| 12th Mechanized Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1899 - present day |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Mechanized infantry |
| Part of | 3rd (UK) Mechanized Division |
| Engagements | World War I Le Cateau Battle of Marne Battle of Aisne First Battle of Ypres (1914) Battle of Messines (1914) Hill 60 Second Battle of Ypres (1915) Battle of Albert Battle of Le Transloy Battle of the Somme First Battle of the Scarpe Third Battle of the Scarpe Battle of Polygon Wood Battle of Broodseinde Battle of Poelcapelle Battle of Passchendaele Battle of Arras (1918) Battle of Hazebroucke Battle of Bethune Advance in Flanders Battle of the Scarpe (1918) Battle of Drocourt-Queant Battle of the Canal du Nord Battle of the Selle Battle of Valenciennes World War II |
The 12th Mechanized Brigade is a regular British Army brigade which has been in existence since 1899.
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The brigade was first formed in December 1899 as 12th Infantry Brigade, part of 6th Division. Three years later it was disbanded, but it was reformed in May 1907 as part of 4th Division and served in the First World War.
During the First World War, the 12th Infantry Brigade, a regular army formation, was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. It was one of the first units dispatched to France, as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and saw service on the Western Front.
From early November 1915 until February 1916 the 12th Brigade was swapped with the 107th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division.
As part of the 4th Infantry Division, it served in France in 1940, Algeria and Tunisia in 1943, Italy 1944 and ended the war in Greece.
It was disbanded in March 1947, but reformed from 91 Lorried Infantry Brigade in April 1956 but then disbanded in December 1957.
From June 1960 the brigade was in Germany with the 1st Division but then placed within 2nd Division until it was disbanded on restructuring of the Army in September 1976. As part of the five-battle group division scheme from 1976 to 1983 it was part of 2nd Armoured Division, converted to armour. Moved to 1st Armoured Division it remained, with a spell under HQ 3rd Armoured Division during Operation Granby, until disbandment under Options for Change.
Following the Strategic Defence Review, the Brigade was reformed in mechanized form from the disbanding 5th Airborne Brigade. It is now based at Bulford, Wiltshire (having formerly been in Aldershot) and is part of the 3rd (UK) Division.
The brigade headquarters, with two battle groups - the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment and the 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards - deployed to Afghanistan in 2007 to form the headquarters and main infantry combat units of Task Force Helmand as a part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force. The 2009 book, Attack State Red, recounts the Royal Anglian Battle Group's contribution to this operation.