British 132nd Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 132nd Infantry Brigade was a 1st Line Territorial Army unit of the British Army
during the Second World War and after the war for a period, but disbanded by 1968.
. It was part of the British Expeditionary Force
sent to France
in 1940. After the retreat from Dunkirk the 44th Infantry remained in Britain
until 1942 when it was shipped out to North Africa
where it was involved in the Battles of Alm Halfa
and El Alamein
.
Due to the poor performance of the 44th Division it was disbanded and its units were scattered. The 132nd Brigade was disbanded on 15 January 1943 in Egypt
.
The brigade was active again after the war for a period but disbanded by 1968.
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...
during the Second World War and after the war for a period, but disbanded by 1968.
History
The 132nd Infantry Brigade was a component of the 44th (Home Counties) 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....
sent to France
Battle of France
In 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...
in 1940. After the retreat from Dunkirk the 44th Infantry remained in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
until 1942 when it was shipped out to North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
where it was involved in the Battles of Alm 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 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...
.
Due to the poor performance of the 44th Division it was disbanded and its units were scattered. The 132nd Brigade was disbanded on 15 January 1943 in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
The brigade was active again after the war for a period but disbanded by 1968.
Commanders
- Brig. T.T. Waddington
- Brig. J.S. SteeleJames Steele (British Army officer)General Sir James Stuart Steele GCB KBE DSO MC LLD was Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Born in Ballycarry, County Antrim and educated at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution and at Queen's University, Belfast, James Steele was gazetted as a temporary second lieutenant in the...
(1939-1941) - Brig. C.B. Robertson
- 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...
(1942)
Component Units
- 4th Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1961. It was formed as The Queen's Own as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 50th Regiment of Foot and the 97th Regiment of Foot...
- 5th Bn.The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
- 1st/6th Bn.The East Surrey Regiment
- 1st Bn. The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
- 1st/7th 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...
- 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...