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1st Artillery Brigade (United Kingdom)

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1st Artillery Brigade
1st Artillery Division
Formation badge of the brigade
Active1961–1977
1977–1993
1997 – 2022
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeCombat Support Formation
SizeBrigade
Part of3rd (United Kingdom) Division
Brigade HQJellalabad Barracks, Tidworth Camp
WebsiteHQ 1st Artillery Brigade

The 1st Artillery Brigade was a support formation of the British Army as part of the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division, and oversaw all close support artillery and deep fires units of the army. Under the Future Soldier programme, the brigade merged with 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade to form 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team.[1]

World War II

For the World War II, and later history as an army group (Major General's command, see here: 1st Army Group Royal Artillery).

Cold War

Following a reorganisation of the British Army of the Rhine following the 1957 Defence White Paper, the former 1st Army Group, Royal Artillery was reduced to a 1-star command, and redesignated as the 1st Artillery Brigade (Field). The new brigade was headquartered at Tofrek Barracks in Hildesheim.[2][3] On 4 October 1961, the brigade was officially redesignated, but later dropped the '(Field)' title in 1967 following the 1966 Defence White Paper, becoming the 1st Artillery Brigade.[2] The regiment was originally responsible for commanding the two MGM-5 Corporal tactical ballistic missile regiments and a new support regiment. (From 1959, there were two regiments with the missile). It gradually evolved from a command unit solely for the Corporal missile regiments to one for all GHQ field artillery within I (British) Corps. The brigade is shown as having controlled the two Corporal-equipped regiments.[2]

The brigade's structure by 1967 was as follows:

Following the 1975 Defence White Paper "Mason Review", the old brigades were done away with and replaced by task forces. The 1st Artillery Brigade was also disbanded on 1 September 1977, subsequently merged with the 7th Anti-Aircraft Brigade and became the 1st Artillery Division. The new division was organised as follows:

Following the 1981 Defence White Paper, the brigades were reformed, and the division was subsequently redesignated as [the] Artillery Division. In 1984, it was further redesignated as Artillery, I (British) Corps, and on 1 November 1985 became the 1st Artillery Brigade once again.

In January 1985, 12th Air Defence Regiment RA was moving from Rapier Barracks, Kirton-in-Lindsey, in North East District to Napier Barracks in Dortmund.[16] In a semi-swap, at the same time, 16 Air Defence Regiment returned home from Moore Barracks in Dortmund to Rapier Barracks in Kirton-in-Lindsey.British Army Units. "16th Regiment RA". British Army units from 1945 on. Retrieved 3 January 2023.</ref>

Isby and Kamps 1985 lists the brigade "up to the beginning of 1985" with headquarters at Ripon Barracks, Bielefeld; three heavy regiments (5, 32, and 39); 50 Missile Regiment; and 16 and 22 Air Defence Regiments, though 16 Regiment of course was in the process of moving back to the UK.[19] Also present of course was 8 Artillery Support Regiment, but Isby and Kamps did not list RCT units.

Structure of the 1st Artillery Brigade in 1989:[21]

Post Cold War

Following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Options for Change paper was published in 1992, which reduced to the army by more than a third. Under this reorganisation, the brigade was disbanded about 1993.[22][23]

On 1 April 1997, the brigade was reformed as 1st Artillery Brigade.[24][25] The new brigade was organised as follows by 2012:

Under the Army 2020 programme announced in 2013, the brigade merged with 43rd (Wessex) Brigade to become 1st Artillery Brigade and Headquarters South West. The old artillery brigade became the operational portion of the formation, while 43 Brigade became the regional headquarters element. The brigade's operational role was expanded and by this point oversaw all artillery units administratively within the army. Operationally, it controlled all but the special regiments (7 Parachute Regt RHA, 29 Commando Regt, RA, the Surveillance/Drone regiments, and the Air Defence regiments). The brigade's role was described "...will deliver both close support artillery and precision fires, as well as leading Air-Land Integration".[39] The brigade's new designation as 'Headquarters South West' indicating its shift to an administrative formation, now overseeing all of South West England and the Channel Islands.[40][41][42][43]

Updated structure of 1st Artillery Brigade as of June 2021.

In 2019, a reorganisation of the Field Army saw the 1st Artillery Brigade lose its regional affiliation, once again becoming simply 1st Artillery Brigade. In addition to the removal of the regional basis, the brigade was reorganised, and placed under command of the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division.[52] The brigade's structure at February 2022 was as follows:

Commanding Officers

Commanding officers of the brigade included:[83]

  • October 1961–December 1962: Brigadier John E. Cordingley
  • December 1962–December 1965: Brigadier Harry S. Langstaff
  • December 1965–December 1967: Brigadier Ronald A. Norman-Walker
  • December 1967–December 1970: Brigadier Leo Heathcote Plummer
  • December 1970–February 1973: Brigadier Thomas Lovett Morony
  • February 1973–February 1975: Brigadier D. K. Neville
  • February 1975–September 1977: Brigadier John Aubrey Stephenson

(from 1977 to 1985 the post of commanding officer was held by Commander Artillery, I (British) Corps)

  • September 1977–April 1979: Major General Geoffrey Boyd Wilson
  • April 1979–March 1982: Major General Edward Arthur Burgess
  • March 1982–February 1985: Major General Guy Hansard Watkins
  • February 1985–November 1985: Major General John Hartley Learmont
  • November 1985–November 1988: Brigadier Michael F. L. Shellard
  • November 1988–January 1991: Brigadier Alan Fleetwood Gordon
  • January 1991–August 1992: Brigadier Mark G. Douglas-Withers
  • August 1992–1993: Brigadier John Milne
  • 2001–March 2003: Brigadier Nigel B. Philpott
  • March 2003–March 2004: Brigadier Robert W. H. Purdy
  • Between 2004 and 2014, the officer commanding the brigade held the rank of colonel[26][84]
  • June 2014–March 2016: Brigadier Jeremy Matthew James Bennett
  • August 2016–2018: Brigadier John R. Mead
  • 2018–August 2020: Brigadier Mark Pullan
  • August 2020 – present: Brigadier Charles Arthur Hewitt

Footnotes

Citations

  1. ^ Lord & Watson show this squadron still in the brigade from its formation in 1958 (Lord & Watson, p. 66) till the 1970s (Lord & Watson, p. 80), however both British Army units from 1945 on and Lord & Watson Signals (Lord & Watson Royal Corps of Signals, p. 80) state this squadron was disbanded in 1960. A national archives document later states the signal squadron remained as HQ & Signal Squadron.

Notes

  1. ^ "Deep Recce Strike Brigade". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Watson & Rinaldi 2005, p. 28.
  3. ^ a b "Tofrek Barracks". www.baor-locations.org. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  4. ^ Lord & Watson BAOR, pp. 65–66
  5. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 218 Squadron". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  6. ^ Catalogue description 1st Artillery Brigade (Bde) HQ and Signal Squadron (Sqn). 1967.
  7. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 10th Royal Hussars". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b "British Army units from 1945 on - 94th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  9. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 20th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  10. ^ a b "British Army units from 1945 on - 32nd Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  11. ^ a b "British Army units from 1945 on - 39th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  12. ^ a b c "British Army units from 1945 on - 50th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  13. ^ a b c "British Army units from 1945 on - Regiments 1 to 10". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  14. ^ Lord & Watson BAOR, pp. 77 & 87
  15. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - Royal Scots". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  16. ^ a b c "British Army units from 1945 on - 12th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  17. ^ a b "British Army units from 1945 on - 22nd Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  18. ^ a b "British Army units from 1945 on - 5th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
  19. ^ a b Isby & Kamps 1985, p. 256.
  20. ^ Lord & Watson British Army in Germany, pp. 101–102
  21. ^ Vieuxbill 2021, p. 11.
  22. ^ Lord & Watson, p. 114
  23. ^ "Divisions and Brigades". army.mod.uk. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2020."HQ Theatre Troops Organisation". Units & Organisations. 8 January 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  24. ^ 5 Regiment RA. "Regimental History: 5th Regiment Royal Artillery". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 27 October 2004. Retrieved 23 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ "39 REGT RA". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 October 2000. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  26. ^ a b Mackinlay, p. 61
  27. ^ "Defence News: Image of the Day: 18 February 2013". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  28. ^ Tanner, pp. 47–52.
  29. ^ Staff Officer's Handbook 1999, Serial 68.
  30. ^ a b c "Post Exerciser Report, 1st Artillery Brigade" (PDF). British Army. 1 August 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 November 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  31. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 5th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  32. ^ 5 Regiment RA 2004.
  33. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 32nd Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  34. ^ "32nd Regiment Royal Artillery". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 August 2002. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  35. ^ "32 Regiment Royal Artillery". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 22 December 2003. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  36. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 39th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  37. ^ "39 Regiment RA - Brief History". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 December 2002. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  38. ^ "101 Regiment ( The Northumbrian Gunners) Royal Artillery (Volunteers)". webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 19 April 2001. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  39. ^ Transforming the British Army, p. 10
  40. ^ Transforming the British Army, p. 11
  41. ^ a b c d e Swain, Shirley (10 December 2014). "43 (Wessex) Brigade Lowers Flag For Last Time". Forces Network. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  42. ^ a b "Regular Army basing Matrix by Formation and Unit" (PDF). Army Families Foundation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 August 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  43. ^ "Army Update: Commander HQ South West Colonel James Coote DSO OBE" (PDF). swlep.co.uk. Swindon & Wiltshire LEP. 25 May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  44. ^ Transforming the British Army, p. 12
  45. ^ "FOI(A) regarding the Army 2020 Refine structure" (PDF). United Kingdom Parliamentary Publishing. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
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  47. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 4th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  48. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 1st Regiment RHA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  49. ^ "British Army units from 1945 on - 19th Regiment RA". british-army-units1945on.co.uk. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  50. ^ a b c Dewitt, Aimee (26 June 2018). "26th Regiment Royal Artillery Bids Fond Farewell To AS90 Gun As Part Of Germany Draw-Down". Forces Network. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
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References

  • Beevor, Antony (1991). Inside the British Army. Reading, Berkshire: Corgi Books. ISBN 978-0552138185. OCLC 1109590043.
  • Isby, David; Kamps, Charles (1985). Armies of NATO's Central Front. Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0341-X.
  • FOI(A) regarding the 1988 Staff Officer's Handbook. London, United Kingdom: Ministry of Defence. 1988.
  • Ministry of Defence, Staff Officer's Handbook Number 71038, D/DGD&D/18/35/54, 1999.
  • Lord, Cliff; Watson, Graham (2004). The Royal Corps of Signals : unit histories of the Corps (1920-2001) and its antecedents. Solihull, West Midlands, England: Helion & Company. ISBN 978-1-874622-92-5. OCLC 184820114.
  • Mackinlay, Gordon Angus (2008). "A Moment in Time", The British Army at a Moment in Time - 1 July 2007: A look at and from it of the makeup of the Regular and Territorial Army. New South Wales, Australia.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • James Tanner, The British Army since 2000, 2014 Osprey Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom. ISBN 978 178200 593 3.
  • Vieuxbill, Louis (2021). "British Army of the Rhine 1989" (PDF).
  • Watson, Graham E.; Rinaldi, Richard A. (2005). The British Army in Germany (British Army of the Rhine and After): an Organisation History 1947–2004. Tiger Lilly Publications. ISBN 978-0972029698. OCLC 241300352.
  • Wall, General Sir Peter (2013). Transforming the British Army, An Update - July 2013 (PDF). Whitehall, London, United Kingdom: Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  • Watling, Jack; Bronk, Justin (2021). Occasional Paper: Maximising the Utility of the British Army's Combat Aviation. Whitehall, London, United Kingdom: Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies.
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