"Gough's airborne reconnaissance squadron" Topic

From my research it appears it is made up of a H.Q. troop, three Recce troops, and a Support troop. I'm having problems determining what weapons were found in the support troop.

Can anyone help?

Has anyone built this unit for Rapid Fire? I don't have a copy of the RF Market Garden book, but may need to pick it up.

Double post – bug.

The RF book says;

CO+12
20mm Polsten cannon
4x MG armed Jeep
Motorcycle

Most sources are very vague about the composition of Support Troop at Arnhem, the closest I've come is a unit history which mentions a pair of 3" mortars and a pair of towed 20m Polsten guns (along with standard platoon weapons, rifles, Brens, stens and PIATs). Other sources mention the recce crewed Polstens too.

The jeeps were already tooled up with Vickers K guns so maybe they didn't have any MMGs. In the absence of anything ,more definitive I'd go with a section of 3" mortars and a section of Polstens.

For my brigade level scenario of the Airlandings I just gave them three recce troops and an HQ troop.

There actually is a TO&E that goes down to the pistols issued to the unit. Some google foo should bring it up.

Here is a basic organization for the unit:

1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron

Commander : Major Freddie Gough

Headquarters Troop : Captain Horace Platt

Support Troop : Lieutenant John Christie

A Troop : Captain M. W. Grubb

No.1 Section : Lieutenant J. Stevenson

No.2 Section : Lieutenant Douglas Galbraith

No.3 Section : Lieutenant D. R. Guthrie

C Troop : Captain J. A. Hay

No.7 Section : Lieutenant R. C. Foulkes

No.8 Section : Lieutenant Peter Bucknall

No.9 Section : Lieutenant C. B. Bowles

D Troop : Captain John Park

No.10 Section : Lieutenant J. W. Marshall

No.11 Section : Lieutenant W. F. V. Hodge

No.12 Section : Lieutenant Alan Pascal

Based at Ruskington. Flew in 8 C-47's from Barkston Heath, and 22 Horsas from Tarrant Rushton.

Went in: 181 men Died: 30 Evacuated: 73 Missing: 78

link

Second Martin's description, the WE allowed for four 3-in mortar dets but the war diary says they had two mortars and two Polstens. The last WE to give individual weapons was issued 31st March 1943.

Gary

Thanks for all the input.

I plan a 5 Jeep unit.

HQ – 3 Recce – support. For the support unit i'll be modeling a 3 inch mortar stand. The mortar can drop smoke that, I expect, would be quite valuable covering retreats.