5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
5th Brigade 5th Infantry Brigade 5th Airborne Brigade | |
---|---|
3rd (UK) Division | |
Garrison/HQ | Aldershot Garrison |
Engagements | First World War Second World War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation The Troubles Falklands War |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Michael West |
The 5th Infantry Brigade was a
History
During the
Following the end of the Boer war in 1902 the army was restructured, and a 3rd Infantry division was established permanently at Bordon as part of the 1st Army Corps, comprising the 5th and 6th Infantry Brigades.[2][3]
World Wars
The brigade was part of the 2nd Division during the First World War and was one of the first British units to be sent overseas on the outbreak of war. The brigade became part of the British Expeditionary Force and saw action on the Western Front in the Battle of Mons and the subsequent Great Retreat and at the First Battle of Ypres, which saw the old Regular Army virtually destroyed.[4]
During the
Post 1945
Following the war, it was part of the
In 1979-80 Headquarters 8 Field Force was heavily involved in directing the
In the early 1980s, the Field Force concept was dropped in favour of traditional Brigades; 5th Infantry Brigade was reformed at Aldershot in January 1982 by the redesignation of 8th Field Force. The Brigade consisted of the former elements of the Parachute Contingency Force (PCF) from 6 Field Force (which became the 1st Infantry Brigade), at the time 2 PARA, together with a second Parachute Battalion from 8 Field Force (3 PARA).[11]
Falklands War
The Brigade was sent to the
5th Airborne Brigade
Following the
Structure
First World War Order of Battle
The brigade was part of 2nd Division. The brigade commanded the following units in the First World War:[14]
- 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (transferred to 33rd Division on 15 December 1915)
- 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 2nd Battalion, Connaught Rangers (transferred to 3rd (Lahore) Division on 26 November 1914)
- 1/9th Battalion, (Glasgow Highlanders), Highland Light Infantry (November 1914 to January 1916)
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (January to July 1915)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)(December 1915 to February 1918)
- 24th (Service) Battalion (2nd Sportsman's), Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (from December 1915)
- 5th Machine Gun Company (from 1 January 1916 to 4 March 1918")
- 5th Trench Mortar Battery (from March 1916")
Second World War Order of Battle
The brigade commanded the following units in the Second World War:[15]
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (until 5 February 1940)
- 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
- 7th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (from 5 February 1940)
Falklands War Order of Battle
The final order of battle included:[12]
- 205 signal squadron HQ, Royal Signals
- 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards
- 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
- 1st Battalion, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles
- 4th Regiment, Royal Artillery
- 1 troop of the Blues and Royals
- 63 Squadron RAF Regiment (SHORAD) [a]
5th Airborne Brigade
The 5th Airborne Brigade Order of Battle was as follows:[13]
- HQ 5 Airborne Brigade
- 89 Abn Intelligence Section, Intelligence Corps
- No.1 Air Force Liaison Section
- 2 x Parachute Battalions
- 1 x Infantry Battalion (2nd Battalion The Wessex Regiment (Volunteers). Note that while this was a Territorial Army battalion, it was a resident unit of the brigade, not part of the Territorial Army enhancement described below).
- 1 x Gurkha Battalion
- 1 x Armoured Recce Regiment The Blues & Royals
- 4th Field Regiment Royal Artillery (1977 - 1983)
- 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery (1984 - TBA)
- Royal Pioneer Corps
- 36 Engineer Regiment Royal Engineers
- 9 Para Squadron RE
- 20 Sqn RE
- 50 Field Construction Sqn RE
- 61 Field Support Sqn RE
- 216 (Parachute) Signal Sqn Royal Signals
- Det 224 Signal Sqn Royal Signals
- 658 Aviation Sqn Army Air Corps
- 23 Parachute Field Ambulance Royal Army Medical Corps
- 160 Provost Company Royal Military Police
- 613 Tactical Air Control Party (Parachute) RAF Regt
- 614 Tactical Air Control Party (Parachute) RAF Regt
- Logistic Battalion
- 63 Abn Squadron Royal Corps of Transport/ Royal Logistic Corps
- 82 Abn Ordnance Company Royal Army Ordnance Corps/ Royal Logistic Corps
- 10 Abn Workshop Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
Commanders
Commanders included:[17]
- September 1911 – 16 September 1914 Brigadier-General Richard Haking
- 16 September – 20 November 1914 Colonel Claude Berners Westmacott (acting)
- 20 November – 20 December 1914 Brigadier-General Richard Haking
- 20 December – 31 December 1914 Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Davies (acting)
- 31 December 1914 – 13 July 1915 Brigadier-General Augustus Chichester
- 13 July 1915 – 15 May 1916 Brigadier-General Charles Corkran
- 15 May 1916 – 25 March 1918 Brigadier-General George Bullen-Smith
- 25 March – 5 April 1918 Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Pipon (acting)
- 5 April – 5 October 1918 Brigadier-General William Osborn
- 5 October – 12 November 1918 Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Pipon (acting)
- 12 November 1918 – Brigadier-General William Osborn
- 1938–1941 Brigadier Gerald Gartlan
- 1941–1942 Brigadier J.R.T. Aldous
- 1942–1944 Brigadier V.F.S. Hawkins
- 1944–1945 Brigadier M.M. Alston-Roberts-West
- 1982–1983 Brigadier Tony Wilson
- 1983–1985 Brigadier Tony Jeapes
Notes
References
- ^ "Battle of Colenso". British Battles.
- ^ Rinaldi, p. 31
- ^ "Naval & Military intelligence - The 1st Army Corps". The Times. No. 36892. London. 7 October 1902. p. 8.
- ^ "British Expeditionary Force (BEF)". British Battles. Archived from the original on 28 July 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ Delaforce, p. 127
- ^ "Kohima and Imphal". Burma Star Association. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ Watson, p. 123
- ^ Van der Bijl, p. 84
- ^ Gregory Blaxland, The Regiments Depart, 1971.
- ^ Learmount, 'Reflections from Rhodesia,' RUSI Journal, Vol. 125, No. 4, 1980.
- ISBN 978-0870522970.
- ^ a b "Battle Atlas of the Falklands War 1982". Naval History. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ a b "5th Airborne Brigade". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ Baker, Chris. "The 2nd Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Archived from the original on 8 July 2001. Retrieved 16 July 2015.
- ^ "Subordinates". Orders of Battle. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "63 Sqn RAF Regt History". RAF. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ^ "Unit appointmemts". Orders of Battle. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
Sources
- Delaforce, Patrick (2006). Smashing the Atlantic Wall: The Destruction of Hitler's Coastal Fortresses. Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 978-1844153718.
- Van der Bijl, Nick (2014). British Military Operations in Aden and Radfan: 100 Years of British Colonial Rule. Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 9781783032914.
- Watson, Graham (2005). Germany: An Organizational History 1947-2004. General Data. ISBN 978-0972029698.
External links
- "5 Infantry Brigade". Orders of Battle.com.