157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade


The 157th Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. The brigade fought in both the First and the Second World Wars, assigned to 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.

Origins

The Highland Light Infantry Brigade was originally a Volunteer Infantry Brigade formed in 1902 when the former Glasgow Brigade of the Volunteer Force was split up. The four Volunteer Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry constituted one brigade, while the four Volunteer Battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) formed the other.
From 1902 to 1908 the Highland Light Infantry Brigade had the following composition:
The Brigade Headquarters was at Hamilton, later at 2 West Regent Street, Glasgow. Initially the brigade commander was the Officer Commanding the 26th and 71st Regimental Districts, later it was Colonel R.C. MacKenzie, former commanding officer of the 1st VB, HLI.

Territorial Force

After the Volunteers were subsumed into the new Territorial Force under the Haldane Reforms of 1908, the Highland Light Infantry Brigade formed part of the Lowland Division of the TF with the following composition:
  • 5th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
  • 6th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
  • 7th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
  • 9th Battalion, Highland Light Infantry

First World War

Upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the Lowland Division was mobilised immediately for full-time war service. In May 1915 the brigade became the 157th Brigade and the division the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The battalions were also redesignated with the '1/' prefix, 1/4th HLI. This was to avoid confusion with the 2nd Line duplicates which were also forming up and training as the 196th (2/1st Highland Light Infantry) Brigade of 65th (2nd Lowland) Division. The 2nd Line units consisted mainly of those few men who did not volunteer for overseas service when asked at the outbreak of war, together with the many recruits, and were intended to act as a reserve for the 1st Line units being sent overseas. During the war the brigade and division served in the Middle East and later on the Western Front.

Order of battle

The composition of the brigade was as follows:

Inter-war period

After the First World War both the brigade and division were disbanded, as was the rest of the Territorial Force. With the creation of the Territorial Army in 1921, the brigade was reconstituted within the 52nd Division as the 157th Infantry Brigade, again composed of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th battalions of the Highland Light Infantry, and remained this until 1938.
In 1938, due to an increasing need to strengthen the anti-aircraft defences of the country, the 7th Battalion, HLI was transferred to the Royal Artillery and converted into 83rd (7th (Blythswood) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry) Anti-Aircraft Brigade, Royal Artillery. In the same year the 9th Battalion was redesignated 1st Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders but still retained the Highland Light Infantry as its parent regiment. In the following year the brigade was redesignated as 157th Infantry Brigade.

Second World War

During the Second World War, the brigade served with the 52nd Division during Operation Aerial in France in mid-1940 to cover the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force being evacuated from France. In 1942 to June 1944 the division was trained in mountain warfare, but was never used in the role. They were then trained in airlanding operations but were again never utilised in the role. In October 1944 they were sent to Belgium to join the 21st Army Group and were attached to the First Canadian Army and fought in the Battle of the Scheldt. The brigade took part in Operation Blackcock in 1945 and ended the war by the River Elbe.
James Cassels, a future field marshal and Chief of the Imperial General Staff, was a brigade major with this brigade from May 1940−October 1941.

Order of battle

The 157th Infantry Brigade was constituted as follows during the war:
On 12 August 1944 the brigade was organised as a Brigade Group to be the sea echelon for 52nd Division's projected airlanding operations. 157 Brigade Group moved to NW Europe independently with the following additional units under command:
The brigade and attached units reverted to divisional command when 52nd Division arrived by sea in October to take part in ground operations.

Commanders

The following officers commanded the 157th Infantry Brigade during the war:

External sources