3rd (Lahore) Division - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman Empire

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...

Pre-Mutiny

The Lahore Division first appears in the Indian Army List in 1852, when the short-lived Cis-Jhelum

Jhelum River

Jehlum River or Jhelum River , ) is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...

Division was renamed (at the same time the Trans-Jhelum Division at Peshawar was renamed the Punjab Division). The Cis-Jhelum Division in turn had previously been the Saugor Division, a longstanding formation of the Bengal Army. At this period Divisions were primarily administrative organisations controlling the brigades and stations in their area, rather than field formations, but they did provide field forces when required. The Lahore Division absorbed the Lahore Field Force under Brigadier Sir James Tennant,, which had formed part of the Army of the Punjab since 1847. Lahore Fort

Lahore Fort

The Lahore Fort, locally referred to as Shahi Qila is citadel of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is located in the northwestern corner of the Walled City of Lahore...

was occupied by the British after the First Anglo-Sikh War

First Anglo-Sikh War

The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...

and the city of Lahore

Lahore

Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...

was annexed in 1849 at the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh War

Second Anglo-Sikh War

The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...

. In 1852 a military cantonment

Cantonment

A cantonment is a temporary or semi-permanent military or police quarters. The word cantonment is derived from the French word canton meaning corner or district, as is the name of the Cantons of Switzerland. In South Asia, the term cantonment also describes permanent military stations...

(known until 1906 as Mian Mir) was established. outside the city.

Composition 1852

General Officer Commanding

General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...

(GOC): Brigadier-General Sir John Cheape, KCB

Order of the Bath

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...

, Bengal Engineers (appointed 9 July 1852) (absent commanding Bengal Division in Second Anglo-Burmese War

Second Anglo-Burmese War

The Second Anglo-Burmese War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and the British Empire during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence....

).

Lahore:
Commanding Station: Brigadier Sir James Tennant, Bengal Artillery

HQ, 1st and 2nd Troops, 3rd Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery
HQ, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Companies, 2nd (European) Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery (1st Company and O Company Ordnance Drivers manning No 7 Light Field Battery (horsedrawn))
2nd Company, 8th (Native) Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery, and D Company Ordnance drivers, manning No 2 Light Field Battery (bullock drawn)
4th Company, Bengal Sappers and Miners
Her Majesty’s 96th Foot
96th Regiment of Foot
The 96th Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army from 1798 to 1881, when it became the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment. Its lineage is perpetuated by the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, previously the King's Regiment....
5th Bengal Native Infantry
9th Bengal Native Infantry
39th Bengal Native Infantry
57th Bengal Native Infantry
65th Bengal Native Infantry
1st Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Skinner’s Horse)
18th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

Wazirabad

AYAZ KHANWazirabad is an industrial city located in Gujranwala District, Punjab, Pakistan. Wazirabad is situated on the banks of the Chenab River nearly 100 kilometres north of Lahore on the Grand Trunk Road. It is 45 kilometres from Sialkot, 30 kilometres from the district capital - Gujranwala...

:
Brigadier J.R. Hearsey

4th Company 7th (Native) Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery
Her Majesty’s 3rd Light Dragoons
Her Majesty’s 10th Foot
Her Majesty’s 24th Foot
21st Bengal Native Infantry
32nd Bengal Native Infantry
34th Bengal Native Infantry

Sialkot

Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...

:
Lieutenant-Colonel J.T. Lane, Bengal Artillery

2nd Troop, 2nd Brigade, Bengal Horse Artillery
1st Company, 1st (European) Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery
10th Company, Bengal Sappers and Miners
4th Bengal Light Cavalry
Detachment Her Majesty’s 24th Foot
63rd Bengal Native Infantry
6th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

Govindgarh (Bathinda):

3rd Company, 8th (Native) Battalion, Bengal Foot Artillery
Detachments Her Majesty’s 10th Foot and Native Infantry

Indian mutiny

During the 'Indian Mutiny' (or 'First War of Independence') some Indian regiments at the Mian Mir cantonments plotted to mutiny but were disarmed under the guns of a British horse artillery battery and infantry battalion to prevent them seizing Lahore Fort. Later the 26th Bengal Native Infantry at Mian Mir did mutiny, murder some of their officers and escape under cover of a dust storm, but Lahore was held for the remainder of the conflict by British troops and Indians troops loyal to the government.

Post-Mutiny

Over succeeding decades, the stations controlled by Lahore Division varied, and the forces under command were regularly rotated. For example:

Composition January 1888

GOC: Maj-Gen Sir Hugh Henry Gough

Hugh Henry Gough

General Sir Hugh Henry Gough VC, GCB was born in Calcutta, India and was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:He was 23 years old, and a lieutenant in the...

, VC

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

(appointed 1 April 1887)
Aide-de-Camp

Aide-de-camp

An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...

: Capt H.F.M. Wilson, Rifle Brigade

Divisional HQ: Mian Mir (Lahore Cantonment)

Mian Mir:

K Battery, 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
O Battery, 4th Brigade, Royal Artillery
2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers
5th Regiment Bengal Cavalry
5th Cavalry (Indian Army)
5th Cavalry Regiment was a military unit of the Indian Army.The regiment was raised at Bareilly as the 7th Irregular Cavalry in 1841 as a result of the First Afghan War....
24th (Punjab) Regiment, Bengal Infantry
24th Punjabis
The 24th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 22nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
32nd (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Infantry (Pioneers)
32nd Sikh Pioneers
The 32nd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the Indian Army during British rule. The regiment was founded in 1857 as the Punjab Sappers ....
34th (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Infantry (Pioneers)
34th Sikh Pioneers
The 34th Sikh Pioneers was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were raised as the Punjab Sappers....

Fort Lahore:

3rd Battery, 1st Brigade, Scottish Division Garrison Artillery, Royal Artillery
Detachment 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

Multan

Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...

Brigade:

B Battery 1st Brigade, Royal Artillery
2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
10th Bengal (Duke of Cambridge’s Own) Cavalry
25th (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Native Infantry
25th Punjabis
The 25th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 17th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 25th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922...

Ferozepore

Firozpur

Firozpur is a city on the banks of the Sutlej River in Firozpur District, Punjab, India, founded by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq , a Muslim ruler of the Tughlaq Dynasty who reigned over the Sultanate of Delhi from 1351 to 1388.The Manj Rajputs say the town was named after their chief, a Rajput of...

L Battery, 4th Brigade, Royal Artillery
9th Battery, 1st Brigade, Eastern Division Garrison Artillery, Royal Artillery
1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment
East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, an infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of two 30th and 59th Regiments of Foot with the militia and rifle volunteer units of eastern Lancashire...
17th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
15th Lancers
The 15th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 17th Cavalry and the 37th Lancers .-17th Cavalry:...
19th (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Native Infantry
19th Punjabis
The 19th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 7th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 19th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
35th (Sikh) Regiment Bengal Native Infantry
35th Sikhs
The 35th Sikhs were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when thy were raised as the 35th Bengal Infantry.The regiment took part in the Siege of Malakand in 1897 AND World War I...

Amritsar

Amritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...

Detachment 1st Battalion Border Regiment
Border Regiment
The Border Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 34th Regiment of Foot and the 55th Regiment of Foot....
Detachment 24th (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Native Infantry

Dharamsala

Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....

1st & 2nd Battalions 1st Goorkha Light Infantry

Bakloh (near Dalhousie

Dalhousie, India

Dalhousie is a hill station and popular tourist spot in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, India.- Weather :Dalhousie experiences winter-like cold climate throughout the year. Heavy rain with thunder showers are experienced during the period from June to September...

1st & 2nd Battalions 4th Goorkha Regiment

Pre–World War I

Under the reforms introduced by Lord Roberts

Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts

Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...

as Commander-in-Chief (CinC) India

Commander-in-Chief, India

During the period of the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at General Headquarters, India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India...

, the Divisions were renamed 1st Class Districts in 1890. In the next round of reforms

Kitchener Reforms

The Kitchener Reforms of the Indian Army began in 1903 when Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, India, completed the unification of the three armies of the former Presidencies , and also the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces, into one...

inaugurated by Lord Kitchener

Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener

Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...

as CinC, they became numbered divisions with their territorial affiliation as a subsidiary title. The title 3rd (Lahore) Division first appears in the Army List between 30 September and 31 December 1904, as part of Northern Command, with the Jullunder, Sirhind and Ambala brigades under command. Lahore District/3rd (Lahore) Division at this time was under the command of Maj-Gen Walter Kitchener, the CinC’s younger brother, who commanded it at the Rawalpindi Parade 1905

Rawalpindi Parade 1905

The Rawalpindi Parade 1905 was a parade by the British Indian Army held in Rawalpindi, India on 8 December 1905 to honour the Prince and Princess of Wales. The troops were under the Command of Horatio Herbert, Viscount Kitchener of Khartoum, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.M.G., Commander-in-Chief India...

. In 1914 the division, with HQ at Dalhousie, consisted of the Ferozepore, Jullunder (based at Dalhousie) and Sirhind (based at Kasauli

Kasauli

Kasauli is a cantonment and town, located in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The cantonment was established by the British Raj in 1842 as a Colonial hill station, from Shimla, from Chandigarh, and from Panchkula, and lies at a height of .-Demographics:According to the...

) infantry brigades, and the Ambala

Ambala

Ambala is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border of the states of Haryana and Punjab in India. Politically; Ambala has two sub-areas: Ambala Cantt and Ambala City, approximately 3 kilometers apart from each other...

cavalry brigade (based at Kasauli).

Western Front 1914

In 1914 the 3rd (Lahore) Division was part of Indian Expeditionary Force A sent to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fighting in France. The bulk constituted an infantry division as part of Indian Corps, while the Ambala Cavalry Brigade was detached to form part of 1st Indian Cavalry Division

1st Indian Cavalry Division

The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army. The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914 , under the command of Major General H D Fanshawe. The division was re designated the 4th Cavalry Division in November 1916. During the war the Division...

in the Indian Cavalry Corps

Indian Cavalry Corps

The Indian Cavalry Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army in World War I. It was formed in France in December 1914. It remained in France until March 1916, when it was broken up....

. While in France the division was known as the Lahore Division, and its brigades by their names, to avoid confusion with the 3rd British Division. Despatch from India was delayed by the activities of the German raiders Emden and Konigsberg operating in the Indian Ocean, and by the slow speed of the transport vessels. The first two brigades landed at Marseilles on 26 September 1914, but there were further delays while the troops were re-armed with the latest pattern rifle, and the supply train could be improvised, using tradesmen's vans procured locally.

The 3rd Lahore Divisional Area was formed in late 1914 to take over the garrison duties of the 3rd Division when it left for France. The 3rd Lahore Divisonal Area was disbanded in May 1917, the responsibilities of the area being taken over by the 16th Division.

Order of Battle October 1914

GOC: Lieut-Gen H.B.B. Watkis, CB

Ferozepore Brigade

GOC: Brig-Gen R.G. Egerton, CB

1st Bn. Connaught Rangers
9th Bhopal Infantry
9th Bhopal Infantry
The 9th Bhopal Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy. It was designated as the 9th Bhopal Infantry in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army formed on 18 April 1849 by Captain GG Denniss at Lahore as part of the Transfrontier Brigade, which became the Punjab Irregular Force in 1851. The regiment was designated as the 57th Wilde's Rifles in 1903, and...
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
The 129th Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Baluchis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...

Jullundur Brigade

GOC: Maj-Gen P.M. Carnegy, CB

1st Bn. Manchester Regiment
4th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...

(Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...

) - joined from GHQ Reserve 4 December 1914
15th Ludhiana Sikhs
15th Ludhiana Sikhs
The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs was an infantry regiment in the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1846, when they were known as the Regiment of Ludhiana. During the Indian Mutiny they were relied upon to hold Benares throughout the period of the Mutiny...
47th Sikhs
47th Sikhs
The 47th Sikhs were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1901, when they were raised as the 47th Bengal Infantry....
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 59 Scinde Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment is one of the most reputed outfits of British Indian Army. It was raised in 1843, as the Scinde Camel Corps. In 1856, it was incorporated into the Punjab Irregular Force...

Sirhind Brigade - arrived at Marseilles from Egypt 30 November, joined 9 December 1914

GOC: Maj-Gen J.M.S. Brunker

1st Bn. Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
125th Napier's Rifles
125th Napier's Rifles
The 125th Napier's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. Its earlier names include:1st Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry, The 25th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry and The 25th Bombay Rifles...
1st Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
1st Bn. 4th Gurkha Rifles

Divisional Troops:
Mounted Troops:

15th Lancers (Cureton’s Multanis)

Artillery:

V Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....

(RFA) - joined 22 November 1914 from 7th (Meerut) Division
- 64th, 73rd & 81st Batteries, V Brigade Ammunition Column
XI Brigade, RFA - joined 22 November 1914 from 7th (Meerut) Division
- 83rd, 84th & 85th Batteries, XI Brigade Ammunition Column
XVIII Brigade, RFA
- 59th, 93rd & 94th Batteries, XVIII Brigade Ammunition Column
109th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
Royal Garrison Artillery
The Royal Garrison Artillery was an arm of the Royal Artillery that was originally tasked with manning the guns of the British Empire's forts and fortresses, including coastal artillery batteries, the heavy gun batteries attached to each infantry division, and the guns of the siege...

(4.7-inch guns)
- Heavy Battery Ammunition Column
Lahore Divisional Ammunition Column

Engineers

20th & 21st Companies, 3rd Sappers and Miners

Signals Service:

Lahore Signal Company

Pioneers

34th Sikh Pioneers
34th Sikh Pioneers
The 34th Sikh Pioneers was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were raised as the Punjab Sappers....

Supply & Transport:

Lahore Divisional train

Medical Units:

7th & 8th British Field Ambulances
111th, 112th and 113th Indian Field Ambulances

The division finally got into action piecemeal at the simultaneous Battles of La Bassee

Battle of La Bassée

The Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea....

, 1st Messines and Armentieres

Battle of Armentières

This battle was part of Race to Sea campaign. During this battle the British successfully held the line in their sector, against repeated German assaults.To the south it merged into the battle of La Bassée, to the north into the battle of Messines....

along the British part of the Western Front in October–November 1914. The degree to which the division was broken up can be gauged by the 29 October entry in the diary kept by the Indian corps' commander, Lt-Gen Sir James Willcocks

James Willcocks

General Sir James Willcocks GCB GCMG KCSI DSO was a British Army officer who held high command during World War I....

"Where is my Lahore Division?
Sirhind Brigade detained in Egypt.
Ferozepore Brigade: somewhere in the north, split up into three or four bits.
Jullunder Brigade: Manchesters gone south to (British) 5 Division (this disposes of only British unit)
47th Sikhs: Half fighting with some British division; half somewhere else!
59th Rifles and 15th Sikhs: In trenches
34th Pioneers (divisional troops) also in trenches
15th Lancers: In trenches.
Two companies of Sappers and Miners fighting as infantry with British divisions.
Divisional Headquarters: Somewhere?
Thank heaven the Meerut Division will get a better chance."

When the troops were relieved in November 1914, the reassembled division defended a section of the front in Indian Corps' sector.

Western Front 1915

After winter operations (in which the Indian soldiers suffered badly) the division next took part in the Battles of Neuve Chapelle

Battle of Neuve Chapelle

The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...

, Aubers Ridge

Battle of Aubers Ridge

The Battle of Aubers Ridge was a British offensive mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I.- Background :The battle was the initial British component of the combined Anglo-French offensive known as the Second Battle of Artois...

, Festubert

Battle of Festubert

The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...

and Loos

Battle of Loos

The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...

in 1915.

Order of Battle May 1915

GOC: Maj-Gen H.D'U. Keary

Ferozepore Brigade

GOC: Brig-Gen R.G. Egerton, CB

1st Bn. Connaught Rangers
1/4th Bn. London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...

(Territorial Force)
9th Bhopal Infantry
9th Bhopal Infantry
The 9th Bhopal Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy. It was designated as the 9th Bhopal Infantry in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army formed on 18 April 1849 by Captain GG Denniss at Lahore as part of the Transfrontier Brigade, which became the Punjab Irregular Force in 1851. The regiment was designated as the 57th Wilde's Rifles in 1903, and...
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
The 129th Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Baluchis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...

Jullundur Brigade

GOC: Brig-Gen E.P. Strickland

1st Bn. Manchester Regiment
1/4th Bn. Suffolk Regiment
Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the Royal Norfolk Regiment as the 1st East Anglian Regiment in 1959...

(Territorial Force)
1/5th Bn Border Regiment
Border Regiment
The Border Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 34th Regiment of Foot and the 55th Regiment of Foot....

(Territorial Force)
40th Pathans
40th Pathans
The 40th Pathans were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1858, as the Shahjehanpur Levy. It was designated as the 40th Pathans in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
47th Sikhs
47th Sikhs
The 47th Sikhs were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1901, when they were raised as the 47th Bengal Infantry....
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 59 Scinde Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment is one of the most reputed outfits of British Indian Army. It was raised in 1843, as the Scinde Camel Corps. In 1856, it was incorporated into the Punjab Irregular Force...

Sirhind Brigade

GOC: Brig-Gen W.G. Walker

William George Walker

Major General William George Walker VC, CB was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....

, VC

Victoria Cross

1st Bn. Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
4th Bn. King's Regiment (Special Reserve)
15th Ludhiana Sikhs
15th Ludhiana Sikhs
The 15th Ludhiana Sikhs was an infantry regiment in the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1846, when they were known as the Regiment of Ludhiana. During the Indian Mutiny they were relied upon to hold Benares throughout the period of the Mutiny...
1st Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)
1st Bn. 4th Gurkha Rifles

Divisional Troops:
As before, with addition of XLIII (Howitzer Bde, RA (40th & 57th Batteries)

Mesopotamia

On 13 August 1915, General Sir John Nixon, commanding Indian Expeditionary Force D in Mesopotamia

Mesopotamian Campaign

The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...

, requested one of the Indian infantry divisions in France as reinforcements for his advance on Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

. Coincidentally, on the same day, the Secretary of State for India

Secretary of State for India

The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office...

, Austen Chamberlain

Austen Chamberlain

Sir Joseph Austen Chamberlain, KG was a British statesman, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and half-brother of Neville Chamberlain.- Early life and career :...

, told the Viceroy of India that he was anxious for the Indian infantry to be withdrawn from France before they had to endure another winter. The system for supplying drafts had broken down and the Indian battalions were becoming very weak after the heavy casualties they had suffered. Although the Secretary of State for War

Secretary of State for War

The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...

, Lord Kitchener

Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener

, objected to their withdrawal from the Western Front

Western Front (World War I)

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...

, orders were issued on 31 October for the two divisions of Indian Corps (3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Division) to embark at Marseilles for Mesopotamia. They were to leave behind their attached Territorial Force and Special Reserve battalions, and the three RFA brigades of 18-pounder guns of 3rd (Lahore) Division. The two divisions were relieved in the front line on 6 November and were due at Basra in December, but their departure from Marseilles was delayed because of fear of submarine attack. 3rd (Lahore) Division finally arrived in Mesopotamia in April 1916 and joined Tigris Corps, too late to relieve 6th (Poona) Division

6th (Poona) Division

For the World War II formation see 6th Infantry Division The 6th Division was a division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903, following the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army.-World War I:...

at Kut-al-Amara

Siege of Kut

The siege of Kut Al Amara , was the besieging of 8,000 strong British-Indian garrison in the town of Kut, 100 miles south of Baghdad, by the Ottoman Army. Its known also as 1st Battle of Kut. In 1915, its population was around 6,500...

Palestine

After the fall of Baghdad, the Palestine Campaign was given priority over Mesopotamia, and in March 1918 the division was transferred to Egypt to join Sir Edmund Allenby

Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby

Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby GCB, GCMG, GCVO was a British soldier and administrator most famous for his role during the First World War, in which he led the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918.Allenby, nicknamed...

's Egyptian Expeditionary Force

Egyptian Expeditionary Force

The Egyptian Expeditionary Force was formed in March 1916 to command the British and British Empire military forces in Egypt during World War I. Originally known as the 'Force in Egypt' it had been commanded by General Maxwell who was recalled to England...

until the end of the war. At the Battle of Megiddo

Battle of Megiddo (1918)

The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...

in September 1918 it formed part of Sir Edward Bulfin

Edward Bulfin

Lieutenant General Sir Edward Stanislaus Bulfin KCB CVO was a British general during World War I, where he established a reputation as an excellent commander at the brigade, divisional and corps levels...

's XXI Corps

XXI Corps (United Kingdom)

The XXI Corps was a Army Corps of the British Army during World War I.-First World War:The Corps was formed in Egypt in June 1917 under the command of Lieutenant General Edward Bulfin...

on the right flank.

Order of Battle September 1918

GOC: Maj-Gen A.R. Hoskins

7th Brigade:

1st Bn. Connaught Rangers
2nd Bn. 7th Gurkha Rifles
27th Punjabis
27th Punjabis
The 27th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 19th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 27th Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
91st Punjabis

8th Brigade:

1st Bn. Manchester Regiment
47th Sikhs
47th Sikhs
The 47th Sikhs were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1901, when they were raised as the 47th Bengal Infantry....
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 59 Scinde Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment is one of the most reputed outfits of British Indian Army. It was raised in 1843, as the Scinde Camel Corps. In 1856, it was incorporated into the Punjab Irregular Force...
2nd Bn. 124th Baluchistan Infantry
124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry
The 124th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1820 as the 2nd Battalion 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 124th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...

9th Brigade:

1st Bn. Seaforth Highlanders
Seaforth Highlanders
The Seaforth Highlanders was a historic regiment of the British Army associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The Seaforth Highlanders have varied in size from two battalions to seventeen battalions during the Great War...
28th Punjabis
28th Punjabis
The 28th Punjabis were an infantry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 20th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 28th Punjabis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
92nd Punjabis
92nd Punjabis
The 92nd Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 92nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
125th Napier's Rifles
125th Napier's Rifles
The 125th Napier's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. Its earlier names include:1st Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry, The 25th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry and The 25th Bombay Rifles...

External links

British Empire has list of all Indian Army regiments with pictures of their regimental badges.
Imperial Gazetteer of India 1908–30, gives complete list of Indian towns and their history and establishment.
The Long Long Trail, gives orders of battle and much more.

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