Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
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Branch History
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering traditions are rooted in many of the long distinguished traditions of its predecessors. The thread of continuity underlying all these traditions, however, is the idea of the soldier maintainer, in idea forming the basis of EME traditions and reflected in our motto "Arte et Marte", meaning by skill and by fighting.
EME history is reflected in the Branch's many symbols and traditions. The symbol of the soldier maintainer is a source of the cohesiveness, pride and esprit de corps so necessary for victory. Those symbols adopted by EME, such as titles, badges, flags, march pasts, Branch birthday and trophies have already played their part in the short history of the Branch in all parts of the World where the Canadian Forces serve, and will continue to do so in the future.
Traditions and Symbols
Electrical and Mechanical Engineering traditions are rooted in many of the long distinguished traditions of its predecessors. The thread of continuity underlying all these traditions, however, is the idea of the soldier maintainer, in idea forming the basis of EME traditions and reflected in our motto "Arte et Marte", meaning by skill and by fighting.
EME history is reflected in the Branch's many symbols and traditions. The symbol of the soldier maintainer is a source of the cohesiveness, pride and esprit de corps so necessary for victory. Those symbols adopted by EME, such as titles, badges, flags, march pasts, Branch birthday and trophies have already played their part in the short history of the Branch in all parts of the World where the Canadian Forces serve, and will continue to do so in the future.
The EME motto is "Arte et Marte" from the Latin meaning "By Skill and by Fighting". The motto was selected to convey the concept of a soldier maintainer applying his/her engineering skills in combat.
The Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (RCEME) Flag initially was the same as the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (REME) Flag. It was trisected vertically and the colours, commencing at the hoist, were blue, yellow, and red. To identify between RCEME and REME, however, the RCEME Flag had a small green maple leaf in the central division.
The red stripe represents the Royal Canadian Ordnance Core, the dark blue represents the Royal Canadian Engineers and the yellow, the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
1944
Because of confusion with national flags, the design was changed in July 1946 to trisection horizontally with, from top to bottom, dark blue, yellow and red.
1946
With the unification of the Canadian Forces in 1968, many members of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as well as some members of the Royal Canadian Navy and other army corps joined The Land Ordnance Engineers (LORE). With the exception of the light blue of the RCAF, some, or all of the colours of these former corps of services were found in the blue, yellow, or red of the original RCEME colours.
Thus, in early 1977, a new LORE Flag incorporating the light blue of the RCAF was adopted and approved by the Chief of Defence. Following the traditions of the RCEME Flag, it was quadrisected horizontally, from top to bottom with dark blue, yellow, red and light blue. On the change to LEME on 15 May 1985, this flag remained as our flag.
1977
The LEMS has a group of SEVEN statements called Tenets that govern the actions of the members of the EME Branch.
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Maintenance organizations must be mutually supportive and task assignment must be flexible
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Repair as forward as possible.
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In addition to their technical role, all LEMS personnel and LEMS organizations must be trained and equipped to fight in their own defense.
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Maintenance support is most effective when EME commanders have direct technical control of all LEMS resources.
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The LEMS must have engineering and fabrication resources.
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Technical inspections are an essential element of maintenance.
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Technical information is an essential LEMS resource - Its generation and dissemination must be a primary role of all elements of the LEMS.
During the winter of 1943, 1 Infantry Troops Workshop was on the Italian Adriatic coast near Lanciano. One particular villa in the area had been completely reduced to rubble, yet in the middle of it all and almost totally untouched was the statue of a peasant girl.
She was quite attractive, but standing there amongst the rubble she must have looked even more beautiful to the war-weary and glamour starved technicians of RCEME. She was coerced into returning to the unit lines, where she was soon kitted-out with her own helmet, old rifle and bayonet. She became affectionately known as Sadie. She helped our troops by volunteering to stand guard at the entrance to the workshop control office. Every time the workshop moved, so did Sadie.
At the war's end, she found herself in Arnhem (having travelled by ship from Italy to the south of France, then by truck through France, Belgium and Holland). After all of her dedication and devotion to duty (and our troops), her loyal comrades were not about to desert her. She was rewarded with a posting to paradise at the RCEME school in Barriefield. Eventually she was posted to CFSEME in Borden where she stands guard to this day.
LILLIBULERO
Ho! brother Teague, dost hear the decree?
Lillibulero bullen a la, (repeated after each line)
Dat we shall have a new deputy?
Lillibulero bullen a la.
Refrain:
Lero, lero, lillibulero,
lillibulero, bullen a la
lero, lero, lillibulero,
lillibulero, bullen a la
Ho! by my soul, it is de Talbot,
And he will cut all de English throat.
Though, by my soul, de English do praat,
De law's on dare side, and Creish knows what,
But if dispence do come from de Pope,
We'll hang Magna Charta and dem in a rope,
And de good Talbot is made a Lord,
And with brave lads is coming abroad,
Who all in France have taken a sware,
Dat dey will have no Protestant heir,
Ara! but why does he stay behind?
Ho' by my soul, 'tis a Protestant wind!
But see, de Tyrconnel is now come ashore,
And we shall have commissions galore,
And he dat will not go to mass
Shall be turn out, and look like an ass,
But now de hereticks all go down,
By Creish and St Patrick, de nation's our own,
Dare was an old prophecy found in a bog,
"Ireland shall be ruled by an ass and a dog."
And now dis prophecy is come to pass,
For Talbot's de dog, and James is de ass.
AUPRÈS DE MA BLONDE
Au jardin de mon père
Les lauriers sont fleuris;
Tous les oiseaux du monde
Vont y faire leurs nids:
Refrain: Auprès de ma blonde,
Qu'il fait bon (3)
Auprès de ma blonde,
Qu'il fait bon rêver.
La caille, la tourterelle,
Et la jolie perdrix,
Et la blanche colombe,
Qui chante jour et nuit
Elle chante pour les filles,
Qui n'ont pas de mari;
Elle ne chante pas pour moi
Car j'en ai un joli.
Il n'est pas dans la danse,
Il est bien loin d'ici,
Il est dans la Hollande,
Les Hollandais l'ont pris.
Que donneriez-vous, Belle,
Pour revoir votre mari?
Je donnerais Versailles,
Paris et Saint-Denis.
Et la claire fontaine,
De mon jardin joli,
Et ma blanche colombe,
Pour avoir mon mari.
The RCEME Memorial Gates at Barriefield just outside Kingston, Ontario, were built at the entrance to the RCEME School and were dedicated in October 1961 to the "Memory of all ranks of the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers who died in the service of Canada." Although the RCEME School no longer exists, and EME training is now conducted at the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (CFSEME) located at CFB Borden, the gates remain in Barriefield. A memorial ceremony is held in front of them on Remembrance Day and wreaths are laid in honour of the members of the Corps who made the supreme sacrifice. Click here for more.
EME traditions abound with titles. Of all the titles, perhaps "Craftsman" is the closest to the heart of all EME members, is the best known, and is our trademark. This term, a time-honoured name for any skilled person, came into accepted military use with the formation of RCEME in 1944, and became the official designation for the rank of private.
by Colonel (retired) Murray C. Johnston
This book is not only a Corps history but a living and vivid account of how the EME Branch came to be, its exploits during war, its efforts on United Nations duty and the challenges it faces today. With a global milieu in flux and an unprecedented rate of technological change, the need for those who live by the motto 'Arte et Marte' will undoubtedly grow.
The price of automation and advanced technology is sometimes seen as the loss of mechanics and technicians. But those craftsmen who are also soldiers are absolutely vital to any Army which wishes to be able to fight and win on the modern battlefield. This is a story of young people continuing to build on the equipment maintenance experience of their predecessors over a span of fifty years.
Ten years ago I wrote, "Insight, pride and perspective can help today's Craftsmen to do a better job." It remains the aim of this book.
The book is an EME Branch achievement because writing and producing a Branch history depends on the support from all its members - Regular, Reserve and Retired. Nearly 200 individuals contributed articles, photos or gave interviews. So the book is really the story of a close knit group of men and women who have quietly built up their Regimental traditions and who have worked hard as a strong team which can always be counted on to produce. Six hundred of them are mentioned in the book.
It reflects what people expect from the EME Branch - craftsmanship, professionalism and teamwork. The book will inspire today's and tomorrow's Craftsmen to do their best for Canada - and, because it is available in either official language, it will also contribute to Canadian unity.
EME Soldiers must often work in the front lines. Their valour under danger has been recognized with many awards for bravery. The book records three dozen such awards and includes the names of over 600 EME men and women. It is the story of Canada's Craftsmen who are proud of their record of achievement in repairing and recovering the army's equipment under dirty, difficult and dangerous conditions - anywhere, anytime.
The EME Commemorative Monument
One of the major focal points for the celebration of our Branch's fiftieth anniversary was the construction and unveiling of commemorative monument.
Different artists from across Canada were approached and requested to submit proposals. Their instructions were that the monument had to be made of a lasting material, be artistically pleasing, be militarily accurate, blend in with the surrounding site and be readily identifiable with our branch.
Site preparation at the Canadian Forces School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering started with an official sod-turning held on 13 August 1993. The foundation was constructed during the fall of 1993 and the granite pieces were put in place during April and May 1994. The official unveiling took place on 15 May 1994 as the finale of the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration Weekend.
