Leopard Brigades anti-invasion UK 1940

[Andy H]

Though aware of the existence of the 6-9 'Leopard' Bdes in the UK come July 1940, does anyone know how such characterful title was come upon and just when did the term 'Leopard' disappear from use?

My first instinct is that the name 'Leopard' was conjured up by Churchill, as that colourful language would suit1

Regards

Andy H

[phylo_roadking]

Andy, what was their specific composition?

I've a feeling this may have been more "smoke and mirrors"...counterattacking formations ready to "leap" into action at the speed of a trundling hired charabanc!

[Paul_G_Baker]

From Google...

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/ro ... mandos.htm

http://www.commandoveterans.org/site/the-army-commandos

http://www.pillboxes-suffolk.co.uk/#/gh ... 4536645955

Certainly Churchill!

[phylo_roadking]

Here's a question though...

Although the War Cabinet agreed that ”the plan of defence……appears to be generally sound” there were some reservations. The main concern was that not enough emphasis was placed on hitting the enemy hard during the most vital phase when he would be at his most vulnerable i.e. during disembarkation. While recognizing that some mobile reserves needed to be kept some distance in land in order to have space for deployment it was felt there was also a need for some reserves to be able to counter-attack immediately. The location of reserves in Ironside’s plan would take an unduly long time to deploy for counter attack on the coastal zone. Churchill agreed with these concerns. He thought that the idea of the First War German Stormtroops should be copied – a force of at least 20,000 specially trained troops who could deploy against any enemy landings within four hours (Churchill referred to these as “leopard Brigades”).

Ironside’s response to this was that mobile reserves had to be kept inland due to the need to deal with airborne landings as well as seaborne landings. He expected one main landing by air and up to three by sea with the enemy exploiting which ever was the most successful. He argued that four armoured divisions in reserve would secure the security of the country (but in reality he had less than the strength of half of one armoured division). Although the beach Divisions only had their Bren carriers as a small mobile reserve, the higher formations had some reserves as well as the main GHQ reserve that could reach the beaches much quicker.

Criticism on the plan continued to grow. In the opinion of the Vice-Chiefs of staff, allowing the coast to be held as an outpost line only and having the main line of resistance inland after a fair proportion of the country had been overrun was nothing but suicidal: "it appears that the main resistance might only be offered after the enemy had overrun nearly half of the country, and obtained possession of aerodromes and other vital facilities". It was also considered that Ironside had not pursued the creation of mobile reserves strongly enough, which the entire plan relied upon. Due to the haste of the situation, many of the road blocks were of no value as the enemy could just go around them and many pillboxes were built facing the wrong way. The “stop” lines were also regarded as series of linear unsupported defence positions. This was never Ironside’s intention. He emphasized that the principals of Field Service Regulations still held true (although modified) and at the time recognized that there was insufficient troops to man the positions but considered that the work should commence immediately while Britain rearmed (with Germany’s inactivity resources were increasing all the time in terms of both manpower as a result of conscription with 400,000 men expected to join the army in the following two months and also in weapons as factories worked day and night shifts).

Ironside was replaced by General Alan Brooke on July 20th and the concept of static defence and “stop” lines was more or less abandoned.

Did their role AND IDENTITY vanish when Brookie rejigged things?

Looking at the other links Paul posted up made me grab Charles Messenger's history of the Commandos off my shelves...there's actually NO mention at all of any anti-invasion role for the Commandos at all in there! What there is, is discussion of how the early Commando formations and Independent Companies had to remain outside or be rationalised out of the main defence plans..AND that their equiping and formating couldn't be allowed in any way to prejudice the defence preparations!

There's also NO mention of them at all in Dave Newbold's thesis.

Andy - I wonder how much of this was just another of Churchill's brainstorming ideas that simply never went anywhere in reality? Are they listed under any OOBs for the summer of 1940? I'm getting a feeling from the above paragraphs that Ironside might have disagreed enough with Winston so that nothing was done, the idea fell through the cracks as discussion progressed and while Ironside went on with HIS plans...

[Paul_G_Baker]

Plus the usual dislike of any unit that resembled 'Gladiator' picked troops; which tended to siphon the best soldiers out of the established formations......

[Andy H]

Hi Phylo & Paul

The Leopard Bde's are mentioned in several documents within the NA, some of which can be seen online in the Cabinet Records. At one point there numbers seemed set to be increased from 9 to 15Bdes.

Regards

Andy H

[phylo_roadking]

The number would have had to have been expanded....if they were ever constituted/formated;) If they were going to be stationed as near to the coastline as Winston wanted...then they wouldn't have been free to counterattack in several different areas, depending on circumstances

Remember the threads dealing with the NZEF and MILFORCE? the NZEF was stationed SO far behind the coast - up at Miadstone - that depending on what the Germans did....they could intervene EITHER at Folkstone and points west of there...OR eastward to Deal!

That's what Ironside wanted from his side of the discussion; reinforcements further behind the frontline than Winston intended for the Leopards...

And given that the NZEF was stationed at Maidstone...can we assume which POV won out?