484
General Freyberg (London) to the Prime Minister
[Extract]

… ² With regard to the minimum number of men necessary to form one brigade group, I assume that we should conform to the order of battle of the standard operational brigade group with which we are familiar, plus Brigade Army Service Corps company, Brigade Workshops, and sections of Ciphers, Field Security, Provost, Field Hygiene, Ordnance Field Park and Mobile Laundry and Bath Unit. We should require, in addition, Force units, including a small General Hospital and a welfare [service]. Preliminary calculations give a brigade group of 4320, plus Force units 850, total 5170. This figure excludes reinforcements in the theatre: in round numbers, 5000.