The brigade was formed as 203rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) for service in the
United Kingdom on 11 October 1940 by No 3 Infantry Training Group in the South West Area (later
Devon and Cornwall County Division) of
Southern Command. It consisted of five recently formed infantry battalions.[1][2] Home brigades had a purely static defence role.[3]
Service
203rd Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) served in SW Area/
Devon and Cornwall County Division until 1 December 1942, when the County Division was renamed
77th Infantry Division and the brigade was redesignated 203rd Infantry Brigade.[1][4][5] On 1 September 1944, 77th Division was disbanded and its personnel reformed as
45th (Holding) Division. At the same time 203rd Brigade was redesignated
134th Infantry Brigade (replacing a disbanded formation with the same number). All of these formations remained in the United Kingdom throughout the war.[1][6][7]
Between 30 June and 19 July 1941 the 7th East Yorks, 6th DCLI and 8th Beds & Herts were all transferred to reconstitute
73rd Independent Bde, which took over all the static units in Cornwall.[15] This left 203rd Bde with only 9th Duke of Wellington's under command, but the following units were added to it over time:[1]