121st Brigade (United Kingdom)

121st Infantry Brigade
Active	7 October 1915 – 2 May 1918 14 June 1918–May 1919 9 November 1943 – 19 May 1944
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Infantry and deception
Size	Brigade

The 121st Brigade (121 Bde) was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army during World War I. Part of Lord Kitchener's 'New Armies', it served in the 40th Division on the Western Front. The brigade number was reactivated for deception purposes during World War II.

121st Brigade was a New Army or 'Kitchener's Army' formation raised in October 1915, in 40th Division at Aldershot. An earlier 121 Brigade had been raised in late 1914 as part of the 'Fifth New Army', but when the Fourth New Army was broken up in April 1915 to provide reserve units for the First to Third New Armies, the formations of the Fifth took their place, and the original 121 Bde was renumbered 116th Brigade. By the time the new 120 Bde was organised the flow of volunteers had dwindled, and the standard of height for infantry soldiers had been lowered in order to encourage recruitment. Some of these so-called 'bantams' were well-knit, hardy men, but many others, especially in 121st Bde, were under-developed and unfit. It was estimated that the four battalions in the brigade would provide enough fit men for only two serviceable battalions. To prevent the departure of the division to the Front being indefinitely postponed, the divisional commander asked for fresh units to be drafted in. 121st Brigade was completely reorganised in February 1916. Divisional training was then intensified and the division was warned for overseas service in May 1916.

The original units forming 121 Bde were as follows:

Divisional organisation and training was delayed because some of the brigades contained a large proportion of under-developed and unfit men. 121st Brigade had to undergo a drastic weeding-out and the drafting in of new battalions before it was fit for service. This was completed in February 1916. Divisional training was then intensified and it was warned for overseas service in May 1916. Disembarkation was carried out at Le Havre between 2 and 6 June, and 40th Division concentrated in the Lillers area by 9 June ready to take its place in the line. Units went into the trenches attached to formations of I Corps for familiarisation, and then the division took over its own section of line.

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