An invasion scare in 1859 led to the creation of the Volunteer Force and huge enthusiasm for joining local Rifle Volunteer Corps (RVCs).[1][2] There were a large number of these units in and around London,[3][4] and the opportunity was taken to group them together for Easter training under the temporary command of officers of the Brigade of Guards stationed in the capital. Initially they were brigaded by the colour of their uniforms – scarlet, Rifle green or grey, the latter being a popular colour for RVCs in the 1860s.[5][6] The Stanhope Memorandum of December 1888 proposed a formal Mobilisation Scheme for Volunteer units throughout the country, which would assemble by brigades at key points in case of war. In peacetime these brigades provided a structure for collective training.[7][8] Under this scheme the units from Westminster, the West End of London and the adjacent suburbs (all in the County of Middlesex) were formed into the South London Brigade. These units had mainly been in the 'Grey Brigade', and the name stuck to the new formation. The staff for the brigade were provided by the Regimental Headquarters of the Scots Guards at Buckingham Gate in London, and its designated place of assembly was at the Guards' Depot at Caterham, where it could take its place in the London Defence Positions.[5] Its composition was as follows:[9]
HQ: Scots Guards' Orderly Room
Commanding Brigade: The Officer Commanding, Scots Guards
Brigade-Major: The Regimental Adjutant, Scots Guards
The Volunteer Infantry Brigades were reorganised and increased in number in 1906, and by 1907 the South London Brigade had been numbered the 2nd London Brigade and the number of units reduced to six.[9][11]
Territorial Force
When the Territorial Force was created in 1908 under the Haldane Reforms, 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. The former South London Brigade now became the 4th London Brigade in 2nd London Division, still informally known as The Grey Brigade, still commanded by the CO of the Scots Guards, and with the following composition:[12][13][14][6][15][16]
13th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Princess Louise's Kensington Regiment), headquartered in Kensington (the former 2nd and 4th Middlesex RVCs)
14th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Scottish), headquartered at 59 Buckingham Gate (the former 7th Middlesex RVC).
16th (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles), headquartered at 58 Buckingham Gate (the former 13th Middlesex RVC).
The outbreak of war on 4 August saw 4th London Brigade at Perham Down on Salisbury Plain, 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 4 London Bde had reached its war station round St Albans, Hertfordshire.[13][14][17] The County of London Territorial Force Association immediately began raising '2nd Line' battalions, which quickly led to the formation of a duplicate 2/4th London Brigade (eventually 179th Brigade); consequently 4th London Brigade became 1/4th and its battalions similarly renumbered (1/13th–1/16th).[18][19][20][21]
Order of Battle
Several of the London battalions were politically well-connected[1] and were selected for overseas service ahead of the bulk of the Territorial Force. Thus the London Scottish, Queen's Westminsters and Kensingtons went to the Western Front as individual battalions attached to the British Expeditionary Force, the London Scottish being the first TF infantry battalion to see action, at Messines on 31 October 1914.[22] These battalions were replaced by others from 2nd London Bde of 1st London Division, which had been temporarily broken up.[23]
The following units served in 140 Bde:[13][14][24]
140th Machine Gun Company formed December 1915; merged into 47th Battalion Machine Gun Corps March 1918.
The 1/15th Londons (Civil Service Rifles) was the only prewar battalion of the brigade to serve with it throughout the war.
Service
In October 1914, 2nd London Division was selected for service on the Western Front and progressive training was carried out through the winter. The division embarked for France in March 1915, concentrating round Béthune. 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: 4th London became 140th (1/4th London) Brigade.[13][26]
Actions
During the war, the brigade was engaged in the following operations:[13][14][15][27]
After the Armistice, 47th Division was engaged in railway repair and then settled down around Bethune to await demobilisation. This began in January, and the last troops left France on 10 May 1919. The brigade was demobilised at Felixstowe in May–June 1919.[13][14][28]
Interwar years
The 47th Division and its formations began to reform in the redesignated Territorial Army in 1920.[13][14][29] 140 Bde was reformed with brigade HQ at the Regimental Headquarters of the Irish Guards at Wellington Barracks in Birdcage Walk. Initially the brigade was composed of its original prewar battalions, but in 1921 the Civil Service Rifles merged with the Queen's Westminsters, and the brigade was brought up to strength by the addition of the Artists' Rifles:[30]
In 1935, a growing number of TA infantry battalions had been converted to the searchlight or anti-aircraft artillery role, and at the end of the year 47th Division was disbanded and converted into 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. 140 Brigade HQ was also disbanded and its battalions dispersed to other London infantry brigades.[31] the 13th and 14th London Regiment both transferred to 2nd London Infantry Brigade, the London Division, previously 56th Division but with the disbandment of 47th Division it was redesignated the London Division.
However, the rapid expansion of the TA after the Munich Crisis saw a new 4th London Infantry Brigade reformed with 2nd Line TA battalions, to provide a duplicate of 1st London Infantry Brigade. 4th London Brigade resumed its number as 140 (London) Brigade on 21 November 1940.[32]
Second World War
Men of the 2nd Battalion, London Irish Rifles advancing with fixed bayonets after climbing up the cliffs during training at Little Haven near Haverfordwest.
The composition of 140 (London) Brigade during the war was as follows:[32][33][34]
The 140th 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. It was disbanded on 31 August 1944.[43] On 17 November 1944, 213th Brigade (which had recently joined 47th Division, now reformed as a reserve division) was renumbered 140th Infantry Brigade, but without any London connection. The new brigade had the following composition:[34][44]
4th Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Anon, The History of the Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles, London, 1921: Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, ISBN1-84342-368-5.
Sgt O. F. Bailey and Sgt H. M. Hollier, "The Kensingtons" 13th London Regiment, London: Regimental Old Comrades' Association, 1935/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, ISBN1-84342-364-2.
R. Money Barnes, The Soldiers of London, London: Seeley Service, 1963.
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, ISBN1-84734-739-8.
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, ISBN1-84734-739-8.
Ian F. W. Beckett, Riflemen Form: A study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859–1908, Aldershot: Ogilby Trusts, 1982, ISBN0-85936-271-X.
John K. Dunlop, The Development of the British Army 1899–1914, London: Methuen, 1938.
James E. Edmonds, History of the Great War: Military Operations, France and Belgium, 1914, Vol II, London: Macmillan, 1925/Imperial War Museum & Battery Press, 1995, ISBN1-870423-55-0.
Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN978-1-84342-474-1.
H. R. Martin, Historical Record of the London Regiment, 2nd Edn (nd)
Alan H. Maude (ed.), The History of the 47th (London) Division 1914–1919, London: Amalgamated Press, 1922/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2002, ISBN1-84342-205-0.
Ray Westlake, Tracing the Rifle Volunteers, Barnsley: Pen and Sword, 2010, ISBN978-1-84884-211-3.
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United Kingdom
British Army