70th Infantry Brigade
Background to the creation of the Brigade
A conference had been held on 9.6.1939 to discuss the proposed title of 23rd Division in the context of the duplication of the size of the Territorial Army – whether in fact it should be 63rd Division.
Reference was made to the First World War links with 50th Division, when the 23rd Division had included both the 12th and 13th Battalions DLI (New Army) and had fought on the left of the 50th Division at the Somme in 1916. The 50th and 23rd Divisions had met again at the 3rd Battle of Ypres in 1917.
The prevailing view was that the title of 23rd Division was most appropriate and this was eventually authorised after an appeal by ex-officers to Mr Hore-Belisha, the Secretary of State for War.
Separation of the Brigades was intended to be on a geographical basis. The initial idea was to create a 150th (N.Durham) Brigade under Brigadier Kirkup, containing the 9th, 12th and 11th Battalions of The Durham Light Infantry, headquartered at Chester-le-Street. The 151st Brigade would then be a South Durham Brigade, under Brigadier Churchill, with 6th, 8th and 10th Battalions of The Durham Light Infantry, with their HQ at Durham City.
Both Brigades were intended to be part of the 50th Division. When duplication of the scale of manpower was being planned the original 150th Brigade and its duplicate had been intended to make up the 23rd Division – both 23rd and 50th Divisions were intended to be motorised.
However, the annual training for the existing 151st Brigade at Whitby had been fixed for 10th – 24th September 1939 so that the Battalions could take part in some exercises in Yorkshire – separation into the new Brigades was to be deferred until after the conclusion of this camp, as all personnel would be attending – recruits for the two weeks, trained men taking part in the exercises on the second week.
Mobilisation orders interfered with these plans with one Division being required to go overseas as soon as possible - this of course was 50th Division.
As a result, all trained men except the duplicate COs, Adjutants, Quartermasters and a cadre were kept in the original 151st Brigade Battalions - 6th, 8th and 9th Battalions of The Durham Light Infantry - which then formed 50th Division, along with 150th Brigade, and departed for the B.E.F. in France in due course.
The duplicate Battalions of those in the 151st Brigade - namely 10th, 11th and 12th Battalions of The Durham Light Infantry formed 70th Brigade.
The Commander of 50th Division, Maj Gen le Q Martel instructed on 14 6 1939 that the procedure for the final separation of the original and duplicate units should be….”The date from which a duplicate unit is considered sufficiently organised to be independent of the “original” unit will be decided and reported to 50th Division”.
For the time being, 69th and 70th Brigades in the 23rd Division were administered by the 50th Division and this applied when embodiment took place on 1 9 1939.
War Diary
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1939
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1940
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1941
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1942
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1943
70th Infantry Brigade War Diary 1944
Personnel Records for 70th Infantry Brigade
Ableman Cpl 0
Allan Alfred Carney 2/Lt 190229
Bale Denis Malcolm Lieutenant 140909
Barlow Pte 0
Barron John Weeks Lt 148990
Bell William Lewis Lt 138331
Benvie Donald Mitchell Captain 268165
Bowen Peter Magrane Captain 0
Boys John Harvey Lt. 156254
Brabyn Frederick James Ch (4th Class) 89536
Brander James Sgt 2753126
Bruce James Alexander 2/Lt 138525
Campbell Sgt 0
Catto Archibald Inch 2/Lt 90380
Chesworth Clifford Wharmby Captain/Reverend 257120
Christer Pte 0
Clazey Frederick Oswald 2/Lt 126486
Cleminson John Henry 2/Lt 240439
Conway Alfred Dvr aka Cohen Abraham T/171865
Cobb G.M. Lt 137123
Collins A.H. Major 336633
Cooke-Collis E.C. Lt. Col. 24314
Corthorn H. 2/Lt 304544
Cottenham Pte 0
Coupe William Captain Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class 246436
Craig Richard Newcombe Captain (Chaplain 4th Class) 95722
Crawford Robert Moffat Pte 3322769
Davie Major 0
Davies K.H. Lt 277365
Day Philip Anston Pte 4458086
Dean George Chambers Pte 4448808
Degrelle Lt 0
Donovan Lt 0
Elrick Cecil Donald Major 148992
Evans R.E. 2/Lt 0
Fawcett Major
Fillingham George Sidney Captain 1057
Firth Ernest Pte 4459369
Gay Geoffrey Lytton 2/Lt 113543
Getty Thomas Pte 2762459
Grant Hugh Pte 4454592
Greenhouse Roger Harold Captain 78044
Greer William Pte 4457196
Grieve Pte 0
Grimsley Richard L/Cpl 4458028
Grylls William Michell Lt Col 0
Hall S Sgt 0
Haslegrave John Ramsden Captain 97623
Hodgson Percy Pte 4457165
Jacobsen Anton Hannar 2/Lt 128166
Jerrome Ronald Henry Lt 132463
Jobson Robert Pte 4459791
Johnson Pte 0
Jordan Major 0
King Percy Paulet Brigadier 11804
Kirkup Philip Brigadier 7992
Kirkup William Brookes Lt 73651
Lamb John Douglas Cfmn 10571260
Lester George Alfred 2/Lt 146177
Lloyd L/Cpl 0
Lowrey John Pte 2760286
MacNicol Duncan Cowan 2/Lt 94715
May F.J. Lieutenant 0
Melrose N. Captain 88246
Milburne Major 0
Nash Lt 0
Neeson Pte
Nicholson Pte
Nicol Robert L/Cpl (Pte) 14607786
Ogg Allan Kelly Alexander Lt 138004
O'Rourke D. Driver
Pirnie Frank Pte 3322864
Prickett A.J.C. Major 0
Pullan E. Cpl 4461176
Reick R. Pte 4457670
Rennick D.P.K. Captain 0
Ricketts Capt 0
Robson Joseph Walton 2/Lt 138539
Roper Kenneth Trevor Major
Sebag-Montefiore Eric Cecil Major 15336
Stedman W. Captain 0
Stewart-Rattray Gerald Alec Captain 66757
Stuart Cpl 0
Thomas Thompson Signalman 2586058
Tones Pte 0
Trail John Harman Lt 90600
Troughton Henry Leonard Captain 122656
Troupe George William Lt 180307
Troupe Leslie Clement 2/Lt 247059
Turnbull J.J. Captain 0
Turnbull P. Captain 185531
Vallely Terence Pte 4457173
Waddell P.L. Captain 0
Walker CSM 0
Wedderburn Major 0
West S.A.H. Lt 0
Wilson 2/Lt 0
Winter F.M.S. Lt 267386
Wood C.S. Lt 145885
To contact the author by e-mail with any queries, or to send information - click here.
