137th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

For a similarly numbered formation in World War I, see Staffordshire Brigade.

The 137th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service during World War II. The brigade was raised in 1939 when the Territorial Army was doubled in size in order to meet the threat of Nazi Germany and was assigned to the 46th (West Riding) Infantry Division. With the division, the brigade was sent overseas to join the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France in April 1940 for training and labour duties. In May, the brigade fought against the German Army in the Battle of France until being evacuated at Dunkirk with the rest of the BEF. After spending the next two years in the United Kingdom on home defence against a German invasion, in July 1942 it was decided to convert the 137th Brigade into an armoured formation. The brigades' infantry battalions were subsequently transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps and the brigade was redesignated 137th Armoured Brigade.

Formation

2/5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
2/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
2/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment

References