Royal Netherlands Brigade Princess Irene
After May 1940 the Irene Brigade was established in England from
Netherlands military personnel that has escaped from the Netherlands,
from Dutchmen who had been recruited in England, America, Canada and
South Africa, and from volunteers.
Efforts to form a complete brigade (regiment), reinforced with artillery
and a tank unit were not successful. In the end the brigade included:
Headquarters, three combat teams (companies with machineguns, mortars,
antitank-guns and light AA), a reconnaissance unit (with armored
vehicles), an artillery battery and the train. The 2nd combat team
consisted mainly of mariners, who had been trained in the USA.
In July 1943 the Brigade (under the command of Lieutenant Colonel A.C.
de Ruyter van Steveninck) was assigned to the XXIst Army Group. They
were trained together with British units, and assigned tot the coastal
defense in the neighborhood of Harwich.
On August 6 1944 the Brigade embarked, and on August 7 and 8 it
disembarked in Normandy, where it was assigned to the 6th Airborne
Division, east of the Orne, August 12 it took up a frontline position.
From August 17-31 the Brigade took part in the advance towards the
Seine, and on August 26 it was the first unit to occupy Pont Audemer.
After rapid marches via Brussels the Albert Canal near Beringen was
reached, where the Brigade took an active part in the combat.
During operation Market Garden, which was started on September 17th. the
Brigade was transferred to Grave on September 20th and 21th. In the
neighborhood of this town it carried out guard en reconnaissance duties
until October 17th. Then the Brigade moved to the Wilhelmina Canal,
south of Oirschot, and was assigned to the 15th Scottish Division. It
took part in the operations during which the enemy forces were expelled
from Central- and Western Brabant. On October 25th and 26th an attack
position opposite of Broekhoven was taken after prolonged fights for the
attack on Tilburg.
After the liberation of Tilburg the Brigade was transferred successively
to the neighborhood of Weelde, Rijen and Raamsdonk. Then from November
5th – 11th, it was charged with the guarding of the Maas in the
neighborhood of Waalwijk. On November 9th the Brigade commander was
promoted to the rank of Colonel.
After the Brigade had moved to Wuustwezel in Belgium on November 11th,
it was transferred to Zeeland, where guard duties were carried out
during the whole winter, especially in Noord-Beveland and Walcheren.
In March 1945 Her Majesty the Queen visited Walcheren and the Irene
Brigade. The mariners contingent was re-assigned and left on March 31th.
This was part of a reorganization that implied the disbandment of the
reconnaissance unit.
Between April 10th and 14th 1945, when the allied advance in the eastern
Netherlands and Germany was in full progress, the Brigade was released
by a battalion of the Belgian Brigade, and transferred to the Maas,
district Heusden and Hedel.
The Brigade captured a bridgehead in Hedel ons April 23rd for the
advance in the Bommelerwaard. It managed to hold the bridgehead in spite
of heavy enemy attacks, however, when relative orders were received, the
Brigade withdrew tot the South of the Maas. The advance could not been
effected.
On May 4th the Brigade was released by the 308th Infantry Brigade. After
the capitulation of the enemy forces on May 5th the Brigade transferred
to Wageningen. On May 8th it left fot The Hague, where the entered as
the first allied unit.
By the end of 1945 the Irene Brigade was disbanded, and on April 15th
1946 the Princess Irene Regiment (later on Guards Regiment) was
established, which still continues the traditions of the Brigade.
© Stichting Brigade en Garde Prinses Irene, Oirschot. Alle rechten voorbehouden.
Overname alleen na uitdrukkelijke schriftelijke toestemming. Contact via:
postbus@fuseliers.nl