2/1st Black Watch Brigade

The 2/1st Black Watch Brigade was a 2nd Line Territorial Force infantry brigade of the British Army in World War I. The brigade was formed as a duplicate of the Black Watch Brigade in January 1915. As the name would suggest, it was organized with four battalions of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), It was dissolved in November 1915 as its constituent battalions were posted to other formations.

2/1st Black Watch Brigade
ActiveJanuary 1915–November 1915
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
HQHawick, then Bridge of Earn
ServiceWorld War I
Commanders
Notable
commanders		The Duke of Montrose

History

In accordance with the Territorial and Reserve Forces Act 1907 (7 Edw.7, c.9) which brought the Territorial Force into being, the TF was intended to be a home defence force for service during wartime and members could not be compelled to serve outside the country. However, on the outbreak of war on 4 August 1914, many members volunteered for Imperial Service. Therefore, TF units were split into 1st Line (liable for overseas service) and 2nd Line (home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas) units. 2nd Line units performed the home defence role, although in fact most of these were also posted abroad in due course.[1]

As a consequence, the 2/1st Black Watch Brigade was formed in January 1915 as a 2nd Line duplicate of the Black Watch Brigade.[lower-alpha 1] It was assembled at Hawick with four 2nd Line battalions of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) that had been raised in September 1914:[5]

The brigade was assigned to Coastal Defence duties in Scottish Command.[6] The battalions variously served at Broughty Ferry on Tay Defences (2/4th), Clyde Defences (2/5th), North Queensferry on Forth Defences (2/6th) and Kinghorn also on Forth Defences (2/7th). By June 1915, the battalions was concentrated at Bridge of Earn, Perthshire.[5]

The brigade did not remain in existence for very much longer as the battalions were posted away. In October, the 2/4th and 2/5th Black Watch were posted to the 191st (2nd Seaforth and Cameron Highlanders) Brigade, 64th (2nd Highland) Division at Auchterarder and the 2/7th Black Watch joined the 192nd (2nd Gordon Highlanders) Brigade, 64th (2nd Highland) Division at Grangemouth. Finally, in November 1915, the 2/6th also joined the 192nd (2nd Gordon Highlanders) Brigade at Blairgowrie.[5][7][8] With that, the brigade passed out of existence.

See also

Notes
  1. The Black Watch Brigade had an attached battalion – 5th (Renfrewshire) Battalion, Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) – on mobilisation.[2][3] The 2nd Line brigade did not include 2/5th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.[4]

References
  1. Baker, Chris. "Was my soldier in the Territorial Force (TF)?". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  2. Conrad, Mark (1996). "The British Army, 1914". Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  3. Rinaldi 2008, p. 60
  4. James 1978, p. 108
  5. James 1978, p. 84
  6. "Coast Defence Units: Scottish Coast Defences on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell". Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
  7. Becke 1937, p. 56
  8. "64th (2nd Highland) Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell". Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 2015-02-28.

Bibliography
  • Becke, Major A.F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN 1-871167-00-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-97760728-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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