19th Light Brigade (United Kingdom)

19th Light Brigade was a formation of the regular British Army. It fought in the First and Second world wars. The brigade became 19 Light Brigade in 2005, and moved to Northern Ireland following the end of Operation Banner and "normalisation" of British military operations in the province. Following the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), the Brigade entered suspended animation in March 2013.

History

First World War

The 19th Infantry Brigade was formed in France as an independent brigade^[1] and saw action on the Western Front including the Battle of Mons in August 1914.^[2]

Second World War

The Brigade was a regular British Army formation at the beginning of the Second World War. It had been raised in 1938 for Internal Security in Palestine, and appears to have joined the 7th Infantry Division on its reformation in September-October 1938. On 3 September 1939 it was converted to HQ Jerusalem Area to avoid confusion with an Indian Army brigade with the same number.

Post-1945

In the 1980s, the Brigade was part of Eastern District and headquartered at Colchester as part of 3rd Armoured Division. The third part of the division, it would have had to cross the Channel to join the rest of the division, stationed with the British Army of the Rhine in Germany. Following the disbandment of the 3rd Armoured Division following the end of the Cold War, the brigade joined the new 3rd Mechanised Division, and moved to Catterick Garrison in Yorkshire in April 1993.^[3]

As part of the Delivering Security in a Changing World review in 2003 it was announced that the brigade was to become a 'Light' formation. The brigade became 19 Light Brigade as of 1 January 2005, and moved to Northern Ireland following the end of Operation Banner and "normalisation" of British military operations in the province.^[4]

The Brigade deployed on Operation Herrick 10 in April 2009 to replace 3 Commando Brigade where it planned and executed Operation Panther's Claw - named after Bagheera, the panther forming the Brigade insignia. The Bde returned to the UK in October 2009 having taken significantly more casualties than seen in previous operational tours of Afghanistan.^[5]

Secretary of Defence Liam Fox announced on 18 July 2011 that it was to be disbanded as part of the 2010 SDSR^[6] in March 2013.^[7]

Final Order of Battle

• 19 Light Brigade Units September 2012
  • 19 Light Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (209 Signal Squadron)
  • 2nd Battalion, The Rifles (Light Role Infantry)
  • 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment (Light Role Infantry)
  • 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Black Watch (Light Role Infantry)
  • 40 Regiment Royal Artillery (L118 Light Gun) - Home Lines, Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn, County Antrim.
  • 38 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
  • 19 Combat Service Support Battalion

Brigade Commanders

Recent commanders have included:^[8]

• 1967-1969 Brigadier WNR Scotter, Late KORBR
• 1969-1971 Brigadier GLC Cooper, Late RE
• 1973-1975 Brigadier JM Glover, Late RGJ
• 1975-1977 Brigadier RF Vincent, Late RA
• 1985-1987 Brigadier TP Toyne Sewell, Late KOSB
• 1989-1991 Brigadier CD Farrar-Hockley, Late PARA
• 1991-1993 Brigadier EJ Webb-Carter, Late GREN GDS
• 1994-1995 Brigadier RDS Gordon, Late 17/21L
• 2000-2001 Brigadier NH Rollo, Late RE
• 2001-2004 Brigadier WH Moore, Late RA
• 2005-2007 Brigadier TP Evans, Late RIFLES
• 2007-2010 Brigadier TB Radford, Late RIFLES
• 2010-2012 Brigadier SR Skeates, Late RA
• 2012-2013 Brigadier EJR Chamberlain, Late RIFLES

References

Bibligraphy

• Becke, Major A.F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-09-4. 

External links

• 19 Light Brigade- on British Army official website
• British Army Dispositions in 1939
• "Reinforcements Fly To M.E." British Pathe newsreel 1951