Author: Lucy Brown, Social Media and Digital Marketing Officer

The REME Museum’s large collection includes a variety of items from all over the world with associations to REME units, individuals and events. Some of these are rather unassuming at first glance.

A prime example is what the author has decided to name ‘The Klagenfurt Mug’. It is an enamel mug, likely regular Army issue, which has been painted to depict a mountainous scene alongside details of the artist’s unit, army formation and personal details. According to the artist and donor, it was painted using matchsticks, as paint brushes would have been too thick to achieve the delicate details.

Enamel mug, hand-painted by Lance Corporal (LCpl) Peter Butt, c1953. 2012.5536.

The above view of the mug shows the white crusader shield with gold cross, the formation badge of the Eighth Army in World War Two.

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Eighth Army

On its formation in 1941, the Eighth Army was assigned to the North African campaign. It led the decisive Second Battle of El Alamein under the command of Field Marshal ‘Monty’ Montgomery, the very battle that tested and proved REME’s effectiveness in the field.

Sergeant (Sgt) Leslie George Wallington was a REME founder member originally with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC). He served under the Eighth Army with 133 Lorried Infantry Brigade, 10 Armoured Division, at the Second Battle of El Alamein. This brigade was then redesignated Eighth Army Troops Workshop REME and located near to Rear Headquarters (HQ) Eighth Army.

The Eighth Army later became involved in the invasion of Sicily, Operation Husky, and invasion of mainland Italy, controlling at various points throughout its campaigns the British 5, 10, 13 and 30 Corps.

At the end of the war, much as in Germany, Austria was divided into occupation zones by the Allies (United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union). Troops from the Eighth Army were sent into Austria to take immediate control of the British occupation zone.

British Troops Austria

On 29 July 1945, the Eighth Army was disbanded and its forces used to form the official occupation force in Austria – British Troops Austria (BTA). In honour of its previous units’ wartime role, BTA maintained the use of the Eighth Army insignia in their new role. It is for this reason that the Eighth Army shield appears on Butt’s ‘Klagenfurt Mug’.

Christmas card sent by Sgt Wallington to his uncle and aunt, depicting the formation badge of BTA, previously of the Eighth Army. Inside the card reads “Alamein 1942 – Austria 1945”. A:2013.7018.

At the end of the war, Wallington took leave following VE Day and was subsequently posted to Klagenfurt to join the newly formed unit, 763 Line of Communication (LofC) Troops Workshop. Now under the command of BTA, Wallington would serve in Austria until he had finished his wartime service and returned to the UK for good in 1946.

A brass letter, pen and paper holder made by 781 M T Command Workshop REME BTA CMF (Central Mediterranean Forces), presented to HQ Officers Mess by REME British Troops in Austria, 1946. E:12.1311.

BTA was the primary British military command in the country, controlling the British Zone in the regions of Carinthia, East Tyrol and Styria. Command HQ was based in Klagenfurt, Carinthia.

Copy of the BTA Weekly Journal, 18 February 1954. This was published every Thursday to circulate news among the British troops throughout Austria. A:2012.5539.

Lance Corporal Butt, 21 Infantry Workshops

LCpl Peter Butt painted this mug during his National Service. Signing up in 1952, Butt joined REME and began his training at Arborfield, Berkshire. He was posted to 21 Infantry Workshops REME in the Annabichl district on the outskirts of Klagenfurt, Austria.

Two views of the ‘Klagenfurt Mug’, c1953. 2012.5536.

21 Infantry Workshops were responsible for all army transport in BTA. Butt recalled that the main vehicles requiring servicing and repairs were the Beford 3 ton and Leyland 3 ton 30cwt, plus Jeeps and motorbikes. He also noted his first job was ‘lorry rebuilding’.

Left: The billets at 21 Infantry Workshops, Klagenfurt. Right: LCpl Butt and friends caught in a blizzard, Austria 1953. E:10.0508.01.

The Workshops were housed in two large hangers which were built by the Germans for the airfield during the war. Klagenfurt Airport, which was created during the First World War, had been one of the first areas of the British Zone taken over by the Royal Air Force (RAF) immediately after the German forces surrendered on 8 May 1945.

Front and rear of a menu from Christmas Dinner 1953, 21 Infantry Workshops. Butt’s friends and colleagues signed the rear of his copy with their names and where they were from. E:10.0508.03.

According to his biographical record, Butt was originally intended to be posted onwards when he arrived at 21 Infantry Workshops. However, on learning of his previous sporting record, he had been kept at the workshops and represented company and regimental teams for cricket, football and skiing. He recalls how he spent the September of 1953 ski training and mountain training, returning back to base when the snows disappeared around March 1954.

Left: REME Skiing Team Austria, 1954, with a mountain scene reminiscent of Butt’s painting in the background. Right: Ski patrol training, Austria c1953-54. E:10.0508.01.

During his service, Butt recalled being attached to other units including the Middlesex Regiment, the Green Howards and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, to check over all of their vehicles.

LCpl Butt (right), with friends and fellow servicemen Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Norman and Bill Sykes (left), c1953-54. E:10.0508.01.

The end

According to LCpl Butt, who was at the time considering signing up for an extended posting versus demobilisation (often shortened to demob), the War Office issued a directive in 1954 for REME troops to ‘run down’ all of their work and begin the backloading equipment to Germany, so that within the year all occupying forces would have left.

LCpl Butt thus opted for ‘demob’ and headed home to the UK, however he ultimately joined up to the Territorial Army (TA) and served another four years with REME.

After a decade in the country, the last troops of BTA left Austria in October 1955.

Published in The Craftsman, November 2025.