304th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

304th Infantry Brigade
Active Formed 22 January 1945
Country  United Kingdom
Branch British Army
Type Infantry Brigade
Role Lines of Communication

304th Infantry Brigade (304 Bde) was a formation of the British Army organised from surplus Royal Artillery (RA) personnel retrained as infantry towards the end of World War II.

Origin

By the end of 1944, 21st Army Group was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry.[1] At the same time the German Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the United Kingdom could be discounted. In January 1945 the War Office began to reorganise surplus anti-aircraft and coastal artillery regiments in the UK into infantry battalions, primarily for line of communication and occupation duties in North West Europe, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service.[2][3] 304th was one of seven brigades formed from these new units.[4][5]

Composition

304th Infantry Brigade was formed on 22 January 1945 by conversion of Headquarters 38th Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade within 2 Anti-Aircraft Group. It was commanded by Brigadier C.A.H. Chadwick (Brigadier F.W. Sanders from 24 May 1945) and comprised the following Territorial Army RA units:[4][5]

Service

After infantry training, including a short period attached to 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division, 304 Bde was sent to Norway in June 1945 following the liberation of that country (Operation Doomsday).[4]

Notes

References

External sources

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