7th Indian Infantry Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 7th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939, by renaming the Poona Independent Brigade as the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade and renumbered 4th in June 1940, A second 7th Brigade was formed in June 1940, and assigned to 5th Indian Infantry Division. In September 1940, it was assigned to the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The brigade formed the garrison at Mersa Matruh in early December 1940. In January 1941, with the rest of 4th division were sent to fight in the Sudan campaign
.
The brigade moved between 4th and 5th Division command in April 1941, before moving to Cyprus at the end of the month. Returning to the Western desert it took part in the Second Battle of El Alamein
. After reaching Tunisia the brigade come under command 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in March 1943. Returning to 4th Division the brigade took part in the Italian Campaign and ended the war in Greece where the division had been sent to keep the factions apart in the Greek Civil War.
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
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The brigade moved between 4th and 5th Division command in April 1941, before moving to Cyprus at the end of the month. Returning to the Western desert it took part in the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
. After reaching Tunisia the brigade come under command 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in March 1943. Returning to 4th Division the brigade took part in the Italian Campaign and ended the war in Greece where the division had been sent to keep the factions apart in the Greek Civil War.
Commanders during World War II
- Brigadier Sydney A.H. Hungerford (Sep 1939 - Sep 1940)
- Brigadier Harold Rawdon BriggsHarold Rawdon BriggsLieutenant-General Sir Rawdon Briggs KCIE KBE CB DSO and two bars was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, World War II and the post-war era.Field Marshal Viscount William Slim said of him-Early life:...
(Sep 1940 - May 1942) - Brigadier John A. Finlay (May 1942 - Oct 1942)
- Brigadier Arthur Holworthy (Oct 1942 - Jan 1943)
- Brigadier Osmond de T. Lovett (Jan 1943 - Apr 1943) (wounded)
- Lieutenant-Colonel Charles E.A. Firth (Apr 1943 - Jun 1943)
- Brigadier Osmond de T. Lovett (Jun 1943 - )
Formation
- 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles September 1939 to May 1940
- 4th Jammu and Kashmir Infantry October 1940 to May 1941
- 3/9th Gurkha Rifles May 1941 to January 1944
- 2nd Jammu and Kashmir Rifles September 1941 to January 1942
- 8/8th Punjab Regiment8th Punjab RegimentThe 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.-Madras Infantry:...
January 1942 to December 1943 - 6/11th Sikh Regiment11th Sikh RegimentThe 11th Sikh Regiment were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1922, when after World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments....
Ferruary 1942 to April 1943 - 7/15th Punjab Regiment15th Punjab RegimentThe 15th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
April to May 1943 - 6/11th Sikh Regiment11th Sikh RegimentThe 11th Sikh Regiment were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1922, when after World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments....
June to August 1943 - 1st Wiltshire RegimentWiltshire RegimentThe Wiltshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 62nd Regiment of Foot and the 99th Duke of Edinburgh's Regiment of Foot....
October 1943 to October 1944 - 2/7th Rajput Regiment7th Rajput RegimentThe 7th Rajput Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
December 1943 to August 1945 - 2/13th Frontier Force Rifles13th Frontier Force RiflesThe 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
December 1943 to August 1945 - 1/8th Gurkha Rifles May 1944
- 2nd Green Howards September 1944 to April 1945
- 1/18th Royal Garhwal Rifles18th Royal Garhwal RiflesThe 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. They were they only Indian Infantry regiment to remain intact...
March to April 1945 - 1st Royal Warwickshire Regiment April to June 1945
- 8/8th Punjab Regiment8th Punjab RegimentThe 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.-Madras Infantry:...
June to August 1945
- 1st Anti Tank Regiment Indian Artillery March to April 1945
- 160th Field Regiment 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:...
March to April 1945 - Machine Gun Battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment12th Frontier Force RegimentThe 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
March to April 1945