159th (Cheshire) Brigade

For the equivalent formation in World War II, see 159th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom).

The 159th (Cheshire) Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army that saw service during the Great War.

History

Formation

The brigade was raised in 1908, when the Territorial Force was created, originally as the Cheshire Brigade and was assigned to the Welsh Division. The Cheshire Brigade consisted of four battalions of the Cheshire Regiment.

First World War

In 1915 the brigade became the 159th (Cheshire) Brigade and the division the 53rd (Welsh) Division and the battalions were redesignated with the '1/' prefix, as in 1/7th Cheshires, to distinguish them from the 2nd Line units, currently forming up as 204th (2/1st Cheshire) Brigade, 68th (2nd Welsh) Division. The brigade served with the 53rd (Welsh) Division in the Middle East throughout the First World War.

Order of battle

Commander Brigadier-General Noel Ernest Money

• 1/4th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (left 31 May 1918)
• 1/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (left February 1915)
• 1/6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (left November 1914)
• 1/7th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (left 1 June 1918)
• 2/6th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (from November 1914, left April 1915)
• 2/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment (from February 1915, left April 1915)
• 1/4th Battalion, Welsh Regiment (from 17 April 1915)
• 1/5th Battalion, Welsh Regiment (from 17 April 1915, between 8 October 1915 and 20 February 1916 merged with 1/4th Battalion, fully amalgamated 30 July 1918)
• 159th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps (formed 20 April 1916, moved to 53rd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps 25 April 1918)
• 159th Trench Mortar Battery (formed 28 June 1917)
• 3rd Battalion, 152nd Punjabis (from 4 June 1918)
• 2nd Battalion, 153rd Punjabis (from 5 June 1918)
• 1st Battalion, 153rd Punjabis (from 2 August 1918)

Between the wars

The brigade disbanded after the war in 1919, along with the whole Territorial Force. However, the TF later reformed in the 1920s as the Territorial Army and the brigade number was reactivated as the 159th (Welsh Border) Infantry Brigade but contained no Cheshire connection.