RAEME NATIONWIDE
Taking the Corps to new heights
Former RAEME lads currently riding tuktuks across the Himalayas as part of "The Adventurist - Rickshaw Run Himalayas". The photo was taken today at Gue Mummy Stupa, Himachal Pradesh (approx altitude 10,000ft).
SA Harry the Horse Luncheon – 1 September
The SA Association had a great turnout of serving and former members who all served together at various periods over the years, predominately with 107 Fd Wksp.
A very memorable day with lots of 'war stories' to pass the time.
This event is conducted by the SA Association every March and September at the West Adelaide Football Club.
The Scottish Tour
Harry made it to The Kelpies in Scotland with assistance from WA member, Peter Dutton.
He also took the opportunity to visit the Culloden Battlefield.
ACT Association Gatherings
The ACT team met up for their usual informal drinks on Tuesday 28 Jul and lunch on Friday 07 Sep. This aligns with the Associations custom of informal drinks on the last Tuesday of each month, less April and December, and a gathering on the first Friday of each month. The Friday gatherings alternate between mixed lunches and Spanner Clubs that come with the obligatory sausage sizzle.
The association were thrilled to have both current serving and recently retired members in attendance. These gents fielded multiple questions from the more senior retired members who took great interest in learning what is happening in the maintenance space these days. We look forward to seeing more serving members attend future events.
101 Field Workshop – A global effort!
From across Australia to the other side of the world.
Soldiers from 1 CSSB have recently taken their skills on the road, deploying across Australia and overseas between May and July for a series of major training activities alongside Australian and international partners.
The journey began at Cultana Training Area in South Australia, where 1 CSSB personnel were attached to 1st Armoured Regiment for Exercise Black Prince 3. The activity provided an opportunity to operate within an armoured battle group environment while developing individual and collective skills.
From South Australia, the soldiers travelled to Fort Irwin, California, to participate in Project Convergence Capstone 6 (PCC6).
Reuniting with 1st Armoured Regiment and working alongside personnel from the New Zealand Defence Force, the soldiers formed part of Battle Group ANZAC, training alongside the United States Army in a demanding multinational environment.
CFN Ambuga, 1 CSSB Recovery Technician on Ex Black Prince 3, South Australia, Australia.
Exercise Black Prince 3 and PCC6 placed 1 CSSB personnel at the forefront of Army’s ongoing modernisation and experimentation activities, exposing them to emerging capabilities, new ways of operating and valuable opportunities to learn from Australia’s closest military partners.
The deployment provided an outstanding opportunity for 1 CSSB soldiers to build their professional skills, contribute to multinational training and proudly represent the Battalion — from South Australia to the other side of the world.
Celebrating Connections at Mermaid Beach AEME SLSC
On Saturday, 22 August, we conducted a lunch at the Mermaid Beach [AEME] Surf Lifesaving Club on the Gold Coast. We had 40 ex-RAEME members and their partners come along for what turned out to be a really great day, both weather-wise and lunch-wise. Though it was an overcast sort of day, there was no rain and it was not cold.
As well as our usual old and bold, including the likes of Geoff Small, Dave Grant and Blu Morrissey, we also had some new faces for the day, including Gary Mikkelsen, Roger and Lyn Smith, and Mike Averay. With any sort of luck, we will have them back next year.
The tucker was just great and the club staff were excellent. How they produce what they do in the kitchen is beyond me! They must have Gordon Ramsay in there cracking the whip or something.
There were no great formalities, the guests were brought up to date on a few things happening within the club that strengthen its roots and links to its AEME/RAEME founders.
Namely, they were apprised of where the club was at with producing a memorial plaque recognising the AEME founders, including their names, a RAEME badge and tricolour, together with a little of the club’s history dating back to World War II. An update was also provided on the naming of the club’s new coffee shop with a RAEME-themed name.
It was also announced that the club intends to put about four or five possible names for the coffee shop to its members for a majority vote, so we live in hope. The name “Crafties” is getting a good run!!!
Now that the club has approval from the Corps for the use of the RAEME badge and tricolour, thanks to Ed Smeaton and Piers Cambridge, it will now proceed with obtaining costings.
The Surf Club takes its AEME/RAEME roots very seriously. The two lucky draw prizes were won by Marg Riley and Ed Smeaton.
More photos from the day are available in the Photo Gallery on the RAEME Association Queensland website.
Enduring Service
RAAOC WO2 Steven Spokes was recently presented with his 5th and 6th clasps to his Long Service Medal and his Federation Star from BRIG McGammon to mark his 45th year of honourable service. Present was his son, RAEME SGT Brendan Spokes.
Do you remember this beast?
Jason Sofield is a volunteer at the Bandiana Army Museum, His is currently restoring an AM General 816 wrecker that has the 21 Construction Rooster on the doors.
If anyone can remember the ARN of this vehicle, it would be much appreciated. Click here to reach out to him. If you can’t access that link, please message us at
11 CSSB Happenings
Even ambulances need their tummies rubbed sometimes. Thankfully, the 108 Fd Wksp team were on hand to help them out. This was during the very successful weekend training exercise for all elements of the unit to refine their respective individual and collective training skills.
Congratulations are also in order for a number of 11 CSSB members who were awarded a Command Commendation in recognition of their noteworthy service.
11 CSSB remain proud of its officers and soldiers living by the unit motto ‘Tenacious in Adversity’.
RAEME Marine Technicians in Alabama
Three RAEME Marine Technicians are gaining valuable experience on a modern landing craft while supporting a collaborative training initiative between the Australian Army and the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
Marine Technicians SGT Matthew ‘Doogs’ McDougal, SGT Warren ‘Squizz’ Taylor and CPL Tyler ‘Ty’ Griinke (above) are among 15 Australian Army personnel from the Brisbane-based Littoral Manoeuvre Group (LitM Gp) deployed to Alabama in the United States.
The initiative follows discussions conducted during the 2025 Australian Army–USMC Staff Talks and contributes to the Limited Technical Assessment and continued development of the USMC’s Ancillary Surface Craft capability. The Ancillary Surface Craft is a modern landing craft designed to support littoral operations and logistics and provides Australian personnel with experience relevant to the Army’s future Landing Craft – Medium capability.
Between July and September 2026, personnel from the Littoral Manoeuvre Group’s 1st Landing Craft Battalion are providing sustained crewing support for the two-month assessment. Working alongside their USMC counterparts, the Australian crews are gaining practical experience in the operation and maintenance of the craft under realistic conditions.
For the three ECN 222 Marine Technicians, the activity provides an important opportunity to develop their technical knowledge of contemporary landing craft systems while contributing their own skills and experience to the combined team.
The partnership enables Australian Army and USMC personnel to train together, exchange operational and technical knowledge, and capture lessons that will inform future force-development objectives. It also demonstrates the strong and mature relationship between the Australian Army and the USMC while further strengthening interoperability and shared amphibious capabilities.
Marine Techs SGT Matthew McDougal, SGT Warren Taylor, and CPL Tyler Griinke conduct inspections and familiarise themselves with the Ancillary Surface Craft’s machinery and control systems during the collaborative training activity.
The members with their Spanner Packs.
The experience being gained by these soldiers comes at an important time for Army’s littoral capability. Construction of the first of 18 Landing Craft – Medium and eight Landing Craft – Heavy is scheduled to commence at Henderson, Western Australia, in late 2026.
Source: Article adapted courtesy of information and photographs supplied by WO1 Jason Peterson, ASM, 1st Landing Craft Battalion, Littoral Manoeuvre Group.
Our new hat badge
Terry Jones recently shared this image of his slouch hat with the new hat badge.
RAEMUS Rover Happenings
Quite a bit happening in the Raemus Rover world with yet more adrenalin-based support programs for veterans and supports.
Wednesday this month was maintenance day. With the workshop open, veterans got to head on down, and chew the fat, whilst working on race cars and talking about all things veteran.
After running such an absolute cracker of a veteran program, the team went into the 2026 Don River Dash full of confidence. The track was the wettest since they started the race 7 years ago, but still a great challenge.
Unfortunately, on Day 1, the team suffered a component failure (a steering arm bolt snapped) this resulted in the dreaded tractor tow out of the river.
Day 2, all was repaired and the team again faced the challenge. After getting out of the blocks really well, they got bogged (nearly 80% of the field were bogged at some stage) at the 23km point. Once free, they continued on.
The cars truck and buggies had the predicted effect of changing the track surface every lap, this time at the same region of the track we had to slow whilst crossing a creek flow to avoid hitting a slowed vehicle (some vehicles really slowed during the crossings), the wall of water was deep and we ended up stopped sideway in the crossing, not good. The Raemus Team managed to move the car to the edge but she gave her last gasp as they ingested too much water into the engine and it's now locked solid. They bent the 2GR, aaaargh, they loved that engine.
On the plus side the Raemus Team managed to get veteran Camaron Carroll a race to remember. He focussed on getting his health better to be able to endure the race and he did an awesome job as navigator.
To the whole Raemus Rover Off-Road Racing team who supported the car and veteran program a massive thank you.
The team will rebuild and be ready for 2027 season.
Update from the Annual RAEME Get Together 2027
Port for our 10th Anniversary will once again be supplied by Keis winery from South Australia. It's a Ruby port and the bottle size is a healthy 750ml for only $20 per bottle. Collection it at BP dam in February, members not attending can arrange for someone to pick up on their behalf. Postage is NOT an option. If you live in the Brisbane/Ipswich area you can arrange pickup from Greg Riley.
To place an order simply pay for your total amount to the following:
- NAB account: Greg Riley BSB 084742
- Account 289879166
- Reference: Use your name.
Closing date for orders is 15 December 2026
ALTC News
Remembering. Reflecting. Leaving no one behind.
Ahead of the 25th anniversary of 11 September 2001, trainees from Vehicle Technology Wing’s Automotive Techniques Section came together for a commemorative workout, tackling 2,200 steps and 170m of elevation at the Albury Monument.
The effort reflected the nearly 3,000 lives lost that day, and the courage of the first responders who ran towards danger. More than a physical challenge, it was a reminder of the values at the heart of our profession: service, courage, respect, integrity and excellence.
Our thoughts are with our US brothers and sisters on the 25th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy.
Click here for more photos.
Homemade M113A1 MRV
Anyone with M113 experience or anyone who can enjoys the design and build process might want to take a look at the replica M113 MRV built by a former RAAC member, Trevor
.
Apprentice Quarterly Lunch – ACT Region
By Jeff Heron, 21st Intake Radio Mechanic, ACT Regional Rep
Nineteen attendees enjoyed an excellent lunch at the Ainslie Football Club on Wed 09 Sept, with representatives from Intakes 2, 14A, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 33, and 40.
We welcomed Dave and Trudy Giles, 40th Intake Carpenter & Joiner (C&J) from Esperance, making two from that trade. The electrical trades were most heavily represented (eight), then two Vehicle Mechanics, one Fitter & Turner, and one Musician. Our elder statesman, Herb Taylor, 2nd Intake C&J brought along his tank (actually it’s a cigarette box under the sliding turret with a space for matches under the hinged gun – see image) that was built in 1951, and has the names of all 12 x 2nd Intake C&J graduates.
Herb also brought along a Canberra Times special centenary list “Canberra 100 list: the Canberrans who made our city” from 3 September 2026, which included Chic Henry, 19th Intake Blacksmith, the Summernats founder who sadly passed away in 2022.
Image of Chic Henry courtesy of Social Media
RAQ Sunshine Coast Chapter Annual Luncheon
The RAEME Sunshine Coast Chapter annual luncheon was held on 12 September 2026 at the Maroochy RSL, with 72 guests registered to attend. A few unfortunately had to pull out at the last minute due to colds and influenza, but those who made it along certainly made up for it!
The lively crowd was buzzing before, during and after the luncheon, with plenty of conversation, laughter and the usual RAEME camaraderie.
The Maroochy RSL once again delivered an exceptional three-course meal, which certainly set the tone for what turned out to be an excellent afternoon.
Our guest speaker, Suzanne Shipp, delivered a captivating and inspirational presentation, sharing how she progressed from humble beginnings, overcame challenges and ultimately made a real difference in her life and the lives of others.
A big thank you to Suzanne for sharing her story and reminding us of the importance of having the courage to set high personal goals, and then having the determination to achieve them.
LTCOL Alex McDonald provided a well-received update on matters affecting RAEME personnel and gave us an insight into some of the issues and developments relevant to the Corps.
RAQ Chairman Pete Mathews was then called upon to propose the toast to the Corps. Pete followed this with a brief RAQ update, including welcoming new members in the audience and paying our respects to those members of the RAEME family who have passed away.
Overall, it was a great afternoon of mateship, memories and RAEME camaraderie, with many first-time attendees already committing to joining us again next year.
A big thank you to Charmaine, JD and Pete Yates for their assistance in helping bring the luncheon together.
And, of course, a sincere thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the day such a success.
Spanner Packs make it to PNG
Two RAEME soldiers, CPL Stephen Thom and LCPL Jake Shearer, have warmly welcomed Spanner Packs whilst serving with Mobile Training Team–Bravo (MTT-B) in Papua New Guinea.
CPL Thom and LCPL Shearer spent much of their deployment supporting WO2 David “Shep” Shepherd, Workshop Logistics Advisor, at the Force Support Battalion Workshop in Port Moresby.
Source: Article adapted courtesy of information and photographs supplied by WO2 David “Shep” Shepherd
CPL Todd Kitching, CFN Angus Frost, Lucas Wren, Rebecca Dunnett, CPL Maxwell Gerard, CFN Isaac Carpenter (above for Left to Right), all from 3 CER, received Spanner Packs whilst on Exercise Puk Puk 2026.
Exercise Puk Puk is an annual military engineering activity bringing together personnel from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the Australian Defence Force. The 2026 activity is also supported by members of the New Zealand Defence Force and Republic of Fiji Military Forces, highlighting the strong defence partnerships shared across the Pacific.
Nungarin Museum Antics – Part V
Only had a few of us up there but got stuck into a few vehicles which proved to be troublesome. Why do engineers hate mechanics so much? And this is coming from an electrician!
Alex and Peter – the Stag
Got the power steering working, which was a surprise. It has its own electric pump! It only took 30 minutes of reading the manual to find where the switch was to turn it on! You’d think it would be on the dash next to the engine ignition switches… Nope! Middle of the vehicle, just out of reach of the driver… must have been a co-driver job? The exhausts were refitted (which basically meant remanufacturing the insane pipework – no clearance from anything), and we connected up the fuel system. Through some very dodgy plumbing and an electrical fuel pump! If only we could find the pump we removed? One engine fired up beautifully, the other, the much tighter of the two, put up a pretty good fight. After resetting the timing, and some extra volts… we got her to fire-up and idle! Sure… we may have had only one small electrical fire and one cooked battery… A rather exciting time really! Who knew that when a steel screen sheathed cable comes into contact with the positive battery voltage, that a lot of current is drawn and heat is generated? You could argue that we broke the rule about keeping the smoke in the cables! No real harm, so no foul.
After we were comfortable with the engine running, we decided to reinstall the radiators so we could run the engines properly… And again, this is where Alex starts abusing Perry (an engineer by profession) … Why in God’s name would you install a radiator on a 30° lean through a gap that a postage stamp would be lucky to squeeze through? Don’t forget that it leans over the lower hose, that somehow you are supposed to be able to reach down past the engine and fit and tighten the hose!
So at the end of the weekend we have started to unbolt and remove all the ancillary equipment that we worked hard to install over the previous weekends to instal the radiator.
Alas... Not driving yet! Two steps forward, one step back.
Wes – the Ferret
Fixing the brakes should be relatively easy. Providing the wheel cylinders and drums want to co-operate. In this case they didn’t. Fit the master cylinder and bleed the brakes, they say… Should be straightforward, right? So this is where they put the master cylinder.
So after Wes folded himself up into a ball and rolled himself into the foot well, he was able to refit the master cylinder and fill it up. After extracting himself and 20 minutes of stretching to regain blood circulation, he started on bleeding the brakes. And of course… A steel bleed nipple (rounded of course) into an aluminium wheel cylinder… Didn’t bind too much really! We all got a quick lesson on a dual-acting park-brake/wheel-cylinder assembly—impressive, to be honest, just not friendly to work on. So, after a lot of heat and a crap ton of interesting words, the bleed nipple was extracted without damage to the wheel cylinder housing.
Wes and the boys had to leave, so the mantle was passed to Dick to bleed and finish adjusting the brakes. Thankfully that was completed without too much fuss.
During the last visit, the lads replaced the spider gear in the hub and installing the missing drive shaft from the right forward drive. We look to be in a position to start her up again on our next visit. The last time the engine was started was about 3 years ago. We’re looking forward to it.
Wes Jnr x 2 – Bren Gun Carrier
Wes’s young lads are a rare breed for this day and age! They worked tirelessly pulling apart the Bren Gun Carrier’s exhaust and cooling system to allow them access to the seized water pump. And for whatever reason, some genius thought it would be a good idea to make the water pump part of the engine mount! Whoever designed the cooling system on these ensured that there is no way to drain the radiator without creating a lake. Did I mention that the colour of the water drained from the engine made the Yarra River water look potable! These things have a way of chewing time… so this will be another task that will be carried over… So maybe a job to complete next time.
Dick – the Studebaker
Dick started out looking at the old 6-volt starter motor. The one left next to the old girl, after some detailed scrutiny was confirmed as incorrect for the engine. Fortunately, the Museum has another Studebaker that graciously donated its starter motor for the cause. Dick fitted it up and started the pre-start check and found that there was no water in the Radiator. As Colesy had only fitted a new head gasket and a machined head on his previous visit, he thought it wise to find the leak prior to starting… And that’s when he found the water pump. Getting it out turned out to be a bit of a mission!
Another story of “Engineers who hate mechanics!”. Stripping it out required removal of the distributor, unbolting the complete assembly to remove the drive gear from the casing it out of the casing. It is a single shaft that is connected to the gear, which drives the gear for the distributor, through to driving the water impeller. Genius… NOT!
You gotta love these old mechanically-coupled pumps, but this one does need a bit of serious work due to 80+ years of corrosion.
