15th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 15th (North East) Brigade


caption= Merlin Insignia of 15th (North East) Brigade
dates= 1914 -
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch= British Army
type= Territorial Army
role=
size=
command_structure=
current_commander=Brigadier Richard Dennis OBE
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
identification_symbol=
march=
mascot=
battles= World War I
Battle of Mons
Battle of Le Cateau
First Battle of Ypres
Battle of the Somme
Third Battle of Ypres
Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Epehy
World War II
Operation Husky
Italian Campaign
North West Europe Campaign
Post War
Battle of Surabaya
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 15th Infantry Brigade is a British Army brigade. Part of the regular British 5th Infantry Division during the Second World War, it is now part of the British 2nd Infantry Division in the north of the United Kingdom and has specific responsibility for the areas of North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber.

History

When the 5th Division was sent to France in early 1940 the 15th Brigade was sent as part of Sickleforce to fight in the Norwegian Campaign in May 1940 under the command of Lieut. General H.R.S.Massey. The Norwegian Campaign was a failure for the British.It was reunited with the 5th Division on 3rd August 1940.

The Brigade served with this unit through the rest of the war, seeing action in Sicily in 1943 and Italy in 1944, ending the war in North West Europe.

The Brigade was reformed in 1982, as a Territorial Army formation, which in turn was part of the Second Infantry Division which was moving to York. The Brigade's Headquarters were at RAF Topcliffe and its first commander in this new role was Brigadier Michael Aris. Its organisation and role were tested in Exercise Keystone in 1983, when it consisted of:

*Queen's Own Yeomanry
*6th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
*7th Battalion, The Light Infantry
*1st Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers
*2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers

In 1999, having been a territorial formation for many years, the brigade was made responsible for both regular and territorial units in the North East, when the Second Division became a "Regenerative Division", responsible for the north of England and Scotland.

Commanding Officers during World War II

*Brig. Berney-Ficklin
*Brig. H.E.F. Smyth

tructure during World War II

*1st Battalion, Green Howards
*1st Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
*1st Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment

Current Structure

15th (North East) Brigade has its Headquarters in York and includes the following units:
* 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th & 33rd/76th Foot)
* 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
* 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment
* Queen's Own Yeomanry (Formation Reconnaissance)
* 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery (MLRS)
* 72nd Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers
* 150th (Northumbrian) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps
* Yorkshire (North and West) Army Cadet Force
* Humberside and South Yorkshire Army Cadet Force
* Durham Army Cadet Force
* Cleveland Army Cadet Force
* Northumbria Army Cadet Force

Links

* Norwegian campaign
* British 5th Infantry Division
* [http://orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/017_britain/40_norway/_40-04_uk.html Orders of Battle]
* [http://www.army.mod.uk/15brigade/index.htm Current Brigade official site]
* [http://www.yorkshirevolunteers.org.uk Yorkshire Volunteers Official Website]