7th Infantry Division (Pakistan)
Encyclopedia
The 7th Infantry Division, also known as the Golden
Arrow
(after its formation sign) and Peshawar
Division
, (after its garrison
city
) is the Pakistan Army
's oldest and most battle-hardened division. The officer
s and men of the Golden Arrow Division have fought in all of Pakistan's Wars and have an unmatched combat
service record
.
, in present-day Pakistan
. Its formation sign was an arrow, pointing bottom left to top right, in yellow on a black background. The division was known as the "Golden Arrow" division from this sign.
After initially training for operations in the deserts in the Middle East, in early 1943 it was reassigned to the Burma Campaign
. After extensive training and preparation, it fought in the Arakan
from December 1943. After the divisional HQ was overrun by a Japanese attack, units of the division took part in the Battle of the Admin Box
. The division later moved to Assam
and fought in the Battle of Kohima
. In 1945 it played a prominent part in the Battle of Central Burma and the subsequent advance down the Irrawaddy River.
After the war ended, the division moved to Thailand
, where it disarmed the Japanese occupying army, and liberated and repatriated Allied prisoners of war.
at the Imphal
.)
in 1947, the division was one of two allocated to Pakistan.
The 7th Infantry Division is currently being commanded by Major General Ghayur Mahmood.
The Division first saw action during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1948, where it fought and captured some territory in the Poonch sector
.
In the intervening years, the formation became part of the Pakistan Army's strategic reserve
. At the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
, the Peshawar
Division
was commanded by a native Peshawarite; Major General Yahya Khan
. In it, the Golden Arrow's were the lead division of the Operation Grandslam, where they and two divisions which had been placed under the division's command managed to achieve the most dramatic breakthrough of the war when they defeated the Indian formations in front of them, capturing the district
of Chamb
, and pushed up to a position 6 km beyond Jammu
City, by the end of hostilities. Its commander, General Yahya Khan would be awarded the Hilal-e-Jurat for this achievement.
During Black September
in 1970 the Jordanian Government asked the Pakistan Government to assist in putting down the Palestinian uprising. The Peshawar Division was dispatched to Jordan where it would be placed under the command of the Pakistani attaché; Muhammad Zia ul-Haq (later President of Pakistan
, and would restore order and government control in Jordan.
6 years later, during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 the Peshawar Division would once again be called into action. Once again Pakistan's strategic reserve, along with 1st Armoured Division, would not see action as a unit but many of its sub-units would enter combat in various sectors.
The formation would go overseas for the third time in its history (and for the second time as a Pakistani division) when it deployed with two brigades to Saudi Arabia for the 1991 Gulf War.
It would be the better part of a decade, before the formation would get the call to arms again, but when it came it was at the highest battlefield of the world, and several units would serve in that area. In 1999 during the Kargil War
, the division was sent as a reinforcement to the Gultari area.
After 9/11, and the United States
led invasion of Afghanistan
, the Golden Arrows would be called into a period of almost continuous action in difficult and mountainous terrain, carrying out operations in Waziristan
and the North West Frontier Province (now called: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa), against Al-Qaeda
and Taliban escaping from Afghanistan. Most of the Al-Qaeda operatives have been captured by elements of this formation.
Under its corps headquarters, XI Corps, the Division is now taking part in the 2009 South Waziristan offensive.
Locations and designations of brigades are not confirmed.
Gold (color)
Gold, also called golden, is one of a variety of orange-yellow color blends used to give the impression of the color of the element gold....
Arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
(after its formation sign) and Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, (after its garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
) is the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
's oldest and most battle-hardened division. The officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
s and men of the Golden Arrow Division have fought in all of Pakistan's Wars and have an unmatched combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
service record
Service record
A service record is a collection of either electronic or printed material which provides a documentary history of a person's activities and accomplishments while serving as a member of a given organization...
.
Second World War
The division was raised on 1 October 1940 at AttockAttock
Attock is a city located in the northern border of the Punjab province of Pakistan and the headquarters of Attock District...
, in present-day Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Its formation sign was an arrow, pointing bottom left to top right, in yellow on a black background. The division was known as the "Golden Arrow" division from this sign.
After initially training for operations in the deserts in the Middle East, in early 1943 it was reassigned to the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
. After extensive training and preparation, it fought in the Arakan
Arakan Campaign 1942–1943
The Arakan Campaign of 1942–1943 was the first tentative Allied attack into Burma, following the Japanese conquest of Burma earlier in 1942...
from December 1943. After the divisional HQ was overrun by a Japanese attack, units of the division took part in the Battle of the Admin Box
Battle of the Admin Box
The Battle of the Admin Box took place on the Southern Front of the Burma Campaign from 5 February to 23 February 1944, in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II...
. The division later moved to Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and fought in the Battle of Kohima
Battle of Kohima
The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...
. In 1945 it played a prominent part in the Battle of Central Burma and the subsequent advance down the Irrawaddy River.
After the war ended, the division moved to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, where it disarmed the Japanese occupying army, and liberated and repatriated Allied prisoners of war.
Component Units (1 June 1944)
(Note: on this date, the unit was fighting at Kohima. Indian 89th Infantry Brigade was detached to the Indian 5th Infantry DivisionIndian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Indian Army during World War II which fought in several theatres of war and more than earned its nickname the "Ball of Fire".- History :...
at the Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
.)
- Indian 33rd Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn. Burma Regiment
- 1st Bn. Queen's Royal Regiment
- 4th Bn. 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....
- 4th Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles
- Indian 114th Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
- 4th Bn. 14th Punjab Regiment14th Punjab RegimentThe 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
- 4th Bn. 5th Gurkha Rifles
- Indian 161st Infantry Brigade (attached from Indian 5th Infantry DivisionIndian 5th Infantry DivisionIndian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Indian Army during World War II which fought in several theatres of war and more than earned its nickname the "Ball of Fire".- History :...
)- 4th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1961. It was formed as The Queen's Own as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 50th Regiment of Foot and the 97th Regiment of Foot...
- 1st Bn. 2nd Punjab Regiment2nd Punjab RegimentThe 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
- 4th Bn. 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...
- 4th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Support Units
- 7th Bn, 2nd Punjab Regiment2nd Punjab RegimentThe 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:*1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry...
- 136th (1st West Lancashire) Field Regt. RARoyal 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:...
- 139th (4th London) Field Regt. RA
- 25th Mountain Regt. IA
Commanders
- Maj. Gen. A.V.T. Wakely
- Maj. Gen. R. Richardson
- Maj. Gen. T.W. Corbett
- Maj. Gen. Sir Frank Messervy
- Maj. Gen. G.C. Evans
From 1947 with Pakistan
Upon the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, the division was one of two allocated to Pakistan.
The 7th Infantry Division is currently being commanded by Major General Ghayur Mahmood.
The Division first saw action during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1948, where it fought and captured some territory in the Poonch sector
Poonch District (J&K)
District Poonch or Punch is one of the remotest districts of Jammu and Kashmir. It is bounded by the Line of Control on three sides . The 1947-48 war between India and Pakistan divided it into two parts...
.
In the intervening years, the formation became part of the Pakistan Army's strategic reserve
Military reserve
A military reserve, tactical reserve, or strategic reserve is a group of military personnel or units which are initially not committed to a battle by their commander so that they are available to address unforeseen situations or exploit suddenly developing...
. At the outbreak of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
, the Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
Division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
was commanded by a native Peshawarite; Major General Yahya Khan
Yahya Khan
General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Qizilbash, H.Pk, HJ, S.Pk, psc was the third President of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971, following the resignation of Ayub Khan...
. In it, the Golden Arrow's were the lead division of the Operation Grandslam, where they and two divisions which had been placed under the division's command managed to achieve the most dramatic breakthrough of the war when they defeated the Indian formations in front of them, capturing the district
District
Districts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
of Chamb
Chamb
The Chamb is a river in the Czech Republic and in Germany. It is a right tributary of the Regen River.The Chamb begins south of the Czech village of Kdyně, and flows some westward, crossing into Germany at an elevation of...
, and pushed up to a position 6 km beyond Jammu
Jammu
Jammu , also known as Duggar, is one of the three administrative divisions within Jammu and Kashmir, the northernmost state in India.Jammu city is the largest city in Jammu and the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir...
City, by the end of hostilities. Its commander, General Yahya Khan would be awarded the Hilal-e-Jurat for this achievement.
During Black September
Black September in Jordan
September 1970 is known as the Black September in Arab history and sometimes is referred to as the "era of regrettable events." It was a month when Hashemite King Hussein of Jordan moved to quash the militancy of Palestinian organizations and restore his monarchy's rule over the country. The...
in 1970 the Jordanian Government asked the Pakistan Government to assist in putting down the Palestinian uprising. The Peshawar Division was dispatched to Jordan where it would be placed under the command of the Pakistani attaché; Muhammad Zia ul-Haq (later President of Pakistan
President of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state, as well as figurehead, of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Recently passed an XVIII Amendment , Pakistan has a parliamentary democratic system of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a...
, and would restore order and government control in Jordan.
6 years later, during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971 the Peshawar Division would once again be called into action. Once again Pakistan's strategic reserve, along with 1st Armoured Division, would not see action as a unit but many of its sub-units would enter combat in various sectors.
The formation would go overseas for the third time in its history (and for the second time as a Pakistani division) when it deployed with two brigades to Saudi Arabia for the 1991 Gulf War.
It would be the better part of a decade, before the formation would get the call to arms again, but when it came it was at the highest battlefield of the world, and several units would serve in that area. In 1999 during the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
, the division was sent as a reinforcement to the Gultari area.
After 9/11, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
led invasion of Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, the Golden Arrows would be called into a period of almost continuous action in difficult and mountainous terrain, carrying out operations in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
and the North West Frontier Province (now called: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa), against Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and Taliban escaping from Afghanistan. Most of the Al-Qaeda operatives have been captured by elements of this formation.
Under its corps headquarters, XI Corps, the Division is now taking part in the 2009 South Waziristan offensive.
Order of battle
It is unsure what the exact composition of the formation is, since the Peshawar Division has received several additional troops during the ongoing war on terror, but the peacetime order of battle is:- HQ 7th Infantry Division; PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
- 6 Infantry Brigade; KharKharKhar may refer to:* Khar, Punjab is a town in the Punjab Province, Pakistan* Khar, Bajaur is a town in the Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan...
- 27 Infantry Brigade; Landi KotalLandi KotalLandi Kotal or Landikotal is a town of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. It is located at 34°6'4N 71°8'44E and lies on the Khyber Pass in the Khyber Agency. At 1,072 metres above sea level it is the highest point on the Khyber Pass and is the route across the mountains to the...
- 102 Infantry Brigade; PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
- Division Troops; under HQ command, but usually parcelled out to the Brigades.
- 6 Infantry Brigade; Khar
Locations and designations of brigades are not confirmed.
External links
- Globalsecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...
, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/india/7-div.htm - www.Orbat.com - Contains information on Pakistan Army Divisions including the Golden Arrows
- Pakistan Army; A History, by Brian Cloughly.
- 7th Infantry Division Soldiers advance in Kashmir, 1965 war
- GOC of the Division, briefs President of Pakistan on situation. 1965 War