The British Infantry Battalion, 1941 to 1942
The first major reorganisation of the British Infantry Battalion, incorporating lessons learned during the Dunkirk campaign, took place during late 1941. The overall structure of the Battalion remained unchanged, with a Headquarter Company and four Rifle Companies.
The Infantry Battalion, circa 1941 to 1942
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 50 men)
Headquarter Company (8 Officers, 247 men), comprised of;
Company HQ (1 Officer, 7 men)
Signals Platoon (1 Officer, 35 men)
Anti Aircraft Platoon (20 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 45 men)
Carrier Platoon (2 Officers, 62 men)
Pioneer Platoon (1 Officer, 21 men)
Administrative Platoon (2 Officers, 57 men)
Four Rifle Companies (5 Officers, 119 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 11 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 6 men)
Three Rifle Sections, each comprised of 10 men
Total Strength of 806 all ranks (33 Officers and 773 men)
Points of Note
While the basic organisation of the Battalion remained unchanged, the firepower of the Mortar and Carrier Platoons and the manpower of the Rifle Platoons had been notably increased from that available to the BEF in 1940.
The elements of the Battalion
Battalion Headquarters – the Battalion was commanded by a Lieutenant-colonel, with a Major as his second-in-command. There was also an Adjutant (Captain) and Intelligence Officer (Subaltern). The other ranks provided drivers, batmen, orderlies and twenty stretcher bearers. A Universal Carrier was included among its vehicles to allow the CO to visit forward areas with some form of protection.
Signals Platoon - maintained radio, wire and telephone communication between the Battalion and higher and parallel formations.
Anti-aircraft Platoon – the firepower of the Platoon was marginally increased by the adoption of twin Bren gun mounts on each of its four 15-cwt trucks. Each Detachment still carried an anti-tank rifle.
Mortar Platoon – the Mortar Platoon was now increased from two weapons to six, still equipped with the 3-inch mortar. Each detachment was now to be transported in a modified Universal carrier, though 15-cwt trucks could still be substituted dependent upon supply. The six detachments were paired into three Sections, each provided with an ammunition truck to augment the carrier load. The truck also carried an anti-tank rifle for defensive purposes. Platoon HQ had a seventh carrier plus motorcycles for liaison.
Carrier Platoon - the Carrier Platoon was the next subunit to be increased in strength. The Platoon now contained four Sections, each of three carriers, plus one at Platoon HQ for a total of thirteen. Each Carrier was still crewed by three men, an NCO, a driver-mechanic and a rifleman, with each carrier mounting a Bren gun, and each Section having both a 2-inch mortar and a Boys anti-tank rifle.
Additional to the carriers was a Motorcycle Section of twenty men, with eight solo machines and four combinations, the latter each carrying three men. It seems this element was only deployed by units serving at home.
Pioneer Platoon - the Pioneer Platoon was now commanded by a Subaltern and used a 3-ton lorry to transport its stores and equipment, but otherwise was little changed.
Admin Platoon - provided the bulk of the Battalion motor pool, plus the various cooks, fitters and tradesmen required to keep the unit functioning.
The Rifle Company – the four Rifle Companies were now increased in strength to over 120 men each, retaining the previous format of a HQ and three Rifle Platoons.
The Rifle Section was commanded by a Corporal, and consisted of a rifle group of six men, and a gun group with a Lance-corporal, gunner and loader. The Section commander was among the first to replace his rifle with the US supplied Thompson submachine gun. The 'Tommy Gun' was a heavy, complicated weapon, but the stopping power of its .45 calibre ammunition made it a popular weapon among allied troops. The six men of the rifle group continued to be armed with the bolt action Short Magazine, Lee Enfield, while the gun group served the Section's single Bren light machine gun. The three members of the gun group were also armed with rifles, though there was no realistic way the gunner could carry his along with the Bren gun and its associated kit.
The Rifle Platoon included three such Sections under a small HQ. All Rifle Platoons were now to be commanded by a 1st or 2nd Lieutenant (known as a Subaltern), with a Platoon Sergeant, batman and orderly, a two man team for the 2-inch mortar, and finally a driver for the Platoon’s 15-cwt truck. Each Platoon also had an anti-tank rifle, the Boys, named after the officer who supervised its design and introduction. The Boys fired a heavy .55-inch round capable of penetrating around one inch of armour. By mid-war however, it was clear the anti-tank rifle was completely outclassed in its intended role and the Boys proved more of an encumbrance than an asset.
The three Platoons served under a Company HQ, which provided admin and communications facilities, but no overt fire support other than two snipers. These men were added during 1943, and initially served as part of the Company. During 1944, the Battalion's eight snipers were withdrawn from the Companies and located into a Section at Battalion HQ. This was a largely administrative exercise, but allowed a Sergeant, Corporal and two Lance-Corporals to be promoted within their ranks.
The Company was commanded by a Major or Captain, with a Captain or Lieutenant as his second-in-command, with a small HQ including two 15-cwt trucks.
North African variations, circa 1942-1943
The rigours of warfare in the harsh wastes of the North African desert required the British and Commonwealth forces to make adaptations at many levels. During early 1942, a number of modified War Establishments were issued for infantry units operating in the theatre, the general trend of which was to increase anti-tank capability.
The Infantry Battalion (Middle East) 1942
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 50 men)
Headquarter Company (11 Officers, 297 men) comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 12 men)
Signals Platoon (1 Officer, 35 men)
Anti Aircraft Platoon (20 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 45 men)
Carrier Platoon (2 Officers, 42 men)
Anti-tank Platoon (3 Officers, 73 men)
Administration Platoon (2 Officers, 70 men)
Four Rifle Companies (5 Officers, 104 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 11 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Three Rifle Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 799 all ranks (36 Officers and 763 men)
The Infantry Battalion (Middle East) late 1942 to 1943
Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 46 men)
Headquarter Company (11 Officers, 288 men) comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 10 men)
Signals Platoon (1 Officer, 34 men)
Anti Aircraft Platoon (20 men)
Mortar Platoon (1 Officer, 45 men)
Carrier Platoon (2 Officers, 41 men)
Anti-tank Platoon (3 Officers, 69 men)
Administration Platoon (2 Officers, 69 men)
Four Rifle Companies (5 Officers, 103 men), each comprised of;
Company HQ (2 Officers, 10 men)
Three Rifle Platoons, each comprised of;
Platoon HQ (1 Officer, 4 men)
Three Rifle Sections, each comprised of 9 men
Total Strength of 782 all ranks (36 Officers and 746 men)
Points of Note
The revised organisation continued to be based on the 1941 establishment of the Infantry Battalion, with largely detail changes being made to subunits. In late 1942 the organisation was revised slightly, and it would seem this version remained in use until the end of the campaign in North Africa. The reduction in overall personnel was mostly due to a number of batmen doubling as drivers in charge.
The elements of the Battalion
Battalion Headquarters - the Headquarters element remained unchanged from the 1941 model, and still included its own Universal Carrier with Bren.
Signals Platoon - maintained radio, wire and telephone communication between the Battalion and higher and parallel formations.
Anti Aircraft Platoon - the AA Platoon continued to field just four twin Bren guns mounted on Jeeps in North Africa, with a couple of 15-cwt trucks carrying supplies. The Platoon also deployed four anti-tank rifles. In the revised table additional twin Bren guns were added across the Battalion, rising from four to eleven. It seems likely some of these extra weapons were fitted to vehicles in the Anti-tank and other Platoons, though the tables do not specify precisely where.
Mortar Platoon - the Mortar Platoon was identical to the 1941 model, serving six 3-inch calibre tubes each transported by a modified Universal Carrier.
Carrier Platoon - the Carrier Platoon held thirteen Universal Carriers, a single vehicle and 15-cwt truck at Platoon Headquarters controlling four Sections, each of three Carriers. There were no motorcycles as usually found in other versions of the Carrier Platoon.
Each Carrier, including the HQ machine, mounted both a Bren gun and a Boys anti-tank rifle and also a grenade discharger cup for fitting to a bolt action rifle. In the Sections, each Carrier was crewed by a commander, gun number and driver-mechanic.
Anti-tank Platoon - the 2-pdr was the standard anti-tank gun of the British Army at the outbreak of war. In 1939 and even in 1940, it was effective against German tanks such as the Panzer I and II. By 1942 however, these machines were being increasingly replaced by the more heavily armoured Panzer III and IV, against which the 2-pdr proved less impressive. Despite these inadequacies, the 2-pdr was introduced into Infantry Battalions to offer an improved, if still imperfect, defence than that afforded by the Boys anti-tank rifle.
In North Africa, the Anti-tank Platoon was intended to serve eight guns, each mounted on its own 3-ton lorry, or Portee. The 2-pdr could be fired from the flat bed of the lorry, or dismounted and operated from whatever meagre cover could be found in the desert. Platoon Headquarters added a further lorry and a Jeep, and there were a number of motorcycles for liaison duties. Each lorry carried a Bren, and somewhat ironically a pair of anti-tank rifles were also included among the Platoon weapons. By late 1942 it appears that both the Bren and Boys were deleted and some adjustments made to the support vehicles.
Admin Platoon - the Admin Platoon was swelled by an extra allocation of 15-cwt personnel trucks. It also absorbed the men of the deleted Pioneer Platoon, maintaining the tradesmen but having just four pioneers.
The Rifle Company - the most interesting amendments concern the Rifle Company, which retained the usual organisation of a Headquarters and three Rifle Platoons.
The overall strength of the Rifle Platoon was reduced to an Officer and thirty one men. Headquarters still consisted of a Subaltern, Sergeant, batman and orderly, and a driver in charge with the Platoon's 15-cwt truck. The Officer carried a pistol, the remainder all rifles. Deleted entirely were the 2-inch mortar team and the Platoon anti-tank rifle. While not implicitly stated in the tables, the three Corporals and twenty four men were presumably split into three Sections each of nine men. Each Section retained a Corporal, armed with a submachine gun, primarily the Thompson though some Sten guns were no doubt appearing. The Rifle Group would have probably been reduced to five men, each with a rifle, one of which was fitted with a discharger cup for launching grenades. A gunner and loader continued to serve the Section Bren gun, under the guidance of a Lance-corporal. All three men, including the gunner, were issued with rifles, though there is little evidence to suggest the gunner actually carried his as well the Bren. Towards the end of 1942 it was proposed that Bren gunners be armed with a revolver rather than issued a rifle, though it seems unlikely this was ever enacted
Company Headquarters remained the same as in the 1941 model, with two 15-cwt trucks for transport. Interestingly, it also held a pair of unallocated 2-inch mortars, the only such examples of the weapon officially carried on the tables.
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The British Infantry Battalion
British Divisional Organisations