33rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 33rd Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service in the First World War and home service during the Second World War.

33rd Brigade
33rd Infantry Brigade
33rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Guards)
Formation badge of the brigade, utilising the 'Blue, Red, Blue' of the Guards Division
Active1914–1919
1941–1943
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry formation
SizeBrigade
Part of11th (Northern) Division
London District
Engagements

First World War

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The 33rd Brigade was formed in the Great War in August 1914 as part of Kitchener's Army, initially made up of volunteer service battalions from a variety of different infantry regiments. For the duration of the war, the brigade was in the 11th (Northern) Division. Between February and September 1917 it was under the command of Brigadier-General Arthur Daly.[1][2][3] From September 1917 to the end of the war it was commanded by Brigadier-General Frederick Spring.[4] The brigade served in the Gallipoli Campaign, in Egypt and on the Western Front, and comprised the following units:[5]

Order of battle

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

Actions

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The brigade took part in the following actions:[1][2]

Gallipoli campaign
1915

Western Front
1916

1917

1918

Second World War

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The brigade was reformed on 24 October 1941 during the Second World War as 33rd Infantry Brigade. On 10 November 1942 it was redesignated the 33rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Guards), as an all-arms brigade group under the command of Brigadier J. Jefferson. It was part of London District. The brigade was intended for home defence in the event of a German invasion and never left the United Kingdom. It was disbanded on 6 October 1943.[6][7][8]

Order of battle

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The following units constituted the brigade:[6]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Becke, pp. 19–25.
  2. ^ a b c 11th (N) Division at Long, Long Trail.
  3. ^ Turner, p. 34.
  4. ^ Spring, p. 53.
  5. ^ Spring, p. 108.
  6. ^ a b Joslen, p. 281.
  7. ^ IWM.
  8. ^ a b 11th Worcesters at Worcestershire Regiment online.
  9. ^ Frederick, p. 317.
  10. ^ Joslen, p. 546.
  11. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-05-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

References

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  • A.F. Becke,History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 3a: New Army Divisions (9–26), London: HM Stationery Office, 1938/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-41-X.
  • J.B.M. Frederick, Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, ISBN 1-85117-007-3.
  • 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.
  • F. G. Spring, The History of the 6th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, Poacher Books, 2008.
  • A. Turner, Messines 1917: The Zenith of Siege Warfare, Osprey Publishing, 2010.

External sources

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