The 2nd Infantry Brigade was a formation of the

New Zealand Military Forces The New Zealand Army (, ) is the principal Army, land warfare force of New Zealand, a component of the New Zealand Defence Force alongside the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Formed in 1845, as the New Zealand Mil ...

raised for service abroad with the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

during the First World War. As part of the New Zealand Division, it participated in several major battles on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918 before being disbanded in 1919. There was also a 2nd Infantry Brigade in the New Zealand

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry in ...

that existed from 1924 to 1964.

History

First World War

It was formed in

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in 1916 for service with the New Zealand Division on the Western Front. Its original commander was Brigadier General William Garnett Braithwaite, a

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 ...

officer on secondment to the

. Upon formation, the brigade consisted of four infantry battalions: the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, Wellington Regiment; the 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Regiment; and the 2nd Battalion, Otago Regiment. This was later changed, though, when several battalions were swapped between the

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and 2nd Brigades, resulting in the 1st Battalions of the Canterbury and Otago Regiments replacing the 2nd Battalions of the Auckland and Wellington Regiments. This placed all the North Island battalions in the 1st Brigade while all the South Island formations were in the 2nd Brigade. Brigadier General Herbert Hart took over as brigade commander in February 1918, after the 4th Brigade was disbanded due to manpower constraints. At this time, the 2nd Brigade received a large number of reinforcements from the 4th Brigade. The brigade fought in several major engagements including the Battles of Broodseinde, Messines and Passchendaele. It was disbanded in early 1919 following the cessation of hostilities in Europe.

Territorial Force

There was also a formation in the New Zealand

(TF) that from 1924 was designated 2nd Infantry Brigade until 1964 at which time it was disbanded (it was originally known as Wellington Infantry Brigade from 1910 to 1920 and then Central Infantry Brigade from 1921 to 1923). During the Second World War, this TF brigade was part of 4th Division and then 1st Division, both of which served on the Home Front in New Zealand.

Notes

References

* * * * * {{Anzac, state=collapsed Military units and formations established in 1916 Infantry brigades of New Zealand Brigades of New Zealand in World War I