59th Brigade (United Kingdom)

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59th Brigade
Active14 September 1914–28 May 1919
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg New Army
Type Infantry
Size Brigade
Part of 20th (Light) Division
Nickname(s)Greenjacket Brigade

59th Brigade (59th Bde) was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War I. It was formed in September 1914 as part of the new army also known as Kitchener's Army and was assigned to the 20th (Light) Division, serving on the Western Front. [1] [2] It was popularly known as the 'Greenjacket Brigade' [lower-alpha 1] because it was composed of battalions of the King's Royal Rifle Corps and the Rifle Brigade, whose full dress uniforms were Rifle green. [3]

Contents

Origin

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army. The newly-appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. Men flooded into the recruiting offices and the 'first hundred thousand' were enlisted within days. This group of six infantry divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'. [4] [5] Recruits continued to arrive in large numbers, and Army Order No 382 of 11 September authorised a further six divisions (15th–20th), which became the Second New Army (K2). 20th (Light) Division began forming at Aldershot with the 59th, 60th and 61st Brigades. [1] [2]

Order of Battle

The brigade was composed as follows: [1] [2]

Service

20th (Light) Division crossed to France in July 1915 and completed its concentration in the area west of Saint-Omer by 26 July. Thereafter it served on the Western Front in the following operations: [1] [2]

1915

1916

1917

1918

Following the Armistice with Germany demobilisation of 20th (L) Division began in January 1919 and the division and its formations ceased to exist on 28 May 1919. [1]

59th Brigade was not reactivated in World War II. [6]

Commanders

The following officers commanded the brigade: [1]

Insignia

Top row: left to right: 10th, 11th KRRC, 10th, 11th Rifle Brigade; bottom row: brigade HQ, 59th MG Co, 59th Trench Mortar Bty. 59th Brigade WW1 battle patches.svg
Top row: left to right: 10th, 11th KRRC, 10th, 11th Rifle Brigade; bottom row: brigade HQ, 59th MG Co, 59th Trench Mortar Bty.

The formation sign of 20th (L) Division was a white circle bearing a black cross with a red bull's-eye at the centre. [7] In the summer of 1917 the division adopted a comprehensive scheme for battalion identification signs worn on both sleeves. These were black geometric shapes, with 59th Bde using circles. Underneath, one, two, three or four bars indicated the battalion's seniority. 11th KRRC (the former 60th Foot) also wore a Rifle green diamond with '11' over '60th' in red on its helmet coverings. [8]

Footnote

  1. Not to be confused with the Green Jackets Brigade, an official administrative brigade of the British Army 1946–66.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Becke, pp. 95–101.
  2. 1 2 3 4 20th (Light) Division at Long, Long Trail.
  3. Berkeley, pp. 108, 233.
  4. War Office Instructions No 32 (6 August) and No 37 (7 August).
  5. Becke, pp. 2 & 8.
  6. Joslen, p. 297.
  7. Elderton & Gibbs, pp. 33, 42.
  8. Hibberd, pp. 21–2.

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References

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