11th Security Force Assistance Brigade

11th Brigade 11th Infantry Brigade 11 Light Brigade 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade
Insignia of the brigade
Active	1914–1915 1938–1958 2008–2010 2014–present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Brigade
Part of	1st (United Kingdom) Division
Garrison/HQ	Aldershot Garrison
Engagements	First World War Second World War
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier Benjamin J. Cattermole[1]
Notable commanders	Kenneth Anderson Brian Horrocks

11th Security Force Assistance Brigade is a British regular British Army brigade that forms part of 1st (United Kingdom) Division. As 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East it had regional responsibilities across the South East of England being the "regional point of contact for the 8 counties of the South East of England".

An 11th Infantry Brigade served in the First and Second World Wars and thereafter until disbanded in 1958 and 11th Light Brigade was formed in 2008 to assume command of the Operation Herrick deployment to Afghanistan in late 2009.

History[]

First World War[]

The 11th Infantry Brigade was part of the 4th Division.^[2] It was one of the British units sent overseas to France on the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914. It was part of the British Expeditionary Force and fought on the Western Front for the next four years.^[2]

Second World War[]

East Surrey Regiment enter the ruins of Cassino, Italy, 18 May 1944

The 11th Infantry Brigade was originally part of the 4th Infantry Division as it was during the First World War, serving with it during the Battle of France and was evacuated from Dunkirk in late May 1940. It remained with the division in the United Kingdom up until 6 June 1942 when it was reassigned 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, the Allied landings in French North Africa, as part of the British First Army (commanded by Kenneth Anderson, also a previous commander of the brigade).^[3] 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.^[4] It then served with 78th Division throughout the campaigns in Sicily and Italy.^[5]

Commanders[]

Commanders included:^[6]

• Brigadier-General Aylmer Hunter-Weston: 1914–1915
• Brigadier-General Julian Hasler: 1915
• Brigadier-General Charles Bertie Prowse: 1915–1916
• Brigadier Kenneth Arthur Noel Anderson: 1938–1940
• Brigadier Brian Horrocks: 1940
• Brigadier John Malcolm Lawrence Grover: 1940–1941
• Brigadier Vyvyan Evelegh: 1941
• Brigadier Guy Francis Gough: 1941–1942
• Brigadier Edward Earnshaw Eden Cass: 1942–1943
• Brigadier Keith Arbuthnott: 1943–1944
• Brigadier John Alexander Mackenzie: 1944
• Brigadier Gerald Ernest Thubron: 1944–1945

21st century[]

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 was headquartered in Aldershot and was formed using units from existing formations. Commanded by Brigadier James Cowan,^[7] it was disbanded in 2010 on its return from Afghanistan, with its component units returning to their previous formations.^[8] During the brigade's deployment in Helmand, Afghanistan, it included a Danish battalion from the Royal Danish Guard Hussar Regiment with its own logistical detachment.^[8]

11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East was re-established on 1 August 2014 when 145 (South) Brigade was re-designated as Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade. In December 2014 the brigade merged with 2 (South East) Brigade to form Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East.^[9] 11th Infantry Brigade is also regionally aligned with the southern and eastern African region as part of defence engagement.^[10] In 2021 it was announced that the brigade was to be re-designated as 11 Security Forces Assistance Brigade.^[11][12]

Structures[]

1942[]

In 1942 the brigade comprised the following units:

• Headquarters, 11th Infantry Brigade & Signal Section
• 2nd Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers^[13]
• 1st Battalion The East Surrey Regiment^[14]
• 5th (Huntingdon) Battalion The Northamptonshire Regiment^[15]

2008[]

In 2008 the brigade comprised the following units:^[8]

• 11 Light Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron (261)
• Household Cavalry Regiment
• 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
• 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
• 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh (Royal Welch Fusiliers)
• 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment
• 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
• 28 Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
• 10 Queen's Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment RLC

Future[]

The planned structure of the brigade by 2025^[16] under the Future Soldier Program:^[17][16]

• Brigade Headquarters, at Aldershot Garrison
• 1st Battalion, Irish Guards at Mons Barracks, Aldershot Garrison^{[18][19][20][21]}
• Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland at Fort George, Inverness, then Leuchars Station not before 2029
• 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment, in Episkoi, Cyprus till 2023, then at Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore
• 3rd Battalion, The Rifles at Redford Barracks, Edinburgh, then Weeton Barracks, Blackpool not before 2027
• 4th Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, HQ in Redhill
• Outreach Group, at Denison Barracks, Hermitage then Pirbright not before 2027

Current organisation[]

11th Infantry Brigade[]

11th Infantry Brigade & Headquarters South East graphic as of July 2020.

The structure of the brigade in 2021 following its redesignation is as follows:^[17]

• Brigade Headquarters, at Taurus House, Aldershot Garrison
• 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards at Victoria Barracks, Windsor (Light Infantry)^[22][23][24]
• 1st Battalion, Irish Guards at Mons Barracks, Aldershot Garrison (Light Infantry)^{[18][19][20][21]}
• 3rd Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, HQ at Howe Barracks, Canterbury (Army Reserve – paired with 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment – (under 7th Inf Bde))^{[25][26][27][28]}
• 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, HQ at Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn (Army Reserve)

Headquarters South East[]

• Headquarters South East, at Montgomery House, Aldershot Garrison
  • Oxford University Officers' Training Corps (Army Reserve), at Falklands House, Oxford^[29]
  • (Army Reserve), in Southampton^[30]
  • 11th Infantry Brigade & Headquarters South East Cadet Training Team (East), at Longmoore Barracks, Longmoor^[31]
  • 11th Infantry Brigade & Headquarters South East Cadet Training Team (West), at Worth Down Barracks, Winchester^[31]
  • , in Buckingham^[32]
  • , in Winchester^[33]
  • Kent Army Cadet Force, in Maidstone^[34]
  • , in Bicester^[35]
  • , at Brock Barracks, Reading^[36]
  • , in Farncombe^[37]
  • , in Brighton^[38]

References[]

External links[]

• Official web page