4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East

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Heavy Armoured Brigade (Egypt)
4th Armoured Brigade
4th Armoured Brigade Group
4th Mechanized Brigade
4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East
Black Rat Patch .jpg
Current insignia of the 4th Infantry Brigade & HQ North East.
Active1939–1945
1976–Present
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Part of1st (United Kingdom) Division
Garrison/HQCatterick, North Yorkshire
EngagementsSecond World War
North African Campaign
Invasion of Sicily
Battle of Normandy
North West Europe Campaign
Gulf War
Bosnian War
Kosovo Campaign
Iraq War
Afghanistan
Commanders
Current
commander		Brigadier Oliver Brown
Notable
commanders		Michael Carver

4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East, previously known as 4th Mechanized Brigade and before that 4th Armoured Brigade is a brigade formation of the British Army, currently based in Catterick, North Yorkshire as part of 1st (United Kingdom) Division.[1] The brigade, now known as the 'Black Rats', was formed in 1939 and fought in the Second World War in the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa. The Black Rats were subsequently involved in the invasion of Sicily and fighting in Italy before taking part in the Battle of Normandy and the advance through Belgium, Holland and into Germany.[2]

More recently, the Brigade took part in the First Gulf War and completed a number of tours to the Balkans during the 1990s. The Black Rats have also since deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan as the lead formation.

History[]

Second World War[]

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]

The 4th Armoured Brigade left the 7th Armoured Division in North Africa in 1943, to return to join the Allied invasion force for Normandy. In June 1944, the brigade landed in Normandy as an independent brigade[4] and fought 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:

The 4th Armoured Brigade was the first to cross the Rhine into Germany.[5]

Order of battle, Second World War[]

Main article: List of Component Units of the British 4th Armoured Brigade, World War II

Cold War Era[]

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.[6] After being briefly converted to "Task Force Charlie" in the late 1970s, the brigade was reinstated in 1981, assigned to 3rd Armoured Division[7] and was based at York Barracks in Münster.[8] 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.[9]

Post-Cold War[]

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).[10] The Black Rats have since deployed twice to Iraq and twice to Afghanistan, first on Operation Herrick 12 in 2010; and again in October 2012 for Operation Herrick 17, during which it was working in support of the Afghan Army's 3/215 Brigade and elements of the Afghan National Police.[11]

Current formation[]

4th Infantry Brigade[]

Under Army 2020, the brigade lost its armour and converted to an infantry brigade. The units to be under its control include:[12][13]

Headquarters North East[]

Structure of 4 Inf Bde & HQ North East as of July 2020.

Headquarters North East covers the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire.[16][17] Organisations and units which fall under this regional command include:[17][18][19]

4th Infantry Brigade is also regionally aligned with the northern African region as part of defence engagement.[33]

Second World War Commanders[]

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.

During the Second World War:[34][35]

  • January 1940 to April 1941 Brigadier J.A.L. Caunter
  • April 1941 to April 1942 Brigadier A.H. Gatehouse
  • April 1942 to July 1942 Brigadier G.W. Richards
  • July 1942 to September 1942 Brigadier W.G. Carr
  • September 1942 to November 1942 Brigadier M.G. Roddick
  • November 1942 to January 1943 Brigadier C.B.C. Harvey
  • January 1943 to February 1943 Brigadier D.S. Newton-King
  • February 1943 to December 1943 Brigadier J.C. Currie
  • December 1943 to March 1944 Brigadier H. J. B. Cracroft
  • March 1944 to June 1944 Brigadier J. C. Currie
  • June 1944 to August 1945 Brigadier R.M.P. Carver

Brigade Commanders[]

Recent commanders have included:[36]

Notable former soldiers[]

Former BBC motorsports commentator Murray Walker served with 4th Armoured Brigade during the Second World War as a member of The Royal Scots Greys. After the war he started a motorcycle club, organising trials and scrambles for the soldiers within the Brigade.[41]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ 4th Mechanized Brigade, British Army, retrieved 15 February 2017
  2. ^ Brigadier RMP Carter (1945). The History of the 4th Armoured Brigade. ISBN 978-1470119645.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b Brief History Of The British 4th Armoured Brigade Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Hastings, Max. "Appendix II, Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy 1944". Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  5. ^ Desert Rats Association website Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Watson, Graham (2005). The British Army in Germany: An Organisational History 1947-2004. Tiger Lily. p. 95. ISBN 9780972029698.
  7. ^ Black, Harvey. "The Cold War Years. A Hot War in reality. Part 6".
  8. ^ "York Barracks". BAOR Locations. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  9. ^ 4th Mechanized Brigade Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Global Security
  10. ^ The Blue Beret (December 2000/January 2001) Archived August 26, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "4th Mechanized Brigade to replace 12 Mechanized Brigade in Helmand". MoD. 11 July 2012.
  12. ^ "Famed Desert Rats to lose their tanks under Army cuts". Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  13. ^ page 9 Archived June 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ How the Army moved an entire battalion from Cyprus to Chester, Cheshire Live, retrieved 13 May 2019
  15. ^ "Field Army Restructuring Battalion movements" (PDF). whatdotheyknow.com. whatdotheyknow. 11 September 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019. 2nd and 6th Battalions The Royal Regiment of Scotland have transferred to 4th Infantry Brigade from 51st Infantry Brigade
  16. ^ "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - Army Cadets". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - Cadets & Youth". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  18. ^ "Reserve Forces and Cadets Association - Chairman's Welcome". www.rfca-ne.org.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  19. ^ "4th Infantry Brigade and HQ North East - British Army Website". 13 January 2018. Archived from the original on 13 January 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  20. ^ "HQ North East Units & Formations Requestion FOIA" (PDF). whatdotheyknow.com. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  21. ^ at 4:56pm, Tom Sables 20th October 2020. "Is Your Military Base Closing? Read The Full List Of Sites Shutting". Forces Network. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  22. ^ Army Policy & Secretariat, FOI(A) Request relating to current AECs (7 December 2020). whatdotheyknow.com. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  23. ^ "Army Education Centre Locations". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  24. ^ "Cleveland Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Durham Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  26. ^ "Humberside And South Yorkshire Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Northumbria Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  28. ^ "Yorkshire (North And West) Army Cadets". Army Cadets UK. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  29. ^ "Military Sites (Wales) (Hansard, 2 July 2002)". api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  30. ^ "Catterick Garrison". Army Garrisons. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  31. ^ "York Garrison". Army Garrisons. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  32. ^ at 3:51pm, Hannah King 23rd December 2014. "5 Armoured Medical Regiment Return to the UK". Forces Network. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  33. ^ "Information regarding British Army brigades being regionally aligned" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Ministry of Defence UK. 2 August 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020. Responsible Organisation 4th Infantry Brigade Region Northern Africa
  34. ^ Orders of Battle Archived March 14, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  35. ^ "4th Armoured Brigade Commanders". Desert Rats.
  36. ^ Army Commands Archived July 5, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ 5,000 'Rats' spotted in Basra Archived October 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Defence News, 11 December 2007
  38. ^ Brigadier salutes move to Garrison Archived August 17, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Northern Echo, 17 February 2009
  39. ^ 4th Mechanized Brigade Archived October 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine 11 April 2011
  40. ^ New man takes over the Black Rats Archived March 4, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Northern Echo, 12 June 2013
  41. ^ Murray Walker (2003). Unless I'm Very Much Mistaken. ISBN 0-00-712697-2.

Further reading[]

  • RMP Carter (1945). The History of the 4th Armoured Brigade. ISBN 978-1470119645.

External links[]


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