157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade

Highland Light Infantry Brigade 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade 157th Infantry Brigade
52nd (Lowland) Division insignia, World War II.
Active	1908-1919 1920–1947
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Infantry Mountain Air Landing
Size	Brigade
Part of	52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division
Engagements	World War I World War II

The 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army. The brigade fought in both World War I and World War II, assigned to 52nd (Lowland) Division.

The brigade was originally raised as the Highland Light Infantry Brigade, assigned to the Lowland Division. Both were raised in 1908 when the Territorial Force was created by the amalgamation of the Volunteer Force and the Yeomanry. The brigade was composed of the 5th and 6th (City of Glasgow), 7th (Blythswood) and 9th (Glasgow Highland) battalions of the Highland Light Infantry.

Upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the Lowland Division was mobilised immediately for full-time war service. In May 1915 the brigade became the 157th (1/1st Highland Light Infantry) Brigade and the division the 52nd (Lowland) Division. The battalions were also redesignated with the '1/' prefix, 1/4th HLI. This was to avoid confusion with the 2nd Line duplicates which were also forming up and training as the 196th (2/1st Highland Light Infantry) Brigade of 65th (2nd Lowland) Division. The 2nd Line units consisted mainly of those few men who did not volunteer for overseas service when asked at the outbreak of war, together with the many recruits, and were intended to act as a reserve for the 1st Line units being sent overseas. During the war the brigade and division served in the Middle East and later on the Western Front.