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27-893: A group of Dutch soldiers were forced to withdraw in May 1940 after the unexpected invasion of the Netherlands by the Nazi armies. Faced by the choice: to surrender or to continue the fight alongside the Western Allies, they opted for the latter. Via several ways they finally arrived in Great Britain, where they formed a new unit: the Royal Dutch Brigade. The unit was later renamed to become the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade . In August 1941 this unit received from

54-605: A brigade . While some 500 Surinamese volunteered for service in the brigade, they were rejected by the Dutch government, on the grounds that their racial background might cause offense to volunteers and conscripts from South Africa. Despite this some Surinamese did serve in the Brigade and fight during WW2. Some Dutch West Indian personnel nevertheless later saw action with the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army in

81-612: Is also used by the Netherlands Marine Corps . The five-pointed star-shaped helmet badge commemorates the star used as a recognition emblem by the Allied forces in the North-West Europe Campaign of 1944–1945 . The buttons of the tunic carry the Netherlands lion in relief. Only the upper button on cuff flaps carry the lion though the middle button has two crossed cannon barrels and the lower an antique helmet. They symbolize

108-516: Is part of 13 Motorized Brigade . In June - December 1996 the battalion was transferred to Bosnia (former Yugoslavia). As 17 (NL) Mechanized Battalion Guards Regiment Princess Irene they served in the IFOR-II operation under British command, just as the Irene Brigade 50 years before them. In Bosnia the men and women of the battalion wore the invasion-lanyard of the former Irene Brigade on active duty. It

135-741: The Bommelerwaard . However, the Royal Marines gave up due to German opposition in the town of Kerkdriel, leaving the P.I.B. stranded at the bridgehead of Hedel. The Prinses Irene Brigade was under command of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines at this time. Still, they fought the Germans with great gallantry, and were able to hold the town for three days. In these fights, the P.I.B. lost twelve men; around thirty were wounded. Several gallantry medals were later awarded for actions in Hedel. At 11:15 hours on 25 April

162-617: The First Canadian Army until it moved forward with the British Second Army . Heavy fighting took place around the Chateau St Come ("Hellfire Corner") and the brigade liberated Pont Audemer in the progress. In mid-September, the P.I.B. became involved in fighting with German forces at the town of Beringen . It first re-entered Dutch territory at Borkel en Schaft on 20 September 1944, as part of Operation Market Garden —

189-611: The Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene . Guards Division The Guards Division was an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the training and administration of the regiments of Foot Guards and the London Guards reserve battalion. The Guards Division was responsible for providing two battalions for public duties to London District (plus three incremental companies); although

216-636: The Pacific theatre . The brigade would be trained first in Guelph , then Stratford, Ontario alongside British units. On 11 February 1941, by approval of Queen Wilhelmina , the Dutch Legion gained a new name, the Prinses Irene Brigade (P.I.B.). On 6 August 1944, the first troops of the P.I.B landed at Graye-sur-Mer Normandy, in northern France . Later, the main force landed and the P.I.B. served under

243-676: The United States , the Middle East , the Dutch West Indies ( Netherlands Antilles and Suriname ), South Africa and Argentina ; the Dutch force grew very slowly as troops were detached for other duties i.e. the Commandos, the Navy etc. The unit never totalled more than about 2,000 men at one time with a total of around 3,000 serving, less than the 3,000 to 4,000 personnel normally associated with

270-632: The collapse of the Netherlands . Elements of this force became the nucleus of what was originally called the "Dutch Legion." Veterans of the Princess Irene Brigade who were members of the Dutch Army stationed at Wrottesley Park , Wolverhampton during World War II were given the Freedom of the City of Wolverhampton on 19 August 2006. Although augmented by conscription from overseas citizens from Canada ,

297-498: The 3rd time as part of SFOR13. Further missions were Iraq 2004 and 2005 and Afghanistan 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2016. When the regiment was promoted to the status of guards in 1948, they adopted a ceremonial uniform. To commemorate the unit's foundation in the United Kingdom, it was decided to adopt the style of the traditional British "full dress" infantry uniform, with a scarlet tunic and the dark blue "Home Service" helmet , which

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324-514: The Brigade took part in the campaign in Western Europe. In May 1945 the Nazis capitulated in the Netherlands which also led to the disbanding of the Irene Brigade, which to a large extent was made up of war volunteers and conscripts. To remember their special bond, the men of 'the first hour' proudly wore their special distinction: an orange-blue lanyard called 'invasion-lanyard'. The regimental colors of

351-510: The P.I.B. so the brigade would have enough troops participating in the liberation of Europe, as requested by the British government. The gap left by the Dutch Marines was filled with replacements from the volunteers from the liberated parts of the Netherlands, who had been trained at Bergen Op Zoom under the command of Frank Looringh van Beeck, a South African officer. On 2 March 1945, the P.I.B.

378-698: The Royal Dutch Army in the Westenbergbarracks in Schalkhaar (near Deventer). In June 1992 the 17th Armored Infantry Battalion took over the traditions. Since then, the regimental colors, monument and museum are settled in the General-major De Ruyter van Steveninckbarracks named after the commander of the Irene Brigade ) in Oirschot. 17th Armored Infantry Battalion Guards Regiment Fusiliers Princess Irene

405-579: The Royal Dutch Brigade 'Princess Irene' were decorated with the highest military order for valor known in the Dutch Army . So as not to let the name of that small Dutch unit fade into history, it was decided that the traditions surrounding the regimental colors were to be continued by a new regiment - the Princess Irene Regiment which was formed in April 1946 on the basis of the brigade. Five battalions of

432-605: The colours. Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade During the Second World War , the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade , later known as the Princess Irene Brigade ( Dutch : Prinses Irene Brigade ) was a Dutch military unit initially formed from approximately 1,500 troops, including a small group guarding German prisoners-of-war , who arrived in the United Kingdom in May 1940 following

459-420: The division): Note: The three 2nd battalions have technically not been disbanded; instead they are in "suspended animation" and, in theory, can be re-raised if needed. The colours and traditions of each battalion are kept and maintained by the incremental companies. The five regiments of foot guards are most often seen in full dress uniform, comprising navy trousers, scarlet tunic and bearskin cap. From

486-622: The guards are most associated with ceremony, they are nevertheless operational infantry battalions, and as such perform all the various roles of infantry. In 2022, the Guards Division was renamed as the Guards and Parachute Division . As of 2020, units comprised the Guards Division Headquarters, at Wellington Barracks, Westminster : Guards battalions: Guards incremental companies: Past units include (dates when they were part of

513-691: The hands of the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina , who remained in exile in England, its own regimental colors . In addition the unit was given the honorary name of 'Princess Irene', named after the Queen's second granddaughter. This name is also symbolic, as the name of Irene means: 'she who brings peace' (in Greek). As a small detachment in the British Liberation Army (the unit only numbered approximately 1400 men)

540-475: The infantry, artillery and engineers of the original unit. The lace on the collar signifies a Netherlands guards unit, while the cuffs are modeled on those worn by the British Guards Division . The retaining cord is a sign of commissioned rank and an indication of rank in the Netherlands army, additionally the sash is edged in gold to contrast with the tunic. The Military William Order is attached to

567-446: The new regiment were on active duty during the so-called ' police actions ' in the years 1946-1949 in the former Netherlands East Indies, or today's Indonesia. Ninety young Dutch 'Irene' soldiers were killed during these operations against Indonesian regulars and militias. The Regiment Princess Irene became Guards Regiment Fusiliers Princess Irene in 1948. The traditions of the regiment were carried on by 13th Armored Infantry Battalion of

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594-667: The operation to simultaneously capture nine bridges between the Bocholt-Herentals Canal and the Rhine (at Arnhem ). At around this time, the brigade was also involved in combat against the Dutch Waffen-SS volunteer formation Landstorm Nederland , German SS , and paratroopers . From 26 September, the P.I.B guarded the then unnamed bridge spanning the River Maas at Grave . (The bridge known later as John S. Thompsonbrug ,

621-413: The order to withdraw from the bridgehead, in Hedel, came from 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines. At 23:30 hours III Independent Company withdrew from the town as the last unit to the south side of the river Maas. This effort was completed at 00:30 hours on 26 April. The Princess Irene Brigade entered The Hague on 9 May 1945 as liberators. After the war, the traditions of the brigade were perpetuated by

648-587: The winter of 1944/45 in the region of Walcheren and Noord-Beveland (Zeeland), losing several soldiers. From Zeeland , the P.I.B. went back to North Brabant . On 31 March 1945, the commander of the P.I.B., Colonel De Ruyter van Steveninck, said goodbye to the three platoons of Marines; the latter subsequently formed II Independent Company and were sent to the USA to join the Royal Netherlands Marines Brigade , who had originally assigned these troops to

675-740: Was handed over to them by veterans of the brigade to illustrate the bond with their young colleagues. This was only the beginning of the peacekeeping operations for the Fusiliers. They went to Bosnia again in December - June 1999 as part of the SFOR5 force. June - December 1999 13 Fusiliers stayed on Cyprus, with UNICYP3. A Fusiliers company served in Kosovo (Jan - May 2000) with KFOR2. In December 2002 17 (NL) Mechanized Battalion Guards Regiment Princess Irene will stay in Bosnia for

702-565: Was put under the command of the Netherlands District, under Major General A Galloway , based at the HQ in the city of Tilburg. The P.I.B. was involved in heavy fighting in the town of Hedel , north of Den Bosch , on the River Maas in April 1945. The P.I.B. was supposed to link up with the 30 Royal Marines , of the 116th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines , at Kerkdriel in an attempt to liberate

729-427: Was the longest to attack and defend during the operation.) On 24 October, the brigade was ordered to move south-west to Tilburg to attack the town from the south during Operation Pheasant while the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division attacked from the east. The P.I.B. was unable to get to Tilburg and was stranded at Broekhoven, where fighting took place and four soldiers were killed. The Prinses Irene Brigade spent

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