160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales

Welsh Border Brigade
160th (Welsh Border) Brigade
160th Infantry Brigade
160th (Wales) Brigade
Active 1908-Present
Country  United Kingdom
Branch  British Army
Type Regular and Territorial Army
Size Brigade
Part of 1st (United Kingdom) Division
Garrison/HQ The Barracks, Brecon
Battle honours World War I:
* Battle of Gallipoli
* First Battle of Gaza
* Battle of Nablus (1918)
World War II:
* Battle of Normandy
* Battle of Falaise
* Battle of the Bulge
* Battle of the Reichswald
"Welsh Border Brigade" redirects here. For the yeomanry formation, see Welsh Border Mounted Brigade.

The 160th Infantry Brigade and HQ Wales or Brigâd 160 (Cymru) is a regional brigade of the British Army that has been in existence since 1908. It is a regional command responsible for all of Wales. The Brigade organises an annual patrolling competition in the Brecon Beacons known as Exercise Cambrian Patrol.

History

Formation

The Welsh Border Brigade was originally raised in 1908, upon creation of the Territorial Force, and was part of the Welsh Division. The brigade was composed of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Volunteer battalions of the Monmouthshire Regiment along with the 1st Battalion of the Herefordshire Regiment.

First World War

In 1915 the brigade was redesignated the 160th (1/1st South Wales) Brigade and the Welsh Division the 53rd (Welsh) Division. The brigade fought with the division in the Great War, in the Middle Eastern theatre.

The brigade was reconstituted as a result of British troops being sent to the Western Front during the emergency following the German March 1918 Spring Offensive.

First World War order of battle

Between the wars

After the war the brigade and division were disbanded as was the Territorial Force. However, both the brigade and division were reformed in 1920 in the Territorial Army. The brigade, now the 160th (South Wales) Infantry Brigade, was again composed of the same four battalions it had before the Great War. However, these were all posted to the 159th (Welsh Border) Infantry Brigade early in the 1920s and were replaced by the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th battalions of the Welch Regiment. The 6th and 7th battalions were amalgamated as the 6th/7th Battalion, Welchi Regiment and the 4th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry joined in the same year.

Second World War

The brigade again served with the 53rd (Welsh) Division in the Second World War from June 1944 to May 1945.

From January until June 1944 Lashmer Whistler commanded the 160th Brigade, with the rank of brigadier

Men of the 4th Welch Regiment clean their weapons outside s'Hertogenbosch, Holland, 25 October 1944

Second World War order of battle

Post war

After World War II the Territorial Army was reorganised as the TAVR. With the disbandment of 5th Division, the brigade came under the control of the new Support Command based in Aldershot, in April 2012.[2]

Current formation

Under the Army 2020 concept, 160th (Wales) Brigade was renamed as 160th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Wales. It is one of the seven Adaptable Force brigades. It comprises:[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Georgia College & State University" (PDF).
  2. ↑ House of Commons briefing note
  3. ↑ "Army 2020 Report" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  4. ↑ The Rifles and The Royal Gloucestershire,Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment Newsletter 2013 Archived 27 July 2013 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Summary of Army 2020 Reserve Structure and Basing, page 24
  6. ↑ Army 2010 Update, page 9

Bibliography

External links

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