{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}{{Infobox military unit | unit_name = Princess Irene Brigade | native_name = {{lang|nl|Koninklijke Nederlandse Brigade ‘Prinses Irene’}} | image = File:Prinses Irene Brigade trekt door Bodegraven, Bestanddeelnr 900-3129.jpg | image_size = 300px | alt = | caption = Princess Irene Brigade in [[South Holland]] on 8 May 1945 | dates = May 1940-May 1945 | disbanded = Disbanded May 1945 to make way for a regiment. | country = [[Netherlands]] | countries = | allegiance = [[Dutch government-in-exile]] | branch = [[Royal Netherlands Army]] | type = Infantry brigade | role = Mechanized infantry | size = 1,800<ref name="EuropeinExile"/>-~2,000 | command_structure = | garrison = | garrison_label = | nickname = | patron = [[Princess Irene of the Netherlands|Princess Irene]] | motto = | colors = <!-- or | colours = --> | colors_label = <!-- or | colours_label = --> | march = | mascot = | anniversaries = | equipment = | equipment_label = | battles = [[World War II]] *[[Battle of Normandy]] *[[Operation Market Garden]] *[[Operation Pheasant]] | decorations = | battle_honours = | battle_honours_label = | flying_hours = | website = <!-- Commanders --> | current_commander = | commander1 = Sas (May 1940-Jan. 1941) | commander1_label = Major | commander2 = Phaff (Jan. 1941-) | commander2_label = Major | commander3 = Various | commander3_label = N/A | commander4 = A. C. de Ruyter van Steveninck (by Aug. 1944) | commander4_label = Colonel | commander5 = | commander5_label = | commander6 = | commander6_label = | commander7 = | commander7_label = | commander8 = | commander8_label = | commander9 = | commander9_label = | notable_commanders = <!-- Insignia --> | identification_symbol = | identification_symbol_label = | identification_symbol_2 = | identification_symbol_2_label = | identification_symbol_3 = | identification_symbol_3_label = | identification_symbol_4 = | identification_symbol_4_label = | identification_symbol_5 = | identification_symbol_5_label = }} {{Campaignbox Free Dutch}} During the [[Second World War]], the '''Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade''', later known as the '''Princess Irene Brigade''' ({{langx|nl|Prinses Irene Brigade}}) was a Dutch military unit initially formed from approximately 1,500 troops, including a small group guarding [[Prisoner of war#Germans|German prisoners-of-war]], who arrived in the [[United Kingdom]] in May 1940 following the [[Battle of the Netherlands|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 Hall|Wrottesley Park]], [[Wolverhampton]] during World War II were given the [[Freedom of the City]] of Wolverhampton on 19 August 2006.
==History== ===Formation=== Although augmented by conscription from overseas citizens from [[Canada]], the [[United States]], the [[Middle East]], the [[Dutch West Indies]] ([[Netherlands Antilles]] and [[Surinam (Dutch colony)|Suriname]]), [[South Africa]] and [[Argentina]]; the Dutch force grew very slowly as troops were detached for other duties i.e. the Commandos, the [[Royal Netherlands Navy|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 a [[brigade]].<ref name="GoDutch">{{cite web |title=Veterans 'Prinses Irene Brigade' help celebrate unit's 60th anniversary » The Windmill news articles » goDutch |url=http://www.godutch.com/newspaper/index.php?id=316 |website=www.godutch.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Grapes |first1=Patrick |title=Stratford getting visit from Netherlands royal family |url=https://www.mystratfordnow.com/41651/stratford-getting-visit-netherlands-royal-family/ |website=My Stratford Now}}</ref>
While some 500 [[Surinamese people|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.<ref>Buddingh', Hans. ''De geschiedenis van Suriname''. Nieuw Amsterdam, 2012, page 280.</ref> Despite this some Surinamese did serve in the Brigade and fight during WW2.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jüdell |first1=Frank |title=Suriname in WW II |url=https://www.bevrijdingintercultureel.nl/bi/eng/suriname.html#militairen |website=Liberation for Everyone}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rekruten ut Suriname |url=http://www.prinsesirenebrigade.nl/rekruten-uit-suriname.html |website=Koninklijke Nederlandse Brigade Prinses Irene 1940-1945 |language=nl}}</ref> Some Dutch West Indian personnel nevertheless later saw action with the [[Royal Netherlands East Indies Army]] in the [[Pacific War|Pacific theatre]].
The brigade would be trained first in [[Guelph]], then [[Stratford, Ontario]] alongside British units.<ref name="GoDutch"/>
On 11 February 1941, by approval of [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina]], the Dutch Legion gained a new name, the [[Princess Irene of the Netherlands|Prinses Irene]] Brigade (P.I.B.).
The Prinses Irene Brigade was formed in [[Congleton]], [[Cheshire]].<ref>{{Cite news|date= 17 April 2025 |title= Extracts from the Chronicle Files "50 years ago" |department= Glancing Back|page=6|newspaper=[[Congleton Chronicle]]}}</ref>
===Operation Overlord=== 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 the [[First Canadian Army]] until it moved forward with the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|British Second Army]]. Heavy fighting took place around the [[Bréville-les-Monts#Geography|Chateau St Come]] ("Hellfire Corner")<ref>[https://www.prinsesirenebrigade.nl/-st.-come.html ''St Come: Hell Fire Corner''] at prinsesirenebrigade.nl; retrieved 17 October 2025</ref> before the brigade [[6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine|advanced to the Seine]], liberating [[Pont Audemer]] in the process. [[File:IWM-B-10050-Loyd-Carrier-19440918.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Loyd Carrier]] of the Prinses Irene Brigade, in September 1944.]]
In mid-September, the P.I.B. became involved in fighting with German forces at the town of [[Beringen, Belgium|Beringen]].
===Operation Market Garden=== It first re-entered Dutch territory at [[Borkel en Schaft]] on 20 September 1944, as part of [[Operation Market Garden]] — 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 [[Schutzstaffel|SS]], and [[Fallschirmjäger (World War II)|paratroopers]].<ref name="EuropeinExile">{{cite book |last1=Conway |first1=Martin |last2=Gotovitch |first2=José |title=Europe in Exile: European Exile Communities in Britain, 1940-1945 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wBUPbG0kNqIC&dq=Princess+Irene+Brigade&pg=PA95 |publisher=Berghahn Books |pages=93–96 |language=en |date=2001|isbn=9781571815033 }}</ref> From 26 September, the P.I.B guarded the then unnamed bridge spanning the River [[Meuse|Maas]] at [[Grave, North Brabant|Grave]]. (The bridge known later as ''[[John S. Thompsonbrug]]'', 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 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; these subsequently formed II Independent Company and were sent to the USA to join the [[Royal Netherlands Marine Corps|Royal Netherlands Marines Brigade]], who had originally assigned these troops to 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. was put under the command of the Netherlands District, under [[Alexander Galloway|Major General A Galloway]], based at the HQ in the city of Tilburg.
===Operation "Orange"=== 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 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The battle of Hedel – 22 – 25 April 1945 {{!}} Familie Cnossen Knossen |url=https://www.cnossen.frl/de-actie-bij-hedel-22-25-april-1945/ |access-date=2024-01-14 |language=nl-NL}}</ref> 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 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 the [[Garderegiment Fuseliers Prinses Irene]].
==Notable members== *[[Max Geldray]] (1916–2004), jazz musician, wounded in Normandy.
==Order of battle (1944)==
* I Motorized Independent Infantry Company * II Motorized Independent Infantry Company * III Motorized Independent Infantry Company * Reconnaissance Company (Disbanded 31 March 1945) * One Artillery Battery (six [[Ordnance QF 25 pounder|25 pounders]]) * Brigade Signals * Brigade Maintenance
==References== {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Netherlands in World War II]] [[Category:Brigades of the Netherlands]] [[Category:Armies in exile during World War II]] [[Category:Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945]] [[Category:1940 establishments in the United Kingdom]]