The 11th Brigade is a brigade of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

which is transitioning to the tactical recce-strike role. The brigade was formerly the 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade, providing training and guidance for foreign militaries. Originally formed in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

, the brigade was engaged during both

World Wars A world war is an international conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I (19 ...

, and deployed to Afghanistan.

History

Second Boer War

British Army brigades had traditionally been ''ad hoc'' formations known by the name of their commander or numbered as part of a division. However, units involved in the

in 1899–1900 were organised into sequentially numbered brigades that were frequently reassigned between divisions. The

Army Corps Corps (; plural ''corps'' ; from French , from the Latin "body") is a term used for several different kinds of organization. A military innovation by Napoleon I, the formation was formally introduced March 1, 1800, when Napoleon ordered Gener ...

sent from Britain in 1899 comprised six brigades in three divisions while the troops already in South Africa were intended to constitute a fourth division. The rapid deterioration of the situation led the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

to announce on 11 November 1899 that a 5th Division was to be formed and sent out. This consisted of the new 10th and 11th (Lancashire) Brigades and concentrated at Estcourt on 8 January 1900 for the campaign for the

Relief of Ladysmith The Relief of Ladysmith consisted of multiple efforts to relieve the city of Ladysmith by General Sir Redvers Buller during the Second Boer War. Buller and the Natal Field Force attempted to relieve the city through multiple offensive actions ...

Order of Battle

The 11th (Lancashire) Brigade was constituted as follows:Amery, Vol IV, Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
/ref> * 2nd Battalion,

King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army. It served under various titles and fought in many wars and conflicts, including both the First and the Second World Wars, from 1680 to 1959. In 1959, the ...

* 2nd Battalion,

Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. It had many diffe ...

* 1st Battalion,

South Lancashire Regiment The South Lancashire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment, which recruited, as its title suggests, primarily from the South Lancashire area, was created as part of the Childers Ref ...

* 1st Battalion,

York and Lancaster Regiment The York and Lancaster Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was created in the Childers Reforms of 1881 by the amalgamation of the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment of ...

Commanders

* Major-General Edward Woodgate (mortally wounded at Spion Kop 23/24 January 1900)Amery, Vol III, pp. 257–8.
/ref> * Lieutenant-Colonel Malby Crofton (Royal Lancaster Regiment) (acting) *

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

Arthur Wynne (wounded at Tugela Heights 22 February 1900)Amery, Vol III, p. 517.
/ref> * Lieutenant-Colonel Malby Crofton (acting) * Brigadier-General

Walter Kitchener Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Walter Kitchener (26 May 1858 – 6 March 1912), also known as Walter Kitchener, was a British soldier and colonial administrator. Military career Kitchener was the youngest son of Henry Horatio Kitchener (1805� ...

(acting) * Maj-Gen Arthur Wynne (returned by May 1900) As well as Spion Kop and Tugela Heights, the brigade served at Trichard's Drift, Tabanyama, Vaal Krantz, Wessel's Nek, Waschbank, Botha's Pass, Alleman's Nek, Volkrust, Wakkerstroom, and the advance on Standerton. However, after the defeat of the main Boer field armies and the development of guerrilla warfare, all the divisions and brigades were broken up to form ''ad hoc'' 'columns' and garrisons. After the Boer War, 11th Brigade became a permanent formation in 1902, stationed at

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

. By 1907 it was part of 6th Division in Eastern Command. In the Expeditionary Force established by the

Haldane reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the e ...

, 11th Brigade at

Colchester Colchester ( ) is a city in northeastern Essex, England. It is the second-largest settlement in the county, with a population of 130,245 at the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 Census. The demonym is ''Colcestrian''. Colchester occupies the ...

became part of 4th Division, and remained so until the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

First World War

When war broke out in August 1914 the 11th Infantry Brigade mobilised as part of the 4th Division.''Monthly Army List'', August 1914.
/ref>Becke, Pt 1, pp. 57–63. It was one of the British units sent overseas to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force and fought on the Western Front for the next four years.

Order of Battle

During World War I the brigade had the following composition: * 1st Battalion,

Somerset Light Infantry The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1685 to 1959. In 1959, the regiment was amalgamated with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry to form the Som ...

* 1st Battalion,

East Lancashire Regiment The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, a Line infantry, line infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot and 59t ...

(''left to join 103rd Brigade, 34th Division, 1 February 1918'') * 1st Battalion,

Hampshire Regiment The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot. The re ...

* 1st Battalion,

Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

* 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (''joined from 12th Brigade 26 July 1915, left to join 22nd Brigade, 7th Division, 22 May 1916'') * 11th Brigade Machine Gun Company (''formed 23 December 1915; left to join No 4 Battalion,

Machine Gun Corps The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a Regiment, corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in the World War I, First World War. Th ...

, 26 February 1918'') * 11th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery (''formed June 1916'')

Service

During the war the brigade participated in the following actions: 1914 *

Retreat from Mons The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western F ...

, 25 August–5 September *

Battle of Le Cateau The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on the Western Front during the First World War on 26 August 1914. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army had retreated after their defeats at the Battle of Charleroi (21–23 A ...

, 16 August *

First Battle of the Marne The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...

, 6–9 September * Crossing of the

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

, 12 September *

First Battle of the Aisne The First Battle of the Aisne () was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army (led by Alexander von Kluck) and the Second Army (led by Karl von Bülow) as they retreated after the First Battle of the ...

, 13–20 September * Battle of Armentières, 3 October–2 November ** Capture of Méteren, 13 October 1915 *

Second Battle of Ypres The Second Battle of Ypres was fought from 22 April – 25 May 1915, during the First World War, for control of the tactically-important high ground to the east and the south of the Flanders, Flemish town of Ypres, in western Belgium. The ...

: ** Battle of St Julien 25 April–4 May ** Battle of Frezenberg Ridge, 8–13 May ** Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge, 24–25 May 1916 *

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

: ** Battle of Albert, 1–2 July ** Battle of the Transloy Ridges, 10–18 October 1917 * Battle of Arras: **

First Battle of the Scarpe The Battle of Arras, also known as the Second Battle of Arras, was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the We ...

, 9–14 April ** Second Battle of the Scarpe, 3–4 May *

Third Battle of Ypres The Third Battle of Ypres (; ; ), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele ( ), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by the Allies against the German Empire. The battle took place on the Western Front, from July to November 1917, f ...

: **

Battle of Polygon Wood The Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September to 3 October 1917) was fought during the second part of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The battle was fought near Ypres in Belgium, from the Menin road to Polygon Wood and thence north, ...

, 28 September–3 October **

Battle of Broodseinde The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres in Belgium, at the east end of the Gheluvelt plateau, by the British Second and Fifth armies against the German 4th Army. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of t ...

, 4 October **

Battle of Poelcappelle The Battle of Poelcappelle was fought in Flanders, Belgium, on 9 October 1917 by the British Second Army and Fifth Army against the German 4th Army, during the First World War. The battle marked the end of the string of highly successful Briti ...

, 9 October ** First Battle of Passchendaele, 12 October 1918 *

German Spring Offensive The German spring offensive, also known as ''Kaiserschlacht'' ("Kaiser's Battle") or the Ludendorff offensive, was a series of German Empire, German attacks along the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the World War I, First Wor ...

: ** Third Battle of Arras, 28 March * Battle of the Lys: ** Battle of Hazebrouck, 13–15 April, including defence of Hinges Wood **

Battle of Béthune A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force c ...

, 18 April *

Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial Germa ...

: ** Battle of the Scarpe, 29–30 August ** Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line, 2–3 September **

Battle of the Canal du Nord The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War by the Allies against German positions on the Western Front. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete porti ...

, 27 September–1 October **

Battle of the Selle The Battle of the Selle (17–25 October 1918) took place between Allied forces and the German Army, fought during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I. Prelude After the Second Battle of Cambrai, the Allies advanced almost and liberat ...

, 17–25 October ** Battle of Valenciennes, 1–2 November

Commanders

During World War I the brigade was commanded by the following officers: * Brigadier-General

Aylmer Hunter-Weston Lieutenant General Sir Aylmer Gould Hunter-Weston, (23 September 1864 – 18 March 1940) was a British Army officer who served in the First World War on the Western Front, at Gallipoli in 1915, and in the very early stages of the Somme Offensi ...

(February 1914) * Brigadier-General Julian Hasler (26 February 1915 –killed 27 April 1915) * Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. Hicks (27 April 1915 - acting) * Brigadier-General Charles Bertie Prowse (29 April 1915 – killed 1 July 1916) * Major W. A. T. B. Somerville (1 July 1916 - acting) * Brigadier-General H. C. Rees (3 July 1916) * Brigadier-General R. A. Berners (7 December 1916) * Lieutenant-Colonel F. A. W. Armitage (15 October 1917 - acting) * Brigadier-General T. S. H. Wade (21 October 1917) * Brigadier-General W. J. Webb-Bowen (19 September 1918)

Second World War

The 11th Infantry Brigade was originally part of the 4th Infantry Division as it was during the First World War, serving with it during the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

and was evacuated from Dunkirk in late May 1940. It remained with the division in the United Kingdom up until 6 June 1942 when it was reassigned to join 78th Infantry Division (commanded by

Vyvyan Evelegh Major General Vyvyan Evelegh, (14 December 1898 – 27 August 1958) was a senior officer of the British Army during the Second World War, commanding the 78th Infantry Division (otherwise known as the Battleaxe Division) and the 6th Armoured D ...

, a previous commander of the brigade) which was being newly formed to take part in

Operation Torch Operation Torch (8–16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of securing victory in North Africa whil ...

, the Allied landings in

French North Africa French North Africa (, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is a term often applied to the three territories that were controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. In contrast to French ...

, as part of the

British First Army The First Army was a formation of the British Army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. The First Army included Indian and Portuguese forces during the First World War and American and French units during the Second World Wa ...

(commanded by Kenneth Anderson, also a previous commander of the brigade). The brigade landed in North Africa at

Algiers Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...

in November 1942 and fought with 78th Division throughout the

Tunisian campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Th ...

which ended with the Axis surrender in May 1943. It then served with 78th Division throughout the campaigns in

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

and

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Order of Battle

During World War II the brigade comprised the following units:Joslen, p. 249. * Headquarters, 11th Infantry Brigade & Signal Section * 2nd Battalion,

The Lancashire Fusiliers The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, and the First and Second World Wars. It had many different titles throughout its ...

* 1st Battalion,

East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ( ...

* 1st Battalion,

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was a light infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1958, serving in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. The regiment was formed as a consequence of th ...

(''left to join 143rd Brigade 31 December 1940'')Joslen, p. 328. * 11th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company (''left to join 4th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps, 1 January 1941'')4th Recce Regiment at the Reconnaissance Corps website.
/ref> * 5th (Huntingdon) Battalion,

Northamptonshire Regiment The Northamptonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1960. In 1960, it was amalgamated with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment to form the 2nd East Anglian Regiment (Duchess of Gloucester's O ...

(''joined from 143rd Brigade 29 January 1941'')

Commanders

During World War II the brigade was commanded by the following officers: * Brigadier Kenneth Anderson (1938–1940) * Lieutenant-Colonel

Brian Horrocks Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, (7 September 1895 – 4 January 1985) was a British Army officer, chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World ...

: (30 May 1940 – acting until 3 June) * Brigadier John Grover (14 June 1940) * Lieutenant-Colonel R.A. Boxshall (7 January 1941 – acting) * Brigadier

(11 January 1941) * Brigadier Guy Francis Gough (13 November 1941) * Brigadier Edward Cass (18 February 1942) * Brigadier Keith Arbuthnott (29 September 1943) * Lieutenant-Colonel John Alexander Mackenzie (10 October 1944 – acting) * Brigadier Gerald Ernest Thubron (23 November 1944 – 1945)

Post-war

In January 1946, following the end of the campaign in Europe, the brigade was dissolved and its units dispersed to other brigades and commands. In 1950, the brigade was reformed in

West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...

. The organisation of the brigade during the 1950s was as follows: * Brigade Headquarters, at Kingsley Barracks, Minden *

9th Queen's Royal Lancers The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First and Second World Wars. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, ...

, at Lothian Barracks, Detmold (Armoured role, with Centurion main battle tanks) * 1st Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment), at Dempsey Barracks, Sennelager * 1st Battalion,

The Manchester Regiment The Manchester Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1958. The regiment was created during the 1881 Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th R ...

, at Clifton Barracks, Minden – ''merged with the King's Liverpool Regiment on 1 September 1958 to form the

King's Regiment The King's Regiment, officially abbreviated as KINGS, was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was formed on 1 September 1958 by the amalgamation of the King's Regiment (Liverpool) which had been raised in 168 ...

'' * 1st Battalion, The Dorset Regiment, at Elizabeth Barracks, Minden – ''from April 1956, merged with the

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the World War I, First World War and the World War II, ...

in 1958 to form the

Devonshire and Dorset Regiment The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment (11th, 39th and 54th), usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset ...

'' On 1 April 1956, the 4th Infantry Division was reformed in the BAOR, and its brigades: 10th, 11th, and 12th was reformed by conversion of the old 61st Lorried Infantry Brigade based in

Minden Minden () is a middle-sized town in the very north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the largest town in population between Bielefeld and Hanover. It is the capital of the district () of Minden-Lübbecke, situated in the cultural region ...

. In 1958, following the

1957 Defence White Paper The 1957 White Paper on Defence (Cmnd. 124) was a British white paper issued in March 1957 setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected wa ...

, the brigade was redesignated as 11th Infantry Brigade Group. As a brigade group, it picked up not just infantry but supporting elements such as artillery. It was shifted to the 2nd Division. And in 1964, the brigade was transferred to the 1st Division, sitting alongside the 7th Armoured Brigade Group. In February 1961, the brigade groups were reorganised again, to comprise a signal squadron, armoured regiment, three infantry battalions, field artillery regiment, engineer squadron, and one AAC reconnaissance flight. The brigade's structure following its conversion to a brigade group was as follows: * Brigade Headquarters, at Kingsley Barracks, Minden *

7th Royal Tank Regiment The 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1917 until disbandment in 1959. History The 7th Royal Tank Regiment was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. The regi ...

, at Haig Barracks,

Hohne Hohne () 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. It should not be confused with the British Army camp of Hohne (Germa ...

– ''merged with 4th Royal Tank Regiment on 3 April 1959'' **

4th Royal Tank Regiment The 4th Royal Tank Regiment (4 RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from its creation in 1917, during World War I, until 1993. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. History The regiment or ...

– ''from April 1959'' * 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's), at Clifton Barracks, Minden ** 1st Battalion, The South Wales Borderers – ''from June 1959'' * 1st Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment), at Alma Barracks, Lüneburg ** 1st Battalion,

Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Ref ...

– ''from November 1958'' * 1st Battalion, The Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, at Elizabeth Barracks, Minden – ''from June 1958'' * 19th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Saint George's Barracks, Minden (Field artillery; 18 x Ordnance QF 25-pdr howitzers) * 25 Field Squadron,

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

, at Saint George's Barracks, Minden In November 1965, the brigade groups became 'brigades' once again, dropping their support units. In October 1966, just after the publication of the

1966 Defence White Paper The 1966 Defence White Paper (Command Papers 2592 and 2901) was a major review of the United Kingdom's defence policy initiated by the Labour government under Prime Minister Harold Wilson. The review was led by the Secretary of State for Defence, ...

, the 7th Armoured and 11th Infantry brigades experimented with a new brigade organisation with two armoured regiments and two 'mechanised' battalions equipped with the new FV432 armoured personnel carrier. With the increasing availability of the new vehicle, all of the infantry battalions within the BAOR were to become mechanised.Watson & Rinaldi, pp. 22–27 The brigade's structure just before conversion was as follows:Watson & Rinaldi, p. 68 * Brigade Headquarters, at Kingsley Barracks, Minden * 211 Signal Squadron (Infantry Brigade Group),

Royal Corps of Signals The Royal Corps of Signals (often simply known as the Royal Signals – abbreviated to R SIGNALS) is one of the combat support arms of the British Army. Signals units are among the first into action, providing the battlefield communications an ...

, at Kingsley Barracks, Minden * The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons), at Wessex Barracks, Fallingbostel * 1st Battalion, The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, at Gordon Barracks, Hameln ** 1st Battalion, The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire & Wiltshire) – ''from June 1966'' ** 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers – ''in infantry role from June 1969'' * 1st Battalion, The Royal Welch Fusiliers, at Saint George's Barracks, Minden ** 1st Battalion,

The Gordon Highlanders The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) to form The Highlanders (Seaforth, Gor ...

– ''from April 1967'' **

15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars in 1922 and, after service in the Second World War, it was a ...

– ''in infantry role from November 1969'' * 1st Battalion, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment), at Elizabeth Barracks, Minden ** 1st Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment) – ''from March 1968'' As a result of the above defence white paper and experimentations, the BAOR was completely reorganised with the 11th Infantry Brigade becoming an armoured formation in the end of 1970. The new formation, 11th Armoured Brigade, was reformed, thus ending the infantry lineage.

Twenty-first century

Afghanistan

On 15 October 2007, Helmand Task Force 11 formed its planning cell at

Aldershot Garrison Aldershot Garrison is a major garrison in South East England, between Aldershot and Farnborough, Hampshire, Farnborough in Hampshire. The garrison was established when the War Department bought a large area of land near the village of Aldershot, ...

, expanding into 11th Light Brigade in November 2007 for deployment to

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

(

Operation Herrick Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in the War in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 to the end of combat operations in 2014. It consisted of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assi ...

). The brigade was stood up alongside 52nd Infantry Brigade thus providing the Army with two infantry brigades available for deployment to either Afghanistan (Operation Herrick) or

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

(

Operation Telic Operation Telic (Op TELIC) was the codename under which all of the United Kingdom's military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on ...

). On 10 October 2009, the brigade deployed to

Helmand Province Helmand (Pashto language, Pashto/Dari language, Dari: ; ), also known as Hillmand, in ancient times, as Hermand and Hethumand, is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering ...

, replacing 19th Light Brigade and would remain until April 2010. The brigade's order of battle on deployment to Afghanistan was as follows alongside the formation they had been part of: * Brigade Headquarters * 11th Light Brigade Headquarters & 261 Signal Squadron,

(

101st Logistic Brigade 101st Operational Sustainment Brigade is a logistic brigade within 3rd (United Kingdom) Division of the British Army, formed from the Combat Service Support Group in 1999. The brigade is held in high readiness and is described as a "vanguard sup ...

) *

Household Cavalry Regiment The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) is an Armoured Cavalry regiment of the British Army based in Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. It is the brother regiment of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) based at Hyde Park Barracks in London - both ...

( 1st Mechanised Brigade) * 1st Battalion,

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

( London District) * 2nd Battalion (The Green Howards),

Yorkshire Regiment The Royal Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (abbreviated R YORKS) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, created by the amalgamation of three historic regiments in 2006. It lost one battalion as part of the Future of ...

( 19th Light Brigade) * 1st Battalion (Royal Welch Fusiliers), The Royal Welsh (1st Mechanised Brigade) * 3rd Battalion,

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions. Each Regular battalion was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the ...

( 52nd Infantry Brigade) * 1st Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery ( 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division) * 28th Engineer Regiment,

( 1st (UK) Armoured Division) * 10th (Queen's Own Gurkha) Logistic Regiment,

Royal Logistic Corps The Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army. History The Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) was formed on 5 April 1993, by the union of five British Army corps: * Royal Engine ...

(101st Logistic Brigade) * 104th Force Support Battalion,

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME ) is the maintenance arm of the British Army that maintains the equipment that the Army uses. The corps is described as the "British Army's professional engineers". History Prior t ...

( Equipment Support, Theatre Troops) * 33rd Field Hospital,

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was a specialist corps in the British Army which provided medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. On 15 November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army De ...

( 2nd Medical Brigade) * 160 Provost Company,

Royal Military Police The Royal Military Police (RMP) is the corps of the British Army responsible for the policing of army service personnel, and for providing a military police presence both in the UK and while service personnel are deployed overseas on operations ...

Adjutant General's Corps The Adjutant General's Corps is a corps in the British Army responsible for many of its general administrative services, named for the Adjutant-General to the Forces (now the Commander Home Command). As of 2002, the AGC had a staff of 7,000 peop ...

(

4th Regiment, Royal Military Police Fourth or the fourth may refer to: * the ordinal form of the number 4 * ''Fourth'' (album), by Soft Machine, 1971 * Fourth (angle), an ancient astronomical subdivision * Fourth (music), a musical interval * ''The Fourth'', a 1972 Soviet drama ...

) On the brigade's return in April 2010, a total of 650 soldiers from the 12 regiments of the brigade marched through

Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

accompanied by three bands to celebrate their return. Later in June, around 120 soldiers then marched past the

Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...

(

Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...

). Just a few months after the brigade's return in 2010, the brigade was disbanded and its units returned to their peacetime headquarters.

Army 2020

In 2012, following the

Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 The Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010 was announced by the formed Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government of the United Kingdom in May 2010, and published on 19 October 2010. The previous major review of UK defence strategy was ...

, the

Army 2020 Army 2020 is the restructuring of the British Army in the early and mid-2010s, in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2010. The plan, as its name suggested, was intended to be completed by 2020, though most of its reorganisations ...

programme was announced. As part of the mergers, the 2nd (South East) Infantry Brigade, which had regional responsibility for the south east counties (

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, and

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

), and 145th (South) Brigade, which had regional responsibility for the south-central region (

Thames Valley The Thames Valley is an area in South East England that extends along the River Thames west of London towards Oxford. The area is a major tourist destination and economic hub on the M4 corridor, with a high concentration of technology companies ...

(

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; abbreviated ), officially the Royal County of Berkshire, is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Oxfordshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the north-east, Greater London ...

Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire (, abbreviated ''Bucks'') is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshir ...

, and

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

, and the

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

) were merged to form the new 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East. The brigade's organisation was as follows by 2015: * Brigade Headquarters, at Taurus House,

* 1st Battalion,

Welsh Guards The Welsh Guards (WLSH GDS; ), part of the Guards and Parachute Division, Guards Division, is one of the Foot guards, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It was founded in 1915 as a single-battalion regiment, during the World War I, First ...

, at Elizabeth Barracks, Pirbright Camp (Light Mechanised Infantry with Foxhound armoured cars) * 1st Battalion,

, at Lille Barracks, Aldershot Garrison (Light Infantry) * 1st Battalion,

The Royal Gurkha Rifles The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British Army, RGR soldiers are recruited from Nepal, which is neither a dependent territory of the Unit ...

, at Sir John Moore Barracks, Shorncliffe (Light Infantry) * The London Regiment (Army Reserve), HQ in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

(Light Infantry) – ''paired with the Grenadier Guards'' * 3rd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Army Reserve), HQ in

Cardiff Cardiff (; ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. Cardiff had a population of in and forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area officially known as the City and County of Ca ...

(Light Infantry) – ''paired with the Welsh Guards''

Army 2020 Refine

In 2017, a supplement to the Army 2020 programme was announced entitled the

Army 2020 Refine Army 2020 Refine was the name given to the restructuring of the British Army in the mid-to-late 2010s, in light of the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015. As its name suggests, it was a "refinement" of Army 2020, an early 2010s reorganisa ...

which reversed many of the unit-level changes. In addition to the unit level changes, several of the regional brigades formed under the initial Army 2020 programme were disbanded or reduced to Colonel-level commands. In 2019, a Field Army reorganisation saw these brigades lose their units permanently with the following changes occurring to the former units: Grenadier Guards and Welsh Guards transferred to London District (on rotation) and replaced by the Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards respectively, Royal Gurkha Rifles moved to 16th Air Assault Brigade, The London Regiment transferred to London District, and the 3rd Royal Welsh moved to the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Under the changes, the Coldstream and Irish Guards moved from London District, the 3rd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved from 7th Infantry Brigade, and the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Royal Irish Regiment moved from 160th (Welsh) Brigade. In 2019 with the brigade completely reorganised, its structure was now as follows by the end of 2021: * Brigade Headquarters, at Taurus House, Aldershot Garrison * 1st Battalion,

Irish Guards The Irish Guards (IG) is one of the Foot guards#United Kingdom, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army and is part of the Guards Division. Together with the Royal Irish Regiment (1992), Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish infant ...

, at Lille Barracks, Aldershot Garrison (Light Mechanised Infantry with Foxhound armoured cars) * 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment, at

Clive Barracks Clive Barracks is a British Army installation at Ternhill, Shropshire, England. It is set to close in 2029. History The barracks were established on the site of the former RAF Ternhill, RAF Tern Hill airfield in 1976; they were initially named Bo ...

Ternhill Tern Hill, also known as Ternhill, is a village in Shropshire, England, notable as the location of the former RAF Ternhill, RAF Tern Hill station, which is now operated by the British Army as Clive Barracks. The settlement is named after the R ...

(Light Mechanised Infantry with Foxhound armoured cars) * 1st Battalion,

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, monarchy; due to this, it often ...

, at Victoria Barracks, Windsor (Light Infantry) * 3rd Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Army Reserve), HQ at Leros Barracks,

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

* 2nd Battalion, The Royal Irish Regiment (Army Reserve), HQ at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn

11th Security Force Assistance Brigade

On 30 November 2021, the Future Soldier changes were announced, and the brigade will transition from an infantry brigade into a

security force assistance Security Force Assistance (SFA) a term originating in the United States Armed Forces for military adviser assistance with "training, equipping and advising allied or 'partner' militaries to enable them to defend themselves without 100,000 Americ ...

formation. In late 2021, the brigade was renamed as 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade, dropping its regional commitments, and will reorganise by 2022. The brigade's mission was described as follows: The brigade headquarters will remain in Aldershot, drop its regional commitments, and unit moves will be as follows: Coldstream Guards move to 4th Light Brigade Combat Team (BCT) – formerly 4th Infantry Brigade & HQ North East; 2nd Royal Irish Regiment move to 19th Reserve Brigade – a new formation; 3rd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment moved to 20th Armoured BCT as mechanised infantry; 1st Royal Irish Regiment moves to 16th Air Assault Brigade as 'light strike reconnaissance infantry'; and the Irish Guards will remain part of the brigade. The following units will join the brigade in 2022: The Black Watch (3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) from 51st Infantry Brigade; 1st Royal Anglian Regiment from

British Forces Cyprus British Forces Cyprus (BFC) is the name given to the British Armed Forces stationed in the UK Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on the island of Cyprus and at a number of related 'retained sites' in the Republic of Cyprus. The United ...

(will join on return from Cyprus in 2023); 3rd The Rifles joins in 2024 from 51st Infantry Brigade; 4th Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment joins from 7th Infantry Brigade; and finally the Outreach and Cultural Support Group will join from 77th Brigade. The brigade's structure by 2025 will therefore be as follows: * Brigade Headquarters, at Taurus House, Aldershot Garrison * 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, at Lille Barracks, Aldershot Garrison * The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion,

The Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS) is the senior and only current Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each f ...

, at Fort George,

Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...

– ''to move to

Leuchars Station Leuchars Station is a British Army installation located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the historic town of St Andrews. Formerly RAF Leuchars, it was the second most northerly air defence station in the United King ...

not before 2029'' * 1st Battalion,

The Royal Anglian Regiment The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It consists of two Regular battalions and one Reserve battalion. The modern regiment was formed in 1964, making it the oldest of the line regiments now operating in the Bri ...

, at Alexander Barracks,

Dhekelia Cantonment Dhekelia Cantonment (, ), also simply named Dhekelia, is a military base in Akrotiri and Dhekelia, a British Overseas Territory on the island of Cyprus, administered as the Sovereign Base Areas. It is the larger of the two British military bases ...

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

– ''to move to

Kendrew Barracks Kendrew Barracks is a British Army barracks located north east of Cottesmore, Rutland, England. The barracks opened in 2012, at the site of former RAF Cottesmore. History RAF Cottesmore RAF Cottesmore opened in 1938 and operated until 20 ...

, Cottesmore in 2023 and join the brigade that same year'' * 3rd Battalion,

, at

Dreghorn Barracks Dreghorn Barracks are located in Edinburgh, Scotland. The barracks are situated at the southern edge of the city, south of Colinton, and adjacent to the Edinburgh City Bypass. History The site was previously occupied by Dreghorn Castle, a 17th ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

– ''to move to

Weeton Barracks Weeton Barracks is a military installation at Weeton-with-Preese in Lancashire, England. History The barracks were established, using tented accommodation, as Weeton Camp in 1916 during the World War I, First World War. The Royal Air Force als ...

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...

not before 2027 and join the brigade in 2024'' * 4th Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Army Reserve), HQ in Redhill * Outreach and Cultural Support Group ( 77th Brigade), at Denison Barracks, Hermitage – ''to move to Alexander Barracks, Pirbright Camp not before 2027'' The brigade led a programme to train members of the

Armed Forces of Ukraine The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are the Military, military forces of Ukraine. All military and security forces, including the Armed Forces, are under the command of the president of Ukraine and subject to oversight by a permanent Verkhovna Rad ...

during the

Russo-Ukrainian War The Russo-Ukrainian War began in February 2014 and is ongoing. Following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, Russia Russian occupation of Crimea, occupied and Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, annexed Crimea from Ukraine. It then ...

as part of Operation Orbital (20152022) and Operation Interflex (2022).

Structure

11th Brigade

In November 2024, the brigade resurbordinated from the 1st (UK) Division to Field Army Troops. The brigade became 11th Brigade, dropping its Security Force Assistance responsibility, and returning to a combat role as part of the Land Special Operations Force. The brigade will learn to fight as a tactical recce-strike force and will take part in training packages in Kenya and the Baltics in 2025. The brigade's current structure is as follows: * Brigade Headquarters, at Taurus House, Aldershot Garrison * 1st Battalion,

, at Lille Barracks, Aldershot Garrison * The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion,

, at Fort George,

– ''to move to

not before 2029'' * 1st Battalion,

, at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore * 3rd Battalion,

, at

– ''to move to

not before 2027'' * 4th Battalion, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (''Army Reserve''), RHQ in Redhill * Outreach Group, at St Omer Barracks, Aldershot Garrison

Footnotes

References

* L.S. Amery (ed)
''The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902'', London: Sampson Low, Marston, 7 Vols 1900–09.
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 1: The Regular British Divisions'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1934/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-38-X. * Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938. * Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, ''Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/London: London Stamp Exchange, 1990, ISBN 0-948130-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6. * *

External links

Official web page
{{DEFAULTSORT:11 Infantry Brigade Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War I Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II Infantry brigades of the British Army Military units and formations established in 2021 Future Soldier Military advisory groups

History

Second Boer War

Order of Battle

Commanders

First World War

Order of Battle

Service

Commanders

Second World War

Order of Battle

Commanders

Post-war

Twenty-first century

Afghanistan

Army 2020

Army 2020 Refine

11th Security Force Assistance Brigade

Structure

11th Brigade

See also

Footnotes

References

External links