The History of RAEME in South Australia
until 1965
Major "Norm" MacLeod, RAEME was a South Australian who served for many years in his home State. This History was organised by him and written while he was DADEME Central Command and the Senior RAEME Representative in South Australia
It is reproduced here without editing except that the Indexes have been extended and amended where necessary
Table of Contents Links
PART2 – Paras 8 to 48—Corps Background prior to 1939 PART3 – Paras 49 to 153 —The War Years, 1939 to 1945 PART4 – Paras 154 to 159 —1946 to 1948 PART5 – Paras 160 to 265 —1948 Onwards PART6 – Paras 266 to 268 —Conclusion INDEX OF UNITS INDEX OF PERSONNELINTRODUCTION
1. Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, as the Corps is now known, is responsible for the recovery, inspection, repair and modification of all Army mechanical, electrical and optical equipment which is beyond the capacity of unit personnel, excepting for some categories of equipment where this responsibility is divided between Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and other corps; viz Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Australian Engineers, and Royal Australian Signals2. RAEME
- controls the expenditure of funds for the technical maintenance of equipment for which the Corps is responsible,
- promulgates technical instructions concerning the electrical and mechanical engineering maintenance of equipment, and
- gives technical advice to the staff and units on all aspects of the technical maintenance of equipment.
3. Further responsibilities of Royal Australian Electrical Mechanical Engineers are;
- the organisation and co-ordination of recovery, technical inspection and repair at all levels,excepting where these are the responsibility of other Corps, in accordance with priorities laid down by the General Staff, and
- the training of Royal Australian Electrical Mechanical Engineers Australian — Regular Army and Citizen Military Forces personnel for their role in peace and war.
4. Royal Australian Electrical Mechanical Engineers are also available for consultation and advice on any problem arising from the technical maintenance of equipment.
5. To cater for these responsibilities in South Australia (Central Command) the following facilities are available
- ARA
- DADEME and staff.
- Equipment Inspection Section.
- Central Command Workshop RAEME.
- RAEME attached to 4 BOD.
- Army Guided Weapons Trials Unit Workshop at the Long Range Weapons Experimental Establishment, WOOMERA.
- RAEME attached to the Proof and Experimental Establishment, PORT WAKEFIELD.
- RAEME attached to 5 CAD, GLADSTONE.
- RAEME attached to the Long Range Weapons Experimental Establishment at SALISBURY.
- Cadre staff at 107 Infantry Workshop RAEME.
- RAEME attached to the ARA unit at WOODSIDE.
- A RAEME officer at Army Inspection Section.
- Citizen Military Forces
- ADEME and staff.
- 107 Infantry Workshop RAEME
- 13 Field Regiment Light Aid Detachment.
- South Australia Mounted Rifles Light Aid Detachment.
- RAEME attached to 1 Royal South Australian Regiment.
- RAEME attached to Adelaide University Regiment.
- RAEME attached to Divisional Ordnance Park.
- 8 Transport Company RAASC Workshop RAEME.
- RAEME attached to 2 L of C Provost Coy.
6. RAEME in Central Command have not always been so well represented and the beginning of our Corps harks back to when a Corps of Armoured Sergeants was formed to repair small arms. This was later incorporated in the Ordnance Stores Corps, the forerunner of the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps.
7. A Corps of Artificers was later formed and was subsequently transferred to the Royal Artillery, the personnel being redesignated "Armament Artificers". These members were later transferred to the Army Ordnance Corps as it then became. This was the general pattern of employment of tradesmen prior to Federation. After Federation they formed part of the Commonwealth Force until the formation of a Military Corps of Armament Artificers which was designated in 1928 as the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (Permanent) and was the forerunner of the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers established in 1942.