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Headquarters

12th Independent Infantry Brigade Group
12th Mechanised Brigade
5 Field Force
4th Armoured Brigade Jan 1993 – 2007 (1)
4 Mechanised Brigade 2007 – pres

Brigade Signals

204 Signals Squadron, Royal Signals ? – 1960?
212 Signals Squadron, Royal Signals ?
209 Signals Squadron, Royal Signals ? – pres

Regiments

1 East Yorks Battalion ? – 1957?
11 Group, Royal Engineers ? – 1959?
1st Bn Lancashire Fusiliers 1960 – 1964
1st Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regiment 1964 – 1968 (2)
1st Bn Devon and Dorset Regiment Jan 1968 – Jan 1970
3rd Parachute Regiment 1977 – 1980 (3)
1st Bn King’s Own Scottish Border Regiment (KOSB) 1980 – 1984 (4)
23 Engineer Regiment 1984 – ? (5)
14 Signal Regiment 1993 – 1996 (6)
21 Engineer Regiment 1996 – pres (7)

Sub Units

73 Independent Field Sqn RE circa 1973
12 Ordnance Company 1987

(1) The Headquarters was, for many years in York Barracks, Münster (since its re-forming in 1981) but moved to Osnabrück in January 1993, when 12th Mechanised Brigade withdrew from the Army’s Order of Battle . The Brigade and Osnabrück Garrison now has a dependency which covers Osnabrück, Münster and Nienburg.
(2) The Regiment was equipped with Humber Pigs (FV1611) for their mechanised infantry role. They then changed to FV432’s in 1966.
(3) 3 Para were the first Parachute Regt to be posted to Germany since the war, arriving at Quebec Bks in 1977 and leaving in May 1980.
(4) They handed over to 1 King’s Own Scottish Border Regiment (KOSB) with both Bns mentioned serving in the light role during their time in Osnabrück, unique for BAOR during that phase of the Cold War (neither unit being part of 12 Bde).
(5) In 1984 the KOSB were replaced the the newly formed 23 Engineer Regiment which still provides close support to 12 Brigade, albeit now mechanised, today. 21 Engineer Regiment arrived after the closure of Assaye Barracks, Nienburg, but I can’t say when. 12 Ordnance Company arrived in 1987 after the closure of Scarborough Barracks.
(6) Leaving Celle at the start of 1993. On leaving the Regiment began the move to Brawdy, Wales in September 1995. This was run in conjunction with the deployment to Bosnia, Op Resolute.I believe that the rear party were all out of Quebec Bks by March 1996, give or take a month or two.
(7) Arriving from Assaye Barracks, Nienburg.

5 Field Force

5 Field Force (5 Fd Force) was a brigade plus organisation, that is it was very much bigger than a ‘classic’ brigade (HQ & Sig Sqn plus 3 battalions which was the standard starting point although much was done during the period 1970 – 1990 to test out various formations or battle-groups as they became known. The role of 5 Fd Force was to protect the rear area of 1 (BR) Corps and for that it was heavily infantry based sans armour. It had in the period 1980 – 1982, 3 regular infantry battalions, 1 Royal Artillery Regt (7 RHA in Osnabrück), 73 Independent Field Sqn RE and a smattering of smaller units including its own HQ & Signal Squadron (later retitled 210 Sig Sqn) based in Quebec Barrack, Osnabrück.

However, for a short period prior to 2 Armd Div being re-roled as 2 Inf Div and moved to York, it actually had control of all of the forces that made up 15 Inf Bde and 49 Inf Bde during war time. This made it the biggest single formation in the 1 (BR) Corps order of battle – but only for a very short period (1981-1982) (see the 15 Bde and 49 Bde for an idea of how many TA units there were). 2 Inf Div took over the role of rear area security in 1983 and 24 Inf Bde dropped back to being the regular component of that division – again for a short period before re-roling to become 24 Airmobile Bde, albeit still with a link to 2 Inf Div.

One of the immediate tasks 5 Fd Force was given in time of war was to ensure the safe evacuation of British families, but its main role was to protect the main supply routes (MSR) from Soviet sabotage. On the other hand it was a light formation, ie without armour, and could travel quickly. The armour bit was addressed, albeit half-heartedly, in the form of the Saxon wheeled armoured vehicle (a 4 tonner with armour really) just before 5 Fd Force disappeared from the list to become 24 Infantry Brigade, first in Osnabrück (1982) then moved in 1983 to Catterick. Now re-titled as 24 Airmobile Bde.

During a refurbishment of the HQ building in 1982 a POW driving licence issued by the Germans was found stuffed between a window frame and the wall. It had survived intact and in pristine condition since the end of the war and it seems likely that the owner did not want to appear as a collaborator to the Allies.

A separate page of photographs of Quebec Barracks are here. The camp was handed back to the Stadt, February 2009.

To find out more about the name Quebec click here.