British Infantry Battalion War Establishment reference II/233/2

1

British Infantry Battalion

War Establishment reference II/233/2

Notified 19th May 1943, effective 30th April 1943

A bayonetstrength.uk PDF updated June 2019

Composed of;

Battalion Headquarters

5 Officers, 45 men

Headquarter Company

4 Officers, 91 men

Company Headquarters

(1 Officer, 5 men)

Signal Platoon

(1 Officer, 35 men)

Administrative Platoon

(2 Officers, 51 men)

Support Company

7 Officers, 185 men

Company Headquarters

(1 Officer, 8 men)

Mortar Platoon

(1 Officer, 42 men) - (six 3-inch mortars)

Carrier Platoon

(2 Officers, 61 men) - (13 Carriers)

Anti-tank Platoon

(2 Officers, 53 men) - (six 6-pdr guns)

Assault Pioneer Platoon)

(1 Officer, 21 men)

Four Rifle Companies, each

5 Officers, 122 men

Company Headquarters

(2 Officers, 14 men)

Three Platoons, each

(1 Officer, 36 men)

Total strength

845 all ranks (36 Officers and 809 men)

Please see the comments at the end of this document regarding the issue of individual weapons

allocation, which is not provided in the original document and has been derived from a number of

other sources.

Personnel seating for vehicles is shown as given in organization table for the W.E. except for the

Administrative Platoon.

bayonetstrength.uk

Gary Kennedy

August 2018

2

Summary Table, British Infantry Battalion, May 1943

Company HQ

Signal Platoon

Administrative Platoon

Total, HQ Company

Company HQ

3-in Mortar Platoon

Carrier Platoon

Anti-tank Platoon

Assault Pioneer Platoon

Total, Support Company

Company HQ

Three Rifle Platoons (each)

Total, Rifle Company

Total, Battalion

5

1

0

4

2

38

50

1

1

1

0

0

3

6

1

0

0

1

3

31

36

2

1

0

6

4

40

53

4

2

1

7

7

74

95

1

1

1

0

0

6

9

1

0

0

4

5

33

43

2

0

0

5

9

47

63

2

0

0

4

6

43

55

1

0

0

1

2

18

22

7

1

1

14

22

147

192

2

1

1

0

1

11

16

1

0

0

1

3

32

37

5

1

1

3

10

107

127

36

8

6

37

71

687

845

6

5

1

1

0

4

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

5

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

0

0

2

0

1

0

1

12

1

0

0

0

3

7

0

2

0

4

12

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

0

7

0

7

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

13

0

0

5

0

0

0

2

0

0

12

1

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

15

0

0

4

8

1

0

12

14

7

3

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

1

0

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

6

0

0

0

1

3

0

0

0

1

0

33

27

1

3

8

28

13

1

12

19

7

5

13

32

1

0

0

0

0

2

1

4

1

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

18

17

0

1

0

0

0

0

2

36

15

3

3

0

0

0

0

4

58

33

3

4

0

0

0

0

1

6

2

0

0

0

0

0

0

1

28

14

0

3

0

6

0

6

2

40

9

13

4

4

0

0

6

2

35

18

6

0

6

0

6

6

1

17

4

0

0

0

0

0

2

7

126

47

19

7

10

6

6

20

2

10

4

1

3

1

0

0

1

1

29

4

3

0

1

0

0

1

5

97

16

10

3

4

0

0

4

36

585

176

63

23

26

6

6

38

Detail

i). Personnel

Officers

Warrant officers

Staff-serjeants

Serjeants

Corporals

Privates

Total, all ranks (including attached)

ii). Transport

Bicycles

Motorcycles

Cars (4-seater)

Cars (2-seater)

Cars, 5-cwt, 4x4

Trucks, 15-cwt

Lorries, 3-ton

Trailer, 15-cwt, water (180-gallons)

Carriers, Loyd

Carriers, Universal

Carriers, Universal, 3-inch mortar

iii). Weapons

Pistols

Rifles

Machine carbines

Light machine guns

Projectors, infantry, anti-tank

2-inch mortars

3-inch mortars

6-pdr anti-tank guns

Signal pistols

Four Rifle

Companies,

each

Support Company

Battalion HQ

HQ Company

Notes

Attached personnel consist of 1 Officer, 4 Serjeants, 2 Corporals and 17 Privates (included in above).

Of the total Corporals (excluding attached) 13 may be Lance-serjeants.

Of the total Privates (excluding attached) 64 may be Lance-corporals.

bayonetstrength.uk

Gary Kennedy

August 2018

3

Battalion Headquarters (5 Officers, 45 men)

Detail

Battalion commander

Adjutant

Driver, I.C.

Rank

Lieutenant-colonel

Captain

Private

Batman

Driver-mechanic

(seat for CO)

Private

Private

Second-in-command

Batman-driver

Major

Private

Orderly room clerk

Clerk

Driver, I.C.

Intelligence serjeant

Intelligence personnel

Intelligence personnel

Intelligence officer

Regimental serjeant-major

Batman-driver

Serjeant

Private

Private

Private

Subaltern

Warrant officer, class I

Private

Serjeant

Regimental Police

Private

Medical officer (RAMC)

Medical officer's orderly-driver

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

Car, 2-seater

1

1

5

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

1 Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

intelligence equipment

Gary Kennedy

1

1

3

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

(fitted with side tents)

Continued¡­

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1

1

1 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

3 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

not stated

Lance-corporal

1

1

1

1 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

1 Rifle

Bicycle

5 Rifle

Bicycle

Corporal

No.

1 Rifle

1 Rifle

Carrier, Universal

Light machine gun

1 Rifle

2 Rifle

1 Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, office

office equipment

Serjeant

Provost-serjeant

No.

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

1 Pistol

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

Car, 4-seater

August 2018

1

4

Detail

Batman

Medical serjeant

Driver, I.C.

Rank

Private

Serjeant

Private

Stretcher bearer

Stretcher bearer

Corporal

Private

Total, all ranks

No.

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

1 Rifle

1 Rifle

1 Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

No.

1

1 Machine carbine

19 Machine carbine

50

Changes to Headquarters when the Battalion is serving as part of an Armoured Division

Detail

Delete

Intelligence personnel

Rank

Corporal

Intelligence personnel

Corporal

Intelligence personnel

Major

Private

No.

1

5

1 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

5 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

Private

Delete as per strikethrough

Second-in-command

Batman-driver

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

1 Rifle

Bicycle

5 Rifle

Bicycle

Private

and insert

Intelligence personnel

No.

1

5

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

Car, 2-seater

1

Headquarter Company (4 Officers, 91 men)

Company Headquarters (1 Officer, 5 men)

Detail

Company commander

Company serjeant-major

Company quarter-master-serjeant

Clerk

Storeman

Batman-driver

Rank

Major or Captain

Warrant officer, class II

Staff-serjeant

Private

Private

Private

Total, all ranks

bayonetstrength.uk

Gary Kennedy

No.

1

1

1

1

1

1

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

Pistol

Rifle

Rifle

Rifle

Rifle

Machine carbine

Car, 2-seater

6

August 2018

No.

1

5

(No.1) Signal Platoon (1 Officer, 35 men)

Detail

Headquarters

Platoon commander

Batman-driver

Signal serjeant

Signal office and Line Section

Signaller-orderly

Signaller-orderly

Signaller

Signaller

Storeman

Driver, I.C.

Rank

No.

Subaltern

Private

Serjeant

Private

Private

1

1

1 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

1

2

2

1

1

Corporal

Private

Private

Private

1

9

9

1

Total, all ranks

No.

1 Pistol

1 Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

Projector, infantry, anti-tank

3 Rifle

Bicycle

4 Machine carbine

Motorcycle, solo

Corporal

Private

Private

Private

Wireless and Visual Section

Signaller

Signaller

Signaller (No.18 set operator)

Driver, I.C.

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

3

4

Rifle

Rifle

Rifle

Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

1

Rifle

Rifle

Machine carbine

Machine carbine

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

1

36

Changes to Signal Platoon when the Battalion is serving as part of an Armoured Division

Detail

the following personnel

Driver, I.C.

Signaller-orderly

Signaller

Rank

No.

Private

Private

Corporal/Private

Total

are all now detailed as

Driver-operator

Corporal/Private

Weapon/Vehicle/Other

No.

2 Machine carbine

3 Rifle

13 Rifle

18

18 Machine carbine

in the Wireless and Visual Section

is changed to

bayonetstrength.uk

Gary Kennedy

Truck, 15-cwt, GS

1

Truck, 15-cwt, fitted for

wireless (with No.19 set)

1

August 2018

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