The British Reconnaissance Regiment
When the British Expeditionary Force went to France in 1939, most of its infantry formations included a Divisional Cavalry Regiment. In the campaign of 1940 however, several divisions were robbed of these units to form the short-lived Armoured Reconnaissance Brigades. Following Dunkirk, it was decided that a fully mechanised divisional reconnaissance unit was an essential requirement. The Reconnaissance Corps was officially created at the beginning of 1941 by re-tasking infantry battalions to the reconnaissance role. By 1944 the Reconnaissance Corps had been absorbed into the Royal Armoured Corps, meaning a change of uniform but to all intents and purposes their role remained the same.
The unit underwent a series of changes of title and variations in its internal organisation between 1941 and 1945, adopting cavalry terminology in 1942 to refer to its subunits. The overall layout however remained as a Headquarters and three company sized reconnaissance units, each subdivided into three armoured reconnaissance and one infantry platoon or troop.
The Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion, circa 1941
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 20 men)
Headquarter Company (7 Officers, 216 men) comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 3 men)
Anti-aircraft Platoon (1 Officer, 18 men)
Signal Platoon (1 Officer, 62 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 19 men)
Anti-tank Platoon (1 Officer, 32 men)
Administrative Platoon (2 Officers, 82 men)
Three Companies (6 Officers, 168 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 20 men)
Infantry Platoon (1 Officer, 40 men)
Three Scout Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 3 men)
Armoured Reconnaissance Section (15 men)
Two Carrier Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 770 all ranks (30 Officers and 740 men)
Points of note
At this initial stage, the unit used infantry terms, namely battalion, company and platoon. Later on, these would be substituted for cavalry nomenclature of Regiment, squadron and troop respectively. The Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion was roughly equally in size to The British Infantry Battalion of 1941, and shared several of its subunits. As can be seen below, the basic structure outlined at this stage was to remain largely unaltered throughout the war.
The elements of the Battalion
Battalion Headquarters - as ever this contained the Battalion staff, namely the Commanding Officer, Second in Command, Adjutant, Intelligence Officer and the attached Medical Officer. As with the infantry, a Universal Carrier was available for the CO, along with the usual mix of cars, 15cwt trucks and motorcycles.
Anti-aircraft Platoon - the small AA Platoon fielded four 15cwt trucks, each mounting twin Bren guns and also carrying an anti-tank rifle.
Signals Platoon - maintained radio, wire and telephone communication between the Battalion and higher and parallel formations. The unusual size of the platoon was partly due to the fact that twenty four of its personnel served with the companies, with a further twenty acting as motorcycle messengers.
Mortar Platoon - the Mortar Platoon is something of a puzzle. It served a pair of 3 inch mortars, carried by 15cwt trucks, similar to the Infantry Battalion of the period. However, the table includes a note that advises it was to be increased to six such weapons 'in due course'. When, or indeed if, this was ever enacted before mid 1942 is a matter for conjecture.
Anti-tank Platoon - the Anti-tank Platoon used a unique organisation for the British Army as far as I am aware. It deployed four Sections, each carried in a 15cwt truck. All comprised a driver and six men, two of the Sections adding a Corporal. Due to the ongoing deficiencies in equipment, the Platoon was entirely reliant on the Boys anti-tank rifle for its heavy weaponry, three being issued to each Section.
Admin Platoon - provided the bulk of the Battalion motor pool, plus the various cooks, fitters and tradesmen required to keep the unit functioning.
The Reconnaissance Company - each of the three Companies deployed a mixture of wheeled armoured cars, tracked carriers and truck mounted infantry.
The Armoured Car Section operated five vehicles, each with a three man crew of commander, driver and gunner. At this stage, the cars only mounted a single Bren gun. A Sergeant commanded the first car, corporals the second and third, lance-corporals the remaining two. In early 1941 the make of vehicles used could vary considerably, with the Humber being the official model but a host of ad hoc machines also filling in.
The two Carrier Sections each operated three Universal Carriers, each again with a commander, driver and gunner manning the Bren. A Sergeant commanded the first carrier, corporal the second, lance-corporal the third. The first two machines also carried additional firepower in the shape of an anti-tank rifle and a 2 inch mortar respectively.
Each Scout Platoon had a small headquarters consisting of a single Universal Carrier with Bren gun and anti-tank rifle. This carried the Subaltern, driver and an operator from the Signal Platoon, with the Platoon Sergeant and an orderly accompanying on motorcycles.
The single Infantry Platoon provided the Company with a not insubstantial dismounted element. Platoon HQ consisted of a Subaltern, Sergeant and orderly, each on a motorcycle. There were then two 15cwt trucks, the first carrying a Corporal, rifleman and driver, plus an anti-tank rifle, the latter just a rifleman and driver. Each of the four Sections consisted of a driver and seven men, plus the officer's batman in one Section. Two were commanded by Corporals, two by lance-corporals. The three motorcyclists were each armed with a pistol, the remainder of the Platoon carrying rifles. Each Section was also issued a Bren gun and, in theory, a Thompson submachine gun, though it would be sometime before stocks of the latter became available.
Company HQ added another carrier for the commander, along with the usual admin vehicles and service personnel, but no fire support.
The Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment, circa 1942
Regimental Headquarters (6 Officers, 26 men)
Headquarter Squadron (8 Officers, 225 men) comprised of;
Squadron HQ (2 Officers, 3 men)
Anti-aircraft Troop (18 men)
Signal Troop (1 Officer, 39 men)
Mortar Troop (1 Officer, 44 men)
Anti-tank Troop (2 Officers, 46 men)
Administrative Troop (2 Officers, 75 men)
Three Reconnaissance Squadrons (9 Officers, 175 men), each comprised of;
Squadron HQ (2 Officers, 27 men)
Assault Troop (1 Officer, 40 men)
Three Scout Troops, each comprised of;
Troop HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Reconnaissance Section (1 Officer, 14 men)
Two Carrier Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 817 all ranks (41 Officers and 776 men)
The Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment, circa 1942 to 1943
Regimental Headquarters (5 Officers, 21 men)
Headquarter Squadron (9 Officers, 209 men) comprised of;
Squadron HQ (2 Officers, 4 men)
Anti-aircraft Troop (9 men)
Signal Troop (1 Officer, 39 men)
Mortar Troop (1 Officer, 43 men)
Anti-tank Troop (2 Officers, 77 men)
Administrative Troop (3 Officers, 37 men)
Three Reconnaissance Squadrons (9 Officers, 182 men), each comprised of;
Squadron HQ (2 Officers, 34 men)
Assault Troop (1 Officer, 40 men)
Three Scout Troops, each comprised of;
Troop HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Reconnaissance Section (1 Officer, 14 men)
Two Carrier Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 817 all ranks (41 Officers and 776 men)
Points of note
Two tables were issued for the Reconnaissance Regiment as it was now known during 1942, in March and August. Whether both saw service abroad is unknown to myself at least, but several Regiments saw service in North Africa during this time. Cavalry terminology had now been fully adopted, and several of the subunits had undergone amendment.
Regimental Headquarters - the only major change to RHQ was the replacement of the single carrier by three light reconnaissance cars.
Anti-aircraft Troop - in the latter version, the AA Troop was halved from four truck mounted twin Bren gun equipments to just two.
Mortar Troop - strength was now officially increased to six 3 inch weapons, now each transported by an adapted Universal carrier with 15cwt trucks carrying extra ammunition.
Anti-tank Troop - here again queries arise. The Troop was now armed with 2 pdr anti-tank guns in place of its previous rifles. The first incarnation called for a HQ, including a light reconnaissance car to control six gun teams, each with a 30cwt portee carrying gun and crew. The later version radically altered this, dispensing with the LRC and deploying three Sections. Each Section was to have four guns, now towed by the Loyd carrier, for a total of twelve 2 pdr guns in the Troop. Some descriptions would suggest that the final configuration described below was in use before the end of 1943, using a smaller number of the more powerful 6 pdr guns.
Assault Troop - the only change affected transport, with the Subaltern swapping his motorcycle for a Jeep, driven by his batman, the second 15cwt also being deleted from Troop HQ.
The Reconnaissance Squadron - Squadron HQ also changed its carrier for a light reconnaissance car.
The Scout Troops underwent several changes, centring on the armoured Reconnaissance Section. Firstly, one of the cars was now commanded by an officer, and each of the four NCO machines now added an anti-tank rifle to their weaponry. More importantly, by the end of 1942, the Sergeant and one the Corporals traded in their vehicles for armoured cars. Again, there was scope for variation in the particular model issued, but both the Daimler and Humber machines mounted a 2 pdr gun in a fully rotating turret, which while not exactly a tank killer was a welcome addition in firepower for the Troop.
The Reconnaissance Regiment, circa 1944 to 1945
Regimental Headquarters (6 Officers, 30 men)
Headquarter Squadron (9 Officers, 184 men) comprised of;
Squadron Headquarters (2 Officers, 8 men)
Signal Troop (1 Officer, 23 men)
Mortar Troop (1 Officer, 40 men)
Anti-tank Battery (3 Officers, 64 men)
Administrative Troop (2 Officers, 49 men)
Three Reconnaissance Squadrons (9 Officers, 187 men), each comprised of;
Squadron Headquarters (2 Officers, 38 men)
Assault Troop (1 Officer, 38 men)
Three Scout Troops, each comprised of;
Troop Headquarters (2 Officers, 7 men)
Reconnaissance Section (12 men)
Two Carrier Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 817 all ranks (42 Officers and 775 men)
Points of note
This was the definitive version of the Regiment, coming into use at the very end of 1943 and continuing through to 1945. The Anti-aircraft Troop was deleted, but each armoured car now mounted a Bren gun for AA defence. The ongoing process of replacing the obsolescent anti-tank rifles with the PIAT was also by now complete.
Regimental Headquarters - RHQ now operated two light reconnaissance cars and a single armoured car, plus 15cwt trucks and motorcycles. There was also a single light reconnaissance car in the HQ of Headquarter Squadron.
Anti-tank Battery - a small HQ now controlled two Troops, each of four towed 6 pdr guns. The two Sections in each Troop comprised of three Loyd carriers, two towing guns, one in reserve. The Sections each had their own Bren and 2 inch mortar for defence and targeting purposes.
The Reconnaissance Squadron - within the Squadron there were amendments to both the Scout and Assault Troops.
The Assault Troop was now organised along the lines of a Motor Platoon, but with four Sections. Troop HQ was carried in a single vehicle with Subaltern, Sergeant, signaller, batman-driver and two mortarmen, plus a motorcycle orderly. Support weapons consisted of a 2 inch mortar and PIAT. Each Section comprised a Corporal, six troopers and a driver, with a Bren gun. Individual weapons are not noted on the tables, but I would suggest a pistol for the officer, machine carbines for the drivers, motorcyclist and one mortarman, and rifles for the remainder, excepting the Bren gunners. Section commanders may also have carried Sten guns. Transport was intended to be 15cwt trucks for each Section and HQ, however these were actually replaced by halftracks or possibly White scout cars for operations in Northwest Europe.
The Scout Troops had also undergone amendments. Troop HQ now consisted of a Universal carrier with officer, driver and two signallers, an armoured car with officer, driver and signaller, plus the Troop Sergeant and orderly on motorcycles. The armoured car also carried a Bren for dismounted action. The Reconnaissance Section now field two armoured cars and two light reconnaissance cars, commanded by two Sergeant and two Corporals respectively. The two Carrier Sections still deployed three vehicles, commanded by a Sergeant and now two Corporals, with a Bren in each carrier and a PIAT and 2 inch mortar for each Section.
Summary
The Reconnaissance Regiment evolved into a powerful force by 1944, including twenty eight armoured cars and twenty four light reconnaissance cars, plus sixty three carriers, with more in the Mortar and Anti-tank Troops. By this time it had become a part of the Royal Armoured Corps, severing its ties with the infantry arm. However, in both Italy and the West, the men of the Reconnaissance Regiments found themselves called upon to act as infantry during times of static conflict. They manned trenches and foxholes, taking their place in the line for often extended periods, before mounting their armoured vehicles again to take up the advance into the Reich. Theirs was an interesting war, to say the least.
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