Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Queen's Crown Full Colour Cap Badge Display Frame
Official MOD-Licensed Military Display Piece
Celebrate the proud heritage of the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) with this officially licensed Queen's Crown Full Colour Cap Badge Display Frame.
Formed on 1 October 1942, following recommendations made by a Cabinet committee chaired by Sir William Beveridge, the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was established to rationalise and improve the efficiency of the British Army's repair organisation during the Second World War. Specialist trades from several existing Corps were brought together into a dedicated engineering organisation, with further responsibilities transferred during subsequent phases of post-war reorganisation, firmly establishing REME as the British Army's specialist engineering Corps.
Since its formation, REME personnel have provided indispensable engineering support wherever the British Army has served. From the battlefields of the Second World War to modern operations around the world, the Corps has maintained, repaired, recovered and modified the vehicles, weapons, aircraft, communications systems and electronic equipment upon which the Army depends. Today, REME continues to deliver world-class engineering expertise across every arm of the British Army, ensuring military equipment remains operational whenever and wherever it is required.
This display frame features the Queen's Crown (St Edward's Crown) version of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers cap badge. Following the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, the St Edward's Crown gradually replaced the Tudor Crown on British military insignia, becoming the recognised crown used throughout her reign. The Horse and Lightning design of the REME cap badge remained unchanged, with only the Royal Crown altered to reflect the reigning Sovereign.
Product Features
- Official MOD-licensed design
- Handcrafted and individually finished in authentic REME Corps colours
- High-definition 3D printed badge reproduction
- Premium deep box display frame
- Ready to hang straight from the box
- Made to order in the United Kingdom
Specifications
📐 Dimensions: 35 cm × 35 cm × 6 cm deep box frame
🎨 Finish: Handcrafted and individually coloured in authentic REME Corps colours
🏭 Made to Order: Produced and finished in the United Kingdom
📦 Dispatch: Typically dispatched within 7–10 working days
About the Badge
The first Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers cap badge was approved during the formation of the Corps, with its pattern formally sealed on 22 June 1942. This original design featured a pair of calipers enclosed within a laurel wreath, four shields bearing the letters R, E, M and E, and the Royal Crown. Although officially adopted, King George VI considered the design insufficiently distinctive and directed that a new badge should be created.
More than 200 proposed designs were subsequently examined before the distinguished artist Stephen Gooden CBE RA was commissioned to prepare a new design. His Horse and Lightning badge was approved by King George VI, and its pattern was formally sealed on 14 August 1947. This distinctive design has remained the defining emblem of REME ever since.
At the centre of the badge is a horse forcene (a rearing horse), gorged with a coronet of four fleurs-de-lys, with a chain reflexed over its back, standing upon a globe and superimposed upon a lightning flash. The horse and chain symbolise power under control, while the lightning flash represents electrical engineering. The globe represents the worldwide importance of engineering in both military and civilian life.
Above the badge sits the Queen's Crown (St Edward's Crown), identifying this as the Queen's Crown version of the cap badge used throughout the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Following her accession in 1952, the St Edward's Crown gradually replaced the Tudor Crown on British military insignia, with the transition taking place over several years as existing insignia were replaced. Beneath the crown is the scroll bearing the letters REME, completing one of the British Army's most distinctive and respected military cap badges.
Although not displayed on the cap badge itself, the Corps motto, Arte et Marte, meaning “By Skill and By Fighting,” reflects the dual role of REME personnel as both highly skilled engineers and professional soldiers — a tradition embodied in the Corps’ long-standing maxim: “Soldier First, Craftsman Always.”
Ideal For
- Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers veterans
- Serving REME personnel
- Former REME personnel
- Military engineers and artificers
- Military collectors
- Corps display collections
- Retirement and presentation gifts
- British Army memorabilia enthusiasts
Official Licensed Product
Intellectual Property of the Secretary of State for Defence is used under licence. This item is produced for commemorative and display purposes and is not an official issue military insignia.
