213th Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 213th Brigade was a Home Defence and training formation of the British Army during both the First and Second World Wars.

213th Brigade
213th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)
213th Infantry Brigade
Active2 November 1916 – 1 March 1918
30 September 1940 – 1 September 1944
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry Brigade
RoleTraining and Home Defence
Insignia
Badge worn when in the 76th Division

First World War

The 213th 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]

The Brigade was disbanded in March 1918.[1][2]

Order of Battle

The following units constituted the Brigade:[1][2]

  • 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) Battalions 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]

Commander
  • GOC: Brigadier-General W.MacL. Campbell

Second World War

Formation and Service

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 the 213th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) it was composed of newly raised battalions.[14] Between 1 November and 23 December 1940, it came under the command of the 18th Infantry Division, then moved it into the newly created Norfolk County Division. On 18 November 1941, the county division was re-designated as the 76th Infantry Division and simultaneously Brigade was renamed became the 213th Infantry Brigade.[14][15]

On 1 September 1944, 76th Division HQ was disbanded, and its brigades transferred to replace those in 47th (London) Infantry Division, which were disbanding. The 47th Division was recreated as the 47th (Reserve) Infantry Division and the 213th Brigade was re-designated as the 140th Infantry Brigade, replacing the disbanded 140th (London) Infantry Brigade.[14][15][16]

The 213th Brigade remained in the United Kingdom throughout its service.[14]

Order of Battle

The following units constituted the brigade during the war:[14]

  • As part of II Corps and the Norfolk County Division.
  • As part of 76th Division.
    • 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (18 November 1941 — 12 September 1942)
    • 9th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (18 November 1941 — 16 November 1943)
    • 14th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (18 November 1941 — 13 December 1942, converted into 103rd Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery)[17]
    • 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 (15 November 1943 – 24 July 1944; re-designated 5th Battalion, Border Regiment 1 April 1944)
    • 4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (24 July 1944 — 31 August 1944)
    • 6th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (from 30 July 1944 — 31 August 1944)
    • 7th Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment (from 3 August 1944 — 31 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

Notes
  1. Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 101–5
  2. "71st Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
  3. Queen's Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  4. Middlesex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  5. Middlesex Regiment at Regimental Warpath Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. Hampshire Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  7. "Hampshire Regiment at Regimental Warpath". Archived from the original on 2012-01-11. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  8. Essex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  9. "Essex Regiment at Regimental Warpath". Archived from the original on 2011-05-06. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  10. Bedfordshire Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  11. "Bedfordshire Regiment at Regimental Warpath". Archived from the original on 2010-02-01. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  12. Sussex Regiment at Long, Long Trail
  13. "Sussex Regiment at Regimental Warpath". Archived from the original on 2013-09-14. Retrieved 2014-06-05.
  14. Joslen, p. 376
  15. Joslen, pp. 99, 114.
  16. Joslen, p. 41.
  17. "103 A/Tk Rgt at RA 39–45". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-06-05.

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.

Online sources
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