Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME) was a New Zealand Army Corps comprising Army trained tradesmen (craftsmen) who repaired Army equipment wherever New Zealand Forces served.

Prior to 1946 NZEME was originally part of the New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps;
 * Ordnance Workshops, responsible for the repair of all armaments, instruments, wireless, radar and general stores were controlled by the Chief Ordnance Mechanical Officer,
 * Armourers Workshops, responsible for the repair of small arms and machine Guns were controlled by the Director Of Ordnance Services (DOS)
 * The MT Branch responsible for the provision, storage, issue of all classes of vehicles and spare parts and the repair of such vehicles was controlled by the Director of Mechanical Transport.

The New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers(NZEME) were created as a separate corps in New Zealand on 1 September 1946 under the control of the Director of Mechanical Engineering. Control of MT Sores was retained under Ordnance Control. During WW2 in 2NZEF in the Middle east, NZEME had been formed in 1942 to keep the organisation in line with the British Army which was providing support at the time.

In 1947 the Royal prefix was awarded to NZEME creating the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RNZEME''')

RNZEME personnel were attached to regular squadrons. These attachments were known as Light Aid Detachments (LAD’s) who in turn were supported by Field Workshops. Field workshops were located in Burnham, Linton, Waiouru, Papakura and Singapore (until 1989). Field Workshops were in turn supported by a Base Workshop located in Trentham.

Due to New Zealand Defence Force restructuring, the RNZEME was disbanded in 1996 and merged with the Royal New Zealand Army Ordnance Corps (RNZAOC) and Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport (RNZCT) to become its present unit, the Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment (RNZALR).

RNZEME - Southern Chapter
The RNZEME - Southern Chapter has an active Facebook Group where members can keep in touch and organise events.

Resources

 * Craftsmen in Uniform: The Corps of Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Peter Cape, 1976, Wellington