REME Museum
Online Photo Archive Launched
The REME Museum is proud to launch a brand-new online archive, sharing hundreds of rarely seen REME historical photographs with the Corps and members of the public.
L
ike other Museums and visitor attractions, the REME Museum closed its doors for much of 2020. However, staff have been busy behind the scenes, making sure the Museum’s extensive collection can still be enjoyed. The new website, years in the making, is a treasure trove for family historians and military history experts as well as those taking a trip down memory lane. An intriguing and wide-ranging record of REME activities down the years, the images chart REME personnel’s service in many 20th century conflicts, including the Korean War and the Mau Mau Uprising, as well as training, parades and the social side of REME life. Visitors to the site (https://rememuseum.photos/) can browse by date, location and theme. Users can also search using keywords: great when researching units or barracks where you may have served. Prints in a range of sizes can be purchased for a reasonable fee and shipped worldwide. The REME Museum’s Director, Major (Retired) Rick Henderson said: ‘We know that many members of the REME Family have missed visiting the Museum while we have been closed for COVID-19. Putting these images online means that you can safely explore Corps history anytime, right from your sofa.’ The new web archive was created in collaboration with digitisation specialists Max Communications. Their team scanned thousands of photographs from albums in the REME Museum’s archive. The Museum team then began the intensive work of transcribing captions, putting names to faces and identifying locations. The REME Museum’s Archivist, Celia Cassingham, said: ‘We are very happy to share these photographs with a wider audience. We are continuing to add new images to the site so remember to check back regularly!’
The digital archive contains lots of images from the early years of the Corps, including course photos. This image features Radio and Wireless Maintenance Officers who trained at Petersham in the 1940s.
Scammell Explorer Recovery Vehicle and Sioux Helicopter, Far East, 1960s. The REME Museum team are adding new photos to the site all the time.
Sergeants’ Mess Ball, School of Electronic Engineering (SEE), Arborfield, October 1972. The less serious side of REME life is well represented on the REME Museum’s new website.
Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 45
