38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade
| 38 (Irish) Brigade | |
|---|---|
_Brigade.jpg) Insignia of 38 (Irish) Brigade | |
| Active |
1942 – 1947 2007 – |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Territorial Army |
| Part of | Support Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn |
| Motto | Ubique et Semper Fidelis |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Brigadier The O'Donovan |
The 38th Brigade, now 38 (Irish) Brigade, was organised as an infantry brigade formation of the British Army that served in both World War I and World War II. In the First World War it served in the Middle Eastern theatre. In World War II it was composed of Irish infantry battalions and served with distinction in the Tunisian and Italian campaigns.
History
The original 38th Brigade, formed in 1914, was one of the brigades of 13th (Western) Division, one of the volunteer formations raised as part of Kitchener's Army. It was composed of infantry battalions from Lancashire and fought in the Gallipoli and Mesopotamian campaigns. It was disbanded in 1919.[1]
In the Second World War the 38th Brigade was reformed as 38th (Irish) Brigade on 13 January 1942 by converting the 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), a Home Defence formation organised in 1940. 210 Bde had been serving in Dorset County Division. When that division was disbanded on 24 November 1941, 210 Brigade transferred to 1st Infantry Division. By then all of 210 Brigade's English home defence battalions had been posted away and were being replaced by frontline Irish battalions.[2]
- See main article 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)
In June 1942 the 38th Brigade transferred to 6th Armoured Division and it landed in North Africa with that formation on 22 November 1942. In March 1943 it joined 78th Battleaxe Infantry Division and fought with distinction in the Tunisia Campaign, Sicily (in particular the capture of Centuripe), and Italy as part of this highly regarded division until the end of Second World War, though during May 1945 it was detached to both 46th (West Riding) Division and 6th Armoured Division. The brigade then was allotted occupation duties in Carinthia in southern Austria, and was eventually formally disbanded in April 1947.[3][4]
38 (Irish) Brigade reformed on 1 August 2007, as part of a new combined divisional / brigade structure called HQ Northern Ireland and 38 (Irish) Brigade after the disbandment of HQ Northern Ireland and has its Headquarters at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn.[5] The Brigade subsequently came under command of the 2nd Division, the regional division for Scotland, the North of England and Northern Ireland, on 1 January 2009. It is now the Regional Brigade responsible for administering the Territorial Army within Northern Ireland. This was the culmination of a drawdown of military headquarters in Northern Ireland, which had seen the disbandment of 3 Infantry Brigade, 8 Infantry Brigade, 39 Infantry Brigade and 107 (Ulster) Brigade.
Today the Territorial soldiers from the brigade have served on operations supporting the Regular Army in the Balkans, on Operation TOSCA in Cyprus, on Operation HERRICK in Afghanistan and Operation TELIC in Iraq. At home the Brigade has the key role of providing the Civil Contingency Reaction Force for Northern Ireland.
First World War Structure
- 6th Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
- 6th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
- 6th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
- 6th Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
Second World War Structure
- 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers
- 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles
- 6th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (until July 1944)[6]
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (from July 1944)[7]
With this combination, it therefore had pre-war Regular, Territorial and war-time raised units within its structure.
Second World War Commanders
The following officers commanded the 38th (Irish) Brigade:[8]
- Brigadier The O'Donovan (12 January 1942–1 July 1942)
- Brigadier Nelson Russell (1 July 1942–20 February 1944)
- Brigadier T.P.D. Scott (from 20 February 1944)
Formations Served Under
Source: 38 (Irish) Infantry Brigade at Orders of Battle.com
- 1st Infantry Division 25 Nov 41 – 7 Jun 42
- 6th Armoured Division 9 Jun 42 – 16 Feb 43
- 'Y" Division 16 Feb 43 – 15 Mar 43
- 78th Infantry Division 15 Mar 43 – 28 Mar 43
- 46th Infantry Division 29 Mar 43 – 6 Apr 43
- 78th Infantry Division 7 Apr 43 – 10 May 45
- 6th Armoured Division 10 May 45 – 13 May 45
- 46th Infantry Division 13 May 45 – 18 May 45
- 78th Infantry Division 18 May 45 – 31 Aug 45
Current Structure
- Northern Ireland Garrison Support Unit
- 2nd Battalion, The Rifles
- 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
- 7th Battalion, The Rifles
- The Band of the Royal Irish Regiment
- The Queen's University Officers' Training Corps
- 38 (Irish) Brigade Regional Training Centre
- 32 Army Education Centre
- 38 (Irish) Brigade Signal Troop
- 1st Battalion Army Cadet Force
- 2nd Battalion Army Cadet Force
Units supporting 38 (Irish) Brigade:
- B (North Irish Horse) Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry (Formation Reconnaissance) – 15 (North East) Brigade
- 206th (Ulster) Battery 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) – 51 (Scottish) Brigade
- 591 (Independent) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
- 40 Signal Squadron, 32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment – 2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade
- 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th & Ulster Defence Regiment)
- 152 (North Irish) Fuel Support Regiment RLC
- 253 (North Irish) Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps – 102 Logistic Brigade
- 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps – 2nd Medical Brigade
- 157 Field Company 106 Battalion REME
- 62 Company 5 Military Intelligence Battalion
- Queen’s University Officers’ Training Corps
- Detachment 243 Provost Company 5 Regiment RMP – 102 Logistic Brigade
- Detachment 52 (Volunteer) Company, Intelligence Corps – 1st Military Intelligence Brigade
Future
38th (Irish) Brigade will be one of the seven Adaptable Force Brigades under Army 2020. It will comprise 1st Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, 2nd Battalion, The Rifles and 7th Battalion, The Rifles.[9]
Insignia
The current Brigade insignia is a green shamrock on a circular, sand-coloured, background. This insignia was adopted to differentiate it from the Second World War design which is now too similar to the design of the tactical recognition flash (TRF) worn by the Royal Irish Regiment
References
- ↑ 13th Division
- ↑ Joslen, p. 373.
- ↑ The Irish Brigade
- ↑ Joslen, p. 373.
- ↑ Hansard, proceedings of the British Parliament
- ↑ disbanded and merged with 2nd Battalion. Ford pp242-243
- ↑ from 5th British Infantry Division, absorbing the 6th Battalion. Ford pp242-243
- ↑ Joslen, p. 373.
- ↑ Army 2020 Report, page 9
Bibliography
- Ford, Ken (2003) [1999]. Battleaxe Division. Stroud, UK: Sutton Publishing. p. 273 pages. ISBN 0-7509-3199-X.
- Doherty, Richard (1994) [1993]. Clear The Way! History of the 38th (Irish) Brigade. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Academic Press. p. 336 pages. ISBN 0-7165-2542-9.
- O'Sullivan, Edmund (2007) [2007]. All My Brothers. Slough, UK: Edmund O'Sullivan & Family. p. 232 Contains an eyewitness account of serving in the 2nd Battalion of the London Irish Rifles from October 1939 March 1946 including O'Sullivan's involvement in Irish Brigade battles in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy, including at the Battle of Cassino in May 1944.
- Joslen, Lt-Col H.F. (2003) [1st. pub. HMSO:1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 9781843424741. OCLC 65152579.
External links
- 38 (Irish) Brigade – on British Army official website
- The Long, Long Trail
- 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital (Volunteers)
- 69 Signal Squadron (Volunteers)
- 243 Provost Company (Volunteers)
- Irish Brigade The Story of the 38th (Irish) Brigade during the Second World A website containing information and eyewitness accounts. The site also has , the story of the Irish Brigade written by TPD Scott, who commanded the brigade from February 1944 until the end of the war.