1st Reconnaissance Brigade
Former British Army unit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1st Reconnaissance Brigade was a short-lived specialist formation of the British Army which administered the formation reconnaissance regiments not attached to a division or brigade, and was disbanded sometime between 2005 and 2006.[3]
United Kingdom
British Army| Screening Force 1st Reconnaissance Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1997–2005/6; 8 years, 9 months |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Reconnaissance Formation |
| Role | Commanding the Formation Reconnaissance regiments attached to divisions |
| Size | Brigade |
| Part of | Headquarters Theatre Troops[1] |
| Brigade HQ | Netheravon[2] |
Screening Force
Sometime after the publishing of the 1981 Defence White Paper "The Way Forward", the Screening Force (Corps Border Surveillance Force) was formed as an ad hoc brigade within I (British) Corps. Brigadier Royal Armoured Corps, British Army of the Rhine would become 'Commander Screening Force' on mobilisation.[4][5]
The force's objective, if mobilised, was to hold off a soviet frontal invasion for as long as possible until the 1st and 4th Armoured Divisions could be moved into position.[5] If mobilised, the brigade would control al the units of the division in the reconnaissance role and providing a reconnaissance/screening force.[6] On mobilisation, the force would have consisted:[6][5]
- Brigadier, I (BR) Corps Royal Armoured Corps (Commander Screening Force)
- Queen's Dragoon Guards, at Northampton Barracks, Wolfenbüttel (under command of 1st (UK) Armoured Division during peacetime)[7]
- 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers, Harewood Barracks, Herford (under command of 4th Armoured Division during peacetime)[8]
- No. 664 Squadron, Army Air Corps, at Saint George's Barracks, Minden (under command of Commander Aviation BAOR during peacetime)[9]
In 1992 following the disbandment of the British Army of the Rhine, the force HQ was disbanded.
Reconnaissance Brigade
The 1st Reconnaissance Brigade was established on 1 April 1997.[10]
The brigade might have been assigned to HQ Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.[11] Following the 2003 reorganisation of the Army under 'LANDmark', HQ Theatre Troops was formed to oversee the specialist brigades of the army.[12] The brigade soon joined HQ Theatre Troops, which it would remain under until disbanding in 2005-06, following the Future Army Structure programme.[13][14]