211th Infantry Brigade
Active11 October 1940-1 September 1944
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry Brigade
RoleHome Defence

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:[1]

  • As part of the Devon and Cornwall County Division
  • 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 Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) (20 September 1942 – 2 January 1943)
    • 2/6th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers (5 October 1942 – 2 January 1943)
  • As part of the 80th (Reserve) Division
  • As part of the 38th (Reserve) Division (renamed the 114th Infantry Brigade)
    • 5th Battalion, King's Shropshire Light Infantry (from 1 September 1944)
    • 8th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment (from 1 September 1944)
    • 8th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment (from 1 September 1944)
    • 9th (Caernarvonshire and Anglesey) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (from 1 September 1944)

Commanders

The commanders of 211 Brigade were:[1]

  • Brigadier C.H. Woodhouse (until 1 September 1941)
  • Brigadier T. Fairfax-Ross (1 September 1941 – 4 August 1944)
  • Brigadier P.N. White (from 4 August 1944)

Service

On 28 February 1941, HQ South West Area formed Devon and Cornwall County Division, which included the brigade. On 1 December 1941, the County Division was redesignated 77th Infantry Division and the brigade became 211th Infantry Brigade. The 77th was later designated a Reserve Division.[1][3] 211 Brigade was transferred to 80th Infantry (Reserve) Division on 2 January 1943.[1][4] When the 80th was disbanded on 1 September, 211 Brigade was redesignated 114th Infantry Brigade in 38th (Reserve) Division.[1][5] All these formations remained within the UK throughout the war.

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Joslen, p. 374
  2. ↑ "The Royal Welch Fusiliers [UK]". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 26 December 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  3. ↑ Joslen, pp. 100, 108.
  4. ↑ Joslen, p.103.
  5. ↑ Joslen, pp. 65–6, 103, 306.

References

  • George Forty, British Army Handbook 1939–1945, Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1998, ISBN 0 7509 1403 3.
  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.
  • Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth

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