The 117th Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War I. Originally raised in December 1914 from locally-raised volunteer units of 'Kitchener's Army' known as 'Pals battalions', it was later redesignated and the number was transferred to a new 'Pals' brigade formed in July 1915. It fought with 39th Division on the Somme and the Ancre, at Ypres and in the German spring offensive. After the appalling casualties in that campaign it was relegated to a training organisation preparing US Army units for active service. It was disbanded shortly after the Armistice with Germany, but the number was transferred to another formation brought under 39th Division. It was disbanded in 1919.
On 6 August 1914, less than 48 hours after Britain's declaration of war, Parliament sanctioned an increase of 500,000 men for the Regular British Army. The newly-appointed Secretary of State for War, Earl Kitchener of Khartoum, issued his famous call to arms: 'Your King and Country Need You', urging the first 100,000 volunteers to come forward. This group of six divisions with supporting arms became known as Kitchener's First New Army, or 'K1'.[1][2] The K2, K3 and K4 battalions, brigades and divisions followed soon afterwards. But the flood of volunteers overwhelmed the ability of the Army to absorb them, and the K5 units were largely raised by local initiative rather than at regimental depots, often from men from particular localities or backgrounds who wished to serve together: these were known as 'Pals battalions'. The 'Pals' phenomenon quickly spread across the country, as local recruiting committees offered complete units to the War Office (WO). On 10 December 1914 the WO authorised the formation of another six divisions and their brigades to command these K5 units, including 117th Brigade in 39th Division. The original 117th Bde comprised the 'Lonsdale Battalion' and three battalions of 'Glasgow Pals':[3][4]
However, on 10 April 1915 the WO decided to convert the K4 battalions into reserve units. The K4 divisions and brigades were broken up and the K5 formations took over their numbers, so that 117th Brigade in 39th Division became 97th Bde in 32nd Division.[3][4][6] Authorisation for three new infantry brigades – 116th, 117th and 118th – to constitute a new 39th Division was issued on 12 July 1915.[6][7]
The new 39th Division began to assemble around Winchester early in August 1915, but when it moved to Aldershot at the end of September it still consisted of little more than 117th Bde Headquarters (HQ) and three of its Pals battalions: 'St Pancras', 'British Empire League' and the 'Chatsworth Rifles'. In November the division moved to Witley Camp in Surrey, where the remaining units joined and it completed its training. Mobilisation orders were received during February 1916 and after some delays entrainment for Southampton Docks began on 2 March. The brigade embarked and sailed to Le Havre, and by 8 March had completed its landing under the command of Brigadier-General P. Holland, with Major C. Stansfield as Brigade major and Captain A.H. Fetherstonhaugh as staff captain. It then moved to the divisional concentration area at Blaringhem in First Army's area.[7][8][9][10][11][12]
117th Brigade was constituted as follows:[7][8]
The brigade took part in the following actions:[7][8]
1916
1917
1918
Each brigade was now hardly stronger than a single battalion, and the infantry of 39th Division was reorganised as '39th Composite Brigade'. 117th Brigade formed No 3 Battalion under Lt-Col Coke (16th RB) and A & B Companies of No 5 Battalion. The composite brigade then fought in the following actions with XXII Corps:[7][8][36][37]
While the composite brigade was still in action, 39th Divisional HQ moved to Éperlecques, north-west of Saint-Omer. 39th Composite Bde was broken up and rejoined the division on 6 May. Following their crippling losses during the German spring offensive, the infantry brigades of 39th Division were withdrawn from active service. Their battalions were reduced to training cadres (TCs) and the TMBs broken up, the surplus personnel being drafted as reinforcements to other units. All three of 117th Bde's TCs were transferred to 197th Bde in 66th Division, and both 39th and 66th Divisions became holding formations for a number of TCs from other divisions. Over the following months 117th Bde had the following under its command:[7][8][9][10][11][36][39]
The 77th US Division had arrived at Éperlecques, and it began training under the guidance of the 39th Division TCs on 7 May. On 7 June 39th Divisional HQ moved to Wolphus, also near Saint-Omer, and over the next two months its TCs trained the 30th, 78th and 80th US Divisions in turn. In mid-August 39th Division moved to the French coast with 117th Bde at Rouen. On 1 November the division. was ordered to demobilise its remaining TCs, and this was completed before hostilities ended with the Armistice with Germany on 11 November. 117th Brigade was disbanded on 18 November, but 39th Division took over No 2 Line of Communication Reception Camp (for malarial convalescents) at Martin-Église, which was redesignated 117th Bde on 19 November. 39th Divisional HQ and its remaining subordinate units closed down on 10 July 1919.[7]
The following officers commanded the brigade:[7]
39th Division's formation badge was a white square with three light blue vertical stripes. This was worn on the upper arm.[5] Within 117th Bde, the battalions wore identifying signs in green (the traditional Facing colour of the Sherwood Foresters was Lincoln green while the two rifle regiments wore Rifle green dress uniforms) with black symbols superimposed. These were:[40]
A new 117th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines was formed in the UK on 15 January 1945, with three Royal Marines battalions under command, and sent to carry out occupation duties in the naval base of Kiel after VE Day.[44]