Land Command
Encyclopedia
Commander Land Forces is a senior British Army
officer who has reponsibility for the leadership of the Land Forces of the United Kingdom. He reports to the Chief of the General Staff
who has executive responsibility for the higher command of the British Army. The Commander Land Force's responsibilities were exercised through Land Command from 1 April 1995 to 1 April 2008. From 1 April 2008, HQ Land, with elements of HQ Adjutant-General, became HQ Land Forces. From 1 November 2011, HQ Land Forces was subsumed within the new formation known as Army Headquarters.
in 1968 and was initially called Army Strategic Command. In 1972 it became UK Land Forces and in 1995 it was renamed Land Command.
Land Command assumed control of almost all British Army
combat and combat support troops on 1 April 1995. Three major exceptions were British Forces Cyprus
, the Falkland Islands
, and Northern Ireland
. In the last of those, the General Officer commanding reports to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
for operations in support of the civil power.
On 1 April 2008 Land Command amalgamated with Headquarters Adjutant General
under 'Project Hyperion' and became Land Forces. It was located at Erskine Barracks, Fugglestone
, Wilton
, Wiltshire
, but moved to the former RAF Andover
site on 23 June 2010, now known as Marlborough Lines.
Commander-in-Chief Land Forces (CINCLAND) also became the Standing Joint Commander (UK) or SJC(UK), responsible for overall command to Ministry of Defence contributions to national crisis response activities within the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland).
Under a major army command reorganisation effective 1 November 2011 the Chief of the General Staff
took direct command of the Army through a new structure, based at Andover and known as "Army Headquarters". The posts of Commander-in-Chief and Commander, Field Army
have ceased to exist.
, and several smaller units including the training units and training support units in Belize, Brunei, Canada (Suffield
for armoured battlegroups and Wainwright
for infantry units) and Kenya. The reduction of army districts announced in December 1998 reduced that to six, with Scotland and London losing their formal district status. While London District
was reduced to a Brigade headquarters, with the retention of a Major General
commanding and its "District" title, it seems likely that it retains an importance considerably surpassing the normal regional brigade HQ.
Land Command was later divided in 2003, under the LANDmark reorganisation, into two suborganisations, Field Army and Regional Forces, that paralled the Cold War structure of UKLF. Commander Field Army
has 2 deployable Divisions (1st Armoured Division, 3rd Mechanised Division), Theatre Troops, Joint Helicopter Command, and Training Support under him, while Commander Regional Forces
is responsible for 3 regenerative Divisions (2nd Division, 4th Division, 5th Division), London District, and UK Support Command Germany. In 2007 it was announced that a new deployable divisional HQ would be established until at least 2011 as a means of meeting the UK's commitments to provide divisional HQs on a rotational basis to Regional Command (South) in Afghanistan
and as the lead nation of Multi-National Division (South-East)
in Iraq
. This will be based in York
and formed around the re-established 6th Division.
HQs 2, 4, and 5 Divisions (originally referred to as Regenerative Divisions), plus the London District effectively act as military district
s in the UK itself; the divisions would only be able to generate field formations in the event of a general war. UK Support Command Germany forms the district HQ for personnel based in Germany that are not attached to 1st Armoured Division.
London District's most public concern is the administration of ceremonial units and provision of garrisons for such installations as the Tower of London. However, its primary responsibility is to maintain units directly for the defence of the capital. 56 (London) Brigade was disbanded in 1993.
, a Naval Service formation formed predominantly by units of the Royal Marines
but with significant army support, is under the direct command of the Commander in Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET). In November 2007, the MOD announced the temporary creation of another deployable brigade, designated as 11 Light Brigade, which will command the Operation Herrick
rotation between October 2009 and April 2010.
The numerous other ‘brigades’ within 2, 4, and 5 Divisions would be better described as regional districts whose function is to administer all Territorial Army units within their area and to coordinate the provision of support to the civil authority if necessary, as well as home defence tasks. An example was the coordination of military support the regional brigades did during the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001. The fourteen new Civil Contingency Response Forces (CCRFs), each parented by a TA infantry battalion, are also linked into this structure. They form force elements which may be called on, alongside regular units, by the established chain of command (Ministry of Defence
, HQ Land Forces, Divisional HQs and Regional Brigades) in the event of a request for military assistance by the civil authorities.
There are, in addition to those already mentioned, a number of specialist brigades which bring together under a single administrative apparatus several units performing similar functions. There are two logistic brigades 102 Logistic Brigade in Gernmany and 101 Logistic Brigade which contain logistic units to support the deployed force as a whole. Additionally 104 Logistic Support Brigade operates the specialist units needed to deploy a force overseas such as pioneers, movements and port units.These brigades come under the authority of the GOC, Theatre Troops.
All of the formation reconnaissance regiments not attached to either 1st Armoured Division or 3rd Mechanised Division are grouped together under the administration of 1 Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, while the similarly unattached artillery regiments come under either 1 Artillery Brigade or 7 Air Defence Brigade.
of 2010, the government announced significant changes to the structure of the formations under Land Forces that would be implemented in the years up to 2020:
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...
officer who has reponsibility for the leadership of the Land Forces of the United Kingdom. He reports to the Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
who has executive responsibility for the higher command of the British Army. The Commander Land Force's responsibilities were exercised through Land Command from 1 April 1995 to 1 April 2008. From 1 April 2008, HQ Land, with elements of HQ Adjutant-General, became HQ Land Forces. From 1 November 2011, HQ Land Forces was subsumed within the new formation known as Army Headquarters.
Background
The headquarters was formed from Southern CommandSouthern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
in 1968 and was initially called Army Strategic Command. In 1972 it became UK Land Forces and in 1995 it was renamed Land Command.
Land Command assumed control of almost all British Army
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...
combat and combat support troops on 1 April 1995. Three major exceptions were British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus
British Forces Cyprus is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK sovereign base areas of Dhekelia and Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus...
, the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
, and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In the last of those, the General Officer commanding reports to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
for operations in support of the civil power.
On 1 April 2008 Land Command amalgamated with Headquarters Adjutant General
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
under 'Project Hyperion' and became Land Forces. It was located at Erskine Barracks, Fugglestone
Fugglestone St Peter
Fugglestone St Peter was a small village, manor, and civil parish in Wiltshire, England, lying between the town of Wilton and the city of Salisbury...
, Wilton
Wilton, Wiltshire
Wilton is a town in Wiltshire, , England, with a rich heritage dating back to the Anglo-Saxons. Today it is dwarfed by its larger and more famous neighbour, Salisbury, but still has a range of notable shops and attractions, including Wilton House.The confluence of the rivers Wylye and Nadder is at...
, 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...
, but moved to the former RAF Andover
RAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
site on 23 June 2010, now known as Marlborough Lines.
Commander-in-Chief Land Forces (CINCLAND) also became the Standing Joint Commander (UK) or SJC(UK), responsible for overall command to Ministry of Defence contributions to national crisis response activities within the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland).
Under a major army command reorganisation effective 1 November 2011 the Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
took direct command of the Army through a new structure, based at Andover and known as "Army Headquarters". The posts of Commander-in-Chief and Commander, Field Army
Commander Field Army (United Kingdom)
The Commander Field Army was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Deployable Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions on full strength...
have ceased to exist.
Divisions and Districts
Land Command was initially divided up into eight formations, each one commanded by a Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
, and several smaller units including the training units and training support units in Belize, Brunei, Canada (Suffield
British Army Training Unit Suffield
The British Army Training Unit Suffield is a British Army unit located at the vast training area of Canadian Forces Base Suffield in Alberta, Canada...
for armoured battlegroups and Wainwright
CFB Wainwright
Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, commonly referred to as CFB Wainwright is a Canadian Forces Base located in Denwood, Alberta, adjacent to the town of Wainwright.-Military Camp Wainwright:...
for infantry units) and Kenya. The reduction of army districts announced in December 1998 reduced that to six, with Scotland and London losing their formal district status. While London District
London District (British Army)
London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
was reduced to a Brigade headquarters, with the retention of a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
commanding and its "District" title, it seems likely that it retains an importance considerably surpassing the normal regional brigade HQ.
Land Command was later divided in 2003, under the LANDmark reorganisation, into two suborganisations, Field Army and Regional Forces, that paralled the Cold War structure of UKLF. Commander Field Army
Commander Field Army (United Kingdom)
The Commander Field Army was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Deployable Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions on full strength...
has 2 deployable Divisions (1st Armoured Division, 3rd Mechanised Division), Theatre Troops, Joint Helicopter Command, and Training Support under him, while Commander Regional Forces
Commander Regional Forces (United Kingdom)
The Commander Regional Forces was a senior British Army officer who had command over the Regenerative Divisions of the British Army i.e. those divisions that are not on full strength and would only be mobilised in a national emergency. The post was held by a Lieutenant General and was based at HQ...
is responsible for 3 regenerative Divisions (2nd Division, 4th Division, 5th Division), London District, and UK Support Command Germany. In 2007 it was announced that a new deployable divisional HQ would be established until at least 2011 as a means of meeting the UK's commitments to provide divisional HQs on a rotational basis to Regional Command (South) in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and as the lead nation of Multi-National Division (South-East)
Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq)
Multi-National Division was a British commanded division responsible for security in the south east of Iraq from 2003 to 2009. It was responsible for the large city of Basra and its headquarters were located at Basra Airport. The division was initially responsible for the governorates of Al...
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. This will be based in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and formed around the re-established 6th Division.
HQs 2, 4, and 5 Divisions (originally referred to as Regenerative Divisions), plus the London District effectively act as military district
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
s in the UK itself; the divisions would only be able to generate field formations in the event of a general war. UK Support Command Germany forms the district HQ for personnel based in Germany that are not attached to 1st Armoured Division.
London District's most public concern is the administration of ceremonial units and provision of garrisons for such installations as the Tower of London. However, its primary responsibility is to maintain units directly for the defence of the capital. 56 (London) Brigade was disbanded in 1993.
Brigades
The British Army has only eight genuinely operational, deployable brigade groups – the seven incorporated in 1 Armoured Division and 3 Mechanised Division, plus 16 Air Assault Brigade. 3 Commando Brigade3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
, a Naval Service formation formed predominantly by units of the Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
but with significant army support, is under the direct command of the Commander in Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET). In November 2007, the MOD announced the temporary creation of another deployable brigade, designated as 11 Light Brigade, which will command the Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
rotation between October 2009 and April 2010.
The numerous other ‘brigades’ within 2, 4, and 5 Divisions would be better described as regional districts whose function is to administer all Territorial Army units within their area and to coordinate the provision of support to the civil authority if necessary, as well as home defence tasks. An example was the coordination of military support the regional brigades did during the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001. The fourteen new Civil Contingency Response Forces (CCRFs), each parented by a TA infantry battalion, are also linked into this structure. They form force elements which may be called on, alongside regular units, by the established chain of command (Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, HQ Land Forces, Divisional HQs and Regional Brigades) in the event of a request for military assistance by the civil authorities.
There are, in addition to those already mentioned, a number of specialist brigades which bring together under a single administrative apparatus several units performing similar functions. There are two logistic brigades 102 Logistic Brigade in Gernmany and 101 Logistic Brigade which contain logistic units to support the deployed force as a whole. Additionally 104 Logistic Support Brigade operates the specialist units needed to deploy a force overseas such as pioneers, movements and port units.These brigades come under the authority of the GOC, Theatre Troops.
All of the formation reconnaissance regiments not attached to either 1st Armoured Division or 3rd Mechanised Division are grouped together under the administration of 1 Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, while the similarly unattached artillery regiments come under either 1 Artillery Brigade or 7 Air Defence Brigade.
Hierarchy
- Commander, Land Forces: General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE
- General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division: Major General J I BashallJames BashallMajor-General James Ian Bashall CBE is the current General Officer Commanding 1st Armoured Division.-Military career:Educated at Marlborough College, Bashall was commissioned in to the Parachute Regiment in 1984...
CBE- 4 Mechanised Brigade
- 7 Armoured Brigade
- 20 Armoured Brigade
- General Officer Commanding 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division: Major General J G 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:...
DSO MBE- 1 Mechanised Brigade
- 12 Mechanised Brigade
- 19 Light Brigade
- 52 Infantry Brigade
- General Officer Commanding, Theatre Troops: Major General S Burley
- 101 Logistic Brigade
- 102 Logistic Brigade
- 104 Logistic Support Brigade
- 1 Signal Brigade
- 2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade2 Signal Brigade is an operational Brigade of the Royal Corps of Signals with a Regular HQ, 1 Regular Regiment, 8 TA Regiments and a number of specialist sub-units...
- 11 Signal Brigade
- 1 Artillery Brigade
- HQ Joint Ground-Based Air Defence (16 Regiment, RA)
- 1 Military Intelligence Brigade
- 2 Medical Brigade
- 8 Force Engineer Brigade
- 12 (Air Support) Engineer Group
- 29 (Land Support) Engineer Group
- 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group
- Commander Support Command Major-General C BoagColin BoagMajor General Colin James Boag CBE is a senior British Army officer.-Military career:Boag graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned at the rank of second lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers on 6 August 1983, with seniority from 3 May 1981, and immediately ...
(from 1 January 2012)- 15 (North East) Brigade
- 38 (Irish) Brigade38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)The 38th Infantry Brigade was a British Army unit formed initially after the start of World War I, without the title 'Irish'.-History:...
- 42 (North West) Brigade
- 51 (Scottish) Brigade
- Catterick GarrisonCatterick GarrisonCatterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
- 2 (South East) Brigade
- 43 (Wessex) Brigade
- 145 (South) Brigade
- Aldershot GarrisonAldershot GarrisonAldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England. Established in 1854, Aldershot has long been seen as the home of the British Army. The garrison was established when the war department brought a large area of land near to the village of...
- British Gurkhas NepalBritish Gurkhas NepalBritish Gurkhas Nepal is an administrative organisation of the British Army that forms part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. The mission of BGN is to organise and facilitate the recruitment, transit and welfare of Gurkhas recruited into the British Army, to ensure that all Gurkha units are manned fully...
- Brunei GarrisonBritish Military Garrison BruneiThe British Military Garrison Brunei is the name given to the British armed forces presence in Brunei. Since the handover ceremony of Hong Kong in 1997, the garrison in Brunei is the only remaining British military base in the Far East, and along with Diego Garcia one of only two East of Suez...
- 49 (East) Brigade
- 143 (West Midlands) Brigade
- 160 (Welsh) Brigade
- 16 Air Assault Brigade
- Colchester GarrisonColchester GarrisonColchester Garrison is located in Colchester in the county of Essex. It has been an important military base since the Roman era. The first permanent military garrison in Colchester was established by Legio XX Valeria Victrix in 43 AD following the Claudian invasion of Britain. Colchester was an...
- General Officer Commanding UK Support Command Germany: Major General N Caplin
- British Forces Liaison Organisation (Germany)
- GüterslohGüterslohGütersloh is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 96,320 people.- Geography :...
Garrison - HohneHohneHohne is a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, east of the county town of Celle. It includes the three former parishes of Hohne, Helmerkamp and Spechtshorn...
Garrison - PaderbornPaderbornPaderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
Garrison - OsnabrückOsnabrückOsnabrück is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany, some 80 km NNE of Dortmund, 45 km NE of Münster, and some 100 km due west of Hanover. It lies in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest...
Garrison
- General Officer Commanding London DistrictLondon District (British Army)London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
: Major General GPR NortonGeorge NortonMajor-General George Pemberton Ross Norton CBE is a British Army officer who is currently the General Officer Commanding London District and Major-General commanding the Household Division.-Military career:...
CBE
- General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division: Major General J I Bashall
Future Reorganisation
Following the Strategic Defence and Security ReviewStrategic Defence and Security Review
The Strategic Defence and Security Review was announced by the newly formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010...
of 2010, the government announced significant changes to the structure of the formations under Land Forces that would be implemented in the years up to 2020:
- Field Army: By 2020, the total withdrawal of British forces stationed in Germany will be complete, and the Army's operational structure will be formed around a total of five multi-role brigades (MRB); these will be taken from the two brigades currently stationed in Germany under 1st Armoured Division, and three of the four in the UK. To ensure costs are kept down, the MOD's proposal will be to station units as close as possible to training areas. Therefore, it is planned that 19 (Light) Brigade, stationed in Northern Ireland, will be disbanded.
- Regional Forces: While the regional forces elements will be retained at brigade level, with all ten regional brigades remaining as they are, the regional divisional HQs (2nd Division, 4th Division and 5th Division) will be replaced with a single 2-star regional headquarters at Aldershot
External Links and Sources
- A Guide to Invitations and Appointments for High Commissions and Embassies in London, Ministry of DefenceMinistry of Defence (United Kingdom)The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
, June 2006 edition - Jane's Defence Weekly article in 1995 on Land Command