21st Brigade (United Kingdom)

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21st Brigade
21st Infantry Brigade
Active1914–1918
1940
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Type Infantry
Size Brigade
Part of 7th Division
Engagements Second Boer War
World War I
World War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Maj-Gen Bruce Hamilton
Brig J.C.O. Marriott

21st Brigade (21st Bde) was an infantry formation of the British Army first organised in the Second Boer War, when it took part in Ian Hamilton's March from Bloemfontein to Pretoria. Reformed in World War I it served under the command of first 7th Division and then 30th Division, fighting in most of the major battles on the Western Front from the First Battle of Ypres to the Armistice. It was briefly re-raised in the Sudan early in World War II before being transferred to the Indian Army.

Contents

Second Boer War

British Army brigades had traditionally been ad hoc formations known by the name of their commander or numbered as an integral part of a division. However, units deployed to the Second Boer War in 1899 were organised into sequentially numbered brigades that were frequently reassigned between divisions. [1] [2] 21st Brigade was formed in South Africa in April 1900 under the command of Major-General Bruce Hamilton. [3] Bruce Hamilton (described as a 'superb fighting general' [4] ) had begun the war a substantive Major and Brevet Colonel serving as Assistant Adjutant General of 2nd Division, and had been wounded in the action at Venter's Spruit on 20 January. [5] [6] [7] His new brigade comprised three Regular infantry battalions together with the famous City Imperial Volunteers (CIV), recently arrived from Britain. [3] [8] [9]

Order of Battle 1900

The composition of 21st Bde in April–June 1900 was as follows: [3] [10] [11]

Bloemfontein to Pretoria

21st Brigade began operations as part of Lord Roberts' force and was then assigned to Lieutenant-General Ian Hamilton's Winburg Column. This force operated on Lord Roberts' right flank during the advance into the Orange Free State. [3] [4] [20] [21] [22]

Hamilton's Column left Bloemfontein on 22 April and took part in the following general actions in a march of over 450 miles (720 km) in 45 days: [10] [23]

Guerrilla warfare

After Diamond Hill and the occupation of Pretoria and Johannesburg the war resolved into a lengthy guerrilla campaign conducted on the British side by ad hoc columns, often mounted. The CIV and Derbyshires left 21st Bde on convoy work, but the other units participated in the battle of Retiefs Nek (24 July) and the capture of the main Orange Free State force at the Brandwater Basin (30 July). Having covered 1,200 miles (1,900 km) since 28 April, 21st Bde began a new 80 miles (130 km) march on 28 August. Its task was first to relieve a surrounded force of MI and Imperial Yeomanry, during which it captured Commandant Olivier and his force, then to rescue a force of Royal Marine Light Infantry and Yeomanry, to rout Commandant Fourie's force on 4 September. Thereafter its units continued to participate individually in the efforts to catch Christiaan de Wet and the other Boer forces still at large – Bruce Hamilton still had the Sussex and Cameron Highlanders with him during the autumn campaign – but the brigade organisation had disappeared. [7] [16] [18] [19] [32] [33]

World War I

It was assigned to the 7th Division and later to 30th Division, serving on the Western Front during World War I.

Order of battle

The composition of the brigade was: [34]

On reorganisation in July 1918:

World War II

The brigade was reformed in World War II. The brigade Headquarters were formed in the Sudan on 24 July 1940, commanded by Brigadier J.C.O. Marriott and, as in World War I, consisting of three Regular Army battalions. However, with the arrival of the 5th Indian Infantry Division, which at the time consisted only of two brigades, the brigade was transferred to the Indian Army establishment and subsequently, on 12 October 1940, redesignated as the 29th Indian Infantry Brigade and the battalions were posted to the other two brigades of 5th Indian Division, the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment to the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade and 1st Essex Regiment to 10th Indian Infantry Brigade. [35] [36]

Order of battle

Notes

  1. Amery, Vol II, p. 114.
  2. Dunlop, p 74.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Amery, Appendix, p 505.
  4. 1 2 Lee, pp. 59–60.
  5. Creswicke, Vol II, 'Chart of Staff Appointments'.
  6. Creswicke, Vol III, p. 104.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Sussex Rgt at Anglo Boer War.
  8. Creswicke, Vol III, pp. 171–3.
  9. 1 2 Creswicke, Vol III, p. 132.
  10. 1 2 Churchill, Appendix.
  11. Creswicke, Vol V, p. 90.
  12. Frederick, p. 500.
  13. 76th Bty RA at Anglo Boer War.
  14. Creswicke, Vol III, p. 49.
  15. Creswicke, Vol V, p. 68.
  16. 1 2 3 Sherwood Foresters at Anglo Boer War.
  17. Creswicke, Vol V, pp. 17–8.
  18. 1 2 Camerons at Anglo Boer War.
  19. 1 2 CIV at Anglo Boer War.
  20. Creswicke, Vol V, p. 97.
  21. Creswicke, Vol V, p. 168.
  22. Pakenham, p. 219.
  23. Churchill, pp. 86–107, 137–54.
  24. Churchill, pp. 173–81.
  25. Churchill, pp. 245–57.
  26. Creswicke, Vol V, pp. 147–8.
  27. Lee, p. 61.
  28. Pakenham, p. 220.
  29. Churchill, pp. 381–400.
  30. Creswicke, Vol VI, pp. 12–9.
  31. Lee, pp. 61–2.
  32. Creswicke, Vol VI, pp. 34–5, 49–53, 114–6.
  33. Pakenham, pp. 226–35.
  34. "7th Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  35. Joslen, p. 263.
  36. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

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