British 12th Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 12th Mechanized Brigade is a regular British Army
brigade
which has been in existence since 1899.
, the 12th Infantry Brigade, a regular army
formation, was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division
. It was one of the first units dispatched to France
, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and saw service on the Western Front
.
From early November 1915 until February 1916 the 12th Brigade was swapped with the 107th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division
.
, it served in France
in 1940, Algeria and Tunisia
in 1943, Italy
1944 and ended the war in Greece
.
From June 1960 the brigade was in Germany with the 1st Division but then placed within 2nd Division until it was disbanded on restructuring of the Army in September 1976. As part of the five-battle group division scheme from 1976 to 1983 it was part of 2nd Armoured Division, converted to armour. Moved to 1st Armoured Division it remained, with a spell under HQ 3rd Armoured Division during Operation Granby
, until disbandment under Options for Change
.
Following the Strategic Defence Review
, the Brigade was reformed in mechanized form from the disbanding 5th Airborne Brigade
. It is now based at Bulford
, Wiltshire
(having formerly been in Aldershot
) and is part of the 3rd (UK) Division
.
The brigade headquarters, with two battle groups - the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
and the 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards - deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 to form the headquarters and main infantry combat units of Task Force Helmand
as a part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force
. The 2009 book, Attack State Red, recounts the Royal Anglian Battle Group's contribution to this operation.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
which has been in existence since 1899.
History
The brigade was first formed in December 1899 as 12th Infantry Brigade, part of 6th Division. Three years later it was disbanded, but it was reformed in May 1907 as part of 4th Division and served in the First World War.First World War
During the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the 12th Infantry Brigade, a regular army
Regular army
A regular army consists of the permanent force of a country's army that is maintained under arms during peacetime.Countries that use the term include:*Australian Army*British Army*Canadian Forces, specifically "Regular Force"*Egyptian army*Indian Army...
formation, was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division
British 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
. It was one of the first units dispatched to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and saw service on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
Formation
- 1st Battalion, The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
- 2nd Battalion, the Lancashire FusiliersLancashire FusiliersThe Lancashire Fusiliers was a British infantry regiment that was amalgamated with other Fusilier regiments in 1968 to form the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.- Formation and early history:...
- 2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment
- 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) (from January 1916 to 10th Bde. February 1918)
- 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (from March 1915, to 11th Bde. July 1915)
- 1/5th Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment (from February 1915 until January 1916)
- 1/2nd Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment (until January 1916)
From early November 1915 until February 1916 the 12th Brigade was swapped with the 107th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division
British 36th (Ulster) Division
The 36th Division was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army formed in September 1914. Originally called the Ulster Division, it was made up of members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, who formed thirteen additional battalions for three existing regiments: the Royal Irish Fusiliers, the Royal Irish...
.
Second World War
As part of the 4th Infantry DivisionBritish 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
, it served in France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940, Algeria and Tunisia
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
in 1943, Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
1944 and ended the war in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Formation
- 1st Battalion, Black WatchBlack WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1st Bn. The South Lancashire Regiment
- 2nd Bn. The Royal Fusiliers
- 6th Bn. Black Watch
- 1st Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1961. It was formed as The Queen's Own as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 50th Regiment of Foot and the 97th Regiment of Foot...
Commanders
- 3 September 1939 Brig. John ClarkJohn George Walters ClarkJohn George Walters Clark CB, MC was a British army officer in both World War I and World War II.-Early life:Clark was commissioned into the 16th The Queen's Lancers in 1911 and fought with them during World War I. In 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross...
- 20 October 1939 Brig. John Hawkesworth
- 18 June 1940 Brig. Daniel BeakDaniel Marcus William BeakMajor-General Daniel Marcus William Beak, VC, DSO, MC & Bar was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-1915–1917:He initially joined the Royal Naval Volunteer...
- 10 December 1941 Brig. R.G.W. Callaghan
- 14 April 1943 Lt Col. J.M. Haycroft (Acting)
- 17 April 1943 Brig. Richard Hull
- 17 June 1943 Brig. Gordon MacMillanGordon Holmes MacMillanGeneral Sir Gordon Holmes Alexander MacMillan, Lord MacMillan of MacMillan of Knap, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO and MC with two bars was a British General who commanded several British Army divisions during World War II and who was decorated for bravery in World War I...
- 22 June 1943 Lt-Col. B.J.G Madden (Acting)
- 29 June 1943 Lt-Col. J.M. Haycroft (Acting)
- 7 July 1943 Lt Col. T.P.D. Scott
- 12 November 1943 Brig. F.M. Elliott
- 26 April 1944 Brig. A.G.W. Heber-Percy
Post-1945
It was disbanded in March 1947, but reformed from 91 Lorried Infantry Brigade in April 1956 but then disbanded in December 1957.From June 1960 the brigade was in Germany with the 1st Division but then placed within 2nd Division until it was disbanded on restructuring of the Army in September 1976. As part of the five-battle group division scheme from 1976 to 1983 it was part of 2nd Armoured Division, converted to armour. Moved to 1st Armoured Division it remained, with a spell under HQ 3rd Armoured Division during Operation Granby
Operation Granby
Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
, until disbandment under Options for Change
Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
.
Following the Strategic Defence Review
Strategic Defence Review
The Strategic Defence Review was a British policy document produced by the Labour Government that came to power in 1997. Then Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United...
, the Brigade was reformed in mechanized form from the disbanding 5th Airborne Brigade
British 5th Infantry Brigade
The 5th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation from the First World War to disbandment in 1999.- History :During both World War I and the Second World War the 5th Brigade was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served in France in 1940, was evacuated to Britain from Dunkirk and...
. It is now based at Bulford
Bulford
Bulford is a village and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, close to Salisbury Plain. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 4,698.The name is derived from the Old English bulut ieg ford meaning 'ragged robin island ford'....
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
(having formerly been in Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
) and is part of the 3rd (UK) Division
British 3rd Infantry Division
The 3rd Mechanised Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd Division or as Iron Sides; is a regular army division of the British Army...
.
The brigade headquarters, with two battle groups - the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment
Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on 1 September 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the...
and the 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards - deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 to form the headquarters and main infantry combat units of Task Force Helmand
Task Force Helmand
Task Force Helmand is the name given to a military unit of the International Security Assistance Force in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Task Force Helmand is currently part of Regional Command Southwest and consists of military forces from countries such as Estonia and the U.K....
as a part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force
International Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
. The 2009 book, Attack State Red, recounts the Royal Anglian Battle Group's contribution to this operation.
Current Formation
- 12 Mechanized Brigade Units 2011
- 228 Signal Squadron (Brigade Headquarters)
- The Light DragoonsThe Light DragoonsThe Light Dragoons is a cavalry regiment in the British Army.It was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of two regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars becoming the first dragoon regiment in the British Army for over twenty years.-Present day:The Light...
(Formation Reconnaissance) - The King's Royal Hussars (Armoured)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of FusiliersRoyal Regiment of FusiliersThe Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on April 23, 1968, as part of the reforms of the army that saw the creation of the first 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English fusilier...
(Armoured Infantry) - 3rd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (Duke of Wellington's)Yorkshire RegimentThe Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...
(Armoured Infantry) - 1st Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment (Mechanized Infantry)
- 3rd Battalion, The RiflesThe RiflesThe Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
, (Light Role Infantry) - 19 Regiment, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
(Self Propelled Artillery) - 26 Engineer Regiment, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- 4 Close Support Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersRoyal Electrical and Mechanical EngineersThe Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers is a corps of the British Army that has responsibility for the maintenance, servicing and inspection of almost every electrical and mechanical piece of equipment within the British Army from Challenger II main battle tanks and WAH64 Apache...
Recent Commanders
- 1956-1957 Brigadier IH FreelandIan FreelandLieutenant-General Sir Ian Henry Freeland GBE KCB DSO DL was a British Army officer, who most notably served as Army General Officer Commanding and Director of Operations in security matters in Northern Ireland in the aftermath of rioting in 1969, and the beginning of the Troubles.-Early career...
- 1970-1972 Brigadier DT YoungDavid Young (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir David Tod Young KBE CB DFC was General Officer Commanding Scotland.-Military career:Educated at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, Young was commissioned into the Royal Scots in 1945...
- 1984-1986 Brigadier JJ MackenzieJeremy MackenzieGeneral Sir John Jeremy Mackenzie GCB, OBE, DL is a former British Army General who became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.-Military career:...
- 1989-1990 Brigadier JMFC HallJonathan Hall (British Army officer)Major-General Jonathan Michael Francis Cooper Hall CB OBE was General Officer Commanding Scotland.-Military career:Educated at Taunton School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Hall was commissioned into the 3rd Carabiniers in 1965. He was appointed Commanding Officer of the Royal Scots...
- 1999-2002 Brigadier J CooperJohn Cooper (British Army officer)Lieutenant General John Cooper CB DSO MBE is a former senior British Army officer. From March 2008 the Deputy Commander of Multinational Force-Iraq , the operational-level headquarters in Iraq, and Senior British Military Representative-Iraq. As Deputy Commander, he was the principal assistant to...
- 2002-2003 Brigadier JD ShawJonathan Shaw (British Army officer)Major-General Jonathan David Shaw CBE is a British Army officer who currently serves as the Assistant Chief of Defence Staff .-Military career:...
- 2005-2007 Brigadier JG LorimerJohn LorimerMajor-General John Gordon Lorimer DSO MBE is a senior British Army officer who is currently General Officer Commanding 3rd Mechanised Division.-Military career:...