Armies, from the time of the Roman Empire, have recognized the requirement to have dedicated personnel to repair equipment.
The introduction, through the years, of more sophisticated and complex equipment has resulted in a need for highly trained maintenance specialists.
During the Second World War a specialist corps, The Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME), was created on 15 May 1944. The corps, was subsequently replaced by the Land Ordnance Engineering (LORE) Branch and is now the Land Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (LEME) Branch. The EME system has evolved to satisfy the increasingly complex needs of those it supports.
The aim of " Maintenance in Battle", is to describe how Land Electrical and Mechanical Engineers support the army in battle.
The first chapter describes the Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) System in general. Chapters 2 and 3 outline the army organizations within an Area of Operations and describe the EME System in greater detail, discussing the types of activities that occur at all organizational levels. Chapters 4 to 6 describe the EME organizations and the method of operation at each level. Chapter 7 describes the deployment and tactical handling of EME organizations. Chapter 8 discusses EME operations in extreme environments.
Contents of this informative guide:
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
Section 1 – General
- Introduction
Section 2 – Role and Tasks of the EME
- Role of the EME System
- Tasks and Scope of the EME System
Section 3 – Maintenance
- Level of Maintenance
- Lines of Maintenance
- Relationship of Line to Levels of Maintenance
Section 4 – Principles of EME Operation
- Introduction
- Foresight
- Flexibility
- Co–ordination
- Co–operation
- Economy
- Stability
- Simplicity
- Protection
- Self–Sufficiency
CHAPTER 2 – THE EME SYSTEM
Section 1 – Introduction
- General
- The Battlefield
- Formations
- EME Line Organizations
- EME Staff Organizations
Section 2 – Technical Control
- Introduction
Section 3 – EME Operations
- Introduction
- Equipment Casualty Classification
- Movement of Equipment Casualties
CHAPTER 3 – ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1 – Introduction
- General
- Administration Areas
Section 2 – Structuring of EME Units
- Introduction
- Structure
Section 3 – EME Resources
- Introduction
- Manpower
- Vehicles
- Technical Equipment
- Repair Parts
- Unit Stores and Equipment
Section 4 – Battlefield Recovery
- Introduction
- The Battlefield Recovery System
CHAPTER 4 – UNIT MAINTENANCE
Section 1 – Introduction
- General
- Role and Scope
Section 2 – Organizational Factors
- Introduction
- Maintenance Platoon/Troop
- Characteristics
- Organizational Factors
Section 3 – Resources
- General
- Manpower
- Vehicles
- Technical Equipment
- Repair Parts
- Unit Stores and Equipment
Section 4 – Command and Control
- Centralized and Decentralized Maintenance
- Chain of Command Within a Unit
- Key Appointments
- Communications
Section 5 – EME Operations at Unit Level
- Unit Level Repairs
- Repair Parts
- Unit Recovery
- Technical Inspections
- Modifications
Section 6 – Combat, Combat Support and Combat Service Support Unit Maintenance
General
- Infantry Battalion Maintenance Platoon
- Armoured Regiment Maintenance Troop
- Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment Maintenance Troop
- Artillery Regiment Maintenance Troop
- Anti–Armour Regiment Maintenance Platoon
- Field Engineer Maintenance Troop
- Headquarters and Signals Regiment Maintenance Troop
- Tactical Aviation Squadron Land Maintenance Section
- Service Battalion Unit Maintenance Platoon or Section
- Field Ambulance Maintenance Section
- Military Police Company Maintenance Section
- Battle Group Maintenance Support
CHAPTER 5 – SECOND LINE EME SUPPORT
Section 1 – General
- Introduction
- Responsibilities of Second Line EME Organizations
- Organizational Factors
- Method of Operation
Section 2 – The DISGP Service Battalion
- Introduction
- Organization
- Capabilities
Section 3 – The Brigade Group Service Battalion Maintenance Company
- Introduction
- Organization and Capabilities
Section 4 – The DISGP Maintenance Battalion
- Introduction
- Organization and Capabilities
Section 5 – Brigade and Division EME Staffs
- Introduction
- Brigade G4 Maintenance Staff
- Division G4 Maintenance Staff
- DISGP Headquarters G4 Maintenance Staff
CHAPTER 6 – THE COSCOM MAINTENANCE BRIGADE
Section 1 – General
- Introduction
- Responsibilities of a Third Line EME Organization
- Organizational Factors
- Methods of Operation
Section 2 – Third Line EME Organization
- Introduction
- Organization
- The Maintenance Brigade Headquarters
- The Heavy Workshop Battalion
- The COSCOM Medium Workshop Battalion
- The Recovery Battalion
- The Engineering and Technical Training Battalion
Section 3 – Corps and COSCOM Headquarters EME Staffs
- Introduction
- Corps Headquarters EME Staff
- The COSCOM Headquarters EME Staff
CHAPTER 7 – DEPLOYMENT AND TACTICAL HANDLING OF EME ORGANIZATIONS
Section 1 – General
- Introduction
- Defence and Protection
- Sites
- Movement
- Camouflage and Concealment
Section 2 – Layout of EME Organizations
- Introduction
- Layout of a Unit Maintenance
- Platoon or Troop
- Layout of a DISGP Service Battalion
- Maintenance Company
- Layout of a Brigade Group Service Battalion Maintenance Company
- Layout of a DISGP Maintenance Battalion
- Layout of a COSCOM Maintenance Brigade
Section 3 – Types of Operations
- Introduction
- Defence
- Offence
- Withdrawal
CHAPTER 8 – MAINTENANCE IN VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTS
Section 1 – General
- Introduction
- Desert Operations
- Jungle Operations
- Mountain Operations
- Northern Operations
- NBCW Operations
- Contamination of Equipment
- Decontamination
- NBC Policy in EME Units



