fbpx
Wikipedia

2nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

November 29, 2023

The 2nd Infantry Brigade (later 2 (South East) Brigade) was a regional brigade of the British Army, active since before the First World War. It was the regional formation of the Army in the South East of England–the Brigade commanded and administered soldiers throughout Kent, Surrey and Sussex–but also Brunei. In December 2014 the Brigade merged with 145 (South) Brigade to form Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East.

Early history edit

Following the end of the Second Boer War in 1902 the army was restructured, and the 2nd Infantry Brigade was established as part of the 1st Division in the 1st Army Corps, stationed at Aldershot Garrison.[1]

First World War edit

 
Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught, inspecting troops of the 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, 2nd Brigade. Near Bruay, 1 July 1918.

The brigade, initially commanded by Brigadier-General Edward Bulfin, served with the 1st Division during the First World War, from 1914 to 1918 and served throughout the war on the Western Front as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The brigade fought in many of the major battles of the war, first fighting at Mons where they were forced to retreat, and later the First Battle of Ypres, the Second Battle of Ypres and later the Battle of the Somme and Battle of Passchendaele, the German spring offensive and the Hundred Days Offensive.

Order of Battle edit

The 2nd Brigade was constituted as follows during the war:[2]

Commanders edit

The following officers commanded 2nd Brigade during the First World War:[3]

  • Brigadier-General E. S. Bulfin (At mobilization)
  • Colonel C. Cunliffe-Owen (10 November 1914 - acting)
  • Brigadier-General C. B. Westmacott (23 November 1914)
  • Brigadier-General G. H. Thesiger (5 May 1915)
  • Brigadier-General J. H. W. Pollard (22 August 1915)
  • Brigadier-General H. F. Thuillier (5 October 1915)
  • Brigadier-General A. B. Hubback (10 March 1916)
  • Brigadier-General G. C. Kemp (6 July 1917)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel R. Bellamy (2 March 1918 - acting)
  • Brigadier-General Sir W. A. I. Kay, Bt. (5 March 1918)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel R. Bellamy (17 March 1918 - acting)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel G. St. G. Robinson (21 March 1918 - acting)
  • Brigadier-General G. C. Kelly (23 March 1918)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel D. S. Johnson (26 September 1918 - acting)
  • Brigadier-General G. C. Kelly (21 November 1918)

Second World War edit

 
Troops from the 1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) leap from their Bren gun carriers while training at Bourghelles, 21 March 1940.

During the Second World War the 2nd Infantry Brigade saw active service in many of the major campaigns that the British Army fought in, from France with the BEF to Tunisia in North Africa and finally Italy and saw some extremely hard fighting at the Battle of Anzio where, during a German counterattack, the brigade was surrounded and nearly destroyed. In April 1943, during the fighting in Tunisia, Lieutenant Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke of the 1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) was posthumously awarded the brigades' only Victoria Cross (VC) of the war.

Order of battle edit

The 2nd Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war:

Commanders edit

The following officers commanded 2nd Infantry Brigade during the war:

Post-Second World War edit

The brigade was reformed as a regional brigade by the 1980s.[5]

In the House of Commons on 8 January 2002 the Secretary of State for Defence said that "The two light infantry brigade headquarters (52 Lowland) Brigade and 2 (South East) Brigade) are being re-roled from regional brigade headquarters to provide better command and control arrangements for the light infantry role battalions, all of which are currently deployable. Thus the reorganisation of the two brigades will not result in an increase in the number of deployable troops. The change will bring greater coherence to the way that these units prepare for operations, through improved co-ordination of training".[6]

Following broad reorganisation under the Future Army Structures, 2nd Infantry Brigade was renamed 2nd (South East) Brigade in 2007. The name was in line with its revised role as a Regional Brigade, responsible largely for Territorial Army units. The brigade became part of the United Kingdom's Support Command as the 2nd (South East) Brigade. It was not listed under the Army 2020 plan. In December 2014 the Brigade merged with 145 (South) Brigade to form Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "Naval & Military intelligence - The 1st Army Corps". The Times. No. 36892. London. 7 October 1902. p. 8.
  2. ^ "The 1st Division in 1914-1918". Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  3. ^ Becke, Major A. F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: HMSO. p. 34. ISBN 1-871167-09-4.
  4. ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  5. ^ Isby, David; Kamps, Charles (1985). Armies of NATO's Central Front. Jane's. ISBN 978-0710603418.
  6. ^ "Brigade Reorganisation". Hansard. 8 January 2002. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  7. ^ "11th Infantry Brigade & HQ South East". British Army. Retrieved 13 August 2015.

External links edit

  • 2 (South East) Brigade - on British Army official website
  • Official site for the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (The Tigers)
  • Official site for 103 Battalion REME (V)
  • Official site for the Royal Gurkha Rifles
  • The British Army in Brunei - official website
  • "2 Infantry Brigade". Orders of Battle.com.

November 29, 2023
infantry, brigade, united, kingdom, infantry, brigade, later, south, east, brigade, regional, brigade, british, army, active, since, before, first, world, regional, formation, army, south, east, england, brigade, commanded, administered, soldiers, throughout, . The 2nd Infantry Brigade later 2 South East Brigade was a regional brigade of the British Army active since before the First World War It was the regional formation of the Army in the South East of England the Brigade commanded and administered soldiers throughout Kent Surrey and Sussex but also Brunei In December 2014 the Brigade merged with 145 South Brigade to form Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East 2nd Brigade2nd Infantry Brigade2 South East BrigadeInsignia of 2nd South East Brigade Active1908 2014Country United KingdomBranch British ArmyTypeInfantryRegionalSizeBrigadePart ofSupport CommandGarrison HQShorncliffe Army CampEngagementsFirst World War Battle of Mons First Battle of the Marne First Battle of the Aisne First Battle of Ypres Battle of Aubers Ridge Battle of Loos Battle of the Somme Battle of Pozieres Battle of Passchendaele Battle of EpehySecond World War Battle of France Tunisia Campaign Italian CampaignCommandersNotablecommandersSir Edward BulfinSir John DillCharles HudsonSir Arthur DowlerSir Richard Anderson Contents 1 Early history 2 First World War 2 1 Order of Battle 2 2 Commanders 3 Second World War 3 1 Order of battle 3 2 Commanders 4 Post Second World War 5 References 6 External linksEarly history editFollowing the end of the Second Boer War in 1902 the army was restructured and the 2nd Infantry Brigade was established as part of the 1st Division in the 1st Army Corps stationed at Aldershot Garrison 1 First World War edit nbsp Prince Arthur the Duke of Connaught inspecting troops of the 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Brigade Near Bruay 1 July 1918 The brigade initially commanded by Brigadier General Edward Bulfin served with the 1st Division during the First World War from 1914 to 1918 and served throughout the war on the Western Front as part of the British Expeditionary Force BEF The brigade fought in many of the major battles of the war first fighting at Mons where they were forced to retreat and later the First Battle of Ypres the Second Battle of Ypres and later the Battle of the Somme and Battle of Passchendaele the German spring offensive and the Hundred Days Offensive Order of Battle edit The 2nd Brigade was constituted as follows during the war 2 2nd Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire left February 1918 1st Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment 2nd Battalion King s Royal Rifle Corps 1 5th Cinque Ports Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment from February to August 1915 1 9th Battalion King s Liverpool Regiment from March to November 1915 1 5th Battalion King s Own Royal Regiment Lancaster from October 1915 until January 1916 2nd Machine Gun Company Machine Gun Corps formed 26 January 1916 moved to 1st Battalion Machine Gun Corps 28 February 1918 2nd Trench Mortar Battery formed 27 November 1915 Commanders edit The following officers commanded 2nd Brigade during the First World War 3 Brigadier General E S Bulfin At mobilization Colonel C Cunliffe Owen 10 November 1914 acting Brigadier General C B Westmacott 23 November 1914 Brigadier General G H Thesiger 5 May 1915 Brigadier General J H W Pollard 22 August 1915 Brigadier General H F Thuillier 5 October 1915 Brigadier General A B Hubback 10 March 1916 Brigadier General G C Kemp 6 July 1917 Lieutenant Colonel R Bellamy 2 March 1918 acting Brigadier General Sir W A I Kay Bt 5 March 1918 Lieutenant Colonel R Bellamy 17 March 1918 acting Lieutenant Colonel G St G Robinson 21 March 1918 acting Brigadier General G C Kelly 23 March 1918 Lieutenant Colonel D S Johnson 26 September 1918 acting Brigadier General G C Kelly 21 November 1918 Second World War edit nbsp Troops from the 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire leap from their Bren gun carriers while training at Bourghelles 21 March 1940 During the Second World War the 2nd Infantry Brigade saw active service in many of the major campaigns that the British Army fought in from France with the BEF to Tunisia in North Africa and finally Italy and saw some extremely hard fighting at the Battle of Anzio where during a German counterattack the brigade was surrounded and nearly destroyed In April 1943 during the fighting in Tunisia Lieutenant Willward Alexander Sandys Clarke of the 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire was posthumously awarded the brigades only Victoria Cross VC of the war Order of battle edit The 2nd Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war 1st Battalion Loyal Regiment North Lancashire 2nd Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders left 7 March 1940 2nd Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company formed 3 September 1939 disbanded 28 December 1940 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders from 7 March 1940 4 Commanders edit The following officers commanded 2nd Infantry Brigade during the war Brig Charles Hudson 1938 1940 Brig Arthur Dowler 1940 1941 Brig Eric Edward James Moore 1941 1944 Brig Adrian Clements Gore 1944 Brig Charles Edward Anson Firth 1944 Brig Richard Neville Anderson 1944 1945Post Second World War editThe brigade was reformed as a regional brigade by the 1980s 5 In the House of Commons on 8 January 2002 the Secretary of State for Defence said that The two light infantry brigade headquarters 52 Lowland Brigade and 2 South East Brigade are being re roled from regional brigade headquarters to provide better command and control arrangements for the light infantry role battalions all of which are currently deployable Thus the reorganisation of the two brigades will not result in an increase in the number of deployable troops The change will bring greater coherence to the way that these units prepare for operations through improved co ordination of training 6 Following broad reorganisation under the Future Army Structures 2nd Infantry Brigade was renamed 2nd South East Brigade in 2007 The name was in line with its revised role as a Regional Brigade responsible largely for Territorial Army units The brigade became part of the United Kingdom s Support Command as the 2nd South East Brigade It was not listed under the Army 2020 plan In December 2014 the Brigade merged with 145 South Brigade to form Headquarters 11th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters South East 7 References edit Naval amp Military intelligence The 1st Army Corps The Times No 36892 London 7 October 1902 p 8 The 1st Division in 1914 1918 Retrieved 29 July 2015 Becke Major A F 1935 Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1 The Regular British Divisions London HMSO p 34 ISBN 1 871167 09 4 British Infantry Brigades 1st thru 215th 1939 1945 PDF Archived from the original PDF on 3 March 2016 Retrieved 29 July 2015 Isby David Kamps Charles 1985 Armies of NATO s Central Front Jane s ISBN 978 0710603418 Brigade Reorganisation Hansard 8 January 2002 Retrieved 24 March 2021 11th Infantry Brigade amp HQ South East British Army Retrieved 13 August 2015 External links edit2 South East Brigade on British Army official website Official site for the Princess of Wales s Royal Regiment The Tigers Official site for 103 Battalion REME V Official site for the Royal Gurkha Rifles The British Army in Brunei official website 2 Infantry Brigade Orders of Battle com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2nd Infantry Brigade United Kingdom amp oldid 1165231623, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.