23rd Crewe Workshope REME
 

In November 1955 23rd (Crewe) Medium Workshops REME was authorised by the War Office Dress Committee to wear ‘a flash consisting of the arms of the Crewe Municipal Borough’. I have been unable to find an example of this flash – which in common with several other such local authority-based signs may only feature the shield at the centre of the town’s coat of arms shown here.

Does anyone have an example of the cloth badge that they could scan for me please?

Jon

Amazing - I've never seen anything like it (but would very much like to!) Mike.

I can just about remember the buildings occupied by the unit when I first came to Crewe as they were a hundred yards from my office on what was known as "Catholic Bank" as it was on a slope next to the Catholic Church. It became the site of a small Supermarket and the site is now occupied by a block of flats.

I had a group of medals to a member of the unit and some paperwork which included a Dance Invitation for 126 (Crewe) Infantry Workshop REME TA dated 1964 which I let go a long time ago. I presume that the title of the unit had changed between 1955 and 1964.

I have never heard of the " Crewe" flash before but as with a lot of things, knowing what might exist is the start of the hunt.

P.B.

Just found this on line:

https://www.militaryimages.net/media/r-e-m-e-t-a.82853/

Next time I am in Crewe I will go to the Municipal Buildings and see if the items are still there. Unfortunatly the photo is too early for the sign

P.B.

Most interesting time this morning trying to see if I could find anything more about the "Crewe" arm badge.

First stop was the British Legion shop in the Town Center, they were polite but could not help me.

Next went to the Municipal Buildings where they still have the REME plaque and 1952 photo of the unit in the entrance hall. The Receptionist couldn't help but said members of the Crewe Family History Society were in their offices on the second floor of the building and sent me to see them.

Margaret from the Family History Society was most helpful and found all the bits they have about the unit. See attached. These include an article from the REME magazine about the opening of the ( then ) new T.A. Centre in 1952.


At one stage I thought I saw a picture of a soldier wearing the said arm badge ( 3rd attached picture ) but on blowing up the photo I was wrong.
Unfortunately it seems all the photos of the unit in the Family History Society archive are pre 1955 but I was told that if I sent the Society an E mail about the query they would include it in their newsletter to see if any member has any more information.

P.B.

Peter,

Thank you for such sterling efforts. I am beginning to think that the badge was never worn. If you are happy to send an email to the Society it may produce an answer that would be of interest to us all.

Jon

Thanks Jon,

Already done it.

Peter

Great work Peter. I am very interested to hear what develops.
Mike

It may have been used a vehicle badge.

At least one TA RA Unit the name of which I forget carried a family/municipal crest on the door of their Morris Quads.

One survived and the owner some years ago was asking what the crest was he had uncovered on the door during restoration.

There were some interesting pictures of vehicles belonging to the unit in the archive I was shown,but not knowing about such things the only one I recognized was an early Land Rover ( headlights in grill not on wings ), but those photos were all taken before 1955 and the possible adoption of the "Crewe" sign.

P.B.

Everything comes to those who wait- the latest Formation Sign of the MHS had just arrived and there inside is an illustration of the Crewe sign.

( thanks Jon and Les )

P.

Military Heraldry Society comes up trumps again ... great detective work, good to see. I wonder if we had seen it without knowledge of the unit, that we would have even associated it with military use? It resembles the sort of badge young (now geriatric) explorers attached to the arms of their anoraks.
Mike