The British Infantry Battalion, 1939 to 1945

The basic organisation of the British Infantry Battalion remained remarkably consistent during the course of the Second World War.

In September 1939, the Battalion consisted of a Battalion Headquarters, a Headquarter Company, and four Rifle Companies (traditionally lettered A to D, or on occasion W to Z to break the monotony).  The first and only major change to this format occurred in mid 1943, when the fighting elements of Headquarter Company were removed to form a separate Support Company.

The below links lead to descriptions of the Battalion organisations used during the campaigns in France in 1940, North Africa from 1941 through to early 1943 and the Mediterranean and Western Europe from mid 1943 to the end of the war.  It should be noted that British Infantry Battalions operating in Indian Army formations used different War Establishments, which I have unfortunately been unable to obtain copies of.

The British Infantry Battalion 1939 to 1940

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

An Infantry (Rifle) Battalion, ref II/1931/12B/3, notified in Army Council Instructions 6th April 1938. 

An Infantry Battalion (Higher Establishment), ref II/1931/12F/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 10th April 1940. 

The British Infantry Battalion 1941 to 1942

 

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

An Infantry Battalion (Higher Establishment), ref II/1931/12F/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 4th June 1941. 

An Infantry Battalion, Middle East, ref VI/587/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 30th September 1942, effective date 4th April 1942. 

An Infantry Battalion, Middle East, ref VI/587/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 3rd February 1943, effective date 30th November 1942.  

The British Infantry Battalion 1943 to 1945

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

An Infantry Battalion, ref II/233/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 19th May 1943, effective date 30th April 1943. 

An Infantry Battalion, ref II/233/3, notified in Army Council Instructions 29th November 1944, effective date 12th November 1944. 

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