4th Mechanized Brigade
4th Mechanized Brigade replaced 11 Light Brigade as the lead formation of British forces in Afghanistan, in April 2009 when it assumed command of Task Force Helmand in the Provincial Capital of Helmand, Lashkar Gar. It will hand over command to 16 Air Assault Brigade in autumn 2010.
The 4th Armoured Brigade was formed as part of the Mobile Division Egypt in response to the Munich crisis of 1938. The Division formation changed name in 1940 to the 7th Armoured Division maintaining both heavy and light armoured brigades.
This division, the original Desert Rats, consisted of the 7th Armoured Brigade (previously the Light Armoured Brigade consisting of light mobile Armoured Cars) and 4th Armoured Brigade (the Heavy Armoured Brigade consisting of heavily armoured Cruiser tanks) which at this time consisted of the 1st and 6th RTR under the command of Brigadier J A L Caunter DSO MC.
4th Mechanized Brigade, or the 'The Black Rats', is now based in Catterick, North Yorkshire after moving from their previous home in Germany. 4th Mechanized Brigade is commanded by Brigadier Richard Felton OBE.
Op HERRICK 12
During Operation HERRICK 12, 4 Mechanized Brigade is building upon the work achieved by 11 Light Brigade alongside our US counterparts in Helmand province.
Task Force Helmand is predominantly British, although Danish, Estonian and Australian soldiers form a valued multinational element of the Task Force, which forms part of (ISAF) - currently commanded by General David Petraeus and consisting of approx. 119,500 troops from 46 nations.