38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade

The 38th Brigade, now 38 (Irish) Brigade, was organised as a British Army formation during World War II. It was composed of Irish battalions and served with distinction in the Tunisian and Italian campaigns.

History
The original 38th Brigade, formed in 1914, was one of the brigades of 13th (Western) Division, one of the volunteer formations raised as part of Kitchener's Army. It was composed of Lancashire battalions and fought in the Gallipoli and Mesopotamian campaigns. It was disbanded in 1919.

38 Brigade was reformed as 38th (Irish) Brigade on 13 January 1942 by converting the 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home), a Home Defence formation organised in 1940. 210 Bde had been serving in Dorset County Division. When that division was disbanded on 24 November 1941, 210 Bde transferred to 1st Infantry Division. By then all of 210 Bde's English home defence battalions had been posted away and were being replaced by frontline Irish battalions.


 * See main article 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)

In June 1942 the 38th Brigade transferred to 6th Armoured Division and it landed in North Africa with that formation on 22 November 1942. In March 1943 it joined 78th (Battleaxe) Infantry Division and fought with distinction in the Tunisia Campaign, Sicily, and Italy as part of this highly regarded division until the end of World War II, though during May 1945 it was detached to both 46th Division and 6th Armoured Division. The brigade then was alloted occupation duties in Carinthia in southern Austria, and was eventually formally disbanded in April 1947.

38 (Irish) Brigade reformed on 1 August 2007, as part of a new combined divisional / brigade structure called HQ Northern Ireland and 38 (Irish) Brigade after the disbandment of HQ Northern Ireland and has its Headquarters at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn. The Brigade subsequently came under command of the 2nd Division, the regional division for Scotland, the North of England and Northern Ireland, on 1 January 2009. It is now the Regional Brigade responsible for administering the Territorial Army within Northern Ireland. This was the culmination of a drawdown of military headquarters in Northern Ireland, which had seen the disbandment of 3 Infantry Brigade, 8 Infantry Brigade, 39 Infantry Brigade and 107 (Ulster) Brigade.

Today the Territorial soldiers from the Brigade have served on operations supporting the Regular Army in the Balkans, on Operation TOSCA in Cyprus, 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 II Structure
With this combination, it therefore had pre-war Regular, Territorial and war-time raised units within its structure.
 * 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers
 * 2nd Battalion, The London Irish Rifles
 * 6th Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (until July 1944)
 * 2nd Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (from July 1944)

World War II Commanders
The following officers commanded 38 (Irish) Bde:
 * Brigadier The O'Donovan (12 January 1942–1 July 1942)
 * Brigadier N. Russell (1 July 1942–20 February 1944)
 * Brigadier T.P.D. Scott (from 20 February 1944)

Formations Served Under
Source:
 * 1 Infantry Division 25 Nov 41 – 7 Jun 42
 * 6 Armoured Division 9 Jun 42 – 16 Feb 43
 * 'Y" Division 16 Feb 43 – 15 Mar 43
 * 78 Infantry Division 15 Mar 43 – 28 Mar 43
 * 46 Infantry Division 29 Mar 43 – 6 Apr 43
 * 78 Infantry Division 7 Apr 43 – 10 May 45
 * 6 Armoured Division 10 May 45 – 13 May 45
 * 46 Infantry Division 13 May 45 – 18 May 45
 * 78 Infantry Division 18 May 45 – 31 Aug 45

Current Structure

 * Northern Ireland Garrison Support Unit
 * 2nd Battalion Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskilling), 83rd, 87th & Ulster Defence Regiment)
 * 152 (Ulster) Transport Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps
 * The Queen's University Officers' Training Corps
 * 38 (Irish) Brigade Regional Training Centre
 * 591 (Independent) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers
 * 32 Army Education Centre
 * 38 (Irish) Brigade Signal Troop
 * 1st Battalion Army Cadet Force
 * 2nd Battalion Army Cadet Force

Units supporting 38 (Irish) Brigade:
 * B (North Irish Horse) Squadron, Queen's Own Yeomanry (Formation Reconnaissance) – 15 (North East) Brigade
 * 206th (Ulster) Battery 105th Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) – 51 (Scottish) Brigade
 * 40 Signal Squadron, 32 (Scottish) Signal Regiment – 2 (National Communications) Signal Brigade
 * 204 (North Irish) Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps – 2nd Medical Brigade
 * 253 (North Irish) Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps – 102 Logistic Brigade
 * Detachment 243 Provost Company 5 Regiment RMP – 102 Logistic Brigade
 * Detachment 52 (Volunteer) Company, Intelligence Corps – 1st Military Intelligence Brigade

Insignia
The current Brigade insignia is a green shamrock on a circular, sand-coloured, background. This insignia was adopted to differentiate it from the World War II design which is now too similar to the design of the tactical recognition flash (TRF) worn by the Royal Irish Regiment