119th Brigade (United Kingdom)

Last updated

119th Infantry Brigade
Active22 July 1915–2 May 1918
14 June 1918 – May 1919
9 November 1943 – 12 April 1944
CountryFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
Type Infantry
RoleInfantry and deception
Size Brigade
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 C. Cunliffe-Owen
F.P. Crozier

The 119th Brigade, originally the Welsh Bantam Brigade, was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army during World War I. Part of Lord Kitchener's 'New Armies', it served in the 40th Division on the Western Front. The brigade number was reactivated for deception purposes during World War II.

Contents

Origin

119th Brigade was a New Army or 'Kitchener's Army' formation raised during 1915. An earlier 119th Brigade had been raised in late 1914 as part of the 'Fifth New Army', but when the Fourth New Army was broken up in April 1915 to provide reserve units for the First to Third New Armies, the formations of the Fifth took their place, and the original 119th Brigade was renumbered 100th Brigade. [1] By the time the new 119th Brigade was organised the flow of volunteers had dwindled, and the standard of height for infantry soldiers had been lowered in order to encourage recruitment. The brigade's four battalions were composed entirely of these 'bantams' recruited in Wales. The Welsh Bantam Brigade adopted the number 119 when it was assigned to 40th Division in September 1915. [2]

Initial order of battle

The original units forming 119th Brigade were as follows: [2]

Training

Divisional organisation and training was delayed because the other brigades contained a large proportion of under-developed and unfit men, unlike 119's 'hardy, well-knit Welshmen'. The rest of the division had to undergo a drastic weeding-out and the drafting in of new battalions before it was fit for service. This was completed in February 1916. Divisional training was then intensified and it was warned for overseas service in May 1916. Disembarkation was carried out at Le Havre between 2 and 6 June, and 40th Division concentrated in the Lillers area by 9 June ready to take its place in the line. [2] [6] Units went into the trenches attached to formations of I Corps for familiarisation, and then the division took over its own section of line. 18th Welch of 119th Brigade carried out 40 Division's first trench raid in July 1916. [7]

Operations

A few months after 119th Brigade's arrival in France, a noted fighting general, [8] Brig.-Gen. Frank Crozier, was appointed to the command (November 1916). During the bitter winter in the mud of the old Somme battlefield he trained the men, and when the Germans retreated to their Hindenburg Line in early 1917, the Welsh Bantam Brigade fought its first offensive actions, the Borderers taking 'Fifteen Ravine', the Welch taking a ridge named 'Welch Ridge' and the Royal Welch Fusiliers taking La Vacquerie and renaming it 'Fusilier Ridge'. [9] [10]

Bourlon Wood

Later in the year, 119th Brigade took a leading part in the capture of Bourlon Wood (23–25 November) during the Battle of Cambrai. Despite the formation's lack of experience of fighting with tanks, 40th Division's attack was the most successful on 23 November. Once inside the wood, Crozier found that both flanks were in the air, but stocked his positions with food and ammunition to hold out against fierce counter-attacks. Although 119th Brigade was relieved by the Guards Division after epic fighting, the cavalry failed to move through to continue the battle. [11] [12] [13]

After the losses of 1917 the Welsh Bantam Brigade had almost disappeared and in February 1918 it was reorganised. 19th Royal Welsh Fusiliers sent a draft to one of its Regular battalions and was then disbanded, as were 12th South Wales Borderers and 17th Welsh; the remaining men of these battalions were transferred to entrenching battalions. Only 18th Welsh of the original brigade remained; this was joined by 13th East Surrey Regiment and 21st Middlesex Regiment (from 120th Brigade and 121st Brigade respectively in 40th Division). The Brigade Machine Gun Company left to join the Divisional Machine Gun Battalion. [2] [14]

German Spring Offensive

119th Brigade took part in the following further actions during the German spring offensive of 1918: [2]

After suffering heavy losses in these actions, 40th Division was withdrawn from the Line and temporarily formed into two Composite Brigades. No 2 Composite Brigade formed under Brig-Gen Crozier on 27 April 1918 consisted of: [15] [16]

2 Composite Brigade was engaged in digging the Poperinghe Line in case of further German breakthroughs. It was withdrawn on 2 May, and in common with the rest of the division the units were reduced to training cadres and sent to England. [15] [17]

Reconstitution

In June 1918, 40th Division was reconstituted from 'Garrison Guard' battalions composed of men of Medical Category 'B1'. The division was officially revived on 14 June, when 119th Brigade (still under Crozier) had the following composition: [2] [18] [19]

The division was sent to hold the West Hazebrouck Line, a reserve position that was being prepared in case of a further German breakthrough. 119th Brigade, together with a company of Royal Engineers and seven labour companies, was assigned the northern part of this line. [23] [24] By dint of 'weeding out' the least fit men and by hard training, the reconstituted formation was made ready for frontline service; the battalions officially dropped the 'Garrison' part of their titles on 13 July 1918. [2] [25] [26] On 18 July, 119th Brigade was the first part of the division to re-enter the frontline, taking over a trench sector under command of 1st Australian Division until the end of the month. [27] The brigade was back in the line in August, taking a full part in trench raids, encouraged by Crozier's offer of a £5 reward for the first German prisoner brought in, and £1 for each subsequent capture. [28] [29]

Advance to Victory

On 27 August the reconstituted division made its first attack, with 119th Brigade contributing 13th Inniskilling Fusiliers and a company of 12th North Staffords. [30] For the next few weeks the brigade followed the retreating Germans towards the River Lys with fighting patrols and some small sharp actions were fought. The brigade then took a full part in the 'Final Advance' of October–November 1918 from the Lys to the Scheldt. After dark on 8 November Crozier crossed the Scheldt by pontoon bridges with 13th East Lancashires and 12th North Staffords and by the following morning 119th Brigade had occupied a line across the railway on the higher ground beyond. [31] [32] [33] After this, 40th Division was withdrawn from the Front, and the war ended on 11 November with the signing of the Armistice with Germany. [34] [35] [36]

Disbandment

After the Armistice, the division was engaged in road repair and refresher courses for men returning to civilian trades. Demobilisation proceeded rapidly during January and February 1919, and its units were reduced to cadre strength by March. The final cadres disappeared during May. [2]

Commanders

The following officers commanded the Welsh Bantam Brigade/119th Brigade during World War I: [2]

Second World War

119th Brigade was never reformed, but the number was used for deception purposes during the Second World War. 30th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry, a line of communication unit serving in 43rd Brigade in Sicily and composed mainly of men below Medical Category 'A', was redesignated '119th Infantry Brigade' and acted as if it were a full brigade in an equally fictitious '40th Infantry Division' from November 1943 until April 1944. [37]

Notes

  1. ↑ Becke, pp. 32–7.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Becke, pp. 101–8.
  3. ↑ Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Long, Long Trail
  4. ↑ South Wales Borderers at Long, Long Trail
  5. 1 2 Welsh Regiment at Long, Long Trail Archived 28 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ Whitton, pp. 8–19.
  7. ↑ Whitton, pp. 26–36.
  8. ↑ Obituary, The Times (London) 1 September 1937.
  9. ↑ Crozier, pp. 131–42.
  10. ↑ Whitton, pp. 75–80.
  11. ↑ Crozier, pp. 177–81.
  12. ↑ Cooper, pp. 151–4.
  13. ↑ Whitton, pp. 121–46.
  14. ↑ Crozier, p 189.
  15. 1 2 Becke, p. 105.
  16. ↑ Whitton, pp. 268.
  17. ↑ Whitton, pp. 272–3.
  18. ↑ Whitton, pp. 274–6.
  19. ↑ Crozier, pp. 213–5.
  20. ↑ Royal Inninskilling Fusiliers at Long, Long Trail
  21. ↑ East Lancashires at Long, Long Trail
  22. ↑ North Staffords at Long, Long Trail
  23. ↑ Whitton, pp. 274–5.
  24. ↑ Crozier, p. 216.
  25. ↑ Crozier, pp. 216–23.
  26. ↑ Whitton, pp. 275–8.
  27. ↑ Whitton, pp. 278–9.
  28. ↑ Crozier, p. 217.
  29. ↑ Whitton, pp. 280–1.
  30. ↑ Whitton, p. 281.
  31. ↑ Crozier, p. 227.
  32. ↑ Edmonds, p. 547.
  33. ↑ Becke, p. 107.
  34. ↑ Becke, p. 108.
  35. ↑ Whitton, p. 309.
  36. ↑ Crozier, p. 229.
  37. ↑ Joslen, pp. 288, 310.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">32nd Division (United Kingdom)</span> Infantry division of the British Army during the First World War

The 32nd Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was raised in 1914, during the First World War. The division was raised from volunteers for Lord Kitchener's New Armies, made up of infantry 'Pals battalions' and artillery brigades raised by public subscription or private patronage. The division was taken over by the War Office in September 1915. It served in France and Belgium in the trenches of the Western Front for the duration of the war. It saw action at the Battle of the Somme, the Pursuit to the Hindenburg Line, the Defence of Nieuport, the German spring offensive, and the Allied Hundred Days Offensive beginning at the Battle of Amiens. After the Armistice it marched into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team</span> Military unit

The 7th Light Mechanised Brigade Combat Team is a formation in the British Army with a direct lineage to 7th Armoured Brigade and a history that stretches back to the Napoleonic Wars. It saw active service in the Crimean War, the Second Boer War and both the First and the Second World Wars. In 2014, the 7th Armoured Brigade was re-designated as 7th Infantry Brigade, thereby ensuring that the famed "Desert Rats" continue in the British Army's Order of battle.

The 22nd Division was an infantry division of the British Army during World War I, raised in September 1914, from men volunteering for Lord Kitchener's New Armies. The division moved to France in September 1915, but it was transferred to Greece only one month later. It served in the Balkans Campaign for the duration of the First World War.

The 19th Brigade is an Army Reserve formation of the British Army. As the 19th Infantry Brigade, it fought in the First and Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">40th Division (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

The 40th Division was an infantry division of the British Army active during the First World War, where it served on the Western Front. It was a division of Lord Kitchener's New Army volunteers, mostly "bantam" recruits of below regulation height. It was later briefly reformed as a deception formation in the Second World War, and during the early years of the Cold War was recreated a third time to garrison Hong Kong.

The 28th Division was an infantry division of the British Army raised for service in World War I.

228th Brigade was a formation of the British Army in both the First and Second World Wars.

The 25th Division was an infantry division of the British Army, raised as part of Lord Kitchener's Third New Army (K3) in September 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the Great War. It served on the Western Front for most of the war.

The 158th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that served in both the First and Second World Wars, before being disbanded in 1968. Throughout its existence the brigade was assigned to the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division and was composed almost entirely of Territorial battalions from the Royal Welch Fusiliers.

The 155th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars. Assigned to the 52nd (Lowland) Division, the brigade saw active service in the Middle East and on the Western Front during the First World War. During the Second World War, now the 155th Infantry Brigade, it continued to serve with the 52nd Division in Operation Dynamo, and later in North-western Europe from late 1944 until May 1945.

The Liverpool Brigade, later 165th (Liverpool) Brigade was an infantry brigade of Britain's Volunteer Force that served during World War I with the 55th Division of the British Army. During World War II, again as part of the 55th Infantry Division, the brigade remained in the United Kingdom.

The 142nd Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Army, part of the British Army, that served in the First and the Second World Wars, and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the latter.

The 113th Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army active in both the First and the Second World Wars.

The 120th Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army during World War I. Part of Lord Kitchener's 'New Armies', it served in the 40th Division on the Western Front. In 1918 it was reorganised as the 120th (Highland) Brigade. The brigade number was reactivated for deception purposes during World War II.

The 121st Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army during World War I. Part of Lord Kitchener's 'New Armies', it served in the 40th Division on the Western Front. The brigade number was reactivated for deception purposes during World War II.

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

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

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.

The South Wales Brigade was a Territorial Force infantry brigade of the British Army. Formed in 1908, it was not part of any division, instead serving as Army Troops, though attached to the Welsh Division in peacetime. It was dissolved in early 1915 as its constituent battalions were posted to other formations.

References

External 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.