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 immediately mobilised for home defence, but shortly afterwards, 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 units to supply drafts. The remaining Home Service men were separated out in May 1915 to form brigades of Coast Defence Battalions.
3rd Provisional Brigade
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 Division in the area around Thetford, Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds under the control of First Army of Central Force. 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:
43rd Provisional Battalion became 25th Battalion, King's
67th Provisional Battalion became 17th Battalion, Essex Regiment
2/1st Highland Heavy Battery, RGA
3rd Provisional Field Company became 642nd Field Company Royal Engineers
3rd Provisional Battery and Ammunition Column became 1205th Battery RFA
3rd Provisional Brigade Train became 835th Company ASC
3rd Provisional Field Ambulance became 331st Field Ambulance RAMC
The brigade was attached to the 64th Division. In May 1918 each of the Mixed Brigades was called upon to provide a battalion to reconstitute the 59th Division, which had been virtually destroyed during the German Spring Offensive. The 223rd Mixed Brigade supplied 25th King's to the 176th Brigade and immediately raised a new 27th Battalion, King's to take over its coast defence duties. The brigade remained with this composition until the end of the war, after which it was demobilised.
In World War II the brigade number was reactivated for the 223rd Independent Infantry Brigade , formed for service in the United Kingdom in Eastern Command. The brigade was attached to the 15th Infantry Division and then the Essex County Division before coming under the command of XI Corps. While in this formation it was re-designated as the 223rd Independent Infantry Brigade.
Order of Battle
For its entire career as the 223rd Brigade it was commanded by Brigadier Sir Alexander Stanier, Bart and was initially composed of newly raised infantry battalions.
