The Desert Rats
7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team, ‘The Desert Rats’ is the Army’s deployable Light Mechanised Brigade. The Brigade consists of a light cavalry regiment, four light mechanised infantry battalions, and a light infantry battalion, with supporting artillery, engineering, logistics and medical regiments integrated into the Brigade Combat Team. Operating from highly mobile Jackal and Foxhound protected mobility vehicles the Brigade can rapidly deploy and is highly manoeuvrable, delivering infantry anywhere on the battlefield.
The Brigade's Role
The Brigade has a number of tasks including:
- Combat operations
- NATO commitments; Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land), the NATO spearhead and Strategic Response Force Battle Group for Kosovo.
- Standing commitments; Cyprus, Falkland Islands.
- State ceremonial and public duties including gun salutes at Edinburgh, Hillsborough and York.
- Army lead for the capability development light mechanised cavalry and infantry.
Brigade Units
- 1st Battalion Scots Guards
- 1st Battalion The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (The Tigers)
- 1st Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment
- 1 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
- 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment (The Poachers)
- 3 Medical Regiment
- 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (The Highlanders)
- 4 Regiment Royal Artillery (The Fighting Forth)
- 6 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
- 32 Engineer Regiment
- 105 Regiment Royal Artillery (Reserve)
- Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Headquarters and Unit Locations
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Headquarters
Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7BL
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1st Battalion Scots Guards
Somme Barracks, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 4LD
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1st Battalion The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment
Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, London, SE18 4BB
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1st Battalion The Royal Yorkshire Regiment
Munster Barracks, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 3AQ
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1 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 3AQ
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2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment
Kendrew Barracks, Cottesmore, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 7BL
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3 Medical Regiment
Gaza Barracks, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, DL9 4AU
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4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Bourlon Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire, DL9 3AD
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4 Regiment Royal Artillery
Alanbrooke Barracks, Topcliffe, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3EY
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6 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps
Dishforth Airfield, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 3YA
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32 Engineer Regiment
Marne Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire, DL10 7NP
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105 Regiment Royal Artillery
RHQ, Artillery House, 301 Colinton Road, Edinburgh, EH13 0LA
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Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
Leuchars Station, Leuchars, Fife