Hello. I am an army veteran in search of information regarding my grandfather who served during WW2. I have managed to find a little info on the forces war records website and after looking at this site, im sure there will be more relating to him or his unit. His name is 4073609 war substantive Corporal J Prout. Originally KSLI, records show he was part of 5 Regt in Sicily. He is on casualty list no: 1213 and was declared missing on 16/08/1943. Date located was 10/09/1943. The date of the initial action was 08/07/1943. I also have a very clear photograph of him should anyone wish to see it. I have some, if not all of his medals which i am looking to getting lovingly restored so they can be displayed properly and worn by my children on Remembrance Sunday. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Fantastic site by the way.
Hello and welcome to the forum. I would edit your title to reflect that grandfather was 5th Reconnaissance Regiment (5th Recce) There are several members who are very knowledgeable on Recce Regiments and their actions. Please post your photograph Good luck with your research Guy
Jim-I would apply for his service records to find out exactly which units he was in. Well worth the 30 quid in my opinion. Here's what you should get from the MOD, these are my father's records from 56 Recce. http://ww2talk.com/index.php?media/albums/ernest-illingworth-army-records.70 Just to clarify about forces war records, there is a thread here which Adam started which is self-explanatory. WW2Talk Has Absolutely No Connection To 'Forces War Records'. Lesley
Do you know if im able to ask for his army record or does it have to be my dad. I believe that if he requests them, he will get more information than me as he is a direct relative.
Hi Jim welcome to the forum, great to have another Recce on board. 5th Reconnaissance Regiment [1941-1946] The Reconnaissance Regiment for the 5th Infantry Division from its formation to subsequent disbandment. 5th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in 1941 from 3rd Battalion The Tower Hamlets Rifles, The Rifle Brigade, which had been raised in 1940. Sailed for India in March 1942. The regiment served in Persia and Syria before joining the 8th Army for the invasion of Sicily in July 1943 where it experienced heavy fighting before deploying to Italy becoming the first unit of the Corps into Italy to serve with the 5th and 8th Armies, including Anzio. Left Italy in June 1944 and then came up from the south of France. Withdrawn to North West Europe for the final phases of the war. Taking part in the last drive into Germany after the Rhine crossing. 5th Recce maintained rifles' distinctions, such as black buttons. February 1941: Formed from 3rd Battalion Tower Hamlet Rifles (London Rifle Brigade). 3rd February 1941 – Renamed 5th Reconnaissance Battalion 6th June 1942 – Renamed 5th Reconnaissance Regiment 1st January 1944 – Renamed 5th Reconnaissance Regiment RAC 31st August 1945: Disbanded Commanding Officers Lt-CoI. N. R. Blockley, O.B.E., [Rifle Brigade] Lt-CoI. M. F. Douglas-Pennant, D.S.O., M.B.E. [King's Royal Rifle Corps] LOCATIONS SERVED United Kingdom: 1.2.41 - 16.3.42 At Sea: 17.3.42 - 20.5.42 HMT Almanzora. India: 21.5.42 - 20.8.42 At Sea: 20.8.42 - 28.8.42 HMT Rohna Iraq: 28.8.42 - 28.9.42 Persia: 28.9.42 - 31.1.43 Syria: 13.2.42 - 11.6.43 (1) Egypt: 13.6.43 - 28.6.43 (2) At Sea: 29.6.43 - 10.7.43 Sicily: 10.7.43 - 3.9.43 Italy: 3.9.43 - 3.7.44 At Sea: 3.7.44 - 9.7.44 Egypt: 9.7.44 - 13.7.44 Palestine: 14.7.44 - 8.2.45 At Sea: 9.2.45 - 15.2.45 Italy: 15.2.45 - 27.2.45 At Sea: 27.2.45 - 2.3.45 NW Europe: 2.3.45 - 31.8.45 (1) In transit from Persia 1.2.43 - 12.2.43 (2) In transit 11.6.43 - 13.6.43 BATTLES & ENGAGEMENTS 1943 9 July - 12 July: Landing in Sicily 19 November - 3 December: The Sangro 1944 17 January - 31 January: Garigliano Crossing 22 January - 22 May: Anzio 22 May - 4 June: Rome Further Reading Wheeled odyssey : the story of the Fifth Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps A.R. Prince (ed.) 68 p. If you PM me your email I can send you a digital copy of the above book. Cheers Paul
This information ties in with records that state he was injured in Sicily in August 1943. Ill p.m u my email. Thanks Jim
Jim, the recommendation is that email addresses should NOT be posted, perhaps you should edit it out. When Paul said 'PM your email' this was old terminology - go to your profile page and start a 'conversation' with him. Anyway, having said that, welcome. If you haven't yet come across then the Reconnaissance Journals may be of interest: Reconnaissance Journal Good luck
Jim. You should come out to Italy in the battlefield study that I am running 4-7 May 17. It is looking at the lower Garigliano and then moving up to Anzio. 5 Recce Regt and the whole of 5 BR Inf Div were on the lower Garigliano for the 17 Jan 44 assault across the river on to the ridges beyond. Given the width of the river and size of the ridges beyond, the achievement was quite something. Anzio then started on 22 Jan 44 and went pear shaped so 5 BR Inf Div was withdrawn from the Garigliano and pushed into Anzio where it ended up in the wadis - pretty grim too. Regards Frank
Hi there Been doing my family history and found out I lost more relatives than I care to see, but one served in the 5th and died in Anzio. Cpl John Connor 37860 Recce Corps 3rd Batt Tower Hamletts Rifles. KIA 19th May 1944 Pointers on anything or pdf on history would be great if anyone can help. Thanks in advance Rich
Welcome Richard Casualty Casualty list No. 1463 Dated 3 June 1944 Italy, Killed in action 37860 CONNOR Cpl J - 5 Regt Recce Corps - Date of casualty 19.5.1944 Your best way forward to get the complete picture of his time is to get his service records: Get a copy of military service records You will find some information in the Reconnaissance Journals: Reconnaissance Journal Good luck
UK, Army Roll of Honour, 1939-1945 Name: John Connor Given Initials: J Rank: Corporal Death Date: 19 May 1944 Number: 37860 Residence: Southport Regiment at Enlistment: Border Regiment Branch at Enlistment: Royal Armoured Corps Theatre of War: Italy Regiment at Death: Tower Hamlets Rifles (Recce) RAC Branch at Death: Royal Armoured Corps TD Was his middle name Albert - and was he born in 1910 ??
Richard. I am out in Anzio in Mar 19 guiding a military group. If you would like a photo of Cpl Connor's headstone, please say and I will get you one. I am running a study for civilians on 13-16 Jun 19 to Anzio if you would like to see exactly what he endured. He was killed just before the breakout started on 23 May 44. Regards Frank
Thank you so much, ive just received an email from Glasgow apologising for the delay in copying his records for me as theres bit of a backlog. Im intrigued as to where he was when he went missing.
Hi Jim, my Grandad Eric William Trigg was also in the 5th Recce and part of the Sicily Campaign as well as Italy Monte Cassino. Our Grandad Father's more than likely fought along side with one another. Eric fortunately saw out the end of the war in Germany, fighting alongside the Americans until peace was declared. He never spoke of his service during WW2 and none would he ever show me his medals when I was a kid. On his passing he left them all to me, a remarkable individual who's legacy I will continue to pass down to my future family generations.
My late father served in the Fifth Recce so thank you for setting out the chronology straight. I always wanted to know what he did in the war but he wasn’t that forthcoming. It was that generation. He was 83 when he died but last night I dug into a package of stuff that I’ve been avoiding since I lost my mum aged 99. I found his discharge papers and photos which he sent home to my mum and my sister (I was born post war) and which I hadn’t seen for years. There he is in British Mandate Palestine, in India wearing a pith helmet, and only a few days after Hitler’s suicide, in NW Germany in three separate photos with different backgrounds displaying Nazi flags. I don’t know if it’s the same flag but on the back of one he’s written that it was one surrendered to them by a German U-boat crew. One very clearly shows how their smiles mask exhaustion. There might be other people’s family in those pictures so I’m happy to share. I also have a scant number of anecdotes and a small selection of personal memorabilia. I’m Jewish and daddy had kept a relatively recent news clipping about the sinking of the Cap Arcona a German prison ship full of captives from a concentration camp which was bombed and sunk by the allies. History relates that the Nazis had deliberately put in the allied line of fire because towards the end because they didn’t want any witnesses to their atrocities. All lifeboats had been removed by the Nazis and survivors were killed as they tried to reach land. The article gives an eye witness quote from someone with the 5th Recce so I must presume daddy had kept it because he too saw it. Historians concentrate on commanders and battles but I’m a fortunate British Jew because of all those boys who fought so bravely for so many years and saved my forebears from being murdered.