WHITMELL, HERMAN Reg. # B18498

George Otto ‘Herman’ Whitmell was born December 20, 1920 in Hagerman Township, the son of Simon Albert and Amelia ‘Minnie’ (Wye) Whitmell.

Herman enlisted January 6, 1942 in the Royal Canadian Engineers R.C.E.M.E. (Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).

In the discharge certificate he was identified as being in the CFN (Canadian Forces Netherlands) as a L/Cpl (Lance Corporal).

He was identified as receiving the 1939-45 Star; the France and Germany Star; the Defence Medal; and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

 At left, Herman Whitmell

Lance Corporal Whitmell's kit

The certificate identifying Herman's tradesman qualifications on leaving the army

Herman’s date of discharge from the service was March 9, 1946.

Ellwood Tait, Early Vankougnett, Herman Whitmell in Aldershot England 1942Herman second from the left. "Crowborough England"Herman on bike crossing a pontoon bridge across Rhine near Wesel following the Allied efforts to cross the Rhine

The Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers came into being officially on 22 Feb 1944, with the fusion of various elements from the Royal Canadian Engineers, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps and Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps, following the model of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

With the increase of mechanized equipment during World War II, the need to have one corps dedicated to service and maintenance thereof was becoming increasingly apparent with trucks becoming the primary means of transportation and logistical support; armoured vehicles replacing cavalry; weapons  becoming more complicated, and radios and radar becoming available and improved.

The original RCEME structure incorporated 25 different trades and sub-trades, employing specialists for each particular job in order to train and deploy them in time to meet the war's demand. While it was somewhat bulky, it was nonetheless a centralized structure for maintaining the Army's everyday equipment which was more efficient than the previous system of having each corps perform its own equipment maintenance, and also allowed for a greater degree of specialization within trades.(Wikipedia)