24 Airmobile Brigade
| 24th Brigade 24th Infantry Brigade (Guards) 24th Independent Infantry Brigade Group (Guards) 24th Airportable Brigade 24th (Airmobile) Brigade |
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|---|---|
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| Active | 1914–1918 1939–1945 1945–1999 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
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| Branch |
 British Army
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| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Air Assault Infantry |
| Size | Brigade |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Major-General Sir Colin McVean Gubbins Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague Browning Major-General Derek Horsford CBE DSO* |
The 24th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army from the First World War, serving through the Second World War, until 1999 when it was merged with the 5th Airborne Brigade to form 16 Air Assault Brigade.
The Brigade was first formed as part of the 8th Division by battalions returning from overseas stations to reinforce British forces on the Western Front in France. The Brigade moved to France with the rest of the 8th Division in November 1914 and fought there for the entire war.
The order of battle included:
In 1940 the 24th Guards Brigade, under the command of Brigadier Colin McVean Gubbins, it was part of Lieutenant General Hugh Massey's unsuccessful British force that was sent to Norway in April. It arrived in Narvik on 15 April 1940 and was evacuated on 8 June 1940.
In 1942-1943 the 24th Guards Brigade formed part of the 1st Infantry Division and the 6th Armoured Division during the fighting in Tunisia and Algeria. From 7 December 1943 to 31 August 1945 it served in the Italian Campaign with 1st Division, fighting at Anzio from January to March 1944, where the brigade, by the time it was relieved by 18th Brigade, had suffered 1,950 casualties. From March 1944 the brigade was mainly with the 6th South African Armoured Division until March 1945 when it joined 56th (London) Infantry Division. As 24th Guards Brigade it was part of the force that liberated Trieste in 1945, but soon afterwards lost its 'Guards' title as the Guards units were withdrawn from the brigade and became 24th Independent Infantry Brigade, the infantry element of the Trieste Garrison - BETFOR (British Element Trieste Force).
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