After the remains of B.E.F, along with Fifth Glosters Infantry, were evacuated from Dunkirk, they were posted to the West Country, England. During the following years Fifth Glosters evolved substantially into a very different unit. With senior officer changes and hard training the unit became 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, also transferring from under the command of 48 Div’ to Wessex Division, in late 1941.
July 1940 – Dec 1940. Holding.
1941 – Reconnaissance training, Reassignment to Wessex Division
Several officers remained at the core of the regiment from Fifth Glosters actions in 1940, through disbandment in 1946. These include,
- Major ‘Benny’ Vigrass, MBE, Regimental Quarter Master
- Major Gavin Scott-Plummer, progressed from a rank of 2nd Lieut with Fifth Glosters, to A Squadron commander and second-in-command for the regiment from Jan 1945.
- Major Frank Henn, also progressed from 2nd Lieut with Fifth Glosters in 1940, to HQ Squadron command before Normandy, and finally second-in-command for the regiment in June 1945, taking over as 2IC from Scott-Plummer.
- It’s quite incredible, that sixty years later in 2004, Brigadier Frank Henn accepted our invitation to become Honorary President of 43 Recce Living History Group.
- B Squadron was, throughout the North-West European Campaign, commanded by Major Carter, who was another officer from early days.
- Major A. C. Cole-Packer joined at New Year 1941, and remained to disbandment. After the war, co-authoring the book, Record of a Reconnaissance Regiment along with Captain John Groves, who was commissioned to the regiment in 1943.
- Major Blood was also a key officer of the regiment. While it’s currently unclear precisely when he joined, it was early enough for him to be part of shaping the regiment during conversion and training. While injured by a mine while on exercise, Major Blood returned to fight with the regiment after a 6 month recovery.
- While short on detail between 1940 and 1945, Captains John Day and George Searle also appear to have served at the core of Regiment Staff, from early days through post-war peacekeeping operations.
The unit moved around the south of England several times, as the now specialist regiment became more elite with the introduction of intelligence tests as a pre-requisite for joining and staying. In the video of Bert Crane’s recollections, he describes how only 17 of his cohort of 39 got through to full Recce training.
With attachment to Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) as ‘mounted’ recce, the lowest ‘Other’ Rank (O.R.) changed from the infantry convention of “Private”, to the cavalry convention of “Trooper”. The regiment spent much time and effort, in Eastbourne and the surrounding countryside, before mobilisation to as part of the “follow-up” force to Operation Overlord (6 June 1944).
1942 – 1943. Conversion to Recce, restructuring, building skills and strength
Early 1944. Preparation for invasion
January 1944 – Exercise HOMEWOOD
February 1944 – Orders. Click date for more detail
March 1944 – Orders and Excercise STENTOR. Click date for more detail
April 1944 – Orders. BUGBEAR & BOUNCER. Click date for more detail
22 May – Begin waterproofing
24 May – Regimental Dance, Winter Gardens, Eastbourne
28 May – 6 hours notice to move. Orders & Establishment. Click date for more detail
1 June – Eastbourne. 12 hours notice to move
6 June – Operation Overlord. D-Day
7 June – General Officers Commanding briefing Ritz Cinema, Hastings
11 June – Notice to 6 hours
13 June – French currency issued
14 June – Move to marshalling area
15 June – Arrived London with Flying Bombs
16 June – Camp T5. All ranks issued with 2 x 24 hour ration packs.
18 June – Move to West India docks embark on T72/MTS
19 June – 19.30 set sail for Southend
20 June – Anchored off SWORD Beach
21 June – Still anchored. Sea rough with some shelling
22 June – As above. Enemy air activity at night. Minelaying
23 June – As above
If you have time, read this before continuing.
The Spirit of the Regiment – Major B F G Blood. M.C., covers the entire period of the Northern European Campaign, and also includes reflections of time training and living in Eastbourne…