History of BAOR and BFG from Mar 49

Feb 49 – BAOR – HQ Kurpark Bad Oyenhausen to JHQ Rheindahlen Oct 54 closed as HQ BAOR Mar 94

16th Independent Parachute Brigade – HQ London Barracks Hannover to UK Oct 49

5th Army Group RA reformed Nov 50 – HQ Vancouver Barracks Delmenhorst

Feb 49 – Hamburg District – HQ Blankenese Hamburg disbanded unknown

4th Army Group Royal Artillery – HQ unknown formed HQRA 7th Armoured Division Apr 50

Mar 52 – Rhine District reformed – JHQ Rheindahlen disbanded unknown

HQ Rhine Area Caernarvon Barracks Düsseldorf formed late 1960s renamed HQ Rear Combat Zone (HQ (BR) RCZ) 1980 disbanded 1993 reduced responsibilities by new HQ Rhine Garrison – JHQ Rheindahlen

Nov 51 – 1st (BR) Corps reformed – HQ Ripon Barracks Bielefeld

5th Army Group RA – HQ Vancouver Barracks Delmenhorst disbanded Mar 58

1st Army Group RA (Field) reformed Feb 60 – HQ Tofrek Barracks Hildesheim renamed 1st Artillery Brigade (Field) Oct 61 to Dortmund 1971

7th Army Group RA (Anti-Aircraft) reformed Sep 61 – Mansergh Barracks Gütersloh renamed 7th Artillery Brigade (Anti-Aircraft) Oct 61

11th Engineer Group RE from 11th Armoured Division – HQ Roberts Barracks Osnabrück renamed 11th Engineer Brigade to Hamlen 1964 disbanded 1969

Mar 56 – 21st Independent Infantry Brigade to 4th Division Sep 57

Apr 58 – 1st Wing AAC – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold 1st Wing/HQ Army Aviation from Apr 64 absorbed into HQ 1st (BR) Corps Ripon Barracks Bielefeld late 60s

Oct 69 – 4th Signal Group – JHQ Reindahlen

Dec 76 – 12th Mechanised Brigade from 2nd Division renamed 5th Field Force – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück

Sep 77 – 1st (BR) Corps – HQ Ripon Barracks Bielefeld disbanded Sep 94

1st Artillery Division formed merging 1st Artillery Brigade and 7th Artillery Brigade – HQ Dortmund renamed 1st Artillery Brigade Nov 85 disbanded Oct 93

4th Signal Group – HQ JHQ Reindahlen disbanded Jul 92

5th Field Force - HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück disbanded Jan 82

Mar 49 – 7th Armoured Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden reformed from Hannover District renamed 5th Division Apr 57

7th Armoured Brigade – HQ Bournemouth Barracks Soltau

31st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Minden by 1950 to Bristol Barracks Lüneburg to 4th Division Apr 56

Aug 57 – 5th Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden renamed 1st Division Jun 60

7th Armoured Brigade Group – HQ Bournemouth Barrack Soltau

Sep 57 – 10th Infantry Brigade Group from 4th Division – HQ Essex Barracks Hildesheim disbanded Apr 58

Apr 58 – 12th Infantry Brigade Group from 4th Division – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück

Jun 60 – 1st Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden

7th Armoured Brigade Group – HQ Bournemouth Barracks Soltau renamed 7th Armoured Brigade Apr 64

Apr 61 – 20th Armoured Brigade Group from 4th Division – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold to 4th Division Apr 64

Apr 64 – 11th Infantry Brigade from 2nd Division – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden

Sep 70 – 1st Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden renamed 1st Armoured Division Apr 78

7th Armoured Brigade – HQ Bournemouth Barracks Soltau to Apr 78

11th Armoured Brigade – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden to Apr 78

Apr 78 – 1st Armoured Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden

Task Force Alpha – HQ Bournemouth Barracks Soltau

Task Force Bravo – HQ Campbell Barracks Hohne

Jan 81 – 1st Armoured Division – HQ Shiel Barracks Verden to Wentworth Barracks Herford Oct 93

7th Armoured Brigade – HQ Bournemouth Barracks Soltau disbanded Feb 93

22nd Armoured Brigade – HQ Campbell Barracks Hohne renamed 7th Armoured Brigade Apr 93

Jan 83 – 12th Armoured Brigade from 2nd Armoured Division – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück renamed 4th Armoured Brigade Jan 93

Jan 83 – 33rd Armoured Brigade from 3rd Armoured Division – HQ Barker Barracks Paderborn renamed 20th Armoured Brigade Jan 93

Oct 92 – 4th Armoured Brigade from 3rd Armoured Division – HQ Barker Barracks Paderborn remaned 20th Armoured Brigade Jan 93

Oct 93 – 1st (UK) Armoured Division – Wentworth Barracks Herford

Divisional Artillery Group – HQ Osnabrück

4th Armoured Brigade – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück renamed 4th Mechanised Brigade 2006 to UK Catterick 2008

7th Armoured Brigade – HQ Campbell Barracks Hohne

20th Armoured Brigade – HQ Barker Barracks Paderborn to Talbot Barracks Sennlager 1999

Jul 99 – 102nd Logistic Brigade – HQ Princess Royal Barracks Gütersloh

2nd Infantry Division formed from 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division Feb 47 – HQ St David’s Barracks Hilden renamed 2nd Division from Apr 58

4th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ Llanelly Barracks Hubblerath renamed 4th Guards Brigade Group May 50 to 4th Division Apr 58

5th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ Aldershot Barracks Iserlohn to 4th Division Apr 58

6th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ York Barracks Münster to Bangor Barracks Wuppertal Dec 51 to York Barracks Münster Apr 58

Dec 57 – 12th Infantry Brigade Group formed – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück

Apr 58 – 2nd Division – HQ St David’s Barracks Hilden to Tunis Barracks Lubbecke Sep 59 renamed 2nd Armoured Division Dec 76

6th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ York Barracks Münster to UK Mar 68 command remained with 2nd Division to 4th Division Sep 70 to San Sebastian Barracks Soest Mar 71 to 3rd Armoured Division Sep 77 formed Task Force Foxtrot Jan 78

11th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden from 4th Infantry Division to 1st Division Apr 64

Apr 61 – 12th Infantry Brigade Group from 1st Division – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück renamed 12th Mechanised Brigade Sep 70 to 1st Corps Dec 76

Sep 70 – 4th Guards Armoured Brigade from 4th Division – HQ York Barracks Münster

Dec 76 – 2nd Armoured Division – HQ Tunis Barracks Lubbecke

Task Force Charlie – HQ York Barracks Münster

Task Force Delta – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück

Jan 82 – 2nd Armoured Division – HQ Tunis Barracks Lubbecke to UK Imphal Barracks York Jan 83

4th Armoured Brigade – HQ York Barracks Münster to 3rd Armoured Division Jan 83

12th Armoured Brigade – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück to 1st Armoured Division Jan 83

Sep 77 – 3rd Armoured Division – HQ San Sebastian Barracks Soest

Task Force Echo – HQ Barker Barracks Paderborn

Task Force Foxtrot – HQ San Sebastian Barracks Soest

Jan 82 – 3rd Armoured Division – HQ San Sebastian Barracks Soest to UK Bulford Oct 92

6th Armoured Brigade – HQ San Sebastian Barracks Soest renamed 6th Airmobile Brigade Nov 83 renamed 6th Armoured Brigade Jan 88 disbanded Sep 92

Under command 19th Infantry Brigade – HQ UK Colchester to 4th Armoured Division 1986

Jan 83 – 4th Armoured Brigade – HQ York Barracks Münster from 2nd Armoured Division Jan 83 to 1st Armoured Division Oct 92

Apr 86 – 33rd Armoured Brigade – HQ Barker Barracks Paderborn from 4th Armoured Division renamed 20th Armoured Brigade to 1st Armoured Division Dec 92

May 51 – 6th Armoured Division formed in UK to BAOR May 52 – HQ Birdwood Barracks Bunde to Tunis Barracks Lubbecke 1957 disbanded Jun 58

20th Armoured Brigade – HQ York Barracks Münster to Hobert Barracks Detmold to 4th Division Aug 57

61st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Bad Lippspringe renamed 11th Infantry Brigade Group to Kingsley Barracks Minden to 4th Division Apr 56

Sep 50 – 11th Armoured Division formed – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford renamed 4th Division Apr 56

Nov 50 – 33rd Armoured Brigade – HQ Paderborn to Bad Lippspringe disbanded Apr 56

Apr 51 – 11th Engineer Group RE formed HQ Roberts Barracks Osnabrück to 1st (BR) Corps Nov 51

10th Infantry Brigade – HQ Bristol Barracks Lüneburg to Essex Barracks Hildesheim to 4th Division Apr 56

91st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Essex Barracks Hildesheim renamed 12th Infantry Brigade Group to Quebec Barracks Osnabrück to 4th Infantry Division Apr 56

Apr 56 – 4th Infantry Division renamed 4th Division Apr 58 – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford

10th Infantry Brigade Group formed from 31st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Essex Barracks Hildesheim to 5th Division Sep 57

11th Infantry Brigade Group formed from 61st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden to 2nd Division Apr 58

12th Infantry Brigade Group formed from 91st Lorried Infantry Brigade – HQ Quebec Barracks Osnabrück disbanded Dec 57

Aug 57 – 20th Armoured Brigade Group from command 6th Armoured Division – HQ York Barracks Münster to Hobert Barracks Detmold Apr 58

Sep 57 – 21st Infantry Brigade from command 1st Corps renamed 12th Infantry Brigade to 2nd Infantry Division Dec 57

Apr 58 – 4th Division – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford

4th Guards Brigade Group from 2nd Infantry Division – HQ Llanelly Barracks Hubblerath to Aldershot Barracks Iserlohn May 64

5th Infantry Brigade group from 2nd Infantry Division – HQ Aldershot Barracks Iserlohn to UK May 64

11th Infantry Brigade Group – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden to 1st Division Apr 64

20th Armoured Brigade Group – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold to 1st Division Apr 61

Apr 64 – 20th Armoured Brigade from 1st Division – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold

May 64 – 4th Division – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford

4th Guards Brigade – HQ Aldershot Barracks Iserlohn to York Barracks Münster Mar 68 to 2nd Division Sep 70

20th Armoured Brigade – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold to Jan 78

Sep 70 – 6th Armoured Brigade from 2nd Division – HQ Barnard Castle UK to San Sebastian Barracks Soest Mar 71 to Jan 78

Jan 78 – 4th Armoured Division – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford

Task Force Golf – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden

Task Force Hotel – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold

Jan 82 – 4th Armoured Division – HQ Wentworth Barracks Herford disbanded Jan 93

11th Armoured Brigade – HQ Kingsley Barracks Minden disbanded Jan 93

20th Armoured Brigade – HQ Hobert Barracks Detmold disbanded Jan 93

Under command 1986 - 19th Infantry Brigade from 3rd Armoured Division – UK HQ Colchester to Catterick Apr 93

More research to follow...additions and amendments most welcome...steve@baor-locations.co.uk

Information sources

British Army Units 1945 on
The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers volume X + XI by the institution of Royal Engineers
Sapper Magazine

The Royal Corps of Signals a History of its Antecedents and Development (circa 1800-1955) by Major General RFH Nalder CB OBE
The Royal Corps of Signals Unit Histories (1920-2001) by Cliff Lord and Graham E Watson

Wire Magazine
The British Army in Germany an Organizational History 1947-2004 by Graham E Watson and Richard A Rinaldi

BAOR Locations

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