45th Recce Regiment in the Second World War 1939-1945

45th Recce Regiment

45th Reconnaissance Regiment was formed in January 1941 and served with 70th Division in India from March 1942. In spring 1945 they formed 45 and 54 Columns, 16th Brigade Special Force in Burma. The Regiment converted to infantry and was redesignated 2nd Btn, South Staffordshire Regiment in October 1944.

6th January 1941 Postings

7th January 1941 Commanding Officer Appointed

8th January 1941 Temporary Battalion HQ Established

10th January 1941 Appointment

11th January 1941 Battalion HQ Moves

13th January 1941 Mortar Training

15th January 1941 Appointments

16th January 1941 Officers and NCO Course Comences

18th January 1941 Transport Received

20th January 1941 Wireless Telegraphy

22nd January 1941 Appointments

25th January 1941 Company Movements

31st January 1941 Course Complete

2nd February 1941 Courses started

4th February 1941 Course started

8th February 1941 Battalion HQ Moves

9th February 1941 Unit postings

10th February 1941 Appointments

12th February 1941 Medical Officer

15th February 1941 Courses finish

17th February 1941 Training

18th February 1941 Battalion HQ Moves

19th February 1941 Battalion HQ Moves

20th February 1941 Vehicles received

22nd February 1941 Course Complete

25th February 1941 Motorcycles received

1st march 1941 Social life

2nd Mach 1941 Course

7th March 1941 Posting

15th March 1941 Hockey match

16th March 1941 Accident

17th March 1941 to 20th March 1941 Exercise

19th March 1941 Equipment received

21st March 941 Postings

28th Mach 1941 Vehicles

29th March 1941 Course ends

1st April 1941 Promotions

4th April 1941 Corps Exercise

4th May 1941 Training course

5th April 1941 Party

8th April 1941 Exercise

9th April 1941 Exercise Complete

10th April 1941 Postings

14th April 1941 Exercise starts

15th April 1941 Exercise continues

16th April 1941 Scheme ends

18th April 1941 Standard drill

19th April 1941 Air Raid

20th April 1941 Guard of Honour

21st April 1941 Promotion

22nd April 1941 & 23rd April 1941 Equioments received

24th April 1941 Equipment received

25th April 1941 Posting

26th April 1941 Ecercise

27th April 1941 Exercise continues

28th April 1941 Exercise Ends

1st May 1941 Promotions

2nd May 1941 Attachments

3rd May 1941 Courses

4th May 1941 Equipment received

5th May 1941 Exercise

6th May 1941 New equipment

8th May 1941 Exercise ends

9th May 1941 Battalion returns to base

10th May 1941 New Equipment

12th May 1941 Training

15th May 1941 Divison lecture

16th May 1941 New equipment

20th May 1941 Tactical demonstrations

22nd May 1941 Demonstrations Continue

23rd May 1941 Security films

24th May 1941 New equipment

27th May 1941 Demonstrations continue

29th May 1941 Demonstrations continue

30th May 1941 Demonstartions continue

31st May 1941 Course ends

2nd June 1941 Berkhamsted: Holiday declared

4th June 1941 Exercise

5th June 1941 Conference

9th June 1941 Exercise

10th June 1941 Exercise ends

13th June 1941 Cooking course

16th June 1941 Exercise

17th June 1941 Commanding Officer resumed command

19thJune 1941 Exercise

24th June 1941 Exercise ends

26th June 1941 New equipment

28th June 1941 New equipment

30th June 1941 Course commenced

1st July 1941 Course

5th July 1941 Lecture

7th July 1941 Rumours

8th July 1941 Promotions - Officers

14th July 1941 Training course

16th July 1941 Boxing finals

18th July 1941 Joinings - Officers

21st July 1941 Divisional Command change

25th July 1941 Joinings - Officers

28th July 1941 New equipment

4th August 1941 Sports meeting

6th August 1941 New equipment

12th August 1941 New equipment

14th August 1941 Lecture

15th August 1941 Battalion Boxing Tournament

15th August 1941 Battalion Boxing Tournament

16th August 1941 Mortar experiment

18th August 1941 New equipment

23rd August 1941 Sports meeting

25th August 1941 Exercise

26th August 1941 Exercise continues

27th August 1941 Exercise ends

28th August 1941 War Office visit

29th August 1941 New equipment

30th August 1941 "White" trucks

14th October 1941 - 15th October 1941 General update

17th October 1941 Posting

20th October 1941 Postings

22nd October 1941 Return from course

23rd October 1941 Training course

25th October 1941 New equipment

28th October 1941 Squadron Leaders Conference

31st October 1941 Demonstration

1st November 1941 General update

3rd November 1941 Regiment move

5th November 1941 Postings

6th November 1941 Postings

8th November 1941 Attachments

9th November 1941 Posting

10th November 1941 Commanding Officer posted

11th November 1941 Appointment

12th November 1941 New equipment

14th November 1941 Postings

16th November 1941 Attachment

17th November 1941 Course commencement

18th November 1941 Hardening Course

20th Novemeber 1941 ENSA Concert

21st November 1941 Dance

22nd November 1941 Regiment reprieve

24th - 25th November 1941 Exercise & General comments

1st December 1941 Garden Lloyd carriers

2nd December 1941 New equipment

8th December 1941 New equipment

9th December 1941 Return from course

10th December 1941 Course

11th December 1941 Regiment move

13th December 1941 Return from course

20th December 1941 New equipment

25th December 1941 Christmas dinner

26th December 1941 Treasure hunt

30th December 1941 Lecture

5th January 1942 Posting

7th January 1942 Cross country

8th January 1942 New equipment

10th January 1942 Posting

13th January 1942 Appointment

13th January 1942 Course

16th Jan 1942 Posting

16th January 1942 Postings

17th January 1942 Posting

18th January 1942 New equipment

19th January 1942 Course

21st January 1942 New equipment

22nd January 1942 Concert party

26th January 1942 Course

27th January 1942 Inspection

29th January 1942 Course ends

30th January 1942 Orders Received

11th February 1942 Course

16th February 1942 Course

18th February 1942 Course

20th February 1942 Courses

21st February 1942 Course

22nd February 1942 Postings

23rd February 1942 Course

28th February 1942 Summary

2nd March 1942 Course

3rd March 942 Lorry dispatched

6th March 1942 Lecture

8th March 1942 War Weapons Week

9th March 1942 Order Group Drill

10th - 11th March 1942 Signal exercise

18th -19th March 1942 Exercise

27th March 1942 Cross country

30th March 1942 Sports day

Apr 1942 Training

7th April 1942 Cross country

8th April 1942 Boxing match

10th April 1942 Posting

14th April 1942 Overseas notification

15th April 1942 Course

16th April 1942 Boxing match

16th - 29th April 1942 Open air camp

18th - 19th April 1942 Exercise

20th April 1942 Posting

21st April 1942 Posting

23rd April 1942 Posting

24th April 1942 Regiment allowed out

24th April 1942 Posting

27th April 1942 Demonstration

29th April 1942 Training

1st May 1942 Course

2nd May 1942 Posting

4th May 1942 Promotions

7th May 1942 B.B.C. Broadcast

12th May 1942 Course

13th May 1942 Notice of move

14th May 1942 Promotion

15th May 1942 Messing Officer

20th May 1942 Posting

21st May 1942 Advance Party

22nd May 1942 New equipment

23rd May 1942 Arrival and promotions

24th May 1942 On the Move

25th May 1942 Vehicles returned

28th May 1942 Advance party

31st May 1942 On the Move

1st June 1942 Status update

4th June 1942 Conference

9th June 1942 Signal exercise and death

10th June 1942 Swimming test

11th June 1042 Mobilisation Order

13th June 1942 Security film

15th June 1942 New equipment

16th June1942 Assault Squadron

17th June 1942 Postings

18th June 1942 Postings

19th June 1942 New equipment & posting

20th June 1942 New equipment

21st June 1942 Posting

22nd June 1942 Kit issued

23rd June 1942 Draft arrives

24th June 1942 Command change

25th June 1942 Arrivals

26th June 1942 Promotion

27th June 1942 Battledress

28th June 1942 New equipment

29th June 1942 New equipment

30th June 1942 New equipment

31st June 1942 General update

1st July 1942 New equipment

2nd July 1942 New equipment and Posting

3rd July 1942 New equipment and Posting

4th July 1942 New equipment

6th July 1942 Postings and Promotion

7th July 1942 Promotions

8th July 1942 New equipment arrived today

9th July 1942 Lectures

10th July 1942 Posing authority

13th July 1942 Assault course

15th July 1942 Anti-tank Troop

16th July 1942 Motorcycles

17th July 1942 Regimental sports

18th July 1942 Regimental sports continued

19th July 1942 Stock update

20th July 1942 Posting

22nd July 1942 Equipment demonstration

24th July 1942 Lecture

29th July 1942 Extra leave

30th July 1942 Documents

30th July 1942 Appendix 1 Officers Serving

30th July 1942 Appendix 2 Dress

30th July 1942 Appendix 3 Dress and Rations

30th July 1942 Transport arrangements

30th July 1942 Security Notice

30th July 1942 Baggage marking

30th July 1942 Reserve Squadron

30th July 1942 Appendix 8 Markings

30th July 1942 Appendix 9 Athletics Results

03 August 1942 Nights Out

7th August 1942 Anti-tank Training

12th August 1942 Courses

14th August 1942 Cadre

17th August 1942 Bivouac

19th August 1942 Embarkation moving ahead

21st August 1942 Loading

23rd August 1942 Regiment Leaves

24th August 1942 Ship Loaded

26th August 1942 Set Sail

27th August 1942 Main Convoy

9th September 1942 Arrival

13th September 1942 Depart Freetown

25th September 1942 Arrival Capetown

28th September 1942 General Update

29th September 1942 Depart Cape Town

29th September 1942 Depart Cape Town

30th September 1942 Nominal Roll of Officers

17th October 1942 Arrival Bombay

18th October 1942 Regiement on the move

21st October 1942 Arrived at Barkakana

25th October 1942 Divison Commander Address

26th October 1942 Promotion

31st October 1942 General Update

31st October 1942 Appendix - Nominal Roll of Officers

31st October 1942 Appendix - Other Ranks

31st October 1942 Officers on Strength

1st November 1942 Waiting for vehicles

3rd November 1942 Fitter training

5th November 1942 Recce party

6th November 1942 Anti-tank Training

9th November 1942 Watermanship Course

14th November 1942 Party returns

16th November 1942 Camouflage course

17th November 1942 Liaison Officer

18th November 1942 Divisional scheme

20th November 1942 Lecture & Team leaves for Bombay

Feb 1944 Chindit force preparations In early February 1944 preparations began for the 2nd Chindit Expedition. The Special Force or 3rd Indian Division as it was known consisted of the following units, which were split into Columns.
3rd West African Brigade and 14th Brigade

6th Btn. Nigeria Regiment. (Columns 66 & 39)
2nd Btn. Black Watch (Columns 42 & 73)
7th Btn Nigeria Regiment (Columns 29 & 35)
1st Btn. Beds & Herts Regiment (Columns 16 & 61)
12th Btn. Nigeria Regt (Columns 12 & 43)
2nd Btn. York & Lancaster Regiment (Columns 84 & 65)
7th Btn Leicestershire Regiment (Columns 47 & 74)
54th Field Company, Royal Engineers

77 Brigade and 111 Brigade

3rd Btn. 6th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 36 & 63)
1st Btn. Cameronians (Columns 26 & 90)
1st Btn. Kings (Liverpool) Regiment (Columns 81 & 82)
2nd Btn. Kings Own Royal (Lancaster) Regiment (Columns 41 & 46)
1st Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers (Columns 20 & 50)
3rd Btn. 4th Gurkha Rifles (Column 30)
1st Btn. South Staffordshire Regiment (Columns 38 & 80)
3rd Btn. 9th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 57 & 93)

23rd Indian Infantry Brigade

1st Btn. Essex Regiment (Columns 44 & 56)
2nd Btn. Duke of Wellington's Regiment (Columns 33 & 76)
4th Btn. Border Regiment (Columns 34, 55)
60th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, deployed as infantry, (Columns 60 & 68)
12th Field Company, Royal Engineers

16th Brigade Morris Force

1st Btn. Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment (Columns 21 & 22)
4th Btn. 9th Gurkha Rifles (Columns 49 & 94)
2nd Btn. Leicestershire Regiment (Columns 17 & 71)
3rd Btn. 4th Gurkha Rifles (Column 30)
45th Recce Regiment (Columns 45 & 54)
51st and 69th Field Regiments, Royal Artillery, deployed as infantry (Columns 51 & 69)
2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers

Dah Force

Kachin Levies

Stronghold Defences

R S & U Troop 160th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (25 Pounders)
W X Y & Z Troops 69th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (Bofors)

Divisional Troops

219th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
Detachment 2nd Burma Rifles
145th Brigade Company, R.A.S.C.
61st Air Supply Company, R.A.S.C.
2nd Indian Air Supply Company, R.I.A.S.C.

5th Feb 1944 On the Move

21st of April 1944 Change of Plan

If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.

Those known to have served with
45th Recce Regiment
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45th Recce Regiment

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45th Recce Regiment
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45th Recce Regiment

Those known to have served with 45th Recce Regimentduring the Second World War 1939-1945.

The Wartime Memories Project is the original WW1 and WW2 commemoration website.

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Those known to have served with
45th Recce Regiment
during the Second World War 1939-1945.