56th Reconnaissance Corps

If you were not aware he was enlisted into the Gordon Highlanders
http://www.corpsofmilitarypolice.org/tools/armynumber?query=2886222

 

Ah, based on the Humber Heavy chassis - better than the Beaverette on a Vanguard chassis!!

Great to hear the memory of 56 Recce, and its men, is still well served. I've chanced upon the odd story of the "Light Horse" through its use of the M8 in Italy.

I'll go back through the 56 Archive, and pull something together. When I get a piece ready I'll post on here of course. Not sure what there is in pictures, but I'll get my wife to speak to her Scottish relatives.

Many thanks

Mark

 

Norman's service records, when you receive them, will confirm when he was transferred to 56 Recce, but he does get a mention in the diaries in May 42. These indicate, that at that time he was B squadron.
56th Recce War Diary May 1942 | WW2Talk

P1980926 Dentist
P1980948 Dentist
P1980955 Inoculation
P1980956 15 cwt truck passed out
P1980959 Carrier course
P1980965 Students course
May well be others.

B Sqn landed at Algiers in the second convoy, KMS2, on 13 November 42, C Sqn having landed in the assault convoy, KMF1, five days earlier.

 

Tony,

Poor teeth appears to be a family trait!!
Seems to have been quite versatile with vehicles - carriers have been a pain for me, my legs are too long to go under the dash!! This is great detail - more so than on my family's service records - which are quite basic

Aye
M

 

Welcome to the forum. Great to have another 56 Recce on board. Headstone photo attached.

Cheers
Paul

 

Paul,

Very many thanks - not sure (especially in today's trying circumstances) when we'd get the opportunity to get to Padua. My wife will be delighted. I'm now trying to track down any Greenhowe family photo collections which might feature Uncle Norman. Checked the Gordon's reference that Tony mentioned. The family lived almost within sight of the RHQ in Bridge of Don and the Great War Greenhowe casualty is a further 'uncle' .

KR

Mark

 

hello Mark, i am a 56 Recce descendent. My father Frank De Angeli was in the Pioneer Corps first (long story), trained with Recce Corps at Catterick and on vehicles in Birmigham. He was sent to Italy in Nov 1944, did some training at Rietri over the winter, and then joined up with the 56 Recce for the last phase of the Italian campaign with the 78th "Battleaxe" division ( 38th Brigade) the Gothic Line, River Senio, argenta gap, and into Austria. His Recce leader was John K. Edwards who was recognized with an MC. in late summer 1945 my father was transferred to the 12 Royal Lancers and that is the picture i use. with the 12th Royal Lancers he served in Palestine. I don't have a photo of him in the Recce. he joined after the initial training and is not in the group photos I have seen posted by other Recce children on this site. My uncle Frederico Francisco De Angeli parachuted in on D Day to I think it was Ranville and was wounded in the battle for Pegasus Bridge.

comparatively I am a new member! I can tell you that it took a LONG time to get my father's records. I think about 3-4 months something like that. and that is with following up couple times. Good luck!

 

Hi there,

I think that the Service Records are the next steps for researching my wife's uncle, a marathon not a sprint by the sound of it. Her parents met when her father passed out of the ATS Arborfield and entered adult service in 1945 - he was posted to Aberdeen, hence the Scots connection. Unfortunately (and obviously) her uncle Norman and and father never met.

I've not heard back from my wife's relatives with regard to any photos of Uncle Norman - perhaps there may be something of interest there.

I'll check with my contacts at Duxford (when they're back in the Archive with regard to you uncle and direct you to the appropriate Airborne thread when I hear back

Aye

Mark

 

Looking at the that service number it is only 136 different from my Grandfather who also transferred over from the Gordon Highlanders (Trooper 2886086), having joined the Highlanders in 1940. He was in the RHQ. I will upload a couple of group photos again

 

And a couple more reuploaded with groups of people and some hardware (including horses!)

 

the trio are adorable.

 

question. Ronald Tee's book includes a photo of "56th Recce Humber LRC (ARC) Entering Argenta 17 April 1945 (Photo courtesy of Robert Cull)". was Robert Cull a soldier or a journalist? I cannot find any more about him. I was wondering if there were any other photos from this period.

 

Afraid I can't answer that but it was taken by Sgt Wooldridge of the No. 2 Army Film and Photo Section.
THE BRITISH ARMY IN ITALY 1945

The IWM site has quite a few 56 Recce images, this linkmay get you going:
Search our collection | Imperial War Museums

 

thank you Tony! and thanks for the link. the Argenta one is the only one from the Gothic line/1945.

 

here are some silhouettes of the Recce (and other) vehicles. http://www.museumsyndicate.com/images/5/42116.jpg

 

That photo was titled on the back 'The Three Wee Haufs" and must be post October 42 as my Grandfather on the left has his medal ribbon with the MM from Termoli. He must have been 24 photo dated 12 July 1944 (Rome), at the opposite end 'Pat' don't know the surname, I presume in RHQ (someone might know) then maybe 'Bob' attached photos with Field Service hat 'Wishing you the best of luck Bob').

 

Also I'm wondering if this snap is one of Kendal Chavasse:



And a couple from Monte Cassino

 

The two of the monastery at Cassino are terrific - the first taken where what is now the car park and the second taken from Point 593.

Frank

 

extraordinary photos of Cassino. Glad you have these along with those of your grandfather. all very special.

 

I'm presuming this was close by as well: