72nd Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 72nd Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army in the First World War and the Second World War.

72nd Brigade
72nd Independent Infantry Brigade
72nd Infantry Brigade
Formation sign for the 72nd Independent Infantry Brigade, January 1941 — June 1943.[1]
Active1914 — 1919
21 January 1941 — 1 June 1943
28 April 1944—
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry Brigade
RoleInfantry
Insignia
72nd Brigade battle patches used in the First World War, from August 1916.[2]
Top (l-r) 8th Queen's (West Surrey), 9th East Surrey, 8th Royal West Kent, 1st N Staffs. Lower 72nd MG Company.
Formation sign of the 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade.[3]
Used with the 29th Brigade's sign to form the 39th Division's sign.

First World War

Formation and Service

It was raised as part of the new army (Kitchener's Army) and assigned to the 24th Division and served on the Western Front during the First World War.

Men of the 1st Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment near Cassel, 12 September 1917.

The brigade was disbanded after the war.

Order of Battle

During the First World War the following units served in the 72nd Brigade.[4]

Second World War

Formation and Service

Men of the 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers march through Bahe en route for Mandalay, January 1945.

In January 1941, the 72nd Independent Infantry Brigade was formed. In 1943, the Brigade HQ was re-designated the 5th Parachute Brigade after its units were dispersed.[5] A new 72nd Infantry Brigade was formed on 28 April 1944 from the 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade which was renamed and joined the 36th Infantry Division.[6]

Order of Battle

During the Second World War the following units served in the Brigade.[5]

References

  1. Cole p. 130
  2. Hibberd p. 24
  3. Cole p. 87
  4. "24th Division". The Long Long Trail. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  5. Joslen p. 303
  6. "72nd Indian Infantry Brigade". www.odersofbattle.com. Archived from the original on 7 January 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.

Bibliography

  • Cole, Howard (1973). Formation Badges of World War 2 Britain, Commonwealth and Empire. London: Arms and Armour Press.
  • Hibbard, Mike; Gibbs, Gary (2016). Infantry Divisions, Identification Schemes 1917 (1 ed.). Wokingham: The Military History Society.
  • Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2003, ISBN 1843424746.
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