30th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)

The British 30th Infantry Brigade is a brigade of the British Army in the First and Second World Wars.

History

The Brigade was originally raised as part of the 10th (Irish) Division and served with that formation throughout the First World War.

The Brigade was reformed on April 24 1940 in the United Kingdom, as 30th Motor Brigade. It contained two regular motor infantry battalions and a Territorial motorcycle reconnaissance battalion. It was intended to be part of the British 1st Armoured Division, then forming in Normandy, but on May 22 it was hastily sent to Calais in France to defend the port against a German panzer division. After a siege lasting three days, the brigade was overrun late on May 26.

The brigade was reformed on October 17 1940, as the British 30th Independent Brigade Group (Guards), and later converted to the British 6th Guards Armoured Brigade.

Structure

(At Calais)

* 1st Bn, The Rifle Brigade
* 2nd Bn, King's Royal Rifle Corps
* The Queen Victoria's Rifles
* 3rd Royal Tank Regiment (under command)
* 229th Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery (under command)

(As The 6th Guards Armoured Brigade)

* 4th Bn, Coldstream Guards
* 3rd Bn, Scots Guards
* 4th Bn, Grenadier Guards

External links

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