User:Noclador/sandbox/British Army 1989

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

This is the structure of the British Army in 1989.

The original source, though with much modification, can be seen at http://www.microarmormayhem.com/NATO_ORDER_OF_BATTLE_mod_8.doc.

Where details are unclear, the general pattern portrayed in Isby and Kamps, Armies of NATO's Central Front, Jane's Publishing Company, 1985 has been followed.

The most authoritative source for this type of information available is Ministry of Defence (Army Department), Master Order of Battle, ASD 6500-25, Ministry of Defence, 1991. Also, see United Kingdom Land Forces, HQ UKLF, UKLF ORBAT Review Action Plan, HQ UKLF, 1990.

Quartermaster General
's department.

United Kingdom Land Forces

Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces, General Sir Charles Huxtable

HQ: Wilton

HQ United Kingdom Land Forces commanded nine military districts until the spring of 1991.[2] These districts controlled the regular army brigades in the UK (inc 1st and 5th Brigades) and the predominantly TA regional brigades. In 1984-85, the nine districts were Eastern (19th and 54th Brigades), London, North-East (2nd Infantry Division, 15, 24, and 49 Brigades), North-West District (42 Brigade), Scotland (51 and 52 Brigades), South-Eastern District (2 and 5 Brigades), South-West District (UK Contingent, ACE Mobile Force, 1, and 43 Brigades) Headquarters Wales (160 Brigade), and Western District (143 Brigade).[3]

In December 1989, Headquarters UK Land Forces at Wilton directed field forces through a three-star's command,

Commander UK Field Army, Lieutenant General Sir David Ramsbotham.[4] Many of the units stationed in the United Kingdom were to move immediately to Germany to reinforce British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in case of war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact
. For administrative purposes these units were under command of brigade HQ based in the UK during peacetime. Such reinforcement units are indicated in the list below in italics followed by the higher command they were to reinforce in Germany in brackets.

Scotland

North-East District

2nd Infantry Division

Eastern District

Eastern District, Colchester, covering the counties of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Rutland, Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire HQ Eastern District & 239 Signal Squadron, Royal Signals, Colchester

London District

London District, Horse Guards, covering Greater London

South-East District

South-West District

Wales District

Western District

North-West District

Army Air Corps

British Army Training Unit Suffield

British Army Schools

Headquarters Northern Ireland

The General Officer commanding

Territorial Army units in Northern Ireland, thus freeing 8th Infantry Brigade and 39th Infantry Brigade to focus on counterinsurgency operations. This structure was in force until the 1992 amalgamation of Royal Irish Rangers and Ulster Defence Regiment, after which 3rd Infantry Brigade returned to control its traditional area of County Armagh and County Down
.

British Army of the Rhine

See also: NORTHAG wartime structure in 1989

The British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was the United Kingdom's main contribution to NATO. Headquartered at JHQ Rheindahlen in West Germany and commanded by a General it consisted in peacetime of British I Corps and support troops. In the event of war with the Warsaw Pact the Commander-in-Chief of BAOR would have assumed command of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG), which was tasked with defending Northern Germany up to the river Elbe. BAOR was armed with tactical nuclear weapons and supported by Royal Air Force Germany.

During transition to war, the support units of BAOR would have formed the British Rear Combat Zone headquartered in Düsseldorf, which would have supplied the fighting forces and guarded the lines of communication within West Germany. Further West in Belgium was the British Communications Zone, which was headquartered in Emblem, outside Antwerp and tasked with receiving reinforcements and supplies from Great Britain and to co-ordinate their onward movement to 1 (BR) Corps.

On 27 November 1989

general;[11] he succeeded General Brian Kenny
.

  • Federal Republic of Germany
    • No. 12 Flight AAC, RAF Wildenrath, (Gazelle AH.1)
    • Commander Engineers BAOR, JHQ Rheindahlen
      • 40th Army Engineer Support Group, Royal Engineers, Willich
      • 10th Field Squadron (Airfields), 38th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, RAF Gütersloh, (Forward deployed, 24x FV432, 12x Spartan, 9x engineer vehicles)
      • 14th Independent Topographic Squadron, Royal Engineers, Ratingen
      • 52nd Field Squadron (Construction), 22nd Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, RAF Bruggen, (Forward deployed)
      • 516th Specialist Team (Bulk Petrol), Royal Engineers, RAF Gütersloh
    • Commander Postal & Courier Service BAOR, Royal Engineers, Düsseldorf
      • 3rd Postal & Courier Regiment, Royal Engineers, Düsseldorf
      • 4th (NATO) Postal & Courier Regiment, Royal Engineers, Brunssum, Belgium
    • Commander Communications BAOR, JHQ Rheindahlen
    • Commander Transport & Movements BAOR, Düsseldorf
      • 68th Transport Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport, JHQ Rheindahlen
      • HQ 2nd Transport Group, Royal Corps of Transport, Düsseldorf
      • HQ Communications Zone, Royal Corps of Transport , Antwerp, Belgium
        • 602nd Transport Unit, Royal Corps of Transport, Antwerp, Belgium
    • Commander Medical BAOR, Düsseldorf
      • Commander Medical Rear Communication Zone, Düsseldorf
        • 31 General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Iserlohn
        • 82nd Field Medical Equipment Depot, Royal Army Medical Corps, Düsseldorf
        • 382nd Field Medical Company, Royal Army Medical Corps
      • Commander Medical Communication Zone, Antwerp, Belgium
    • Commander Supply BAOR, Düsseldorf
      • 3rd Base Ammo Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Bracht
      • 221st (BAOR) EOD Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Herford
      • Communications Zone Ordnance Depot, Antwerp, Belgium
      • 15th Ordnance Group, Royal Army Ordnance Corps,
        Dulmen
        • Forward Stores Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Dulmen
        • Forward Vehicle Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Recklinghausen
        • 4th Petrol Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Warendorf
        • 154th Forward Ammo Depot, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Wulfen
    • Commander Maintenance BAOR, Mönchengladbach
      • Rear Combat Zone:
        • 23rd Base Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Wetter
        • 37th (Rhine) Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Mönchengladbach
        • 62nd Rear Combat Zone Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Mönchengladbach
        • 64th Rear Combat Zone Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Willich
      • Communications Zone:
        • 60th Communications Zone Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Antwerp, Belgium
      • Theatre Units in 1 (BR) Corps Area:
        • 57th Station Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Paderborn
        • 58th Station Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Minden
        • 61st Station Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Dortmund
        • 63rd Station Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers,
          Hannover
    • Provost Marshal BAOR, JHQ Rheindahlen
      • Special Investigations Branch (Germany), JHQ Rheindahlen
      • 101st Provost Company, Royal Military Police, Düsseldorf
      • 102nd Provost Company, Royal Military Police, JHQ Rheindahlen
    • HQ Intelligence & Security Group (Germany), JHQ Rheindahlen
      • 2nd Intelligence Company, Intelligence Corps, JHQ Rheindahlen
      • 4th Security Company, Intelligence Corps, Düsseldorf
      • 5th Security Company, Intelligence Corps,
        Hannover
      • 6th Intelligence Company (Photo Intell), Intelligence Corps, JHQ Rheindahlen
      • 7th Intelligence Company, Intelligence Corps, Bielefeld
      • Recce Intelligence Centre (Gütersloh), Intelligence Corps, RAF Gütersloh
      • Recce Intelligence Centre (Laarbruch), Intelligence Corps, RAF Laarbruch

I British Corps

The area 1 BR Corps had to defend lay between

3rd Armoured Division was to the rear of the two forward deployed division as reserve. 2nd Infantry Division was to defend the Corps Rear Area and prepare a last line of defense along the Western bank of the Weser
river.

1 Artillery
1 Artillery
Bruggen
Laarbruch
Gütersloh
Wildenrath
class=notpageimage|
I British Corps units 1989:
I Corps HQ Armoured Division Armoured Brigade Artillery Brigade
Royal Air Force Germany bases:
Tornado GR.1 Harrier GR.5 Phantom FGR.2
  • I British Corps, Bielefeld[12]
    • I (BR) Corps HQ Defence Company, Royal Pioneer Corps, Bielefeld
    • Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps (to form HQ Screening Force on mobilisation)
    • Commander Royal Artillery 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
    • Commander Royal Engineers 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 23rd Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, Roberts Barracks, Osnabrück
      • 25th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, Roberts Barracks, Osnabrück
      • 28th Amphibious Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, Bindon Barracks (Amphibious Crossings)
      • Munsterlager
      • 43rd Plant Squadron, Royal Engineers, Osnabrück
      • 65th Corps Support Squadron, Royal Engineers, Hameln, (20x M2 Amphibious Rigs)
      • Corps Lighting Troop, Royal Engineers, Herford
      • 211th Mobile Civilian Artisan Group, Royal Engineers, Sennelager
      • 256th Mobile Civilian Plant Group, Royal Engineers,
        Hannover
      • 1st Postal & Courier Regiment, Royal Engineers, Hannover
    • Commander Aviation BAOR and 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
    • Commander Communications 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
    • Commander Transport 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 7th Tank Transporter Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, Sennelager
      • 10th Corps Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, Bielefeld
      • 24th Transport & Movement Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, Hanover
      • 25th Transport & Movement Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, Bielefeld
      • 14th Corps Support Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport, Bielefeld
    • Commander Medical 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 21 Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Rinteln
      • 32 Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Hannover
      • 83rd Field Medical Equipment Depot, Royal Army Medical Corps, Hannover
    • Commander Supply 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 5th Ordnance Battalion, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Paderborn
      • 6th Ordnance Battalion, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Bielefeld
      • 2nd Aircraft Support Unit, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Detmold
    • Commander Maintenance 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 1st (BR) Corps Troops Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Bielefeld
      • 20th Electronics Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Minden
      • 71st Aircraft Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Detmold
    • Provost Marshal 1 (BR) Corps, Bielefeld
      • 110th Provost Company, Royal Military Police, Sennelager
      • 115th Provost Company, Royal Military Police, Osnabrück

1st Armoured Division

1st Armoured Division was the corps' Northern forward deployed division.

3rd Armoured Division

3rd Armoured Division was the corps' reserve formation.

4th Armoured Division

4th Armoured Division was the corps' Southern forward deployed division. As the division's area of operation was hilly and woody

19th Infantry Brigade based in Colchester
was added to it.

British Sector Berlin

Overseas Forces

The Defence Operations Executive, led by the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments) and including the Assistant Chiefs of the Naval, General, and Air Staffs, supervised the Joint Operations Centre which in turn passed orders to the forces in Cyprus, Belize, the Falklands, and Hong Kong. These commands consisted of units of all three services and were commanded by one or

Structure of the British Armed Forces in 1989
).

Miscellaneous support corps

Women's Royal Army Corps

Small Arms School Corps

Royal Army Chaplains' Department

Army Legal Services Branch

Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Royal Army Educational Corps

Royal Army Physical Training Corps

Royal Army Medical Corps

Royal Army Dental Corps

Military Provost Staff Corps

Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

Inventories of equipment

Army Air Corps Inventory 1989

The inventory of the Army Air Corps in 1989 consisted of the following aircraft:

References

  1. ^ Antony Beevor, Inside the British Army, 192.
  2. ^ Antony Beevor (1991). Inside The British Army. Corgi Books. p. 232.
  3. ^ Isby and Kamp, Armies of NATO's Central Front, 1985, 251-255.
  4. ^ 17/05/2018 (2018-10-30). "Senior Army Appointments:Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Land Forces" (PDF). Colin Mackie. Retrieved 2018-10-30. {{cite web}}: |author= has numeric name (help)
  5. ^ See details in Beevor, 1989 and 1991
  6. ^ On 1 April 1986 reassigned for war purposes from 3 AD to 4 AD. Watson and Rinaldi, Organizational History 1947-2004, 125.
  7. ^ Beevor 1991, 212, Isby & Kamps 1985, 234
  8. ^ Sup Regt RSA listed with SW Dist by Isby & Kamps 1985
  9. ISBN 0850528194
    . Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  10. ISBN 9781844159567
    . Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  11. ^ "No. 51948". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 November 1989. p. 13725.
  12. ^ a b Vieuxbill, Louis (2013). "BAOR ORDER OF BATTLE JULY 1989" (PDF): 130. Retrieved 27 June 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. ^ a b Staff Officers' Handbook 1989, pp, 10
  14. ^ "World's Air Forces 1989". Flight International: 61–62. 29 November 1989. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  15. ^ Antony Beevor, Inside the British Army, 1991, 429.
  16. ^ "World's Air Forces 1989". Flight International: 61–62. 29 November 1989. Retrieved 19 November 2017.

Bibliography