The 43rd Infantry Brigade was a brigade of the British Army during the First and Second World Wars, and later, as 43 (Wessex) Brigade, a regional headquarters from 1985 to 2014.
It was reformed in Britain on 16 August 1943, for Lines of Communication security force duties in North Africa during the Second World War. Landing in North Africa on 23 September 1943, it was redesignated on 9 November 1943 as the '40th Infantry Division' for deception purposes, after moving to Sicily.
31st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (19 August 1943 to 27 October 1943)
30th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (19 August 1943 to 5 November 1943)
30th Battalion, Dorset Regiment (19 August 1943 to 16 June 1944, "120th Infantry Brigade" from 9 November 1943)
30th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry (26 September 1943 to 12 April 1944, "119th Infantry brigade" from 9 November 1943)
30th Battalion, Green Howards (26 September 1943 to 27 October 1943)
30th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment (21 October 1943 to 19 May 1944, "121st Infantry Brigade" from 9 November 1943)
The battalions『were given brigade designations; and every effort was made to appear to be a division. This included the adoption of a divisional sign featuring the diamond and acorn [based on] the Great War 40th Division; these were made up locally and worn on uniform by the personnel of the 'division' – in reality, three battalions of low medical category men armed with personal weapons only and with a skeleton complement of transport.』(Chappell, p. 23)
The brigade was disbanded, still in Sicily, on 30 June 1944.[1]
In 1985 the 43rd (Wessex) Brigade was formed as one of the new one-star Headquarters, principally as a National Defence Brigade commanding the Territorial Army in the south west of England, part of South West District.
The Brigade assisted with recruiting and public relations in its area, which encompassed Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, the Channel Islands and Isles of Scilly.[2] Its responsibilities included the annual Ten Tors walking challenge on Dartmoor.[2]
In 1995 the restructuring programme within the British Army saw an increase in the brigade's responsibility to include regional and budgetary aspects working to a new superior headquarters: 3rd Division. The Strategic Defence Review of 1998 further increased the brigade's responsibility and as from 1 April 1999 it came under the command of Headquarters 4th Division, and moved from ExetertoBulford Camp in September 1999 to establish the new Headquarters 43rd (Wessex) Brigade.
United Kingdom
British Army
Canada (Mechanised Infantry (Wheeled))
