British 11th Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 11th Infantry Brigade is a British Army
regular formation that served in both the First and Second
World War
s. Deactivated in 1958 it was reactivated in 2008 to assume command of the planned Operation Herrick
deployment to Afghanistan
in late 2009.
, serving with it during the Battle of France
in 1940 and then in the United Kingdom up until 6 June 1942 when it was re-assigned to join 78th Infantry Division
(commanded by Vivyan Evelegh, a previous commander of the brigade) which was being newly formed to take part in Operation Torch
as part of the First Army
(commanded by Kenneth Anderson, also a previous commander of the brigade). The brigade landed in North Africa at Algiers in November 1942 and fought with 78th Division throughout the Tunisian Campaign which ended with the Axis surrender in May 1943. It then served with 78th Division throughout the campaigns in Sicily and Italy
(except for a period of rest and training in Egypt between July and October 1944), ending the war with crossing the Italian border into in Austria.
Following World War II the Brigade was again active with the 4th Infantry Division in I (BR) Corps in Germany from at least 1956 to 1958.
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In 2008, it was announced that 11 Light Brigade would be reformed to assume command of the planned Operation Herrick
deployment to Afghanistan
in late 2009. The Brigade is headquartered in Aldershot
and is formed using units from existing formations. It was disbanded in 2010 on its return from Afghanistan, with its component units returning to their previous formations.
During the Brigades deployment in Helmand, Afghanistan, it also commanded a Danish Battalion from the Royal Danish Guard Hussar Regiment with its own logistical detachment.
The Brigade has now disbanded
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
regular formation that served in both the First and Second
Second
The second is a unit of measurement of time, and is the International System of Units base unit of time. It may be measured using a clock....
World War
World war
A world war is a war affecting the majority of the world's most powerful and populous nations. World wars span multiple countries on multiple continents, with battles fought in multiple theaters....
s. Deactivated in 1958 it was reactivated in 2008 to assume command of the planned Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
deployment to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in late 2009.
Second World War
The 11th Infantry Brigade was originally part of the 4th Infantry DivisionBritish 4th Infantry Division
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
, serving with it during the Battle of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940 and then in the United Kingdom up until 6 June 1942 when it was re-assigned to join 78th Infantry Division
British 78th Infantry Division
The British 78th Infantry Division, also known as the Battleaxe Division, fought in the Second World War in North Africa and Italy.- History :...
(commanded by Vivyan Evelegh, a previous commander of the brigade) which was being newly formed to take part in Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
as part of the First Army
British First Army
The First Army was a field army of the British Army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. Despite being a British command, the First Army also included Indian and Portuguese forces during the First World War and American and French during the Second World War.-First World War:The...
(commanded by Kenneth Anderson, also a previous commander of the brigade). The brigade landed in North Africa at Algiers in November 1942 and fought with 78th Division throughout the Tunisian Campaign which ended with the Axis surrender in May 1943. It then served with 78th Division throughout the campaigns in Sicily and Italy
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
(except for a period of rest and training in Egypt between July and October 1944), ending the war with crossing the Italian border into in Austria.
Following World War II the Brigade was again active with the 4th Infantry Division in I (BR) Corps in Germany from at least 1956 to 1958.
Commanders
- Brig. K.A.N. AndersonKenneth Arthur Noel AndersonGeneral Sir Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson, KCB, MC was a British Army officer in both the First and Second World Wars. He is mainly remembered as the commander of the First Army during Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of Tunisia. He had an outwardly reserved character and did not court...
- Brig. B.G. HorrocksBrian HorrocksLieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer. He is chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World War...
, During to retreat to Dunkirk (later to command XXX Corps). - Brig. J.M.L. GroverJohn Grover (British Army officer)Major-General John Malcolm Lawrence Grover CB MC was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division in Burma during World War II.-Military career:...
- Brig. V. EveleghVyvyan EveleghMajor-General Vyvyan Evelegh CB OBE DSO was a British army officer during World War II.-Miitary career:Evelegh was appointed an Instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1940, Commander of 11th Infantry Brigade in 1941 and Assistant Commandant at the Staff College, Camberley in 1942...
- Brig. G.F. Gough
- Brig. E.E.E. Cass
- Brig. R.K. ArbuthnotKeith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of ArbuthnottMajor General Robert Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott CB, CBE, DSO, MC. .He was educated at Fettes College and RMC Sandhurst. He served in both World Wars and was mentioned in despatches...
- Brig. G.E. Thubron
Component units
- 1st Bn. The East Surrey Regiment
- 1st Bn. Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 2nd Bn. The Lancashire Fusiliers
- 5th Bn. The Northamptonshire Regiment
21st century
Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
deployment to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in late 2009. The Brigade is headquartered in Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
and is formed using units from existing formations. It was disbanded in 2010 on its return from Afghanistan, with its component units returning to their previous formations.
- 11 Light Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (261)
- The Household Cavalry Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Grenadier GuardsGrenadier GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
- 3rd Battalion, The RiflesThe RiflesThe Rifles is the largest regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of five regular and two territorial battalions, plus a number of companies in other TA battalions, Each battalion of the Rifles was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the Light...
- 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers)Royal WelshThe Royal Welsh was formed on St David's Day, 1 March 2006. It is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army, and the regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry.-Formation:The...
- A Company, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment Of Wales)Royal WelshThe Royal Welsh was formed on St David's Day, 1 March 2006. It is one of the new large infantry regiments of the British Army, and the regiment's formation was announced on 16 December 2004 by Geoff Hoon and General Sir Mike Jackson as part of the restructuring of the infantry.-Formation:The...
- 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th & 33rd/76th Foot) (Green Howards)Yorkshire RegimentThe Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is currently the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas...
- 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery is a regiment of the Royal Horse Artillery in the British Army. It currently serves in the armoured field artillery role, and is equipped with the AS-90 self-propelled gun...
- 28 Engineer Regiment, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic RegimentRoyal Logistic CorpsThe Royal Logistic Corps provides logistic support functions to the British Army. It is the largest Corps in the Army, comprising around 17% of its strength...
During the Brigades deployment in Helmand, Afghanistan, it also commanded a Danish Battalion from the Royal Danish Guard Hussar Regiment with its own logistical detachment.
The Brigade has now disbanded