19th Light Brigade (United Kingdom)

Updated on Dec 01, 2023

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Country United Kingdom Type Infantry Size Brigade		Branch British Army Role Light infantry

Active 1892–1901 1914–1919 1938–1939 1950–2013

The 19th Light Brigade was a Regular Army infantry brigade of the 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.

First World War

The 19th Infantry Brigade was formed in France as an independent brigade It saw action on the Western Front including the Battle of Mons in August 1914. It then joined the 2nd Division on 19 August 1915 but left to join the 33rd Division on 25 November 1915.

Order of battle

Its components included:

2nd Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers

1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

1/5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

Second World War

The 19th Infantry 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.

Post-1945

In the 1980s, the 19th Brigade was based at Colchester as part of 3rd Armoured 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.

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.

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.

Secretary of Defence Liam Fox announced on 18 July 2011 that it was to be disbanded as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in March 2013.

Final Order of Battle

Component units in September 2012 were:

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, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

Brigade Commanders

Recent commanders have included:

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

1995–1997 Brigadier ADA Duncan, Late PWO

1997–2000 Brigadier PTC Pearson, Late RGR

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

19th Light Brigade (United Kingdom) Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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