43rd
Reconnaissance Regiment Living History Group
About Us
The
Group
started life as long ago as 1981, but has existed in its current format
as a "Living History" Group since 1996, just after the Old Comrades
Association was resurrected by two ex 43rd members, Roy Merrett and
Alan Dracup.
Although
titled
as a Living History Group, 43rd Recce is a Group with a more serious
historical slant than most. Our Constitution states that the
aims
of the Group are to :-
a)
Further
the interest of its members in the history of the 43rd Reconnaissance
Regiment, the 43rd Wessex Division and the Reconnaissance Corps in
general
b)
To promote and support those 'Old Comrades' of the above
organisations now and in the future
c)
The
preservation, restoration and display of vehicles, uniforms and
associated artefacts relating to the above organisations
d)
To
authentically and responsibly portray the activities of the above
organisations to the general public and thereby educate the general
public as to the history of the above organisation
Put
quite simply
we exist because we all as individuals have a deep and abiding respect
not just for the outstanding fighting record of the 43rd Reconnaissance
Regiment, but also for the generation that fought in its ranks.
The
Reconnaissance Regiment was a war raised unit, which only existed
between 1941 and 1946, and therefore has no Corps museum apart from a
small Recce archive in the Tank Museum at Bovington. Our
Group
has therefore taken on the role of a "mobile" museum, taking our
vehicles and equipment to public shows and events and ensuring that the
Recce badge and the khaki berets of the 43rd Reconnaissance Regiment
will be seen for many years to come.
As
well as the
vehicles and equipment, the Group has accumulated a large collection of
photographs, records and information about the wartime activities of
the Regiment, most of which came from the veterans themselves.
We
are lucky
that as a group we have very close links with the Old Comrades
Associations of both 43rd Recce and the 43rd Wessex Division, and were
greatly honoured when in 2004 Brigadier F.R. Henn CBE accepted our
invitation to act as our Honorary President.
Brigadier
Henn
served in the Gloucestershire Regiment during the early part of the
war, was in the B.E.F., evacuated from Dunkirk, then served in 43rd
Recce throughout the campaign in North West Europe.
As
well as
appearing at many of the various Living History shows around the South
East, the Group actively supports the veterans at both the
43rd
Recce and the 43rd Division annual reunions, as well as taking a major
role in the publication of "Spearhead", the quarterly newsletter of the
43rd Recce Old Comrades Assocation.
We
are only a
small Group, but with a good selection of original vehicles, including
a Daimler Armoured car, Dingo scout cars, Universal carrier, Morris
light recce car, 3 ton truck, 15 cwt trucks, jeeps and motorcycles, and
a strong will to "do it right". All Group members are
encouraged
to use only genuine uniforms, equipment and weapons, or use only the
best reproductions when the genuine article is not available.
We
believe that we owe it to the Veterans to portray them as accurately as
possible, and that means down to the last detail.
To this end we
also arrange training weekends where we practice infantry tactics,
weapons training, drill, vehicle maintenance, and learn more about the
unit organisation and history.
If what we do sounds interesting and you would like to know more about
joining our Group, please have a look at our Join Us page.