2nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

2 (South East) Brigade

Insignia of 2nd (South East) Brigade
Active Since World War I
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Role Regional
Size Brigade
Part of Support Command
Garrison/HQ Shorncliffe Army Camp
Engagements World War I
Battle of Mons
First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Aisne
First Battle of Ypres
Battle of Aubers Ridge
Battle of Loos
Battle of the Somme
Battle of Pozières
Third Battle of Ypres
Battle of Épehy
World War II
Battle of France
Tunisia Campaign
Italian Campaign

The 2nd Infantry Brigade (now the 2 (South East) Brigade) is a British Army Regional Brigade, active since before the First World War. It is the regional formation of the Army in the South East of England - the Brigade commands and administers soldiers throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex - but also Brunei.

History

The brigade served with the 1st Division during World War I, from 1914 to 1918 and served throughout the war on the Western Front as part of the British Expeditionary Force.

During the Second World War the 2nd Infantry Brigade saw active service in many of the major campaigns that the British Army fought in, from France with the BEF to Tunisia in North Africa and finally Italy and saw some extremely hard fighting at Anzio. Throughout the war it was again part of the 1st Infantry Division. In April 1943, during the fighting in Tunisia, Lieutenant Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke of the 1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) was posthumously awarded the brigades' only Victoria Cross of the war. Today, it is part of the United Kingdom's Support Command as the 2nd (South East) Brigade.

First World War Order of Battle

Commanders (World War II)

Second World War Order of Battle

Current component units

In the House of Commons on 25 November 2002 the Secretary of State for Defence said that "The Brigade (along with 52 Brigade) was being re-roled from a regional brigade headquarters to provide better command and control arrangements for light infantry role battalions, all of which are currently deployable. The reorganisation of the brigade will not result in an increase in the number of deployable troops. The change will bring greater coherence to the way that light role units prepare for operations, through improved co-ordination of training".

Following broad reorganisation under the Future Army Structures, 2nd Infantry Brigade was renamed 2nd (South East) Brigade in 2007. The name is in line with its revised role as a Regional Brigade, responsible largely for Territorial Army units.

2nd (South East) Brigade commands:

Note: 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles (2 RGR) is also based at Shorncliffe, but is assigned to 52nd Infantry Brigade.

Future

This Brigade is not listed under the Army 2020 plan. Control of the British Garrison Brunei is under 11th Brigade and possibly PJHQ.[1]

External links

References