Royal Engineers Museum

The Royal Engineers Museum, Library & Archive is a military engineering museum and library in Gillingham, Medway, South East England. It tells the story of the Corps of Royal Engineers and British military engineering in general.

The School of Military Engineering and the Museum were founded in 1812, during the Peninsular War. The Library was founded in 1813. The Museum moved to its current site in the Ravelin building in 1987. In 1904, the 'Ravelin Building' was built and was originally used as electrical engineers' school for the Royal Engineers. It was designed by Major E.C.S.Moore (RE). It cost £40,000 to build. It was classed as Grade II listed on 5 December 1996.

Its collection received 'Designated' status in 1998 (it is recognised as having an outstanding collection of national and international significance). It is one of only three military or regimental museums in the country to hold this status.

The Royal Engineers Museum is a member of the First World War Centenary Partnership. Part of the First World War Centenary commemorations.

The RE Museum and Library hold over 500,000 objects relating to the history of the Corps of Royal Engineers and the development of military engineering.

On display are objects of great significance like the Waterloo map, complete with markings made by Wellington. It has the revolver used by Lieutenant Chard at Rorke's Drift, Russian glass grenades from the Crimea, and a huge selection of objects belonging to Charles Gordon relating to his postings in China and the Sudan. There is a relic of the Kashmir Gate and a set of armour reported to belong to the Last King of the Punjab, Duleep Singh. There is a Brennan Torpedo on display alongside an early prototype. It also has a collection of paintings. The museum also has one of the largest public collections of orders, awards and medals in the country; most of which are on display, including 25 of the 55 Victoria Crosses awarded to REs, and three George Crosses.

...
Wikipedia