British Infantry Battalion, 1943
Table of Organisation & Equipment
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
- Company Headquarters
- Support Company
- Company Headquarters
- Officer, Company Commander
- 8 Men
- Mortar Platoon
- Platoon Headquarters
- Officer, Platoon Commander
- Universal Carrier
- Motorcycle
- 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)
- Platoon Headquarters
- 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)
- Platoon Headquarters
- Anti Tank Platoon
- Platoon Headquarters
- 2 Officer
- Universal Carrier
- Trucks
- Motorcycles
- Anti-Tank Section
- 6 pdr Anti-Tank Gun
- 6 pdr Anti-Tank Gun
- 4 Lloyd Carriers
- Anti-Tank Section (same as above)
- Anti-Tank Section (same as above)
- Platoon Headquarters
- 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
- Platoon Headquarters
- Company Headquarters
- A Company
- Company Headquarters
- 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 Group
- Rifle Section (same as above)
- Rifle Section (same as above)
- Platoon Headquarters
- 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.