THE 4RD INFANTRY BRIGADE

"STEENSTRAETE"

SHORT HISTORY

The 4thInfantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" was raised on March 15th 1945.

From April 3rd 1945 until April 8th 1945 the entire brigade was shipped and tranported to Northern Ireland.

Following military camps were occupied by the 4th Infantry Brigade :
Headquarters and Field Ambulance in the area of Banbridge
Ist Battalion at the Union Lodge Camp
IInd Battalion at Loughbrickland
IIIrd Battalion near Graar Lake

Raising the 4th Infantry brigade "STEENSTAETE"		July 1945, area of Banbridge, mortar section on exercise.

The entire brigade underwent a thorough training.

The Belgian National Holyday, July 21st, was celebrated with a parade at Banbridge.

July 21st 1945, Banbridge. The 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" parades.

OnSeptember 21st and 22nd 1945 the 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" left Northern Ireland for the United Kingdom
where they stayed until the beginning of November.

The brigade returned to Belgium where they were billeted at the Brugge until the departure for Germany.

Banbridge, July 1945, Colonel LOUPPE (center) and his Staff.

The 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" took part at the occupation of Germany until it returned to Belgium on May 10th 1946.

The 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" was reorganised on May 27th 1946

Commanding Officers :
Colonel LOUPPE from the start until April 11th 1946
Colonel BOURGIER from April 12th 1946 until reorganisation

FORMATION BADGES

1st sergeant SARTILLO created 4 designs for the first formation badge.

Colonel LOUPPE submitted the designs to the Minister of Defense.

The Minister approuved one of the designs and the first formation badge was produced in England.

A yellow grenade with a black capital "S" in front.

The "S" reminded  on the battle for Steenstraete, Flanders, in the First World War, where the Belgian Grenadiers fought a heroic battle.

In one corner a blue and a red stripe, colours of the Belgian Grenadiers; in the opposite corner a green shamrock.
The whole on a black shield.

	1st Formation Badge of the 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTAETE" Printed version
	1st Formation Badge of the 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTAETE" Embroidered version

By decree of the Belgian Minister of Defense, issued on June 15 1945,
all the infantry brigades had to wear a uniform formation badge.

This formation badge contained the same symbols for all brigades
i.e. a yellow heraldic lion raming to the left with a green shamrock beneath
and a red capital letter in the background, the whole on a black shield.
The red capital letter being specific for each of the 5 brigades.
For the 4th Infantry Brigade it was the letter "S"of "STEENSTRAETE".

Colonel Louppe wrote to the Belgian Minister of Defense, explaining that the "specimens" he had received had a yellow shamrock.
He insisted that if the brigade would be ordered to wear this badge in Northern Ireland, all would be ridiculised.
He asked the permission to continue to wear the first approuved design.

On July 27th 1945 the Minister agreed.

Thus the 4th Infantry Brigade "Steenstraete" was freed from wearing the 2nd formation badge,
and continued to wear the 1st formation badge.

Colonel Louppe ordered the destruction of the badges with the yellow shamrock.

Practically all were subsequently destroyed, and only a few "survided".

Therefore, it is very rare to find one.

The 2nd formation badge of the 4th Infantry Brigade "Steenstaete", with the yellow shamrock. Never worn and extremely rare.

Lapel badge worn on civilian clothing		Idem

Sergeant CARPENTIER from the 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE". The Formation Badge can be seen on his left sleeve.		Senior Captain from the 4th Infantry Brigade "STEENSTRAETE" The Formation Bage is clearly seen.