The Lancastrian Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968. The Brigade administered the regular infantry regiments of northwest England.

After the Second World War the British Army had fourteen infantry depots, each bearing a letter. The depots were territorially organised, and Infantry Depot D at Carlisle was the headquarters for the county regiments of Cumberland, Lancashire and Westmorland.[1]

In 1948, the depots adopted names and this depot became the Lancastrian Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time. The Lancastrian Brigade was formed on 14 July 1948, combining the depots of eight regiments:[2]

Under the Defence Review announced in July, 1957, the infantry of the line was reorganised, and by 1959 the Brigade was reduced to four battalions:

From 1958 all regiments in the Brigade adopted a common cap badge: the red rose of Lancaster within a laurel wreath and ensigned by the royal crest, with a scroll inscribed Lancastrian. From 1960 the Lancastrian Brigade was based at Fulwood Barracks in Lancashire.[3]

On 1 July 1968 the Lancastrian Brigade was united with the Yorkshire and North Irish Brigades, to form the King's Division.[4]

References

  1. ^ Messenger, Charles (16 March 1994). A History of British Infantry: For Love of Regiment, Volume 2, 1915-1994. p. 156. ISBN 9780850524222.
  2. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1956, p. 471
  3. ^ "Infantry Brigade Depots (Location)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 7 March 1958. Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  4. ^ Whitaker's Almanack 1969, p. 473
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