TA Command Structure 1967 - 2000

Introduction

On 1 April 1967 the existing - numbered - Division/Districts became named Districts, and the TA Brigades disappeared. Within a few years all Commands had been redesignated or disappeared and there remained districts only - except for HQ The Army in Scotland and HQ Northern Ireland. These were subordinate to HQ UKLF (ex Southern Command).
The brigade level of command, eliminated in the 1967 reforms, caused little or no direction in doctrine and training from above. This was resolved in 1982 - as part of the general enhencement of the TA - when the brigade level of command was brought back in the chain of command. Most brigades were purely administrative headquarters for training, only the 15 Brigade and 49 Brigade that had an operational reinforcing role in 2nd Division as part of 1st (British) Corps.
Options for Changes saw the merger of several Districts, which later were superseded by divisions, each responsible for a specific part of the country. Moreover, the UKLF was replaced by the Land Command.
The Strategic Defence Review saw some re-shuffling of brigades. London remained seperate until April 2000 when it became part of 4th Division.
 

Contents

Overview of commands, districts and brigades

Administrative divisions

Some tables showing outline structure

Overview of commands, districts and brigades

Eastern Command

Headquarters at Colchester.
April 1968 designated Strategic Command;
April 1972 disbanded.

London District at London.
Independent until 1 April 2000, then subordinate to 4th Division.

56 (London) Brigade
Formed ca.1985 at London. Disbanded 1993.

South-East District at Aldershot, ex 44 (Home Counties) Division/District
April 1992 designated Southern District with HQ at Aldershot, upon amalgamation with South-West District.
March 1995 designated 4th Division, HQ at Aldershot.

2 (South-Eastern) Brigade at Dover. Formed 1982.
Part of 4th Division since 1995.
145 (Home Counties) Brigade at Aldershot. Formed 1995.
Part of 4th Division since formation.

Eastern District at Colchester, ex 54 (East Anglian) Division/District
April 1971 absorbed East Midlands District.
April 1992 absorbed into 2nd Division.

54 (East Anglian) Brigade at Bury St Edmunds. Formed 1982.
Absorbed into 49 Brigade in 1993.
 

Southern Command

Headquarters at Wilton.
April 1972 designated HQ United Kingdom Land Forces
1 April 1995 redesignated HQ Land Command

South-West District at Bulford, ex 43 (Wessex) Division/District
April 1992 merged with South-East District as Southern District.

43 (Wessex) Brigade at Exeter. Formed 1982.
In 1993 Brigade served in 3rd (UK) Division for administrative purposes.
In April 1999 brigade merged with Salibury Plain District at Bulford, and became part of 5th Division.
 

Northern Command

Headquarters at York.
Abolished November 1972.

East Midlands District at Nottingham, ex 49 (West Riding and North Midland) Division/District
April 1971 absorbed into Eastern District.

49 (Eastern) Brigade at Chilwell. Formed 1 January 1982.
Fully operational brigade until 1992. Absorbed 54 Brigade during Options for Change.
Brigade was part of 2nd Division 1982 - April 1999. Since then part of 4th Division.

Yorkshire District at Catterick.
January 1973 designated North-East District upon merger with Northumbrian District with HQ at York.
April 1982 designated 2nd Infantry Division & North-East District, HQ at York upon merger with 2nd Division.
April 1992 designated 2nd Division & Eastern District, at York upon absorption of Eastern District.
March 1995 designated 2nd Division, HQ at York.
(see also 2nd Division below.)

15 (North Eastern) Brigade at Topcliffe. Formed 1 January 1982 Formed 1 January 1982 with HQ Topcliffe. Fully operational brigade as part of 2nd Division until 1992.
In 1992 HQ moved to York; Brigade remained in 2nd Division.

Northumbrian District at York, ex 50 (Northumbrian) Division/District
January 1973 merged into North-East District.
 

Western Command

Headquarters at Chester.
Abolished July 1972.

North-West District at Chester, later Preston, ex 42 (Lancashire) Division/District
April 1995 merged into 5th Division.

42 (North West) Brigade at Preston. Formed 1982.
Part of 5th Division 1995 - April 1999. Then to 2nd Division.

West Midlands District at Shrewsbury, ex 48 (South Midland) Division/District
April 1992 designated Wales & West District at Shrewbury, upon merger with Wales District.
March 1995 designated 5th Division upon merger with North-West District.

143 (West Midlands) Brigade at Shrewsbury. Formed 1982.
Since 1995 part of 5th Division.

Wales District at Brecon, ex 53 (Welsh) Division/District
April 1992 amalgamated into Wales and West District upon merger with West Midlands District.

160 (Wales) Brigade at Brecon. Formed 1982.
Since 1995 part of 5th Division.
 

Scottish Command

Headquarters at Edinburgh.
April 1972 designated HQ The Army in Scotland. Responsible for national territory of Scotland.
April 2000 designated 2nd Division upon amalgmation with 2nd Division at York.

No subordinate HQ's 1967 - 1982.
51 (Highland) Brigade at Perth. Formed 1982.
Became part of 2nd Division April 2000.
52 (Lowland) Brigade at Edinburgh. Formed 1982.
Became part of 2nd Division April 2000.
 

Northern Ireland

Headquarters at Lisburn.

No subordinate HQ's until 1982.
107 (Ulster) Brigade at Lisburn. Formed 1982.
Transferred to 5th Division April 2000 and became completely seperate from security forces that remained under HQ Northern Ireland.
 
 

Divisions

2nd Infantry Division

Formed April 1982 as reinforcement Infantry division of BAOR from the United Kingdom and to consist predominantly of TA units. (15 Brigade and 49 Brigade).
Designated Division by April 1992 and by April 1995 division superseded the Eastern District. Division became purely administrative/regenerative and responsible for the whole of Eastern England, except for Essex.
In April 1999 the East Midlands (49 Brigade) were lost to 4th Division, but the North-West (42 Brigade) gained from 5th Division. On 1 April 2000 the Division merged with Scotland and HQ moved to Edinburgh.
 

3rd (UK) Division

HQ formed at Bulford ca.1992/1993 by transfer HQ 3rd (UK) Armoured Division from Germany for both operational and administrative tasks. Division formed part of the ARRC and was only ready division in the UK. It commanded the mainly territorial 43 Brigade for administrative purposes from 1993 on.
In April 1999 Division became fully deployable and 43 Brigade transferred to 5th Division.
 

4th Division

Formed March 1995 by designation of Southern District with HQ at Aldershot. The Division has military responsibility for South East England, including Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire.
Division became resposible for East Midlands by April 1999 when 49 Brigade transferred.
 

5th Division

Formed March 1995 by merger of Wales & West District and North-West District; HQ at Shrewsbury. This Division has responsibility for military units in Wales, the West Midlands and the North West of England.
In 1999 the North-West (42 Brigade) was lost to 2nd Division and 43 Brigade was gained from 3rd (UK) Division. On 1 April 2000 107 Brigade transferred to Division making 5th Division responsible for territorial units in Ulster.

Tables

Table: Command structure 1985

London District
	56 (London) Brigade
South-East District
	2 (South-Eastern) Brigade
Eastern District
	49 (Eastern) Brigade
	54 (East Anglian) Brigade
South-West District
	43 (Wessex) Brigade
West Midlands District
	143 (West Midlands) Brigade
Wales District
	160 (Wales) Brigade
North-West District
	42 (North-West) District
North-East District
	15 (North-Eastern) Brigade
The Army in Scotland
	51 (Highland) Brigade
	52 (Lowland) Brigade
Northern Ireland
	107 (Ulster) Brigade

 
 

Table: Command Structure 2000

2nd Division	15, 42, 51, 52 Brigades
4th Division	2, 49, 145 Brigades and London District
5th Division	43, 107, 143, 160 Brigades

 
 

Table: Composition of operational 15 Brigade and 49 Brigade, 1982

15 Brigade (Topcliffe)	49 Brigade (Chilwell)
Queen's Own Yeomanry	Royal Yeomanry
101 Field Regiment RA (V)	100 Field Regiment RA (V)
269 OP Battery RA (V)	307 OP Battery RA (V)
6 Bn RRF	5 Bn RRF
1 Bn Yorks	5 Bn R Anglian
2 Bn Yorks	7 Bn R Anglian
7 Bn LI	1 Bn Mercian
4 Bn Para	5 Bn LI
under command	under command
150 Transport Regiment RCT (V)	73 Engineer Regiment RE (V)
223 Field Ambulance	15 Sqn RCT (regular)
251 Field Ambulance	216 Sqn RCT (V)
201 General Hospital	22 Ordnance Company
124 Recovery Company	250 Field Ambulance
252 Provost Company

 
 
 
 

Last update: August 30, 2000