British 131st Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 131st Infantry Brigade was a Second World War 1st Line Territorial Army unit of the British Army
.
. It was part of the British Expeditionary Force
to France
in 1940. The brigade, along with the rest of the 44th Infantry, was sent to North Africa
in 1942 where it fought at the Battle of Alam Halfa
and the Battle of El Alamein
. When the 44th Infantry Division was disbanded the 131st Brigade was converted into a Lorried Infantry Brigade and served with the 7th Armoured Division
and the British XXX Corps.
The 131st Brigade served in the Italian Campaign
and in North West Europe alongside the 22nd Armoured Brigade in the 7th Armoured Division
. In December, due to heavy losses, the 1/6th and 1/7th Queens were swapped for the 2nd Devons and 9th Durham Light Infantry, which were part of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division that was being sent back to the UK to serve as a training Division.
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...
.
History
At the beginning of the Second World War this brigade was an organic part of the 44th Infantry DivisionBritish 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division
The 44th Division was a British Territorial Army division in both the First and Second World Wars, and for twenty years afterwards.- First World War:...
. It was part of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1940. The brigade, along with the rest of the 44th Infantry, was sent to North Africa
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
in 1942 where it fought at the Battle of Alam Halfa
Battle of Alam Halfa
The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 August and 5 September 1942 south of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. Panzerarmee Afrika—a German-Italian force commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel—attempted an envelopment of the British 8th Army,...
and the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. When the 44th Infantry Division was disbanded the 131st Brigade was converted into a Lorried Infantry Brigade and served with the 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
and the British XXX Corps.
The 131st Brigade served in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
and in North West Europe alongside the 22nd Armoured Brigade in the 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
. In December, due to heavy losses, the 1/6th and 1/7th Queens were swapped for the 2nd Devons and 9th Durham Light Infantry, which were part of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division that was being sent back to the UK to serve as a training Division.
Battles
- Battle of FranceBattle of FranceIn the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
- St Omer-La Bassée
- Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert CampaignThe Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
- Alam el Halfa
- Second Battle of El AlameinSecond Battle of El AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
- Tunisian Campaign
- MedenineOperation CapriThe Battle of Medenine, also known as Operation Capri, was a German counter-attack at Medenine, Tunisia, intended to disrupt and delay the 8th Army's attack on the Mareth Line. The German attack started on 6 March 1943, failed to make much impression and was abandoned at dusk on the same day...
- MarethOperation PugilistOperation Pugilist was an Allied operation in Tunisia during the Second World War. In his General Plan, General Bernard Montgomery stated "...the object of operation Pugilist is to destroy the enemy now opposing Eighth Army in the Mareth position, and to advance and capture Sfax." Pugilist itself...
- Enfidaville
- TunisCapture of TunisThe Conquest of Tunis in 1574 marked the final conquest of Tunis by the Ottoman Empire over the Spanish Empire. This was an event of great significance as it decided that North Africa would be under Muslim rather than Christian rule, ended the Spanish Conquista of Northern Africa started under...
- Medenine
- Italian CampaignItalian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- SalernoAllied invasion of ItalyThe Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
- Capture of Naples
- Volturno CrossingVolturno LineThe Volturno Line was a German defensive position in Italy during the World War II.The line ran from Termoli in the east, along the Biferno River through the Apennine Mountains to the Volturno River in the west....
- Salerno
- Battle of Normandy
- Operation OverlordOperation 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 Villers-BocageBattle of Villers-BocageThe Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Allies landed in Normandy to begin the liberation of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to improve their position by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in...
- Operation GoodwoodOperation GoodwoodOperation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
- Operation Overlord
Commanders
- Brig. J.S. Hughes
- Brig. J.E. Utterson-Kelso
- Brig. I.T.P. Hughes
- Brig. E.H.C. Frith
- Brig. L.G. WhistlerLashmer WhistlerGeneral Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
- Brig. W.R. Cox
- Brig. J.M.K. Spurling
Component Units
- 1st/5th Bn, The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)The Queen's Royal Regiment was a regiment of the English and later British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Army line infantry order of precedence...
- 1st/6th Bn, The Queen's Royal Regiment
- 1st/7th Bn, The Queen's Royal Regiment
- 2nd Bn, The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)The Buffs , formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army until 1961. It had a history dating back to 1572 and was one of the oldest regiments in the British Army being third in order of precedence...
- 2nd Bn, The Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire RegimentThe Devonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which served under various titles from 1685 to 1958. Its lineage is continued today by The Rifles.-Origin and titles:...
- 9th Bn, Durham Light InfantryDurham Light InfantryThe Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...