Some notes on the British Berlin Brigade of 1985

In the context of Battlefront's Cold War gone hot 'Team Yankee' project, my mate Baz asked me to do a little research on the Infantry component of the Berlin Brigade, as it was composed in 1985, the year that Harold Coyle's eponymous novel, and thus the rules, are based. Baz is a lifer, a regular soldier who served for many years in the Royal Horse Artillery. Accordingly, he knows all he needs to about Gunner and Armour org, but I thought I'd add in some additional snippets I discovered anyway, in case it piques anyone's interest in this aspect of wargaming the Cold War. Personally, I'll be siting my games further west - I don't like FIBUA at the best of times and the camo scheme seems like a nightmare to paint!

Berlin Infantry Brigade 1985 - 3 Infantry Battalions:

1.       1^st Battalion Royal Hampshire Regiment (The Tigers) (1RHANTS) Dec ’83 – Feb ‘86

Royal Hampshires' Col in Chief, HRH POW getting in the driver's seat, Berlin 1985. 

2.       1^st Bn Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment of Yorkshire (1PWO) from Jun ’83 – relieved by 1^st Bn Devon and Dorset Regiment (1DandD) Apr ’85.

Fox A/Cs manned by 3RRF Recce Platoon, Berlin

3.       3^rd Bn Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (3RRF) from Mar ’83 – relieved by 1^st Bn Royal Highland Fusiliers (1RHF) Mar ‘85
 
Infantry Bn Organisation.

It is not clear whether the Berlin battalions were organised as Mechanised (FV432 APC), Type A (Saxon APC) or Type B (Softskin transport) scales of organisation. Since we know they had 432s and softskins, I suspect some kind of unique Berlin lash up. I have noted the differences in scales below.

I do know that each Berlin battalion had at least the following vehicles in 1985:

 

Recce Platoon – 4 x FV432 Fire Support Vehicle (Fox Turret with 30mm Rarden Cannon) and at least 4 x FOX A/C



FV432 Fire Support Vehicle with Fox A/C turret sporting the Berlin Bde dazzle camo scheme

 

A/T Platoon – 4 x FV432 fitted with WOMBAT 120mm recoilless A/T gun, and 4 x OT Long Wheel Base Landrover (LWB) also carrying WOMBAT.

Ferret light scout car

A liberal quantity of Ferret A/C for light patrol and liaison duties.

Overall Infantry Battalion Organisation:

 

Bn HQ

3 x Mechanised or Rifle Company
Fire Support Company
HQ Company

Fire Support Company:

 
Company HQ:

Recce platoon – 8 x Scimitar if Mechanised, 8 x Fox A/C if Type A, 8 x LWB if Type B

Mortar platoon – 6 x 81mm mortar in 432 if Mechanised,  8 x 81mm mortar if Type A/B

81mm Mortar

AT platoon – HQ plus 5 sections, each 4 Milan ATGW firing posts. Some units, typically TA Home defence battalions still retained WOMBAT, and we know that Berlin units had WOMBAT, so probably no MILAN in view of the likely engagement ranges? 

 
Other than vehicles, all rifle companies were organised in this way:

Company HQ

3 x Rifle Platoon, each consisting of 3 sections.

Each section would be broken down into 2 further teams, either: Gun group of 2-3 men with GPMG and Rifle group of 4-5 men with SLRs; or 2 Fire teams, each of 1 x LMG and 3 x SLR. Additionally the sections would have carried several 66mm AT rocket launchers and 1 x 84mmm L14 ‘Charlie G’ recoilless rocket launcher in addition to their personal weapons.
 

 

Independent (Berlin) Armoured Squadron – ‘D’ Squadron, Queen’s Own Hussars (QOH) from Apr ’83 – relieved by ‘B’ Squadron, 14^th/20^th King’s Hussars (14/20H) May ’85.

Note to maximise the armoured strength allowed within the 4 powers agreement, the Berlin Armoured Squadron thee HQ troop was a full strength troop, resulting in 18 Chieftains instead of the usual 16 in a Type 57 Armoured Squadron.

Some good footage of the BB Chieftains in the last 1989 Allied Forces Day parade here, although I can only count 10 Chieftains and 6 X 432 FSVs:

1989 last AFD parade Berlin Bde

Although in this clip of the 1982 AFD parade only 12 Chieftains are on parade:

D Squadron 4th/7th RDG 1982

 Well that's all I have on the Berlin Bde, be great to hear from anyone who served there...

 

Berlin Brigade 1945-1989 - Held until Relieved!