Other British Infantry Battalions, 1944 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 Chindit Battalion 1943 to 1944

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

British Infantry Battalion (Special), ref XI/251/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 26^th April 1944, effective date 25^th October 1943. 

British Infantry Battalion (Special), ref XI/251/2, notified in Army Council Instructions 21^st March 1945, effective date 14^th October 1944. 

A Mountaineer Battalion

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

Headquarters of a Mountaineer Battalion, ref VI/1267/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 26^th January 1944, effective date 14^th November 1943.

A Mountaineer Company, ref VI/1247/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 12^th January 1944, effective date 14^th November 1943.

Headquarters of a Mountaineer Battalion, ref III/277/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 1^st December 1943, effective date 12^th November 1943.

A Mountaineer Company, ref III/278/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 1^st December 1943, effective date 12^th November 1943.

British Infantry Battalion Type "B" 1945

Derived from the following War Establishment table – 

An Infantry Battalion (Type "B") (Any Arm), 21 Army Group, ref XIV/1111/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 4^th April 1945, effective date 10^th February 1945. 

Light Division units

Derived from the following War Establishment tables – 

An Infantry Battalion in a Light Division, ref XV/706/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 23^rd August 1944, effective date 4^th August 1944. 

A Reconnaissance Regiment in a Light Divison, ref XV/604/1, notified in Army Council Instructions 23^rd August 1944, effective date 4^th August 1944.   

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