British Army Patch Formation Sign Inf 115 Brigade Combination

British 115th Infantry Brigade Independent 5th Hackney Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment Formation Sign Patch British Army Combination 1945 Uniform removed Woven Applique on wool 123mm by 64mm four and seven eighth by two and one half inches

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British 115th Infantry Brigade

History

115th Brigade 

115th Brigade was activated with16th Service Battalion Cardiff City Welsh Regiment in October 1914 as infantry forming part of Kitcheners New Army. The Brigade made up predominately of Welshmen was assigned to the 43rd Division and began training in North Wales. The 10th Service Battalion 1st Gwent South Wales Borderers activated in the Brigade in November 1914 and the 11th Service Battalion 2nd Gwent South Wales Borderers in January 1915. 43rd Division was redesignated 38th Welsh Division on on 29 April 1915. 17th Service Battalion 2nd North Wales Royal Welsh Fusiliers joined in July 1915. 38th Welsh Division with 113th 114th and 115th Brigade deployed to France in December 1915 assigned to XI Corps for war service on the Western Front. Heavy weapons support was provided with 115th Mortar Battery formed on 26 December 1915.

Battle of the Somme

38th Welsh Division manned the front in the Nord Pas de Calais region with 115th Brigade rotated to the front line trenches to gain experience of active service conditions. with the other Division Brigades. Further support for the brigade came with 115th Machine Gun Company Machine Gun Corps which joined on 19 May 1916 and 115th trench mortar battery. Relieved from the front line 11 June 1916 the Division moved south and joined XVII Corps of the Third Army to train for the Somme offensive moving to the Somme Valley at the end of June. Held in reserve on the first Day of the Battle of the Somme 1 July 1916 the Division was attached to XV Corps to relieve 7th division and clear Mametz wood. 113th and 114th took the line and commenced attacks on 7 July 1916. 115th Brigade relieved 113th and 114th on 11 July 1916 to press home the attacks and cleared the wood by the end of the day. 21st Division relieved the 38th Division on the evening of 11 July 1916 and 38th Division moved near Gommecourt and relieved the 48th South Midland Division.

Ypres Salient 

38th Division was deployed to the Ypres Salient at the end of August 1916 rebuilding trenches and raiding German positions. The Division was withdrawn into reserve In June 1917 to undertake training for the Ypres offensive attack on Pilckem Ridge. The Division relieved 29th Division section of front line on 20 July 1917.

The Battle of Pilckem Ridge part of the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres began at 03:50 on 31 July 1917. 115th Brigades 10th Welsh and 16th RWF took the German forward positions rapidly followed up by elements of the Division which pushed forward and were able to secure the second objective of Iron Cross Ridge

115th Brigades 11th SWB and 17th RWF pushed forward for the next objective to cross the Steenbeck stream. German positions were cleared and the two dug in on the opposite bank of the stream. 10th SWB and 16th Welsh reinforced the new positions but were forced back over the stream by German counter attacks and held the line. With heavy rain for three days following further advances became impractical. The Brigade with the rest of 38th Welsh Division was withdrawn from the line on 6 August 1917 returning on 20 August 1917 with elements undertaking an attack in heavy rain on 27 August 2017 reaching the German line through the mud remaining until withdrawn to new positions in Armentieres on 13 September 1917.

38th Welsh Division manned various sections of the front line improving repairing trenches and conducting raids including 115th Brigades 10th SWB carrying out a 300 man overnight raid on 7 November 1917 penetrating 200 yards into German lines destroying concrete dugouts personnel and taking 15 prisoners for 50 casualties. With the possibility of a German offensive in the Spring of 1918 the Division improved front line positions and constructed rear defences.

Army rationalization and reorganization of Infantry divisions to increase machine gun and artillery troops led to 115th Brigade disbanding 11th SWB and 10th and 16th Welsh replacing them with 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers transferred from 33rd Division in early February 1918. The Division rested from the line returning in mid February 1918. 115th Machine Gun Company Machine Gun Corps when it was transferred to the newly activated 38th Battalion Machine Gun Corps on 2 March 1918 formed from the Machine Gun Companies of the 38th Division consolidated to a new Battalion.

The major German offensive began on 21 March 1918 and with heavy casualties to the 2nd Division and the 47th London Division the 38th Welsh Division without its Divisional artillery was moved south to Albert on 31 March 1918 to relieve the two Divisions.

The division had been kept in reserve until the night 11 12 April 1918 when it moved forward to relieved the 12th Eastern Division.. elements of the 113th and 115th Brigades attacked took and held high ground near Bouzincourt and Aveluy captured by the Germans which overlooked British positions and to gain observation positions overlooking the German lines in the river Ancre valley. Atillery support was provided by Australian units. The Brigades were withdrawn for a short break on 20 May 1918 with the Division returned to the line for static trench warfare patrolling and raiding and combatting enemy patrols and raids.

100 Day Offensive

The Division returned to take up positions in reserve at Aveluy Wood on 5 August 1918 for the Battle of Amiens which marked the beginning of the 100 Day Offensive. Fourth Army pushed the Germans back to the eastern bank of the river Ancre. 38th Division assigned to cross the river and clear the German held Thiepval ridge north of Albert sent 114th Brigade to cross and create a bridgehead on 21 22 August 1918. 113th Brigade crossed the river via bridges in Albert and assaulted and took Unsa Hill. 115th Brigade crossed the river and cleared several German positions facing them.

114th Brigade pushed forward to attack Thiepval ridge on 23 August with while 113th Brigade and 115th Brigade attacked Ovillers la Boisselle. Thiepva ridge was taken by evening and the division continued to advance across the old Somme battlefield which became the Second Battle of the Somme. 113th Brigade cleared Mametz Wood, and 115th Brigade took Bazentin le Petit on 25 August 1918. 113th Brigade reached the outskirts of Longueval on 26 August 1918 while 115th Brigade surrounded and cleared High Wood. After heavy fighting 113th and 114th Brigades took Longueval the evening of on 28 August 1918. Moving forward the Division captured Ginchy Deville Wood and Lesbœufs. Morval was captured on 1 September 1918 and the Division pushed on to take Sailly Saillisel and Étricourt Manancourt.

The Germans dug in on the far side of the Canal du Nord and bombarded the valley with gas. Elements of the 13th and 14th Welsh attacked across the canal pushing the Germans back to allow the rest of the 114th Brigade to cross the canal on 3 September 1918. 38th Welsh Division was relieved and placed in reserve on 5 September 1918.

38th Welsh Division returned to the front near Gouzeaucourt on 11 September 1918 and 113th and 114th Brigades cleared the German held ridge positions in front of the Hindenburg Line in the Battle of Épehy on 18 September 1918. The Division was pulled off the line to rest on 20 September 1918.

The Division returned to the line advancing to the Hindenburg support line which they breached on 5 October 1918 and continued to the main defences the Siegfried II Stellung near Villers Outréaux. The Division halted and prepared for the assault.

115th and 113th Brigade with tank support began the attack at 01 00 on 8 October 1918 with 114th Brigade in reserve. After initial heavy resistance and the commitment of 114th Brigade and the use of tanks the Division achieve its final objective on the Prémont Esnes road. 33rd Division supported by the 38th Divisions artillery took over the advance with 38th Welsh Division following in reserve ready to take over the advance. The Germans were pushed back to the River Selle. The Division took over near Troisvilles and Bertry on 13 14 October 1918. 113th and 114th Brigades attacked across the river each supported by a tank on 19 20 October 1918 while the 115th Brigade was held in reserve. The Division took the high railway embankment behind the river and secured the bridgehead.

33rd Division continued the advance with 38th Division following closely with an outbreak of Spanish flu affecting personnel of the supply train.

The Divisions halted in front of the Forêt de Mormal until 115th Brigade pushed forward into the forest on 4 November 1918 with 113th Brigade taking over to secure the second objective followed by 114th Brigade which took a forest road the last objective. That night 13th Welsh carried on the advance taking the rest of the forest and capturing Sarbaras Tete Noir and Berliamont. The Division had moved forward eleven miles and 33rd Division again took over the advance handing it back to 38th Division on 7 November 1918 pushing the retreating Germans back and advanced elements reaching Hestrud on the Belgian border by the Armistice at 11 00 am 11 November 1918.

The Army did not allocate 38th Welsh Division to remain in Germany as part of the occupation forces the British Army of the Rhine and the Division began demobilisation. Disbandment of 38th Welsh Division 115th Brigade was completed by March 1919.

WWII

British 115th Infantry Brigade 

115th Infantry Brigade was activated in the Territorial Army TA part time reserve on 18 September 1939 assigned to 38th Welsh Infantry Division together with 113th and 114th Infantry Brigades. Under Western Command the Division was located on both the Welch and the English sides of the River Severn. 38th Welsh Infantry Division was allocated for home defence duties as a Second Line unit shadowing the First Line 53rd Welsh Infantry Division and providing infantry training of conscripts after completion of their six month initial training.

British 115th Infantry Brigade was activated with 8th Denbighshire Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers 9th Caernarvonshire and Anglesey Battalion RWF and 10th Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire Battalion RWF. 115th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company formed on 1 January 1940. The Army planned to deploy the whole TA force to France in waves as Divisions completed their training. 38th Welsh Infantry Division did not deploy due to the German advance and the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force BEF from France during May and June 1940.

The division was reassigned to III Corps and relocated around Liverpool North West England in June 1940 for training and manoeuvres. 38th Welsh Infantry Division was reassigned to IV Corps and moved to Sussex in April 1941 as reserve behind 47th London Infantry Division and 55th West Lancashire Infantry Division defending the South coast between Beachy Head and Bognor Regis. British 115 Infantry Brigade rotated its Royal Welch Fusiliers Battalions for coastal defence duties. The Division was retasked for static home defence on 1 December 1941. 38th Welsh Infantry Division went to V Corps in 1942 and relocated to defend the Dorset coast.

The anti aircraft platoon of the 4th Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment supported the parachute and combined operations raid on Bruneval France Operation Biting on 27 28 February 1942. 115th Infantry Brigade transferred 10th Royal Welch Fusiliers to the Parachute Regiment as 6th Royal Welch Battalion The Parachute Regiment on 25 July 1942. 13th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers joined 115th Infantry Brigade on 7 November 1942. 115th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company was disbanded on 12 January 1943.

38th Welsh Infantry Division spent 1943 moving around the country spending time in Kent Hertfordshire and Northumberland for assignments with II and XII Corps. British 115 Infantry Brigade gained 9th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry on 24 October 1943. 113th Infantry Brigade was released by the Division and was renamed 113th Independent Infantry Brigade and relocated to Orkney in early 1944 providing one of the real formations as part of the Invasion deception plan Fortitude North simulating a build up to attack Norway. The Germans increased their Divisions in Norway to thirteen.

38th Welsh Infantry Division acted as enemy forces for Exercise Eagle in February 1944 a VIII Corps invasion training exercise held for 12 days on the Yorkshire Wolds. British 115th Infantry Brigade formed B Marshalling Area in March 1944 dealing with the troop movement in preparation for the Invasion of Europe.

115th Independent Infantry Brigade Force 135

115th Infantry Brigade was released by the Division and redesignated 115th Independent Infantry Brigade on 4 July 1944 losing 8th Denbighshire Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers 13th Battalion RWF and 9th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry.

115th Independent Infantry Brigade HQ became the planning staff for the retaking of the Channel Islands Force 135 activated on 2 August 1944. The Brigade was assigned 30th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment on 27 August 1944 with 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment and 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment joining on  28 August 1944

With the Allies main thrusts directed towards Germany the plans were postponed and 115th Independent Infantry Brigade left Force 135 on 30 January 1945 continuing as an Independent Infantry Brigade. The Brigade deployed to North West Europe on 12 February 1945 serving under the direct command of VIII XII and I Corps 21st Army Group for the push through France Belgium Netherlands and Germany. 115th Independent Infantry Brigade lost 30th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment on 15 March 1945 and 1st Battalion Cheshire Regiment on 3 April 1945. The Brigade was assigned 5th Hackney Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment on 1 April 1945 and 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment on 8 April 1945. 115th Independent Infantry Brigade was disbanded on 31 August 1945.

Northwest Europe

British 115th Infantry Brigade

This 115th Independent Infantry Brigade 5th Hackney Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment patch dates from April 1945