210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)

210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) (210 Bde) was a formation of the British Army organised during World War II to command a group of newly raised Home Defence battalions. It was later converted to a frontline brigade that served (under a new name) with distinction in the later years of the war.

Origin
The brigade was formed for service in the United Kingdom on 10 October 1940 by No 10 Infantry Training Group. It was initially composed of newly raised battalions from English infantry regiments.

Composition
The composition of 210 Bde was as follows:
 * 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (converted to 142nd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps on 8 November 1941)
 * 8th Battalion Essex Regiment (to 226th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) 28 February 1941; later converted to 153rd Regiment Royal Armoured Corps)
 * 9th Battalion Essex Regiment (to 226th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) 28 February 1941)
 * 9th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (to 6th Armoured Division 2 February 1941)
 * 8th Battalion Dorset Regiment (until 24 November 1941)
 * 10th Battalion The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (from 2 February 1941; to 203rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) 24 November 1941)
 * 10th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (from 10 February 1941; to 226th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) 14 June 1941)
 * 2nd Battalion London Irish Rifles (from 30 November 1941)
 * 1st Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers (from 12 December 1941)
 * 6th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (from 15 January 1942)

Commanders
The following officers commanded 210 Bde:
 * Brigadier N.V. Blacker (until 4 November 1940)
 * Brigadier Gerald Templer (4 November 1940–1 May 1941)
 * Brigadier H.P. Spark (1 May–30 December 1941)
 * Lieutenant-Colonel Sir William Randle Starkey, 2nd Baronet (acting, 30 December 1940–12 January 1942)
 * Brigadier The O'Donovan (from 12 January 1942)

Service
The brigade initially served in V Corps, and was then attached to 3rd Infantry Division (28 February–24 April 1941) before becoming an integral part of the Dorset County Division. When that division was disbanded on 24 November 1941, 210 Bde transferred to 1st Infantry Division, and soon afterwards dropped the 'Home' part of its title. By now all of 210 Bde's English home defence battalions had been posted away and were being replaced by frontline Irish battalions. The brigade was redesignated 38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade on 13 January 1942. Under this designation it served with distinction in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy and Austria.