156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade

Scottish Rifles Brigade 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade 156th Infantry Brigade
52nd Division insignia, Second World War
Active	1908-1919 1920–1947
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Infantry Mountain Air Landing
Size	Brigade
Part of	52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
Engagements	World War I World War II

The 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army. The brigade saw active service in both World War I and World War II with the 52nd (Lowland) Division.

The brigade was first raised, as the Scottish Rifles Brigade, in 1908 when the Territorial Force was created, which was formed by amalgamation of the Yeomanry and the Volunteer Force. The brigade was assigned to the Lowland Division, one of thirteen others to form the peacetime Territorial Force. The brigade consisted of four Volunteer battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th.

The Lowland Division was mobilised for full-time war service in early August 1914, and most of the men, when asked, volunteered for overseas service. From November 1914 to March 1915, many units of the division were posted elsewhere, mainly to reinforce the Regular Army divisions of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on the Western Front, most of which had suffered heavy casualties. The 5th and 6th battalions of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were sent to the Western Front and replaced by the 4th and 7th battalions of the Royal Scots.

In May 1915 the division was numbered as the 52nd (Lowland) Division and the brigades were also numbered, the Scottish Rifles Brigade becoming 156th (Scottish Rifles) Brigade and the battalions were redesignated, becoming '1/7th Royal Scots', to distinguish them from their 2nd Line units being formed in the 195th (2/1st Scottish Rifles) Brigade, part of the 65th (2nd Lowland) Division.