61st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army. The new Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. Men flooded into the recruiting offices and the 'first hundred thousand' were enlisted within days. This group of six infantry divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'. Recruits continued to arrive in large numbers, and Army Order No 382 of 11 September authorised a further six divisions (15th – 20th), which became the Second New Army (K2). 20th (Light) Division began forming at Aldershot with the 59th, 60th and 61st Brigades, initially composed entirely of service battalions from light infantry and rifle regiments. Order of battle 61st Brigade was constituted as follows during the war: In the summer of 1917 the division adopted a comprehensive scheme for battalion identification signs worn on both sleeves. These were black geometric shapes, with 61st Bde using squares. Underneath, one, two, three or four bars indicated the battalion's seniority. Before the adoption of the divisional scheme the 7th SLI wore a Rifle green horizontal rectangle on the right sleeve. Commanders The following officers commanded the brigade during the war: • 18 September 1914: Brig.-Gen. O'Donnel Colley Grattan • 6 July 1915: Brig.-Gen. Charles Ross • 13 November 1915: Brig.-Gen. William Frederick Sweny (wounded, 2 June 1916) • 3 June 1916: Lt.-Col. Clarence John Hobkirk (acting) • 19 July 1916: Brig.-Gen. W. F. Sweny (sick, 24 July 1916) • 27 July 1916: Brig.-Gen. Walter Edward Banbury • 12 March 1918 – 27 March 1919: Brig.-Gen. James Kilvington Cochrane Recipients of the Victoria Cross • Private Wilfred Edwards, 7th KOYLI • Serjeant David Jones, 12th King's Regiment ==Second World War==

The brigade was reactivated in Italy during the Second World War, composed of three motor battalions of the Rifle Brigade, the 2nd, 7th and 10th, the former being of the Regular Army and the latter two of the Territorial Army (TA). Formed on 21 May 1944 as ''' 'M' Brigade under Eighth Army, it was renamed the 61st Infantry Brigade on 29 May when it joined 6th Armoured Division. On 20 March 1945 it was renamed 61st (Lorried) Infantry Brigade''' and the motor battalions were reorganised as lorried infantry. Order of battle The brigade was constituted as follows during the war: • 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (left 8 August 1945) • 7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (London Rifle Brigade) (left 22 July 1945) • 10th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Tower Hamlets Rifles) (disbanded 22 March 1945) • 1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (from 8 March to 22 July 1945) • 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment (from 29 June 1945) • 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders (from 19 July 1945) • 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (from 19 July 1945) Actions The brigade participated in the following actions: • Liri Valley 18–30 May 1944 • Arezzo 4–17 July 1944 • Advance to Florence 17 July – 10 August 1944 • Gothic Line 25 August – 22 September 1944 • Argenta Gap 13–21 April 1945 Commanders The following officers commanded the brigade during the war: • 21–25 May 1944: Lt. Col. D. Darling (acting) • 25 May 1944 – 27 July 1945: Brig. Clements Gore • 11 January – 5 February 1945: Lt. Col. Richard Fyffe (acting) ==Notes==