25th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 25th Brigade came into existence on 5 October 1914 (first commanding officer appointed[1]) as part of the 8th Division shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. It was formed with four regular infantry battalions brought back to the United Kingdom from various overseas garrisons:[2] 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment from Bermuda,[3] 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment from Jhansi, India,[4] 1st Royal Irish Rifles from Aden,[5] and 2nd Rifle Brigade from Kuldana, Murree, India.[6] The brigade concentrated at Hursley Park near Winchester and on 5 and 6 November 1914 it landed at Le Havre. It remained on the Western Front with the 8th Division for the rest of the war.[2]

The brigade saw action at the battles of Neuve-Chapelle (Moated Grange Attack, 18 December 1914), Neuve Chapelle again (10–13 March 1915), Aubers Ridge (9 May 1915), when the brigade commander, Brigadier-General Lowry Cole was killed,[1] and Bois-Grenier (25 September 1915), a diversionary attack for the Battle of Loos.[2][7]

Infantrymen of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme, July 1916.

In early 1916, the brigade gained a trench mortar battery and a machine gun company.[8] It then fought on the Somme, notably the Battle of Albert on the first day and the attack on Le Transloy on 23–30 October 1916.[2]

In 1917, the brigade took part in operations to follow the Germans in their retreat to the Hindenburg Line (14 March–5 April). It then took part in the Third Battle of Ypres, notable the Battle of Pilckem Ridge (31 July–1 August), the Attack on Westhoek (31 July) where the brigade commander, Brigadier-General Coffin, won the Victoria Cross,[1] and the Battle of Langemarck (16–18 August).[9]

King George V with Major-General Havelock Hudson (commanding 8th Division) walking through the streets of Fouquereuil, where the King was cheered by men of the 25th Brigade, 11 August 1916.

The brigade's machine gun company was moved to the divisional 8th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps on 20 January 1918.[8] In addition, British[lower-alpha 1] divisions on the Western Front were reduced from a 12-battalion to a 9-battalion basis in February 1918 and the brigade from four to three battalions.[10] Thereafter, the brigade commanded three infantry battalions and a trench mortar battery.[8] 1918 saw the return of the war of movement. It had to withstand the German Spring Offensive in the First Battles of the Somme – Battle of St Quentin (23 March), Actions at the Somme Crossings (24 and 25 March), Battle of Rosieres (26 and 27 March), and Action of Villers-Bretonneux (24 and 25 April) – and the Third Battle of the Aisne (27 May–6 June). It then switched over to counter-attack in the Second Battle of Arras (Battle of the Scarpe, 26–30 August) and the Final Advance in Artois in which the 8th Division captured Douai (17 October).[9]

By the time of the armistice of 11 November 1918, the brigade was Pommeroeul (fr), west of Mons.[4][6][11] On 16 November it moved back to Tournai and by 18 December had completed a move to the Ath–Enghien area. Here the division commenced demobilization, a process that was completed on 20 March 1919.[9]

The 25th Infantry Brigade was formed in the United Kingdom on 1 November 1939, shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.[13] It was formed with three Territorial Army (TA) infantry battalions transferred from existing TA formations: the 4th Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) from 133rd Infantry Brigade, 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division, the 4th Border Regiment from 126th Infantry Brigade, 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division and the 1st/5th Sherwood Foresters from 148th Infantry Brigade, 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division.[14] Initially under War Office Control, on 18 November it moved to France where it joined the Lines of Communication Troops of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF).[13]

Men of the 4th Battalion, Border Regiment take up defensive positions by the roadside, May 1940.

In May 1940, the brigade was variously assigned to a succession of infantry divisions: 5th (4–9 May),[lower-alpha 3] 50th (Northumbrian) (9–18 May),[lower-alpha 4] 3rd (18–19 May), back to the 50th (19–21 May), 46th (21–26 May) and finally to the 2nd (26–31 May).[13] The brigade saw action at the Battle of St Omer-La Bassée (23–29 May)[13] before it was evacuated at Dunkirk on 31 May 1940.[14]

On return to the United Kingdom, the brigade joined the 47th (London) Infantry Division. It remained with the division in the United Kingdom for the rest of its existence, being disbanded on 31 August 1944.[13][16]

The 25th Brigade had the following commanders during the First World War:[1]

The 25th Infantry Brigade had the following commanders during the Second World War:[13]

• British infantry brigades of the First World War
• British brigades of the Second World War

• Becke, Major A.F. (1935). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 1. The Regular British Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-09-4.
• Bellis, Malcolm A. (1994). Regiments of the British Army 1939–1945 (Armour & Infantry). London: Military Press International. ISBN 0-85420-999-9.
• James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
• Joslen, Lt-Col H.F. (1990) [1st. Pub. HMSO:1960]. Orders of Battle, Second World War, 1939–1945. London: London Stamp Exchange. ISBN 0-948130-03-2.

• Baker, Chris. "The history of 8th Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 27 October 2015.
• Palmer, Rob (1 February 2010). "47th (London) Infantry Division (1944-45)" (PDF). British Military History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
• Palmer, Rob (25 June 2014). "50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division (1940)" (PDF). British Military History. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
• "25 Infantry Brigade". Orders of Battle.com.