306th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

By the end of 1944, 21st Army Group was suffering a severe manpower shortage, particularly among the infantry. In January 1945, the War Office began to reorganise surplus anti-aircraft and coastal artillery regiments in the UK into infantry battalions, primarily for lines of communication and occupation duties in North West Europe, thereby releasing trained infantry for frontline service. 306th was one of seven brigades formed from these new units. ==Composition==

306th Infantry Brigade was formed on 22 January 1945 by the conversion of Headquarters 55th Light AA Bde, which was part of 2 Anti-Aircraft Group. It was commanded by Brigadier W.R. Harvey and comprised the following Territorial Army RA units: • 623rd Infantry Regiment, Royal Artillery formed by 67th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA). (to 307th Infantry Brigade 11 March 1945) (to 21st Army Group Lines of Communication 8 May 1945) • 636th (Hampshire) Infantry Regiment, Royal Artillery formed by 48th (Hampshire) Searchlight Regiment RA (TA), itself originally Hampshire Fortress Engineers, RE(to 21st Army Group Lines of Communication 8 May 1945) (from 307th Bde 10 March, to 21st Army Group Lines of Communication 7 May 1945) 7 May 1945) (from 21st Army Group Lines of Communication 8 May 1945) (from 21st Army Group Lines of Communication 8 May 1945) (from 1st Czechoslovak Armoured Brigade 8 May 1945) ==Service==

After infantry training, including a short period attached to Southern Command, 306 Bde came under the orders of 21st Army Group on 4 May 1945, and landed on the Continent three days later. ==Notes==