FOREWORD

The year 1994 marks the fiftieth anniversary of many significant battles and events of the Second World War. Names such as the Liri Valley, Normandy, Ortona, and the Scheldt will live on in the hearts of veterans and serving soldiers alike, as well as on the battle honours of many of Canada‟s regiments and corps. Although its origins well precede that epic struggle, the Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was founded in 1944. Since that time, the soldier/technicians of the Corps have served the Canadian Army and Canadian Forces with distinction. They have maintained the operational readiness of the equipment they were required to support to a standard envied by all, matched by few, and surpassed by none. While the Corps may have changed names from time to time, it has consistently met adversity and overcome it, due in large part to its unchanging virtues: an eager dedication to the Army and the Canadian Forces alike, and an indomitable spirit. 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 mechanization and advanced technology is mechanics and technicians, but those who are also soldiers are not only valuable, but absolutely vital to any army which wishes to be able to fight and win on the modern battlefield. The spirit and dedication shown by the EME Branch and its predecessors over the past half-century have ensured that the future can only be bright for Canada‟s Craftsmen.

Lieutenant-General G.M. Reay, CMM, MBE, CD
Commander Land Force Command
St-Hubert. Que August 1995

PREFACE

In 1991 I was asked to consider writing an update of Canada‟s Craftsmen. I had a concern about that. Would rewriting our Branch history ten years after the publication of Canada‟s Craftsmen be considered a mere rehash of the old? Not so, as events have shown. Much has happened in the past decade. The Cold War was won. The Gulf War was fought. Peacekeeping took a quantum jump in intensity and frequency. Deficit reduction and recession hit Canada. The EME Branch got its “horse” back and celebrated 50 years of EME services to Canada‟s Armed Forces. In fact there is now more than enough material to write a book based only on the past ten years. Writing a book only on that period would be easy. However, it would separate the past from the present.

Furthermore, as I interviewed Craftsmen wherever I met them in stations, bases and UN missions, I could see from their experiences a smooth steady evolution of the EME Branch from a corps created in the crucible of war to to-day‟s strong “regiment of very many, very small units - everywhere.” What I found was an EME Branch that had, “Pride in its past and faith in its future.” So this book spans the past fifty years and more. It is not a mere rehash of old stuff in a new package. Rather, it is a story of young people continuing to build on the experiences of their predecessors in keeping equipment available for operations. From their experiences emerges an image of Canada‟s Craftsman as the Mobile Repair Team commander and his/her team doing a difficult job under dirty, dangerous conditions - and doing it well. Keep that image in mind as you read this book. Remember that as long as humans continue to become more dependent on sophisticated equipment to help them fight their battles or keep the peace, there will be a need for craftsmen to keep that equipment fit for operations. Ten years ago I wrote, “Insight, pride and perspective can help to-day‟s Craftsman to do a better job.” It remains the aim of this book. This book is the product of the assistance of many people. There are those who researched, edited and drafted parts of the book. They include Brigadier-General R.B. Screaton, Colonel P.J. Holt, Lieutenant-Colonels P.A. Vlossak, P.D. Kerr and R.J. Vincent, Chief Warrant Officer E.A. Rest, editor Jonathan Côté, translator Claude Lebel, contributing writers William Andryc and Dick Gatien, and the team from the Canadian Forces Training Material Publication Centre. Some helped verify details such as Leading- Seaman R. Amyotte who looked up countless names and initials. Many others wrote articles or letters, donated pictures, files and papers or were interviewed. Their names are included in the narrative where I have used their information and ideas. There are those who reviewed and proofread the various drafts of the manuscript. Their comments and criticism were of great help, particularly those of Colonels K.R. Ward and J.C. Boughton and my wife, Joan. Finally, the encouragement and dedicated work of four successive Branch Advisers, Lieutenant-Colonel D.W. Clarke, Captain S. McDonald, Captain Marie Robichaud, Ms. Marie Delisle and Mrs. Katherine Taylor got the book published. In total, the names of those who assisted in the production of this book are legion. I am grateful to them all. This book never would have happened without the behind the scenes support of my wife, Joan. For forty years she has faithfully followed the flag. This book is dedicated to her and the thousands of other wives and sweethearts who have kept the home fires burning. They are Craftsmen too. This book is also dedicated to Janice and Jenny, my two daughters, and to the sons and daughters of all Craftsmen - for they are the future of Canada and why we went to war and kept the peace.
Arte et Marte

Murray C. Johnston
Colonel Colonel Commandant Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Branch
March 1996

Canada's Craftsmen at 50! (pdf)
50 Years of Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (pdf)