The 10th Infantry Brigade was a

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

formed during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

in 5th Division, and during both World Wars the brigade was part of the 4th Infantry Division.

Second Boer War

British Army brigades had traditionally been ''ad hoc'' formations known by the name of their commander or numbered as part of a division. However, units involved in the

in 1899 were organised into sequentially numbered brigades that were frequently reassigned between divisions. The Army Corps sent from Britain in 1899 comprised six brigades in three divisions while the troops already in South Africa were intended to constitute a fourth division. The rapid deterioration of the situation led the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

to announce on 11 November 1899 that a 5th Division was to be formed and sent out. This consisted of the new 10th and 11th (Lancashire) Brigades and concentrated at Estcourt on 8 January 1900 for the campaign for the

Relief of Ladysmith The Relief of Ladysmith consisted of multiple efforts to relieve the city of Ladysmith by General Sir Redvers Buller during the Second Boer War. Buller and the Natal Field Force attempted to relieve the city through multiple offensive actions ...

Order of Battle

The 10th Brigade under the command of Major-General John Talbot Coke was constituted as follows:Amery, Vol IV, Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.
/ref>Dorsetshire Regiment at Anglo-Boer War.
/ref> * 2nd Battalion,

Royal Warwickshire Regiment The Royal Warwickshire Regiment, previously titled the 6th Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. The regiment saw service in many conflicts and wars, including the Second Boer War ...

* 1st Battalion,

Yorkshire Regiment The Royal Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (abbreviated R YORKS) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, created by the amalgamation of three historic regiments in 2006. It lost one battalion as part of the Future of ...

* 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment * 2nd Battalion,

Middlesex Regiment The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Re ...

* 1st Battalion,

Royal Dublin Fusiliers The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army created in 1881 and disbanded in 1922. It was one of eight 'Irish' regiments of the army which were raised and garrisoned in Ireland, with the regiment's home depot being l ...

However, The Royal Warwicks and Yorkshires were left at

Cape Town Cape Town is the legislature, legislative capital city, capital of South Africa. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. Cape Town is the country's List of municipalities in South Africa, second-largest ...

to join Lord Roberts's army while the rest of the brigade continued on to join Sir

Redvers Buller General Sir Redvers Henry Buller, (7 December 1839 – 2 June 1908) was a British Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He served as Commander-in-Chief ...

's Natal Field Force, where it was separated from 5th Division and used as Corps Troops. However, it returned to 5th Division for the Spion Kop, when Coke temporarily commanded the division and Lieutenant-Colonel A.W. Hill of the Middlesex commanded the brigade, which included the Imperial Light Infantry. After Spion Kop the brigade served at the Tugela Heights, Trichard's Drift, Tabanyama, Vaal Krantz, Hlangwane, Helpmakaar, Botha's Pass, Alleman's Nek, Charlestown and Paardekop. However, after the defeat of the main Boer field armies and the development of guerrilla warfare, all the divisions and brigades were broken up to form ''ad hoc'' 'columns' and garrisons. After the Boer War, 10th Brigade became a permanent formation in 1902, originally based at

Shorncliffe Army Camp Shorncliffe Army Camp is a British Army installation near Cheriton in Kent, established in 1794. The camp, described as "the birthplace of the modern British Army", previously consisted of Ross Barracks, Burgoyne Barracks, Somerset Barracks, Na ...

and serving with the 5th Division in the 2nd Army Corps until 1907. In the Expeditionary Force established by the

Haldane reforms The Haldane Reforms were a series of far-ranging reforms of the British Army made from 1906 to 1912, and named after the Secretary of State for War, Richard Burdon Haldane. They were the first major reforms since the " Childers Reforms" of the e ...

, 10th Brigade still at Shorncliffe became part of 4th Division, and remained so until the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

First World War

With the 4th Division, the 10th brigade served with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front and was one of the first British units to be sent overseas upon the declaration of war.Becke, Pt 1, pp. 57–63.

Order of battle

The 10th Brigade was constituted as follows during the war: * 1st Battalion,

* 2nd Battalion,

Seaforth Highlanders The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, the Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw service ...

* 1st Battalion,

Royal Irish Fusiliers The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) was an Irish line infantry (later changed to light infantry) regiment of the British Army, formed by the amalgamation of the 87th (Prince of Wales's Irish) Regiment of Foot and the 89th (Princess ...

(''until August 1917'') * 2nd Battalion,

(''until November 1916'') * 1/7th Battalion,

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) is a light infantry company (military unit), company (designated as Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland) and was a line infantry regiment of the British Army tha ...

(''from January 1915 until March 1916'') * Household Battalion (''from November 1916 until February 1918'') * 3/10th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (''from August 1917 until February 1918'') * 2nd Battalion,

Duke of Wellington's Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he di ...

(''from February 1918'')

Service

During the war the brigade participated in the following actions: 1914 *

Retreat from Mons The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western F ...

, 25 August–5 September *

Battle of Le Cateau The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on the Western Front during the First World War on 26 August 1914. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army had retreated after their defeats at the Battle of Charleroi (21–23 A ...

, 16 August *

Affair of Néry An affair is a relationship typically between two people, one or both of whom are either married or in a long-term Monogamy, monogamous or emotionally-exclusive relationship with someone else. The affair can be solely sexual, solely physical or ...

, 1 September *

First Battle of the Marne The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...

, 6–9 September * Crossing of the

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

, 12 September *

First Battle of the Aisne The First Battle of the Aisne () was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army (led by Alexander von Kluck) and the Second Army (led by Karl von Bülow) as they retreated after the First Battle of the ...

, 13–20 September * Battle of Armentières, 3 October–2 November ** Capture of Méteren, 13 October 1915 *

Second Battle of Ypres The Second Battle of Ypres was fought from 22 April – 25 May 1915, during the First World War, for control of the tactically-important high ground to the east and the south of the Flanders, Flemish town of Ypres, in western Belgium. The ...

: ** Battle of St Julien 25 April–4 May ** Battle of Frezenberg Ridge, 8–13 May ** Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge, 24–25 May 1916 *

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

: ** Battle of Albert, 1–2 July ** Battle of the Transloy Ridges, 10–18 October 1917 * Battle of Arras: ** First Battle of the Scarpe, 9–14 April ** Second Battle of the Scarpe, 3–4 May *

Third Battle of Ypres The Third Battle of Ypres (; ; ), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele ( ), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by the Allies against the German Empire. The battle took place on the Western Front, from July to November 1917, f ...

: **

Battle of Polygon Wood The Battle of Polygon Wood (26 September to 3 October 1917) was fought during the second part of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War. The battle was fought near Ypres in Belgium, from the Menin road to Polygon Wood and thence north, ...

, 28 September–3 October ** Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October ** Battle of Poelcappelle, 9 October ** First Battle of Passchendaele, 12 October 1918 *

German Spring Offensive The German spring offensive, also known as ''Kaiserschlacht'' ("Kaiser's Battle") or the Ludendorff offensive, was a series of German Empire, German attacks along the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the World War I, First Wor ...

: ** Third Battle of Arras, 28 March * Battle of the Lys: ** Battle of Hazebrouck, 13–15 April, including defence of Hinges Wood ** Battle of Béthune, 18 April *

Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Western Front, the Allies pushed the Imperial Germa ...

: ** Battle of the Scarpe, 29–30 August ** Battle of the Drocourt-Quéant Line, 2–3 September **

Battle of the Canal du Nord The Battle of Canal du Nord was part of the Hundred Days Offensive of the First World War by the Allies against German positions on the Western Front. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete porti ...

, 27 September–1 October **

Battle of the Selle The Battle of the Selle (17–25 October 1918) took place between Allied forces and the German Army, fought during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I. Prelude After the Second Battle of Cambrai, the Allies advanced almost and liberat ...

, 17–25 October ** Battle of Valenciennes, 1–2 November

Second World War

The 10th Infantry Brigade, commanded since August 1938 by

Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

Evelyn Barker General (United Kingdom), General Sir Evelyn Hugh Barker, (22 May 1894 – 23 November 1983) was a British Army officer who saw service in both the First World War and the Second World War. During the latter, he commanded the 10th Infantry Br ...

, again saw active service as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) that was sent to France after the outbreak of war in 1939, arriving there on 1 October, less than a month since the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The brigade and division were evacuated at Dunkirk after fierce fighting in the battles of

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

. After being based in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, the brigade spent many years on home defence and training duties, anticipating a German invasion which never arrived. The brigade was later sent to Algeria and Tunisia in 1943. After this the brigade fought in

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

where it saw extremely hard fighting at

Monte Cassino The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic Church, Catholic, Benedictines, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Valle Latina, Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient ...

through most of 1944, before being shipped off to Greece to help calm the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

as part of

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

Ronald Scobie Lieutenant-General Sir Ronald MacKenzie Scobie, (8 June 1893 – 23 February 1969) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars, where he commanded the 70th Infantry Division and later III Corps. He was ...

's III Corps, where it ended the war.

Order of battle

The 10th Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war: * 2nd Battalion,

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the First and Second World W ...

* 2nd Battalion,

Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) was a Light infantry, light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1959. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, by the merger of the 32nd ( ...

* 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (''to May 1940'') * 10th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company (''left to join 4th Battalion, Reconnaissance Corps, 1 January 1941''4th Recce Regiment at the Reconnaissance Corps website.
/ref>) * 1/6th Battalion,

East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ( ...

(''from May 1940'')

Postwar

The brigade was disbanded in Greece in 1947. However, following the reactivation of the 4th Infantry Division on 1 April 1956, from the 11th Armoured Division of the

British Army of the Rhine British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) was the name given to British Army occupation forces in the Rhineland, West Germany, after the First and Second World Wars, and during the Cold War, becoming part of NATO's Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) tasked ...

(BAOR), the 10th Brigade, formerly the 91st Lorried Infantry Brigade, again became part of the division (again, along with the 11th and 12th Infantry Brigades). The brigade headquarters was at Essex Barracks in

Hildesheim Hildesheim (; or ; ) is a city in Lower Saxony, in north-central Germany with 101,693 inhabitants. It is in the district of Hildesheim (district), Hildesheim, about southeast of Hanover on the banks of the Innerste River, a small tributary of t ...

until it was finally disbanded in April 1958.

Commanders

The following officers commanded the 10th Infantry Brigade throughout its existence: * Major-General John Talbot Coke: 1900 * Lieutenant-Colonel A.W. Hill: (acting) 1900 * Brigadier-General William E. Franklyn: October 1902 – March 1904 * Brigadier-General Samuel H. Lomax: April 1904 – April 1908 * Brigadier-General the Hon. Edward J. Montagu-Stuart-Wortley: April 1908 – April 1912 * Brigadier-General J. Aylmer L. Haldane: April 1912 – 18 November 1914 * Brigadier-General C.P. Amyatt Hull: 18 November 1914 – 5 February 1916 * Brigadier-General Charles A. Wilding: 5 February–27 December 1916 * Brigadier-General

Charles Gosling Brigadier (United Kingdom), Brigadier-General Charles Gosling, Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, CMG (June 1868 – 12 April 1917) was a British Army officer. He was killed in action during the Battle of Arras (1917), Second ...

: 27 December 1916 – killed 12 April 1917 * Lieutenant-Colonel G. N. B. Forster: 12 April 1917 (acting) * Brigadier-General Aubrey G. Pritchard: 14 April–27 November 1917 * Brigadier-General H.W. Green: 27 November 1917 – 16 April 1918 * Brigadier-General John Greene: 16 April 1918 – December 1919 * Brigadier-General Winston J. Dugan: December 1919 – December 1923 * Brigadier-General Albemarle B.E. Cator: December 1923 – October 1925 * Brigadier-General Thomas W. Stansfeld: October 1925 – March 1929 *

Francis H. Stapleton: March 1929 – March 1932 * Brigadier William N. Herbert: March 1932 – August 1934 * Brigadier Robert H. Willan: August 1934 – August 1938 * Brigadier Evelyn H. Barker: August 1938 – October 1940 * Brigadier Walter E. Clutterbuck: October 1940 – November 1941 * Brigadier Owen M. Wales: November 1941 – June 1942 * Brigadier John H. Hogshaw: June 1942 – December 1943 * Brigadier Stephen N. Shoosmith: December 1943 – March 1945 * Brigadier Rudolph C.H. Kirwan: March 1945 * Brigadier John A. Mackenzie: March 1945– * Brigadier Graham Peddie: 1953 – April 1956 * Brigadier Ronald C. Macdonald: April 1956 – 1959

Notes

References

* L.S. Amery (ed)
''The Times History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902'', London: Sampson Low, Marston, 7 Vols 1900–09.
* Maj A.F. Becke,''History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions, Part 1: The Regular British Divisions'', London: HM Stationery Office, 1934/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2007, ISBN 1-847347-38-X. * Col John K. Dunlop, ''The Development of the British Army 1899–1914'', London: Methuen, 1938. * 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/London: London Stamp Exchange, 1990, ISBN 0-948130-03-2/Uckfield: Naval & Military Press, 2003, ISBN 1-843424-74-6.

External sources

Anglo-Boer War
{{British infantry brigades of the Second World War Military units and formations of the Second Boer War Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War I Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations established in 1899 Military units and formations disestablished in 1900 Military units and formations established in 1902 Military units and formations disestablished in 1947 Military units and formations established in 1956 Military units and formations disestablished in 1958 Infantry brigades of the British Army