56th Reconnaissance Corps

Discussion in 'Recce' started by Recce_Mitch, Nov 30, 2008.

  1. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Casper post away anything to do with 56 Recce is most welcome.

    Cheers
    Paul
     
  2. chrisgrieve

    chrisgrieve Junior Member

    Hi again everyone,

    I have received the service records for my great great uncle Norman Greenhowe and thought i would update a couple points that we now know.

    If you have seen my previous post you will see that me knew he was in the 56th Recce and had died on the 23/9/43 and buried in Padua cemetery in Italy.

    Now it turns out he was captured in Tunisia and taken as a P.O.W to Italy.
    He was reported missing on the 26.02.43 then captured on the 28.02.43 and then later died as a P.O.W in Italy on the 23.09.43.
    But there is then an entry to show when the regiment were given the confirmation he was a P.O.W, this is shown as the 20.04.44 so they never knew he was captured and a P.O.W until a year after he had died.

    There are no details on how he died.

    I am now searching for the closest Prison of War camps to the cemetery he is buried in.

    That then opens another question, would he actually be buried in Padua or would it just be a named headstone?

    Thanks everyone for the help so far, it has been great and now i have a few more answers and also a few more questions to keep me searching.

    Does anyone have the war diaries for around the following dates? i would be greatful for any more so i can see what was taking place in Tunisia at the time of his capture.

    Dates of Interest.
    26.02.43
    28.02.43

    Thanks again.

    Chris.
     
  3. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Chris
    PM Sent

    Lesley
     
  4. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Chris-would you like to post the army records on here if you don't mind, I am sure others will be very interested.
    What a shame his unit didn't find out until a year after that he was a POW.

    Lesley
     
  5. chrisgrieve

    chrisgrieve Junior Member

    Yes i will try get them scanned now and post up a couple pages.

    Chris,
     
  6. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Sorry Chris-can't for some reason e-mail you with diary. :unsure: I am sure when Paul Mitchell comes along he will post them up for you. Please post everything you know as someone may be able to help you with POW camps.

    Lesley
     
  7. chrisgrieve

    chrisgrieve Junior Member

    Sorry Chris-can't for some reason e-mail you with diary. :unsure: I am sure when Paul Mitchell comes along he will post them up for you. Please post everything you know as someone may be able to help you with POW camps.

    Lesley

    Hi Lesley,

    Thats no problem at all, thanks anyway.

    Chris.
     
  8. chrisgrieve

    chrisgrieve Junior Member

    Here are a couple pages from the service records that i received, there are a couple other pages but they dont have much on them these are the main 2.

    So here is a series of events that i can gather so far.

    26.02.42 - Reported Missing
    28.02.43 - Date of capture in Tunisia
    23.09.43 - Died as POW in Italy
    20.04.44 - confirmed to regiment that he was a POW

    I have checked the Italian POW camps and have found one in Verona (buried in Padua) P.G 148

    "Near Verona. Labour camp for 250 prisoners, mostly New Zealanders, but also English, Scottish, Egyptians, South Africans, Americans, Indians. 14 satellite work camps at Isola della Scala, Lazise, Mozzecane, Vigasio at San Bernardino, Montecchia di Crosara in the Cava Basalti stone farm, Legnago/Vangadizza at Rosta, Zevio at Villa da Lisca, San Martino Buon Albergo, Bonavigo, Oppeano in the Mazzantica Village, Mozzecane near the church, Angiari. Closed following the mass outbreak of prisoners in the days after the Italian Armistice was announced on 8 September 1943.[9]"

    I dont know if there is any way to confirm if this would have been the camp he was at, if so then there seemed to be a lot of prisoners escape after the 8th of September but he then died on the 23rd.

    Here are the scans.

    [​IMG]
    NormanGreenhowe-1 by chrisgrieve, on Flickr

    [​IMG]
    NormanGreenhowe-2 by chrisgrieve, on Flickr


    Thanks

    Chris.
     
  9. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Hi Chris here are the diary pages for the dates you specified, hope they are helpful. I have included a day or so either side of the dates specified. Have also edited ROH from KIA to POW

    Dates of Interest.
    26.02.43
    28.02.43


    Cheers
    Paul
     

    Attached Files:

  10. chrisgrieve

    chrisgrieve Junior Member

    Thanks Paul, i will have a good read through them.

    regards

    Chris
     
  11. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Paul-Thank you very much for posting diaries.

    Chris-Thanks for the scans of his service record. What his family must have gone through not being told of his death for well over 2 years. Must have been awful for them.

    Lesley
     
  12. marty777

    marty777 Junior Member

    Name Albert John Crutch
    Rank: Acting Lance Serjeant
    Service No: 6093913
    Regiment: 56th Reconnaissance Regiment
    Theatre : North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia)
    Award: Military Medal
    London Gazette: 23 September 1943
    ReferenceWO 373/2

    This is my is my great uncle, does anyone have any idea where I can pull anymore information on him. I am trying to trace his history and his father who was given a distingushed medal in WW1

    Many Thanks

    Martyn
     
  13. jawan

    jawan Old Hand

    Any chance of a photograph? Have you seen the short history of 56 Recce or obtained his service record?
     
  14. Recce_Mitch

    Recce_Mitch Very Senior Member

    Martyn welcome to the forum. He is mentioned in these 3 publications

    Only the Enemy in Front – Richard Doherty
    This Band of Brothers – Jeremy Taylor
    The Regimental History of the 56th Recce Regt


    He is also mentioned in the 56 Recce War Diary

    6093913 Sgt Crutch A J (MM) “C” Sqn

    On the 19th November whilst on patrol to the North of the village of Djebel Abiod this NCO was ordered to approach a known enemy position to ascertain its strength.

    When within 800 yards of the enemy position he came under heavy machine gun fire. Whilst under fire he moved an enemy light tank which was disabled and was blocking the road by butting it out of the way with his carrier, and then continued his patrol towards the enemy position. On reaching a position some 400 yards from the enemy and having drawn fire from enemy A/Tank guns and tanks he covered the withdrawal of his patrol and then withdrew himself. If it had not been for the great coolness and determination displayed by Sgt Crutch, the required information regarding the enemy would not have been obtained.

    WD 29/10/43

    In the Field 22nd October 43

    51. CONGRATULATORY

    The Commanding Officer congratulates the under mentioned personnel on their awards.


    Capt W A L Michell MC “A” Sqn
    6093913 Sgt A J L Crutch MM “C” Sqn
    647 4239 Sgt L E Whatley MM “RHQ”
    2698717 L/Sgt A Buchanan MM “C” Sqn
    6469275 Tpr J Donovan MM “B” Sqn
    3445917 Tpr H H Howard MM “A” Sqn

    WD 22/10/43



    Cheers
    Paul
     
  15. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  16. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hello and welcome Martyn. My father was also in C Squadron- :D. Great to have another Recce on board. Would you like to post any photos you may have?

    Lesley
     
  17. Buteman

    Buteman 336/102 LAA Regiment (7 Lincolns), RA

    -
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2017
    4jonboy likes this.
  18. marty777

    marty777 Junior Member

    I will post some pics when I have been through all the information I have that has been handed down.

    I am so happy that I now know what happend for to him to recieve this medal as Albert only told family that he was "playing silly buggers"

    Martyn
     
  19. marty777

    marty777 Junior Member

    Here is Albert marked in this picture
     

    Attached Files:

  20. 4jonboy

    4jonboy Daughter of a 56 Recce

    Hi Martyn
    Cannot see where you have marked the photo. Is this your photo or one which was posted here by myself (check out my albums) and Tony56. I think Albert is front row, on the right. My father is second row seated, 2nd from right.

    This photo was taken of 56 Recce, 15 troop, C Sqn. Adrano, Sicily on 22/8/1943

    Lesley
     

Share This Page