38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 38 (Irish) Brigade


caption= Insignia of 15th (North East) Brigade
dates= 1942 -
country= United Kingdom
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branch= British Army
type= Territorial Army
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command_structure= 2nd Division
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The 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade was a British Army unit formed on 13 January 1942 by converting The 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), a Home defence static brigade. It served under a number of formations during the Second World War but in March 1943 it joined 78th (Battleaxe) Infantry Division in Tunisia and fought with distinction in Tunisia, Sicily, and Italy as part of this highly regarded division until the end of World War II.

The 38th (Irish) Brigade reformed on 1 August 2007 as part of the 2nd Division, through the amalgamation of 107 (Ulster) Brigade and 39 Infantry Brigade, after the disbandment of HQ Northern Ireland and has its Headquarters at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060510/wmstext/60510m0032.htm "Hansard", proceedings of the British Parliament] ] It is now the Regional Brigade responsible for administering the Territorial Army within Northern Ireland. Today the Territorial soldiers from the Brigade have served on operations supporting the Regular Army in the Balkans and on Operation Herrick in Afghanistan and Operation Telic in Iraq. At home the Brigade has the key role of providing the Civil Contingency Reaction Force for Northern Ireland.

World War 2 Structure

(As the 38th Irish Brigade)
*1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers
*2nd Battalion, The London Irish Rifles
*6th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (until July 1944) [Disbanded and merged with 2nd Battalion. Ford pp242-243]
*2nd Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (from July 1944) [ From British 5th Division, absorbing 6th Battalion. Ford pp242-243]

Current Units

38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade Units 2008
* 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th & Ulster Defence Regiment)
* 152 (Ulster) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
* 253rd (North Irish) General Support Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps
* 591st (Independent) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers: "Units supporting 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade:":* B (North Irish Horse) Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry (Formation Reconnaissance) - 15th (North East) Brigade:* 206th (Ulster) Battery 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) - 51st (Scottish) Brigade:* 40th (Ulster) Signal Regiment - 2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade:* 204th (North Irish) Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps - 2nd Medical Brigade:* 23rd (Volunteer) Company, Intelligence Corps - 1st Military Intelligence Brigade

Bibliography

*Doherty, Richard (1994) Clear The Way! History of the 38th (Irish) Brigade, 1941-47. Dublin: Irish Academic Press. ISBN-10: 0716525429 ISBN-13: 978-0716525424

References

External links

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