| 225th Brigade 225th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) | |
|---|---|
| Active | May 1915–1919 14 November 1940 – 30 November 1941 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  British Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Training and Home Defence |
| Size | Brigade |
| Engagements | First World War Second World War |
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.
On the outbreak of World War I, the Territorial Force (TF) immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards (31 August 1914), its units were authorised to raise 2nd battalions formed from those men who had not volunteered for, or were not fit for, overseas service, together with new volunteers, while the 1st Line went overseas to supplement the Regulars. [1] Early in 1915 the 2nd Line TF battalions were raised to full strength to form new divisions, and began to form Reserve (3rd Line) units to supply drafts. [2] The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions (termed Provisional Battalions from June 1915). [3] [4] [5]
5th Provisional Brigade was formed mainly from details of regiments from East and South-East England, with the following composition: [5] [6]
68th Provisional Battalion from Home Service details of 5th Bn, Bedfordshire Regiment and 1st Bn, Hertfordshire Regiment [3] [13]
During the autumn of 1915, 5th Provisional Brigade was stationed in Suffolk, attached to 58th (2/1st London) Division for administration, and to 1st Mounted Division for operations. [16] In April 1916 2/1st East Anglian (Essex) Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery joined the brigade and remained with it until the end of the war. [17] By July 1916 the brigade was under the control of Northern Army of Central Force, with its battalions billeted as follows: [18]
The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit. The Provisional Brigades thus became anomalous, and at the end of 1916 their units became numbered battalions of their parent units. Part of their role was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas. 5th Provisional Brigade became 225th Mixed Brigade in December 1916, with its units redesignated as follows from 1 January 1917: [5] [19]
On 26 November 1917, 1207th (Home Counties) Battery transferred to 12th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which was reforming in 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division. [30] [31]
In May 1918 each of the Mixed Brigades was called upon to provide a battalion (redesignated a Garrison Guard battalion) to reconstitute the 59th (2nd North Midland) Division, which had been virtually destroyed during the German Army's Spring Offensive. 225th Mixed Brigade supplied 15th Essex to 177th (2/1st Lincoln and Leicester) Brigade and immediately raised a new 18th (Home Service) Battalion Essex Regiment to take over its coast defence duties. [12] [24] [25] [26] [32] The brigade remained with this composition until the end of the war, after which it was demobilised. [19]
The 225th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 14 November 1940, during the Second World War. It was commanded by Brigadier J.W. Pendlebury and initially consisted of newly raised infantry battalions from North-West England. [33] Upon formation the 225th Brigade came under Western Command until 10 February 1941 when it briefly came under command of 54th (East Anglian) Infantry Division. [33] On 12 March 1941, the Brigade became part of the newly created Northumberland County Division. [34] The Northumberland County Division was broken up on 30 November 1941, when the headquarters of 225th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) was re-designated HQ 35th Army Tank Brigade. [35] Its infantry battalions were converted to the armoured role as shown:
The composition of 225th Brigade was as follows: [33]
The 225th Brigade number has never been reactivated.
227th Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army formed for Home Service under various short-lived titles in the First and the Second World Wars. Later it was upgraded to a field formation composed of Scottish troops, and saw heavy fighting in the Normandy and North West Europe Campaign.
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The 141st Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Army, part of the British Army, that served in the First World War and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War.
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 213th Brigade was a Home Defence and training formation of the British Army during both the First and Second World Wars.
215th Brigade was a Home Service formation of the British Army during the First and the Second World Wars.
The 219th Brigade was a Home Service formation of the British Army during the First and the Second World Wars.
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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 World War I and World War II.
221st Mixed Brigade was a Scottish Home Service formation of the British Army that served under various titles throughout World War I.
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 World War I and World War II. It existed under several variations of the 224th 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.
72nd Division was a short-lived infantry division of the British Army during World War I. It served in the Home Defence forces and never went overseas.
73rd Division was a short-lived infantry division of the British Army during World War I. It served in Home Forces and never went overseas.
The 7th Battalion, Essex Regiment was a volunteer unit of Britain's Territorial Army. First formed in the eastern suburbs of London in 1860, it served as infantry at Gallipoli and in Palestine during World War I. It later became an anti-aircraft (AA) unit of the Royal Artillery (RA), serving in North Africa and Italy during World War II.
The 6th Battalion, Essex Regiment was a volunteer unit of Britain's Territorial Army. First formed in the docks of East London in 1860, it served as infantry at Gallipoli and in Palestine during the First World War. It later formed searchlight units of the Royal Artillery (RA), serving during the Blitz.