195th (2/1st Scottish Rifles) Brigade

Last updated
195th (2/1st Scottish Rifles) Brigade
Active1915-1918
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg Territorial Army
Type Infantry
Size Brigade
Part of 65th (2nd Lowland) Division
Engagements World War I

The 195th (2/1st Scottish Rifles) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army raised during the Great War. The brigade was part of the Territorial Force and created as a 2nd Line of the 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade and part of the 65th (2nd Lowland) Division, itself formed as a 2nd Line of the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The brigade was initially composed of four battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).

Infantry military personnel who travel and fight on foot

Infantry is a military specialization that engages in military combat on foot, distinguished from cavalry, artillery, and tank forces. Also known as foot soldiers or infanteers, infantry traditionally relies on moving by foot between combats as well, but may also use mounts, military vehicles, or other transport. Infantry make up a large portion of all armed forces in most nations, and typically bear the largest brunt in warfare, as measured by casualties, deprivation, or physical and psychological stress.

Brigade Military formation size designation, typically of 3-6 battalions

A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.

British Army land warfare branch of the British Armed Forces of the United Kingdom

The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of British Armed Forces. As of 2018, the British Army comprises just over 81,500 trained regular (full-time) personnel and just over 27,000 trained reserve (part-time) personnel.

Contents

Origin

The units and formations of the Territorial Force were mobilised on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914. Almost immediately, they were invited to volunteer for Overseas Service. On 15 August, the War Office issued instructions to separate those men who had signed up for Home Service only, and form them into reserve units. On 31 August, the formation of a reserve or 2nd Line unit was authorised for each 1st Line unit where 60 per cent or more of the men had volunteered for Overseas Service. The titles of these 2nd Line units would be the same as the original, but distinguished by a '2/' prefix. The large numbers of volunteers coming forward were assigned to these 2nd Line units for training. Later, the Home Service men were separated into provisional units, while the 2nd Line continued to train drafts for the 1st Line serving overseas. [1]

Territorial Force former volunteer reserve component of the British Army

The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry into a unified auxiliary, commanded by the War Office and administered by local County Territorial Associations. The Territorial Force was designed to reinforce the regular army in expeditionary operations abroad, but because of political opposition it was assigned to home defence. Members were liable for service anywhere in the UK and could not be compelled to serve overseas. In the first two months of the First World War, territorials volunteered for foreign service in significant numbers, allowing territorial units to be deployed abroad. They saw their first action on the Western Front during the initial German offensive of 1914, and the force filled the gap between the near destruction of the regular army that year and the arrival of the New Army in 1915. Territorial units were deployed to Gallipoli in 1915 and, following the failure of that campaign, provided the bulk of the British contribution to allied forces in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. By the war's end, the Territorial Force had fielded twenty-three infantry divisions and two mounted divisions on foreign soil. It was demobilised after the war and reconstituted in 1921 as the Territorial Army.

War Office department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army

The War Office was a Department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. It was equivalent to the Admiralty, responsible for the Royal Navy, and the Air Ministry, which oversaw the Royal Air Force. The name "War Office" is also given to the former home of the department, the War Office building, located at the junction of Horse Guards Avenue and Whitehall in central London.

Order of battle

The brigade's initial organisation was as follows: [2] [3] [4]

Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Infantry regiment of the British Army, 1881-1968

The Cameronians was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. In 1968, when reductions were required, the regiment chose to be disbanded rather than amalgamated with another regiment, one of only two infantry regiments in the British Army to do so, with the other being the York and Lancaster Regiment. It can trace its roots to that of the Cameronians, later the 26th of Foot, who were raised in 1689. The 1881 amalgamation coincided with the Cameronian's selection to become the new Scottish Rifles.

The 4th Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteer Corps was a Scottish Volunteer unit of the British Army. Originally raised in Glasgow in 1859, it later became a battalion of the Cameronians. During World War I it served at Gallipoli, in Egypt and Palestine, and on the Western Front. Converted into an anti-aircraft regiment just before World War II, it served throughout the war and continued in air defence role in the postwar years until 1950.

Reorganisation

In November 1915 the units of 65th (2nd L) Division were reorganised into composite battalions and numbered sequentially. At this time 195th Bde was composed as follows: [2] [3]

The Queen's Edinburgh Rifles was a brigade of Rifle Volunteers raised in the City of Edinburgh in 1859. It later formed two battalions of the Royal Scots, which fought in World War I at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front. The two battalions combined between the world wars before being converted into an air defence regiment of the Royal Artillery (RA). This served in Anti-Aircraft Command during World War II and continued in the postwar Territorial Army (TA) until 1961, when its successors were converted into Royal Engineers (RE).

The 6th Battalion, Royal Scots, was a unit of Britain's part-time Territorial Force. Beginning as a Volunteer unit formed from teetotallers in the city of Edinburgh in 1867, it later became affiliated to the Royal Scots. During World War I it served in the Senussi Campaign and on the Western Front. Postwar it was converted into a medium artillery battery.

Royal Scots

The Royal Scots , once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of Scotland. The regiment existed continuously until 2006, when it amalgamated with the King's Own Scottish Borderers to become the Royal Scots Borderers, which merged with the Royal Highland Fusiliers, the Black Watch, the Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

Later war

In January 1916 the composite battalions returned to their original regiments: [2] [3]

Service

The brigade was formed in January 1915, but progressive training of the 2nd Line units was hampered by the need to provide frequent reinforcement drafts to the 1st Line, by the lack of up-to-date arms and equipment, and the reorganisation when Home Service men were drafted to separate units. By August 195, 65th (2nd L) Division had concentrated round Bridge of Allan, with 195th Bde at Cambusbarron, where it remained until March 1916. In that month the division moved to Essex, where it joined Southern Army (Home Forces), with 195th Bde at Billericay, later at Witham and Terling. [3]

Early in 1917 the division was sent to Ireland to relieve 59th (2nd North Midland) Division, which had been based there since the Easter Rising of 1916. 195th Brigade was dispersed to Fermoy, Tralee, Limerick, Moore Park and Kilworth. [3]

65th (2nd Lowland) Division and its brigades were disbanded on 18 March 1918. [2] [3]

Commanders

The following officers commanded the brigade: [3]

Notes

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References

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