The following is a hierarchical outline for the structure of the British Army in 1989. The most authoritative source for this type of information available is Ministry of Defence (Army Department), Master Order of Battle, (ASD 6500-25 Ministry of Defence, 1991) and United Kingdom Land Forces, HQ UKLF, UKLF ORBAT Review Action Plan, HQ UKLF, 1990.
At the top of the Army organisation is the Army Board of the Defence Council. The executive committee of the Army Board was responsible for the 'detailed management of the Army.' It included the four military members of the Army Board, including the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir John Chapple in 1989, the Second Permanent Under Secretary, and the Assistant Chief of the General Staff, a major general.Antony Beevor, Inside the British Army, 192. The Army Department consisted of four components: the General Staff, the Adjutant General's department, which dealt with recruiting, and also had the Provost Marshal (Army), a brigadier, reporting to him, though the RMP headquarters was at Roussillon Barracks, Chichester;Beevor 419 the Military Secretary's department, and the Quartermaster General's department.
United Kingdom Land Forces Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces, General Sir Charles Huxtable
HQ: Wilton
HQ United Kingdom Land Forces commanded nine military districts until the spring of 1991. These districts controlled the regular army brigades in the UK (inc 1st and 5th Brigades) and the predominantly TA regional brigades. In 1984–85, the nine districts were Eastern (19th and 54th Brigades), London, North-East (2nd Infantry Division, 15, 24, and 49 Brigades), North-West District (42 Brigade), Scotland (51 and 52 Brigades), South-Eastern District (2 and 5 Brigades), South-West District (UK Contingent, ACE Mobile Force, 1, and 43 Brigades) Headquarters Wales (160 Brigade), and Western District (143 Brigade).Isby and Kamp, Armies of NATO's Central Front, 1985, 251-255.
In December 1989, Headquarters UK Land Forces at Wilton directed field forces through a three-star's command, Commander UK Field Army, Lieutenant General Sir David Ramsbotham. Many of the units stationed in the United Kingdom were to move immediately to Germany to reinforce British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in case of war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. For administrative purposes these units were under command of brigade HQ based in the UK during peacetime. Such reinforcement units are indicated in the list below in italics followed by the higher command they were to reinforce in Germany in brackets.
British Gurkhas NepalSee details in Beevor, 1989 and 1991
Scotland Army Headquarters Scotland, Edinburgh, covering Scotland HQ Scotland District & 242 (Scottish) Signal Squadron, Royal Signals, Edinburgh 51st (Highland) Infantry Brigade, Perth, covering the Central, Fife, Tayside, Grampian and Highland regions, the Western, Shetland and Orkney islands, and the Northern part of the Strathclyde region (historic counties of Bute, Dunbartonshire, Argyll and Renfrewshire) 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders, Fort George, Inverness, (Light Role) 1st Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers (V), Perth, (to 11th Armoured Brigade included "Z" Company, Home Service Force) 2nd Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers (V), Elgin, (to BAOR for rear area security; included "X" and "Y" Companies, Home Service Force) 3rd Battalion, 51st Highland Volunteers (V), Peterhead, (Home Defence, included "W" Company, Home Service Force) 117th (Highland) Field Support Squadron, Royal Engineers (V), Dundee, (to 29th Engineer Brigade (V), 2nd Infantry Division) 205 (Scottish) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Inverness, (to Commander Medical Rear Communication Zone BAOR) 225th (Highland) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Forfar, (to Commander Medical Rear Communication Zone BAOR) 252nd (Highland) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Aberdeen, (to Commander Medical Rear Communication Zone BAOR) 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Brigade, Edinburgh, covering the Borders, Dumfries and Galloway and Lothian regions, and the Southern part of the Strathclyde region (historic counties of Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and the city of Glasgow) 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, Redford Barracks (Light Role) 1st Battalion, 52nd Lowland Volunteers (V), (to BAOR for rear area security; included "F" and "G" Companies, Home Service Force) 2nd Battalion, 52nd Lowland Volunteers (V), Edinburgh, (Home Defence) 15th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (V), Glasgow, (to Parachute Regiment Group, 1st Armoured Division) 105th (Scottish) Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery (V), Edinburgh, (to 1st Artillery Brigade, I British Corps, 64x Javelin) 71st (Scottish) Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers (V), Glasgow, (to 29th Engineer Brigade (V), 2nd Infantry Division) 153rd (Highland) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (V), Edinburgh, (to 1st Artillery Brigade, I British Corps to support the brigade's air defence regiments) 154th (Lowland) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (V), Glasgow, (to Commander Transport, I British Corps) 23rd Security Company, Intelligence Corps (V), Edinburgh, (to HQ Intelligence & Security Group (Germany) BAOR) 221st Transport Squadron, Royal Corps of Transport (V), Glasgow, (to Commander Transport & Movements BAOR) 243rd Provost Company, Royal Military Police (V), Edinburgh, (to Provost Marshal BAOR) 26th District Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Stirling
North-East District North-East District, Imphal Barracks, York, covering the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Riding of Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire HQ North-East District & 240 (North) Signal Squadron, Royal Signals, York Royal School of Signals, Catterick 8th Signal Regiment Royal Corps of Signals, Vimy Lines (Responsible for trade training) 11th Signal Regiment Royal Corps of Signals, Helles Barracks (Responsible for basic training) 3rd Battalion, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters (V), Newark-on-Trent, (Home Defence) 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers (V), Huddersfield, (Home Defence) 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers (V), Sheffield, (Home Defence) 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (V), Leeds (to Parachute Regiment Group, 1st Armoured Division) 38th Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, Claro Barracks, (-2x squadrons to Commander Engineers BAOR, to support the RAF Germany Harrier Force) 150 (Northumbrian) Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport (V), Hull, (to Commander Transport I British Corps) 252nd Provost Company, Royal Military Police (V), Stockton-on-Tees, (to Provost Marshal BAOR) 124th (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Recovery Company, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (V), Newton Aycliffe, (to Commander Maintenance I British Corps) 34 Evacuation Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps, Catterick, (to Commander Medical Communication Zone BAOR) 201 (Northern) General Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Newton Aycliffe, (to Commander Medical Rear Communication Zone BAOR) 212 (Yorkshire) Field Hospital, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Sheffield, (to Commander Medical I British Corps) 223rd (Durham) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (V), Newton Aycliffe, (to 4th Armoured Division) 31st District Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Catterick 41st District Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Strensall
2nd Infantry Division 2nd Infantry DivisionBritish Army, 1991 Master Order of Battle, Ministry of Defence, London. London, United Kingdom. Retrieved 13 October 2021.Chappell, pp. 14 (0195), at Imphal Barracks, YorkLord & Watson, pp. 23–39 (Regular Signal Regiments 1st to 30th)Beevor, pp. 230–242Alterfritz, pp. 60–62 2nd Infantry Divisional Signal Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals, at Imphal Barracks, York Forward Divisional Headquarters, at Tunis Barracks, Lippstadt 656 Signal Troop, at Tunis Barracks, LippstadtAlterfritz, pp. 60–62 85 Intelligence Section, Intelligence Corps, at Imphal Barracks, York (detached from 8 Intelligence & Sec Coy) 2nd Divisional Cash Office, Royal Army Pay Corps 2nd Infantry Divisional Transport Regiment, Royal Corps of Transport, at Gaza Barracks, Catterick Garrison 60 Transport Squadron [to 157 Regiment RCT (V)]Alterfritz, p. 36 216 (Tyne/Tees) Transport Squadron (V), in TynemouthSutton, pp. 527–570 2nd Ordnance Battalion, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, at Gaza Barracks, Catterick Garrison 22 Ordnance Company (V), at Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough 23 Ordnance Company (V), at Harewood Barracks, Leeds 15th Field Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, at Beach Head Lines, Catterick GarrisonKneen & Sutton, pp. 297–306Kneen & Sutton, pp. 261–262 150 Provost Company, Royal Military Police, at Beach Head Lines, Catterick Garrison (detachment to 24 Airmobile Bde) 620 Tactical Air Control Party 622 Tactical Air Control Party 623 Tactical Air Control Party 625 Tactical Air Control Party 15th Infantry Brigade, Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe HQ 15th Infantry Brigade & Signal Troop (V), Royal Signals, Topcliffe Queen's Own Yeomanry (V), Newcastle upon Tyne (Armoured car Reconnaissance) 1st (Cleveland) Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers (V), York 2nd (Yorkshire & Humberside) Battalion, Yorkshire Volunteers (V), York 6th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (V), Newcastle upon Tyne 7th (Durham) Battalion, The Light Infantry (V), Durham 8th (Yorkshire) Battalion, The Light Infantry (V), Wakefield 101st (Northumbrian) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (V), Newcastle upon Tyne, (light field artillery) 24th Airmobile BrigadeChappell, pp. 14, at Catterick GarrisonBeevor, pp. 230–242Lord & Watson, pp. 79–107 (Regular Signal Squadrons, 200–299) 210 Signal Squadron, Royal Corps of Signals, at Catterick Garrison 1st Battalion, The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), at Somme Barracks, Catterick Garrison (Airmobile Infantry, 42 x MILAN Anti-Tank Missile Launchers) 586 Signal Troop (Airmobile), Royal Corps of SignalsLord & Watson, p. 118 Band of the Green Howards (Small Infantry Band) 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire, at Bourlon Barracks, Catterick Garrison (Airmobile Infantry, 42 x MILAN Anti-Tank Missile Launchers) Band of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire (Small Infantry Band) 3rd Battalion, The Light Infantry, at Weeton Barracks, Blackpool (Mechanised Infantry (Wheeled), 43 x Saxon APCs and 8 x Fox Armoured Cars) – conversion to Airmobile Infantry halted in 1988, was to be replaced at next arms plot change – also Northern Ireland province reinforcement bn 568 Signal Troop, Royal Corps of SignalsLord & Watson, p. 115. Band of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire (Small Infantry Band) 27th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe (18 x FH70 155 mm field howitzers) [to 1st Artillery Brigade]During peacetime these regiments were under command of their brigade. On mobilisation the regiments would join their divisional artillery. Then, on the move to West Germany would join the 1st Artillery Brigade. 51 Field Squadron (Airmobile), Royal Engineers, at Claro Barracks, Ripon (under admin of 38 Engineer RegimentWatson & Rinaldi, pp. 232–233.) 24 Ordnance Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, at Gaza Barracks, Catterick Garrison (under admin of 2 Ordnance Bn) 24th (Airmobile) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, in Catterick Garrison 9th Regiment Army Air Corps, at Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe (reformed 1 April 1989) 29th (Volunteer) Engineer Brigade, Newcastle upon Tyne (Tasked to support 1 (BR) Corps) HQ 29th Engineer Brigade & Signal Troop, Royal Signals, Newcastle upon Tyne 71st (Scottish) Engineer Regiment Corps of Royal Engineers (V), RAF Leuchars 72nd (Tyne Electrical Engineers) Engineer Regiment, Corps of Royal Engineers (V), Gateshead