169th (3rd London) Brigade

The 169th (3rd London) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. The brigade was raised in 1908 when the Territorial Force was first raised, originally as the 3rd London Brigade and was assigned to the 1st London Division. These later became the 169th (3rd London) Brigade and 56th (1/1st London) Division respectively. The brigade left the division for Malta in September 1914 until February 1916. The brigade served on the Western Front during the First World War.

The brigade was reformed, as the 169th (London) Infantry Brigade, in the Territorial Army during the Second World War from the redesignation of the 35th Infantry Brigade. Throughout its existence, the reformed 169th Brigade was composed of three battalions of the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) and continued to serve with the 56th (London) Division. The brigade served mainly in the Italian Campaign from 1943-1945. The brigade saw combat in all the major fierce and hard-fought battles such as at Salerno during the initial invasion of the Italian mainland in September 1943, Anzio in February 1944 and Operation Grapeshot, in April 1945, which effectively saw an end to the campaign in Italy.

Formation in World War I

The brigade was broken up in April 1915 and reformed at Hallencourt on 5–13 February 1916.^[1]

• 1/9th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen Victoria's Rifles) (left November 1914, rejoined February 1916, left February 1918)
• 1/10th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Hackney) (left April 1915)
• 1/11th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Finsbury Rifles) (left April 1915)
• 1/12th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (The Rangers) (left December 1914)
• 1/2nd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers) (joined February 1916)
• 1/5th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade) (joined February 1916)
• 1/16th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles) (joined February 1916)
• 169th Machine Gun Company (formed 17 March 1916, moved to 56th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps 1 March 1918)
• 169th Trench Mortar Battery (joined 17 June 1916)

Formation in World War II

• 2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
• 2/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
• 2/7th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)

References