A few more photos of 56 Recce. The first was taken 16 May 1944 at Monte Cassino so just before the fall of the monastery. Back row left is my father G F Anthony, and whilst he only wrote the date and place on the back it could well be 15 Troop, C Squadron where he was Sergeant. For the next photo I have also scanned the reverse, as you will see that it has been signed by some of the lads, perhaps there is a name you have a particular interest in? The date is given as May 45 at Ciazzo, Italy, although I am slightly confused by this. From the “Short History of the 56th Reconnaissance Regiment by the Intelligence Section” they were rested at Caiazzo just prior to Cassino and their advance up the Liri Valley but this was of course in 1944. On 7 May 1945 they were they first units of the 8th Army to enter Austria. My guess is that the place was incorrectly spelt and someone got the date wrong – that is unless someone has another explanation. Wherever and whenever it was taken they seem to be all Sergeants (? except for the chap in the centre of the front row). Perhaps the collection of Sergeants does indicate that it was taken during a training period. G F Anthony is middle row on the left, Bert Crutch 4th from left, back row. For those of you who have Ron Tee’s book have a look at the photo of him on the back cover, the one with the centre parting – is that him 2nd from left front row? I know that there is a lot of expertise out there so can anyone tell me the rank of the chap on the left of the back row who has an additional badge on his right arm just above his stripes. Having mentioned the “Short History”, dated 27 October 1945 and running to around 5 pages, has this been posted? I know Recce Mitch has submitted the long history and I have a faded copy of the short version that I have transcribed if no one has seen it.
Some more 56 Recce photos. Firstly the 56 Recce cricket XI v 8th Argyles, Strassen, Austria, 1945 View attachment 48162 Unfortunately the following are not the best quality, the date is October 1945, a parade somewhere in Austria (Dolomites in the background). The date and place lead me to believe that this could be 56 Recce’s final parade prior to being disbanded. The parade. The inspection starts. The General inspecting. View attachment 48360 The General inspecting more of the men. The General chatting and saying farewell Recce. Divisional Commander taking salute, ADC standing behind him. Major Saunders, Capt Natt & RSM Paynter leading the Regiment. View attachment 48363 Tony
Hi, I have hopefully uploaded some photos on my public profile, maybe people might recognise some people, two have first names on the photos that I have included in the title. One is a Pat, the other a Rob. Iain
56 Recce-ERNEST ILLINGWORTH I've been meaning to post this query for a couple of months now ever since I put my dad's army records on this forum. In the book "The British Reconnaissance Corps in ww2" by Richard Doherty it states that 56 Recce were in Tunisia Nov 42 to May 43; Sicily July-Aug 43 and Italy Sept 43 to May 45. My dad's records say he was in North Africa 13/10/42 to 16/7/44 ! (1 yr+271 days); MEF (Sicily) 17/7/44 to 30/8/44 ! (45 days) and AAI (Italy) 31/8/44 to 14/1/46 ! (1 yr=137 days) . My question is- have they got the YEARS wrong for all 3 theatres of war? It's driving me nuts! If someone would look at the album on my profile and give me any advice I would be very grateful. Tony56 posted one of the same photos I did (on new photos 56 recce on 11/4/11-posting 10) and if his father's recollections are correct then it places my father in Sicily in 43 not North Africa! HELP !!! Lesley
Hi Lesley If it helps at all, what follows is what I call my "simple diary" which is basically month by month of my strange Army career. The dates are 100% right as they have all been checked against my own records which can be found on my personal page on this forum. Now it's over to you Ron’s simple WW2 Diary Oct ‘ 42Bury St.Edmunds, Called up on Thursday Oct 1st, aged 19, and posted to 53rd Primary Training Wing for 6 weeks basic training. Nov ’42Whitby, Yorkshire. Posted to 52nd Anti Aircraft Driver Training Regiment, R.A to be trained for 12 weeks as a Driver/Wireless Op. Feb ’43Haltwhistle, Northumberland. Posted to 112th L.A.A. Regiment. who were just starting a 2 week’s battle training course. Mar’43Hove, Sussex, Congleton, Cheshire. Bty guns protecting the Hove coastline. Then taken off strength of 112 Rgt and posted to Congleton where the overseas draft REAYK assembled. Posted to Woolwich and sent home for 7 days embarkation leave. Apr’43 Liverpool, Embarked on S.S.Frankonia, The troopship that took us to North Africa. Algiers. Posted to 49th Light Anti Aircraft Rgt, stationed at Tunis May ’43 War ends in North Africa May 13th. June ‘43Carthage, Guelma, Hammamet. Boarded ship for Sicily. July’ 43 Syracuse, Bronte, Adrano, Messina. Sep’43 By landing craft to Reggio di Calabria, then onto mainland Italy, Crotone, Bari, Foggia, Termoli. Dec ’43 Carovilla, Cantalupo, Agnone, Riccia, Campo Basso, Bagnolia. Jan' 44 New Years Day 1944 snowed in at mountain village of Carovilli. Feb ’44 Ortogna, Mignano, Cassino (Regiment responsible for smoke laying beneath the monastery), Caserta, Afragola, San Vittorio. Mar ’44 Two weeks in dock in Naples and not a wound to show for it Apr’ 44 Vanairo, Vanafro, Ceprano, Lake Trasimeno, Rome. Jun '44 Day leave in Rome Baschi, Tiber, Frosinino, Taranto. Pulled out of the line. 78th Div goes to Egypt to re-fit and re-form. S.S.Empires Pride The ship that took us to Egypt . Jul’ 44Alexandria,(Egypt), Cairo, Ishmalia, Amiryah. S.S.Homer Lee The American ship that took us back to Italy. Augusta, (Sicily) Assisi (Italy), Vasto,Termoli, Sangro, Pescara, Scarperia, Florence, Firenzuolo. Oct ’ 44Sienna, Tavernelle, Naples, Ancona. Nov '44 Firenzuola Dec’ 44 The 49th LAA Rgt. disbanded and I was posted to Royal Armoured Corp Training Depot for re-training as a tank Loader/Op. Mar’ 45 Posted to “A” Sqdrn 4th Queen’s Own Hussars as SSM “Busty Thomas’s Loader/Wireless Operator. Gubbio, Ravenna, Rocciano, Rimini. Apr’ 45Comacchio, Traversare, Ferrara, Lugo, Santerno, Reno. 2-4th April Operation “Roast”, Ray Jefford gets his MM May’ 45 War ends in Europe 8th May. Venice, Ferndorf,(Austria) (Set up a POW camp for SS Cavalry Division), Lienz, Spittal Paternion, Grafenstein, Trieben,Villach, Jul’ 45 Velden, Klagenfurt,Salsburg, Aug’45 Munich, Ulm in Germany. (One month running staging camp for troops going home on leave under LIAP. LILOP & PYTHON. Oct ’45 Peacekeeping between Italians & Yugoslavs, Trieste, October 1945 to January 1947 Nov’45 Udine, Milan, Brig, Calais, Folkestone,London, (First home leave since Apr’43) Folkestone, Calais, Milan, (Italy) Palmanova, Trieste, Jun’46 Milan, Calais, Folkestone, London, (My second home leave) Trieste, (Italy) Monfalcone. Victory Celebrations, 8th June 1946 Mar ’46 Became “A” Sqn Tech Storeman May ’46 28 Days home leave (LIAP) Oct’ 46 Now full Corporal in charge of “A” Squadron Tech Stores Milan, Dieppe, Dover London, Dover, Dieppe, Trieste (Regimental re-union with the Colonel , Winston Churchill in attendance) Dec'46 Monfalcone, Our first Post-War New Year's Eve Jan’47Milan, Calais, Dieppe, London, Barnard Castle(Worst winter for years) Mar ‘47 Received notification of impending release Apr ‘47 Released from RAC Depot, Barnard Castle, York and finally demobbed at York !. Home is now Manor Rd., London N16 Jul ’47 Transferred to Army Reserve Dates as per my Army Records: Joined up, Posted to 53rd Primary Training Wing 1st October 1942 Bury St. Edmunds Posted to 52nd Driver Training Rgt RA, Whiby 11th November 1942 Posted to 112 Lt AA Rgt.RA Hove 1st February 1943 Posted to 228 Signal Training Rgt RA, Congleton 11th March 1943 Embarked Draft REAYK (En route to North Africa0 10Th April 1943 Disembarked (Algiers) 21th April 1943 War ended in North Africa 13th May 1943 Posted to 49th LAA Rgt RA 22nd May 1943 Tunis Embarked Destination unknown 23rd July 1943 Sicily Transferred to 93rd Gen Hospital 17th March 1944 Naples Posted back to 49th LAA 30th March 1944 Transferred to RAC Training Depot 13th December 1944 Rieti Posted to “E” FDS x (4) 19th March 1945 Posted to 4th QOH 29Th March 1045 War ended in Italy 8th May 1945 Granted 28 days leave in UK 14/10/45 to 10/11/45 26th September 1945 Detrained Milan ex leave in UK 18th November, 1945 Mustered as Tech Storeman Class III 15th March, 1946 Appointed unpaid Actg Lance Cpl 15th March, 1946 Entrained Villach for leave UK 21st May, 1946 Granted 28 days leave LIAP 23rd May, 1946 Detrained Villach after UK leave 24th June, 1946 Mustered as Tech Storeman Class II 15th June, 1946 Promoted Unpaid Acting Corporal 20th July, 1946 Granted pay of L/Corporal 20th July, 1946 Entrained Villach for Regimental Duties (Churchill Dinner) 15th October, 1946 Granted WS rank of Corporal 18th October, 1946 Passed Driving Test Group I Vehicles 10th December, 1946 Entrained Villach for UK PYTHON 17thJanuary,1947 Arrived back in UK to be de-mobbed 18th January, 1947 Received Notification of Impending Release 19th March, 1947 Medically examined Pending Release 29th March, 1947 Released from RAC depot at Barnard Castle 11th April, 1947 Demobbed at York same day Home address: 105 Manor Rd., Stoke Newington, London 12th April, 1947 Transferred to the Army Reserves 22nd July, 1947 Taken off Strength as W/Bdr RA 22nd August 1953
Lesley- What Ron has forgotten to tell you is that your Father's regiment of 56th Recce - was the recce unit for the 78th Division - which landed in Algiers on 8th November 1942 - later to land in Sicily after the main landings on 10th july '43 - then on to Itay - around the 9th september '43 until they went off to Egypt around the August '44 returning to Italy in September '44 and staying there until the end when they went off to Austria - I will have to enlarge his records to see when he managed to move to BOAR as it is a bleary at that point - or my glasses need a cleaning job.... so there would appear to be some errors in both the records and that book ... Cheers
Lesley To continue the discussion we were having by PM I thought you might like to use these two links: The first link is to an earlier thread on this forum which, as you will read, includes a bit about my favourite 78 Div recce man Ronald Tee http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/recce/16433-56th-reconnaissance-corps.html The second link is direct to some more about Ron World War 2 Awards.com - TEE, Ronald A. Either way, you will soon get the message that 56 Recce was an illustrious unit and well worth reading about. Best regards Ron
Hi Ron Thanks had already read the whole thread!. I'm so proud of what my dad did and went through. Thanks for replying to my query. Lesley
