GHQ Liaison Regiment
GHQ Liaison Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | 1939–1945 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | British Army |
Type | Special reconnaissance unit |
Role | Airborne force Direct action Forward observer Long-range penetration Special reconnaissance |
Garrison/HQ | Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park |
Nickname(s) | "Phantom" |
Engagements | Dunkirk evacuation Operation Overlord Operation Market Garden |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | George Frederick Hopkinson Alexander (Sandy) McIntosh |
GHQ Liaison Regiment (known as Phantom) was a special reconnaissance unit of the British Army first formed in 1939 during the early stages of World War II. The regiment's headquarters were at The Richmond Hill Hotel in Richmond, Surrey (now in London); its base (including the officers' mess and billet) was at Pembroke Lodge, a Georgian house in Richmond Park, London.[1][2]
History
It had its origins as the No 3 British Air Mission in France in 1939. Moving with the Belgian General Staff, its role was to report information about the Allied forward positions from Belgian GHQ to the Advanced Air Striking Force HQ so as to pinpoint the changing locations of "bomb lines". These were the battle areas not occupied by Allied troops and suitable targets for bombs and shells.[3]
In November 1939, Lieut-Col George 'Hoppy' Hopkinson was sent as a military observer to the No 3 British Air Mission and subsequently changed the method of operations to focus upon greater use of wireless communications and mobility to provide assessment from the front line. 'Phantom' the collective codename for these missions was chosen by themselves and later became an official term.
After the Dunkirk evacuation, the unit was re-formed as No 1 GHQ Reconnaissance Unit. As such, it was intended to have a key intelligence role following any Nazi invasion of Britain.[4] In January 1941, the Reconnaissance Corps was established and Phantom was re-named GHQ Liaison Regiment to avoid confusion. Phantom recruited men with various talents, linguists, drivers and mechanics – and undertook rigorous training in wireless communication and cipher.
In January 1944, the Reconnaissance Corps was absorbed into the Royal Armoured Corps and with it the Phantom GHQ Liaison Regiment. Phantom was disbanded in 1945 and then reborn as the Army Phantom Signals Regiment (Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment) until 1960, when it was clear that technology provided for alternative solutions.
Operation Overlord
During Operation Overlord, in June 1944, many patrols from Phantom came to Normandy on D+1. Their task was to go around day and night to find all the British, Canadian and American units they could, marking their locations on a map, and passing the information to the main HQ.
Operation Market Garden
During Operation Market Garden, in September 1944, the only communication between the surrounded airborne troops at Arnhem and headquarters was via a Phantom patrol. This included the famous, desperate, message from Major-General Roy Urquhart that "... unless physical contact is made with us early 25 Sept...consider it unlikely we can hold out long enough ..." Two Phantom officers were subsequently awarded the Military Cross for maintaining these vital communications during the operation. Phantom units also operated with XXX Corps and with General Browning whose HQ was next to 82nd Airborne HQ in Groesbeek.
Organisation
Phantom deployed in squadrons in North West Europe, South East Europe, North Africa and Italy. Each squadron supported an Army and consisted of a squadron HQ (SHQ) and a number of patrols (one per corps and a further ten further forward of corps). Each patrol consisted of an officer, an NCO and up to nine other ranks. They were typically equipped with Norton motorcycles, Jeeps, Morris 15cwt trucks and White M3 A1 Scout cars and carried a 107 Receiver, 52 and 22 sets. The patrols either embedded with other formations or went on special missions from their Army HQs. The patrols' role was to provide collection, passage and dissemination of contemporaneous information on the progress of battle to corps HQ.
For Operation Overlord, one patrol was assigned to each divisional HQ of I and XXX Corps to land with main divisional HQ. Thus on D-Day, three Patrols (5, 8 & 14) landed with the 3rd British, 50th Northumbrian and 3rd Canadian Divisions. Some patrols undertook parachute drops with the Special Air Service (SAS) to provide communications with SAS Brigade HQ. Later, with Phantom efficiency proven and with US forces under the leadership of the 12th US Army Group, similar arrangements were made for Phantom to provide communications with US corps.
Officers
Famous Phantom officers included: actors Major David Niven (who initially commanded A Squadron and who remarked in a letter, "these were wonderful days which I would not have missed for anything"), Tam Williams and Willoughby Gray; the MPs Sir Jakie Astor, the Hon. Michael Astor, Peter Baker, Sir Hugh Fraser, Maurice Macmillan (Viscount Macmillan), Sir Carol Mather and Christopher Mayhew (Lord Mayhew); Law Lord Nigel Bridge, Baron Bridge of Harwich.[5][6] The journalist Sir Peregrine Worsthorne; and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Robert Mark.[7] Others, such as Michael Oakeshott and John Hislop, excelled in the fields of academia or athletics.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Osborne, Mike (2011). Defending London: A Military History from Conquest to Cold War. The History Press. ISBN 9780752479316.
- ^ Guide to Richmond Park. Friends of Richmond Park. 2011. p. 91.
- ^ Sampson, June. "Force of the Phantom". Kingston Guardian. Archived from the original on 25 January 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2008.
- ^ Atkin, Malcolm (2015). Fighting Nazi Occupation: British Resistance 1939 - 1945. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. pp. 111–113. ISBN 978-1-47383-377-7.
- ^ Day, Martyn (3 March 2011). "The Phantom in Richmond Park". St Margarets community website. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
- ^ "Major Sir John Astor". The Daily Telegraph. 13 September 2000. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
- ^ Campbell, Duncan (1 October 2010). "Sir Robert Mark obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
Further reading
- Parlour, Andy; Parlour, Sue (2003). Phantom at War: The British Army's Secret Intelligence and Communication Regiment of WWII (Hardcover ed.). Cerberus Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84145-118-3.
- Niven, David (1994) [1972]. The Moon's a Balloon. Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-023924-9.
External links
- The Foundation of "Phantom", Royal Signals contact site
- Spear, Roger: "Phantom, The Signals Regiment in Richmond Park", The VMARS Newsletter, issue 37
- v
- t
- e
- Barnes
- Barnes Bridge
- Fulwell
- Hampton
- Hampton Wick
- Kew Gardens
- Mortlake
- North Sheen
- Richmond
- St Margarets
- Strawberry Hill
- Teddington
- Twickenham
- Whitton
and river services
- Beverley Brook
- River Crane
- Duke of Northumberland's River
- Longford River
- Sudbrook and Latchmere stream
- River Thames
- Athletic Ground, Richmond
- Barn Elms playing fields
- The Championship Course
- Cricket clubs and grounds
- Golf clubs and courses
- Hampton Pool
- The Lensbury
- Pools on the Park
- Royal Tennis Court, Hampton Court
- Teddington Pools and Fitness Centre
- Thames Young Mariners
- Twickenham Stadium
- Twickenham Stoop
- former Ranelagh Club
- former Richmond Ice Rink
- Britannia, Richmond
- The Bull's Head, Barnes
- The Crown, Twickenham
- Dysart Arms, Petersham
- The Fox, Twickenham
- The George, Twickenham
- Hare and Hounds, East Sheen
- Jolly Coopers, Hampton
- Old Ship, Richmond
- Park Hotel, Teddington
- Richmond Brewery Stores
- Sun Inn, Barnes
- Twickenham Fine Ales
- Watney Combe & Reid
- White Cross, Richmond
- The White Swan, Twickenham
and music venues
- The Bull's Head
- Crawdaddy Club
- The Exchange
- Olympic Studios
- Orange Tree Theatre
- OSO Arts Centre
- Puppet Theatre Barge
- Richmond Theatre
- TwickFolk
- Wathen Hall
- former Eel Pie Island Hotel
- former Richmond Theatre (1765–1884|
- Richmond and Twickenham Times
- former Gaydar Radio
- former Hogarth Press
of interest
- 123 Mortlake High Street
- 14 The Terrace, Barnes
- 18 Station Road, Barnes
- 70 Barnes High Street
- Asgill House
- Barnes power station
- Brinsworth House
- Bushy House
- Chapel House
- Chapel in the Wood
- Clarence House
- Doughty House
- Douglas House
- Downe House
- East Sheen Filling Station
- Fulwell bus garage
- Garrick's Temple to Shakespeare
- Garrick's Villa
- Grove House, Hampton
- Halford House
- Ham House
- Hampton Water Treatment Works
- Hampton Youth Project
- Harrods Furniture Depository
- Hogarth House
- The Homestead
- Hotham House
- Kew Mortuary
- King's Observatory
- Kneller Hall
- Langham House
- Langham House Close
- Latchmere House
- Lichfield Court
- Marble Hill House
- Montrose House
- National Physical Laboratory
- Normansfield Theatre
- The Old Court House
- Old Town Hall, Richmond
- Ormeley Lodge
- Parkleys
- The Pavilion
- Pembroke Lodge
- Pope's Grotto
- Poppy Factory
- Royal Military School of Music
- Royal Star and Garter Home
- St Leonard's Court
- Strawberry Hill House
- Stud House
- Sudbrook House and Park
- Thatched House Lodge
- University Boat Race Stones
- Victoria Working Men's Club
- West Hall
- White Lodge
- The Wick
- Wick House
- Yelverton Lodge
- York House
- former Admiralty Research Laboratory
- former Alcott House
- former Camp Griffiss
- former Cardigan House
- former Cross Deep House
- former The Karsino
- former Mortlake Tapestry Works
- former Mount Ararat
- former Pope's villa
- former Radnor House
- former Richmond House
- former Richmond Lodge
- former Richmond Theological College
- former Sheen Priory
- former Star and Garter Hotel
- former Twickenham Park
- Adana Printing Machines
- Ashe baronets
- Cook baronets of Doughty House
- Darell baronets, of Richmond Hill
- GHQ Liaison Regiment (Phantom)
- Hampton Court Conference
- Kew Letters
- Petersham Hole
- Pocock baronets
- Richmond Flyers
- Richmond, Petersham and Ham Open Spaces Act 1902
- Treaty of Hampton Court (1562)
- Vandeput baronets
- Warren-Lambert
- Wigan baronets
- Richmond Park
- Twickenham
- former Richmond and Barnes
- former Richmond (Surrey)