53rd Reconnaissance Regiment

Discussion in 'Recce' started by dave3164, Dec 7, 2009.

  1. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    I would like to start a thread (as I can't find an existing one) on my late grandfathers regiment the 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment.

    I am currently doing some research on the Regiment, I have a transcribed copy of the Regimental war diary from January 1941 until February 1945 which I am reading through. I have also read a good reference book published by Osprey Publishing and have recently started reading 'Only the enemy in front', so will report back in due course.

    I have also managed to get a photocopied page from the Regimental History, Welsh Spearhead by Philip M Cowburn, which lists the honours and awards given to members of this regiment. My grandfather is listed as having recieved the Commander in Chiefs Certificate for Good Service. Could anyone give me an idea as to what sort of thing this would have been awarded for? I have also attached a photo of my grandfather which I think would have been taken between January and April 1944.

    Ideally I would like to find any surviving members of this regiment, but do understand that this is increasingly becoming more unlikely!!

    If anyone has information regarding this regiment or would like some information from me, just add to the thread.
     

    Attached Files:

    mark abbott likes this.
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Welcome to the forum, that's a lovely photo.
    I'm sure our veteran member sapper was meant to have been awarded a Commander in Chiefs Certificate for Good Service.
     
  3. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Dave and welcome to the forum. Great picture !

    Regards
    Andy
     
  4. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

  5. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Thanks for linking me to that Paul. I will cross reference them against the war diary if you don't mind!!
     
  6. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Dave,

    Hello and welcome to the forum.
    One or two now on this forum with Recce connections.

    You have started by reading two good books.

    Read the small Osprey book first as a starter as it is packed with information and will help when you read "Only the Enemy in front" which is another great book.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  7. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    List of Honours and Awards 53rd Reconnaissance (as published up to February 1946)

    Distinguised Service Order
    Lt. Col L. Williams
    Major Sir H.J D'Avigdor Goldsmid Bart
    Major A.S.D Graesser

    Order of the British Empire
    Lt. Col L. Williams

    Member of the British Empire
    Capt J. Cooper
    Capt W.F. Goodyear
    Capt R.W. Clarke RAMC
    Major J.H.P. Upton
    RSM W.H. Pentland

    Military Cross
    Major A.S.D Graesser
    Major Sir H.J D'Avigdor Goldsmid Bart
    Lieut P.J. Nolan
    Major J.E. Reynolds
    Major R.T. Williams
    Lieut D. Addison
    Capt H.R.S Pain
    Lieut J.A. Chapelhow
    Capt D. Crowle-Ellis

    Distinguished Conduct Medal
    Sgt C.B. Boyce

    Military Medal
    L/Cpl C.H. Mercer
    Cpl J. Hills
    Sgt A. Edwards
    Sgt D. Boxshall
    Sgt K.G. Carbutt
    Cpl J. Wells
    L/Cpl J. Ayers
    Tpr P.H. Bennett
    Sgt L.H. Whitehouse
    Sgt G. Gardner

    Mention in Dispatches
    Major Sir H.J D'Avigdor Goldsmid Bart
    Major R.T. Williams
    Lieut F.J. Long
    Lieut P.J. Nolan
    Capt K. McDonell
    SSM A. Tranter
    Sgt W.D. Mallett ACC
    Sgt G. Pritchard
    Sgt F. Swift
    Tpr H. Cowan
    Sgt K.G. Carbutt

    Commander in Chief's Certificates
    For Gallantry
    SSM F.W. Stratford
    Sgt A. Carr
    Cpl N. Hodges
    SSM A. Tranter
    For Good Service
    Lieut A.I. Chapman
    RSM W.H. Pentland
    RQMS J.H. Cross
    ORQMS C.J. Marsh
    MQMS J. Danks
    SQMS C.G. Jones
    SQMS K. Philpott
    Mech/Sgt G.E. Davies
    Sgt L. Vallender
    Sgt C. Hurst
    Sgt C.B. Boyce
    Sgt J.E. Woolley
    Sgt J. Mote
    Cpl J.M. Suttie REME
    Cpl A.V. Fulcher
    Tpr J.S. Jolly
    Tpr E. Widdecombe
    Tpr H. Adams
    Tpr I.W. Jones

    French Croix de Guerre
    With Silver Star
    Capt K. McDonell
    With Bronze Star
    Sgt A. Edwards

    Chevalier of the Order of King Leopold II with Palm
    Capt J.H. Pitts

    Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm
    Capt J.H. Pitts
    SSM F.W. Stratford
     
  8. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Immediate.

    On 27th April 1945 A Troop of 'C' Squadron had received orders to seize the bridge at Kluversborstel 0005 (Germany). This troop was supported by a section of Anti-Tank guns commanded by Sergeant Boyce. On arriving at a bend in the road about 800 yards from the bridge, at a point where the road turned to run parallel with the river, the leading car came under observed mortar and Spandau fire from a position on a rise on the far side of the river. The armoured cars deployed to their right and returned the enemy fire. Sergeant Boyce also deployed the leading gun and, still under heavy fire from the opposite bank of the river, gave the crew orders for action. When this gun was engaging the enemy position with HE, Sergeant Boyce returned to his second gun and found that the Number One and the Loader had both been badly wounded in the legs and were unable to get their gun into action. He hastily made a reconnaissance for a suitable position and , replacing the wounded men with others from his headquarters detachment, got the gun into action. The flat and open ground to the right of the road was the only place where the guns could be got into action quickley. This ment the whole operation would have to be carried out for some distance in full view of the enemy. The whole area was consequently subjected to constant mortar and machine gun fire from the enemy position on the opposite bank. When satisfied that his guns were effectively engaging the enemy , Sergeant Boyce in full view of the enemy ran to the wounded men and after applying field dressings placed one of the men, whom he realised had a broken leg, on a gate which he found nearby and dragged him back a distance of 300 yards. He then returned to the second man and as he also had a fractured leg placed him on the gate and dragged him back to safety.

    Sergeant Boyce's actions undoubtedly saved the lives of his two men, while he effectively maintained his section of guns in action against the enemy. This contributed largely towards the success of the Troop operation in which the bridge was captured and held.

    Gazetted 2.8.45

    For Distinguished Conduct in the Field 1939-1992

    I'll do the DSO's for you when the book arrives this week ;)
     
  9. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Thanks Andy which book will these be catalogued in?

    Over the next few evenings I am hoping to get some other info on this thread as I would like to uphold the history of the 53rd ;-)

    I have spent about the last few months trying to find the Welsh Spearhead book to purchase nearly had the thing on ebay last month but got outbid in the last few seconds!! I was devastated
     
  10. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Welcome to the forum, that's a lovely photo.
    I'm sure our veteran member sapper was meant to have been awarded a Commander in Chiefs Certificate for Good Service.

    Can anyone tell me who this is, would love to hear from someone who is in the know
     
  11. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  12. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Dave, When you have crosslinked can you let me know if there are any I missed, also if you have any details about their deaths please send them to me so I can update my records. I also know about being pipped at the post on EBay. I tried for This Band of Brothers but was outbid in the last 20secs.

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  13. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Paul, I have copy and pasted the roll of honour into word and will spend the next couple of days looking at it, I will send it back to you when it's done.

    Dave
     
  14. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    List of Commaning Officers 53rd Reconnaissance

    Lt.Col. Tarleton M.C., (The Border Regt) from 1.1.41 to 22.1.41
    Lt.Col. G.M.F. Prynne from 22.1.41 to 25.12.41
    Lt.Col. L. Williams, DSO from 26.12.41 to ???
     
  15. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    I have just found this photo, bit of a shock really because we thought all other photos of my grandad had been destroyed. He is on the back row second from the right.

    It appears, looking at various clues on the photo itself to be a Sgt's mess photo, I would suspect the members of the Sgt's mess with the Sqn he was with at the time?? The gentleman in the centre is a WO2, the gentleman next to him with the dog a S/Sgt. All other appear to be displaying Sgt chevrons. Interestingly the gentleman on the middle row on the right has chevrons on his lower right arm. From my time serving in the mid nineties this type of chevrons were worn by the bugle major in my regiment, could this mean a drum major in the Reconnaissance????

    From his service records the picture was taken post war between 20.4.1946 and his release on 30.10.46.
     

    Attached Files:

  16. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Another great picture mate...Even the dog looks a hard bastid ! :D
     
  17. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

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    These are a copy of my Grandfathers service records, would someone mind just having a quick look over them and make any necessary comment?

    Does anyone know, if my grandfather enlisted on the 8/1/1942 in Lichfield where would his training have taken place?

    Many thanks
     
  18. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    The reconnaissance Corps were formed in January 1941 at Winchester, before being moved to lockerbie, Scotland in May that year.

    In August 1943 it was moved to catterick.

    Looks like the training was carried out in Scotland.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  19. Swiper

    Swiper Resident Sospan

    I'll try and get the War Diary transcribed by Saturday... I'll put any relevant chunks about your grandfather in this thread and the unabridged version in the main Unit Documents area.
     
  20. dave3164

    dave3164 @davidcarter1978

    Thanks swiper, I already have the war diary for the 53rd Recce but i'm just trying to fill in a few gaps that are left. My grandfather isn't mentioned in the war diary although he is mentioned in the regimental history as a recipient of the CinC certificate for good service.

    Just as a side note for those interested I have spoken to one of the archivists at the Tank Museum in Bovington today, she told me that a few years ago a large photo album (approx 40 pages) was donated to them in it is a collection of 53rd Recce photos. They hold very little relating to the regiment other than this. I am hoping to get down there after xmas.
     

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