308th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

308th Infantry Brigade (308 Bde) was a formation of the British Army organised from surplus Royal Artillery (RA) personnel retrained as infantry towards the end of World War II.

308th Infantry Brigade
ActiveFormed 22 January 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry Brigade
RoleLines of Communication

Origin

By the end of 1944, 21st Army Group was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry.[1] At the same time the German Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the United Kingdom could be discounted. In January 1945 the War Office began to reorganise surplus anti-aircraft and coastal artillery regiments in the UK into infantry battalions, primarily for line of communication and occupation duties in North West Europe, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service.[2][3] 308th was the last of seven brigades formed from these new units.[4][5]

Composition

308th Infantry Brigade was formed on 22 January 1945 by conversion of Headquarters 61st Anti-Aircraft Brigade within 4 Anti-Aircraft Group. It was commanded by Brigadier R.R.B. Hilton and comprised the following Territorial Army RA units:[4][6]

  • 627th Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by 98th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA).[7][8]
  • 629th Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by 135th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA).[9][10]
  • 633rd (Queen's Own Royal West Kent) Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by the 34th (Queen's Own Royal West Kent) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), itself formed from the 20th Battalion, London Regiment (Blackheath and Woolwich) in 1935.[11][12][13]

Service

After infantry training, including a short period attached to 38th Infantry (Reserve) Division, 308 Bde came under the orders of 21st Army Group on 27 April 1945 and landed on the Continent two days later. It came under the control of Maasforce (4–22 May) and then I Canadian Corps.[4]

Notes
  1. Ellis, pp. 141–2.
  2. Ellis, pp. 369, 380.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. Joslen, p. 404.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. http://www.ra39-45.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/infantry/page27.htmll%5B%5D
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. https://web.archive.org/web/20060104204049/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-london/vinf/L20QO.htm

References
  • Major L. F. Ellis, "History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West", Volume II: "The Defeat of Germany", London: HMSO, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-84574-059-9.
  • 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.

External sources

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