A vintage Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) wall plaque, featuring a hand-painted and relief-moulded crest mounted on a hardwood shield-shaped board. The backing board measures approximately 18 cm × 25 cm, and the central oval REME device measures approximately 12 cm × 15 cm.
The crest depicts the traditional REME insignia: the rearing white horse chained to a globe, set before the gold lightning flash, surmounted by the Royal Crown and flanked by the blue scroll bearing R.E.M.E. The surrounding painted banner reads Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers. The mount includes the original metal keyhole fitting to the reverse for wall hanging.
A solid, earlier-pattern plaque with a distinctly hand-finished appearance—typical of mid-20th-century mess, workshop or office display pieces.
Historical Note
Formed in 1942, REME centralised the British Army’s electrical and mechanical engineering capability, becoming responsible for the repair, recovery and technical upkeep of the Army’s increasingly complex machinery. Plaques such as this were widely produced for unit lines, Messes, HQ offices and workshops, often made in small batches by service craftsmen or contracted workshops. Earlier examples, like this, frequently show hand-painted detailing rather than later mass-produced resin badges.
*Condition*
The plaque displays honest age and presents well. The painted crest shows surface craquelure, small chips to the rim (notably at upper right), and minor scuffs consistent with decades of display. The wooden backboard shows edge wear and a small loss to the lower right point. Original hanging fixture to the reverse remains intact. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
