The Regimental History of the 56th Recce Regt.

Clodagh Lennon · Mar 6, 2022

Thank you so much for posting this article. A cousin 2 x removed was in 2 Para Sqdn - RE. George Treacy was injured along with Thomas Crawford McCaughie near Foggia. See attached files. I have been trying to find information on this for a long time.

Regards,

Clodagh Lennon

Recce_Mitch said: ↑

Italy

After the seaside rest we moved into Messina and once more made our acquaintance with the LST's for the short trip across the Straits of Messina and we landed on the 9th September a few days after the original landings.

"B" Sqdn. had the job of leading along the road from Reggio Calabria in a N.E. direction towards Crotone and then on to Taranto followed by Bari and Barletta, by this time the force then called "A" force, was expanded by the addition of the Royals, 3rd County of London Yeo, Kensingtons, 17th Field Regt, 64th Anti-Tank, 237 Field Coy. Two Para Sqdn. RE's together with the Airborne Recce Sqdn. (later to be involved in the Arnhem episode) and the whole force was able to push ahead against some resistance in the general direction of Foggia with its airfields.

Within hours of arriving at Foggia a lorry containing a party of Germans arrived during the hours of darkness and were all promptly taken prisoner.

The next morning two troops of "C" Sqdn. continued to advance and a troop under command of Lt. Croucher plus 2 Para Engineers took the inland route whilst another troop kept to the coastal route. Lt. Croucher's troop travelled in a semi-circle and whilst in a small town square being mobbed by the locals a shout went up "Tedeschi". It turned out to be a Motor-cycle combination manned by three Germans and after a burst of fire from the Troop one was captured and the remaining two managed to evade capture by running into the trees. The RE's said of this episode, their first patrol, "Sod this lark out here all on our own". These RE's had done some excellent mine clearing work that day and Bill Croucher said that "this being our first long patrol without any support or radio contact did not impress anyone on that patrol!"
Click to expand...

Recce_Mitch said: ↑

Italy

After the seaside rest we moved into Messina and once more made our acquaintance with the LST's for the short trip across the Straits of Messina and we landed on the 9th September a few days after the original landings.

"B" Sqdn. had the job of leading along the road from Reggio Calabria in a N.E. direction towards Crotone and then on to Taranto followed by Bari and Barletta, by this time the force then called "A" force, was expanded by the addition of the Royals, 3rd County of London Yeo, Kensingtons, 17th Field Regt, 64th Anti-Tank, 237 Field Coy. Two Para Sqdn. RE's together with the Airborne Recce Sqdn. (later to be involved in the Arnhem episode) and the whole force was able to push ahead against some resistance in the general direction of Foggia with its airfields.

Within hours of arriving at Foggia a lorry containing a party of Germans arrived during the hours of darkness and were all promptly taken prisoner.

The next morning two troops of "C" Sqdn. continued to advance and a troop under command of Lt. Croucher plus 2 Para Engineers took the inland route whilst another troop kept to the coastal route. Lt. Croucher's troop travelled in a semi-circle and whilst in a small town square being mobbed by the locals a shout went up "Tedeschi". It turned out to be a Motor-cycle combination manned by three Germans and after a burst of fire from the Troop one was captured and the remaining two managed to evade capture by running into the trees. The RE's said of this episode, their first patrol, "Sod this lark out here all on our own". These RE's had done some excellent mine clearing work that day and Bill Croucher said that "this being our first long patrol without any support or radio contact did not impress anyone on that patrol!"
Click to expand...

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The Regimental History of the 56th Recce Regt.

Clodagh Lennon New Member

Attached Files:

Thomas McCaughie Royal Engineers 26.09.1943 (1).pdf

George Treacy Casualty 1943.jpg

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The Regimental History of the 56th Recce Regt.

Clodagh Lennon New Member

Attached Files:

Thomas McCaughie Royal Engineers 26.09.1943 (1).pdf

George Treacy Casualty 1943.jpg

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