The 4th Infantry Brigade “Steenstraete” was established on 15 March 1945, following the liberation of Belgium from German occupation. It formed part of the so-called “Brigades of Ireland,” Belgian volunteer units trained abroad due to limited military infrastructure in Belgium after the war.
These units were trained in Northern Ireland with Allied support and played an important role in rebuilding the Belgian Army in the immediate post-war period.
The brigade’s name commemorates the Battle of Steenstraete, fought in 1915 during the First World War, reflecting a continuity of Belgian military heritage and sacrifice.
After completing its training, the brigade was deployed to occupied Germany, where it carried out occupation and stabilization duties. Although it did not see active combat, the unit contributed to post-war security and the reorganization of Belgium’s military forces. The brigade returned to Belgium in 1946 and was dissolved on 27 May 1946.
Today, insignia from these short-lived post-war formations are relatively scarce and represent an important transitional period in Belgian military history.
