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26th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
26th Infantry Brigade
Active1914-1919
1939–1945
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchBritish Army
TypeInfantry
EngagementsWestern Front
Burma Campaign

The 26th Infantry Brigade was the name of two British Army formations during the First World War and Second World War.

First World War

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The 26th Brigade was formed in 1914 as part of Kitchener's Army of volunteers. It served on the Western Front throughout the war as part of the 9th (Scottish) Division, before being disbanded in 1919.

Component units

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Commanders

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The following officers commanded the 26th Infantry Brigade during the First World War:[5]

  • Brigadier-General H. R. Kelham (21 September 1914)
  • Brigadier-General E. G. Grogan (16 November 1914)
  • Brigadier-General A. B. Ritchie (31 May 1915)
  • Brigadier-General J. Kennedy (5 December 1916)
  • Brigadier-General Hon. A. G. A. Hore-Ruthven (27 July 1918)
  • Brigadier-General H. G. Hyslop (5 November 1918)
  • Acting: Lieutenant-Colonel R. Campbell (12 November 1918)
  • Brigadier-General Hon. A. G. A. Hore-Ruthven (22 November 1918)

Second World War

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The brigade was initially formed as an organic part of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division, itself a duplicate of the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. When the latter was surrounded and forced to surrender during the Battle of France, the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division was renamed as the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. As part of these changes the 26th Infantry Brigade was redesignated as the 152nd Infantry Brigade on 7 August 1940.

On 6 April 1945, the 26th Indian Infantry Brigade was reformed as the 26th British Infantry Brigade, part of the 36th Infantry Division which was fighting in the Burma Campaign. This second brigade fought its way to Rangoon. After the reformation of the Territorial Army in 1947 it was active as an independent infantry brigade within Scottish Command for a period.

Component units

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In 1939

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In 1945

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Commanders

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  • Brig. I.K. Thomas (CO Original 26th Brigade)
  • Brigadier M.B. Jennings
  • Brigadier L. Gwydyr-Jones

Notes

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  1. ^ Transferred to 15th Division and amalgamated with 10th Battalion The Gordon Highlanders in May, 1916
  2. ^ Joined December 1915; left January 1916
  3. ^ Formed 29 January 1916; left to move into 9th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (M.G.C.) 1 March 1918
  4. ^ Joined 15 June 1916
  5. ^ Becke, A. F. (1938). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3A: New Army Divisions (9-26). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. p. 4.