Understanding Brigades and Battalions
A simple explanation of how the army was structured at the time of WW2 - perhaps not fully accurate as I have worked it out for myself, but I think sufficiently accurate to help the non-specialist work out who is where when reading accounts of battles and actions.
There are divisions. Within divisions are brigades. Within brigades are battalions. Within battalions are companies. Within companies are platoons.
There are entities larger than divisions but I have not bothered with those as most official and personal accounts and publications using these sources of information discuss the activities of divisions down.
Regiments seem to be split across brigades. I think at the time of the war this was based on whether or not a battalion was a territorial battalion or a fulltime career battalion.
So the territorial units (1st (Buckinghamshire) Battalion and the 4th Battalion) of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry were in one brigade and the full-time battalions in another.
For the Bucks Battalion the following diagram should help a bit
48 (South Midlands) Division
145 Brigade
Berkshires*
4th Battalion Ox and Bucks
1st Bucks Battalion
A Company based in Wolverton
B Company based in Aylesbury
C Company based in Risborough
D Company based in Wycombe
In addition there was an HQ Company that was administration and support. So for example G Davess who was a driver with A Company was a technically part of HQ company.
Each company would have had a number of platoons.
So for anyone wanting to know where their own relative from the Buckinghamshire Battalion fits into military and battle accounts then you look out for mentions of 48 Division, 145 Brigade, 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion. Some detailed accounts will mention companies and sometimes platoons. If you know where your relative lived and worked as a young man then you will have a good idea which company he was in.
*shortly after arriving in France in January 1940 the Berkshires were replaced by the 2nd Glosters. This was part of a general attempt to strengthen territorial brigades with more experienced soldiers.