157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade
The 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army. The brigade was originally raised as the Highland Light Infantry Brigade, assigned to the Lowland Division. Both were raised in 1908 when the Territorial Force was created. In 1915 the brigade became the 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade and the division the 52nd (Lowland) Division. During the First World War the brigade and division served in the Middle East and later on the Western Front.
After the Great War both the brigade and division were disbanded, as was the rest of the Territorial Force which was later renamed in the 1920s as the Territorial Army and the 52nd Division was reconstituted as was the brigade, which became the 157th Infantry Brigade.
During the Second World War, the brigade served with the division during Operation Ariel in France 1940 to cover the withdrawal of troops being evacuated from France. In 1942 to June 1944 the division was trained in mountain warfare yet was never used in the role. They were then trained in airlanding operations but were again never utilised in the role. In October 1944 they were sent to Belgium to join the 21st Army Group and were attached to First Canadian Army and fought in the Battle of the Scheldt where the 52nd Division gained an excellent reputation. The brigade took part in Operation Blackcock in 1945 and ended the war by the River Elbe.
World War I formation
The brigade's composition in World War I was as follows:[1]
- 1/5th (City of Glasgow) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 1/6th (City of Glasgow) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 1/7th (Blythswood) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 1/9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry left November 1914
- 1/5th (Renfrewshire) Battalion, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) joined April 1915, left 28 June 1918
- 157th Machine Gun Company formed 14 March 1916, joined 52nd Battalion, MGC 28 April 1918
- 157th Trench Mortar Battery formed 11 June 1917
World War II formation
The brigade's composition in World War II was as follows:[2]
- 5th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 6th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry (to 12 February 1945)
- 1st Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders (to 12 March 1945)
- 5th Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers (from 12 February 1945)
- 7th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (from 14 March 1945)
- 157th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company (from 12 May 1940 to 7 January 1941)
References
- ↑ Baker, Chris. "The 52nd (Lowland) Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ↑ Joslen 1990, p. 344