Land Command#Commander-in-Chief, Land Command

Land Command (or 'HQ Land') was a military command and formation and part of the structure of the British Army from 1995 to 2008. Its headquarters was at Erskine Barracks, at Fugglestone St Peter, some four kilometres northwest of Salisbury in Wiltshire.

It assumed control of virtually all Army combat and combat support troops on 1 April 1995. Three major exceptions were Cyprus, the Falklands Islands, and Northern Ireland, where the General Officer Commanding reported to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for operations in support of the civil power.

Predecessors

Discussion was underway within the Ministry of Defence by 1967 to create a proposed Army Strategic Command.{{cite web|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10960973|title=Organisation of Forces: UK command structure; new proposals; Army Strategic Command (ASC)|publisher=National Archives|access-date=18 June 2020}}

The headquarters, abbreviated as STRATCO, was established on 1 April 1968 in the wake of the government's decision, announced in January of that year, to withdraw all British troops from bases east of Suez. In future Britain's defence efforts would be concentrated 'mainly in Europe and the North Atlantic area'. Its major task was to direct the strategic reserves of the British Army; its headquarters was formed from HQ Southern Command at Erskine Barracks near Fugglestone (Wilton, Wiltshire). The first Commander-in-chief of the new Command was Lieutenant General Sir John Mogg KCB, CBE, DSO, (previously Commander-in-chief, Southern Command), who described the reasoning behind its formation as being: "to raise the standard and training of field force units to ensure any force sent abroad is correctly prepared, equipped and mounted to carry out its task speedily and successfully".{{cite book |last1=Kneen |first1=J. M. |last2=Sutton |first2=D. J. |title=Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Volume 2: 1969-1992 |date=1996 |publisher=Leo Cooper |location=London |page=253}}

STRATCO commanded most of the UK-based field forces for all matters except local administration.{{cite web|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5800|publisher=Ministry of Defence|title= HQ Army Strategic Command: Reports|access-date=12 April 2018}}

The command's tasks outside the British Isles were:

Central Treaty Organisation and Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation commitments
Bilateral agreements
Residual colonial responsibility to the colonial territories
To NATO, to provide forces in certain circumstances to deter or defend against the Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact.

Army Strategic Command consisted of two divisions, 3rd and 5th Infantry Divisions, and command troops. 3rd Division controlled 5th Infantry Brigade, 19th, 24th Infantry Brigades and 16th Parachute Brigade. 3rd Division was also responsible for training of the British battalion designated for the NATO ACE Mobile Force (Land). Headquarters 1 Signal Group (STRATCO) was formed the same day to coordinate signals units with the same responsibilities.{{cite web|title=The Wire|year=1969|publisher= Royal Corps of Signals Association|url=https://www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/wp-content/wire/Wire1969.pdf|accessdate= 17 September 2019}}

5th Division comprised 2nd, 8th and 39 Brigades. 2nd and 8th Brigades had skeleton headquarters which were raised at about the same time as the divisional headquarters. However, 5th Infantry Division was little more than a holding organisation for battalions resting between operational commitments abroad.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNm0n9SwRQIC&dq=2nd%2C+8th%2C+and+39th+Brigades+5th+division+1971&pg=PA124|title=The British Army in Germany: An Organizational History 1947–2004|first=Graham|last=Watson|year=2005|publisher=Tiger Lily Publications LLC|isbn=978-0972029698|pages=123–124}} The division was disbanded again in 1970.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZNm0n9SwRQIC&dq=2nd%2C+8th%2C+and+39th+Brigades+5th+division+1971&pg=PA124|title=The British Army in Germany: An Organizational History 1947–2004|first=Graham|last=Watson|year=2005|publisher=Tiger Lily Publications LLC|isbn=978-0972029698|page=124}}

From 1971–72 to the mid-1990s, land forces in the British Isles were the responsibility of United Kingdom Land Forces, one of the two foremost Army commands, the other being the British Army of the Rhine.{{cite web|url=http://www.orbat.info/history/volume5/518/Original%20BAOR.pdf|title=The Original British Army of the Rhine|first=Richard|last=Rinaldi|year=2006|access-date=1 November 2015}}

HQ Land Command, 1995–2008

In 1995, HQ United Kingdom Land Forces at Wilton assumed control of troops in Germany and most other places. The remaining British Army troops in Germany (including the core of Headquarters Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, HQ ARRC) were placed under its command after the disbandment of Headquarters British Army of the Rhine. It became HQ Land Command, and assumed control of almost all British Army combat and combat support units on 1 April 1995."Land Command Shapes Up", Jane's Defence Weekly, 15 July 1995. When it was formed it included 69,200 regular troops (6,400 officers and 62,800 other ranks), 59,700 reservists and 14,200 civil servants.{{cite web|url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20140116144806mp_/http://www.dasa.mod.uk/publications/UK-defence-statistics-compendium/1995/1995.pdf|title=UK Defence Statistics|publisher=Ministry of Defence|date=1 April 1995|access-date=9 December 2021|pages=19, 21, 32}}

It initially embraced all operational troops in the UK, Germany (including HQ ARRC, 1st Armoured Division, and United Kingdom Support Command (Germany)), Nepal and Brunei, as well as the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada; British Army Training Unit Kenya; and the training team in Belize. The command represented 72% of the Army's manpower and virtually all of its fighting forces. Bringing all the army's conventional fighting forces into one command allowed the new commander-in-chief, initially General Sir John Wilsey, to better prioritise operational commitments and to reduce the higher overhead costs previously spent in maintaining four-star operational commands both in the UK and in Germany. HQ Land Command was given control of several functions previously executed by the General Staff within the Ministry of Defence (Army). These include the Operational Tour Plot for duties in Northern Ireland, to the Falkland Islands and in support of the United Nations, and the Arms Plot, the routine rotation of armoured, artillery and infantry units between postings.{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmselect/cmdfence/45/4508.htm|title=Defence – Fourth Report: Land|publisher=UK Parliament|date=3 March 2005|access-date=9 December 2021}}

File:British Army Land Forces Headquarters (HQ Land) Marlborough Lines in Andover MOD 45160258.jpg

Major forces not under Land Command's aegis remained British Forces Cyprus (with many units committed to the United Nations), the Falkland Islands, units under Director Special Forces, and Headquarters Northern Ireland. In the last of those, the General Officer commanding reported to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for operations in support of the civil power.{{cite book|title=Whose Mission, Whose Orders?: British Civil-Military Command and Control in Northern Ireland, 1968-1974|pages=51–54|first=David A.|last= Charters|publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |year=2017|isbn=978-0773549265}}

Wilsey also became Joint Commander for British military operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia including Operation Grapple, UNPROFOR.{{cite web|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/RP94-62/RP94-62.pdf|page=18|title=Bosnia: the 'Sarajevo Formula' Extended Research Paper 94/62|date=29 April 1994|publisher=House of Commons Library|access-date=10 March 2023}}

On 1 April 2008, HQ Land Command amalgamated with HQ Adjutant General under 'Project Hyperion' and became HQ Land Forces.[http://www.drumbeat.org.uk/resources/133JUN08.PDF HQ Land Forces on the move] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307005327/http://www.drumbeat.org.uk/resources/133JUN08.PDF |date=7 March 2012 }} Drumbeat, June 2008 It moved from Erskine Barracks to the former RAF Andover site now known as Marlborough Lines on 23 June 2010.[http://www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/8128867.Andover_becomes_HQ_Land_Forces_on_23_June/ Andover becomes HQ Land Forces on 23 June] Andover Advertiser, 29 April 2010

Components of the organisation

Land Command was initially divided into eight formations, each one commanded by a Major General, and several smaller units including the training units and training support units in Belize, Brunei, Canada (Suffield for armoured battlegroups and Wainwright for infantry units) and Kenya.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g-6lg7A6UR0C&pg=PA190|title=The British Army Guide|first=Charles |last=Heyman|publisher=Pen and Sword|year=2008|isbn=978-1844156443}}

=Divisions and Districts=

Land Command was later divided in 2003, under the LANDmark reorganisation, into two suborganisations, Field Army and Regional Forces, that paralleled the Cold War structure of UKLF.Lt Col Richard Quinlan, R Signals, HQ Theatre Troops, in News From Formations, The Wire, April 2003, p.127 Commander Field Army had two deployable divisions (1st Armoured Division, 3rd Mechanised Division), Theatre Troops, Joint Helicopter Command, and Training Support under him, while Commander Regional Forces was responsible for three regenerative Divisions (2nd Division, 4th Division, 5th Division), London District, and United Kingdom Support Command (Germany). In 2007 it was announced that a new deployable divisional headquarters (HQ) would be established until at least 2011, as a means of meeting the UK's commitments to provide divisional HQs on a rotational basis to Regional Command South in Afghanistan and as the lead nation of Multi-National Division (South-East) in Iraq. This headquarters was based in York, the re-established HQ 6th Division.{{cite web | url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmhansrd/cm070726/wmstext/70726m0002.htm | work=Hansard | title=Defence | date=26 July 2007 | access-date=6 February 2014 }}

HQs 2, 4, and 5 Divisions (originally referred to as Regenerative Divisions) effectively used to act as military districts in the UK itself. They would only have been able to generate field formations in the event of a general war. These three divisions were disbanded in Spring 2012 and the component units were transferred to Support Command.[http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/DefenceEquipmentBudgetRisesAsFutureForceTakesShape.htm Defence equipment budget rises as Future Force takes shape] – MOD, 18/07/11

After 2012, British Forces Germany formed the district HQ for personnel based in Germany that were not attached to military formations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.army.mod.uk/structure/27886.aspx|title=British Forces Germany}}

London District's most public concern was the administration of ceremonial units and provision of garrisons for such installations as the Tower of London. However, its primary responsibility was to maintain units directly for the defence of the capital.{{Cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/28212.aspx|title=HQ London District}}

=Brigades=

By 1999–2000, five years after the command was established, the British Army had only seven genuinely operational, deployable brigade groups – the six incorporated in 1st Armoured Division and 3rd Mechanised Division, plus 16 Air Assault Brigade. 16 Air Assault Brigade was formed as part of the 1999 Strategic Defence Review force reductions. On 1 September 1999, the brigade was formed by merging of 24 Airmobile Brigade and elements of 5th Airborne Brigade.{{cite web|access-date=19 June 2010|publisher=Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|title=4th Division|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/2082.aspx| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100731145948/http://www.army.mod.uk/structure/2082.aspx| archive-date= 31 July 2010 }}

In November 2007, the Ministry of Defence announced the temporary creation of another deployable brigade, designated as 11 Light Brigade, which commanded the Operation Herrick rotation between October 2009 and April 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/11BrigadeWillProvideVitalSupportToAfghanOperations.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114002141/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/DefencePolicyAndBusiness/11BrigadeWillProvideVitalSupportToAfghanOperations.htm|title=11 Brigade will provide vital support to Afghan operations|archive-date=November 14, 2007}}

3 Commando Brigade, formed predominantly by units of the Royal Marines but with significant army support, was under the direct command of the Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET).{{cite web |url = http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/training-and-people/the-rn-today/navy-command-headquarters/fleet-battle-staff/comukamphibfor/index.htm |archive-url = http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110316102255/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/training-and-people/the-rn-today/navy-command-headquarters/fleet-battle-staff/comukamphibfor/index.htm |title = Commander UK Amphibious Force |archive-date = 16 March 2011 }}

The numerous other ‘brigades’ within the new Support Command were better described as regional districts whose function is to administer all Territorial Army units within their area, and to coordinate the provision of support to the civil authority if necessary, as well as home defence tasks. An example was the coordination of military support the regional brigades did during the foot and mouth disease outbreak in 2001. The fourteen new Civil Contingency Response Forces (CCRFs), each parented by a TA infantry battalion, were also linked into this structure. They form force elements which may be called on, alongside regular units, by the established chain of command (Ministry of Defence, Army Headquarters, HQ Land Forces, Support Command and Regional Brigades) in the event of a request for military assistance by the civil authorities.[http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo030224/text/30224w32.htm Hansard 24/02/03] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030853/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200203/cmhansrd/vo030224/text/30224w32.htm |date=30 September 2007 }}

There were a number of specialist brigades which bring together under a single administrative apparatus several units performing similar functions. There were two logistic brigades 102 Logistic Brigade in Germany and 101 Logistic Brigade which contained logistic units to support the two deployable divisions directly. They were formed from the original Combat Service Support Groups (Germany) (CSSG (G)) and CSSG (United Kingdom) (CSSG (UK)). Additionally 104th Logistic Support Brigade operated the specialist units needed to deploy a force overseas such as pioneers, movements and port units. These brigades came under the authority of the GOC, Theatre Troops.{{Cite web|url=http://ukarmedforcescommentary.blogspot.com/2011/07/royal-logistics-corps-and-port.html|title=UK Armed Forces Commentary: The Royal Logistics Corps and Port logistics|date=July 11, 2011}}

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Army Strategic Command

Holders of the post have been:{{Cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf|title=Army Commands|archive-date=July 5, 2015}}

General Sir John Mogg 1968–1970
Lt General Sir Mervyn Butler 1970–1971
Lt General Sir Frank King 1971–1972

Commander-in-Chief, Land Command

Holders of the post have been:

General Sir John Wilsey 1995–1996
General Sir Roger Wheeler 1996–1997
General Sir Michael Walker 1997–2000
General Sir Michael Jackson 2000–2003
General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman 2003–2005
General Sir Richard Dannatt 2005–2006
General Sir Redmond Watt 2006–2008

References

External links

[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5800 Ministry of Defence: HQ Army Strategic Command: Reports (DEFE 42), 1960-69] The National Archives, Kew

Category:Commands of the British Army

Category:Military units and formations established in 1995

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2008

Category:Military history of Wiltshire