Recce Troop

2010-03-19T04:58:00.000-07:00

The Conception ...November 1981, saw 3 Troop re-role with a new, but demanding and exciting role as the Corp's first reconnaissance troop.
Their tasks were to provide engineer support to elements who are operating as advanced troops, such as Special Boat Service, Brigade Patrol Troop and the Commando Recce troops.
This facility would provide the Engineer Commander with early and specific engineer intelligence, from which he can then best advise the Brigade Commander.
New skills had to be learnt or old ones developed further, such as Insertion & Extraction methods (Parachute, Boat & Helicopter), as well as long range communications.
Their Infantry skills were honed by 2 Troop Commander - an ex-Royal Marine.

1982 - Falkland Islands - Exercise Corporate
The troop was still in its infancy, when this war started.
The Troop split up into 4 sections, each with an Officer or SNCO leading it and each section joined 2 Para on the start line at Goose Green.
Their task was to clear the approaches to the objective, by means of limited mine breaching, marking and minor demolitions.
They were also involved in the various fire-fights. during which Cpl Mick Melia died.
The conflict end, saw the OC - Major Roddy MacDonald join Recce, for the final sprint into Port Stanley.
The troop was then tasked with gathering intelligence on the mines and minefields around the Islands, before finally joining the Squadron and assisting in clearing the various mined areas.

1983 - Norway

1983 - Canada

1984 - Norway

1984 - Falkland Islands

1984 - Squadron Cadre

1985 - Norway

1985 - Cyprus

1986 - NATO (FTX) - Exercise Bold Guard
Cpl Paul Connell died after a fall from a cliff face, during a night recce.

1986 - Cambrian Patrol Competition
The troop formed a team to take part in this competition, scoring highly and bringing home one of the two Gold Medals.

1991 - Operation Haven
Based at Sarsank Airfield, 120km inside the Iraq border.
The troop was working with Mountain & Arctic Warfare Cadre, having formed the Brigade Patrol Squadron, tasked to provide forward observation posts, to give the Commando early warnings.

1991 - Briancon, France
This was the annual Recce Troop concentration.

1992 - Norway

1992 - Belize
Troop split to reinforce numbers for the Squadron construction tour.

1992 - Royal Chamois
Held in York, which the remaining members of the troop attended.

1993 - Norway

1993 - Exercise Snowdrop
Parachute concentration in Pau, France.

1993 - Royal Chamois

1994 - Norway
Only one section of the troop, along with 2 Troop and some Support troop members, went to Norway.

1994 - Scotland
The remainder of the Squadron went to Scotland, for Winter Training.

1994 - Canada
Squadron construction tour.
Only a section of the troop deployed with the Squadron.

1994 - Caribbean Tour
The remainder of the troop, plus some of the Base rear-party formed a section attached to E Company Group (Recce Troop, Cdo Logistics Regt, AD Troop, Mortar Troop, 45 Cdo Marines and 3 BAS), boarded HMS Fearless for this tour.
Visiting Guyana, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, Tortola and Bermuda, tasked with Water Supply, Jungle Training and Live Firing.

1995 - Falkland Islands
Only a section deployed and had to cope with the worst winter out there in decades.

1995 - Montserrat, West Indies
A Volcano showed signs of erupting, so the bulk of the treoop was deployed for aid purposes.

1995 - Royal Chamois

1996 - Exercise Purple Star.
Working alongside the USMC reconnaisance troops

2010-02-23T06:31:00.000-08:00

Recce Trp - Norway