43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment

43rd (Wessex) Reconnaissance Regiment (The Gloucestershire Regiment) (43 Recce) was a regiment of the British Army's Reconnaissance Corps during World War II. It fought in North West Europe in 1944–45.

Origins
The regiment was formed (as 48th Reconnaissance Battalion) on 14 October 1941 by the redesignation of 5th Bn Gloucestershire Regiment, a Territorial Army infantry battalion that had acted as the divisional recce battalion for 48th (South Midland) Division since July 1941. The following month it was transferred to 43rd (Wessex) Division and renumbered accordingly the next January. On 6 June 1942 all reconnaissance battalions were redesignated regiments, and on 1 January 1944 the Reconnaissance Corps became part of the Royal Armoured Corps. Lieutenant-Colonel Francis ('Joe') Lane Fox, (Royal Horse Guards) took command of 43 Recce on 29 September 1943.

Organisation and Equipment
By D-Day recce regiments were organised into a headquarters squadron and three reconnaissance squadrons. HQ Sqn included a troop of eight 6-pounder anti-tank guns and a troop of six 3-inch mortars. The recce squadrons each had three scout troops equipped with Humber Armoured Cars, Humber Light Reconnaissance Cars and Bren carriers, and an assault troop of riflemen in M3 Half-tracks. The total establishment was 41 officers and 755 other ranks. In the months before the Normandy Landings the regiment was based at Eastbourne on the South Coast of England and trained in the area.

Wreck of the Derrycunihy
On 18 June 1944 HQ, A and C squadrons embarked at West India Docks, London, aboard Motor Transport Ship (MTS) T72, a general purpose cargo ship named the MV Derrycunihy. T72 joined a convoy off Southend-on-Sea and arrived off Sword Beach on the evening of 20 June. High seas and enemy shelling prevented unloading for three days and it was decided to move T72 to Juno Beach for disembarkation. As the ship started engines at 07.40 on the morning of 24 June it detonated an acoustic or 'Oyster' mine dropped by one of the nightly Luftwaffe raiders. The mine exploded under the keel, splitting the ship in two, and the after part, packed with men of 43 Recce, sank rapidly. Worse still, a 3-tonner ammunition lorry caught fire, and oil floating on the water was set alight. Landing craft and the gunboat HMS Locust quickly came alongside and picked up survivors, most of whom were evacuated to SS Cap Touraine, a former French liner. The Regimental War Diary records that 'Great gallantry was displayed by all troops in the two aft holds' and lists 183 men of the regiment lost and about 120 others evacuated wounded. In addition, 25 of the ship's crew (including Army gunners) died in the disaster, which represented the biggest single loss of life off the invasion beaches.

In the days following the sinking, the survivors were formed into a composite squadron and most of 43 Recce's vehicles were landed from the beached fore part of the "Derrycunihy". B Sqn arrived from England, together with the first reinforcements. A complete squadron was transferred to 43 Recce from the reinforcement unit, 161st (Green Howards) Reconnaissance Regiment.

Normandy
43 Recce was not fully up to strength until the end of July 1944. In the meantime, 43rd Division had taken part in operations near Caen and was ready to move forward at the beginning of August. Throughout 3 August 43 Recce lay up under constant fire from 88 mm guns, awaiting its first chance to intervene in the campaign. The opportunity came the following morning, but as soon as B squadron moved out up the steep hill with the infantry of 5th Bn Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI), a patrol of Hawker Typhoons, 'seeing the armoured cars and the infantry intermingled saw fit to intervene'. The half-tracks of the squadron's assault troop were narrowly missed in this 'friendly fire' incident. After passing the crest, two troops turned left along the road through the woods to Ondefontaine. The village proved to be still occupied by the enemy in strength, and a brisk action took place, the armoured cars and the DCLI carrier platoon being engaged by machine-guns, a Panzer IV and two Panther tanks. B Sqn's other troop had turned the other way and probed a long way forward, meeting C Sqn, which had passed through several villages until it caught up with the enemy late in the day at Montcharivel, where leading elements of 15th (Scottish) Division had also gained contact. A firefight and mortaring went on all night. 'Thus, boldly handled, the Reconnaissance Regiment in its first battle had gained information vital to the success of Major-General Thomas's plan,' the divisional historian wrote.

Over the next few days 43 Division's infantry were engaged in bitter fighting from Ondefontaine up onto the dominating height of Mont Pincon. 43 Recce's next action came on 10 August, in the pursuit towards the River Orne and Falaise. Starting from St Jean le Blanc, the armoured cars and half-tracks probed south, seizing bridges, lifting mines, driving through strongly-held villages firing their Besa machine guns, clashing with German self-propelled guns and taking prisoners. Finding the opposition in that direction stiffening, Lane Fox swung the axis of advance eastwards. At one point the leading squadron found themselves in the middle of a battle between 50th (Northumbrian) Division and the enemy: 'taking no notice of disorganized German infantry, they pressed on to St Pierre la Vielle. On the far side they finally came upon the enemy digging in tanks. After this most successful day, the squadron withdrew into harbour at dusk'.

43 (Wessex) Division crossed the River Seine at Vernon on 25 August, and then drove on across Belgium before German resistance stiffened.

Netherlands and Germany
The whole of 43rd Division played a major part in 'Garden', the ground part of Operation Market Garden, the failed attempt to seize river crossings up to the Lower Rhine (Nederrijn) at Arnhem via a 'carpet' of airborne troops (September 1944). The division was blamed by many airborne soldiers for its dilatory advance, though the Corps commander, Lt-Gen Brian Horrocks, defended the division, pointing out that it could not deploy any armoured vehicles (like 43 Recce's armoured cars and half-tracks) off the single road, nicknamed 'Hell's Highway', which was cut behind them on several occasions. Nevertheless, Lane Fox was immediately replaced as CO of 43 Recce (1 October 1944).

In the aftermath of Market Garden, 43 (Wessex) was stationed on 'the Island' (between the Rivers Waal and Nederrijn), lining the south bank of the Rhine. 43 Recce, with 12th Bn King's Royal Rifle Corps from 8th Armoured Brigade under command, protected the division's open western flank. The concealed squadrons sent back reports, but were forbidden to engage the enemy in order to hide the extent of the position. However, on the night of 26/27 September a furious firefight broke out when the Germans crossed the river in strength and attempted to emplace anti-tank guns in 43 Recce's hidden positions. The divisional historian records that 'While the Division faced the monotony inseparable from static defence, the Reconnaissance Regiment fought a different type of war'. This involved guarding the western end of the Island, cooperating with the Dutch Resistance and facilitating the escape across the river of British paratroops who had evaded capture.

Later, the division's units were heavily engaged in the Roer Triangle during Operation Blackcock (January 1945) and in the Reichswald during Operation Veritable (February 1945). The division's last significant engagement of the war was in the capture of Bremen (20–27 April 1945).

Disbandment
43 Recce was disbanded in 1946 and 5th Bn Gloucesters was reconstituted in 1947.