This is the Operation Telic order of battle, which lists the British forces that took part in Operation Telic, including the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, subsequent operations during the occupation and military government of the country, and stabilisation operations under the Iraqi Interim Government and the Iraqi Transitional Government.
The invasion (Operation TELIC I) From January 2003 to 11 July 2003:UK Stability Operations in Iraq Senior British Military Representative and Deputy Commanding General, Multinational Force, Iraq: Major-General Freddie Viggers (May 2003 to July 2003)Army Commands
Maritime forces British maritime component commander - Rear Admiral David Snelson (January 2003 to April 2003) British maritime component commander - Major General Tony Milton (April 2003 to July 2003) Commander Amphibious Task Group - Commodore Jamie Miller (flagship) 4 Sea King ASaC7s of A Flight, 849 Naval Air Squadron 5 Chinook HC2s of No. 18 Squadron RAF
10 Sea King HC4s of 845 Naval Air Squadron 6 Gazelle FAA Gazelle AH1 of 847 Naval Air Squadron 6 Lynx AH7 of 847 Naval Air Squadron
1 Lynx HAS8 of 815 Naval Air Squadron
1 Lynx HAS3 of 815 Naval Air Squadron
1 Lynx of 815 Naval Air Squadron
1 Lynx of 815 Naval Air Squadron
2 Lynx of 815 Naval Air Squadron (to July 2003) 1 Lynx HMA8 of 815 Naval Air Squadron
1 Lynx of 815 Naval Air Squadron
Support vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary RFA Sir Bedivere RFA Sir Galahad RFA Sir Percivale RFA Sir Tristram RFA Argus 5 Sea King HAS6s of 820 Naval Air Squadron RFA Bayleaf RFA Brambleleaf RFA Orangeleaf RFA Grey Rover RFA Fort Austin RFA Fort Rosalie RFA Fort Victoria 5 Merlin HM1s of 814 Naval Air Squadron RFA Diligence 2 Lynxes of 814 Naval Air Squadron ashore in Bahrain
Air forces British air forces component commander - Air-Vice Marshal Glenn Torpy Tornado GR4 Wing 1 - 18 Tornado GR4s and GR4As at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait Part of No. II Squadron Part of No. IX Squadron Part of No. XIII Squadron Part of No. 31 Squadron Part of No. 617 Squadron Tornado GR4 Wing 2 - 12 Tornado GR4s at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Part of No. 12 Squadron Part of No. 617 Squadron Harrier Wing 1 - 10 Harrier GR7s Part of No. I Squadron Part of No. 3 Squadron Harrier Wing 2 - 8 Harrier GR7s Part of No. IV Squadron at Al Jaber, Kuwait Leuchars Fighter Wing - 14 Tornado F3s at Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia Part of No. 43 Squadron Part of No. 111 Squadron Nimrod MR2 Wing - 6 Nimrod MR2s Part of No. 120 Squadron Part of No. 201 Squadron Part of No. 206 Squadron Tristar Detachment - 4 Tristars of No. 216 Squadron VC10 Wing - 7 VC-10s at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia Part of No. 10 Squadron Part of No. 101 Squadron VC10 (for Aeromedical Evacuation) - 1 VC10 C1K at RAF Akrotiri from No. 10 Squadron Sentry Wing - 4 Sentry AEW1s Part of No. VIII Squadron Part of No. 23 Squadron BAe 125 Detachment - 3 BAe 125s of No. XXXII Squadron Hercules Wing - 6 Hercules Canberra Detachment - 2 Canberra PR9s of No. 39 (1 PRU) Squadron (a photo-reconnaissance unit) Azraq Air Base, JordanCanberra PR.9 by Brett Green (Xtrakit 1/72) Nimrod R1 Detachment - 1 Nimrod R1 of No. 51 Squadron Tactical Communications Wing. Tactical Supply Wing. Royal Air Force Regiment No 3 RAF Force Protection Wing HQ. No 4 RAF Force Protection Wing HQ. No 1 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment (Ali Al Salem airbase, then attached to 42 Commando RM). No II (Para) Squadron RAF Regiment. No 16 (GBAD) Squadron RAF Regiment. No 51 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment (incorporating elements of 63 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment (the Queen's Colour Squadron)). Elements of 2503 (City of Lincoln), 2622 (Highland), 2625 (County of Cornwall) Squadrons Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment. Joint Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Regiment. No 5131(Bomb Disposal) Squadron, as part of the Joint Force EOD Group
27 helicopters were also sent to the area, a mixture of Pumas, Chinooks and Merlins, although the breakdown of types within that number is yet to be determined. Beyond the Hercules aircraft that were based in theatre, virtually the whole of the rest of the Hercules fleet, the C-17 fleet, and those Tristars and VC10s that had remained based in the UK were involved in transport operations to and from the Persian Gulf.
Ground forces
GOC 1st Armoured Division: Major General Robin Brims (February 2003 to May 2003) GOC 1st Armoured Division: Major General Peter Wall (May 2003 to July 2003) 1st Armoured Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards 12th Regiment, Royal Artillery 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) 28 Regiment Royal Engineers 1 General Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps 2 Close Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps 2 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 3 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 1 Close Support Medical Regiment 5 General Support Medical Regiment 1 Regiment Royal Military Police A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron and W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadron, Royal Yeomanry Elements of 5 (STA) Royal Regiment of Artillery Elements of 33 (EOD) Regiment Royal Engineers Elements of 32 Regiment Royal Artillery - Phoenix Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Elements of 30 Signal Regiment Elements of 14 Signal Regiment Elements of 1st Military Intelligence Battalion 3 Commando Brigade - Brigadier Jim Dutton Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade 59 Independent (Commando) Squadron Royal Engineers 131 Independent (Commando) Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteer) 9 (Commando) Assault Squadron 539 (Commando) Assault Squadron 29 (Commando) Regiment Royal Artillery - 18 105 mm howitzers 40 Commando, Royal Marines 42 Commando, Royal Marines 7 Armoured Brigade - Brigadier Graham Binns 7 Armoured Brigade Headquarters and Signal Squadron 32 (Armoured) Regiment Royal Engineers (with 25 Armoured Engineer Squadron attached from 38 Engineer Regiment) 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery - 32 AS-90 155 mm howitzers Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) battlegroup, 42 Challenger 2s, 28 Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicles (Warriors) 1st Battalion Irish Guards 2nd Royal Tank Regiment battlegroup, including elements of 1st Battalion The Light Infantry - 42 Challenger 2s, 28 Warriors The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) battlegroup, including elements of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and 2nd Royal Tank Regiment- 28 Challenger 2s, 42 Warriors 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers battlegroup, including elements of Queen's Royal Lancers - 14 Challenger 2s, 42 Warriors 16 Air Assault Brigade - Brigadier 'Jacko' Page 16 Air Assault Brigade Headquarters D Squadron, Household Cavalry Regiment 216 Parachute Squadron Royal Signals Pathfinder Platoon 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment (27th (Inniskillings), 83rd, 87th and The Ulster Defence Regiment) 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment 7th Parachute Regiment Royal Horse Artillery 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers 23 (Air Assault) Engineer Regiment 7 Air Assault Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 16 Close Support Medical Regiment 156 Provost Company Royal Military Police
Joint assets National Support Element 102 Logistic Brigade - Brigadier Shaun Cowlam Headquarters 102 Logistic Brigade 2 Signal Regiment 39 Engineer Regiment 33 Field Hospital 34 Field Hospital 202 Field Hospital (Volunteer) 4 General Support Medical Regiment 3 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers 6 Supply Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 7 Transport Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 10 Transport Regiment Royal Logistic Corps (attached from 101 Logistic Brigade) 17 Port and Maritime Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 23 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 168 Pioneer Regiment Royal Logistics Corps (101 Squadron) 24 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps 5 Regiment Royal Military Police Elements of 11 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment Joint Helicopter Force Headquarters 3 Regiment Army Air Corps Elements of 21 Signal Regiment (AS) Elements of No. 662 Squadron - Lynx AH7s and Gazelle AH1s Elements of No. 663 Squadron - Lynx AH7s and Gazelle AH1s Elements of No. 653 Squadron - Lynx AH9s
4 Sea King AsaC7s of Flight A 849 Naval Air Squadron 5 Chinook HC2s of No. 18 Squadron RAF
10 Sea King HC4s of 845 Naval Air Squadron 6 Gazelle AH1 of 847 Naval Air Squadron 6 Lynx AH7 of 847 Naval Air Squadron Chinook Wing No. 7 Squadron RAF No. 18 Squadron RAF No. 27 Squadron RAF Puma Detachment No. 33 Squadron RAF Merlin detachment (1419 flt) No. 28 Squadron RAF
Notes When a battalion is referred to as a battlegroup, it is not purely made up of units from the parent unit, but is an integrated team, combining armoured units with tanks, and mechanised infantry with infantry fighting vehicles.
Also, whilst 16 Air Assault Brigade is apparently the only fighting brigade listed with its own organic helicopter support in this order of battle, 3 Commando Brigade had the helicopters on board Ocean and Ark Royal to call upon, and 7 Armoured Brigade wasn't really air mobile as a formation. There were also the RAF Pumas and Chinooks mentioned above for transport purposes.
Special Forces elements of the British Army (Special Air Service) and Royal Marines (Special Boat Service) were also deployed but as the British government policy is not to comment on special forces activity, the exact details or elements deployed are officially unconfirmed.
The contribution of reservists to the deployment (some 9,500 of the 46,000 personnel involved in the warfighting phase and its immediate aftermath, the vast majority from the Territorial Army, and in significant number in the subsequent roulements) is understated by the order of battle, as the only units to deploy in their entirety were 202 Field Hospital (with augmentees from the other TA Field Hospitals), 131 Independent Commando Squadron of the Royal Engineers as well as A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron, W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry and two platoons from 710 (Bath and Laundry) Squadron of 166 Supply Regiment RLC(v). The remainder were augmentees, called up individually from their units (which therefore do not feature in the order of battle) and employed to bring many of the units listed above up to their war-fighting strength.
Finally, 3 Commando Brigade had a United States Marine Corps unit, 15th MEU under its command in the initial stages of the war. This went back to American command around 25 March.
Roulements
1st Armoured Division remained in theatre, controlling UK ground forces until June 2003, when 3rd Mechanised Division's HQ arrived in theatre to take command of British forces. From December 2003 a series of composite HQs were established.
1st Roulement (Operation TELIC II) From 11 July 2003 to 4 November 2003: Senior British Military Representative and Deputy Commanding General, Multinational Force, Iraq: Major-General Freddie Viggers (July 2003 to September 2003) Senior British Military Representative and Deputy Commanding General, Multinational Force, Iraq: Major-General Andrew Figgures (September 2003 to November 2003) GOC 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division: Major General Graeme Lamb (July 2003 to November 2003) 3rd Mechanised Division Headquarters and Signal Regiment 10 Field Squadron (Air Support), 39 Engineer Regiment 3 Regiment, Royal Military Police 3 Close Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps 3 Close Support Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps 5 Battalion, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Elements of 5 Regiment Royal Artillery Elements of 7 Signal Regiment Elements of 14 Signal Regiment Elements of 30 Signal Regiment Elements of 4 General Support Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps Elements of 4 General Support Medical Regiment, Royal Army Medical Corps Elements of 52nd Lowland Regiment (Territorial Army) Elements of East of England Regiment (Territorial Army) Elements of Tyne-Tees Regiment (Volunteers)