that were worse than things are now.. if you know what I mean!
I like the name change as well. I think it's a good thing to carry on a proud tradition.
As far as the museum goes, you know, that's a good question. I believe the regimental gear was shipped to Borden along with CFSEME when it left Kingston and now resides at the regimental building main lobby.

Interesting side-note: the most recent e-mail I received stated that SOP for pronouncing RCEME is "Ree-mee." Go figure.
 
Dad was at Lahr 71 to 73 and 78 to 80 with QOR 1st as a vehicle tech.
I was there for both but only remember langenwinkle area 33, block 2, apt 13 in the latter.
 
as a cook, i think that the only harder working branch out there was you wrench benders when you were busy. when i was a young infanteer, the engine blew in my grizzly at about - 35 in suffield. at night. the husky showed up, spare engine in tow. 4 freezing F**king hours later, i drove away to rejoin the Bttn, leaving two frozen maintainers behind. two nights later, a bad crankshaft in the new motor failed. guess who showed up, same two guys, cursing and swearing the whole time. good times.
after my remuster(still say i should have gone Mattech) out on exercise with maintenance coy, i remember having breakfast ready, and not a soul in the biv. they usually got back from their nightly repair runs shortly after the MCpl( a rather soulless individual) in charge of the kitchen told us to get rid of all the food. he didn`t last long with maintenance. remember feeding you guys supper at midnight, breakfast at noon, and any time in-between. late `90s. real good times.
favourite guys are still RCEME guys.
 
Good times. We'd work all night fixing things and get sleep when we could. One time a WO from another unit came around raising hell when he 'found' us sleeping during the day. I'm not sure who said it but I heard: "They're Vehicle Techs. Leave them to hell alone." Then silence.
 
infideleggwelder said:
as a cook, i think that the only harder working branch out there was you wrench benders when you were busy. when i was a young infanteer, the engine blew in my grizzly at about - 35 in suffield. at night. the husky showed up, spare engine in tow. 4 freezing F**king hours later, i drove away to rejoin the Bttn, leaving two frozen maintainers behind. two nights later, a bad crankshaft in the new motor failed. guess who showed up, same two guys, cursing and swearing the whole time. good times.
after my remuster(still say i should have gone Mattech) out on exercise with maintenance coy, i remember having breakfast ready, and not a soul in the biv. they usually got back from their nightly repair runs shortly after the MCpl( a rather soulless individual) in charge of the kitchen told us to get rid of all the food. he didn`t last long with maintenance. remember feeding you guys supper at midnight, breakfast at noon, and any time in-between. late `90s. real good times.
favourite guys are still RCEME guys.
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Army cooks. Now there is a badly misunderstood trade. Some of the best food I have had was while in the army. You treated the cooks with respect and they took care of you. After slogging around in the feild for 48 hrs at a stretch, you came into bivwack and there was the mess tent set up with all the hot food you wanted. When I was a private (craftsman) I pulled a couple of KP duties. The cooks treated you well and the work was easy.
An army travelles on its stomach and we travelled well. Thanks
 
points said:
Army cooks. Now there is a badly misunderstood trade. Some of the best food I have had was while in the army. You treated the cooks with respect and they took care of you. After slogging around in the feild for 48 hrs at a stretch, you came into bivwack and there was the mess tent set up with all the hot food you wanted. When I was a private (craftsman) I pulled a couple of KP duties. The cooks treated you well and the work was easy.
An army travelles on its stomach and we travelled well. Thanks
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You got the right. A good buddy of mine is a cook. They don't get the respect they deserve. I noticed that the cooks and eme guys alway get along. If a Genny or a flying kitchen was broken it was always a priory repair for us. I never went hungry.
 
points said:
Army cooks. Now there is a badly misunderstood trade. Some of the best food I have had was while in the army. You treated the cooks with respect and they took care of you. After slogging around in the feild for 48 hrs at a stretch, you came into bivwack and there was the mess tent set up with all the hot food you wanted. When I was a private (craftsman) I pulled a couple of KP duties. The cooks treated you well and the work was easy.
An army travelles on its stomach and we travelled well. Thanks
Click to expand...


X 2.

Some of the best meals I EVER had came off the back of a Deuce and half field kitchen.
 
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