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12 Bde

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12 MECHANIZED BRIGADE LINEAGE

CCT image 1 R ANGLIAN AFG

 

The following notes outline the changes to the Brigade from its formation in 1899 to its current role as Mechanized Brigade. 12 Brigade, in its varying guises and homes, has been disbanded over four times, re-named five times and has a lineage that spans over a century of conflict from Biddulph's Berg to Basra. 

The list shows the formation/disbandment date, the name given to the formation and finally its higher command with comments e.g. In January 1982, 12 Armoured Brigade was under the command of 1 Armoured Division. This then changed to 3 Armoured Division in November 1990 after the deployment of 1 Armoured Division in November on Operation Granby.

Dec 1899 12 Infantry Brigade Disbanded 1902 following the end of the Boer War
May 1907 12 Infantry Brigade Reinstituted as part of 4 Div
Nov 1915 12 Infantry Brigade Eventually disbanded as part of 36 Div, March 1947
Apr 1956 12 Infantry Brigade 4 Div reformed from 91 Lorried Infantry Bde and disbanded Dec 1957
Dec 1957 12 Infantry Brigade Group Reformed from 21 Independent Inf Bde Group
Apr 1958 12 Infantry Brigade 5 Div
Jun 1960 12 Infantry Brigade 1 Div
Jan 1961 12 Infantry Brigade 2 Div
Dec 1965 12 Infantry Brigade 2 Div
Sep 1970 12 Infantry Brigade 2 Div disbanded on restructuring of the Army in Sep 1976
Sep 1976 Osnabruck Garrison and Task Force Delta  2 Armd Div retitled following Army Restructuring 
Jan 1981 12 Armoured Brigade 2 Armd Div
Jan 1982 12 Armoured Brigade 1 Armd Div
Nov 1990 12 Armoured Brigade 3 Armd Div change of Div in the Absence of 1 Armd Div on Op Granby
May 1991 12 Armoured Brigade 1 Armd Div retitled as part of the Options for Change defence review
Sep 1999 12 Mechanized Brigade 3 (UK) Div formed as part of the Strategic Defence Review

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The Brigade has been commanded by many accomplished officers including two holders of the VC. The piratical, one-armed and monocular Lieutenant General Adrian Carton de Wiart VC KBE CB CMG DSO, a Dragoon, won his VC commanding the Gloucester Regiment in the Great War and was allegedly the inspiration for Brigadier Ben Richie-Hook in Evelyn Waugh's Sword of Honour trilogy.  Major General Daniel Beak VC DSO MC and Bar originally enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, winning his VC in the Royal Naval Division in 1918, later transferring to the Army and rising to the appointment of General Officer Commanding Malta. The Brigade Commanders are listed with the rank and decorations held during their command.

12 Infantry Brigade 12 Infantry Brigade Group
 Dec 1899-1902  Maj Gen RAP Clements DSO Dec 1957 Brig N J Dickinson DSO 
 May 1907 Brig C E Bradley CB May 1959 Brig P H Man OBE DSO MC
 Jul 1909 Brig F S Inglefield CB DSO May 1962 Brig P T Tower DSO MBE
 Jun 1912 Brig H F M Wilson CB Dec 1964 Brig W B Thomas DSO MC
 Oct 1914 Brig F G Angley CB 12 Infantry Brigade
 Jun 1916 Brig J D Crosbie DSO Dec 1966 Brig H M G Bond
 Jan 1917 Brig A Carton de Wiart VC DSO Dec 1968 Brig W G Beach OBE MC
 Nov 1917 Brig E A Fagan DSO 12 Mechanized Brigade
 Oct 1918 Brig E B MacNaghten CMG DSO Sep 1970 Brig D T Young DFC
 Nov 1919 Brig A H Marinden CB DSO Sep 1972 Brig W R Taylor
 Nov 1923 Brig F J Cameron CB CMG Dec 1974 Brig M F Reynolds
 Oct 1925 Brig E B Hankey CB DSO Osnabruck Garrison and Task Force Delta
 Oct 1929 Brig Sir H Wake Bt CMG DSO Dec 1976 Brig J C O R Hopkinson
 Aug 1932 Brig C A Howard DSO Dec 1978 Brig B L G Kenny
 Jul 1935 Brig M Kemp-Welch DSO MC 12 Armoured Brigade
 Aug 1936 Brig The Hon PG Scarlett MC Jan 1981 Brig C A Ramsay OBE
 Sep 1938 Brig J G W Clarke MC Dec 1982 Brig P R Davies
 Oct 1939 Brig J L I Hawkesworth CBE Dec 1984 Brig J J G MacKenzie
 Jun 1940 Brig D M W Beak VC DSO MC Dec 1986 Brig G Hyde
 Dec 1941 Brig R G W Callaghan Dec 1988 Brig J M F C Hall OBE
 Apr 1943 Brig R A Hull DSO Nov 1990 to  Jan 93 Brig T J Granville-Chapman CBE
 Jun 1943 Brig G H A MacMillan MC 12 Mechanized Brigade
 Jul 1943 Brig T P D Scott DSO Sep1999 Brig A R Freer OBE
 Nov 1943 Brig F M Elliott MC Nov 1999 Brig J Cooper DSO OBE
 Apr 1944 Brig A G W Heber-Percy DSO Dec 2001 Brig J D Shaw
 Aug 1946 Brig E C Cooke-Collis DSO May 2003 Brig C G S Hughes
 Dec 1946-Mar 47 Brig CPG Willis OBE Aug 2005 Brig J G Lorimer MBE
 Apr 1956 Brig I H Freeland DSO Nov 2007 Brig D M Cullen OBE

 

Capra Gunner by Jon Bevan

 

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