15th Infantry Brigade ( United Kingdom ) The 15th Infantry Brigade , now 15 ( North East ) Brigade , is a British Army brigade . It was part of the regular British 5th Infantry Division during the First and Second World War , and is now part of the British 2nd Infantry Division in the north of the United Kingdom , with specific responsibility for the areas of North East England and Yorkshire and the Humber . History . Formation in Ireland . The 15th Infantry Brigade was first formed in 1905 at Fermoy and up to the outbreak of the First World War continued to serve in Ireland . The Brigade , which at that time consisted of 1 Norfolks , 1 Dorsets , 1 Cheshires and 2nd Highland Light Infantry , was mobilized on 5 August 1914 and crossed to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force . First World War . The Brigade consisted of the following battalions : During the opening months of the War , the Brigade had its full share of fighting and saw action at Mons , Le Cateau , at the crossings of the Marne and Aisne and in the first battles in Flanders . The Brigade has chosen Ypres , November 1914 , as the Brigade Battle and there is an annual Brigade Dinner to celebrate it . The Brigade fought in all four battles of Ypres . The Brigade distinguished itself in various battles . One of the most notable was the attack on Hill 60 near Ypres in 1915 . Hill 60 was the highest point on what was known as the “ Caterpillar Ridge ” and as such was an excellent post for observation of the ground area around Zillebeke and Ypres . The 5th Division , composed of 13th , 14th and 15th Brigades , had the task of securing Hill 60 and the ridge line . The Hill was taken between 17 and 19 April 1915 , with heavy losses , and the subsequent German counterattack in early May was particularly ferocious . The Germans , unable to obtain victory , eventually resorted to the use of chlorine gas and Brigade casualties during the first week in May 1915 were 33 officers and 1 , 553 men . However , the line was held until reliefs were brought forward and the Brigade withdrawn . The last battle of the Great War in November 1918 found 15th Brigade in the forefront of the advance , east of the River Sambre . The Inter - War Years . Following the war the Brigade returned to Belfast where it commanded 1st Bn . Dorsetshire Regiment , 1st Bn . Somerset Light Infantry , 1st Bn . Durham Light Infantry and 1st Bn . Kings Royal Rifle Corps . In 1924 the Brigade moved to Germany and was renamed 1 Rhine Brigade . The Brigade was reformed , as 15th Infantry Brigade in October . World War II . The brigade was formed from regular units on the outbreak of war on 3 September 1939 . When the 5th Division was sent to France in early 1940 , the 15th Brigade was sent instead in May to Norway , as part of Sickleforce to participate in the unsuccessful Norwegian Campaign , under the command of Lieutenant - General H . R . S . Massey . The brigade was reunited with the 5th Division on 3 August . The Brigade served with this formation for the rest of the war , seeing action in the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 and Italian Campaign in 1944 . After participating in the later stages of the Battle of Anzio , the brigade was deployed to garrison duties in the Middle East before being transferred to North West Europe on 3 March 1945 . The brigade was disbanded in Hanover on 31 March 1948 . Reformation . The Brigade was reformed in 1982 , as a Territorial Army formation , which in turn was part of the Second Infantry Division which was moving to York . The Brigade ' s Headquarters were at RAF Topcliffe and its first commander in this new role was Brigadier Michael Aris . Its organisation and role were tested in Exercise Keystone in 1983 , when it consisted of : In 1999 , having been a territorial formation for many years , the brigade was made responsible for both regular and territorial units in the North East , when the Second Division became a " Regenerative Division " , responsible for the north of England and Scotland . Current Role and Structure . 15th ( North East ) Brigade is a Regional Brigade responsible for the recruiting of soldiers and Officers for the Regular and Territorial Army . It trains the Territorial Army for operations , provides a command and control focus for all military support to civilian authorities during civil emergencies e . g . flooding and is responsible for providing the " Firm Base " to the Regular Army within its area . The brigade has its Headquarters in York and includes the following units : Future . This Brigade is not listed as any of the 11 Brigades under Army 2020 . Instead , the former 4th Mechanised Brigade will be converted to an infantry brigade , also becoming HQ North East , based in Catterick . It will consist of one regular ( the Light Dragoons ) and one reserve ( the Queen ' s Own Yeomanry ) light reconnaissance regiments and one regular ( 2nd Battalion , the Yorkshire Regiment ) and one reserve ( 4th Battalion , the Yorkshire Regiment ) light role infantry battalions .