31st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)


The 31st Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army, which participated in both the First and the Second World Wars. The brigade was later reformed after the end of the war serving in the British Army of the Rhine until the end of National Service in 1956, which saw the reorganisation of the brigade as the 11th Infantry Brigade.

First World War

The 31st Brigade was originally raised in the First World War in 1914, by volunteers from Kitchener's Army. During the First World War, it was assigned to the 10th (Irish) Division and served in the Middle Eastern theatre at Gallipoli, Salonika and Palestine.

Order of battle

The brigade had the following composition:

Second World War

The 31st Infantry Brigade was formed in the Second World War as an independent brigade group. On 26–27 September 1940, it was assigned to defend the Royal Military Canal, a few miles from Hythe and Dover on the south coast. There is a detailed description of this defence area in British archaeological survey sources.

Order of battle

The brigade group had the following composition:
When the brigade operated as a brigade group, it included the following:

Commanders

The following officers commanded the brigade group:
The brigade was redesignated as the 1st Airlanding Brigade Group on 10 December 1941 and came under command of the 1st Airborne Division. 'It probably lost its unique badge at about this time although it did not lose its Group status until 10 March 1943.' 223rd Anti-Tank Battery, 9th Field Company and other attached units became airborne units at this time.
On 15 April 1946, almost a year after the end of the war in Europe, the 6th Airlanding Brigade was renamed the 31st Lorried Infantry Brigade. This brigade wore a black desert rat on a red oval.
The following officers commanded the brigade between 1946 and 1956:

External sources