14th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)


The 14th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation during both the First World War and the Second World War.

History

First World War

In 1914 this brigade was part of the 5th Division and moved over to France. On 30 December 1915 the brigade was transferred to the 32nd Division.

Component units during the First World War

Subordinate units included:
At the start of the war this formation was made up of regular army battalions based in the Middle East garrisons, nominally part of the 8th Infantry Division. It was present at the Battle of Crete, holding Heraklion airfield and causing many casualties among the German Parachute troops. Evacuated to North Africa where it became part of the 70th Infantry Division in the break out from Tobruk. The 70th Infantry Division was transferred to India and then Burma. Here the division, including the 14th Infantry Brigade, was split up and reformed as Chindits, fighting in the Second Chindit Expedition of 1944. The brigade suffered 489 casualties during the Chindit operation. On 1 November 1944 the brigade was redesignated as the 14th British Airlanding Brigade.

Component units during the Second World War

The following infantry battalions were assigned to the 14th Infantry Brigade for various periods in the Second World War.
Commanders included: