Throughout their campaigns in North Africa and Italy, the Irish Brigade was fortunate to have been commanded by two outstanding brigadiers: Nelson Russell and Pat Scott.

In first hand accounts written for the Honorary Colonel of the Royal Irish Fusiliers General Adrian Beare Incledon-Webber, both brigadiers would provide compelling accounts of the whole period of conflict for the Irish Brigade.

Over the following pages, you can read extensive excerpts of these masterpieces of historical importance.

Brigadier Nelson Russell

Nelson Russell was Commanding Officer of the Irish Brigade from July 1942 to February 1944. He had been commissioned into the Royal Irish Fusiliers during the First World War and had commanded the home based 6th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers from 1940 to 1942.

Algeria/Tunisia – November 1942 to June 1943.

Sicily – July to September 1943.

Italy – September to December 1943.

Brigadier TPD (Pat) Scott

Pat Scott served as commanding officer of the Irish Brigade from February 1944 to May 1945, and continued in that role while the brigade undertook painstakingly difficult peacekeeping duties during the immediate post war period in southern Austria.

Scott had been commissioned into the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1924 and was a company commander with the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (1 RIrF) in France during 1939 and 1940. He was Commanding Officer of 1 RIrF during the first stage of the Tunisian campaign before taking over as CO of the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles for a short period in March 1943. He became Brigade Commander of 12 and then 128 Brigades during 1943 and early 1944 in Italy and when Nelson Russell was hospitalised in February 1944, Brigadier Scott would take over command of the Irish Brigade as they moved into the Cassino sector and would remain in that position until the end of the war in Italy.

Italy/Austria – March 1944 to July 1945.