Have been going through my late fathers service record trying to make sense of it. Appears to have been in RE until march 1943 when he was transferred to 543E&M. Seems to have stayed with 543 until may 45 when he was tranferred to "K" E&M Pln then 2 weeks later to 37E&M until demob in 1946. Does anybody have any information on these units eg where they served and when. I remember him mentioning being at El Alemein and Monte Cassino.
Hi Robin and welcome. Probably best if you could scan and post copies of the record, there are often other clues that members can pick up on. Mike
I checked 'Engineers in Italy' and it confirmed that 540, 541, 542, 543 and 544 E&M Coys all served in Italy. FdeP
Hi Thanks for welcome and advice. Will try to upload records and what photos I have. I know from some conversations with my father ( Hendry "Harry" Patterson) that he was involved in retrieving and fixing all kinds of vehicles as well as building bridges and repairing almost anything needing fixed. In Italy he had a workshop lorry with a beam running front to back. He had talked of this lorry being dropped on the quayside on arriving in Italy and damaged. This became apparent later while going round hairpins using this beam to tow another vehicle it twisted causing rivets to fly around - terrifying one of the crew who was in the back. He also mentioned using a circular saw for cutting trees up to make bridges. Thanks again Robin Patterson
This will be the vehicle. 3ton 4 X 4 or 6 X 4 Machinery 24Kw RE. This was a vehicle for the Royal Engineers and carried lathes, drills and a circular saw. Most of the equipment was intended to be used on the ground so that an overhead gantry was needed to unload it. The body was similar to the breakdown gantry fitted to 6 X 4 chassis but it had a flat floor and a 24Kw generator at the front of the body. Mike
Neilie likes making some of the more unusual 1/76 kits. I remember this one which would be similar I guess Mike/Robin: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/51485-176-milicastrevell-leyland-retriever-gantry-wtrailer/ and this recovery vehicle: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/47958-176-airfix-scammell-tt-to-sv2s-recovery-tractor/
Yes E & M is Electrical and Mechanical. Sections could be trained and equipped for various roles including water supply, electricity generation and operating fixed machinery. They were not responsible for maintenance and repair of ordnance equipment as was REME. Mike
I mentioned E&M as this is what was written on service records. Interesting to here it being a section of REME trained in these tasks as I recall my father talking about being involved in repairing a huge pipe network using geothermal steam around the end of the war or soon after. He seemed impressed with this Italian system which provided both heating and power to the local area. He was involved in vehicle repair also but this may have been at an earlier point. The workshop lorry was a 6x4 and I will try and put photo of it on here Thanks again Robin Patterson
Robin, Bad English on my part. E & M Company/Section was Electrical and Mechanical Company/Section RE. It has no connection with REME apart from the coincidence of the same letters/words. REME is Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers who maintain and repair vehicles and equipment. Mike.
Thumbnail of unknown badge and my father with others. My father is on left. Not sure of badge but it had been posted to my father at end of war. Just beginning to find my way around this site but it really has an amazing amount of information - thanks again to all those involved Robin Patterson
Thanks Trux This is most interesting as my father had started in RE in sept 39. E&M appears on his records in March 43 and around the same time I thought REME was formed. I was sure he had mentioned being in REME but this looks like a memory fault on my part. Seems then I am in the wrong forum! Learning fast here Thanks again Robin Patterson
Hi Second shot at this after being on wrong forum. Trying to find out about my late fathers (Henry Patterson) service. I have his records and remember various details he told me over the years. He was called up on 3/9/39 to Royal Engineers and served in UK starting in Orkney and working down East coast of Scotland before being sent to Egypt in July 42. He was transferred in March 43 to 543 E&M company. My confusion started here as my recollection ( incorrect as it turns out) was that he had been in REME and I had used that forum until being informed of the difference between RE E&M and REME. Does anyone know any of the history of 543 E&M and the operations/ locations they were involved in. Have looked on RE Museum site and they do not have 543 listed in their unit records! I know he was at El Alemein, Monte Cassino and present when Vesuvius erupted. Thanks Robin Patterson
Thanks Mike That may explain how he came to be impressed by the quality of US equipment as he must have been using/repairing it. Will now divert my questions to RE forum Cheers
Thats cleared things up on my part, got confused as OP was in REME thread, didn't know of an E&M in RE.
