101st Logistic Brigade

101 Logistic Brigade
Insignia of the 101 Logistic Brigade
Active 1999 – present
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Logistics Support Brigade
Part of 3rd Division (United Kingdom)
Commanders
Current
commander		 Brigadier Gerry Ewart-Brookes
Notable
commanders		 Tim Cross

101 Logistic Brigade came into being during 1999 and was subordinate to HQ Force Troops Command. It was formerly known as the Logistic Support Group before becoming the Combat Services Support Group (UK) (CSSG(UK)) in January 1993. Under the Army 2020 plan, the Brigade re-subordinated from HQ Force Troops Command to 3rd Division (United Kingdom) on 1 December 2014.The Brigade currently consists of 20 Regular and Reserve Units, but under Army refinement plans, could continue to grow.

History

The Brigade's first commander was Tim Cross, then a brigadier. 101 Logistic Brigade, which wears the Blackadder tactical recognition flash after the famous television series,[1] was formed in 1999 from what was the Combat Service Support Group (CSSG).

The CSSG was the successor to the Force Maintenance Area (FMA), which was already using the Blackadder flash following its formation in 1990 in the deserts of Saudi Arabia. The then commander of the FMA, Brigadier Martin White, recognised the need for a sense of identity and found inspiration in a letter from his daughter in which she quipped 'I hope you have a cunning plan'. And so it was not long before the transit camps in the port of Al Jubail were named after characters from the programme: Baldrick Lines, Blackadder Camp, Meltchett Lines and Camp Bob.

Then-Brigadier Patrick Cordingley puts it differently. He says that '...the engineers from 39 Engineer Regiment had also constructed a tented camp for another two thousand on some hard standing in the port to house logisticians who were likely to remain there after the rest of us deployed into the desert. This quickly became known, first unofficially and then officially, as Baldrick Lines, after the hapless manservant in the Blackadder television series. (The soldiers adopted Blackadder as something of a mascot. Baldrick's catchphrase, 'I have a cunning plan', became a running joke for the next six months and later on in the campaign the logisticians even adopted a Blackadder arm badge).[2] While the history of the insignia has comical connotations, a Viper is nonetheless a good characterisation for the Logistic Brigades. Vipers, like logisticians, try to go about their business unseen, they avoid confrontation wherever possible, but, when threatened or provoked they fight back and can be deadly.

Part of Force Troops Command (formerly Theatre Troops) until Army reorganisation in 2015, the Brigade is now part of 3rd Division (United Kingdom) – "the Iron Division". The Brigade is able to deploy logistic force elements worldwide, in order to support the UK's military contribution to a national, NATO or a multi-national force.

Recent Operations

Since its formation, the Brigade has deployed on the following Operations:

Current Formation

  • 101 Logistic Brigade based in Aldershot
    • Supporting 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade:
      • 1 Close Support Logistic Regiment RLC
      • 5 Armoured Medical Regiment
      • 6 Armoured Close Support Battalion REME
    • Supporting 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade:
      • 4 Close Support Logistic Regiment RLC
      • 4 Armoured Medical Regiment
      • 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion REME
    • Supporting 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade:
      • 3 Close Support Logistic Regiment RLC
      • 1 Armoured Medical Regiment
      • 3 Armoured Close Support Battalion REME
    • Supporting 3rd Division Support Group
      • 10 The Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment
      • 27 Regiment RLC
    • Reserve Units
      • 151 Regiment RLC
      • 154 Regiment RLC
      • 156 Regiment RLC
      • 157 Regiment RLC
      • 102 Battalion REME
      • 105 Battalion REME
    • TACON
      • 1 Regiment RMP
      • 3 Regiment RMP
      • 4 Regiment RMP

Recent Commanders

Commander Logistic Support

Combat Service Support Group (UK)

101 Logistic Brigade

References

  1. ↑ "Ministry of Defence | Defence News | History and Honour | 'Blackadder' Brigade celebrates 10th birthday". Archived from the original on 2009-07-21. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  2. ↑ Patrick Cordingley, 'In the Eye of the Storm,' Coronet Books, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1996, 49.
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