RAC - WW2

[leigh kitchen]

In 11/1/1944 the 26 regiments of The Reconnaissance Corps were transferred to The RAC, retaining their own cap badges, & it was’nt until spring 1945 that all units had finally discarded the Recce Corp’s khaki beret for the RAC’s black beret which should have adopted upon joining The RAC.
The Recce Corps had been formed in January 1941, officially on the 14th, but some units (initially termed battalions, but later regiments, a term some of the battalions had been calling themselves anyway following the cavalry tradition) dated their formation on the 8th, & one on the 1st of January.
Originally conceived as The Infantry Reconnaissance Corps, it had been raised to fill the gap for armoured reconnaissance in infantry divisions, there being insufficient cavalry to do so.
Generally, the battalions / regiments of The Recce Corps served with the infantry divisions which bore the same number eg 1st Reconnaissance Regiment served with 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Reconnaissance Regiment with 3rd Infantry Division, 46th Reconnaissance Regiment with 46th Infantry Division.
1st Reconnaissance Regiment served in Tunisia, Italy & Palestine
1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron served briefly in Italy in 1943 as 1st Air-Landing Squadron, at Arnhem in September 1944 it was virtually destroyed along with 1st Airborne Division.
2nd Reconnaissance Regiment was formed from 6th Bn The Loyal (North Lancs) Regiment, & served in India from June 1942, at Kohima in 1944 & in the advance into Burma, 1944-45.
2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry was’nt officially part of The Recce Corps, but was in effect an “honorary” member assigned to 51st Highland Division in January 1944 & serving in North West Europe 1944-45. The Commanding Officer of 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry was Lt Col W. P. Serocold, who had been Chief Instructor at The Recce Training Centre. The 2nd Derbyshire Yeomary continued to wear their own regimental insignia rather than thos of The Recce Corps.
3rd Reconnaissance Regiment was formed from 8th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, landed in France on 6/61944 & served in North West Europe 1944-45.
4th Reconnaissance Regiment served in Tunisia in 1943, in Italy in 1944 & in Greece in 1946.
5th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in 1941 from 3rd Battalion The Tower Hamlets Rifles, The Rifle Brigade, which had been raised in 1940, & served in Sicily in 1943, Italy 1943-44, Palestine 1944, Italy 1945 & North West Europe 1945.
6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment was formed from Light Tank Squadron, 6th Airborne Division & designated a reconnaissance regiment in January 1944, landed by glider in Normandy on 6/6/1945, served in Belgium 1944-45, & Germany.
15th (Scottish) Reconnaissance Regiment, landed in Normandy on 6/6/1944, served in North West Europe.
18th Reconnaissance Battalion was formed from 5th Bn The Loyal Regiment (North Lancs) in 1941, & was captured in Singapore in February 1942. It was termed a Reconnaissance Battalion & not retitled as a Reconnaissance Regiment as it was captured prior to the adoption of the cavalry nomenclature by Recce Corps units.
43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment was formed as 48th Recce Bn from 5th Bn Gloucestershire Regiment. Landing in Normandy in late June 1944, the 43rd absorbed a squadron of 161 (Green Howards) Recce Regiment in June 1944 to replace losses & served through the North West Europe campaign.
44th Reconnaisance Regiment served in North Africa from July 1942, it was a mine clearance unit for XIII Corps at El Alamain in October of that year. The 44th transferred to 56 (London) Division in January 1944 when 44 Division was broken up as reinforcements for other units, & served in Tunisia in 1943 & Italy 1943 – 45.

45th Reconnaissance Regiment served as part of 70th Division in India from March 1942, & formed 45 & 54 Columns of 16 Brigade Special Force “Chindits” March – May 1944. The 45th Recce Regt was disbanded & reformed as 2nd Bn The South Staffordshire Regiment in October 1944.
46th Reconnaissance Regiment served in Tunisia January – March 1943 & landed at Salerno in September of that year, serving in Italy until transferred to Greece in Januray 1945.
49th (West Riding) Reconnaissance Regiment landed in Normany in mid June 1944 & served throughout the North West Europe campaihn until May 1945.
50th Reconnaissance Battalion was formed from 4th Bn Royal Northumberland Fusiliers. Equipped with motorcycles, 4th Bn RNF had served in France in 1940 in a reconnaissance role. From April 1942 the 50th served with 22 Armoured Brigade in North Africa, being destroyed in the Gazala Battles in May / June of that year.before the cavalry nomenclature “regiment” was adopted to replace the term “battalion” in their title.
51st (Highland) Reconnaissance Regiment served in North Africa from August 1942, fighting as infantry at El Alamein in October. Converted to 14th Bn Highland Light Infantry & serving in the lorried infantry role, the unit was disbanded in June 1944. (In January 1944 2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry served as the Recce unit of 51st (Highland) Division).
52nd (Lowland) Reconnaissance Regiment was trained for mountain warfare, as was the rest of 52nd (Lowland) Division, it was equipped with Daimler Dingo scout cars & had a squadron of Valentine tanks. Re - roled as air – portable, the division actually fought in the conventional infantry role in North West Europe, October 1944 – May 1945.
53rd (Welsh) Reconnaissance Regiment Landed in Normandy in late June 1944 & served throughout the North West Europe campaign until May 1945.
56th Reconnaissance Regiment served with 78th Division in Tunisia in November 1942 – May 1943, the first Recce Corps unit to go into action in the Recce role. Service in Sicily July – August 1943 & Italy September 1943 – May 1945 followed.
59th (Staffordshire) Reconnaissance Regiment landed in Normandy as part of 59th (Staffordshire) Division in late July 1944, in August the division was broken up for reinforcements.
61st Reconnaissance Regiment landed in Normandy on D-Day as part of 50th (Northumbrian) Division, & served in the Northe West Europe campaign until broken up for reinforcements in January 1945.
81st (West African) Reconnaissance Regiment served in India from August 1943, & took part in the Arakan campaigns & serving in Burma January – April 1944 & October 1944 – January 1945.
82nd (West African) Reconnaissance Regiment served in India from July 1944, in Arakan, & Burma February – May 1945.
161st (Green Howards) Reconnaissance Regiment retained Green Howard insignia, it was originally formed from 12th Bn Green Howards as 161st Regiment RAC but transferred to The Reconnaissance Corps in October 1943. One squadron of the regiment saw action, transferring to 43rd (Wessex) Regiment to replace losses in June 1944.
GHQ Liaison Regiment (“Phantom”) carried out long range patrols with forward troops or dropped behind enemy lines in order to report information on the enemy directly to Army Headquarters by radio. In early 1944 it was affiliated to The RAC & drew reinforcements from The Recce Corps, having a strength of about 200 men at the end of the war.
38th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in October 1943 from 38th, 47th & 55th Independent Recce Squadrons. Never seeing action, 38th Recce Regt was disbanded in October 1944, 80th (Holding) Regiment adopted the title of 38th Recce Regt theame month.
54th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in July 1941 from 21st Bn The Royal Fusiliers. In November of that year it was broken up into 45th, 54th & 76th Independent Recce Squadrons, in February 1943 45th & 54th Independent Squadrons amalgamated with 15th Reconnaissance Squadron to form 15th (Scottish) Reconnaissance Regiment. 76th Squadron became part of 80th Holding Regiment.
80th (Holding) Regiment was formed in January 1943 from 48th, 76th & 77th Independent Reconnaissance Squadrons as a training & holding unit. In October 1944 80th (Holding) Regiment was renamed 38th Reconnaissance Regiment. Based at Morecombe, Lancashire, the unit continued in its training & holding role.
Reconnaissance Officer Cadet Training Units – 162nd Reconnaissance OCTU was The Recce Corps original OCTU, formed from The Honourable Artillery Regiment’s infantry battalion. In 1942 162nd Recce OCTU amalgamated at Sandhurst with 101st RAC OCTU to form 100th RAC OCTU, & remained there for the rest of the war.
Reconnaissance Training Centre was formed in January 1941 at Winchester, moving in May of that year to Lockerbie in Scotland. It amalgamated in August 1943 with 63rd Reconnaissance Training Centre, moving to Catterick for the rest of the war.
Reconnaissance Corps Band was formed in Janauary 1941 & ready to perform in public by June. It toured the UK & also toured the Low Countries 1944-45.

[leigh kitchen]

Too much waffle for this kind of thread?

[Peter Brydon]

Leigh- No,

I think the majority of members are as interested in the history behind badges and units as they are in the badges themselves

As far as I am concerned keep it coming.

P.B.

[fougasse1940]

The more waffle the merrier, by all means keep it coming.

Rgds,
fougasse1940.

[NorthStafford]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Too much waffle for this kind of thread?

The quick answer then is to ignore the omnes taht you think are waffle and let those who enjoy it enjoy it. Nobody has to read anything they don't want to.

[Phillip Herring]

I've made references in other threads about my godfather. He was a pre-war sgt in the KSLI. I did some nosing through the Army List for 1941 and found that he received an emergency commission into the Reconnaissance Corps. He transferred to the Canadian Army and served with 8th Reconnaissance Regiment (2nd CID) and then the RCDs (1st Canadian Corps and 1 CID).

Phil

[Phillip Herring]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Too much waffle for this kind of thread?

Great information.
Thanks.

Phil

[leigh kitchen]

Originally Posted by NorthStafford

The quick answer then is to ignore the omnes taht you think are waffle and let those who enjoy it enjoy it. Nobody has to read anything they don't want to.

Riiigght - you are aware that I'm talking about my posts and not those of others?

[Keith Blakeman]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

Too much waffle for this kind of thread?

Hi Leigh,

Nice to see another member of the old W.A.F on here.

Waffle, not at all. When was there ever too much infomation.

The 162nd RAC Royal West Kent wore their regular badge but with the scroll completely smoothed over.

[leigh kitchen]

Yes, it's amazing how old faces turn up - now I know why you always knew so much about badges!
I spend my time at GMIC tho' I've been away from the site becasuse of a variety of reasons, I'll be back there soon as I get a new photo programme loaded up, & of course, spending time here.

Never knew that re. 162 RAC, thanks, that explains the "Worn" badge I've seen in the past & dismissed as a squaddy overdoing the emery cloth shine.

[Old Smelly]

Originally Posted by slick_mick

Bummer - I won't bother getting them in that case.

Mick

Hi Mick
Still worth getting I think, there are many period photos and colour pics of the badges worn including many of the coloured eppaulette ribbons, very good info...a picture says a 1000 words
Lee

[asherp]

Check out

The first official account of the Royal Armoured Corps: Through mud & blood to the green fields beyond

Usually found on ebay for up to £10.

It is an HMSO wartime publication. Published 1945.

Inside the front and back covers there are the capbadges which make up the RAC.

I can photocopy if pm

Cheers

Ash

[ED863]

116th Regiment 9th Bn The Gordon Highlanders retained their Glengarry and the Gordon badge, I am pretty certain as my great uncle who was a captain, served with them from the very beginning all the way through Burma to the conclusion if hostilities. they were part of the 255th Indian Tank Brigade, 17 Infantry Division (Indian).

[rac1944]

Hi Mick,
I've been on the self same goal for the last ten years, still spending, still learning! Another good source of the regiments is several books that Malcolm A Bellis has written over the years, small, self-published but packed with lots of good quality info, Abe or Amazon will have some.
Below is the result of my research into all the regiments (excludes special such as Malta Tanks) that were in the RAC between 1939 and 1945 in order of precedence (from the Army Lists). As to their cap badges, there is a lot of duff info out there so this forum and experience will be your friends.

Non RAC Cavalry:
1st Household Cavalry Regt
2nd Household Cavalry Regt

RAC Regiments:
1st King’s Dragoon Guards
The Queen’s Bays (2nd Dragoon Gds)
3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales’s Dragoon Guards)
4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards
5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
1st The Royal Dragoons
The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)
3rd The King’s Own Hussars
4th Queen’s Own Hussars
7th Queen’s Own Hussars
8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars
9th Queen’s Royal Lancers
10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own)
11th Hussars (Prince Alberts’ Own)
12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s)
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own)
14th/20th King’s Hussars
15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars
16th/5th Lancers
17th/21st Lancers
22nd Dragoons
23rd Hussars
24th Lancers
25th Dragoons
26th Hussars
27th Lancers
1RTR
2RTR
3RTR
4RTR
5RTR
6RTR
7RTR
8RTR
9RTR
10RTR
11RTR
12RTR
1 Recce
2 Recce
3 Recce
4 Recce
5 Recce
18 Recce
43 Recce
44 Recce
45 Recce
46 Recce
49 Recce
50 Recce
51 Recce
52 Recce
53 Recce
54 Recce
56 Recce
59 Recce
61 Recce
1 Airborne Recce
North Irish Horse
The Royal Wiltshire Yeo. (Prince of Wales’s Own)
The Warwickshire Yeomanry
The Yorkshire Hussars (Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own)
The Nottinghamshire (Sherwood Rangers) Yeomanry
The Staffordshire Yeomanry
Queen’s Own Royal Regiment
Cheshire (Earl of Chester’s) Yeomanry
The Queen’s Own Yorkshire Dragoons
The North Somerset Yeo
1st The Derbyshire Yeomanry
2nd The Derbyshire Yeomanry
1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars
1st Lothians & Border Yeomanry
2nd Lothians & Border Horse
1st The Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
2nd The Fife & Forfar Yeomanry
2nd County of London Yeo. (Westminster Dragoons )
3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
4th County of London Yeo. (Sharpshooters)
1st The Northamptonshire Yeomanry
2nd The Northamptonshire Yeomanry
1st The East Riding Yeomanry
Inns of Court Regiment
40RTR
41RTR
42RTR
43RTR
44RTR
45RTR
46RTR
47RTR
48 TR
49RTR
50RTR
51RTR
107 Regt RAC
108 Regt RAC
109 Regt RAC
110 Regt RAC
111 Regt RAC
112 Regt RAC
113 Regt RAC
114 Regt RAC
115 Regt RAC
116 Regt RAC
141 Regt RAC
142 Regt RAC
143 Regt RAC
144 Regt RAC
145 Regt RAC
146 Regt RAC
147 Regt RAC
148 Regt RAC
149 Regt RAC
150 Regt RAC
151 Regt RAC
152 Regt RAC
153 Regt RAC
154 Regt RAC
155 Regt RAC
156 Regt RAC
157 Regt RAC
158 Regt RAC
159 Regt RAC
160 Regt RAC
161 Regt RAC
162 Regt RAC
163 Regt RAC

Non RAC Guards
2nd (Armd) Btn Grenadier Gds
4th Tank Btn Grenadier Gds
1st (Armd) Btn Coldstream Gds
3rd Tank Btn Scots Gds
2nd (Armd) Btn Irish Gds
2nd (Armd) Recce Btn Welsh Guards

Other tank using regiments, non RAC
1st Royal Marine Armoured Support Regt
2nd Royal Marine Armoured Support Regt
5th Independent Royal Marine Armoured Support Battery

Obviously this list is 'unreal' in that not all those regiments existed all at the same time, disbandments etc.

Good luck with the collection.
John