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Devon And Cornwall County Division
The Devon and Cornwall County Division was a County Division of the British Army created during the Second World War. It was formed on 28 February 1941, from recently recruited soldiers, in response to the renewed threat of a German invasion. The 10,000-strong division was a static formation, lacking transport, intended to defend possible landing sites along the southern Cornish and Devon coastlines from invading German troops. The creation of the division also helped to free up the more experienced troops, who were then held back from the coastline to be able to launch a counterattack against any potential German landings. During mid-1941, Germany launched a massive invasion of the Soviet Union, which practically eliminated the threat of an invasion of the United Kingdom. Consequently, the division never saw service in its intended role. With the threat of a German invasion lifted, the British Army began a series of reforms intended to restore balance to the then infantry-heavy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Divisional Insignia Of The British Army
Formation signs at the division level were first introduced in the British Army in the First World War. They were intended (initially) as a security measure to avoid displaying the division's designation in the clear. They were used on vehicles, sign posts and notice boards and were increasingly, but not universally, worn on uniform as the War progressed. Discontinued by the regular army after 1918, only a few Territorial divisions continued to wear them before 1939. Reintroduced officially in late 1940 in the Second World War, divisional formation signs were much more prevalent on uniforms and were taken up by many other formations, independent brigades, corps, armies, overseas and home commands, military districts and lines of communication areas. The sign could be based on many things, geometry (simple or more complex), heraldry, regional or historical associations, a pun, the role of the division or a combination. First World War Until 1916, unit names were written on vehicl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are exclusively infantry, while in others battalions are unit-level organizations. The word battalion came into the English language in the 16th century from the French language ( French: ''bataillon'' meaning "battle squadron"; Italian: ''battaglione'' meaning the same thing; derived from the Vulgar Latin word ''battalia'' meaning "battle" and from the Latin word ''bauttere'' meaning "to beat" or "to strike"). The first use of the word in English was in the 1580s. Description A battalion comprises two or more primary mission companies which are often of a common type (e.g., infantry, tank, or maintenance), although there are exceptions such as combined arms battalions in the U.S. Army. In addition to the primary mission companies, a battal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, (23 July 1883 – 17 June 1963), was a senior officer of the British Army. He was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), the professional head of the British Army, during the Second World War, and was promoted to field marshal on 1 January 1944. As chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, Brooke was the foremost military advisor to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and had the role of co-ordinator of the British military efforts in the Allies' victory in 1945. After retiring from the British Army, he served as Lord High Constable of England during the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. His war diaries attracted attention for their criticism of Churchill and for Brooke's forthright views on other leading figures of the war. Background and early life Alan Brooke was born on 23 July 1883 at Bagnères-de-Bigorre, Hautes-Pyrénées, to a prominent Anglo-Irish family from West Ulster. The Brookes had a lon ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General (United Kingdom)
General (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the British Army. The rank can also be held by Royal Marines officers in tri-service posts, for example, General Sir Gordon Messenger the former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. It ranks above Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom), lieutenant-general and, in the Army, is subordinate to the rank of Field marshal (United Kingdom), field marshal, which is now only awarded as an honorary rank. The rank of general has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank. It is equivalent to a Admiral (Royal Navy), full admiral in the Royal Navy or an air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force. Officers holding the ranks of lieutenant-general and Major-general (United Kingdom), major-general may be generically considered to be generals. Insignia A general's insignia is a crossed sword and baton. This appeared o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
211th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 211th Infantry Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army during the Second World War. Origin The brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 11 October 1940 by No 11 Infantry Training Group in the South West Area of Southern Command. Initially under the name of 211th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) it was composed of newly raised battalions. Composition The composition of 211 Brigade was as follows:Joslen, p. 374 *As part of the Devon and Cornwall County Division ** 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment ''(until 30 November 1941)'' ** 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment ''(until 30 November 1941)'' ** 9th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry ''(until 19 May 1941)'' ** 14th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment ''(22 June- 3 October 1941)'' *As part of the 77th Infantry Division ** 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment ''(1 December 1941 – 20 September 1942)'' ** 10th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment ''(1 December 1941 – 2 January 1943)'' ** 13th B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
209th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 209th Infantry Brigade (209 Bde) was a Home Defence formation of the British Army during the Second World War. Origin The brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 13 October 1940 by No 9 Infantry Training Group in the South West Area of Southern Command. Under the name of 209th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) it was initially composed of newly raised battalions of the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment).Joslen, p. 372. Composition The composition of 209 Brigade was as follows: *As part of the Devon and Cornwall County Division ** 7th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) ''(until 7 November 1941, when it converted to 141st Regiment Royal Armoured Corps)'' ** 8th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) ''(until 22 September 1942)'' ** 9th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) ''(21 October 1940 – 15 August 1941, 24 – 30 November 1941)'' ** 10th Battalion, Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) ''(until 30 November 1941)'' *As part of the 77th Inf ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
Southern Command was a Command of the British Army. Nineteenth century Great Britain was divided into military districts on the outbreak of war with France in 1793. By the 1830s the command included the counties of Kent and Sussex (the original Southern District during the Napoleonic Wars) as well as Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire (the original South Inland District) and Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset (the original South-West District) and Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire (the original Severn District). The role of South-West District Commander, which was doubled hatted with that of Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth, was originally based at Government House in Grand Parade in Portsmouth. This building became very dilapidated and a new Government House was established in the High Street in Portsmouth in 1826. In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in Great Britain and Ireland’ was published, with the ‘Act ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
The 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division was an infantry division of Britain's Territorial Army (TA). The division was first formed in 1908, as the Wessex Division. During the First World War, it was broken-up and never served as a complete formation. It was reformed in the TA in 1920, and then served in the campaign in North West Europe from June 1944 until May 1945, during the Second World War. The division suffered heavy casualties and gained an excellent reputation. After the Second World War, the division formed part of the postwar TA, and became the 43rd (Wessex) Division/District in 1961. It was finally disbanded in 1967. Formation The Territorial Force (TF) was formed on 1 April 1908 following the enactment of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which combined and re-organised the old Volunteer Force, the Honourable Artillery Company and the Yeomanry. On formation, the TF contained 14 infantry divisions and 14 mounted yeomanry brigades. One of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charles Walter Allfrey
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Walter Allfrey, (24 October 1895 – 2 November 1964) was a senior British Army officer who served in both the world wars, most notably during the Second World War as General Officer Commanding of V Corps in North Africa and Italy from 1942 to 1944. Early life and military career Charles Walter Allfrey was born on 24 October 1895 in Southam, Northamptonshire (''this information is almost certainly incorrect due to a transcription error - in the first instance Southam is in Warwickshire and not Northamptonshire, but in any case the 1901 Census Record for Charles Walter Allfrey aged 5 and the 1911 Census for Charles Walter Allfrey aged 15, at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, states the place of birth as Gaydon, Warwickshire - Gaydon (approx 6 miles from Southam) at that time was in the Registration District of Southam''), the youngest son of Captain Henry Allfrey, a British Army officer of the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and Kathleen Hankey. He ente ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Major-general (United Kingdom)
Major general (Maj Gen) is a "two-star" rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank was also briefly used by the Royal Air Force for a year and a half, from its creation to August 1919. In the British Army, a major general is the customary rank for the appointment of division commander. In the Royal Marines, the rank of major general is held by the Commandant General. A Major General is senior to a Brigadier but subordinate to lieutenant general. The rank is OF-7 on the NATO rank scale, equivalent to a rear admiral in the Royal Navy or an air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. The rank insignia is the star (or 'pip') of the Order of the Bath, over a crossed sword and baton. In terms of orthography, compound ranks were invariably hyphenated, prior to about 1980. Nowadays the rank is almost equally invariably non-hyphenated. When written as a title, especially before a person's name, both words of the rank are alw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
203rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
203rd Infantry Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army during the Second World War. Origin The brigade was formed as 203rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) for service in the United Kingdom on 11 October 1940 by No 3 Infantry Training Group in the South West Area (later Devon and Cornwall County Division) of Southern Command. It consisted of five recently formed infantry battalions.Joslen, p. 366. Home brigades had a purely static defence role. Service 203rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) served in SW Area/Devon and Cornwall County Division until 1 December 1942, when the County Division was renamed 77th Infantry Division and the brigade was redesignated 203rd Infantry Brigade. On 1 September 1944, 77th Division was disbanded and its personnel reformed as 45th (Holding) Division. At the same time 203rd Brigade was redesignated 134th Infantry Brigade (replacing a disbanded formation with the same number). All of these formations remained in the United Ki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reconnaissance
In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmishers, long-range reconnaissance patrol, U.S. Army Rangers, cavalry scouts, or military intelligence specialists), ships or submarines, crewed or uncrewed reconnaissance aircraft, satellites, or by setting up observation posts. Espionage is usually considered to be different from reconnaissance, as it is performed by non-uniformed personnel operating behind enemy lines. Often called recce (British, Canadian and Australian English) or recon (American English), the word for this activity has at its root the associated verb ''reconnoitre'' or ''reconnoiter''. Etymology The word from the Middle French ''reconoissance''. Overview Reconnaissance conducted by ground forces includes special reconnaissance, armored reconnaissance, amp ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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