The 8th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars, before being disbanded and reactivated in the 1960s. The brigade was finally being disbanded in 2006. It was formed before the First World War as part of the 3rd Division. As part of that division it spent the entire war on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918 in the First World War. The brigade was also active during the Second World War.

First World War

The brigade, part of the 3rd Division, was serving in England on the outbreak of the First World War.

First World War Composition

Commanders

The commanders of the 8th Infantry Brigade during the First World War were:

Second World War

The brigade was in the United Kingdom upon the outbreak of the Second World War, when it was under the command of Brigadier Frank Witts.

Second World War Composition

The composition was:

Northern Ireland

Reactivated in the mid-late 1960s, the 8th Brigade was part of the 5th Division before arriving in Northern Ireland after the beginning of The Troubles, reporting to GOC Northern Ireland. It was based at Ebrington Barracks, Derry, and covered the north and northwest of the province. The Brigade Headquarters moved to Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, County Londonderry in October 2003. The brigade was disbanded and handed over responsibility to HQ 39th Infantry Brigade, based at Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn, on 1 September 2006. During 1989, the 8th Infantry Brigade had the following structure: