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List of Indian Army Brigades in World War I The Indian Army during the First World War fought on three continents Europe, Africa and Asia. They also had to supply formations for home service. This list details the Cavalry and Infantry brigades formed by the Indian Army during the First World War.

Kitchener reforms

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The Kitchener Reforms, carried out during Lord Kitchener's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, India (1902–09), completed the unification of the three former Presidency armies, the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces into one Indian Army. Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with internal security relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.[1]

By Hart

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1903

1st/2nd Class Districts[2]

1904

1st/2nd Class Districts[3]

1905

1st/2nd Class Districts[4]

1906

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Northern Command[5]

  • 1st (Peshawar) Division
    • Nowshera Brigade – J Willcocks – 29 March 1902
  • 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
    • Abbotabad Brigade – J B Woon – 27 June 1904
    • Sialkot Brigade – B T Mahon – 12 April 1904
  • 3rd (Lahore) Division
    • Jullundur Brigade – R A H Pollock – 29 June 1904
    • Sirhind Brigade – R A P Clements – 1 February 1904
    • Ambala Brigade – R B Adams VC – 18 July 1904
    • Mooltan Brigade – W du G Grey – 18 July 1904
    • Ferozepore Brigade – H A Abbott – 25 January 1902
  • NW Frontier
    • Kohat Brigade – C H Des Voeux – 14 February 1903
    • Derajat Brigade – A A Pearson – 23 January 1904
    • Bannu Brigade – F J Aylmer – 11 August 1904

Eastern Command[6]

  • 7th (Meerut) Division
    • Bareilly Brigade – A R Martin – 4 January 1904
    • Garhwal Brigade – A G F Browne – 26 November 1902
    • Meerut Brigade – A Phayre – 1 November 1904
  • 8th (Lucknow) Division
    • Fyzabad Brigade – H S Wheatley – 7 March 1904
    • Assam Brigade – H N Macrae – 21 November 1903
    • Allahabad Brigade – J Spens – 12 August 1903
    • 4th brigade?

Secunderabad Command

  • 9th (Secunderabad) Division
    • Bangalore Brigade – J E Nixon – 1 May 1903
    • Bangalore Brigade – R I Scallon – 14 December 1904
    • Madras Brigade – F H Kelly – no date
    • Secunderabad Brigade – E O F Hamilton – 26 November 1902
    • Secunderabad Brigade – G F Francis – 18 October 1904

Burma command

  • Burma Division
    • Mandalay Brigade – F H Plowden – 23 July 1902
    • Rangoon Brigade – E E M Lawford – 9 August 1902

Western Command

  • 4th (Quetta) Division
    • Kurrachee Brigade – R M Greeneld – 3 June 1900
  • 5th (Mhow) Division
    • Nusseerabad Brigade – J H S Craigie – 19 February 1901
    • Jhansi Brigade – F S Garrett – 1 May 1903
    • Jubbulpore Brigade – L Denning – 31 July 1902
  • 6th (Poona) Division
    • Bombay Brigade – A G Creagh – 18 October 1900
    • Ahmednager Brigade – H E Penton – 9 June 1900
    • 3rd brigade?
  • Aden
    • Aden Brigade – H M Mahon – 22 January 1904

1907

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Northern Command[7]

  • 1st (Peshawar) Division
    • Nowshera Brigade – J Willcocks – 29 March 1902
    • Mardan Brigade – M H S Grover – 1 January 1906
  • 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division
    • Abbotabad Brigade – J B Woon – 27 June 1904
    • Sialkot Brigade – B T Mahon – 12 April 1904
  • Jhelum District
    • Jhellum Brigade – Grey – no date
    • was it Mooltan Brigade – W du G Grey – 18 July 1904
  • 3rd (Lahore) Division
    • Jullundur Brigade – R A H Pollock – 29 June 1904
    • Sirhind Brigade – R A P Clements – 1 February 1904
    • Ambala Brigade – E H H McSwiney – 28 April 1906
    • Ferozepore Brigade – C A Anderson – 22 January 1906
  • NW Frontier
    • Kohat Brigade – C H Des Voeux – 14 February 1903
    • Derajat Brigade – R B Adams VC – no date
    • Bannu Brigade – F J Aylmer – 11 August 1904

Eastern Command[8]

  • 7th (Meerut) Division
    • Bareilly Brigade – A R Martin – 4 January 1904
    • Garhwal Brigade – A G F Browne – 26 November 1902
    • Meerut Brigade – A Phayre – 1 November 1904
  • 8th (Lucknow) Division
    • Fyzabad Brigade – H S Wheatley – 7 March 1904
    • Assam Brigade – H N Macrae – 21 November 1903
    • Allahabad Brigade – J Spens – 12 August 1903
    • 4th brigade?

Secunderabad Command

  • 9th (Secunderabad) Division
    • Bangalore Brigade – J E Nixon – 1 May 1903
    • Bangalore Brigade – R I Scallon – 14 December 1904
    • Madras Brigade – F H Kelly – no date
    • Secunderabad Brigade – E O F Hamilton – 26 November 1902
    • Secunderabad Brigade – G F Francis – 18 October 1904

Burma command

  • Burma Division
    • Mandalay Brigade – F H Plowden – 23 July 1902
    • Rangoon Brigade – E E M Lawford – 9 August 1902

Western Command

  • 4th (Quetta) Division
    • Kurrachee Brigade – R M Greeneld – 3 June 1900
  • 5th (Mhow) Division
    • Nusseerabad Brigade – J H S Craigie – 19 February 1901
    • Jhansi Brigade – F S Garrett – 1 May 1903
    • Jubbulpore Brigade – L Denning – 31 July 1902
  • 6th (Poona) Division
    • Bombay Brigade – A G Creagh – 18 October 1900
    • Ahmednager Brigade – H E Penton – 9 June 1900
    • 3rd brigade?
  • Aden
    • Aden Brigade – H M Mahon – 22 January 1904

1914

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1914 [9]

By Division

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Division Brigade Formed or joined Fate
1st (Peshawar) Division[10] 1st (Peshawar) Brigade pre-war July 1918 became 1st Indian Brigade
2nd (Nowshera) Brigade pre-war
1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade pre-war
10th Indian Cavalry Brigade formed May 1917
Peshawar Brigade formed July 1918
1st Indian Brigade formed July 1918 from 1st (Peshawar) Brigade
2nd (Rawalpindi) Division[11] 3rd (Abbottabad) Brigade pre-war
4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade pre-war
5th (Jhelum) Brigade pre-war October 1918 became 5th Indian Brigade
2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade pre-war September 1914 joined 1st Indian Cavalry Division
Sialkot Brigade formed March 1915 as Sialkot Brigade (Temporary) renamed April 1917
Galis Brigade formed June 1916 December 1916 broken up
Nepalese Brigade #1 attached from January 1916
Rawalpindi Additional Brigade formed September 1918
5th Indian Brigade formed October 1918 from 5th (Jhelum) Brigade
6th Indian Brigade formed October 1918
Jhelum Brigade formed November 1918
58th Indian Brigade November 1918 joined from 6th Poona Divisional Area
59th Indian Brigade November 1918 joined from 6th Poona Divisional Area

Formations

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Pre-war divisions

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Pre-war brigades

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Divisional Areas

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Cavalry divisions

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War-formed divisions

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War-formed brigades

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Cavalry brigades

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Main sequence

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Alternative sequence

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In March 1918, the 4th and 5th Cavalry Divisions (former 1st and 2nd Indian Cavalry Divisions) were broken up on the Western Front. The British units remained in France and the Indian units were transferred to Egypt.[45][46] These were merged with British yeomanry mounted brigades and formed the 1st and 2nd Mounted Divisions (with the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade). On 22 July 1918, they became the 4th[30] and 5th Cavalry Divisions[31] and the brigades were numbered as 10th to 15th Cavalry Brigades[47][48] in a sequence following that of the British 1st to 9th Cavalry Brigades (in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Cavalry Division) then serving on the Western Front.[49] They were distinct from the similarly numbered brigades listed above.

Infantry brigades

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Numbered

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To do list

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Named

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c One would expect the 13th, 14th and 15th Brigades to form part of the 5th Division. In the event, the 5th (Mhow) Division retained the Nasirabad, Jubbulpore and Jhansi Brigades.[14]
  2. ^ a b One would expect the 22nd, 23rd and 24th Brigades to form part of the 8th Division. In the event, the Lucknow Brigade became the 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade and the 8th (Lucknow) Division retained the Allahabad, Presidency and Fyzabad Brigades.[20]
  3. ^ a b One would expect the 25th, 26th and 27th Brigades to form part of the 9th Division. In the event, the Bangalore Brigade became the 27th (Bangalore) Brigade and the 9th (Secunderabad) Division retained the 1st Secunderabad, 2nd Secunderabad and Southern Brigades.[21]
  4. ^ a b c The bulk of the Indian divisions served in the Mesopotamian Campaign. The only British division to serve there was the 13th (Western) Division formed of the 38th, 39th and 40th Brigades.[50] The Indian Army did not form a 13th Division, nor 38th, 39th or 40th Brigades.
  5. ^ a b c One would expect the 46th, 47th and 48th Brigades to form part of the 16th Division. In the event, the 16th Indian Division was formed with the 43rd, 44th (Ferozepore) and 45th (Jullundur) Brigades.[39]

References

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  1. ^ Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 244
  2. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1903". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  3. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1904". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  4. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1905". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  5. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1906". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  6. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1906". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  7. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1907". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  8. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1907". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  9. ^ The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1914". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  10. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 35
  11. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 40
  12. ^ Perry 1993, p. 48–49
  13. ^ Perry 1993, p. 60
  14. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 67
  15. ^ Perry 1993, p. 19
  16. ^ Perry 1993, p. 74
  17. ^ Perry 1993, p. 75
  18. ^ Perry 1993, p. 84
  19. ^ Perry 1993, p. 85
  20. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 100
  21. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 106
  22. ^ Perry 1993, p. 111
  23. ^ Perry 1993, p. 153
  24. ^ Perry 1993, p. 157
  25. ^ Perry 1993, p. 55
  26. ^ Perry 1993, p. 79
  27. ^ Perry 1993, p. 92
  28. ^ Perry 1993, p. 12
  29. ^ Perry 1993, p. 17
  30. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 21
  31. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 25
  32. ^ Perry 1993, p. 29
  33. ^ Perry 1993, p. 115
  34. ^ Perry 1993, p. 119
  35. ^ Perry 1993, p. 123
  36. ^ Perry 1993, p. 127
  37. ^ Perry 1993, p. 131
  38. ^ Perry 1993, p. 132
  39. ^ a b Perry 1993, p. 137
  40. ^ Perry 1993, p. 141
  41. ^ Perry 1993, p. 142
  42. ^ Perry 1993, p. 147
  43. ^ Perry 1993, p. 165
  44. ^ Perry 1993, p. 167
  45. ^ Perry 1993, p. 16
  46. ^ Perry 1993, p. 20
  47. ^ Perry 1993, p. 22
  48. ^ Perry 1993, p. 26
  49. ^ Becke 1935, pp. 1–23
  50. ^ Becke 1938, p. 36

Bibliography

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Category:Brigades of India in World War I Category:Military units and formations of India in World War I Category:British Indian Army brigades