British 130th Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 130th Infantry Brigade was a Territorial brigade
of the British Army
. The brigade was created as the Devon
and Cornwall
Brigade of the Wessex
Division, later 43rd (Wessex) Division
, in 1908.
to replace regular army battalions in the garrison there. One battalion of the brigade, the 1st/5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
remained in the UK and served with the 61st Division
. In December 1914 the divisions of the Territorial Force
, and their component brigades, were given numbers. The Devon and Cornwall Brigade became the 130th Infantry Brigade. In India
, the original battalions were transferred to Indian brigades, remaining in India
throughout the First World War.
was reformed as the Territorial Army. It again formed part of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, controlling battalions from Devon
and Cornwall
. In 1939, the Territorial Army was doubled in size and the original 130th Brigade became part of the 45th Division
. A new 130th brigade was formed from battalions of the Hampshire Regiment and the Dorset Regiment
.
, Cornwall
and Dorset
. It was disbanded in 1961.
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The brigade was created as the Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
Brigade of the Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
Division, later 43rd (Wessex) Division
British 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
The 43rd Infantry Division was a British Territorial Army division first formed in 1908. It was reformed in 1920 as part of the rebuilding of the Territorial Army, and raised a second line duplicate, 45th Infantry Division, on the doubling of the Territorial Army in 1939.-History:The Division was...
, in 1908.
First World War
In 1914, the Wessex Division was sent to IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to replace regular army battalions in the garrison there. One battalion of the brigade, the 1st/5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles....
remained in the UK and served with the 61st Division
British 61st (2nd South Midland) Division
The British 61st Division was a second-line Territorial Force division raised in 1915 as a reserve for the first-line battalions of the 48th Division...
. In December 1914 the divisions of the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, and their component brigades, were given numbers. The Devon and Cornwall Brigade became the 130th Infantry Brigade. In India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, the original battalions were transferred to Indian brigades, remaining in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
throughout the First World War.
Between the wars
The brigade was recreated in 1920 when the Territorial ForceTerritorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
was reformed as the Territorial Army. It again formed part of the 43rd (Wessex) Division, controlling battalions from Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. In 1939, the Territorial Army was doubled in size and the original 130th Brigade became part of the 45th Division
British 45th Infantry Division
The 45th Infantry Division was a 2nd Line Territorial Army division during the First World War and the Second World War. It was a duplicate of the 43rd Infantry Division....
. A new 130th brigade was formed from battalions of the Hampshire Regiment and the Dorset Regiment
Dorset Regiment
The Dorset Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1958, the county regiment of Dorset. Until 1951 it was formally called The Dorsetshire Regiment, although usually known as "The Dorsets".-History:...
.
Second World War
This brigade was an organic part of the 43rd (Wessex) Division and served with that formation throughout the Second World War.Battles
- Battle of NormandyOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
- Battle of Caen
- The Nederrijn
- Operation Market GardenOperation Market GardenOperation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
- The Rhineland
Commanders
*Brig.H.S.Woodhouse- Brig.B.K.Young
- Brig.F.Y.C.Knox
- Brig.N.D.Leslie
- Brig.B.B.Walton
- Brig.B.A.CoadBasil CoadMajor General Basil Aubrey Coad CB CBE DSO & Bar was a senior British Army officer. He held battalion, brigade and divisional commands during the Second World War and immediately after, but is best known as the commander of 27th British Commonwealth Brigade during the Korean War.After his...
Component Units
- 4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
Post-War
The 130th (West Country) Infantry Brigade formed part of the 43rd Division in the post-Second World War Territorial Army, controlling battalions from DevonDevon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
. It was disbanded in 1961.