Multi-National Division (South-West) (Bosnia)

The Multi-National Division (South-West) was a military formation which formed part of IFOR, a NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996, and then formed part of SFOR, another NATO-led multinational peacekeeping force, from 20 December 1996 until June 2004.

Multi-National Division (South-West)
Active1995–2004
Country United Kingdom
TypeCommand
Part ofIFOR
SFOR
Garrison/HQBanja Luka

Role

The division's role, passed down to it by IFOR, was to implement the military Annexes of The General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina – specifically in the South-West Sector.[1] From December 1996, the role passed down by SFOR was to "deter hostilities and stabilise the peace, contribute to a secure environment by providing a continued military presence in the Area Of Responsibility (AOR), target and coordinate SFOR support to key areas including primary civil implementation organisations, and progress towards a lasting consolidation of peace, without further need for NATO-led forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina" – again specifically in the South-West Sector.[2]

Component units

The division was based at Banja Luka and was British led: the British codename for its involvement in IFOR was Operation Resolute[3] and for its involvement in SFOR was Operation Lodestar.[4] Multi-National Division (South-West) included a British brigade (4th Mechanized Brigade from October 1995,[5] 1st Mechanized Brigade from April 1996,[6] 20th Armoured Brigade from October 1996[7] and 7th Armoured Brigade from April 1997)[8] as well as Canadian and Dutch units.[9]

Division headquarters was provided by 3 (UK) Division from December 1995 until June 1996[10] and again in January 1998 to August 1998;[11] Division headquarters was provided by 1st (UK) Armoured Division from June 1996 to December 1996[7] and again from August 1998 to March 1999.[12]

Commanders
British Lynx Helicopter in Bosnia, May 1996

Commanders were as follows:

References
  1. The General Framework Agreement for Peace (GFAP) in Bosnia and Herzegovina
  2. "SFOR MISSION". SFOR HQ Sarajevo: NATO. 14 January 2003. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  3. Croft, AM; Hopkins, JP (1997). "Medical repatriations from Operation Resolute (Bosnia)". J R Army Med Corps. 143 (1): 39–43. doi:10.1136/jramc-143-01-08. PMID 9089551.
  4. Britain's small wars Archived 11 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. The Blue Beret (December 2000/January 2001) Archived 26 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  6. "History of 1st Mechanized Brigade" (PDF). Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  7. Lord, p. 304
  8. Fact file: 7th Armoured Brigade BBC, 20 January 2003
  9. "British Forces Bosnia". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 18 July 1996. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  10. "Army senior appointments". United Kingdom Government News. 23 July 2002. Archived from the original on 26 July 2011. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  11. Conrad, John (2011). Scarce Heard Amid the Guns: An Inside Look at Canadian Peacekeeping. Natural Heritage Books. ISBN 978-1554889815.
  12. 1 (UK) Armoured Division Global Security
  13. "Major-General John Kiszely". SFOR. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  14. "Previous Commanders". SFOR. Retrieved 13 April 2013.
  15. "No. 54952". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1997. p. 12931.

Sources

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