WO 171/491 43 Recce.Regt. 1944 Jan.- Aug. WO 171/492 43 Recce.Regt. 1944 Sept.- Dec. WO 171/4215 43 Recce.Regt. 1945 Jan.- June WO 171/4216 43 Recce.Regt. 1945 July - Dec. Information copied and typed from the original 43rd Reconnaissance War Diary by Lawrence Pooley (Living History Group)
Nice to see some hard work appreciated! Yes, it is appreciated very much. I have a good friend who was with the 43rd Wessex and was on deck at Sword Beach and witnessed the Next ship to them explode killing many Recce that had to be replaced quickly. A very short workmanlike report in the Diary of the acoustic mine exploding. My friend has never forgotten the experience. Regards Tom
thanks for this i found it very interesting.As i have said before my dad put on a photo to my mum that he "got his feet wet" again a short and workman note to a very traumatic event. keith
Transcribed from the war diary of 43 Recce Regt by Paul Mitchell. “October 26th 1944 Civilian report of 10 Enemy crossed river at night. 8 Troop sent out but no contact. A Squadron Patrol (15 men) to fort (Map Ref QE359584). Ambushed east of fort. 9 missing and 2 wounded. Remainder return.” Location of Fort St. Andries:- Here are photos of the memorial to 4 men of 43 Recce at Fort St. Andries near Dreumel in the Netherlands, who were killed/died of wounds where the above incident took place. I visited there on Monday 6th May 2013. A photo of a bunker at Fort St. Andries. My guides for the afternoon. Jan Pomper - Driver, Joop Lamers and Jan Zondag (otherwise known as Billy Sunday) of Stichting Historie Wamel. My thanks to them for spending time with me. Fort St Andries in the background. Nothing much left there to look at. Details of the men who died:- Name: HADWIN, JOHN RAYMOND Rank: Trooper Service No: 14569438 Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Age: 19 Regiment/Service: Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Unit: 43rd (2/5th Bn. The Gloucester Regt.) Regt. Panel Reference: Panel 1. Memorial: GROESBEEK MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Francis William and Emma Hadwin, of Sheffield. (Photo from Flikr) Name: STOPHER, REGINALD WILLIAM Rank: Trooper Service No: 14643078 Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Age: 19 Regiment/Service: Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Unit: 43rd (2/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.) Regt. Panel Reference: Panel 1. Memorial: GROESBEEK MEMORIAL Additional Information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Stopher, of Stoke, Suffolk. (Photo from Flikr) Name: WALKER, JOHN WILLIAM Rank: Trooper Service No: 14332699 Date of Death: 26/10/1944 Age: 22 Regiment/Service: Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Unit: 43rd (2/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.) Regt. Grave Reference: 27. B. 11. Cemetery: BERGEN-OP-ZOOM WAR CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Ernest and Ellen Walker, of Desborough, Northamptonshire. Name: MERRITT, ROWLAND Rank: Trooper Service No: 4395397 Date of Death: 29/10/1944 Age: 29 Regiment/Service: Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. Unit: 43rd (2/5th Bn. Gloucestershire Regt.) Regt. Grave Reference: Plot 12D. Row 2. Grave 20. Cemetery: UTRECHT (SOESTBERGEN) GENERAL CEMETERY Additional Information: Son of Fred and Ethel Merritt; husband of Florence Edith Merritt, of Fulwell, Co. Durham.
Robert thanks for posting. Here is the other man. A link to a Dutch site, ABLE FOUR HAS CASUALTIES: http://www.tremele.nl/english/regiments/43rd%20Recce%20Regt/Able%20Four%20has%20casualties.htm Trooper ROWLAND MERRITT 4395397 'A' Sqn Who died age 29 on 29 October 1944 DOW POW ambushed at Fort St. Andries Son of Fred and Ethel Merritt; husband of Florence Edith Merritt, of Fulwell, Co. Durham. UTRECHT (SOESTBERGEN) GENERAL CEMETERY Plot 12D. Row 2. Grave 20. Cheers Paul
I live a couple of Km from that place! We were 04-05-2013 at the monument for the Wardead commemoration day. My brother laid in the name of Ray Surrey flowers at the monument.....
when i get some time i will post some pics from when i was over looking for my grandad. unfortunately most of the 43rd are on the memorial wall
Help wanted, maybe it is a bit of a long shot but worth trying. I am investigating the crash of an USAAF C-47 on September 18, 1944 near the village of Opheusden, Netherlands. Two of the American crew of four survived the crash and 1 of the 17 Para's from 12 Platoon, B-Coy, 10 Para died. The survivors were hidden by the Dutch Resistance and during the night of September 21/22 15 para's crossed the river Waal, with help of the Resistance, to the village of Beneden-Leeuwen. Around 06.00hrs in the early morning of September 22 mr Bernhard de Lorijn from Beneden-Leeuwen took his car to bring Sergeant Spring (stick commander of 12 Platoon) with one of the Resistance members to the Allied HQ in Wijchen or Nijmegen (so far I don't know which HQ this was) Soon after they spoke to some Officers, three scout cars and trucks were send to Beneden-Leeuwen to pick up the remaining Para's and the two other Resistance members. I would like to know if the scout cars were part of the 43 Recce. Regt. Another part of this amazing escape story dates from Saturday September 23 when 3 Humber Scout cars entered the village of Opheusden. They crossed the Waal bridge at Nijmegen at through the village of Zetten they drove to Opheusden. There is a very interesting account of Ron Leach; 43 Wessex Recce Regiment. They entered Opheusden and some civilians told them there is a wounded American pilot in one of the houses. Within an hour an ambulance appeared from Nijmegen and took Lt. Ed Fulmer to a hospital in Nijmegen. (Ed Fulmer is 97 and still alive. ) If there is any information about these two actions in Opheusden, which was a 43 Recce Operation for sure and in Beneden-Leeuwen, which was possibly a 43 Recce Operation, but looking for evidence. Any small piece which will add to this story is most welcome and appreciated.
