British 3rd Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army
formation, part of the 1st Infantry Division
which was originally formed in 1809, with a long history, having been present at the Peninsula War, the Crimean War
, World War I
, and during the Second World War
.
and with the British Expeditionary Force
during the World War II
Battle of France
. After the retreat from Dunkirk it remained in Great Britain
until 1943 when it was sent to North Africa to take part in the Algeria
n and Tunisia
n Campaigns.
On 11 June 1943 the 1st Infantry Division was sent to the Italian island of Pantelleria
which they captured and occupied before being sent to Italy
. They fought in Italy until 28 January 1945 when they were sent to Palestine
as a garrison where they remained to the end of the war. As part of 1st Division the Brigade was in Egypt after the war and returned during the Suez Crisis
. It then went out to Cyprus in 1956. Following operations against EOKA
, the brigade was disbanded there in 1963.
From 1972, the 3rd Infantry Brigade was headquartered in the Kitchen Hill Factory in Lurgan until moving to Portadown
in late 1976, under HQ Northern Ireland
and was the HQ element for the security forces which controlled the South Armagh region of Ulster
, including several battalions of the Ulster Defence Regiment
. The brigade was disbanded on September 1, 2004 and its former units divided between 8 Brigade and 39 Brigade.
Also attached to the 3rd Brigade were:
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...
formation, part of the 1st Infantry Division
British 1st Infantry Division
The 1st Infantry Division was a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsula War, the Crimean War, the First World War, and during the Second World War.-Napoleonic Wars:...
which was originally formed in 1809, with a long history, having been present at the Peninsula War, the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
This brigade saw service as part of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front (World War I)Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and with the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
during the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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...
. After the retreat from Dunkirk it remained in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
until 1943 when it was sent to North Africa to take part in the Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n Campaigns.
On 11 June 1943 the 1st Infantry Division was sent to the Italian island of Pantelleria
Pantelleria
Pantelleria , the ancient Cossyra, is an Italian island in the Strait of Sicily in the Mediterranean Sea, southwest of Sicily and just east of the Tunisian coast. Administratively Pantelleria is a comune belonging to the Sicilian province of Trapani...
which they captured and occupied before being sent to 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...
. They fought in Italy until 28 January 1945 when they were sent to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
as a garrison where they remained to the end of the war. As part of 1st Division the Brigade was in Egypt after the war and returned during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. It then went out to Cyprus in 1956. Following operations against EOKA
EOKA
EOKA was an anticolonial, antiimperialist nationalist organisation with the ultimate goal of "The liberation of Cyprus from the British yoke". Although not stated in its initial declaration of existence which was printed and distributed on the 1st of April 1955, EOKA also had a target of achieving...
, the brigade was disbanded there in 1963.
From 1972, the 3rd Infantry Brigade was headquartered in the Kitchen Hill Factory in Lurgan until moving to Portadown
Portadown
Portadown is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about 23 miles south-west of Belfast...
in late 1976, under HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland was the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland...
and was the HQ element for the security forces which controlled the South Armagh region of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, including several battalions of the Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
. The brigade was disbanded on September 1, 2004 and its former units divided between 8 Brigade and 39 Brigade.
Component Units (WWI)
- 1st Bn, The South Wales Borderers
- 1st Bn, The Gloucester Regiment
- 2nd Bn, The Welsh Regiment
- 2nd Bn, The Royal Munster FusiliersRoyal Munster FusiliersThe Royal Munster Fusiliers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army. One of eight Irish regiments raised largely in Ireland, it had its home depot in Tralee. It was originally formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of two regiments of the former East India Company. It served in India and...
(until February 1918)
Also attached to the 3rd Brigade were:
- 1/6th (GlamorganGlamorganGlamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
) Bn, The Welsh Regiment (October 1915 to May 1916) - 1/4th (DenbighshireDenbighshireDenbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
) Bn, The Royal Welch FusiliersRoyal Welch FusiliersThe Royal Welch Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Prince of Wales' Division. It was founded in 1689 to oppose James II and the imminent war with France...
(November 1914 to September 1915) - 1/9th Bn, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment (November 1915 to January 1916)
Component Units (WWII)
- 1st Bn, The Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
- 1st Bn, The King's Shropshire Light InfantryThe King's Shropshire Light InfantryThe King's Shropshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army, formed in 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. The KSLI was amalgamated with three other county light infantry regiments in 1968 to became part of The Light Infantry...
- 2nd Bn, The Sherwood Foresters
Commanders
- 1936–1938: Arthur Floyer-AclandArthur Floyer-AclandLieutenant General Arthur Nugent Floyer-Acland CB, DSO, MC, DL was a British soldier.-Background:...
- Brig. H.O. Curtis
- Brig. T.N.F. Wilson
- Brig. W.R.C. Penny
- Brig. H.A.E. Matthews
- Brig. R.H. Maxwell
- Brig. J.G. James
- Brig. E.E. Dorman-Smith
- Brig. P.St. Clair-Ford