7th (Meerut) Division
Encyclopedia
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army
that saw active service during World War I.
, KCB
. 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. There were generally one Indian cavalry and two Indian infantry regiments stationed at Meerut itself, in addition to British troops: in 1829 these were the 4th Bengal Light Cavalry, 29th and 32nd Bengal Native Infantry.
, the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry, and 11th and 20th Bengal Native Infantry under the command of Maj-Gen W.H. Hewitt. The mutiny outbreak at Meerut was one of the first and most serious of the whole conflict.
, KCMG
Divisional HQ: Meerut
Fatehgarh
:
Agra
Brigade:
Muttra:
Dehra Dun:
Delhi
:
Landour
:
Roorki
:
Chakrata
:
as Commander-in-Chief (CinC) India
, the Divisions were renamed 1st Class Districts in 1890. In the next round of reforms
inaugurated by Lord Kitchener
as CinC, they became numbered divisions with their territorial affiliation as a subsidiary title. The title 7th (Meerut) Division first appeared in the Army List between 30 September and 31 December 1904, as part of Western (later Northern) Command. On the eve of World War I, the division had its HQ at Mussoorie
, and had the Meerut Cavalry Brigade and the Bareilly
(HQ Ranikhet
), Dehra Dun and Garhwal
(HQ Lansdowne
) Infantry Brigades under command.
in the Indian Cavalry Corps
. While in France the division was known as the Meerut Division, and its brigades by their names, to avoid confusion with the 7th 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 division landed at Marseilles 12–14 October 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 division finally got into action at the Battles of La Bassee
, 1st Messines and Armentieres
in October–November 1914.
GSO1: Col C.W. Jacob
Dehra Dun Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen C.E. Johnson
Garhwal Brigade
GOC: Maj-Gen H.D’U. Keary
, CB
, DSO
Bareilly Brigade
GOC: Maj-Gen F. Macbean, CVO
, CB
Divisional Mounted Troops
Divisional Artillery
Engineers
Signals Service
Divisional Pioneers
Supply & Transport:
Medical Units:
After winter operations (in which the Indian soldiers suffered badly) the division next took part in the Battles of Neuve Chapelle
, Aubers Ridge
, Festubert
and Loos
in 1915.
Dehra Dun Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen Col C.W. Jacob
Garwhal Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen C.G. Blackader
Bareilly Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen W.M. Southey
Divisional Troops
As before, with the addition of 30th Battery of XLIII (Howitzer Brigade) RA.
By the Battle of Loos
in September 1915, Maj-Gen Claud Jacob
had replaced Anderson as GOC of 7th (Meerut) Division, and the exhausted 61st Jats and 41st Dogras had been replaced by the 93rd Burma Infantry
and 33rd Punjabis
(from Egypt), while 30th Battery, XLII (How) Bde had been replaced by 61st Battery, VIII (How) Bde.
, requested one of the Indian infantry divisions in France as reinforcements for his advance on Baghdad
. Coincidentally, on the same day, the Secretary of State for India
, Austen Chamberlain
, 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
, Lord Kitchener
, objected to their withdrawal from the Western Front
, 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 battalions. The two divisions were relieved in the front line on 6 November and were due at Basra on 1 December, but their departure from Marseilles was delayed until after 25 December because of fear of submarine attack. 7th (Meerut) Division finally arrived in Mesopotamia in Spring 1917 and joined Tigris Corps, too late to relieve the 6th (Poona) Division
at Kut-al-Amara
.
The division participated in the battles at the Sheikh Sa'ad, Wadi
, Hanna
, Dujailia
, and the Sannaiyat. After the fall of Kut
, as part of the reorganization of the British and Indian forces in the region, the division spent much of the summer and fall refitting. The Meerut and Lahore Divisions would eventually become part of the I Indian Army Corps, part of the newly formed Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, participating in the capture of Baghdad in March 1917.
was given priority over Mesopotamia, and in December 1917 Sir Edmund Allenby
, commanding the Egyptian Expeditionary Force
(EEF), was informed that after he had captured Jerusalem he would be reinforced by the 7th (Meerut) Division from Mesopotamia. The division moved from Mesopotamia to Egypt in December, and then on 1 April 1918 it relieved the 52nd (Lowland) Division, which was on its way to the Western Front. The EEF undertook few operations during the hot weather of Summer 1918, but the Meerut Division captured 'North Sister' and 'South Sister' Hills on 8 June, and raided 'Piffer Ridge' on 27 June. It subsequently took part in Allenby's advance through Palestine, including the Battle of Megiddo
as part of Lieutenant-General Bulfin's
XXI British Corps
operating on the right flank.
19th Brigade:
21st Brigade:
28th Brigade:
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...
that saw active service during World War I.
Pre-Mutiny
The Meerut Division first appeared in the Indian Army List in 1829, under the command of Sir Jasper NicollsJasper Nicolls
Lieutenant General Sir Jasper Nicolls KCB was Commander-in-Chief, India.-Military career:Born at East Farleigh in Kent and educated at a private school in Ballygall and at Trinity College, Dublin, Nicolls was commissioned into the 45th Regiment of Foot in 1793.He was present at the Battle of...
, 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...
. 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. There were generally one Indian cavalry and two Indian infantry regiments stationed at Meerut itself, in addition to British troops: in 1829 these were the 4th Bengal Light Cavalry, 29th and 32nd Bengal Native Infantry.
Indian Mutiny
In May 1857, on the eve of the 'Indian Mutiny' (or 'First War of Independence'), the troops at Meerut comprised the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) and a battalion of the 60th (King’s Royal Rifle Corps)King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry, and 11th and 20th Bengal Native Infantry under the command of Maj-Gen W.H. Hewitt. The mutiny outbreak at Meerut was one of the first and most serious of the whole conflict.
Post-Mutiny
The division was reconstituted when peace returned. Over succeeding decades, the stations controlled by Meerut Division varied, and the forces under command were regularly rotated. For example:Composition, January 1888
GOC: Maj-Gen Sir G.R. Greave, KCBOrder 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...
, KCMG
Divisional HQ: Meerut
- F Battery, A Brigade, Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
- L Battery, A Brigade, Royal Horse ArtilleryRoyal Horse ArtilleryThe regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
- H Battery, 2nd Brigade, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe 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:...
- L Battery, 3rd Brigade, Royal Artillery
- K Battery, 4th Brigade, Royal Artillery
- 3rd Hussars
- 1st Battalion, King’s Own Scottish BorderersKing's Own Scottish BorderersThe King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
- 5th Regiment Bengal Cavalry5th 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....
- 26th (Punjab) Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry26th PunjabisThe 26th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 18th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 26th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
Fatehgarh
Fatehgarh
Fatehgarh is a cantonment town in Farrukhabad district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the right bank of the Ganges River. It is the administrative headquarters of Farrukhabad District. Fatehgarh derives its name from an old fort. It is a small city with no significant...
:
- Detachment 2nd Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
- Detachment 22nd Bengal Native Infantry
Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
Brigade:
- 2nd Battalion Manchester Regiment
- 28th (Punjab) Regiment Bengal Native Infantry28th PunjabisThe 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...
- Depot 33rd Regiment Bengal Native Infantry
- 16th (The Lucknow Regiment) Bengal Native Infantry16th Rajputs (The Lucknow Regiment)The 16th Rajputs was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army and later of the united British Indian Army.It can trace its origins to 1857, during the Indian Mutiny when it was formed from men of the 13th, 48th and 71st Bengal Native Infantry regiments that remained loyal to the British...
Muttra:
- 3rd Dragoon Guards3rd Dragoon GuardsThe 3rd Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards in 1922....
Dehra Dun:
- Governor General’s Bodyguard
- 1st & 2nd Battalions 2nd (Prince of Wales’s Own) Goorkha Regiment (The Sirmoor Rifles)
Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
:
- Wing, 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
- 8th Battery, 1st Brigade, Scottish Division Garrison Artillery, Royal Artillery
- 22nd Bengal Native Infantry
Landour
Landour
Landour , a small cantonment town contiguous with Mussoorie, is about from the city of Dehradun in the northern state of Uttarakhand in India. The twin towns of Mussoorie and Landour, together, are a well-known British Raj-era hill station in northern India. Mussoorie-Landour was widely known as...
:
- Convalescent Depot
Roorki
Roorkee Cantonment
Roorkee Cantonment is a cantonment town, in Roorkee, Haridwar district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand, and is one of country's oldest cantonments established in 1853, and the headquarters of Bengal Engineer Group since 1853.-History:...
:
- H Company, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- HQ, A (Depot) Company, B (Recruit) Company, 3, 4, & 5 Companies, Bengal Sappers and Miners
- 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
- 1st & 2nd Batteries, 1st Brigade, Welsh Division Garrison Artillery, Royal Artillery
- 4th Battery, 1st Brigade, Eastern Division Garrison Artillery, Royal Artillery
Chakrata
Chakrata
Chakrata or Chakrauta is a cantonment town in Dehradun district in the state of Uttarakhand, India.It is situated between the Tons and Yamuna rivers, at an elevation of 7000–7250 feet, 92 km from state capital, Dehradun, it was originally a cantonment of British Indian Army...
:
- 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade
Pre–World War I
Under the reforms introduced by Lord RobertsFrederick 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 7th (Meerut) Division first appeared in the Army List between 30 September and 31 December 1904, as part of Western (later Northern) Command. On the eve of World War I, the division had its HQ at Mussoorie
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a city and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located about 35 km from the state capital of Dehradun and 290 km north from the national capital of New Delhi...
, and had the Meerut Cavalry Brigade and the Bareilly
Bareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
(HQ Ranikhet
Ranikhet
Ranikhet is a hill station and cantonment town in Almora district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is the home for the Military Hospital, Kumaon Regiment & Naga Regiment and is maintained by the Indian Army....
), Dehra Dun and Garhwal
Garhwal District
Garhwal lies in the northern region of India. It is a part of the state Uttrakhand and is bounded on four sides by Tibet , Uttar Pradesh, Kumaon region and Himachal Pradesh....
(HQ Lansdowne
Lansdowne, Garhwal
Lansdowne is a cantonment town in Pauri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-History:Originally known as, Kaludanda, after Kalun and Danda in local language, Lansdowne was founded and named after then Viceroy of India, Lord Lansdowne in 1887, and by 1901 it had a population of 3943...
) Infantry Brigades under command.
Western Front
In 1914 the 7th (Meerut) 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 Meerut Cavalry Brigade was detached to form part of 2nd Indian Cavalry Division2nd Indian Cavalry Division
The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army during World War I.-History:The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914, under the command of Major General G A Cookson. During the war the division would serve in the trenches as infantry...
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 Meerut Division, and its brigades by their names, to avoid confusion with the 7th 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 division landed at Marseilles 12–14 October 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 division finally got into action at the 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....
in October–November 1914.
Order of Battle, October 1914
GOC: Lieut-Gen C.A. Anderson, CBGSO1: Col C.W. Jacob
Claud Jacob
Field-Marshal Sir Claud William Jacob GCB GCSI KCMG was a British Army officer who served in the First World War.-Military career:...
Dehra Dun Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen C.E. Johnson
- 1st Bn. Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth HighlandersThe 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...
- joined on 18 December 1914 - 6th Jat Light InfantryJat RegimentThe Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army and is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 to 1947 and post independence 5 battle honours, Two Ashok Chakras, eight Mahavir Chakras, eight Kirti...
- 2nd Bn. 2nd King Edward’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Regiment)
- 1st Bn. 9th Gurkha Rifles
Garhwal Brigade
GOC: Maj-Gen H.D’U. Keary
Henry Keary
Lieutenant-General Sir Henry D'Urban Keary, KCB, KCIE, DSO was a British Indian Army officer, who served in a number of colonial conflicts before commanding an Indian division during the First World War.-Early life:...
, CB
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...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
- 2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
- 1st Bn. 39th Garhwal Rifles39th Garhwal RiflesThe 39th Garhwal Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when they were raised as the Aligarh Levy, but was disbanded after disgracing itself at the Rawalpindi Review in 1888....
- 2nd Bn. 39th Garhwal Rifles39th Garhwal RiflesThe 39th Garhwal Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when they were raised as the Aligarh Levy, but was disbanded after disgracing itself at the Rawalpindi Review in 1888....
- 2nd Bn. 3rd Gurkha Rifles
Bareilly Brigade
GOC: Maj-Gen F. Macbean, CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CB
- 2nd Bn. Black WatchBlack WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1st Bn. 41st Dogras41st DograsThe 41st Dogras were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1900, when thy were raised as the 41st Bengal Infantry....
- 1st Bn. 58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)The 58th Vaughan's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 5th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 58th Vaughan's Rifles in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
- 2nd Bn. 8th Gurkha Rifles
Divisional Mounted Troops
- 4th Cavalry4th Lancers- Origin :Raised 1838 in the service of the Nawab of Avadh the various changes and amalgamations are listed below.- History :Converted in 1840 to the East India Company service as the 6th Bengal Irregular Cavalry....
Divisional Artillery
- IV Brigade, Royal Field ArtilleryRoyal Field ArtilleryThe 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) - replaced V Brigade (transferred to 3rd (Lahore) Division3rd (Lahore) DivisionThe 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman Empire.-Pre-Mutiny:The Lahore Division first...
) 17 October 1914- 7th, 14th & 66th Batteries, IV Brigade Ammunition Column
- IX Brigade, RFA
- 19th, 20th & 28th Batteries, IX Brigade Ammunition Column
- XIII Brigade, RFA - replaced XI Brigade (transferred to 3rd (Lahore) Division3rd (Lahore) DivisionThe 3rd Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman Empire.-Pre-Mutiny:The Lahore Division first...
17 October 1914- 2nd, 8th & 44th Batteries, XIII Brigade Ammunition Column
- 110th Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison ArtilleryRoyal Garrison ArtilleryThe 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...
- Heavy Battery Ammunition Column
- Meerut Divisional Ammunition Column
Engineers
- 3rd & 4th Companies, 1st King George’s Own Sappers and Miners
Signals Service
- Meerut Signal Company
Divisional Pioneers
- 107th Pioneers107th PioneersThe 107th Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1788, when they were raised as the 4th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys.The regiments first action was in the Third Anglo-Mysore War...
Supply & Transport:
- Meerut Divisional train
Medical Units:
- 19th & 20th British Field Ambulances
- 128th, 129th and 130th Indian Field Ambulances
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: Lieut-Gen Sir C.A. Anderson, KCBDehra Dun Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen Col C.W. Jacob
Claud Jacob
Field-Marshal Sir Claud William Jacob GCB GCSI KCMG was a British Army officer who served in the First World War.-Military career:...
- 1st Bn. Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth HighlandersThe 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...
- 1/4th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders (Territorial ForceTerritorial ForceThe Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
) - 6th Jat Light InfantryJat RegimentThe Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army and is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 to 1947 and post independence 5 battle honours, Two Ashok Chakras, eight Mahavir Chakras, eight Kirti...
- 2nd Bn. 2nd King Edward’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Regiment)
- 1st Bn. 9th Gurkha Rifles
Garwhal Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen C.G. Blackader
Charles Blackader
Major-General Charles Guinand Blackader CB, DSO was a British Army officer of the First World War. He commanded an Indian brigade on the Western Front in 1915, and a Territorial brigade in Dublin during the Easter Rising of 1916, before being appointed to command the 38th Division on the Western...
- 2nd Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
- 1/3rd Bn. London RegimentLondon RegimentThe 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) - 39th Garhwal Rifles39th Garhwal RiflesThe 39th Garhwal Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1887, when they were raised as the Aligarh Levy, but was disbanded after disgracing itself at the Rawalpindi Review in 1888....
- 2nd Bn. 3rd Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Bn. 8th Gurkha Rifles
Bareilly Brigade
GOC: Brig-Gen W.M. Southey
- 2nd Bn. Black WatchBlack WatchThe Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
- 1/4th Bn. Black Watch (Territorial Force)
- 41st Dogras41st DograsThe 41st Dogras were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1900, when thy were raised as the 41st Bengal Infantry....
- 58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)The 58th Vaughan's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 5th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 58th Vaughan's Rifles in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
- 125th Napier's Rifles125th Napier's RiflesThe 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...
Divisional Troops
As before, with the addition of 30th Battery of XLIII (Howitzer Brigade) RA.
By the Battle of 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 September 1915, Maj-Gen Claud Jacob
Claud Jacob
Field-Marshal Sir Claud William Jacob GCB GCSI KCMG was a British Army officer who served in the First World War.-Military career:...
had replaced Anderson as GOC of 7th (Meerut) Division, and the exhausted 61st Jats and 41st Dogras had been replaced by the 93rd Burma Infantry
93rd Burma Infantry
The 93rd Burma Infantry was 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 93rd Burma Infantry in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 33rd Punjabis
33rd Punjabis
The 33rd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was designated as the 33rd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
(from Egypt), while 30th Battery, XLII (How) Bde had been replaced by 61st Battery, VIII (How) Bde.
Mesopotamia
On 13 August 1915, General Sir John Nixon, commanding Indian Expeditionary Force D in MesopotamiaMesopotamian 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
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...
, 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 battalions. The two divisions were relieved in the front line on 6 November and were due at Basra on 1 December, but their departure from Marseilles was delayed until after 25 December because of fear of submarine attack. 7th (Meerut) Division finally arrived in Mesopotamia in Spring 1917 and joined Tigris Corps, too late to relieve the 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...
.
The division participated in the battles at the Sheikh Sa'ad, Wadi
Battle of Wadi (1916)
The Battle of Wadi, occurring on 13 January 1916, was an unsuccessful attempt by British forces fighting in present-day Iraq during World War I to relieve beleaguered forces under Sir Charles Townshend then under siege by the Ottoman Sixth Army at Kut-al-Amara.Pushed by regional British...
, Hanna
Battle of Hanna
The First Battle of Hanna was a World War I battle fought on the Mesopotamian front on 21 January 1916 between Ottoman Army and Anglo-Indian forces.-Prelude:...
, Dujailia
Battle of Dujaila
The Battle of Dujaila was fought on 8 March 1916, between British and Ottoman forces during the First World War. The Ottoman forces, led by Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz were besieging Kut, when the Anglo-Indian relief force, led by Lieutenant-General Fenton Aylmer, attempted to relieve the city...
, and the Sannaiyat. After the fall of Kut
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...
, as part of the reorganization of the British and Indian forces in the region, the division spent much of the summer and fall refitting. The Meerut and Lahore Divisions would eventually become part of the I Indian Army Corps, part of the newly formed Mesopotamian Expeditionary Force, participating in the capture of Baghdad in March 1917.
Palestine
After the fall of Baghdad, the Palestine CampaignSinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
was given priority over Mesopotamia, and in December 1917 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...
, commanding the 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...
(EEF), was informed that after he had captured Jerusalem he would be reinforced by the 7th (Meerut) Division from Mesopotamia. The division moved from Mesopotamia to Egypt in December, and then on 1 April 1918 it relieved the 52nd (Lowland) Division, which was on its way to the Western Front. The EEF undertook few operations during the hot weather of Summer 1918, but the Meerut Division captured 'North Sister' and 'South Sister' Hills on 8 June, and raided 'Piffer Ridge' on 27 June. It subsequently took part in Allenby's advance through Palestine, including 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...
as part of Lieutenant-General Bulfin's
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...
XXI British 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...
operating on the right flank.
Order of Battle September 1918
GOC: Maj-Gen Sir V.B. Fane19th Brigade:
- 1st Bn. Seaforth HighlandersSeaforth HighlandersThe 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 Punjabis28th PunjabisThe 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 Punjabis92nd PunjabisThe 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 Rifles125th Napier's RiflesThe 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...
21st Brigade:
- 1st Bn. The Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
- 1st Bn. Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden's) InfantryCorps of Guides (British India)The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Indian Army which served in the North West Frontier and had a unique composition of being part infantry and part cavalry.-History:...
- 20th Punjabis
- 1st Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles
28th Brigade:
- 2nd Bn. The Leicestershire Regiment
- 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force)51st Sikhs (Frontier Force)The 51st Sikhs was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1846 as the 1st Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 51st Sikhs in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922...
- 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force)53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force)The 53rd Sikhs were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1847 as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 53rd Sikhs in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922...
- 56th Punjabi Rifles
External links
- British Empire has list of all Indian Army regiments with pictures of their regimental badges.
- The Long Long Trail