The 141st (5th London) Brigade (141 Bde) was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...

of the Territorial Army, part of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

, that served in the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

History

Origin

When the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry i ...

was created in 1908 under the

Haldane Reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the ...

, the existing volunteer units in the London area were brought together into a new London Regiment and organised into two divisions with a full complement of infantry brigades and supporting arms. 5th London Brigade formed part of 2nd London Division, with the following composition:Becke, Part 2a, pp. 69–75.47th Division (Long, Long Trail)
/ref>
* 5th London Brigade Headquarters,

Buckingham Gate Buckingham Gate is a street in Westminster, London, England, near Buckingham Palace. Location At the north-west end is a junction with Buckingham Palace Road and Birdcage Walk opposite Buckingham Palace. At the south-east end is a junction wi ...

* 17th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Poplar and Stepney Rifles), headquartered in Bow. * 18th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (

London Irish Rifles The London Irish Rifles (LIR) was a reserve infantry regiment and then company of the British Army. The unit's final incarnation was as D (London Irish Rifles) Company, the London Regiment. On 1 April 2022 soldiers in the company transferred to ...

), headquartered at the

Duke of York's Headquarters The Duke of York's Headquarters is a building in Chelsea in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, England. In 1969 it was declared a listed building at Grade II*, due to its outstanding historic or architectural special interest. History ...

Chelsea Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to: Places Australia * Chelsea, Victoria Canada * Chelsea, Nova Scotia * Chelsea, Quebec United Kingdom * Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames ** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...

. * 19th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (St Pancras), headquartered in

Camden Town Camden Town (), often shortened to Camden, is a district of northwest London, England, north of Charing Cross. Historically in Middlesex, it is the administrative centre of the London Borough of Camden, and identified in the London Plan as o ...

. * 20th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Blackheath & Woolwich) headquartered in

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

. * No 3 (5th London Brigade) Company, 2nd London Divisional Train, Army Service Corps headquartered at the Duke of York's Headquarters

First World War

The outbreak of war on 4 August saw 5th London Brigade at

Perham Down Perham Down is a village in Wiltshire, England, in Tidworth parish on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. It lies on a minor road about east of the town of Tidworth and southwest of the town of Ludgershall. The county border with Hampshire is ...

Salisbury Plain Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the south western part of central southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies wi ...

, where it had just arrived for its annual training camp with the rest of 2nd London Division. They were immediately recalled to London to complete their mobilisation and by mid-August 5 London Brigade had reached its war station round

Hatfield, Hertfordshire Hatfield is a town and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, in the borough of Welwyn Hatfield. It had a population of 29,616 in 2001, and 39,201 at the 2011 Census. The settlement is of Saxon origin. Hatfield House, home of the Marquess of ...

. The County of London Territorial Force Association immediately began raising '2nd Line' battalions, which quickly led to the formation of a duplicate 2/5th London Brigade (eventually 180th Brigade); consequently 5th London Brigade was renumbered 1/5th and its battalions were similarly prefixed (1/17th–1/20th). In October 1914, 2nd London Division was selected for service on the Western Front and progressive training was carried out through the winter. 5th London Bde was the leading element of the division to land in France on 9 & 10 March 1915. In May the division (already known in France simply as 'The London Division' to distinguish it from the Regular Army 2nd Division) took its place in the line and was designated 47th (1/2nd London) Division, with the brigades numbered consecutively: 5th London became 141st (1/5th London) Brigade.

Actions

During the First World War, the brigade was engaged in the following operations: 1915 *

Battle of Aubers Ridge The Battle of Aubers (Battle of Aubers Ridge) was a British offensive on the Western Front on 9 May 1915 during the First World War. The battle was part of the British contribution to the Second Battle of Artois, a Franco-British offensive int ...

9 May *

Battle of Festubert The Battle of Festubert (15–25 May 1915) was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. The offensive formed part of a series of attacks by the French Tenth Army and the British ...

15–25 May *

Battle of Loos The Battle of Loos took place from 1915 in France on the Western Front, during the First World War. It was the biggest British attack of 1915, the first time that the British used poison gas and the first mass engagement of New Army units. Th ...

25 September–1 October *

Battle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt The actions of the Hohenzollern Redoubt took place on the Western Front in World War I from 13 to 19 October 1915, at the Hohenzollern Redoubt () near Auchy-les-Mines in France. In the aftermath of the Battle of Loos (25 September – 8 Octob ...

13–19 October 1916 * Vimy Ridge 21 May *

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...

: ** Battle of Flers-Courcelette 15–19 September ** Capture of

High Wood The Attacks on High Wood, near Bazentin le Petit in the Somme ''département'' of northern France, took place between the British Fourth Army and the German 1st Army during the Battle of the Somme. After the Battle of Bazentin Ridge on 14 July ...

15 September ** Battle of the Transloy Ridges 1–9 October ** Capture of Eaucourt l'Abbaye 1–3 October ** Attacks on the

Butte de Warlencourt The Attacks on the Butte de Warlencourt (7 October – 16 November 1916) describe a tactical incident during the Battle of the Somme. The Butte de Warlencourt is an ancient burial mound off the Albert–Bapaume road, north-east of Le Sars in th ...

7–8 October 1917 * Battle of Messines 7–13 June * 3rd Battle of Ypres: **

Battle of Pilckem Ridge The Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July – 2 August 1917) was the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The British Fifth Army, supported by the Second Army on the southern flank and the French (First Army) on the n ...

(in reserve) 31 July–2 August) ** In the line 18 August–2 September and 8–17 September * Battle of Cambrai: ** Capture of Bourlon Wood 28 November ** German counter-attacks 30 November–3 December 1918 * 1st Battles of the Somme: ** Battle of St Quentin 21–23 March ** 1st Battle of Bapaume 24–25 March ** Battle of the Ancre 5 April * 2nd Battles of the Somme: ** Battle of Albert 22–23 August ** 2nd Battle of Bapaume 31 August–3 September * Final Advance in Artois: ** Operations in Artois 2 October–11 November ** Official Entry into Lille 28 October

First World War order of battle

There were few changes to the brigade's prewar Order of Battle during the campaign: * 141st Light Trench Mortar Battery formed June 1915 * 5th London Company ASC became 457th (Horse Transport) Company ASC in August 1915 * 141st Machine Gun Company formed December 1915 (merged into 47th Battalion

Machine Gun Corps The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in the First World War. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tank ...

February 1918) * 1/17th Bn transferred to 140th (4th London) Brigade when infantry brigades on the Western Front were reduced to a three-battalion establishment in February 1918. After the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

, 47th Division was engaged in railway repair and then settled down around

Béthune Béthune ( ; archaic and ''Bethwyn'' historically in English) is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department. Geography Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated south-east of Calais, ...

to await demobilisation. This began in January, and the last troops left France on 10 May 1919. The brigade was demobilised at

Felixstowe Felixstowe ( ) is a port town in Suffolk, England. The estimated population in 2017 was 24,521. The Port of Felixstowe is the largest container port in the United Kingdom. Felixstowe is approximately 116km (72 miles) northeast of London. His ...

in May–June 1919.

Interwar years

47th Division and its subformations began to reform in the redesignated Territorial Army in 1920. 141 Bde was reformed with its original battalions, and with brigade HQ at the Duke of York's Headquarters.''Monthly Army List'' January 1932. In the 1930s, reorganisation of the TA saw the brigade's units being retasked (the 19th and 20th Bns became searchlight regiments in 1935) and posted away. The brigade was disbanded in 1936. The rapid expansion of the TA after the

Munich Crisis The Munich Agreement ( cs, Mnichovská dohoda; sk, Mníchovská dohoda; german: Münchner Abkommen) was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Germany ...

saw 5th London Brigade reformed with Second Line TA battalions, to provide a duplicate of 2nd London Infantry Brigade. 5th London Brigade resumed its number as 141 (London) Brigade on 21 November 1940.Joslen, p. 238.

Second World War

The composition of 141st (London) Brigade during the

was as follows: * 2nd Battalion,

Queen's Westminsters The Queen's Westminsters were an infantry regiment of the Territorial Army, part of the British Army. Originally formed from Rifle Volunteer Corps, which were established after a French invasion scare of 1859. The unit became part of the newly ...

(

King's Royal Rifle Corps The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known in the United St ...

) ''(until 23 November 1940)'' * 2nd Battalion, London Scottish (

Gordon Highlanders Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

) ''(to 144th Brigade 9 September 1944)'' * 2nd Battalion, London Rifle Brigade (

Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

) ''(until 8 December 1940)'' * 5th London Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company ''(formed 6 March 1940; became 141 (London) Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company; disbanded 28 November 1941)'' * 16th Battalion,

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many wars ...

''(1 December 1940; disbanded 18 September 1942)''The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (Regiments.org)
/ref> * 17th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers ''(17 December 1940; to 140 Brigade 2 October 1942)''Joslen, p. 235. * 6th Battalion,

Royal Irish Fusiliers The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (Princess Victoria's) Regiment of Foot in ...

''(from 140 Bde 2 October 1942; became 2nd Royal Irish Fusiliers 2 May 1944; to 165th Brigade 18 July 1944)''Joslen, p. 353. * 30th Battalion,

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

''(joined 18 September 1942; became 8th Battalion, Black Watch 27 September 1942; disbanded 14 September 1943)'' * 4th (City of Dundee) Battalion, Black Watch ''(joined 6 November 1943; to 165th Brigade 15 July 1944)'' The 141st Infantry Brigade did not see any active service in the Second World War. It mobilised as a motor brigade, but became a conventional infantry brigade in June 1940. Between April and October 1944 it was responsible for an embarkation sector in

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

for the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

. The brigade was disbanded on 27 October 1944. On 17 November 1944, 220th Brigade (which had recently joined 47th Division, now reformed as a reserve division) was renumbered 141st Infantry Brigade, but without any London connection. The new brigade had the following composition: * 6th Battalion,

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. In 1958 ...

* 8th Battalion,

Suffolk Regiment The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the First and Second World Wars, before bein ...

* 9th Battalion,

Dorset Regiment The Dorset Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958, being the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951, it was formally called the Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets". In 1 ...

The brigade was not included in the Territorial Army when it reformed in 1947, although three of its traditional battalions (London Rifle Brigade, London Scottish and London Irish Rifles) formed the bulk of 168th (Lorried) Infantry Brigade in 56th (London) Armoured Division.

Commanders

141 Brigade was commanded by the following officers: * Brig.-Gen. Charles Fitzclarence, VC (from 9 September 1911) * Brig.-Gen. G.C. Nugent (from 27 September 1914; killed 31 May 1915) * Brig.-Gen.

William Thwaites General Sir William Thwaites, (9 June 1868 – 22 June 1947) was a British Army officer who served as commander of the British Army of the Rhine. Early life and education Thwaites was born in Kensington, the son of William Thwaites of Durham V ...

(from 2 June 1915) * Brig.-Gen.R.J. Bridgeford (from 8 July 1916) * Brig.-Gen. R. McDouall (from 19 August 1916) * Brig.-Gen. J.F. Erskine (from 26 October 1917; went sick 16 December 1917) * Brig.-Gen. W.F. Mildren (acting on several occasions; substantive from 2 January 1918; until demobilisation) * Col. F.S. Montague-Bates (March 1928 – 1932) * Brig. E.R. Kewley (on outbreak of war) * Brig. H.A. Freeman-Attwood (from 27 July 1940) * Brig. A.A. Richardson (from 30 October 1941) * Brig. V.G. Stokes (from 27 March 1942; wounded 13 April 1942) * Brig. W.C.A. Hanney (from 27 April 1942 to disbandment of original brigade) * Brig. A.C.T. Evanson (from 220th Bde) * Brig E.O. Martin (from 15 January 1945)

References

Bibliography

* A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2a: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 2b: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th), with the Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions,'' London: HM Stationery Office, 1937/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, . * * Alan H. Maude (ed.), ''The History of the 47th (London) Division 1914–1919'', London: Amalgamated Press, 1922/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, .

External links

The Long, Long Trail

Patriot Files

British Military History

Queens Royal Surreys
{{British infantry brigades of the Second World War Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War I Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1908 Military units and formations in London