4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East

In September 1939, at the start of the Second World War this brigade changed its title from Heavy Armoured Brigade (Egypt) to 4th Armoured Brigade.[3]

On 27 July 1941, it handed over its units to the 1st Army Tank Brigade and received new units based in Egypt. It was reformed again when the HQ arrived in Sicily and it took control of new units there. The 4th Armoured Brigade saw service in the North African Campaign, the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Italian Campaign and in North-western Europe. Although it served under many different formations it was most famous as part of the 7th Armoured Division, the Desert Rats.[3]

Sherman DD tank of the 44th Royal Tank Regiment, 4th Armoured Brigade, passing Universal Carriers of the 6th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers east of the River Rhine, 25 March 1945.

The 4th Armoured Brigade left the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa in 1943 for the Allied Invasion Force for Normandy. In June 1944, the brigade landed in Normandy and served with distinction during the Battle of Normandy during the Battle for Caen. From Normandy until the end of the war, the 4th Armoured Brigade was composed as follows:

• Royal Scots Greys (left 29 April 1945)
• 44th Royal Tank Regiment
• 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) (became 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) on 29 July 1944)
• 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (left 14 May 1945)
• 1st East Riding Yeomanry (from 14 June 1945)

The 4th Armoured Brigade was the first to cross the Rhine into Germany.[4]

The Brigade spent many years in Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. The brigade was one of two "square" brigades assigned to 2nd Armoured Division when it was formed in 1976.[5] After being briefly converted to "Task Force Charlie" in the late 1970s, the brigade was reinstated in 1981, assigned to 3rd Armoured Division[6] and was based at York Barracks in Münster.[7] The Brigade deployed to the First Gulf War on Operation Granby in 1990/91 and was involved in the liberation of Kuwait. It moved to Quebec Barracks at Osnabrück in 1993 to replace 12th Armoured Brigade as part of 1st (UK) Armoured Division.[8]

4th Armoured Brigade deployed to Bosnia in October 1995 as UNPROFOR HQ Sector South-West and subsequently as the leading UK element of the NATO Implementation Force (IFOR).[9] On its return to the United Kingdom in 2007 it was transferred from 1st (UK) Armoured Division to 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division.[9] The Black Rats have since deployed twice to Iraq and once before to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick 12 in 2010. The Brigade returned to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October 2012 for Operation Herrick 17 to take over as the lead formation of British troops. The roulement tour saw the brigade working in support of the Afghan Army's 3/215 Brigade and elements of the Afghan National Police.[10] As part of the latter changes of Army 2020 both the 2nd and 4th Battalions of the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will move out of the brigade. The 2nd battalion will move to the Specialized Infantry Group and the 4th battalion will move to the re-named Headquarters, North West.[11][12]

4 Inf Bgd Structure

Under Army 2020, the brigade lost its armour and converted to an infantry brigade. The units to be under its control include:[11][13][14]

• 4th Infantry Brigade, in Catterick
  • The Light Dragoons, in Catterick, Light Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment
  • The Queen's Own Yeomanry, in Newcastle, Reserve Light Cavalry Reconnaissance Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, in Catterick, Light Infantry Battalion (moving to Cyprus in 2020)
  • 4th Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment, in York, Reserve Light Infantry Battalion, paired with 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, in Chester, Light Infantry Battalion[15]
  • 4th Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, in Preston, Lancashire, Reserve Light Infantry Battalion, paired with 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment
  • 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Royal Highland Fusiliers), in Peniciuk, Light Infantry Battalion.[16]
  • 6th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (52nd Lowland), in Glasgow, Motherwell, Edinburgh, Bathgate, Galashiels, Ayr and Dumfries, Light Infantry Battalion.
  • Headquarters Catterick Garrison, at Bourlon Barracks[17]
  • Headquarters York Garrison, at Imphal Barracks

The Brigade also exercises command over all British Army Units based in the North East for the purposes of UK Operations, this also includes the cadets and forces of the region. The regional element is referred to simply as 'HQ North-East', which covers the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, and Teesside.[18][19] Organisations and units which fall under this regional command include:[11][19][20][21]

• Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, North-East England
• 6 Army Training Team
• Personnel Recover Centre (North)
• Defence Business Service National Security Vetting
• Infantry Training School
• Army Foundation College
• Army Medical Services Training Centre, in Strensall
• Army Training Unit (North), in Strensall
• Catterick Training Area
• Otterburn Training Area
• Defence School of Transport in Leconfield
• Band of the Royal Armoured Corps, in Catterick
• Band of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, in Catterick
• Royal Dragoon Guards Regimental Headquarters, in York
• Light Dragoons Regimental Headquarters, in Newcastle
• King's Division Headquarters, in Strensall
• Yorkshire Regiment Headquarters, in York (two out-stations serving the two regular battalions, in Halifax and Catterick respectively.)
  • Yorkshire Regiment Support Team
• Yorkshire Officer's Training Regiment[22]
  • Leeds University UOTC
  • Sheffield University UOTC
• North East Army Cadet Force Regiment
  • Cleveland ACF (comprising the former non-metropolitan county of Cleveland along with North Yorkshire (North))
  • Durham ACF (comprising County Durham)
  • Northumbria ACF (comprising Northumberland and Tyne and Wear)
  • Yorkshire North and West ACF (comprising North Yorkshire (South) and West Yorkshire)
  • Humberside and South Yorkshire ACF (comprising East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire)
  • 9 Cadet Training Team
• Combined Cadet Force (CCF)
  • Barnard Castle School CCF
  • Castle View Enterprise Academy CCF
  • Darlington School of Maths and Science CCF
  • Durham School CCF
  • Dyke House College CCF
  • Northumberland Church of England Academy CCF
  • Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College CCF
  • Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne CCF
  • Walker Technology College CCF
  • Wolsingham Community College CCF
  • Yarm School CCF

4th Infantry Brigade is also regionally aligned with the northern African region as part of defence engagement.[23]