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Old 20-10-17, 04:56 PM
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Default 302 Infantry Brigade (British)

I am away from home and don't have access to my reference material so could someone kindly look up the component battalions for this Brigade in 1945.

Thanks, Stephen.
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Old 20-10-17, 05:02 PM
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Any help? I don't know how accurate this entry is:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/302n...United_Kingdom
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Old 20-10-17, 05:16 PM
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Default 302 Inf Bde

Leigh,

Thanks, but the page will not open here in rural Somerset!

Stephen.
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Old 20-10-17, 05:18 PM
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Basically says that the Beds HQ was formed in 1945 but not units were allocated to it.
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Old 20-10-17, 05:21 PM
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Sent PM with info.
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Old 20-10-17, 08:35 PM
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Default 302 Inf Bde

Thank you. Elsewhere it seems this Bde was earmarked for Force 135, to re-occupy the Channel Islands. A formation sign seems to exist which indicates someone was allocated to the Bde. Hopefully more info will be forthcoming.

Stephen.
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Old 21-10-17, 01:49 AM
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From t5he IWM files.
Jo

© IWM (INS 6195)



Planning for the liberation of the Channel Islands began at the end of 1943 under "Rankin Case 3", which was predicated on a German surrender or withdrawal prior to invasion. This did not occur and in March 1944 SHAEF declared that the Channel Islands would not be included in the invasion. After the invasion of Normandy, Channel Island liberation plans were reconsidered under “Operation Nestegg". However, these were again predicated on the unconditional surrender of the German garrison (319th Infantry Division, reinforced). The islands were not to be taken by assault for fear of civilian casualties and damage to property, plus the estimated force requirement (three to four divisions and naval and air forces) was considered an unacceptable diversion of resources. An airborne operation was considered impractical on the basis of the number of AA guns on the islands. Nevertheless, contingency planning proceeded and at the beginning of August 1944, HQ 115 Infantry Brigade (which had formed B Marshalling Area in Southern Command for the invasion – see INS 5159) became HQ Force 135 and the Brigade Commander, Brigadier Alfred Snow, became Force Commander. The existing units of the Brigade were posted away and three different battalions came under command, undertaking military training in the bombed streets of Plymouth during October and November 1944. However, as there was no indication that the German garrison would surrender, and in view of the urgent need to replace battle casualties, the Brigade reverted to an infantry Brigade and was deployed, under a different commander, to mainland Europe early in February 1945. Brigadier Snow remained to command a new Channel Island Liberation Force. 115 Brigade was nominally replaced by 302 Infantry Brigade, which Brigade HQ formed on 15 January 1945. The units that were to form 302 Brigade were to be Royal Artillery units re-mustered as infantry and on that basis an artillery theme was chosen for the \brigade badge, a pile of six red cannon balls on a blue shield. Before the formal appointment of a Brigade commander or the assignment of the earmarked units, t was decided to disband the Brigade HQ, which was done on 7 March 1945, and the HQ effectively became HQ Force 135. Although the Brigade was in existence for a bare seven weeks, the badge had been produced and worn. Some RA personnel appear to have continued to wear it while on the Islands in Force 135, possibly on the upper left sleeve, the Force 135 badge (issued as late as 3 May, the day the Force was ordered to proceed) being worn on the upper right sleeve only. It seems that most, if not all, of the artillery units earmarked for 302 Brigade served in Force 135. The principal units were: 614 Regiment, Royal Artillery (Thames and Medway) TA, formed 17 January 1945 from 516 Garrison Regiment RA; 618 Regiment, Royal Artillery, formed 15 January 1945 from 522 Coast Regiment RA (Dorsetshire) TA; 620 Regiment, Royal Artillery (Pembrokeshire) TA, formed 19 January 1945 from “HQ” & “B” Battery 570 Coast Regiment RA, “A” Battery 532 Coast Regiment RA, “C” Battery 524 Coast Regiment RA, and “E” Battery 139 Coast Regiment RA. Also In the Force were No. 20 Civil Affairs Unit plus a full range of services, including RASC water transport assets. Overall, Force 135 / “Nest-egg” comprised some 6000 troops and a large number of vehicles, many arriving by landing craft, pre-loaded with food, clothing and other essentials for the islanders. Included in the Force infantry component was a contingent of twenty-three volunteers from the Island of Jersey. In June 1940 the Royal Militia, Island of Jersey left the Island and became the nucleus of a new Hampshire battalion, 11th (Royal Militia, Island of Jersey) Battalion the Hampshire Regiment, retaining for a time at least their Militia cap badges. The number of Jerseymen serving in the Battalion dwindled over time and active recruiting from Islanders was stopped in line with the policy not to concentrate too many men from a small community into one unit. The Force 135 contingent (attached to 620 Regiment RA) was under command of Captain H. Le Brocq, a native Jerseyman and member of the pre-war Militia. He had the honour of raising the Union flag at Fort Regent on Jersey on 9 May 1945. "Nestegg" was alerted finally by SHAEF again on 3 May 1945 and first contact was made with the German garrison on 8 May by elements of the Force aboard HMS Bulldog and HMS Beagle. Surrender terms were agreed and the main body of the Force began an unopposed disembarkation on 12 May. The last island to be liberated was Alderney, 16 May 1945.
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Old 21-10-17, 07:49 AM
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Thanks button.
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Old 21-10-17, 08:33 AM
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Default 302 Inf Bde

Thanks Jo, what I was looking for.

Stephen.
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Old 21-10-17, 11:05 AM
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Default 115th Infantry Brigade formation badge.

© IWM (INS 5159)

A bit different one from the one shown in Cole's book.
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Old 21-10-17, 12:13 PM
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Surely the red shield with three yellow lions was Force 135 Channel Islands Liberation Force. The crossed black swords on red was 115th Independent Inf Bde,. 302nd Inf Bde was as shown below.
Please correct me if I am wrong on any of them.
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File Type: jpg 302nd Brigade P.jpg (25.5 KB, 8 views)
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