The 201st Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) was a short-lived Home Defence formation 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 ...

during 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 ...

Formation and Service

The 201st Independent Infantry Brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 4 October 1940 by No 1 Infantry Training Group in

Aldershot Command Aldershot Command was a Home Command of the British Army. History After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, reformers of the British Army decided to create a permanent training camp at Aldershot. To begin the preliminary work a smal ...

. It was commanded by Brigadier A.E. Lawrence, and comprised four newly raised infantry battalions from Southern England.Joslen, p. 364. 'Home' brigades had a purely static defence role.

Service

The brigade moved from Aldershot Command to

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII ( ...

on 10 October and then briefly to the

West Sussex County Division The West Sussex County Division was a formation of the British Army, raised in the Second World War and formed by the redesignation of Brocforce on 9 November 1940. On 18 February 1941, the headquarters was redesignated as the Essex County Divi ...

(on 9 November), then to the Yorkshire Area (Military District) (on 21 February 1941), then to the

Yorkshire County Division The Yorkshire County Division was a formation of the British Army in the Second World War, its headquarters were formed on 24 February 1941, and became operation on 19 March. It was commanded by three officers, Major-General the Hon E. F. Laws ...

on 19 March, after that was formed on 24 February. The Yorkshire County Division was re-designated the East Riding Coastal Area on 1 December and the brigade went with it until it was disbanded on 13 December.

Order of battle

The composition of 201st Brigade was as follows: * 13th Battalion,

Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) was a line infantry regiment of the English and later the 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 Arm ...

– ''joined 4 October 1940, left 25 November 1941; later to 211th Bde'' * 14th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) – ''formed 4 July 1940 at

Dorchester, Dorset Dorchester ( ) is the county town of Dorset, England. It is situated between Poole and Bridport on the A35 trunk route. A historic market town, Dorchester is on the banks of the River Frome, Dorset, River Frome to the south of the Dorset Dow ...

, joined 4 October 1940, left 3 June 1941, converted on 1 December that year into 99th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal ArtilleryFrederick, pp. 200, 836.'' * 9th Battalion,

Hampshire Regiment The Hampshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 37th (North Hampshire) Regiment of Foot and the 67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot. The re ...

– ''formed 4 July 1940, joined 4 October 1940, left 5 December 1941 to be converted into 157th Regiment Royal Armoured CorpsFrederick, pp. 12–3, 253.'' * 10th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment – '' formed 4 July 1940 at

Aldershot Aldershot ( ) is a town in the Rushmoor district, Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme north-east corner of the county, south-west of London. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Farnborough/Aldershot built-up are ...

, joined 4 October 1940, left 25 November 1941 to be converted into 147th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps''

Notes

References

* J.B.M. Frederick, ''Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978'', Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984, . * {{British infantry brigades of the Second World War Military units and formations established in 1940 Infantry brigades of the British Army Infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1941