43rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)


The 43rd Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the British Army during the First and Second World Wars, and later, as 43 Brigade, a regional headquarters from 1985 to 2014.

First World War

The brigade was created during World War I as part of the 14th Division, part of Kitchener's Army.

Order of Battle

It was reformed as a Lines of Communication security force in North Africa during the Second World War. The brigade was redesignated on 9 November 1943 as the 40th Infantry Division for deception purposes. The brigade was in Sicily for "internal security duties on lines of communications".

Order of Battle

These battalions "were given brigade designations; and every effort was made to appear to be a division. This included the adoption of a divisional sign featuring the diamond and acorn of the Great War 40th Div.; these were made up locally and worn on uniform by the personnel of the 'division' – in reality, three battalions of low medical category men armed with personal weapons only and with a skeleton complement of transport."
The brigade was disbanded, still in Sicily, in June 1944.

Modern era

In 1985 the 43rd Brigade was formed as one of the new one-star Headquarters, principally as a National Defence Brigade commanding the Territorial Army in the south west of England.
The Brigade assisted with recruiting and public relations in its area, which encompassed Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, the Channel Islands and Isles of Scilly. Its responsibilities included the annual Ten Tors walking challenge on Dartmoor.

Order of Battle (1989)

In 1995 the restructuring programme within the British Army saw an increase in the brigade's responsibility to include regional and budgetary aspects working to a new superior headquarters: 3rd Division. The Strategic Defence Review of 1998 further increased the brigade's responsibility and as from 1 April 1999 it came under the command of Headquarters 4th Division, and moved from Exeter to Bulford in September 1999 to establish the new Headquarters 43rd Brigade.

Order of Battle (2007)

The 43 Brigade was transferred to 4th Division on 1 April 2007, and then came under Support Command in late 2011.

Disbandment

The brigade was disbanded at Jellalabad Barracks, Tidworth, in December 2014 under the Army 2020 plan. Units and personnel from the brigade merged with Royal Artillery regiments to form 1st Artillery Brigade and Headquarters South West.

Order of Battle on disbandment