Capt RAJ Ratnam of the SLEME regiment returned to the Island on 18th August 1952 after completing overseas training. Under provison in army regulation 29/52 laws were enacted to hold the first annual SLEME examination. Since then the SLEME examinations continued as scheduled. In the year 1952 the army carried out operation Monty "OPS Monty" in the Mannar area with the main idea of confronting illegal immigrants' entry to the county. In pursuance of orders given by the then army commander Brigadier F.S. Reed, Light Aid Detachment units were stationed in areas such as Mannar, Pesalai and Palali in Jaffna in the year 1952 in order to prevent entry of illegal immigrants to the country.
The SLEME code of instructions was issued under army order No. 18 promulgated in the year 1953, whereby under the said regulation certain duties with regard to, repairs, maintenance, servicing and accounting etc. commenced alongside. Records confirm that Cfm Perera GJ, Cfm Jayaweera DAT and another non-commission officer attached to SLEME participated at the Royal Coronation Ceremony of the Queen of England which took place in 1953.
The vehicle in use in the EME unit at this period of time was a V8 15 CWT ford vehicle registered No CN 1143. There had also been in use a motor cycle No AY 3008 (CL8419). The first driver attached to the CEME unit was Pte Perera JL who had later retired from service as a Staff Sgt transport, meanwhile the CEME unit later took custody of a ford lorry No AY3951 previously owned by the Imperial British Army. While in the year 1954 a Fordson lorry and another scamel type breakdown vehicle were purchased outright by the CEME Regiment. In the field exercise conducted in 15th June 1954 with the active participation of all regiments in the army past records indicate that in this exercise a CEME detachment had taken an active part. During the 1953 island wide civil protest (Hartal) movement conducted by a combined anti government joint trade union demanding social reforms, all officers and soldiers of the CEME regiment were positioned in the Colombo city to beef up security.
During the civil war which erupted in the state of Congo in the year 1953, the United Nations Army was deployed to restrain the conflict. Among the soldiers sent to Congo at the request of the UN, there were at least two soldiers representing the CEME. Official records point to the fact that Pte Obeysekara and Pte Dissanayaka of the CEME were among the soldiers dispatched to the Congo.
Subsequent to the positioning of the Armoured Corps at the Rock house camp site, a team of CEME tradesmen was permanently stationed at Rock house for duties. Second Lieutenant S.D.N Hapugala a Sandhurst trained officer joined the regiment in 1954. By then 19 non commission officers and 147 other ranks were directly enlisted to this regiment. Of this number 81 had completed their training at the Army Training Academy at Diyathalawa, while the remaining 66 were direct recruits.
The Colombo Harbour's port workmen's strike resulted in the sudden stoppage of work demanding trade union concession and benefits. In this background, in the year 1957 CEME officials and soldiers were deployed in the Colombo Dockyard, in order to perform emergency duties. The CEME regiment staff was capable of handling mechanical forklifts used for loading / unloading and the operation of cranes. The services rendered by the CEME during the port strike received commendation from all sections of the people. In 1958 the Army was deployed in the country again to subdue the vandalism which erupted due to racial riots.
On the 27th of May 1958 an emergency was declared throughout the country on account of riots and law lessens that flared up due to sharp differences of opinion among the Sinhalese and Tamil communities in the aftermath of the Bandaranayake - Chelwanayagam treaty enacted in 1957. During this calamity the entire army was deployed together with the Ceylon army volunteer force which was recalled for active emergency service in order to contain the situation.
The CEME was deployed not only to beef up internal security but also to assist in civil administration matters as well. The Ceylon Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Regiment in a bid to safeguard law and peace in the country also assisted a number of police stations such as Horana, Agalawatta, Aluthgama, Mathugama and Welipenna to co-ordinate internal security duties in the year 1958.
In the year 1960 WO1 KRH Perera was appointed as 1st RSM Of CEME. The structure regarding the CEME detachment in the year 1960 is noted below.
In the largest strike which took place in the year 1961 CEME Officers and Soldiers took prompt action to carry out essential services in the Port, Ceylon Transport Board, Telecommunication, Water Supply etc. In another turn of events Lieutenant Colonel H.V. Mathies CEME who was the Commanding Officer was taken in to custody in the year 1962 on charges of conspiracy against the state.
Moreover S/68019 Sergeant Gunarathne WG who was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant became the first other ranker to be promoted as a Commissioned Officer. This was an important turn of events in CEME's history.
The cyclonic winds and the flood situation due to incessant rainfall adversely affected the eastern province area in the year 1964 in an unexpected manner. On account of the cyclonic winds and devastating floods approximately, 30,000 people were rendered homeless and destitute. Soldiers of CEME joined in relief operations in order to afford assistant to the civilian population. Staff Sergeant Gunasekara DG and Major DU Weerasinghe - SLA were taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department officers as they were implicated in the conspiracy of July 1966 to over throw the government.
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