Organisation of Command Battalions.

These battalions provide command and control over the various larger army formations. There are three types of Command battalion. These are Brigade, Army and Army Group. All are similar in terms of manpower and equipment differing only in the number and level of the Generals in command.

Each Command battalion consists of a Command platoon, a Staff company , a Signals company, a Quartermaster company, a  Medical platoon and a Field Police company.

In Brigade Command battalions the Command platoon has a two star Major General in command with two one star Brigadier Generals as joint second in command. The provision of two Brigadier Generals enables the formation of task forces for specific operations requiring more than one or two battalions but less than the full strength of the Brigade.  In Army Command battalions the commanding General is a three star Lieutenant General with a two star Major General as second in command. The Army Group battalion has a four star General in command with a three star Lieutenant General as second in command. Each General has a Staff Captain and a Staff Lieutenant as aides and a standard bearer with his personal flag. Details of Generals flags are in the post on Flags. In addition there is a National flag bearer and a Battalion flag bearer who are commanded by a Command Sergeant Major. Total strength of the Command platoon is either 15 for Brigade battalions or 11  for Army and Army Group battalions.

Apart from the above all other elements of the various Command battalions are the same. The Staff company consists of three directorates covering Operations, Logistics and Administration/Personnel. The Operations directorate is commanded by a full Colonel with 3 Majors, 3 Captains, 3 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants and 18 Staff men. The Logistics directorate is commanded by a full Colonel with 2 Majors, 2 Captains, 2 Lieutenants,  2 Sergeants and 12 Staff men. The Administration/Personnel directorate is commanded by a Major with 2 Captains, 2 Lieutenants, 2 Sergeants and 12 Staff men.
 The total strength of the company is 71. The Command company has 6 House office wagons and 6 heavy House office trailers.

The Signals company is command by a Captain with a Sergeant Major in support with 3 Lieutenants, 6 Sergeants and 24 Signallers. The company has two House Signals wagons and two heavy House Signals trailers. Total strength of the company is 35.

The Field Police company is tasked with providing security to the Command battalion, traffic control, POW management and general policing as needed. The company is commanded by a Captain with a Sergeant Major in support, 3 Lieutenants, 3 Sergeants and 36 Field Police. Total strength of the company is 44.

The Quartermaster company has a Captain in command with a Sergeant Major in support and 3 Lieutenants, 4 Sergeants and 40 QM drivers. In addition there is a Medical platoon consisting of a Surgeon Lieutenant, Medic Sergeant and 4 Medics. Total strength of the company including the Medical platoon is 55. The company has 4 GS wagons towing a field kitchen, Medical trailer, water tank trailer and a light GS trailer.

Total strength of a Brigade Command battalion is 220 and Army and Army Group Command battalions are 216 strong. Cavalry Command battalions have a number of  mounted personnel including all Generals, General's flag bearers and several staff officers and men.

Within the whole army there are 18 Brigade Command battalions, 3 Army Command battalions and one Army Group Command battalion.

The photo below shows a Brigade Command battalion with the House office and Signals wagons on the left with the Command platoon in front. In the centre are the Signals, Staff and Police companies and the Medical platoon. On the right are the GS wagons and utility trailers with the QM company in front.