British Infantry Battalion, 1943

Table of Organisation & Equipment

Matchbox British Infantry.

In 1943, the British Infantry Battalion had a full strength of 845 men, including 36 officers and 809 other ranks. The rifle section of ten men was divided into two tactical manœuvre elements, a gun group of three men, and a rifle group of six men, commanded by a corporal. There was a light mortar section at the platoon level. Infantry anti-tank weapons like the PIAT Projector Infantry Anti-Tank, introduced in 1942, were allocated to the rifle company, which distributed these weapons to its individual platoons. Vehicles, too, were pooled and maintained at the company level by 1943, when the individual rifle platoons lost their organic 15cwt truck.

British Infantry Battalion, 1943–1945

  • Battalion Headquarters
    • Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander
    • Major, 2nd in Command
    • Captain, Adjutant
    • Lieutenant, Intelligence Officer
    • Medical Officer
    • 45 Men, including Batmen, Runner, Drivers, and Stretcher Bearers
  • Headquarters Company
    • Company Headquarters
      • Officer, Company Commander
      • 5 Men
    • Administration Platoon
      • 2 Officers
      • 51 Men, including Drivers, Cooks, and Fitters
    • Signals Platoon
      • Officer, Platoon Commander
      • 35 Signallers
  • Support Company
    • Company Headquarters
      • Officer, Company Commander
      • 8 Men
    • Mortar Platoon
      • Platoon Headquarters
      • 3″ Mortar Section
        • 3″ Mortar
        • Universal Carrier
        • 3″ Mortar
        • Universal Carrier
        • Ammunition Truck
      • 3″ Mortar Section (same as above)
      • 3″ Mortar Section (same as above)
    • Carrier Platoon
      • Platoon Headquarters
        • 2 Officers
        • 9 Men
        • Universal Carrier
        • Truck
        • Motorcycles
      • Carrier Section
        • 3 NCOs
        • 6 Riflemen
        • 1 Motorcycle Orderly
        • 3 Drivers
        • 3 Universal Carriers
        • PIAT Anti-Tank Projektor
      • Carrier Section (same as above)
      • Carrier Section (same as above)
      • Carrier Section (same as above)
    • Anti Tank Platoon
      • Platoon Headquarters
        • 2 Officer
        • Universal Carrier
        • Trucks
        • Motorcycles
      • Anti-Tank Section
      • Anti-Tank Section (same as above)
      • Anti-Tank Section (same as above)
    • Pioneer Platoon
      • Platoon Headquarters
        • Officer
        • Sergeant
        • Batman
        • Jeep
      • Assault Section
        • Pioneer Sergeant
        • Pioneers
        • Jeep & Trailer
      • Assault Section (same as above)
      • Pioneer Section
        • Pioneer Sergeant
        • Mason
        • Bricklayer
        • Carpenters
        • 3 ton Truck
  • A Company
    • Company Headquarters
      • Major or Captain, Company Commander
      • 1st or 2nd Lieutenant, 2IC
      • Driver
      • Signallers
      • 2 Snipers
      • 3 PIAT Anti-Tank Projectors
      • Jeep
      • Universal Carrier with Bren LMG and 2″ Mortar
      • 3 15 cwt Trucks
    • Rifle Platoon
      • Platoon Headquarters
        • Officer
        • Sergeant
        • Batman/Signaller
        • Runner
      • 2″ Mortar Section
        • Lance-Corporal
        • Gunner
        • Loader
      • Rifle Section
        • Rifle Group
          • Corporal
          • 6 Riflemen
        • Gun Group
          • Lance-Corporal
          • Bren Gunner
          • Assistant Bren Gunner
      • Rifle Section (same as above)
      • Rifle Section (same as above)
    • Rifle Platoon (same as above)
    • Rifle Platoon (same as above)
  • B Company (same as above)
  • C Company (same as above)
  • D Company (same as above)

Wargamers may want to recruit their infantry battalions from the bottom up, building rifle platoons first, and adding the occasional mortar section, anti-tank section, carrier section, or headquarters element later.

British Miniatures of World War Two