142nd (6th London) Brigade

6th London Brigade 142nd (6th London) Brigade 142nd (6th London) Infantry Brigade 6th London Infantry Brigade
Formation sign of the 47th (1/2nd London) Division, First World War
Active	1908–19 1920–36 1939–40
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Territorial Army
Type	Infantry Brigade
Part of	47th (1/2nd London) Division
Engagements	World War I

The 142nd (6th London) Brigade (142 Bde) was an infantry brigade of the Territorial Army, part of the British Army, that served in World War I and in World War II remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war.

When the Territorial Force was created in 1908 under the Haldane Reforms, the existing Volunteer units in the London area were brought together into a new London Regiment and organised into two divisions with a full complement of infantry brigades and supporting arms. Four battalions from South London (formerly part of the Surrey Brigade constituted the 6th London Brigade in 2nd London Division, with the following composition:

The outbreak of war on 4 August saw 6th London Brigade at Perham Down on Salisbury Plain, where it had just arrived for its annual training camp with the rest of 2nd London Division. They were immediately recalled to London to complete their mobilisation and by mid-August 6 London Bde had reached its war station round Watford, Hertfordshire. The County of London Territorial Force Association immediately began raising '2nd Line' battalions, which quickly led to the formation of a duplicate 2/6th London Brigade (eventually 181st Brigade); consequently 6th London Brigade was renumbered 1/6th and its battalions were similarly prefixed (1/21st–1/24th).

In October 1914, 2nd London Division was selected for service on the Western Front and progressive training was carried out through the winter. The division embarked for France in March 1915, concentrating round Béthune. In May the division (already known in France simply as 'The London Division' to distinguish it from the Regular Army 2nd Division) took its place in the line and was designated 47th (1/2nd London) Division, with the brigades numbered consecutively: 6th London became 142nd (1/6th London) Brigade.