North West District (British Army)

North West District
Active	1967–1991
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	District Command
Garrison/HQ	Cuerden Hall (until 1977); Fulwood Barracks (after 1977)

North West District was a district command of the British Army from 1967 and 1991.

History[]

The district was formed from 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division as part of the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve in 1967.^[1] It had its headquarters at Cuerden Hall, and was placed under the command of HQ UK Land Forces in 1972.^[2] In 1995, the district was disbanded and its duties subsumed by 5th Division, and 42nd (North West) Brigade.^[3]

During its tenure, the district oversaw, with regards to military reasons, the following counties: Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Cheshire, and also the Isle of Man.

Structure[]

Below is the structure of the district at its time of formation, high of the Cold War, and just before its disbandment. The below list will include each unit's 'TAVR Rating', these included: TAVR I (rapid deployment TA), TAVR II (NATO roled unit/full establishment unit), TAVR III (Home Defence, infantry only despite names), and TAVR IV (Bands, UOTC, and training units).

1967[]

The following structure is compiled by the units which were located in the area, and their assignments.

North West District, Headquarters, at Cuerden Hall, Chorley
- 55 (Thames and Mersey) Signal Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals, in Liverpool (TAVR I)
- 11th Signal Group (Volunteers)
  - Group Headquarters, in Liverpool (TAVR II)
  - 33rd (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, HQ in Huyton, Liverpool (TAVR II)
- Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's Territorials), HQ in Birkenhead (TAVR III)
- The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (Royal Tank Regiment) (Territorials), HQ in Clifton (TAVR III)
- Lancastrian Volunteers, HQ in Warrington (TAVR II)
- 4th (Territorial) Battalion, The Border Regiment, HQ in Carlisle (TAVR III)
- 4th/7th (Territorial) Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, HQ in Macclesfield (TAVR III)
- 4th (Territorial) Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment, in Blackburn (TAVR III)
- 4th/5th (Territorial) Battalion, The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), HQ in Lancaster (TAVR III)
- The Manchester Regiment (Ardwick and Ashton) Territorials, HQ in Ardwick Green (TAVR III)
- 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Light Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery (Volunteers), HQ in Liverpool (TAVR II)
- The South Lancashire Territorials (Prince of Wales's Volunteers), Royal Artillery, HQ in St Helens (TAVR III)
- The West Lancashire Regiment, Royal Artillery (Territorials), HQ in Liverpool (TAVR III)
- 75th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers (Volunteers), HQ in Manchester (TAVR II)
- 415 Combat Artisan Troop, Royal Engineers, in Failsworth (TAVR I)
- 156th (Lancashire and Cheshire) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers), HQ in Liverpool (TAVR II)
- 52 Transit Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (Volunteers), in Ormskirk (TAVR II)
- 42nd (North-West) District Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, in Liverpool
- 207th (Manchester) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, in Manchester (TAVR II)
- 208th (Liverpool) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, in Liverpool
- 307th (Liverpool) Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps, in Liverpool
- 14th/20th King's Hussars Regimental Headquarters, in Manchester
- King's Own Royal Border Regimental Headquarters, at Carlisle Castle
- King's Regimental Headquarters, in Liverpool
- Lancashire Fusiliers Regimental Headquarters, at Wellington Barracks, Bury (disbanded next year, and regiment formed 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)
- Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) Regimental Headquarters, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
- Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) Regimental Headquarters, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
- Lancastrian Volunteers Regimental Headquarters, in Warrington

1991[]

Below structure provided by the 1991 Army Master Order of Battle.

North West District, Headquarters, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
- 2nd Regional Augmentation Force Headquarters
- Commander, North West Home Defence Companies (all companies under their respective regiments, only an administrative position)
- Headquarters, North West District Garrisons
- Recruitment and Liaison Staff, North West District
- Lancashire Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- Cheshire Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- Greater Manchester Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- Merseyside Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- Cumbria Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- Isle of Man Tactical Area of Operational Responsibility
- 55 (Thames and Mersey) Signal Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals, in Liverpool
- 11th Signal Group (Volunteers)
  - Group Headquarters, in Liverpool
  - 33rd (Lancashire and Cheshire) Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, HQ in Huyton, Liverpool
- 42nd (North West) Brigade/10th Regional Augmentation Force (MOS 0197) — tasked with Home Defence
  - Headquarters 42nd Infantry Brigade and Signal Troop, Royal Corps of Signals (TA), at Chester Castle
  - Headquarters 10th Regional Augmentation Force
  - Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry (TA), HQ in Chorley — Armoured Cars (Recon)
  - 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, at Dale Barracks, Chester — Light Infantry (also reporting to Chester Garrison)
  - 5th/8th (Volunteer) Battalion, The King's Regiment, HQ in Warrington
  - 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment (TA), HQ in Preston
  - 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The King's Own Royal Border Regiment (TA), HQ in Lancaster
  - 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, HQ in Runcorn
  - 103rd (Lancashire Artillery Volunteers) Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery (TA), HQ in Liverpool — Air Defence Artillery
  - 156th (Merseyside and Greater Manchester) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (TA), HQ in Liverpool
  - 307th (Liverpool) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (TA), HQ in Liverpool
- 14th/20th King's Hussars Regimental Headquarters, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
  - Band of the 14th/20th King's Hussars
- King's Own Royal Border Regimental Headquarters, at Carlisle Castle, Cumbria
  - Band of the King's Own Royal Border Regiment
- The King's Regimental Headquarters, at Townsend Avenue TA Centre, Liverpool
  - Band of the King's Regiment
- Queen's Lancashire Regimental Headquarters, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
  - Band of the Queen's Lancashire Regiment
- 415 Combat Artisan Troop, Royal Engineers (TA), Failsworth, Manchester
- 320 Transport Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport
- 52 Ordnance Company (Transit), Royal Army Ordnance Corps (TA), Ormskirk
- 42nd (North-West) District Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Liverpool
- 207th (Manchester) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (TA), Liverpool
- 208th (Merseyside) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (TA), Ellesmere Port
- 165 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, at Dale Barracks, Chester
- Central Ammunition Depot Longtown, Longtown
- North West Officer's Training Regiment, at Fulwood Barracks, Preston
  - Liverpool Officer's Training Corps
  - Manchester and Salford Officer's Training Corps
- Chester Garrison
  - Headquarters, Chester Garrison, at Chester Castle
  - 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards Regimental Headquarters, at Chester Castle
    - Band of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
  - Cheshire Regimental Headquarters, at Chester Castle
    - Band of the Cheshire Regiment

Commanders[]

General officers commanding included:^[4]

1967–1968 Major-General Bala Bredin
1968–1970 Major-General Charles Dunbar
1970–1972 Major-General James Wilson
1972–1974 Major-General Corran Purdon
1974–1977 Major-General Keith McQueen
1977–1980 Major-General Peter Sibbald
1980–1983 Major-General Michael Hicks
1983–1986 Major-General Philip Davies
1986–1989 Major-General Colin Shortis
1989–1991 Major-General Tony Crowfoot

Footnotes[]

↑ Steinberg, S. (1967). The Statesman's Year-Book 1967-68: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 106. ISBN 978-0230270961. https://books.google.com/books?id=f9jMDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA106.
↑ Paxton, J. (1972). The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-230-27101-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&q=HQ+UK+Land+Forces+1972+9+district+headquarters&pg=PA104.
↑ Drenth, pp. 11 and 13.
↑ "Army Commands". http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201860-.pdf. Retrieved 2 July 2016.

References[]

Wienand Drenth, The Territorial Army 1967–2000, 2000, Einhoven, Kingdom of the Netherlands.

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[1] Steinberg, S. (1967). The Statesman's Year-Book 1967-68: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 106. ISBN 978-0230270961. https://books.google.com/books?id=f9jMDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA106.

[2] Paxton, J. (1972). The Statesman's Year-Book 1972-73: The Encyclopaedia for the Businessman-of-The-World. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 104. ISBN 978-0-230-27101-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=l43JDQAAQBAJ&q=HQ+UK+Land+Forces+1972+9+district+headquarters&pg=PA104.

[3] Drenth, pp. 11 and 13.

[4] "Army Commands". http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201860-.pdf. Retrieved 2 July 2016.

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