149th (Northumberland) Brigade

Formation

Under the terms of the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw. 7, c.9), the Northumberland Brigade was formed in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force. It was Headquartered in Newcastle upon Tyne and consisted of four infantry battalions of the Northumberland Fusiliers and a Transport and Supply Company:

4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.) – HQ at Hexham 5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.) – HQ at Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne 6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.) – HQ at Northumberland Road, Newcastle upon Tyne 7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.) – HQ at Alnwick Northumberland Brigade Company, ASC (T.F.) – at Newcastle upon Tyne

It was assigned to the Northumbrian Division.

World War I

The brigade was mobilized on the outbreak of the war and posted to the Tyne Defences. The battalions were given fractional designations (e.g. 1/4th Battalion) with the formation of the 2nd Line battalions in 1914. In April 1915, the brigade was posted to France and on 14 May was redesignated as 149th (Northumberland) Brigade (the division became 50th (Northumbrian) Division).

The brigade served with the 50th Division on the Western Front for the rest of the war. In 1915, it took part in the Second Battle of Ypres and the Battle of the Somme in 1916. In 1917, it took part in the Battle of Arras and the Third Battle of Ypres. As a result of the losses suffered in the Ludendorf Offensive (First Battle of the Somme and Battle of the Lys), the brigade had to be comprehensively reorganized. On 15 July 1918, the Northumberland Fusiliers battalions were reduced to cadre and transferred to Lines of Communication duties; they were replaced by two battalions from Salonika (3rd Royal Fusiliers ex 85th Brigade, 28th Division and 13th Black Watch ex 81st Brigade, 27th Division) and another (2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers) that had been in France since August 1914. Thereafter, it took part in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.

Order of battle

The brigade commanded the following units during the war:

1/4th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (reduced to cadre and left 15 July 1918)

1/5th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (reduced to cadre and left 15 July 1918)

1/6th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (reduced to cadre and left 15 July 1918)

1/7th Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers (left 10 February 1918 and joined 42nd (East Lancashire) Division as Pioneers)

1/5th Battalion, Border Regiment (joined 5 May 1915, left for 151st Brigade on 20 December 1915)

3rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (joined 15 July 1918)

13th (Scottish Horse) Battalion, Black Watch (joined 15 July 1918)

2nd Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers (joined 15 July 1918)

149th Machine Gun Company (formed 6 February 1916, moved to 50th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps on 1 March 1918)

149th Trench Mortar Battery (formed 18 June 1916)

Post-war

The 50th Division had crossed the Sambre and reached Solre-le-Château on 10 November 1918 when it was relieved. Demobilization started in December and by 19 March 1919 the division had ceased to exist in France.

The Northumbrian Division was reformed again in England on 1 April 1920 with the same composition as pre-war. The four original battalions were reformed in the Territorial Army on 7 February 1920.

Before the outbreak of the Second World War, the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division was reorganized as a Motor Division which saw a reduction from three to two brigades.

4th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was converted to a motorcycle battalion in 1938, assigned to 50th Division.

5th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was converted to a searchlight battalion on 1 November 1938 as 5th Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers (53rd Searchlight Regiment), assigned to 30th (Northumbrian) Anti-Aircraft Brigade.

6th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was converted to 43rd Battalion (6th (City) Battalion, The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers), Royal Tank Corps on 1 November 1938, assigned to 25th Army Tank Brigade.

7th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was converted to a machinegun battalion in Northumbrian Area, Northern Command and the brigade ceased to exist.