The 10th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914 with three infantry brigades of Indian Expeditionary Force F. After taking part in the Actions on the Suez Canal, the division was dispersed as its brigades were posted away.
| 10th Indian Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 24 December 1914 – 7 March 1916 |
| Country | India |
| Branch | British Indian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | World War I |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Major-General A. Wilson |
It was re-formed in January 1916 as part of the Suez Canal Defences with units and formations in Egypt, but this was short-lived. It was broken up again on 7 March 1916 as the need to re-form depleted units from France made this plan unrealistic.
The division was commanded throughout its existence by Major-General Alexander Wilson.[1]
History
First formation
The 28th, 29th and 30th Indian Brigades were formed in October 1914[2] and posted to Egypt as Indian Expeditionary Force F.[3] The 10th Indian Division was formed on 24 December 1915 with these three brigades, and little else in terms of divisional troops. The division had beat off Turkish attempts to cross the Suez Canal on 3–4 February 1915 in the Actions on the Suez Canal.[4]
Thereafter, the division was soon dissolved with a brigade (30th) sent to Mesopotamia in March 1915, another (29th) detached to Gallipoli from April to December 1915, and the third (28th) detached to Aden from July to September 1915, before it also departed for Mesopotamia in November.[2]
Order of Battle, January 1915
The division commanded the following units in January 1915:[5][6]
- 28th Indian Brigade (Major-General Sir G. Younghusband)[a]
- 29th Indian Brigade (Brigadier-General H.V. Cox)[b]
- 30th Indian Brigade (Major-General C.J. Melliss)[c]
- Divisional troops
Re-formed
The division was re-formed on 7 January 1916 as part of the Suez Canal Defences with units and formations in Egypt: 20th Indian Brigade joined from 7th (Meerut) Division, 29th Indian Brigade rejoined from Gallipoli and 31st Indian Brigade joined from 11th Indian Division. The new division was short-lived: it was broken up again on 7 March 1916 as the need to re-form depleted units from France made this plan unrealistic.[4]
Order of Battle, January 1916
The division commanded the following units in January 1916:[6]
- 20th Indian Brigade (Brigadier-General H.D. Watson)[f]
- 2/2nd Gurkha Rifles
- 2/3rd Gurkha Rifles
- 39th Garhwal Rifles[g]
- 4th Gwalior Infantry (I.S.)
- 29th Indian Brigade (Brigadier-General P.C. Palin)[f]
- 31st Indian Brigade (Brigadier-General A.H. Bingley)[h]
- 58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)
- 1/4th Gurkha Rifles
- 2/8th Gurkha Rifles
- 1st Patiala Infantry (I.S.)
- Divisional Troops
- Unbridaged
- 33rd Punjabis
- 2/10th Gurkha Rifles
- Alwar Infantry (I.S.)
- Mounted Troops
- Mysore Lancers (I.S.)
- Patiala Lancers (I.S.)
- Hyderabad Lancers (I.S.)
- Bikaner Camel Corps (I.S.)
- Artillery
- Hong Kong and Singapore Royal Artillery Battery
- Engineers
- 10th Company, 2nd Queen's Own Sappers and Miners
- Pioneers
- Field Ambulances
- 105th Indian Field Ambulance
- 108th Indian Field Ambulance
- 123rd Indian Field Ambulance
- 135th Indian Field Ambulance
- Unbridaged
See also
Notes
References
Bibliography
- Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
- Rinaldi, Richard A (2008). Order of Battle of the British Army 1914. Ravi Rikhye. ISBN 978-0-97760728-0.
- Sumner, Ian (2001). The Indian Army 1914-1947. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-196-6.
External links
- "10th Indian Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 30 June 2015.