Lauren Child Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 (edited) Now here's a question. The accepted form seems to be Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers, but that doesn't seem to make sense - the Royal Engineers had lots of armoured vehicles, why name this one? Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers seems to make more sense, as the AVRE was made for assaulting obstacles, and was used by the 1st Assault Brigade of the Royal Engineers. Indeed the period 1st A.R.E. book lists it as Assault Vehicle, while the history of the 79th Armoured Division lists it as Armoured Vehicle, albeit noting that the book was rushed to print and contains errors and omissions. Hence I'm now wondering if the accepted form as "Armoured Vehicle" is an error. I note the IWM has an original service instruction book for a Churchill AVRE which may hold the answer, but in it's absence what do people think? Edited August 2, 2015 by Lauren Child Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 It is what you said Lauren. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armoured_Vehicle_Royal_Engineers Ron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 as I understand it the A in AVRE was assault then changed to armoured after the war. rick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Barrell Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 I think it now means Another Vehicle for Ricks Entertainment...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 lol entertainment is one way of looking at it, seems more like self flagellation at times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 (edited) Just to follow this up, it was indeed "Assault Vehicle Royal Engineers" during wartime. It's clarified in Army Training Memorandum No.46, 16th October 1943 against the previous term "Engineer Tanks" Edited January 6, 2016 by Lauren Child Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally dugan Posted January 6, 2016 Share Posted January 6, 2016 LAUREN In my copy of abbreviations in general use within the MOD dated 1999 appendix I to annex H ARVE stands for ASSAULT VEHICLE ROYAL ENGINEERs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted January 6, 2016 Author Share Posted January 6, 2016 Nice one Wally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I don't have a particular stance on the abbreviation myself. But looking at the result of an FOI request made last year into Asset Codes, the spreadsheet includes these entries: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Yet on the other hand. Military Engineering. Vol I. Part II. Engineers in Battle. 1953 Then again. Equipment Regulations. Pam No.8. Nomenclature and Coding of "A" "B" "C" and "D" Vehicles and Mobile Equipments amended 1967 Could it be that the blurring of changeover was due to an RE persistence with "Assault" whilst the adoption of "Armoured" was by RAOC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddy8men Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 seems to be one of those army cock ups, i'm fairly sure it officially changed from assault to armoured after th war but maybe someone didn't get the memo ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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