Role Home Defence | ||
 | ||
Active 10 October 1940-13 January 1942 Notablecommanders Field Marshal Sir Gerald TemplerBrigadier The O'Donovan | ||
The 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) (210 Bde) was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army organised during the Second World War to command a group of newly raised Home Defence battalions. It was later converted to a frontline brigade that served (under a new name) with distinction in the later years of the war, the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade.
Contents
Origin
The brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 10 October 1940 by No 10 Infantry Training Group. It was initially composed of newly raised battalions from English infantry regiments.
Service
The brigade initially served in V Corps, and was then attached to 3rd Infantry Division (28 February – 24 April 1941) before becoming an integral part of the Dorset County Division. When that division was disbanded on 24 November 1941, 210 Brigade transferred to 1st Infantry Division, and soon afterwards dropped the 'Home' part of its title. By now all of 210 Brigade's English home defence battalions had been posted away and were being replaced by frontline Irish battalions. The brigade was redesignated as the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade on 13 January 1942. Under this designation it served with distinction in the Tunisia Campaign with the 6th Armoured Division before being transferred to the 78th Infantry Division in February 1943 with whom it saw service in the Allied invasion of Sicily, the Italian Campaign and later in Austria.
Order of Battle
The composition of 210 Brigade was as follows:
Renamed the 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade on 12 January 1942.
Commanders
The following officers commanded 210 Brigade: