The 27th Infantry Brigade was an

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 ...

that saw service in the

First World War 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 ...

, 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 ...

, and the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. In Korea, the brigade was known as 27th British Commonwealth Brigade due to the addition of Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Indian units.

Unit history

First World War

It was originally formed in August 1914 as the 27th Brigade and was part of the

9th (Scottish) Division The 9th (Scottish) Division, was an infantry division of the British Army during the First World War, one of the Kitchener's Army divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener to serve on the Western Front during the First World War. A ...

, the first of the

Kitchener's Army The New Army, often referred to as Kitchener's Army or, disparagingly, as Kitchener's Mob, was an (initially) all-volunteer portion of the British Army formed in the United Kingdom from 1914 onwards following the outbreak of hostilities in the F ...

divisions raised from volunteers by Lord Kitchener to serve on the Western Front during the First World War. It was originally composed of the 11th and 12th (Service) Battalions of the

Royal Scots The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment), once known as the Royal Regiment of Foot, was the oldest and most senior infantry regiment line infantry, of the line of the British Army, having been raised in 1633 during the reign of Charles I of England ...

, 6th (Service) Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers and the 10th (Service) Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's).p.70 Rikhye, Ravi ''Order of Battle of the British Army 1914'' Richard A Rinaldi 15 Jul 2008

Second World War

In 1939 this brigade was reformed, as the 27th Infantry Brigade, in the Army Reserve (United Kingdom), Territorial Army as part of the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division, a 2nd Line duplicate of the 51st (Highland) Division, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division. When the 51st (Highland) Division surrendered during the Battle of France in June 1940 the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division was redesignated as the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division to make up its loss. Due to this, the 27th Infantry Brigade became the 153rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), 153rd Infantry Brigade and served with the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division in North African Campaign, North Africa, Allied invasion of Sicily, Sicily, Allied invasion of Italy, Italy, and Western Front (World War II), North-West Europe from 1942 to 1945.

Post Second World War

The brigade was re-formed in 1948 and sent out to Hong Kong, but was then sent on to Korea at the outbreak of the

, where Major (United Kingdom), Major Kenneth Muir (VC), Kenneth Muir of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, Argylls was awarded the Victoria Cross in September 1950. 27th Infantry Brigade arrived in Pusan, South Korea on 28 August 1950. Soon after arriving, the brigade was in action, being involved in the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, defence of the Pusan Perimeter, on 29 August 1950, and the UN offensive to link with the Battle of Inchon, Inchon landings. The brigade was joined in September 1950 by an Australian contingent, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR), and in December 1950 by the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. At this time the brigade had few of the support units that were a normal feature of other Commonwealth units in Korea, and were always at a disadvantage in this respect, being reliant on United States, US support units. After further action during the Korean War#China intervenes (October–December 1950), retreat from the Yalu River, the Korean War#Fighting around the 38th parallel (January–June 1951), Chinese Winter Offensive (including Third Battle of Seoul in January 1951) and the UN counter-offensive, the brigade was joined by the specially raised 16 Field Regiment Royal New Zealand Artillery in January 1951, and then a Canadian infantry battalion in February. The brigade's final action was the Battle of Kapyong in April 1951, a famous last-stand victory. Both the Argylls and Middlesex Regiment were relieved and the brigade was disbanded, to be replaced by the fully constituted 28th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), 28th British Commonwealth Infantry Brigade, part of 1st Commonwealth Division.

Component units

1914–1918

* 11th Battalion,

* 12th Battalion, Royal Scots * 6th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers * 10th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

1939–1940

* 5th Battalion, Black Watch * 7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders * 9th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders * 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders

1948 onwards

* 1st Battalion, Royal Leicestershire Regiment * 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (to April 1951) * 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (to April 1951) * 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry * 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment * 16th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery, Royal New Zealand Artillery * 60th Indian Field Ambulance

Commanders

* 27 August 1914: Brigadier-General William Scott-Moncrieff * 7 January 1915: Brigadier-General Clarence Dalrymple Bruce * 26 September 1915: Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Ernest Walshe (''acting'') * 14 October 1915: Brigadier-General Henry Ernest Walshe * 17 March 1916: Brigadier-General Gerald Frederic Trotter * 2 May 1916: Lieutenant-Colonel W. J. B. Tweedie (''acting'') * 6 May 1916: Brigadier-General Spencer William Scrase-Dickens * 21 October 1916: Brigadier-General Francis Aylmer Maxwell * 21 September 1917: Lieutenant-Colonel H. D. N. Maclean (''acting'') * 23 September 1917: Brigadier-General William Denman Croft * Brigadier (United Kingdom), Brigadier G.T. Gurney * Brigadier William Fraser * Brigadier Douglas Alexander Graham, D.A.H. Graham

Korean War

* Brigadier Basil Aubrey Coad

References

Bibliography

*Gregory Blaxland, The Regiments Depart: A History of the British Army 1945–70, William Kimber, London, 1971. *Brian Catchpole: ''The Korean War'' {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Infantry brigades of the British Army 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 1939 Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Korean War Military units and formations disestablished in 1951 British Commonwealth units and formations Brigades of the Korean War