Those of you who know your cap badges will have spotted that this soldier is an engineer of the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers). All soldiers, whether a cook, clerk or mechanic, had to go through four months of intensive training to be able to serve in Northern Ireland. This gave the units they supported a reserve of trained soldiers if needed. Most of the young corps men though usually volunteered for the odd patrol to break the monotony of base life or just simply to get in on the act. (Paul Crispin) |
