Indian 19th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
The Indian 19th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, and played a prominent part in the final part of the Burma Campaign
.
It was raised in Secunderabad
in India
in 1941. It originally consisted of the 62nd, 63rd and 64th Indian Infantry Brigades. Its first commander was Major-General Jackie Smyth VC
, who was subsequently transferred to command the Indian 17th Infantry Division, then fighting in Burma. (63rd Indian Infantry Brigade
was also transferred from the division to Burma in March 1942, to be replaced by 98th Indian Infantry Brigade
).
The division remained under temporary commanders until late 1942 when Major General Thomas Wynford Rees
was appointed to command. It spent an extended period on internal security duties and in training before being committed to the Burma front in November 1944. As part of Indian XXXIII Corps
, it played the major role in the capture of Mandalay
. Transferred to IV Corps, it guarded the British Fourteenth Army
's line of communication and mounted an offensive towards Mawchi
, in the Shan States
.
Its successes were due to its fitness and high morale. Not having been stationed in the unhealthy mountains on the Indian / Burmese border in 1943, nor fought during the battles in 1944, it had a high proportion of pre-war regulars among its officers and senior NCO's.
The division was occasionally referred to as the "Dagger Division", from its divisional sign, which was a hand thrusting a dagger overhand, in yellow on a red background.
During World War II, a large number of brigades were assigned or attached to the division. The included at various points the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 47th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 48th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 49th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade
, 64th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 98th Indian Infantry Brigade
, 99th Indian Infantry Brigade
as well as the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade.
General Officer commanding: Major General Thomas Wynford Rees
Commander, Royal Artillery: Brigadier John Alexander MacDonald
Chief of Staff (GSO1): Lieutenant Colonel John Masters
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...
.
It was raised in Secunderabad
Secunderabad
Secunderabad popularly known as the twin city of Hyderabad is located in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh north of Hyderabad. Named after Sikandar Jah, the third Nizam of the Asaf Jahi dynasty, Secunderabad was founded in 1806 AD as a British cantonment...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1941. It originally consisted of the 62nd, 63rd and 64th Indian Infantry Brigades. Its first commander was Major-General Jackie Smyth VC
John George Smyth
Brigadier Sir John George Smyth, 1st Baronet, VC MC PC was a British Indian Army officer and Conservative Member of Parliament. Although a recipient of the Victoria Cross, his army career ended in controversy....
, who was subsequently transferred to command the Indian 17th Infantry Division, then fighting in Burma. (63rd Indian Infantry Brigade
63rd Indian Infantry Brigade
The 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in January 1942, at Jhansi in India and assigned to the 23rd Indian Infantry Division...
was also transferred from the division to Burma in March 1942, to be replaced by 98th Indian Infantry Brigade
98th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 98th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1941, at Bareilly. The brigade served with three different divisions in the Burma Campaign. The 34th Indian Infantry Division between October 1941 and January 1942...
).
The division remained under temporary commanders until late 1942 when Major General Thomas Wynford Rees
Thomas Wynford Rees
Thomas Wynford Rees CB, CIE, DSO & Bar, MC, DL was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, the interwar years, World War II, and post-war.-Early life and career:The son of the Reverend T. M...
was appointed to command. It spent an extended period on internal security duties and in training before being committed to the Burma front in November 1944. As part of Indian XXXIII Corps
XXXIII Corps (British India)
The British Indian XXXIII Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War II. It was disbanded and the headquarters was recreated as an Army headquarters in 1945.-Formation:...
, it played the major role in the capture of Mandalay
Battle of Meiktila / Mandalay
The concurrent Battle of Meiktila and Battle of Mandalay were decisive battles near the end of the Burma Campaign. Collectively, they are sometimes referred to as the Battle of Central Burma. Despite logistical difficulties, the Allies were able to deploy large armoured and mechanised forces in...
. Transferred to IV Corps, it guarded the British Fourteenth Army
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...
's line of communication and mounted an offensive towards Mawchi
Mawchi
Mawachi a location in the Bawlake district of the Kayah State is a state of Myanmar and formerly in the Karenni States of Burma. In the 1930s, the Mawchi Mine was the most important source of tungsten in the world.-External links:...
, in the Shan States
Shan States
The Shan States were the princely states that ruled large areas of today's Burma , Yunnan Province in China, Laos and Thailand from the late 13th century until mid-20th century...
.
Its successes were due to its fitness and high morale. Not having been stationed in the unhealthy mountains on the Indian / Burmese border in 1943, nor fought during the battles in 1944, it had a high proportion of pre-war regulars among its officers and senior NCO's.
The division was occasionally referred to as the "Dagger Division", from its divisional sign, which was a hand thrusting a dagger overhand, in yellow on a red background.
During World War II, a large number of brigades were assigned or attached to the division. The included at various points the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade
9th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 9th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in India and converted to the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade and a new 9th Brigade was then formed all in September 1939. The brigade was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division in June...
, 47th Indian Infantry Brigade
47th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 47th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed October 1942, at Secunderabad in India and assigned to the 19th Indian Infantry Division...
, 48th Indian Infantry Brigade
48th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 48th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in October 1941, at Secunderabad in India and assigned to the 19th Indian Infantry Division....
, 49th Indian Infantry Brigade
49th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 49th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in October 1941 at Bolarum in India. It was assigned to the 19th Indian Infantry Division. The brigade fought in the Burma Campaign and moved between a number of infantry divisions...
, 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade
62nd Indian Infantry Brigade
The 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in November 1943, and assigned to the 19th Indian Infantry Division The brigade fought in the Burma Campaign and remained with the 19th Division until the end of the...
, 64th Indian Infantry Brigade
64th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 64th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in February 1942, at Babina in India and assigned to the 23rd Indian Infantry Division....
, 98th Indian Infantry Brigade
98th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 98th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1941, at Bareilly. The brigade served with three different divisions in the Burma Campaign. The 34th Indian Infantry Division between October 1941 and January 1942...
, 99th Indian Infantry Brigade
99th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 99th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in April 1941, at Lucknow. The brigade was then assigned to the 34th Indian Infantry Division in October 1941, and formed part of the garrison for Ceylon...
as well as the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade.
Order of Battle March 1 1945
Thomas Wynford Rees
Thomas Wynford Rees CB, CIE, DSO & Bar, MC, DL was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, the interwar years, World War II, and post-war.-Early life and career:The son of the Reverend T. M...
Commander, Royal Artillery: Brigadier John Alexander MacDonald
Chief of Staff (GSO1): Lieutenant Colonel John Masters
John Masters
Lieutenant Colonel John Masters, DSO was an English officer in the British Indian Army and novelist. His works are noted for their treatment of the British Empire in India.-Life:...
- 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade62nd Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 62nd Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in November 1943, and assigned to the 19th Indian Infantry Division The brigade fought in the Burma Campaign and remained with the 19th Division until the end of the...
(Brigadier James Ronald Morris)- 2nd Bn Welch RegimentWelch RegimentThe Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
- 3rd Bn 6th Rajputana Rifles6th Rajputana RiflesThe 6th Rajputana Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They were formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army. They moved away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
- 4th Bn 9th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Bn Welch Regiment
- 64th Indian Infantry Brigade64th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 64th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in February 1942, at Babina in India and assigned to the 23rd Indian Infantry Division....
(Brigadier John Godfrey Flewett)- 2nd Bn Worcestershire RegimentWorcestershire RegimentThe Worcestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 29th Regiment of Foot and the 36th Regiment of Foot....
- 5th Bn 10th Baluch Regiment10th Baluch RegimentThe 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After the Partition of India, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments...
- 1st Bn 6th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Bn Worcestershire Regiment
- 98th Indian Infantry Brigade98th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 98th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in April 1941, at Bareilly. The brigade served with three different divisions in the Burma Campaign. The 34th Indian Infantry Division between October 1941 and January 1942...
(Brigadier Charles Ian Jerrard)- 2nd Bn Royal Berkshire RegimentRoyal Berkshire RegimentThe Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
- 8th Bn 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...
- 4th Bn 4th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Bn Royal Berkshire Regiment
- Divisional Units
- 7th Light Cavalry7th Light CavalryThe 7th Light Cavalry, was a regular army cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army which first came into British service with the East India Company and went on to serve on the North West Frontier and in World War I and World War II.-Formation:...
(attached) Stuart Tanks - 1st Bn Assam RegimentAssam RegimentThe Assam Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The Regiment consists of 21 battalions; 14 regular units, three Rashtriya Rifles units, three infantry battalions of the Territorial Army and one battalion of Arunachal Scouts...
(attached)
- 7th Light Cavalry
-
- 1st 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....
(Divisional reconnaissance regiment) - MG Bn 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....
(Divisional Machine gun unit)
- 1st Bn 15th Punjab Regiment
-
- 134 Medium Regiment 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:...
- 4 Field Regiment IARoyal Indian ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery, generally known as the Royal Indian Artillery , was an administrative corps of the British Indian Army...
- 5 Field Regiment IA
- 115 Field Regiment RA
- 29 Mountain Regiment IA
- 33 Anti-tank Regiment RA (mixed anti-tank and light anti-aircraft batteries)
- 134 Medium Regiment RA
-
- Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers & Miners, Indian Engineers
-
- 64 Field Company IE
- 65 Field Company IE
- 327 Field Park Company IE
-
- Royal Bombay Sappers and MinersBombay Engineer GroupThe Bombay Engineering Group, or the Bombay Sappers as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. This regiment has its centre in Khadki, Pune in...
, Indian Engineers-
- 29 Field Company IE
-
- Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers & Miners, Indian Engineers
Postwar
Just before the Indian/Pakistani war of 1965 began, 19th Infantry Division was at Baramula under XV Corps (India). Its brigades were the 104th Brigade, Tithwal, the 161st Brigade, Uri and the 268th Brigade, Baramula.Further reading
- Latimer, Jon Burma: The Forgotten War, London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6
- Masters, John The Road Past Mandalay London:Cassell Military, Reprinted 2002 ISBN 0-304-36157-7