7th South African Recce

[Zimrich]

Was trying to find out some details about the service of 214168 (Cpl.) S.B. O'Reilly. He served in the South African Tank Corps, 22nd Armoured Car Company in 1940 and then the 7th Recce in the Middle East till 1943 where he was Court Martialed "for contra. sect. 40 of O.C."
Can anyone give details of the 7th Recce in particular and what the offence sec 40 was as I can't find any details anywhere

Thanks for any help

[Kyt]

Section 40 of the King's Regulations was "conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline" - basically anything and everything that wasn't covered by the other offences

[Owen]

About all I can find is that they part of 2nd SA Div.
7th South African Reconnaissance Battalion
2nd Infantry Division (South Africa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

The 7th SA ACR (Recce) had been lost at Tobruk


April 1943, the four South African Armoured Car Regiments and Recce Battalions that had served in East Africa and the Western desert ceased to exist. The 7th SA ACR (Recce) had been lost at Tobruk, the 3rd SA ACR was absorbed into the Natal Mounted Rifles, and the 4th/6th SA ACR were absorbed by the Royal Natal Carbineers and the Imperial Light Horse.

Armour Regiments Page

[Kyt]

RECONNAISSANCE BATTALIONS Two reconnaissance battalions, equipped with armoured cars, formed part of the South African Tank Corps in the Second World War. The 3rd battalion was with 1st S.A. Division, and the 7th with 2nd S.A. Division. Both were formed from armoured car companies at the time of a reorganisation of the S.A. Tank Corps in March 1941. The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion consisted of Nos. 1, 2 and 3 companies and detachments of Nos. 1 and 2 Motor Cycle Companies who were serving in East Africa before moving to the Middle East in June 1941. They fought with distinction under Lt.-Col. G. K. Roodt initially, then under Lts.-Col. J. P. A. Furstenburg, S. B. Gwillam and R. D. Jerkins. At the time of the Battle of El Alamein in Oct.-Nov. 1942 the battalion was re-organised to become the 3rd S.A. Armoured Car Regiment, but on the disbandment of the S.A. Tank Corps in April 1943 it was absorbed by the Natal Mounted Rifles, which became the reconnaissance regiment of the 6th S.A. Armoured Division. The 7th Reconnaissance Battalion arrived in the Middle East from South Africa under the command of Lt.-Col. P. H. Grobbelaar in July 194 1 and served with the Oasis Group as well as with its parent formation, the 2nd S.A. Division. When Grobbelaar be came ill in March 1942, Roodt took command, and he was followed by Lt.-Col. G. N. Nauhaus on 12th June 1942, shortly before the unit fell into enemy hands with the capture of Tobruk, after permission for the battalion to fight its way out had been cancelled.

From: Ancestry24.co.za

Covers most SA units

[Owen]

South African Reconnaissance CarsBritish/Commonwealth units that used the Mark II and/or Mark III versions of this vehicle in the Middle East included the King's Dragoon Guards, the Royal Dragoons, the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, the 3rd South African Reconnaissance Battalion, the 4th South African Armoured Car Regiment, the 6th South African Armoured Car Regiment and the 7th South African Reconnaissance Battalion. There may have been others. In addition, the 3rd Indian Cavalry regiment had a small number of these vehicles (not sure if Mark II or Mark III) in Malaya in 1941/1942.

http://www.geocities.com/spoelstra.geo/m-h/armdcar.html




22nd Armoured Car Company - Raised 1940 from the Railways and Harbour Brigade.

http://home.adelphia.net/~dryan67/orders/sa.html

[von Poop]

Another small thing, they were issued with Marmon Herrington MK IIIs
Edit: Sorry, cross-posted with Owen.

[Kyt]

PS - thanks Zimrich, whilst looking for info for you, I came across something of great interest to me so

Might share it with the forum at some point

[Zimrich]

Kyt, glad I could help in a roundabout sort of way and thanks everyone for all the info its been a great help.
I've been told a few other things whilst waiting for the service papers from SA. O'Reilly was court martialled in 1941 not 1943 as I originally thought and was, 'severely reprimanded'.
What is interesting though is that on 12/7/1943 his engagement with 7th Recce was terminated, he was returned to the Railway and Harbour Brigade Marine Unit and his medical status had gone from A1 to C1.
If the 7th Recce were taken POW at Tobruk in 1942 and were shipped to camps in Italy is there a chance that O'Reilly escaped when the Allies invaded in July 43 and the POW camps were in confusion and not guarded?
I've come across several instances when SA soldiers had escaped in these circumstances, I've even had one medal group where the soldier ended up fighting with the Partisans and was executed by the SS.