| 6th London Brigade 142nd (6th London) Brigade 142nd (6th London) Infantry Brigade 6th London Infantry Brigade | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1908–19 1920–36 1939–40 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Territorial Army |
| Type | Infantry Brigade |
| Part of | 47th (1/2nd London) Division |
| Garrison/HQ | Duke of York's Headquarters |
| Engagements | First World War |
The142nd (6th London) Brigade (142 Bde) was aninfantrybrigade of theTerritorial Army, part of theBritish Army, that served in theFirst and theSecond World Wars, and remained in the United Kingdom throughout the latter.
When theTerritorial Force was created in 1908 under theHaldane Reforms, the existingVolunteer units in the London area were brought together into a newLondon Regiment and organised into two divisions with a full complement of infantry brigades and supporting arms. Four battalions from South London (formerly part of theSurrey Brigade) constituted the 6th London Brigade in2nd London Division, with the following composition:[1][2][3][4][5]
The outbreak of war on 4 August saw 6th London Brigade atPerham Down onSalisbury Plain, where it had just arrived for its annual training camp with the rest of 2nd London Division. They were immediately recalled to London to complete their mobilisation and by mid-August, 6 London Bde had reached its war station roundWatford, Hertfordshire.[2][3][6] The County of London Territorial Force Association immediately began raising '2nd Line' battalions, which quickly led to the formation of a duplicate 2/6th London Brigade (eventually181st Brigade); consequently 6th London Brigade was renumbered 1/6th and its battalions were similarly prefixed (1/21st–1/24th).[7][8][9][10]
In October 1914, 2nd London Division was selected for service on theWestern Front and progressive training was carried out through the winter. The division embarked for France in March 1915, concentrating roundBéthune. In May the division (already known in France simply as 'The London Division' to distinguish it from the Regular Army2nd Division) took its place in the line and was designated47th (1/2nd London) Division, with the brigades numbered consecutively: 6th London became142nd (1/6th London) Brigade.[2][11]
The division suffered casualties from shellfire while holding the line as neighbouring formations fought theBattle of Aubers Ridge, (9 & 15 May),[12] but Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby's 142 Bde carried out the division's first offensive action, on 25 May during theBattle of Festubert. The attack on the 'S' Bend was timed for 18.30, to precede a Canadian night attack further along the line. The 23rd and 24th Londons swept across the open ground and immediately captured the German front trenches with few losses. However, German listening posts had given warning of the impending attack, and they had registered their artillery onto their own trenches. The divisional historian records that the Londoners now encountered 'a fierce and deadly enfilading fire from the German guns, and particularly from a heavy battery posted near Auchy-les-la Bassée, far to the south and out of range of the guns of our Division'.[13]
The brigade supports, 21st Londons, and the 20th Londons from divisional reserve, were brought up and desperate attempts made to extend the brigade's gains, 'but tremendous losses were suffered by the men crowded in the captured trenches. Nothing could be done to keep down this enfilading fire, and by the following morning much of the captured trenches had been knocked to bits and had to be abandoned, but a considerable part of their front line was retained and taken into our own trench system'.[13]
The brigade was engaged in the following further operations:[2][3][4][14]
1915
1916
1917
1918
There were few changes to the brigade's Order of Battle during the war:[2][3][15]
After theArmistice with Germany, 47th Division was engaged in railway repair and then settled down around Béthune (where it had started the war) to await demobilisation. This began in January, and the last troops left France on 10 May 1919. The brigade was demobilised atFelixstowe in May–June 1919.[2][3][17]
47th Division and its subformations began to reform in the redesignatedTerritorial Army in 1920.[2][3][18] 142 Bde was reformed with its original battalions, and with brigade HQ at the Regimental Headquarters of theWelsh Guards atWellington Barracks inBirdcage Walk.[19]
In the 1930s, reorganisation of the TA saw the brigade's traditional battalions being retasked (the21st became35th (1st Surrey Rifles) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, RE (TA) and the 23rd became42nd Royal Tank Regiment in 1935, 22nd and 24th became 6th (Bermondsey) and 7th (Southwark) battalions of theQueen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey), transferred to131st (Surrey) Infantry Brigade) and posted away. The brigade was disbanded in 1936.[20]
The rapid expansion of the TA after theMunich Crisis saw 6th London Brigade re-formed in April 1939 as a Second Line TA formation within a new 2nd London Division.[20] It consisted of battalions of theMiddlesex Regiment organised in the machine gun role:[21]
As its units were progressively posted away, the reduced brigade first came under the command of the brigadier of3rd London Brigade, and was then disbanded on 4 May 1940. Neither the 6th London nor 142 Brigade titles was reactivated.[23]
142 Brigade was commanded by the following officers:[24][25][26]