British Units on the Saar Front November 1939 - May 1940

As far as I am aware, I have never seen a single accessible list of British units based on the Saar during this period.

It had been agreed with the French in November 1939 that the British would send a brigade to gain patrolling experience. Each battalion spent a week in the forward positions. 51st Division were the first complete division to be sent there in late April 1940.

I have cobbled the following provisional list together from various sources. Please feel free to correct or amend. The 1st and 3rd units are definite and the others can generally be linked to the preceding or following outfit. The second brigade to take their turn (late December 1939 ? ) is eluding me. It would seem likely that it was the turn of a brigade from 3rd Division.

Ellis in the official history refers to nine brigades having received experience prior to 10th May. If this includes the three brigades of 51st Division then the list would seem to be almost complete. Dates are approximate.

1) 3rd INFANTRY BRIGADE (1st Division) - 1st - 17th December 1939
1st Duke of Wellingtons Regt.
2nd Forresters
1st KSLI

2).12th INFANTRY BRIGADE (4th Division) - 18th December 1939 - 31st December 1939
2nd R.F.
1st South Lan.R.
1st Black Watch

3) 4th INFANTRY BRIGADE (2nd Division) - 1st January 1940 - 14th January 1940
1st Royal Scots
2nd R. Norfolks
1st Border Regt.

4) 8th INFANTRY BRIGADE (3rd Division) - 15th January 1940 -
1st Suffolk
2nd East Yorks
2nd Gloucestershire

5) 15th INFANTRY BRIGADE (5th Division) - January - February 1940
1st Green Howards
1st KOYLI
1st York & Lancs

6) 1st GUARDS BRIGADE (1st Division) - 12th February 1940 -
3rd Grenadier Gds.
2nd Coldstream Gds
2nd Hampshire

7) 10th INFANTRY BRIGADE (4th Division) - February 1940
2nd Beds & Herts
2nd DCLI
1 QOR West Kent

8) 11th INFANTRY BRIGADE (4th Division) - 14th March 1940 - 28th March 1940
2nd Lancs Fusiliers
1st East Surrey
5th Northamptons

9) 144th INFANTRY BRIGADE ( 48th Division) - 29th March 1940 -
8th Worcestershire
5th Gloucestershire
2nd Royal Warwickshire

10) 51st (Highland) Division - May 1940

Edited 4/4/2018 to include further information added later to thread (Thanks Dryan and Drew ! )

 

No.2 must be 1st (Guards) Infantry Brigade? I'll check later but I'm sure I have read all their movement orders etc to the front in one of the files from NA. I think I offered to post them but no one took up the offer. I sometimes think only me and you look in 1940 Rich

Cheers for doing the list matey.
Andy

 

If you can locate it Andy, I'll edit the list.

I certainly don't think that anyone else looks at 1940 with the same degree of fanaticism (they probably just think "They're off again" !)

I wonder why no brigade from 3rd Div got a chance ? The only other regular division was 5th and although they didn't know it at the time, they were actually being groomed for a trip to Norway which was overtaken by events.

 

Here is a list of brigades on the Maginot Line from a variety of sources, mainly regimental histories:


Table N xx: Brigades Rotated to the Maginot Line in the Saar – November 1939 to March 1940
Brigade Division Corps Period on Maginot Line Battalions
3rd Infantry Brigade 1st Infantry Division I Corps End-11/39 to Mid-12/39 1st DWR; 2nd Foresters; 1st KSLI
12th Infantry Brigade 4th Infantry Division II Corps Mid-12/39 to Early-1/40 2nd Royal Fus; 1st S Lancs; 1st Black Watch
4th Infantry Brigade 2ndInfantry Division I Corps End-12/39 to Mid-1/40 1st Royal Scots; 2nd Norfolks; 1st Border
8th Infantry Brigade 3rd Infantry Division II Corps Early-1/40 to mid-1/40 1st Suffolk; 2nd E Yorks; 2nd Glosters
15th Infantry Brigade 5th Infantry Division II Corps End-1/40 to mid-2/40 1st Green Howards; 1st KOYLI; 1st Y & L
1st Guards Brigade 1st Infantry Division I Corps Early-2/40 to End-2/40 3rd Gren Gds; 2nd Coldm Gds; 2nd Hamps
10th Infantry Brigade 4th Infantry Division II Corps Mid-2/40 to mid-3/40 2nd Beds & Herts; 2nd DCLI; 1st RWK
11th Infantry Brigade 4th Infantry Division II Corps Early-3/40 to End-3/40 2nd Lancs Fus; 1st E Surreys; 5th Northamptons
144th Infantry Brigade 48th Infantry Division I Corps Mid-3/40 to mid-4/40 2nd Warwicks; 5th Glosters; 8th Worcs

 

Thanks for that dryan. Most helpful. It looks then as if Ellis's 9 brigades were in addition to those forming part of 51st Division. It would appear that they kept very much to a maximum of three weeks for each brigade.

 

Thank you all , this great informations for my

 

I sometimes think only me and you look in 1940 Rich

Andy

Ohh I look at 1940 and at POW as thats my dads story... I just dont have anything to add as I know b*gger all!

I'm happy to read anything you guys care to put up, and thats for doing so!

 

I've just come across this fascinating site :-

58th Medium Regt Royal Artillary 1940

The officer's notes regarding locations and positions on the Saar are particularly relevant to this thread.

He seems to have gone a little overboard in his praise for his French hosts but perhaps what he as an artilleryman saw as good preparation indicated what was to become inflexibility once the original plan ceased to apply.

It looks as if Owen linked the site some time ago but the link no longer works.

 

Thought you might be interested in the attached sketch map of Saar positions.

 

Hello , thank you 51highland for this map , is very interesing bud unparticular and non complete sector .
You hav more maps from this area or left from this ?

I want show you left flank of british unitis on the saar . I know the "ligne de contact" this is the frontline , bud what ist the "ligne de receul" ?

 

If you don't find something with Brittania on it using this map I'll be a monkey's uncle.

 

If you don't find something with Brittania on it using this map I'll be a monkey's uncle.






Drew that's is great !!! very very thank you I´m extraordinarily lucky lucky

You hav map fron left of this area ? or back-area ?

 

Not yet

 

I'm impatient , I'll wait

 

As I understand it, the "Ligne de Receuil" was similar to the front line, maybe 2 or 3 miles further back, but allegedly stronger position of defence, with anti tank ditch etc. The ligne de contact consisted of outposts surrounded by barbed wire entanglements etc. Apparently the front line outposts were not too clever. The sketch map is of the areas that 4th battalion Queens Own Cameron Highlanders were in.

 

As I understand it, the "Ligne de Receuil" was similar to the front line, maybe 2 or 3 miles further back, but allegedly stronger position of defence, with anti tank ditch etc. The ligne de contact consisted of outposts surrounded by barbed wire entanglements etc. Apparently the front line outposts were not too clever. The sketch map is of the areas that 4th battalion Queens Own Cameron Highlanders were in.

I think too so is it , would be interesting would to know where exactly was the line , perhaps were not all units forward "ligne de contact" deployed ?

 

Taken from WO167/190 1 Division General Staff War Diary

3 Infantry Bde was on the SAAR front from 1st Dec to 17th. They withdrew on the 18th Dec. and arrived back on to 1 Div on 21st Dec.