42nd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 42nd Infantry Brigade, also known as 42 (North West) Brigade, was a brigade of the British Army.

42nd Brigade
42 Infantry Brigade
Insignia of 42 (North West) Brigade.
Active1899-1902
1907-1918
1939-1944
1991-2017
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeRegular and Territorial Army
Part of1st (United Kingdom) Division
Garrison/HQFulwood Barracks, Preston
EngagementsSecond Boer War
First World War
Second World War

History

The brigade first saw action during the Second Boer War.[1]

First World War

The brigade was reformed in August 1914 during the First World War as the 42nd Brigade, raised from the first wave of men volunteering for Kitchener's Army. The 42nd Brigade was a component formation of the 14th (Light) Division and originally consisted of light infantry regiments but, as the war progressed and casualties mounted, the brigades' original battalions were replaced by non-light infantry regiments.[2]

Order of battle

Second World War

The brigade HQ was re-formed in Britain during the Second World War on 26 July 1943, and on landing in North Africa on 25 August, was formed as a security force to protect lines of communication in North Africa. In November 1943, the brigade HQ was redesignated as the HQ of the 57th Infantry Division for deception purposes, with its battalions playing the role of brigades.[3]

Order of battle

The Brigade headquarters was disbanded in North Africa on 29 July 1944.[4]

Post war

Headquarters 42 (North West) Brigade was reformed at The Castle, Chester in 1982 before relocating to Fulwood Barracks in 1986, so perpetuating the memory of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division, and became the regional military headquarters for North West England.[5]

The structure in 1989 was as follows:[6]

Under Army 2020, it was renamed 42nd Infantry Brigade and became the Regional Point of Command for the British Army in the region of North West England and the Isle of Man.[7] Its headquarters were situated at Fulwood Barracks in Preston. Units included:[7]

  • 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in Weeton (rotates to British Forces Cyprus)
  • 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment in Chester
  • 4th Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment in Preston (Army Reserve - paired with 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment)
  • 4th Battalion, Mercian Regiment in Wolverhampton (Army Reserve - paired with 2nd Battalion, Mercian Regiment)

The brigade was disbanded in January 2017, being reduced in status to become the cadets-and-reservists Headquarters North West, now part of Regional Command.[8][9]

References
  1. "42nd (North West) Brigade : history". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  2. Baker, Chris. "The Long Long Trail". Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  3. Joslen, pp. 92, 287, 354.
  4. Jolsen p.287
  5. "Fulwood Barracks". Lancashire Infantry Museum. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  6. "BOAR 1989" (PDF).
  7. "Army 2020 Report" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  8. "1st United Kingdom Division". British Army. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  9. "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 31 March 2018.

Sources
  • Joslen, H. F. (2003) [1960]. Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84342-474-1.

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