39th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The British 39th Infantry Brigade is a military formation of the British Army that was first established during World War I and reformed in the 1950s.

World Wars

It was first formed as part of the 13th (Western) Division in World War I, and was with the Division in Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, and Persia for the whole war. Its activities in World War II are not clear.

Post World War II

The Brigade was reformed in the early 1950s in the United Kingdom, and on the reformation of the 3rd Infantry Division on April 1 1951, the Brigade became part of it, along with the 19th and 32nd Guards Brigades. Its first operational summons was in October that year, when it was moved to Cyprus aboard two aircraft carriers and then on to Egypt. It took up duties in the south of the Canal Zone with two battalions, the 1st Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) and 1st Battalion, Royal Innskilling Fusiliers. It was joined by 1st Battalion the Border Regiment soon afterwards.

In October 1952 it was returned to the UK in order to rebuild the strategic reserve, and in February 1953 it was warned for operations in Kenya. Again at a strength of two battalions, 1st Buffs being joined by 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment, it arrived in April 1953 and was soon deployed in Kenya's Rift Valley. In command was Brigadier J.W. Tweedie. After over a year of operations both the Buffs and Devons were withdrawn and relieved in December 1954 and January 1955 respectively. Reliefs were 1st Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 1st Battalion the Rifle Brigade. The Brigade left Kenya in 1956 for Northern Ireland.

Having been withdrawn from Kenya the Brigade HQ under Brigadier C.H. ('Monkey') Blacker was despatched to Aden from Northern Ireland in May 1964, to relieve HQ Aden Garrison in an operational role at Thumier. The Brigade was involved in operations along the Radfan until October, when control was passed to HQ 24th Infantry Brigade.

Northern Ireland

Back in the UK the Brigade joined the reforming 5th Infantry Division on its establishment on April 1 1968. From August 1969 the Brigade, as 39 Airportable Brigade, was involved in The Troubles in Northern Ireland, eventually taking on responsibility, under HQ Northern Ireland, for an area including Belfast and the eastern side of the province, but excluding the South Armagh border region. From September 1970 it was commanded by (then) Brigadier Frank Kitson. [http://www.bloody-sunday-inquiry.org.uk/reports/kstatments/Archive/CK1.pdf Bloody Sunday Inquiry website—Statement of General Sir Frank Kitson. Retrieved 2008-05-28] .]

The Brigade took on some units from 3 Brigade when it was disbanded on September 1 2004. The HQ 8th Infantry Brigade based in Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, County Londonderry was disbanded and handed over responsibility to HQ 39th Infantry Brigade, Lisburn on 1 September 2006. [cite web | title=Shackleton Barracks Ballykelly to Close | work=Sandes (26 June 2006) | url=http://www.sandes.org.uk/news_detail.asp?id=13 | accessdate=2008-06-21]

On 1 August 2007 the Brigade was amalgamated with 107 (Ulster) Brigade when the new non-deployable brigade HQ, the 38 (Irish) Brigade, was formed in the province. [ [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/cm060510/wmstext/60510m0032.htm "Hansard", proceedings of the British Parliament] ]

References

Other sources

*Gregory Blaxland, The Regiments Depart: A History of the British Army 1947-70, William Kimber, London, 1971
*Antony Beevor, Inside the British Army, Corgi Books, London, 1991