3rd Reconnaissance Regt (NF) War Diaries

Oct - Dec 1945
October: Regt moves to Menden and comes under command of 147 Bde, 49 (WR) Inf Div.
November: Responsibility for DP camps, riot squad, curfew patrols, house searches.
December: About 100 more men released.

Barracks referred to as "Menden Barracks" in movement order. Became Northumberland Barracks (NF in Regiment's title = Northumberland Fusiliers). See Northumberland barracks

View attachment 3 RECCE 1945 10.pdf
View attachment 3 RECCE 1945 10 18 Move Order No 14.pdf
View attachment 3 RECCE 1945 11.pdf
View attachment 3 RECCE 1945 12.pdf

 

Many, many thanks Richard, brilliant. I wonder if other members could do the same for War Diaries of other Recce Regt's???!!

 

Need to add my thanks too...my mission is finding the locations of the British Army of Occupation in Germany units post May 1945 and your research is fantastic correcting the thoughts that 3 Reece Regt went straight to 49 (WR) Inf Div from 3 Inf Div when they move to the UK
Best regards
Steve

 

Jan 1946
Thanks to Paul's list of War Diaries I've found the this one. Missed it before as the Regiment had moved from 3 to 49 Div. Mainly details release of men and, sadly, "3 Recce Regt disbands wef 15 Feb".

 

I copied the diaries for 1943-45 as that is the period my father served in the Regiment. On a subsequent visit to TNA I thought I might as well complete the job, so here are May 1941 to December 1942.

For the previous diaries when the Regiment was 8th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers see http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/unit-documents/45159-8th-bn-royal-northumberland-fusiliers-war-diaries-1939-41-wo.html This gives details of their time in France with the BEF in 1940.


Since Jan 41 the 8th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers had been at STURMINSTER NEWTON carrying out training and exercises.
9 May 41. “Word received that Bn transferred to Reconnaissance Corps w e f 30th April 41”. The Battalion must have been one of the last to hear the news! They now have the title 3rd Bn Reconnaissance Corps (NF).
27 May 41. The CO complains that training is suffering due to the number of exercises.
2 Jul 41. CO of 21st Bn The Royal Fusiliers visits to discuss his Battalion’s conversion to 54th Recce Bn.
10 Nov 41. Battalion move to MERLEY HOUSE CAMP, WIMBOURNE.
22 Nov 41. Battalion move to BERKHAMPSTEAD.
22 Feb 42. Home Guard Ex "Pike".
In April Battalion becomes 3rd Regt The Reconnaissance Corps (NF) and Companies become Squadrons.
19 May 42. Lt Col E L Bols takes over command from Lt Col E H D Grimley.
18 Jun 42. Location changes to GREAT BOWER WOOD CAMP, near BEACONSFIELD.
21 July 42. Regiment moves to SOUTH HOLMES COPSE CAMP, near ROMSEY.
8 Sept 42. Regiment moves to BOURNEMOUTH.
21 Oct 42. 25 Indian motorcycles received for testing.
20 Nov 42. A/Lt Col H H Merriman takes command of Regiment.
4 Dec 42. Regiment moves to POSTLING, LYMINGE area near Folkstone.

p.s. Some months seem to be missing from the attachments. See post no 33.

 

Richard great that you have posted the rest of 3 Recce Diaries. It would be great if others who have Recce War Diaries would post them.

Cheers
Paul

 

Here a few more appendices to the diaries that I have copied. I did not find any nominal roll of Other Ranks so I've picked out many that include names. Unfortunately I was unable to add them to the previous posts in their logical place due to the upload limit being reached and for this reason they will have to be spread over several posts.

Richard.

 

War Establishment of a Reconnaissance Regiment (May 1944).

 

Some Routine Orders 1944.

 

Report of patrol over River Maas and some Routine Orders (1945).

 

More Routine Orders (1945).

 

Richard your posting is timely as I am going through War Diaries for names to add to a Recce Nominal Roll that I am trying to compile and 3 Recce is next on my list to do.

Cheers
Paul

 

Whilst looking at post no 25 I see some of the months War Diaries are missing. Where did they go to? Did I miss them out? Anyway here are the missing ones to fill in the gaps.

Richard.

 

Richard they must have gone missing on the forum changeover.

Cheeers
Paul

 

Richard,
Thanks a lot for all these fascinating documents. I noticed some mentions of Appendices in the War Dairies, but they do not seem to be included in your attachments. Do you have by any chance the Appendices mentioned in the May and June 1944 War Diaries, as they might prove invaluable in identifying the exact craft in which the 3 Recce units and sub-units, and even maybe individuals, landed?
But it is unfortunately vey possible that these Apendices were lost, or they might have been filed, together with Operation Orders for Overlord, in the 3 Div (or even higher formations) War Diary...
Michel

 

Hello Michel,

I concentrated on the War Diaries when at the National Archives; unfortunately time did not permit me to copy everything in the files. I copied a few appendices that looked (to me) interesting and they are shown here.

I believe that Andy (Drew5233) may have the appendices, see Searching for survivors of 3rd Reconnaissance d day landings post no 7.

3 British Infantry Division Operation Order No 1, dated 14 May 1944 shows the type of craft used on D Day. 3 Recce Regt provided Contact Detachments for the brigades and Beach Traffic Control Groups. The remainder of the Regiment (less C Sqn) embarked on three LSTs on 16 June. I do not recall seeing any reference in appendices to the exact craft used which would have come under my definition of “interesting” and therefore I would have copied.

Regards

Richard

 

I have now transcribed these diaries, including those when the Regiment was the 8th (MC) Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. I started with a facsimile of the Army Form that they were originally written on and soon decided that another format would be easier to read. I continued with both, hence the two versions. I hope they are useful. They are certainly easier to read than the originals and, being pdf files, they are searchable.

Richard.

View attachment 143623 View attachment 3 Recce Regt Transcribed Diaries AF C2118.pdf View attachment 143640 View attachment 3 Recce Regt Transcribed Diaries.pdf

 

I have just joined the group and I have a specific interest in this thread. I belong to Stockport Normandy Veterans and Friends, my father is a Normandy Veteran (LdH) 1st Tyneside Scottish then 51 Highland Division Black Watch.
We recently welcomed a Veteran who served in the 3rd Recce RNF and I am helping him to apply for his Legion d'Honneur award from the French government. His name is Alfred Barlow, he is 95 years young and a fairly spritely gentleman who can still sing a few verses of war time favourites with his wife Massie. Unfortunately he has almost forgotten most of his exploits in Normandy and I volunteered to help him remember. What a fantastic find on this thread to locate the War Diaries, especially the June 1944 entries. He was a corporal in the HQ Division as a mechanic and remembers landing on 6 June just west of Ouistreham.
Like my father he can't remember the exact places he found himself in, but the War Diaries are certainly helping him. He was with the 3 Recce right through to the transfer to the 15/19 Hussars and his name appears on the nominal roll transfer list. He is bitterly disappointed that he had to return his badges and flashes and wear the 15/19 instead. Something he is still angry about 71 years later! I have found the Forum photos of the 3 Recce taken in Germany and Alfred recognises Capt Youel who apparently lived about 4 miles away from him after the war.
If anyone has any further information on the 3 Recce from 1942 to 1945 (obviously the War Diaries are a fantastic help) please let me know.
Are there any other surviving members of the 3 Recce? That would be a great re-union!

 

I would like to thank you very much for this wonderful amount of priceless information!!

 

Hi, I have read your message with great interest about Alfred Barlow as I was asked by one of his neighbours to try and find any information about his war service. Naturally, I came here and found that I was beaten to it by you!
A couple of years ago I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. Barlow who told me about being in charge of waterproofing the Humber armoured cars prior to D-Day and the perils of patrolling the Normandy bocage.
As a matter of interest, the schloss where the regiment were billeted near Stuttgart in 1945 is now a 5 star hotel. There are pictures on the internet. Alfred may be interested to see what the place looks like now!

Regards, Gary Brooke