Wessex Brigade facts for kids
The Wessex Brigade was a group within the British Army that managed different infantry (foot soldier) regiments. It existed from 1948 to 1968. This brigade looked after the regular army units from the Wessex area in the south and southwest of England.
After World War II, the British Army had many places where new soldiers were trained and organized. These places were called infantry depots. There were fourteen of them, and each had a letter. Infantry Depot H was located at Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. This depot was the main base for six county regiments. These regiments recruited soldiers from areas like Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire.
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How the Wessex Brigade Started
In 1948, these depots were given names instead of letters. Infantry Depot H became the Wessex Brigade. At the same time, each regiment was made smaller, having only one battalion (a large group of soldiers). The Wessex Brigade officially began in Exeter on October 28, 1948. It brought together the training bases for these regiments:
- The Devonshire Regiment
- The Gloucestershire Regiment
- The Royal Hampshire Regiment
- The Dorsetshire Regiment (which changed its name to The Dorset Regiment in 1951)
- The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)
- The Wiltshire Regiment (Duke of Edinburgh's)
Changes and Mergers
In 1957, the government announced a plan called the Defence Review. This plan aimed to reorganize the army's infantry. It meant that the number of battalions would be reduced to four by joining some regiments together.
Joining Regiments Together
Because of this plan, some regiments merged:
- On May 17, 1958, the Devonshire Regiment and the Dorset Regiment joined to form the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment.
- On June 9, 1959, the Royal Berkshire Regiment and the Wiltshire Regiment merged. They became the Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire).
There were also plans to merge the Gloucestershire Regiment and the Royal Hampshire Regiment. They even started preparing for this merger. However, the plan was stopped less than two weeks before it was supposed to happen.
The Brigade's Symbol and Base
From 1958, all regiments in the Wessex Brigade started using the same cap badge. This badge showed a wyvern (a dragon-like creature) from the Wessex area. It stood on a base that said Wessex. From 1960, the Wessex Brigade was based at Wyvern Barracks in Exeter.
When the Brigade Ended
On July 1, 1968, the Wessex Brigade joined with the Welsh Brigade and the Mercian Brigade. Together, they formed a new, larger group called the Prince of Wales's Division.
