Brit 1st Reconnaissance Regiment

[John W. Howard]

Hello Gents:
I found reference to the Brit 1st Reconnaissance Regiment commanded by Lt. Col. E.A.S. Brett fighting at Anzio. Can anyone tell me what division or brigade this regiment belonged to??? Or did it belong to a division or brigade?? Perhaps it was a formation attached to VI Corps or independent?? I can find no evidence of it being attached to any division or brigade in the beachhead. Best wishes.

[nigelfe]

Eh, wef Jan 1941 UK inf divs started having a recce bn (with coys), they changed their name to recce regt (with sqns) in Jun 1942.

This was a new corps, the Reconaissance Corps was formed 1 Jan 1941 and absorbed into the RAC on 1 Jan 1944.

In many divisions this bn/regt had the same number as the division. In some cases these units were converted from inf bns. Eg 2 Inf Div's recce bn was converted from a bn of the Loyals. Not all divs formed these units in Jan 41, and some started with indep coys. The change of corps meant the title went from 1 Regt, Recce Corps to 1 Recce Regt, RAC.

[John W. Howard]

Thank you Nigel!! I think that explains things rather well. Best wishes.