Types of vehicles used in a Reconnaisance Regiment

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally Posted by randall klein

Within a typical Squadron in a Recce Regiment, what vehicles were used and how many were allocated to each Squadron.

Hi Randy;

This is a start - based on the vehicle portion of the War Establishment for ‘An Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, C.A.C. (Type B)’ (Cdn. II/156/1 - effective 12 January 1944):

Squadron Headquarters:

2x Truck, Heavy Utility, Personnel, 4x4
1x Truck, 15-cwt, Battery Charging, 4x4
2x Truck, 15-cwt, Armoured, 4x4
11x Lorry, 3-Ton, GS, 4x4
1x Lorry, 3-Ton, 6-WH, Stores, 6x6
1x Scout Car, 4x4
4x Tank, Cruiser
1x Tank, Recovery
1x Trailer, 20-cwt, 2-WH, Water

Troop:

2x Tank, Light
2x Tank, Cruiser

Troop:

2x Tank, Light
2x Tank, Cruiser

Troop:

2x Tank, Light
2x Tank, Cruiser

Troop:

2x Tank, Light
2x Tank, Cruiser

Troop:

2x Tank, Light
2x Tank, Cruiser

Total Squadron:

2x Truck, Heavy Utility, Personnel, 4x4
1x Truck, 15-cwt, Battery Charging, 4x4
2x Truck, 15-cwt, Armoured, 4x4
11x Lorry, 3-Ton, GS, 4x4
1x Lorry, 3-Ton, 6-WH, Stores, 6x6
1x Scout Car, 4x4
10x Tank, Light
14x Tank, Cruiser
1x Tank, Recovery
1x Trailer, 20-cwt, 2-WH, Water

This is the War Establishment that was used by the three Squadrons of the 3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The Governor General's Horse Guards), C.A.C., the divisional ‘Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment’ of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division while in Italy from January 1944 to their departure for North-West Europe in early 1945.

The other Canadian ‘Reconnaissance’ regiments of the Canadian Army were the:

4th Reconnaissance Regiment (4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards), C.A.C. - with the 1st Canadian Infantry Division

8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars), C.A.C. - with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division

7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars), C.A.C. - with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division

29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment), C.A.C. - with the 4th Canadian Armoured Division

more to follow on the vehicle portion of the War Establishment for these units later.

Cheers