120th Brigade (United Kingdom)
| 120th Brigade 120th (Highland) Brigade |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 7 September 1915 – 2 May 1918 14 June 1918–May 1919 9 November 1943 – 16 June 1944 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 British Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Infantry and deception |
| Size | Brigade |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
C.S. Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby Hon. W.P. Hore-Ruthven (Master of Ruthven) |
The 120th Brigade (120 Bde) was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army during World War I. Part of Lord Kitchener's 'New Armies', it served in the 40th Division on the Western Front. In 1918 it was reorganised as the 120th (Highland) Brigade. The brigade number was reactivated for deception purposes during World War II.
120 Brigade was a New Army or 'Kitchener's Army' formation raised in September 1915, in 40th Division at Aldershot. An earlier 120 Brigade had been raised in late 1914 as part of the 'Fifth New Army', but when the Fourth New Army was broken up in April 1915 to provide reserve units for the First to Third New Armies, the formations of the Fifth took their place, and the original 120 Bde was renumbered 99th Brigade. By the time the new 120 Bde was organised the flow of volunteers had dwindled, and the standard of height for infantry soldiers had been lowered in order to encourage recruitment. Some of these so-called 'bantams' were well-knit, hardy men, but many others, especially in 120th Bde, were under-developed and unfit. It was estimated that the four battalions in the brigade would provide enough fit men for only two serviceable battalions. To prevent the departure of the division to the Front being indefinitely postponed, the divisional commander asked for fresh units to be drafted in. 120th Brigade was completely reorganised in February 1916. Divisional training was then intensified and the division was warned for overseas service in May 1916.
The original units forming 120 Bde were as follows:
Disembarkation was carried out at Le Havre between 2 and 6 June, and the division concentrated in the Lillers area by 9 June ready to take its place in the line. 120 Brigade's active service was entirely spent on the Western Front. It was the first part of the division to see serious action, being engaged in the Battle of the Ancre (the last phase of the Battle of the Somme, 14–18 November 1916), detached under the command of 31st Division.
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