| 145th (South) Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1908–1945 1995–Present |
| Country | Great Britain |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Regular and TA |
| Part of | 4th Division |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brigadier Neil Baverstock |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
Roebuck |
145 (South) Brigade is a brigade of the British Army.
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First formed in 1908 as the 145th Infantry Brigade, the brigade, together with 143 Brigade and 144 Brigade eventually formed the 48th (South Midland) Division in Second Army during World War I. The brigade was in continuous service in France until the Armistice in 1918 when it was disbanded. During this period it was composed of four infantry battalions:
The Brigade saw action in France at the start of the Second World War as part of I Corps. Following its withdrawal, it became a training formation in the UK until it was again disbanded in 1945.
In 1995, 145 Brigade was reformed through the renaming of Aldershot Area, part of the old South-Eastern District, assuming responsibility for all army units in the Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. In doing so it joined 4th Division. It was given the title 'Home Counties', with its most known component being the Royal Rifle Volunteers. As the wild roebuck deer was common to all counties it was adopted as the Brigade emblem.
It became 145 (South) Brigade in 2007 and currently has its headquarters in Aldershot, Hampshire, England . It administers the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It also directly commands Regular Army and Territorial Army (TA) soldiers and Army cadets. These comprise one TA infantry battalion (7 Rifles), two University Officers' Training Corps (Oxford and Southampton Universities) and four Army County Cadet Forces.
The Brigade is involved in supporting local authorities and emergency services and is involved in contingency planning. Soldiers from the Brigade area of responsibility assist in times of need. Soldiers from the Royal Logistic Corps at Deepcut cleared emergency access at Frimley Park Hospital during the snowfall in January 2011.
The Brigade places huge emphasis on working with local communities and the brigade community engagement teams aim is to maximise opportunities to integrate the Armed Forces with local society. The counties within the 145 (South) Brigade area have more than 36,000 personnel living and working in them; 15,000 Army personnel, 10,000 Royal Air Force and 11,000 Royal Navy.
The Brigade moved into a new headquarters building, named Roebuck House, in November 2011. The building will be officially opened in 2012.