About This Unit
Mechanical Equipment Companies (RAE) - WW2
Plant Operations. At the start of the war the Australian Army had little in the way of mechanical equipment (earthmoving / grading / excavation / bulldozers) and most heavy plant work was done by civilian contractors. With the return from the Middle East of the railway construction companies, they were converted to mechanical equipment companies and in 1944 several field companies were also converted as mechanical equipment became more avaliable.
These elements were controlled by the Royal Australian Engineers and comprised both 2nd AIF and Militia (AMF) entities. In latter day parlance these entities became Plant Troops, generally embedded in Construction Squadrons.
These included:
2nd/1st Mechanical Equipment Company
1 Australian Mechanical Equipment Platoon
2 Australian Mechanical Equipment Platoon
3 Australian Mechanical Equipment Platoon
21st Mechanical Equipment Company
22nd Mechanical Equipment Company
23rd Mechanical Equipment Company
24th Mechanical Equipment Company
1 Australian Spare Parts Depot RAE
1 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
2 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
3 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
4 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
5 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
6 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
7 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
8 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
9 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
10 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
11 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
12 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section
13 Australian Mechanical Equipment Spare Parts Section