Indian 39th Infantry Division
Encyclopedia
39th Indian Infantry Division (originally the 1st Burma Division) was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, which became a Training Division
in 1943 after its recovery into India
from Burma.
On the outbreak of war, the division was commanded by Major-General James Bruce Scott
. It consisted of the 1st
and 2nd Burma Infantry Brigade
s, and the 13th Indian Infantry Brigade
. Throughout the Japanese conquest of Burma, the division interchanged many units with its fellow Burma Corps
component, 17th Indian Infantry Division. At various times the 7th Armoured Brigade
, 16th Indian Infantry Brigade, 48th Indian Infantry Brigade
, and 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade
came under command of the division, though only the original three brigades finally entered India as part of the division at the end of the arduous retreat, reduced to fractions of their original strength.
The 1st Burma Division changed to an Indian formation at the end of the 1942 campaign. While the majority of the Burma Army was reconstituted elsewhere in India, the division headquarters was retained at the front.
The 39th division was soon re-roled as a Light Division with two infantry brigades and Mule and jeep transport companies. However this change happened more in name than in anything else as it never actually began to convert to an entirely mule and jeep based transport and supply system.
The decision to convert the division to a training role was undertaken after the poorly executed Arakan offensive when it was realised that the troops being sent into the field, both British and Indian, while not lacking conventional military fighting skills, lacked the necessary knowledge and training to operate in the Burmese jungle. The 39th was joined in its training role by the 14th Indian Infantry Division
which had been the main operational unit during the Arakan offensive and had suffered badly both in terms of casualties and morale as a result.
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...
in 1943 after its recovery into 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...
from Burma.
History
The 1st Burma Infantry Division was formed 14 July 1941 at Toungoo in Burma. The Division was part of the British Burma Army.On the outbreak of war, the division was commanded by Major-General James Bruce Scott
James Bruce Scott
Major-General James Bruce Scott, CB, DSO, MC was an officer in the British Indian Army best known for commanding the 1st Burma Division during the Japanese invasion of Burma in 1942. James Bruce Scott was born in 1892 Major-General James Bruce Scott, CB, DSO, MC (1892–1974) was an officer...
. It consisted of the 1st
1st Burma Infantry Brigade
The 1st Burma Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the British Burma Army during World War II. It was formed in July 1941, when it was converted from the Maymyo Infantry Brigade Area and assigned to the 1st Burma Infantry Division...
and 2nd Burma Infantry Brigade
2nd Burma Infantry Brigade
The 2nd Burma Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Burma Army during World War II. It was formed in July 1941. The Brigade was then disbanded in June 1942, and reformed in October 1942, to command battalions of the newly formed Burma Regiment. It was disbanded once again in November 1943...
s, and the 13th Indian Infantry Brigade
13th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 13th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in October 1940, at Campbellpore and assigned to the 7th Indian Infantry Division. It was transferred to the 1st Burma Division in July 1941, and after the withdrawal to India...
. Throughout the Japanese conquest of Burma, the division interchanged many units with its fellow Burma Corps
Burma Corps
The Burma Corps was an Army Corps of the Indian Army during World War II.It was formed in Prome, Burma in March 1942, it took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded on arrival in India in May 1942.-Formation:*1st Burma Infantry Division...
component, 17th Indian Infantry Division. At various times the 7th Armoured Brigade
7th Armoured Brigade
The 7th Armoured Brigade or 7th Armored Brigade may refer to any of a number of military units:*7th Armoured Brigade *7th Armoured Brigade *7th Armoured Brigade...
, 16th Indian Infantry Brigade, 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....
, and 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...
came under command of the division, though only the original three brigades finally entered India as part of the division at the end of the arduous retreat, reduced to fractions of their original strength.
The 1st Burma Division changed to an Indian formation at the end of the 1942 campaign. While the majority of the Burma Army was reconstituted elsewhere in India, the division headquarters was retained at the front.
The 39th division was soon re-roled as a Light Division with two infantry brigades and Mule and jeep transport companies. However this change happened more in name than in anything else as it never actually began to convert to an entirely mule and jeep based transport and supply system.
The decision to convert the division to a training role was undertaken after the poorly executed Arakan offensive when it was realised that the troops being sent into the field, both British and Indian, while not lacking conventional military fighting skills, lacked the necessary knowledge and training to operate in the Burmese jungle. The 39th was joined in its training role by the 14th Indian Infantry Division
14th Indian Infantry Division
For the World War I formation see 14th Indian DivisionThe Indian 14th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II...
which had been the main operational unit during the Arakan offensive and had suffered badly both in terms of casualties and morale as a result.
106th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 2nd The Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
- 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...
- 1/9th Jat Regiment9th Jat RegimentThe 9th Jat Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.-World War II:...
- 1/8th Gurkha Rifles
- 5/19th Hyderabad Regiment19th Hyderabad RegimentThe 19th Hyderabad Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed following the post World War I reforms of the Indian Army when they moved from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
- 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....
- 9/16th Punjab Regiment16th Punjab RegimentThe 16th 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 15th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
- 15/14th 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....
113th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 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...
- 2nd The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
- 5/1st Punjab Regiment1st Punjab RegimentThe 1st 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 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
- 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:...
- 29th Gurkha Rifles Training Battalion
- 7/9th Jat Regiment9th Jat RegimentThe 9th Jat Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.-World War II:...
- 7/12th 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...
- 17/18th Combined Training Unit
- Indian State Forces Training Unit
Divisional troops
- 7/10th 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...
- 2nd The Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
- 24th Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank 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:...
- 9th Field Regiment Royal Artillery
- Malerkotla Field Company, Indian State Forces
- 26th Field Company, Indian Engineers
- 82nd Field Company, Indian Engineers
Assigned brigades
All theses brigades were assigned or attached to the division at some time during World War IIAttached when Burma Division
- 1st Burma Infantry Brigade1st Burma Infantry BrigadeThe 1st Burma Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the British Burma Army during World War II. It was formed in July 1941, when it was converted from the Maymyo Infantry Brigade Area and assigned to the 1st Burma Infantry Division...
- 2nd Burma Infantry Brigade2nd Burma Infantry BrigadeThe 2nd Burma Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Burma Army during World War II. It was formed in July 1941. The Brigade was then disbanded in June 1942, and reformed in October 1942, to command battalions of the newly formed Burma Regiment. It was disbanded once again in November 1943...
- 13th Indian Infantry Brigade13th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 13th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in October 1940, at Campbellpore and assigned to the 7th Indian Infantry Division. It was transferred to the 1st Burma Division in July 1941, and after the withdrawal to India...
- 48th Indian Infantry Brigade48th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 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....
- 7th Armoured Brigade7th Armoured BrigadeThe 7th Armoured Brigade or 7th Armored Brigade may refer to any of a number of military units:*7th Armoured Brigade *7th Armoured Brigade *7th Armoured Brigade...
- 63rd Indian Infantry Brigade63rd Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 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...
Attached when light division
- 106th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 113th Indian Infantry Brigade
Attached when a training division
- 106th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 113th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 115th Indian Infantry Brigade115th Indian Infantry BrigadeThe 115th Indian Infantry Brigade is an Infantry formation of the Indian Army.It was initially formed during World War II, in September 1943, as a training brigade of the 39th Indian Infantry Division....