In 1940, following the Second World War's Battle of France, the United Kingdom was under threat of invasion from Germany. The Battle of Britain, fought between July and October, reduced this threat. As the year progressed, the size of the British Army increased dramatically as 140 new infantry battalions were raised. During October, with the possibility of a German invasion during 1941, these new battalions were formed into independent infantry brigades that were then assigned to newly created county divisions.
