11th Infantry Brigade
A British Army brigade with a lineage extending from the Second Boer War through both World Wars and later overseas operations.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
11 Brigade is a formation of the British Army whose lineage dates to the creation of the 11th (Lancashire) Brigade during the Second Boer War. It was assembled in South Africa in early 1900 as part of the force sent to reinforce British operations during the campaign to relieve Ladysmith. After the war, the formation became a permanent brigade and served successively in British peacetime commands and expeditionary formations. During the First World War, the brigade was part of the 4th Division and deployed to France with the British Expeditionary Force. It fought on the Western Front from 1914 until the Armistice, taking part in the retreat from Mons, the battles around Le Cateau, the Marne and the Aisne, operations at Armentières, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Somme, Arras, the Third Battle of Ypres and the major Allied offensives of 1918. Its composition changed during the war, but included battalions of the Somerset Light Infantry, East Lancashire Regiment, Hampshire Regiment, Rifle Brigade and Royal Irish Regiment, together with brigade machine-gun and trench-mortar elements. In the Second World War, 11th Infantry Brigade initially served with 4th Infantry Division. It fought in France and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. In 1942 it transferred to the newly forming 78th Infantry Division and joined the Allied campaign in North Africa, landing at Algiers during Operation Torch. It then fought in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy until the end of the European campaign. The brigade was dissolved in January 1946. The formation was recreated in West Germany in 1950 as part of the British Army of the Rhine. Its organisation changed repeatedly during the post-war defence reorganisations. It became 11th Infantry Brigade Group in 1958, acquired armoured, artillery, engineer, signals and reconnaissance support, moved between higher formations, and later participated in experiments with mechanised infantry and armoured formations. At the end of 1970 its lineage continued in an armoured formation, 11th Armoured Brigade. A modern incarnation was established for operations in Afghanistan. A planning cell for Helmand Task Force 11 formed at Aldershot in October 2007, expanding into 11th Light Brigade. The brigade deployed to Helmand Province in October 2009 for Operation Herrick and returned in April 2010, after which it was disbanded and its constituent units returned to their normal locations. In the Army 2020 era, a new 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade was created to provide training, mentoring and advisory support to partner forces. The formation has subsequently been described as transitioning toward a tactical reconnaissance-and-strike role. It sits within the British Army’s divisional structure and remains an active military formation rather than a commercial brand.
History
The brigade’s documented lineage begins in the Second Boer War. The War Office formed a fifth division in November 1899 as the military situation in South Africa deteriorated. Its 10th and 11th Brigades concentrated at Estcourt in January 1900. The 11th, known as the 11th (Lancashire) Brigade, included battalions of the King’s Own, Lancashire Fusiliers, South Lancashire and York and Lancaster regiments. It fought during operations associated with Spion Kop, Tugela Heights and the advance after the relief of Ladysmith. Once the Boer field armies had been defeated, the wartime brigades were broken up into columns and garrisons. The 11th became a permanent formation in 1902 and was stationed at Portsmouth before joining 6th Division and later 4th Division. In August 1914, 11th Infantry Brigade mobilised with 4th Division and crossed to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force. It remained on the Western Front throughout the First World War. Its operations included the retreat from Mons, Le Cateau, the Marne and Aisne battles, Armentières, the Second Battle of Ypres, the Somme, Arras and the 1917 battles around Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle and Passchendaele. In 1918 it fought during the German Spring Offensive and the battles of the Lys, followed by the Hundred Days battles at the Scarpe, Drocourt-Quéant, the Canal du Nord, the Selle and Valenciennes. The brigade’s order of battle evolved as battalions transferred in and out, and machine-gun and trench-mortar units were added during the war. The Second World War again saw the brigade attached to 4th Division. It served in the Battle of France and was evacuated through Dunkirk in May 1940. After remaining in Britain, it transferred in June 1942 to 78th Infantry Division, which was being prepared for the North African campaign. The brigade landed at Algiers during Operation Torch in November 1942 and fought through the Tunisian campaign. It subsequently served with 78th Division in Sicily and Italy. The formation was dissolved in January 1946 after the end of the European war. The brigade was reformed in West Germany in 1950 as part of the British Army of the Rhine. During the 1950s it included armoured and infantry units and was based around Minden. It was reconstituted as 11th Infantry Brigade Group in 1958 following defence reforms, adding artillery, engineers, signals and other supporting arms. It moved to 2nd Division and then to 1st Division in 1964. Further reorganisations altered its mix of tanks, infantry, artillery and reconnaissance aviation. After the 1966 defence changes, the brigade experimented with armoured and mechanised structures, including infantry equipped with FV432 armoured personnel carriers. At the end of 1970 it became an armoured formation, 11th Armoured Brigade, ending that phase of its infantry lineage. The modern formation was revived for Afghanistan. Helmand Task Force 11 began planning at Aldershot in October 2007 and expanded into 11th Light Brigade in November. The brigade deployed to Helmand in October 2009 for Operation Herrick, operating with units drawn from several British Army formations and supporting arms. It returned in April 2010 and was disbanded soon afterwards. Army 2020 restructuring produced another incarnation, 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade. Its purpose was to provide training, mentoring and military advice to foreign partners rather than to deploy solely as a conventional infantry brigade. The formation has since been described by the British Army as transitioning toward a tactical reconnaissance-and-strike role. This reflects the continuing adaptation of the brigade’s functions to current British defence priorities.
- 2012
Security-force assistance formation created
[1]Army 2020 restructuring established the modern advisory and partner-training role.
- 2009
Deployed to Helmand
[1]11th Light Brigade deployed to Afghanistan under Operation Herrick.
- 2007
Helmand Task Force 11 established
[1]A planning cell at Aldershot developed into 11th Light Brigade for Afghanistan operations.
- 1970
Converted into 11th Armoured Brigade
[1]The West German formation was reorganised as an armoured brigade.
- 1958
Redesignated as 11th Infantry Brigade Group
[1]Defence reorganisation expanded the formation to include supporting combat arms.
- 1950
Reformed in West Germany
[1]The brigade returned to the British Army’s post-war order of battle in the British Army of the Rhine.
- 1942
Transferred to 78th Infantry Division
[1]The brigade joined the division prepared for Operation Torch and the North African campaign.
- 1940
Evacuated from Dunkirk
[1]The brigade fought in France and was evacuated during the withdrawal from Dunkirk.
- 1914
Deployed to the Western Front
[1]As part of 4th Division, the brigade joined the British Expeditionary Force in France.
- 1902
Became a permanent brigade
[1]After the Boer War, the formation was retained as a permanent British Army brigade.
Products and positioning
A deployable British Army formation focused at different points in its history on infantry combat, mechanised and armoured operations, overseas expeditionary warfare, security-force assistance and the development of tactical reconnaissance-and-strike capabilities.
Marketing campaigns
- 2009Operation Herrick
Afghanistan
11th Light Brigade deployed to Helmand Province from October 2009 to April 2010 with infantry, armoured, artillery, engineering, logistics, medical and police-support elements.
Outcome. The brigade returned to Britain and was later disbanded.
- 1942Operation Torch and Italian campaign
North Africa · Sicily · Italy
With 78th Infantry Division, the brigade landed in Algeria, fought in Tunisia, and continued through Sicily and Italy.
Outcome. The formation served until the end of the European campaign and was dissolved in 1946.
- 1914First World War
France · Belgium
The brigade served with 4th Division on the Western Front from the opening campaigns through the 1918 Hundred Days Offensive.
Outcome. It remained in action until the Armistice.
- 1900Second Boer War
South Africa
The original 11th (Lancashire) Brigade fought in operations including Spion Kop, Tugela Heights and the advance toward the Transvaal.
Outcome. The brigade was later broken up into columns and garrisons after conventional Boer resistance declined.
Brand decisions
2012
Established a security-force assistance roleStrategyBackground
Army 2020 restructuring sought formations able to train and advise partner militaries overseas.
Action taken
The modern 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade was formed for mentoring, training and advisory missions.
Aftermath
The brigade was later described as transitioning toward a tactical reconnaissance-and-strike role.
1970
Converted to an armoured brigadeStrategyBackground
Defence reorganisation and mechanisation experiments altered the balance between armoured and infantry capabilities.
Action taken
11th Infantry Brigade became 11th Armoured Brigade.
Aftermath
The infantry-brigade designation ended for that post-war formation.
1958
Adopted the brigade-group structureStrategyBackground
Post-war defence reforms required formations in the British Army of the Rhine to combine infantry with supporting arms.
Action taken
The brigade was redesignated 11th Infantry Brigade Group and incorporated artillery, engineers, signals and reconnaissance support.
Aftermath
The formation continued to change as British Army structures in West Germany were reorganised.
Sources2 sources
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