305th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The 305th Infantry Brigade was a formation of the British Army organised from surplus Royal Artillery (RA) personnel retrained as infantry towards the end of World War II.

305th Infantry Brigade
Active	Formed 22 January 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry Brigade
Role	Lines of Communication

Origin

By the end of 1944, 21st Army Group was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry.[1] At the same time the German Luftwaffe was suffering from such shortages of pilots, aircraft and fuel that serious aerial attacks on the United Kingdom could be discounted. In January 1945 the War Office began to reorganise surplus anti-aircraft and coastal artillery regiments in the UK into infantry battalions, primarily for line of communication and occupation duties in North West Europe, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service.[2][3] the 305th Brigade was one of seven brigades formed from these new units.[4][5]

Composition

The 305th Infantry Brigade was formed on 22 January 1945 by conversion of the Headquarters of the 49th Anti-Aircraft Brigade within 2nd Anti-Aircraft Group. It was commanded by Brigadier R.C. Foot, followed by Brigadier M.A. Carthew from 4 July 1945, and comprised the following Territorial Army RA units:[4][5]

• 622nd Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by 117th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA).[6][7]
• 624th Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by 82nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA), which had briefly (January–April 1942) seen active service in North Africa as part of 1st Support Group in 1st Armoured Division.[8][9][10]
• 639th (Essex Regiment) Infantry Regiment Royal Artillery formed by the 64th (Essex Regiment) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), which had originally been converted from the 1/6th Battalion, Essex Regiment.[11][12][13]

Service

After infantry training, including a short period attached to the 55th (West Lancashire) Infantry Division, the 305th Brigade came under the orders of 21st Army Group on 18 April 1945, and landed on the Continent two days later.[4]

Notes

1. Ellis, pp. 141–2.
2. Ellis, pp. 369, 380.
3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. Joslen, p. 401.
5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
7. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 20 December 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. Joslen, p. 215.
11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
12. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 13 February 2013. Retrieved 30 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
13. http://www.patriotfiles.com/index.php name=Sections&req=viewarticle&artid=6697&page=1

References

• Major L. F. Ellis, "History of the Second World War: United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West", Volume II: "The Defeat of Germany", London: HMSO, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-84574-059-9.
• Lt-Col H.F. Joslen, Orders of Battle, United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War, 1939–1945, London: HM Stationery Office, 1960/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2003, ISBN 1-84342-474-6.

External sources

• Land Forces of Britain, The Empire and Commonwealth
• The Royal Artillery 1939–45
• The Patriot Files