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223rd Brigade (United Kingdom)

223rd Brigade
223rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)
223rd Independent Infantry Brigade
223rd Independent Infantry Brigade.svg
Formation sign used by the 223rd Independent Infantry Brigade from November 1941 to November 1942.
Active 1915–1919
1940–1942
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Type Infantry
Role Home Defence
Size Brigade
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Brigadier Sir Alexander Stanier, Bart 1940 — 1942
Insignia
Insignia worn by the brigade troops while in the Essex County Division. Essex County Division -vector.svg

The 223rd Brigade was a Home Defence formation of the British Army in World War I and World War II. It existed under several variations of the 223 Brigade title, and was eventually converted into an airborne formation.

On the outbreak of World War I the Territorial Force (TF) immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards (31 August 1914), its units were authorised to raise 2nd line battalions formed from those men who had not volunteered for, or were not fit for, overseas service, together with new volunteers, while the 1st Line went overseas to supplement the Regulars. Early in 1915 the 2nd Line TF battalions were raised to full strength to form new divisions, and began to form Reserve (3rd Line) units to supply drafts. The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions (termed Provisional Battalions from June 1915).

3rd Provisional Brigade was formed mainly from details of regiments from Eastern England, with the following composition:

Under the command of Brigadier-General H.J. Archdale, the brigade was attached to the 69th (2nd East Anglian) Division in the area around Thetford, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds under the control of First Army of Central Force (18 September – 16 October 1915).

When the 3rd Provisional Brigade left the 69th Division, it also had the following units attached to it:

In March 1916 the Provisional Brigades were concentrated along the South and East Coast of England. 3rd Provisional Brigade came under the orders of Northern Army, with its battalions billeted across Norfolk as follows:

The Military Service Act 1916 swept away the Home/Foreign service distinction, and all TF soldiers became liable for overseas service, if medically fit. The Provisional Brigades thus became anomalous, and at the end of 1916 their units became numbered battalions of their parent units. Part of their role was physical conditioning to render men fit for drafting overseas. The 3rd Provisional Brigade became the 223rd Mixed Brigade in December 1916, with its units re-designated as follows:


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