72nd Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 72nd Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army. It was raised as part of the new army also known as Kitchener's Army and assigned to the 24th Division and served on the Western Front during the First World War.

The brigade was disbanded after the war. In January 1941, during the Second World War, it was reformed as the 72nd Independent Infantry Brigade. In 1943, the brigade ceased to exist and was transformed into the 5th Parachute Brigade. A new 72nd Infantry Brigade was formed on 28 April 1944 when the 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade was renamed.

First World War formation

• 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) (to 17th Brigade in February 1918)
• 8th (Service) Battalion, Buffs (East Kent Regiment) (to 17th Brigade in October 1915)
• 9th (Service) Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
• 8th (Service) Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
• 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment) (from 17th Brigade in October 1915)
• 72nd Machine Gun Company
• 72nd Trench Mortar Battery^[1]

Second World War formation

• 13th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers (21 January 1941 to 24 September 1942)
• 6th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (21 January 1941 to 14 January 1942)
• 15th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment (21 January 1941 to 25 May 1942)
• 4th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (14 January 1942 to 8 October 1942)
• 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment (8 October 1941 to 25 May 1943)
• 9th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (9 September 1942 to 21 May 1943)

References