136th (2/1st Devon and Cornwall) Brigade
| 2nd/1st Devon and Cornwall Brigade 136th (2/1st Devon and Cornwall) Brigade 136th Infantry Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | October 1914 – 1919 April 1939 – August 1944 February 1945 – March 1946 |
| Country |  Second World War |
The 136th Infantry Brigade was an
It was reformed as 136th Infantry Brigade in the
The brigade was reformed on 1 February 1945 for the reception of troops returning from overseas. It did not see service outside the United Kingdom during the war.
History
First World War
In accordance with the
On 15 August 1915, TF units were instructed to separate home service men from those who had volunteered for overseas service (1st Line), with the home service personnel to be formed into reserve units (2nd Line). On 31 August, 2nd Line units were authorized for each 1st Line unit where more than 60% of men had volunteered for overseas service. After being organized, armed and clothed, the 2nd Line units were gradually grouped into large formations thereby forming the 2nd Line brigades and divisions. These 2nd Line units and formations had the same name and structure as their 1st Line parents. On 24 November, it was decided to replace imperial service (1st Line) formations as they proceeded overseas with their reserve (2nd Line) formations. A second reserve (3rd Line) unit was then formed at the peace headquarters of the 1st Line.[2]
The brigade was formed as a 2nd Line duplicate of the
The brigade was effectively broken up on arrival in India; the units reverted to peacetime conditions and the battalions were dispersed to
The units pushed on with training to prepare for active service, handicapped by the need to provide experienced manpower for active service units.
First World War units
The brigade commanded the following units:[5]
- 2/5th (Prince of Wales's) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, was formed at Plymouth on 16 September 1914. It did not go to India with the brigade. In September 1915 it transferred to Egypt and in June 1916 it was disbanded with personnel to 1/4th, 1/5th, and 1/6th Devons.[12][13]
- 2/6th Battalion, 1st (Peshawar) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division (August 1816 to July 1917).[16] On 14 September 1917, it landed at Basra and was employed on Lines of Communication duties in Mesopotamia for the rest of the war. By the Armistice of Mudros on 31 October 1918, it was at Amara.[12][13]
- 2/4th Battalion, Delhi Brigades of 7th Meerut Divisional Area.[15]
Second World War
By 1939 it became clear that a new European war was likely to break out and, as a direct result of the
The brigade remained in the United Kingdom with the 45th Division
A new brigade headquarters was formed on 1 February 1945 for the reception, selection and training of troops from overseas who were temporarily unfit due to wounds and other causes. The units of the brigade were Reception Camps, Selection Battalions and Training Battalions.
Second World War units
The brigade commanded the following units:[23][25]
- 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment – until 17 November 1940
- 4th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry – until 1 August 1944
- 5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry – until 6 September 1942
- 136th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company – formed 19 June 1940, disbanded 21 January 1941[c]
- 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – from 17 November 1940 until 4 December 1941
- 13th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters – from 12 December 1941 until 10 February 1942
- 2nd Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry – from 23 May 1942 until 19 August 1942
- 7th Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment – from 21 August 1942 until 4 January 1943
- 12th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment– from 6 September 1942 until 1 August 1944
- 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment – from 5 January 1943 until 1 August 1944
Commanders
During the First World War
The brigade was commanded from formation until embarkation for India by
During the Second World War
The brigade had the following commanders in the Second World War:[23]
| From | Rank | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 1939 | Brig | C.H. Gotto | from the outbreak of the war |
| 18 June 1940 | Brig | R.C. Money | |
| 23 August 1940 | Lt-Col | D.A. Bullock | acting |
| 27 August 1940 | Brig | G.H.P. Whitfield | |
| 19 August 1943 | Brig | C.H.V. Cox | |
| 11 December 1943 | Brig | N. MacLeod | |
| 29 July 1944 | Lt-Col | T.V. Williams | acting; until 31 August 1944 |
| 14 February 1945 | Brig | G.E. Younghusband | reformed brigade |
See also
- 130th (Devon and Cornwall) Brigadefor the 1st Line formation
- British infantry brigades of the First World War
- British brigades of the Second World War
Notes
- Devon and Cornwall Brigade commanded the 4th and 5th Devons and 4th and 5th DCLI.[3] On mobilization, the 5th DCLI posted their foreign service volunteers to the 4th Battalion to bring it up to strength. As the battalion was now understrength, it was replaced in the brigade by the 6th Devons.[4] The 2nd Line brigade duplicated this altered structure.[5]
- ^ Units from Cornwall, Devon and south Somerset (both the original units and their duplicates) joined the new 45th Infantry Division, whereas those from north Somerset, Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire remained with the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division.[22]
- ^ 45th Reconnaissance Battalion was formed in January 1941 from the 134th, 135th and 136th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Companies. It later formed 45 and 54 Columns of the Chindits.[26]
References
- ^ Baker, Chris. "Was my soldier in the Territorial Force (TF)?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
- ^ Becke 1937, p. 6
- ^ Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914". Retrieved 31 October 2015.
- ^ a b James 1978, p. 75
- ^ a b c Becke 1936, p. 56
- ^ a b Becke 1936, p. 59
- ^ Rinaldi 2008, p. 35
- ^ Becke 1936, p. 58
- ^ Becke 1936, p. 60
- ^ Perry 1993, p. 109
- ^ Becke 1937, p. 127
- ^ a b c James 1978, p. 55
- ^ a b c d Becke 1936, p. 57
- ^ Perry 1993, p. 81
- ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 95
- ^ Perry 1993, p. 37
- ^ Perry 1993, p. 63
- ^ Perry 1993, p. 57
- ^ Westlake 1986, p. 49
- ^ "History of the Army Reserve". MOD. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
- ^ Palmer, Rob (22 January 2012). "45th Infantry Division (1939)" (PDF). British Military History. Retrieved 23 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Palmer, Rob (17 November 2009). "43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division (1930–38)" (PDF). British Military History. Retrieved 23 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b c d e Joslen 2003, p. 322
- ^ a b Joslen 2003, p. 73
- ^ Nafziger, George. "British Infantry Brigades 1st thru 215th 1939-1945" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
- ^ Bellis 1994, p. 33
- ^ Becke 1936, p. 55
Bibliography
- Becke, A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: ISBN 1-871167-12-4.
- Becke, A.F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: ISBN 1-871167-00-0.
- Bellis, Malcolm A. (1994). Regiments of the British Army 1939–1945 (Armour & Infantry). London: Military Press International. ISBN 0-85420-999-9.
- James, E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
- Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
- Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
- Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-97760728-0.
- Westlake, Ray (1986). The Territorial Battalions, A Pictorial History, 1859–1985. Tunbridge Wells: Spellmount.
External links
- Baker, Chris. "The 45th (2nd Wessex) Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- "45th (2nd Wessex) Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell". Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - Palmer, Rob (22 January 2012). "45th Infantry Division (1939)" (PDF). British Military History. Retrieved 23 October 2015.[permanent dead link]
- Palmer, Rob (1 February 2010). "45th Infantry Division (1944)" (PDF). British Military History. Retrieved 23 October 2015.[permanent dead link]