Halt near Arnhem, NL in September 2024, awaiting the para drop. The event commemorated the 80th anniversary of XXX (30) Corps part in operation Market-Garden, for which 43rd Recce Regiment was at the spear-head.

43rd Reconnaissance Regiment Living History Group

The Group started life as long ago as 1981, but has existed in its current format as a “Living History” Group since 1996 – just after the Old Comrades Association was resurrected by two ex 43rd members, Roy Merrett and Alan Dracup.

Although titled as a Living History Group, 43rd Recce has a much more serious historical interest than most.  Our Constitution states the aims of the Group as:

a)  Further the interest of its members in the history of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, the 43rd Wessex Division and the Reconnaissance Corps in general
b)  To promote and support those ‘Old Comrades’ of the above organisations now and in the future. However, now that all have passed away, this aim is no longer possible.
c)  The preservation, restoration and display of vehicles, uniforms and associated artefacts relating to the above organisations
d)  To authentically and responsibly portray the activities of the above organisations to the general public and thereby educate the general public as to the history of the above organisation

While some of us are family members of those who originally served, quite simply we exist because, we all as individuals have a deep and abiding respect – not just for the outstanding fighting record of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment – but also for the generation that fought in its ranks.

Our south-east, south-west England, and Dutch bases

As the group has evolved, we now have three bases. A south-east England contingent, where most vehicles are stored; a west-country contingent where some of our rarest vehicles are homed, and a growing Dutch contingent. Our Dutch friends now add their local tribute to the regiment through an excellent vehicle collection, and dedication to commemorating the substantial time that 43rd Recce spent in Holland from Sept 1944, before eventually on into Germany and allied victory.

So why not leave it to the museums?

The Reconnaissance Regiment was a war-raised unit, which only existed between 1941 and 1946. Therefore it has no Corps museum, apart from a small Recce archive at the Tank Museum at Bovington.  Our Group assumes the role of a “mobile” museum, taking our vehicles and equipment to public shows and events to ensure the Recce badge and khaki berets of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment will be seen for many years to come.

Quite simply, if you or your family are linterested in truely immersive “Living History”, nothing can beat interacting with the original vehicles and equipment yourself. Perhaps, you’ll have opportunity to sit in the commander’s seat of an armoured car, take up position behind a real (deactivated) Bren gun and learn about that weapons system, or discover what every man would carry in his “small pack”. These are not experiences you can access with roped-off museum exhibits. We want to share this education and memories of the regiment, to deliver an immersive experience well beyond what YouTube or books alone might offer.

As well as original vehicles and equipment, our Group has accumulated a large collection of historical photographs, records and information about the wartime activities of the Regiment, most of which came from the veterans themselves. We’re progressively adding more of these materials to this site, so families have better access to regimental history, a record of each man; and to ensure we keep their memories alive.

Association with 43rd Recce Old Comrades

As well as appearing at many Living History shows, when first established, the Group actively supported the veterans at both the 43rd Recce and the 43rd Division annual reunions, as well as taking a major role in the publication of “Spearhead”, the quarterly newsletter of the 43rd Recce Old Comrades Assocation.

We were incredibly lucky to have enjoyed many years of very close links with the Old Comrades Associations, for both 43rd Recce and the 43rd Wessex Division, while they still existed. We were greatly honoured, when in 2004 Brigadier F.R. Henn CBE accepted our invitation to act as our Honorary President. Brigadier Henn served in the 5th Gloucestershire Regiment during the early part of the war, and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He was instrumental in the ‘Conversion to Recce‘, then served in 43rd Recce throughout the campaign for North-Western Europe.

Shows and Events

We are only a small Group, but with a good selection of original vehicles, including Humber Armoured Cars, Humber Light Recce Cars, Daimler Armoured cars, Dingo scout cars, Universal carriers, Morris light recce car, 3 ton trucks, 15 cwt trucks, Jeeps and motorcycles. We have a very strong commitment to “do it right”.  All members are encouraged to use only genuine uniforms, equipment and weapons, or only the best reproductions where the genuine article is unavailable.  We believe that we owe it to the Veterans to commemorate their service as accurately as possible, and this includes every last detail. Even down to documents and small items in our pockets and vehicles. Check out which shows and events we plan to attend…

Everything we do is privately funded by our individual members. We own, maintain and operate all our own vehicles, which are also road-legal. Yes, even the carriers! Our biggest challenge is the huge costs of haulage for moving armour. While light, wheeled vehicles can be driven to shows, it’s not practical or reasonable to drive armour any distance in modern traffic.

Get involved

Join our 43rd Reconnaissance regiment Living History Facebook Group
Come and talk to us at a public event,
or Contact-Us

---