| 77th Brigade | |
|---|---|
&sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:77th_Brigade_logo.jpg){kind=logo} Brigade emblem, the Chinthe | |
| Active | 13 September 1914–10 May 1919
1 September 2014[1]– Present |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Size | 5 Groups |
| Part of | 26th Division (1914–19) Force Troops Command (2014-2019)[2] 6th Division (2019-2024) Field Army Troops (2024-Present) |
| Garrison/HQ | Denison Barracks |
| Engagements | Second Battle of Doiran Third Battle of Doiran |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Brigadier Alexander Turner[3][4][5] |
The 77th Brigade is a British Army formation, created in January 2015 by renaming the Security Assistance Group which was created under the Army 2020 concept;[6][7] A previous 77th Brigade served in World War I. The present brigade's broad purpose is to conduct psychological operations.[8] It is based at Denison Barracks in Hermitage, Berkshire and became operational in April 2015.[9][8]
The original 77th Brigade was formed in 1914 as part of 'Kitchener's Army'. Consisting of Scottish infantry battalions it served with 26th Division on the Salonika Front during World War I. It took part in the disastrous Second Battle of Doiran in 1917, and the equally costly Third Battle of Doiran near the end of the war. It took part in the postwar occupation of Bulgaria before it was disbanded in 1919.[10]
The present-day brigade was named the 77th in tribute to the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, which was part of the Chindits, an Indian Army guerilla warfare force led by Orde Wingate who used unorthodox tactics against the Japanese in Burma in World War II. The formation badge of the revived 77th shows a stylized lion known as a Chinthe in reference to the Chindits.[9][11][12]
- ^ "Newsletter" (PDF). The Military Survey (Geographic) Association. Summer 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ Laity, Mark. "The Birth and Coming of Age of Nato Stratcom" (PDF). Defence Strategic Communications. p. 69.
- ^ Mackie, Colin (1 October 2020). "Generals October 2020" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
Brigadier I. Alexander J. Turner Commander, 77th Brigade, November 2020
- ^ "News from 77 Brigade" (PDF). The Chindit Column. 2021. p. 7. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ "UK to streamline influence operations to help with its new ambitions in Indo-Pacific". Intelligence Online. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
77th Brigade commanded by Brigadier Alexander Turner
- ^ "Army revives Chindits as 'Facebook warriors' for smart battle". Financial Times. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ "Information Warfare:Written question - 225283". UK Parliament. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ a b "BBC News - Army sets up new brigade 'for information age'". BBC News. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ a b MacAskill, Ewan (31 January 2015). "British army creates team of Facebook warriors". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
- ^ Becke, Pt 3a, pp. 143–9.
- ^ "Army sets up brigade 'for information age'". BBC News. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
- ^ Miller, Carl (14 November 2018). "Inside the British Army's secret information warfare machine". Wired UK. Retrieved 9 June 2020.