166th (South Lancashire) Brigade

The 166th (South Lancashire) Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Territorial Force of the British Army. Raised in the Territorial Force as the South Lancashire Brigade, it was attached to the West Lancashire Division. These later became 166th (South Lancashire) Brigade and 55th (West Lancashire) Division respectively, in 1915. The brigade served with the division on the Western Front during the Great War.

The brigade and division were both disbanded after the war as was the Territorial Force which was reformed in 1920 as the Territorial Army. The brigade was also reformed as the 166th Infantry Brigade and again joined the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division which was also reformed in the Territorial Army.

In 1939 war with Nazi Germany was becoming increasingly likely and, as a consequence, the Territorial Army was doubled in size with each unit forming a duplicate. The 55th Division raised the duplicate 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division and the 166th Infantry Brigade was subsequently redesignated the 176th Infantry Brigade and was transferred to help form the new division.

A new 166th Infantry Brigade was raised in the Second World War from the redesignation of the 199th Infantry Brigade. The brigade had previously served with the 66th (East Lancashire) Infantry Division until it was disbanded in June 1940 and transferred to the 55th Division and reformed it as a standard infantry division. continued to serve with the 55th (West Lancashire) Division from 1944 until the end of the war.

Formation in World War I

The infantry battalions did not all serve at once, but all were assigned to the brigade during the war.

• 1/9th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
• 1/10th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
• 1/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
• 1/5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
• 2/5th Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
• 1/5th Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
• 1/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
• 2/10th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment)
• 166th Machine Gun Company
• 166th Trench Mortar Battery

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Formation in World War II

• 2/8th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
• 6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment
• 7th Battalion, Manchester Regiment
• 2nd Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
• 9th Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
• 1/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
• 1st Battalion, Liverpool Scottish, (Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders)
• 8th Battalion, Manchester Regiment

References