I have two photos of my uncle Levi Rossiter. From the collar and cap badges I think he was with the Loyal (North Lancashire) Regiment. The second photo he is in Burma which, after lots of reading, I understand that the 6th Btn became 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment. Later it became the 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment RAC. I hope I am right. I have been reading the 2nd Recce War Diaries posted by Recce Mitch for which I thank him. If I am right does anyone have any info on the Nominal Rolls for OR's for the 2nd Recce. Sadly his daughter has no interest in finding out more. I live in South Africa so it is impossible to visit Kew or the museum. I know that there are a couple of books that members have recommended such as This Band of Brothers and Only the Enemy in Front but exchange rates and customs duties make this very expensive. I am also not in a position to apply for his service documents. Any help will be appreciated.
Hi Diane, Thanks for posting photos of your uncle & glad you have found diaries to be of use to you. If you PM me your email I can send you a digital copy of BoB. Cheers Paul
Hallo Diane, great to see another relative of a 2/Recce member interested in their history! Did you know 2/Recce kept Gandhi under house arrest in 194(1? 2?) ;P Recce Mitch - I'm having continual thick fnger errors when I search for the 2/Recce WD, as mentioned by DianeE. Do you happen to have a direct link? Can't thank you enough for ripping and uploading the WD!!
Also, DianeE, I often wondered about the Loyals conversion to Recce. My grandad was from Poplar, east London, and a dispatch rider, so I have no real idea how he ended up in the Loyals (but I think motorcycles may have played a large part, or else it's jazz piano... I'd rather stick with the motorbikes!) When you read the history books, it is often mentioned about the initial tests for a conversion candidates suitability for Recce = Quick-Fire Maths equations, etc... After intitial evaluation they ended up being sent to the Commando School in Scotland to learn their particular field-craft.... I wonder how many Loyals failed the initial testing and ended up as Infantry elsewhere Did your Uncle Levi have a particular mathematics skill or similar? Maths seems to have been the entry level requirement of Recce
Hi. I had no idea about Gandhi. My uncle was from Fleetwood Lancashire (born in 1917)and probably left school at 14 years old and worked as a nursery gardner. (I think his employer was Blackpool Corporation as it was then.) After the war he worked for the I.C.I. I am not sure about motorcyles but I do remember him having a motorised bicycle! He was a quiet man. I don't remember him talking about the war. Though after the war he did have bouts of malaria. Why the Loyals I have no idea. 3 of his brothers were in the Royal Artillery and the 4th in the East Lancashire Regiment Diane
Hi just an update. I now have my uncles service records. He was with "C" Company.For some reason this company became an Independant Company from Dec 41 to March 42 when it rejoined 2 Recce. Does anyone know what they were doing during this period? It was during this time that he received additional pay as a cook. Thanks again Paul for posting the War Diaries. My uncle was with the regiment from the beginning until Nov 1945. I can upload the records if anyone wants to read them Cheers Diane
Hi Paul Attached are the Service and Casualty forms etc. I hope somebody will find them interesting. There are other pages but I think these are the most interesting. Cheers Diane
Hi Hope this is better. If its ok I will upload the other pages. Can't seem to get it resized bigger. Diane
This is Andrew Tinsley and Levi was my grandfather. I live in the USA now but grew up in fleetwood, England. These documents are great and I am very excited to look through them!
Hi Andrew, I am your Mum's cousin and have your Grandfather's (Arthur Peake) records from WW1 and WW11. My Dad was your Grandfather's brother Leslie. I am trying to put details together to give to your Mum but have been busy with other things. I have sent you a private message. Your Grandad and his brothers Leslie,Harry,William and Harold served in WW11. I moved to Cape Town in 1970 and I don't think we met during our subsequent visits to Fleetwood.