213th Brigade (United Kingdom)
| 213th Brigade 213th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) 213th Infantry Brigade | |
|---|---|
 76th Infantry Division insignia | |
| Active |
2 November 1916 – 1 March 1918 30 September 1940 – 1 September 1944 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 British Army |
| Type | Infantry Brigade |
| Role | Training and Home Defence |
The 213th Brigade (213 Bde) was a Home Defence and training formation of the British Army during both the First and Second World Wars.
First World War
213 Brigade was first organised in November 1916 as part of the 71st Division, a new a Home Service and training formation formed from the 6th Provisional Brigade.[1][2]
Composition
The following units constituted 213 Brigade:[1][2]
- GOC: Brigadier-General W.MacL. Campbell
- HQ: Aldershot
- 16th (Home Service) Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment: newly formed.[1][3]
- 25th (Garrison) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment: originally formed from depot companies of 18th, 19th and 26th (Public Works Pioneers) Bns Middlesex Regiment; left for Hong Kong 22 December 1916.[1][4][5]
- 18th (Home Service) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment: newly formed 26 December 1916 to replace 25th Middlesex; disbanded December 1917.[1][6][7]
- 66th Provisional Battalion: became 16th Battalion, Essex Regiment; disbanded December 1917[1][8][9]
- 252nd Battalion Training Reserve: joined 9 July 1917; became 52nd (Graduated) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment[10][11]
- 253rd Battalion Training Reserve: joined 17 September 1917; became 51st (Graduated) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment[12][13]
213 Brigade was disbanded in March 1918.[1][2]
Second World War
A new brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 30 September 1940 by No 13 Infantry Training Group in II Corps. Initially under the name of 213th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) it was composed of newly raised battalions.[14]
Composition
The following units constituted the brigade during the war:[14]
- 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (until 12 September 1942)
- 11th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (until 18 December 1940)
- 9th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (disbanded 16 November 1943)
- 14th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (until 13 December 1942, converted into 103rd Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery)[15]
- 13th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (18 November–8 December 1940)
- 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment (14 September–20 October 1942)
- 9th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers (14 December 1942 – 11 December 1943)
- 11th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment (17 December 1942 – 15 November 1943)
- 9th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders (30 November 1942 – 16 November 1943)
- 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (15 November 1943 – 23 July 1944)
- 4th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (15 November 1943 – 23 July 1944)
- 7th Battalion, Border Regiment (from 15 November 1943; redesignated 5th Battalion, Border Regiment 1 April 1944; left 24 July 1944)
- 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (from 24 July 1944)
- 6th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (from 30 July 1944)
- 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (from 3 August 1944)
Commanders
The following officers commanded 213 Brigade during World War II:[14]
- Col J.V.R. Jackson (acting until 21 October 1940)
- Brig E.E.F. Baker (until 23 July 1942)
- Brig E.H.L. White
Service
Between 1 November and 23 December 1940, II Corps placed 213 Brigade under the command of 18th Infantry Division, then moved it into the newly created Norfolk County Division. On 18 November 1941, the county division was redesignated 76th Infantry Division and simultaneously 213th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) formally became 213th Infantry Brigade.[14][16]
On 1 September 1944, 76th Division HQ was disbanded, and its brigades transferred to replace those in 47th (London) Infantry Division, which were disbanding. 47th Division was recreated as 47th (Reserve) Infantry Division and 213 Brigade was redesignated 140th Infantry Brigade, replacing the disbanded 140th (London) Infantry Brigade.[14][16][17]
The 213th Brigade remained in the United Kingdom throughout its service.[14]
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 101–5
- 1 2 3 "71st Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ↑ Queen's Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Middlesex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Middlesex Regiment at Regimental Warpath
- ↑ Hampshire Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Hampshire Regiment at Regimental Warpath
- ↑ Essex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Essex Regiment at Regimental Warpath
- ↑ Bedfordshire Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Bedfordshire Regiment at Regimental Warpath
- ↑ Sussex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
- ↑ Sussex Regiment at Regimental Warpath
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Joslen, p. 376
- ↑ 103 A/Tk Rgt at RA 39–45
- 1 2 Joslen, pp. 99, 114.
- ↑ Joslen, p. 41.
References
- Maj A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–74th) and 74th and 75th Divisions, London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-84734-739-8.
- Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2003, ISBN 1-84342-474-6.