Yorkshire Brigade

The Yorkshire Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968. The Brigade administered the regular infantry battalions of Yorkshire, England.

After the Second World War there were 14 infantry depots in Britain, each bearing a letter. The depots were territorially organised, and Infantry Depot E at Catterick was the headquarters for six line county regiments recruiting in Yorkshire and Northumberland. In 1948, the depots adopted names and this depot became the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade, with all regiments being reduced to a single battalion at the same time.

The Brigade was formed on 14 July 1948 and combined the depots of the following regiments:

• The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
• The West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
• The East Yorkshire Regiment (The Duke of York's Own)
• The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)
• The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)
• The York and Lancaster Regiment

Under the defence review announced in July 1957, the number of battalions in the Brigade was reduced to four in 1958: the East Yorkshire Regiment and the West Yorkshire Regiment were amalgamated into the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, while the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers were transferred to the newly formed Fusilier Brigade. This led to the Yorkshire and Northumberland Brigade being renamed as simply the Yorkshire Brigade. As part of the 1958 reforms, all regiments in the Brigade adopted a common cap badge depicting a crowned white rose above a scroll inscribed "Yorkshire". Regimental collar badges continued to be worn.

On July 1, 1968 the Yorkshire Brigade was united with the Lancastrian and North Irish Brigades, to form the King's Division. However, as part of reforms, the York and Lancaster Regiment chose to be disbanded.

Units

The units based in the brigade were as follows, with Battalion (former regiment/territorial), (-) time in brigade, and name of regiment.

• The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (Transferred to Fusilier Brigade in April 1958)
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1958)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • 4th Battalion — (1946-1950)
  • 4th/5th Battalion — (1950-1958)
  • 6th (City) Battalion — (1956-1958)
  • 7th Battalion — (1946-1958)
• The West Yorkshire Regiment (Amalgamated with The Duke of York's Own East Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales' Own Regiment of Yorkshire in 1958)
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1958)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • 5th Battalion — (1946-1958)
  • 7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion — (1956-1958)
• The Duke of York's Own East Yorkshire Regiment (Amalgamted with West Yorkshire Regiment in 1958)
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1958)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • 4th Battalion — (1946-1958)
• Alexandra, Princess of Wales' Own Green Howards Yorkshire Regiment
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1968)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1949/1952-1956)
  • 4th Battalion — (1946-1961)
  • 4th/5th Battalion — (1961-1967)
  • 5th Battalion — (1946-1947)
  • The Green Howards Territorials — (1967-1968)
• The Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • 1st Battalion (Amalgamation of 1st and 2nd Battalions) — (1948-1968)
  • 7th Battalion — (1946-1957)
• The York and Lancaster Regiment (Disbanded in 1968)
  • 1st Battalion — (1946-1968)
  • 2nd Battalion — (1946-1948)
  • Hallamshire Battalion — (1946-1967)
  • The Hallamshire Territorial Battalion — (1967-1968)
• The Prince of Wales' Own Regiment of Yorkshire
  • 1st Battalion — (1958-1968)
  • 3rd Battalion — (1960-1967)
  • 4th Battalion — (1958-1960)
  • 5th Battalion — (1958-1960)
  • 7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion — (1958-1961)