4th Mechanized Brigade (United Kingdom)
4th Mechanized Brigade (The Black Rats) is a British Army brigade formation, currently based in Catterick, North Yorkshire as part of 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division. The brigade, now known as the 'Black Rats', was formed in 1939 and fought in the Western Desert Campaign. The Black Rats were subsequently involved in the Invasion of Sicily and fighting in Italy before taking part in the Battle of Normandy and the advance through Belgium, Holland and into Germany.
More recently, the Brigade took part in the First Gulf War and completed a number of tours to the Balkans during the 1990s. The Black Rats have since deployed twice to Iraq and once before to Afghanistan for Operation Herrick 12 in 2010.
The Brigade returned to Helmand Province, Afghanistan in October 2012 for Operation Herrick 17 to take over as the lead formation of British troops. The roulement tour will see the brigade working in support of the Afghan Army's 3/215 Brigade and elements of the Afghan National Police.
Read more about 4th Mechanized Brigade (United Kingdom): Current Formation, Commanders, Notable Former Soldiers
Famous quotes containing the words mechanized and/or brigade:
“War is the supreme drama of a completely mechanized society.”
—Lewis Mumford (1895–1990)
“Rational free spirits are the light brigade who go on ahead and reconnoitre the ground which the heavy brigade of the orthodox will eventually occupy.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)