A Bren gun on a bicycle

Preparing for D day

61^st Reconnaissance were to play a critical role on D Day and preparations would have begun while they were in Nightingale Wood.  As the Commander of ‘A’ Squadron, Major Philip Brownrigg (later Lt.Col. Brownrigg) describes:

“Our task for the invasion was twofold: first, to provide contact patrols with the assaulting battalions, working back to a control set at divisional Headquarters; and second, to land a skeleton reconnaissance regiment.  This meant reorganising the Regiment.  ‘C’ Squadron found the contact patrols and some carriers with their crews to act as ammunition ferries for 47 Marine commandos at Port-en-Bessin.  The assault reconnaissance regiment consisted of ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadrons and Regimental Headquarters, all at about 40% of their full strength.  The remainder of the Regiment was scheduled to land within the first month.  For our special task we were allowed to choose much of our equipment, and so acquired a great number of half tracks, which were useful throughout the campaign, and lots of bicycles…”       (From ‘A Reconnaissance Regiment in the B.L.A.’ by Lt-Col P.H.A. Brownrigg D.S.O.)

 

Anthony Rampling was a Bren gunner in the assault troop of ‘B’ Squadron – a Bren was a light machine-gun. One in twenty gunners were Bren gunners like Anthony, others had rifles or Sten guns (submachine guns) while the officers carried pistols.

 “The standard reconnaissance unit carried twice as much firepower as its infantry counterpart.” (‘Only the Enemy in Front , Every other beggar behind… - The Recce Corps at War 1940-1946’ by Richard Doherty, Tom Donovan Publishing Ltd 1994)

Bren Gun on a Bicycle

“First of all I was in the Assault Troop and just prior to the Normandy landings they were talking about issuing us with bicycles and being a Bren gunner I didn’t fancy this very much. A Bren gun weighed about 24lbs and it was a bit awkward to carry and I thought it would be a disaster on a bicycle.  I asked for a transfer into the armoured car troop, which I got fairly immediately and my officer in charge was Lieutenant Richard Williams.”  (From Anthony Rampling’s account of 61^st Recce, pers. comm.)

So Tony joined Dick’s troop. Tony’s transfer could have saved his life – assault troopers had to walk up to the hedgerows in Normandy to flush the Germans out and many were killed.