Photo of the staff of the Reconnaissance Training Centre at Catterick with General Sir Bernard Charles Tolver Paget GCB, DSO, MC (front row centre). To his right is Col. Whitbread. Also Maj. Archie Hills (ex 51 Recce) 2nd row, 2nd from left. Lt. Frankie Howells (ex 56 Recce) 3rd row, 6th from right. Lt Alan Blacker (ex 51 Recce) back row, extreme right. Photo taken c1943/4. (Original was very slightly out of focus.) Tom.
Wouldn't mind betting that those with blanco'd lapels are North Africa vets.!! Archie Hills and Alan Blacker certainly were. Tom.
5th Camerons were ordered to stop whitening their lapels, but the 'old hands' continued to do it until demob in 1946. Have several photos on my website with them glaringly obvious.!!!
Tom, Many thanks for the picture. I will print it off and put it with my fathers record. he was there training in 1943. Regards Tom
Have found a copy of the same photo in "The Reconnaissance Journal", this time with names - and yes I will be scanning the journal. Have already tried but couldn't get it to upload.
My late father is in that photo, too. He's 5th from the left in the second row - Captain Geoffrey Ford MC. Sadly he was very reticent about talking about his war service, even discussing how he came to be awarded the MC (22nd/23rd May 1940), so I am having great difficulty in tracing his career. I knew he was in the Recce (I have several items of his bearing the badge) and served at Catterick under Col Whitbread so it was great to find this photo.
Welcome Sarah, glad that you found a photo of your father. Is this him? Page 7198 | Supplement 35020, 20 December 1940 | London Gazette | The Gazette
Hi Tony. Yes it is! Would be great to learn more about their time at Catterick and what he did - apart from play sport