190th (2nd Durham Light Infantry) Brigade

Last updated

2nd Durham Light Infantry Brigade
190th (2nd Durham Light Infantry) Brigade
Active18 January 1915–4 December 1916
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg Territorial Force
Type Infantry
RoleCoast Defence
Training
Size Brigade
Part of 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Brig-Gen E.T. Le Marchant

The 190th (2nd Durham Light Infantry) Brigade was a 2nd Line Territorial Force formation of the British Army during World War I. Formed from battalions of the Durham Light Infantry, it served in home defence without ever going overseas as a complete formation.

Contents

Origin

The Durham Light Infantry Brigade had been formed in 1902 to command the part-time Volunteer battalions of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI). [1] After the Volunteers were subsumed into the Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, [2] [3] the 6th–9th Battalions of the DLI constituted the DLI Brigade in the TF's Northumbrian Division. [4]

When World War I broke out in 1914, the TF units were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August 1914, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and on 31 August the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each TF unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The Northumbrian Division and its components began training for deployment overseas while a cadre of officers and men who were unfit or who had not volunteered for overseas service remained at the units' headquarters to begin the task of raising 2nd Line battalions from the mass of volunteers who were coming forward. The titles of these 2nd-Line units were the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. In this way duplicate battalions, brigades and divisions were created, mirroring those TF formations being sent overseas. [5] [6] [7]

Service

The 2nd DLI Brigade Headquarters was formed at Durham on 18 January 1915 and the 2nd Northumbrian Division began to assemble round Newcastle upon Tyne later that month. While under training the division was also responsible for coast defence in North East England, from Seaham Harbour, through Sunderland to Newcastle. The 2nd DLI Brigade manned trenches between Seaham and Roker, with Brigade HQ at Leam Camp, Heworth. [6] [7] [8] [9]

The 1st Line embarked for France during April 1915 (where they received the designations 50th (Northumbrian) Division and 151st (Durham Light Infantry) Brigade). They joined the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and were immediately thrown into action at the Second Battle of Ypres, suffering heavy casualties. [4] [10] [11] The division's 2nd Line units had been providing reinforcement drafts to the 1st Line since January, now this became an important role. By May 1915, all the 2nd DLI Brigade's Home Service men had been transferred to form 23rd Provisional Bn (later 26th DLI) serving in coast defence, and thenceforth the 2nd Line units concentrated on training drafts for the 1st Line serving in France. [6] [12] [13] The 2nd Northumbrian Division was numbered 63rd (2nd Northumbrian) Division and the 2nd DLI Brigade became 190th (2nd Durham Light Infantry) Brigade on 16 August. In November 1915 the brigade moved into winter quarters at Doncaster. [6] [9] [7] [8]

Early in 1916, the 63rd Division was seriously under strength, and the decision was made to break it up. Its number and ancillary units were transferred to the Royal Naval Division, veterans of Antwerp and Gallipoli, then arriving on the Western Front. [6] [7] [14] 190th Brigade remained in existence, supplying drafts to the 1st Line in France, and moved to Catterick Camp on 22 July 1916. [6] [7] [8]

Order of Battle

Cap badge of the Durham Light Infantry, Territorial version (1909-53). Durham Light Infantry cap badge (Kings crown Territorial post 1909).jpg
Cap badge of the Durham Light Infantry, Territorial version (1909–53).

The brigade's composition during World War I was as follows: [6]

Disbandment

On 1 November 1916 the 2/9th DLI left the brigade and embarked for the Macedonian front, where it served as a garrison battalion. Then on 29 November 1916, the 2/6th, 2/7th and 2/8th DLI left to form the 214th Brigade in the 71st Division, a new home service division forming in southern England. With no troops remaining to command, 190th (2nd DLI) Brigade HQ was broken up at Catterick on 4 December 1916. [9] [6] [8] [15] [16] [17]

Commander

The 190th (2nd DLI) Brigade only had one commander during its existence: Colonel Edward Thomas Le Marchant was appointed on 18 January 1915. He was promoted to Brigadier-General on 1 September on 1916, and on 11 October took over command of the 189th (2nd York and Durham) Brigade in addition, until it was disbanded on 11 November that year. [6]

Notes

  1. ↑ Army List, various dates.
  2. ↑ Dunlop, Chapter 14.
  3. ↑ Spiers, Chapter 10.
  4. 1 2 Becke, Pt 2a, pp. 93–100.
  5. ↑ Becke, Pt 2b, p. 6.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 49–54.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 63 Division at Long, Long Trail.
  8. 1 2 3 4 63 Division at Regimental Warpath.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Dunn, p. 196.
  10. ↑ Dunn, pp. 33–68.
  11. ↑ Wyrall, pp. 4–70.
  12. ↑ 10th Provisional Brigade War Diary, The National Archives, Kew file WO 95/5458.
  13. ↑ "David Porter's work on Provisional Brigades at Great War Forum". Archived from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
  14. ↑ Becke, Part 3b, pp. 117–28.
  15. ↑ Becke, Pt 2b, pp. 101-5.
  16. ↑ 71 Division at Long, Long Trail.
  17. ↑ 71 Division at Regimental Warpath.

Related Research Articles

127th (Manchester) Brigade Infantry brigade of the British Army

The 127th (Manchester) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service during both the First and Second World Wars. It was assigned to the 42nd Division and served in the Middle East and on the Western Front in the First World War.

The 157th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. The brigade fought in both the First and the Second World Wars, assigned to 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.

The Durham Light Infantry Brigade was formed in 1902 to command the part-time Volunteer battalions of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI). Previously these had been in a combined Tyne and Tees Brigade with battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers. It consisted of the 1st–4th Volunteer Battalions of the DLI, which were renumbered as the 5th–8th Battalions when the Volunteers were subsumed into the Territorial Force (TF) under the Haldane Reforms of 1908. Consisting of 6th–9th Battalions, it became part of the TF's Northumbrian Division. During World War I it was numbered as the 151st Brigade on 14 May 1915, when the division became the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. The TF also raised 2nd Line units and formations, and the 190th Brigade was formed in 63rd Division. The 1st Line battalions adopted the prefix '1/'

The 2nd Kent Brigade was a 2nd Line Territorial Force Brigade of the British Army in World War I. The brigade was formed as a duplicate of the Kent Brigade in October 1914 as part of the 2nd Home Counties Division. As the name suggests, the brigade recruited in Kent. In August 1915, in common with all Territorial Force brigades, it was numbered as 202nd Brigade. Between September 1917 and the end of the year, the brigade was extensively reorganized and lost its territorial identity; henceforth it was known as 202nd Brigade.

The 214th Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War I. It was raised as a second line brigade of the Territorial Force and initially assigned to the 71st Division for coast defence. Later it was reorganised as an all-arms brigade group for service in North Russia, but this was cancelled and it was reassigned to the 67th Division, a training and home defence formation, until the end of the war.

The 206th Brigade was a formation of the British Army during World War I. It was raised as a 2nd-Line duplicate of the Essex Brigade of the Territorial Force and formed part of the 69th Division. It served as a training formation in the United Kingdom without going overseas.

The 134th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. It was formed in the First World War as a duplicate of the Hampshire Brigade and was originally formed as the 2nd/1st Hampshire Brigade in 1914–1915 before later being renamed as the 134th Brigade. It was sent overseas to India in December 1914 to relieve Regular Army units for service in France. The brigade remained there for the rest of the war, supplying drafts of replacements to the British units fighting in the Middle East and later complete battalions. By September 1917 the last of its battalions had departed.

The 135th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. It was formed in the First World War as a duplicate of the South Western Brigade and was originally formed as the 2nd/1st South Western Brigade in 1914–1915 before later being renamed as the 135th Brigade. It was sent overseas to India in December 1914 to relieve Regular Army units for service in France. The brigade remained there for the rest of the war, supplying drafts of replacements to the British units fighting in the Middle East and later complete battalions.

The 136th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. It was formed in the First World War as a duplicate of the Devon and Cornwall Brigade and was originally formed as the 2nd/1st Devon and Cornwall Brigade in 1914–1915 before later being renamed as the 136th Brigade. It was sent overseas to India in December 1914 to relieve Regular Army units for service in France. The brigade remained there for the rest of the war, supplying drafts of replacements to the British units fighting in the Middle East and later complete battalions.

The 222nd Infantry Brigade was a Home Service formation of the British Army that existed under various short-lived titles in both the First and Second World Wars

The 226th Infantry Brigade was a Home Service formation of the British Army that existed under various short-lived titles in both the First and Second World Wars.

221st Mixed Brigade was a Scottish Home Service formation of the British Army that served under various titles throughout World War I.

223rd Brigade (United Kingdom) Home Defence formation of the British Army

The 223rd Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army in the First and the Second World Wars. It existed under several variations of the 223 Brigade title, and was eventually converted into an airborne formation.

The 224th Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army in the First and the Second World Wars. It existed under several variations of the 224th Brigade title.

The 225th Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army in the First and the Second World Wars. It existed under several variations of the 225th Brigade title.

71st Division was a short-lived infantry division of the British Army during the First World War. It served in the Home Defence forces and never went overseas.

The 2nd Home Counties Division was a 2nd Line Territorial Force division of the British Army in World War I. The division was formed as a duplicate of the 44th Division in November 1914. As the name suggests, the division recruited in the Home Counties, particularly Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. In August 1915, in common with all Territorial Force divisions, it was numbered as 67th Division. Between September 1917 and the end of the year, the division was extensively reorganized and lost its territorial identity; henceforth it was known as 67th Division.

The Northern Cyclist Battalion was a bicycle infantry battalion of the Territorial Force, part of the British Army. Formed in 1908, it served in the United Kingdom throughout the First World War and in 1920 it was converted as part of the Royal Garrison Artillery.

The Sunderland Rifles was a Volunteer unit of the British Army formed in 1860. It went on to become a Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in the Territorial Force and saw action as infantry and pioneers in some of the bloodiest actions on the Western Front during World War I. Between the wars it became an air defence unit, serving during World War II in The Blitz and the campaign in North West Europe, when it had a special role in the Rhine crossing. Postwar it continued in the Territorial Army in the air defence role until 1975, when its successor unit reverted to infantry.

The 1st Durham Rifle Volunteers, later the 5th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry, was a part-time unit of the British Army from 1860 to the 1950s. Beginning from small independent corps of the Volunteer Force recruited in County Durham and Teesside, it became part of the Territorial Force and served as infantry in some of the bloodiest actions of the First World War. Later it was converted to anti-aircraft units that served during the Second World War both in Home Defence and in North-West Europe. Its successor units continued in the air defence role in the postwar Territorial Army until 1975.

References

Online sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.