WW2 29th Independent Infantry Brigade Painted Formation Sign

A stencil painted white circle on black square, not printed. Ragged edges otherwise in very good condition.

The badge was said to have been an acknowledgement of the first commander (of the UK-raised Brigade), Oliver Leese. The emblem is known to exist on both black and khaki backings. 6th Infantry Division wore the same device in the First World War but there is no obvious connection between the signs. The UK-raised formation was in fact the 'second' Brigade to bear the number '29' as on 20 September 1939 the Cairo Brigade, a Regular Brigade in Egypt, was redesignated 29th Brigade. Shortly afterwards (3 October 1939) this formation was re-named as 22nd Brigade and subsequently became HQ Matruh Fortress and ceased to be an infantry brigade. The second 29th Brigade, of which this is the badge, was formed in the UK on 14 July 1940 as an Independent Brigade Group. As such it became part of Force 121 for the invasion of Madagascar in May 1942. It was sent to India via South Africa, where it stayed for over two months, arriving in India in January 1943. It deployed to the Arakan in February 1944 and fought there under command of 36th Indian Infantry Division. On 15 June 1944 it ceased to be a Brigade Group and became part of 36th Indian Division (redesignated 36th British Division on 1 September 1944). Under this command it fought in the reconquest of Burma in 1945. When 36th Division was disbanded in September 1945 the Brigade (along with 72nd Brigade) again became independent. At this time it appears to have changed its sign to a clover leaf above a vertical bar above the figure 29, all in yellow on a blue shield. The Brigade was the last British formation to leave India after independence in August 1947, departing from Bombay for the UK in February 1948.


Comm BoHa (121)

Code: 64081