8th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

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8th Infantry Brigade
Insignia of 8th Infantry Brigade
Active1914-1918
1927-1934
1939-1945
1969-2006
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry
RoleInfantry brigade
SizeBrigade
Part ofHQ Northern Ireland
Garrison/HQShackleton Barracks, Ballykelly
EngagementsFirst World War
Second World War
The Troubles
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Brig. Frank Witts
Brig-Gen. Arthur Hoskins
Edward Cass
Insignia
Abbreviation8th Inf Bde

The 8th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars, before being disbanded and reactivated in the 1960s. The brigade was finally being disbanded in 2006. It was formed before the First World War as part of the 3rd Division. As part of that division it spent the entire war on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918 in the First World War. The brigade was also active during the Second World War.

First World War

The brigade, part of the 3rd Division, was serving in England on the outbreak of the First World War.[1]

First World War Composition

Commanders

The commanders of the 8th Infantry Brigade during the First World War were:[2]

  • Brigadier-General B. J. C. Doran (At mobilization)
  • Brigadier-General W. H. Bowes (23 October 1914)
  • Brigadier-General A. R. Hoskins (25 March 1915)
  • Brigadier-General J. D. McLachlan (3 October 1915)
  • Brigadier-General E. G. Williams (13 March 1916)
  • Brigadier-General G. Bull (3 December 1916)
  • Brigadier-General H. G. Holmes (11 December 1916)
  • Acting: Lieutenant-Colonel A. F. Lumsden (30 April 1917)
  • Brigadier-General H. G. Holmes (15 May 1917)
  • Brigadier-General W. E. C. Tanner (20 October 1917)
  • Brigadier-General W. J. Webb-Bowen (2 April 1918)
  • Brigadier-General L. A. E. Price-Davies (3 April 1918)
  • Brigadier-General B. D. Fisher (12 April 1918)

Second World War

Universal Carriers and 6-pdr anti-tank guns of the 1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment during the advance on Venraij, 17 October 1944.

The brigade was in the United Kingdom upon the outbreak of the Second World War, when it was under the command of Brigadier Frank Witts.

Second World War Composition

The composition was:[3]

Northern Ireland

Reactivated in the mid-late 1960s, the 8th Brigade was part of the 5th Division before arriving in Northern Ireland after the beginning of The Troubles, reporting to GOC Northern Ireland. It was based at Ebrington Barracks, Derry, and covered the north and northwest of the province. The Brigade Headquarters moved to Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, County Londonderry in October 2003. The brigade was disbanded and handed over responsibility to HQ 39th Infantry Brigade, based at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn, on 1 September 2006.[4]

During 1989, the 8th Infantry Brigade had the following structure:

[5]

References

  1. ^ "The 3rd Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  2. ^ Becke, Major A. F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: HMSO. p. 50. ISBN 1-871167-09-4.
  3. ^ "8th Infantry Brigade". Orders of Battle. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Shackleton Barracks Ballykelly to Close". Sandes (26 June 2006). Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  5. ^ "HQ Northern Ireland (HQNI)". Archived from the original on 13 October 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2007.

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