The 5th Indian Infantry Division was an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...

division Division or divider may refer to: Mathematics *Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication *Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division Military *Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...

of the

Indian Army during World War II The Indian Army during World War II, a British force also referred to as the British Indian Army, began the war, in 1939, numbering just under 200,000 men.Sumner, p.25 By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, ...

that fought in several theatres of war and was nicknamed the "Ball of Fire". It was one of the few

Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

divisions to fight against three different armies - the Italian, German and Japanese armies. The division was raised in 1939 in

Secunderabad Secunderabad, also spelled as Sikandarabad (, ), is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It ...

with two brigades under command. In 1940, the 5th Indian Division moved to Sudan and took under command three

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

infantry battalions stationed there and was reorganised into three brigades of three battalions each. The division fought in the East African Campaign in

Eritrea Eritrea ( ; ti, ኤርትራ, Ertra, ; ar, إرتريا, ʾIritriyā), officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of Eastern Africa, with its capital and largest city at Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia ...

and

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

during 1940 and 1941, thence moving to Egypt, Cyprus and Iraq. In 1942, the division was heavily engaged in the Western Desert Campaign and the

First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, fought in Egypt between Axis (German and Italian) forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the under Field Marshal ...

. From late 1943 to the Japanese surrender in August 1945, it fought continuously from India through the length of Burma. After the end of the war, it was the first unit into Singapore and then fought pro-Independence forces in Eastern Java.

History

British Reoccupation of Singapore, 1945 SE4659

British Reoccupation of Singapore, 1945 IND4807

British Reoccupation of Singapore, 1945 IND4800

The division was raised at Secunderabad in India from the Deccan District Headquarters, with two brigades of three Indian infantry battalions each. It moved to the

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

in 1940 and was joined by three British infantry battalions already there. The division was reorganised into three brigades each with one British and two Indian battalions (as was the prevailing custom). The divisional sign of a red circle on a black background, which gave the division its nickname, was selected after the first selection of a boar's head was deemed offensive to Muslim soldiers and every other animal suggested had already been selected by other newly raised divisions. Between 1940 and 1941, the 5th Division was involved in the campaign in

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historical ...

. After periods in Egypt, Cyprus and Syria, by 1942 it was involved in the fighting in the Western Desert of

North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...

and the withdrawal of the Allied troops to

El Alamein El Alamein ( ar, العلمين, translit=al-ʿAlamayn, lit=the two flags, ) is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Arab's Gulf, Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. , it had ...

. By late 1943, the 5th Division had been shipped to India and took part in the campaign in Burma, initially deployed to the Arakan front. After the Japanese had been defeated in the

Battle of the Admin Box The Battle of the Admin Box (sometimes referred to as the Battle of Ngakyedauk or the Battle of Sinzweya) took place on the southern front of the Burma campaign from 5 to 23 February 1944, in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II. Japa ...

, the division was airlifted north to take part in the

Battle of Imphal ) , partof = the Operation U-Go during the Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II , image = Imphalgurkhas.jpg , image_size = 300 , caption = Gurkhas advancing with Grant tanks ...

and the

Battle of Kohima The Battle of Kohima proved the turning point of the Imperial Japan, Japanese Operation U-Go, U-Go offensive into British Raj, India in 1944 during the World War II, Second World War. The battle took place in three stages from 4 April to 22 June ...

. Thereafter, the division was almost constantly involved in the advance through central Burma until fighting ended with the Japanese surrender in August 1945. After the end of the war, it was the first unit into Singapore and then fought pro-Independence forces in Eastern Java while protecting the recovery of Allied prisoners of war who had been incarcerated there. Lord

Louis Mountbatten Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British naval officer, colonial administrator and close relative of the British royal family. Mountbatten, who was of German ...

wrote in his memoirs paying tribute to the division whose record was "second to none", saying

East African Campaign

The 5th Indian Division, under the command of

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Lewis Heath Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, (23 November 1885 – 10 January 1954) was an officer in the British Indian Army during the early to mid-twentieth century. Early life and family Heath was born 23 November 1885, the son of ...

and comprising only two brigades at the time, was sent from India to the Sudan to reinforce the British forces there under

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir William Platt which had been attacked by Italian forces in

, at the time part of the Italian East African Empire. On 10 June 1940, before the arrival of the 5th Division, Platt had only three infantry battalions and the machine-gun companies of the

Sudan Defence Force The Sudan Defence Force (SDF) was a locally recruited British-led force formed in 1925 to assist the police in the event of civil unrest, and to maintain the borders of British administered Sudan. During the Second World War, it also served bey ...

. The 5th Division started to arrive in the Sudan in early September 1940 and absorbed Platt's three British infantry battalions (the 1st Battalion,

Worcestershire Regiment The Worcestershire Regiment was a line infantry regiment in the British Army, formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot and the 36th (Herefordshire) Regiment of Foot. The regimen ...

, the 1st Battalion,

Essex Regiment The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. ...

and the 2nd Battalion,

West Yorkshire Regiment ) , march = ''Ça Ira'' , battles = Namur FontenoyFalkirk Culloden Brandywine , anniversaries = Imphal (22 June) The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) was ...

,) and formed a third infantry brigade. After these rearrangements, the division consisted of the

9th 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra and ...

, 10th and 29th Indian Infantry Brigades. For the next three months, the division was involved in a series of aggressive skirmishing operations to keep the Italian forces off balance and confused as to Platt's longer-term intentions. In early 1941, Platt's forces were further augmented by the 4th Indian Infantry Division, rushed from the Western Desert after the breakthrough during

Operation Compass Operation Compass (also it, Battaglia della Marmarica) was the first large British military operation of the Western Desert Campaign (1940–1943) during the Second World War. British, Empire and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces of ...

, and an attack was launched into Eritrea on 18 January. The climax of the campaign was the

Battle of Keren The Battle of Keren ( it, Battaglia di Cheren) took place from 3 February to 27 March 1941. Keren was attacked by the British during the East African Campaign of the Second World War. A force of Italian regular and colonial troops defended th ...

, a fiercely fought series of engagements against superior numbers, which ended with victory for Platt's forces on 1 April. After Keren, the 4th Indian Division was withdrawn to Cairo and the 5th Indian Division continued the campaign in Eritrea, finally joining up with elements of Lieutenant-General

Alan Cunningham General (United Kingdom), General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham, (1 May 1887 – 30 January 1983) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army noted for his victories over Italian forces in the East African Campaign (World War ...

's forces, which had advanced north from Kenya to capture

Italian Somaliland Italian Somalia ( it, Somalia Italiana; ar, الصومال الإيطالي, Al-Sumal Al-Italiy; so, Dhulka Talyaaniga ee Soomaalida), was a protectorate and later colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th centur ...

and the Italian capital of

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; am, አዲስ አበባ, , new flower ; also known as , lit. "natural spring" in Oromo), is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia. It is also served as major administrative center of the Oromia Region. In the 2007 census, t ...

, to take the surrender of

Prince Amedeo, Duke of Aosta Prince Amedeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta (Amedeo Umberto Isabella Luigi Filippo Maria Giuseppe Giovanni di Savoia-Aosta; 21 October 1898 – 3 March 1942) was the third Duke of Aosta and a first cousin, once removed of the King of Italy, Victor Emmanu ...

, the Italian

Viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...

, at

Amba Alagi Imba Alaje is a mountain, or an amba, in northern Ethiopia. Located in the Debubawi Zone of the Tigray Region, Imba Alaje dominates the roadway that runs past it from the city of Mek'ele south to Maychew. Because of its strategic location, Emba ...

North Africa and the Middle East

9 and 10 Brigades of 5 Indian Division were newly stationed around Tobruk when Rommel's offensive against the Gazala Line commenced at the end of May 1942. Fresh to the desert, just recently equipped with obsolete anti tank guns and poor transport, they were ordered to counterattack (Operation Aberdeen) the German breakthrough. The operation was badly mismanaged by the Corps commander; tank and artillery support failed to materialise and casualties were crippling – every one of the West Yorks officers who participated was killed or wounded. The remnants were withdrawn first to

Mersa Matruh Mersa Matruh ( ar, مرسى مطروح, translit=Marsā Maṭrūḥ, ), also transliterated as ''Marsa Matruh'', is a port in Egypt and the capital of Matrouh Governorate. It is located west of Alexandria and east of Sallum on the main highway ...

then to the rudimentary defences at Alamein, where, reformed, they garrisoned the line, formed mobile '

Jock column During the Second World War, Jock columns were small combined arms groups of armoured cars, artillery and motorised infantry, generally drawn from the British 7th Armoured Division. They were used in the Western Desert Campaign by the British Ar ...

s' and participated in successful counterattacks in the First Battle of El Alamein in July. After the

Battle of Alam Halfa The Battle of Alam el Halfa took place between 30 August and 5 September 1942 south of El Alamein during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. '' Panzerarmee Afrika'' (''Generalfeldmarschall'' Erwin Rommel), attempted an envelopme ...

in August, they were withdrawn to garrison duties in Iraq before being shipped to Burma in mid-1943.

Burma campaign

At the end of 1943, the division began to take part in the Burma Campaign. It was facing the Japanese 55th Division on the coastal flank of the Arakan front. The defeat of the Japanese 55th Division in the

, to which a large share of the credit must go to the 5th Indian Infantry Division, was the first big victory against the Japanese since they had invaded Burma two years previously. From the victory in the Arakan sector, the 5th Indian Infantry Division was air-lifted to the central front. 161 Brigade joined XXXIII Corps, which was beginning to arrive at

Dimapur Dimapur () is the largest city in the Indian state of Nagaland. As of 2011, the municipality had a population of 122,834. The city is the main gateway and commercial centre of Nagaland. Located near the border with Assam along the banks of the ...

, and fought in the Battle of Kohima; the remainder of the division reinforced IV Corps, whose land victory at Kohima and Imphal, in which the division played an important part, proved to be the turning-point of the Burma Campaign. Except for one period of rest and reorganization, the Indian 5th Division continued to fight and to advance throughout the rest of the war, and took part in the final thrust by IV Corps down to

Rangoon Yangon ( my, ရန်ကုန်; ; ), formerly spelled as Rangoon, is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar (also known as Burma). Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government ...

Service after Burma

After service in Burma the division was the first unit to be landed in Singapore as part of

Operation Tiderace Operation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore following the Surrender of Japan, Japanese surrender in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Comman ...

and was later sent to

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

as part of the Allied occupation of the Dutch East Indies. It saw heavy fighting during the

Battle of Surabaya The Battle of Surabaya was fought between regular infantry and militia of the Indonesian nationalist movement and British and British Indian troops as a part of the Indonesian National Revolution against the re-imposition of Dutch colonial r ...

in November 1945. Post 1947 After the Sino-Indian War, the division was re-raised as a mountain division and is currently headquartered at Tenga, in Arunachal Pradesh. Units of the erstwhile wartime division were absorbed into Jammu Division during the India-Pakistan War of 1947-1948; the Jammu Division was later renamed as the 26th Infantry Division.

Formation during World War II

General Officer Commanding: * Major-General

(Jul 1940 – Apr 1941) * Major-General

Mosley Mayne General Sir Ashton Gerard Oswald Mosley Mayne GCB CBE DSO (24 April 1889 – 17 December 1955) was a senior British Indian Army officer active in both the First World War and Second World War, where he commanded Eastern Command, India. Early ...

(Apr 1941 – May 1942) * Brigadier Claude M. Vallentin (May 1942) * Major-General H.R. Briggs (May 1942 – Jul 1944) * Major-General

Geoffrey Evans Geoffrey Evans (1940 in England – 20 May 2012 in Dublin) was an English killer who murdered two women in Ireland with an accomplice John Shaw in 1976, and one of the longest-serving prisoners in Ireland. He was known to have planned to rap ...

(Jul – Sep 1944) * Brigadier

Robert Mansergh General Sir Eric Carden Robert Mansergh, (12 May 1900 – 8 November 1970) was a senior British Army officer during and after the Second World War. Military career Robert Mansergh was born in Cape Colony and educated at the Rondebosch Boys' Hig ...

(Sep 1944) * Major-General

Cameron Nicholson General Sir Cameron Gordon Graham Nicholson, (30 June 1898 – 7 July 1979) was a British Army officer who served as Adjutant-General to the Forces. He later served as Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Military career After being educated ...

(Sep 1944) * Major-General Dermot Warren (Sep 1944 – Feb 1945) * Brigadier Joseph A Salomons (Feb 1945) * Major-General

(Feb – Aug 1945)

Headquarters

1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse) The 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) is a regiment of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. It traces its origins as a cavalry regiment from the times of the East India Company, followed by its service in the British Indian Army and finally, afte ...

(Divisional Reconnaissance Regiment) (to April 1942) * The Guides Cavalry (10th Queen Victoria's Own Frontier Force) (from 1942 to ?) *

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

Commanders divisional artillery: * Brigadier Claude M. Vallentin (Jul 1940 – Jun 1942) * Brigadier Robert Mansergh (Jun 1942 – Sep 1944) * Brigadier Geoffrey B.J. Kellie (Sep 1944 – Jun 1945) * Brigadier R.G. Loder-Symonds (Jun – Aug 1945) ** HQ ** 4th Field Regiment,

** 28th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery ** 144th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery ** 56th (King's Own) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery ** 24th Indian Mountain Regiment,

Indian Artillery The Regiment of Artillery is a combat/fighting arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...

* Indian Engineers: Sappers and Miners ** 2nd and 74 Field Companies,

King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners The Bengal Engineer Group (BEG) (informally the Bengal Sappers or Bengal Engineers) is a military engineering regiment in the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The unit was originally part of the Bengal Army of the East India Company's B ...

** 20 Field Company,

Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners The Bombay Engineer Group, or the ''Bombay Sappers'' as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. ...

** 44 Field Park Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners * 5th Indian Division Signals * Machine Gun Battalion,

17th Dogra Regiment The 17th Dogra 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. After the part ...

9th Indian Infantry Brigade

Commanders: * Brigadier Theophilus J. Ponting (Sep 1939) * Brigadier

(Sep 1939 – Feb 1941) * Brigadier

Frank Messervy General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second World Wars. Following its independence, he was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (15 August 1947 ...

(Feb – Apr 1941) * Brigadier

Bernard Campbell Fletcher Brigadier Bernard Campbell Fletcher, (17 June 1898 – 1968) was an officer of the British Army active during the First and Second World Wars. Military career Fletcher was born on 17 June 1898 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant from ...

(Apr 1941 – Jul 1942) * Brigadier William H. Langran (Jul 1942 – Jan 1944) * Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph A. Salomons (Jan – Feb 1944) * Brigadier

(Feb 1944) * Brigadier Joseph A. Salomons (Feb 1944 – Mar 1945) * Lieutenant-Colonel K. Bayley (Mar 1945) * Brigadier Hubert G.L. Brain (Mar – Aug 1945) ** HQ ** 2nd Battalion,

** 3rd Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry (1940–1942) ** 3rd Battalion,

9th Jat Regiment The 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 The Regiment saw a g ...

(1942–1946) ** 3rd Royal Battalion,

12th Frontier Force Regiment The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was formed in 1922 as part of the British Indian Army. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th (Training) Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. ...

(1940–1942) ** 3rd Battalion,

14th Punjab Regiment The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on independence in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Reg ...

(1942–1946)

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ...
(1940–1942)

Commanders: * Brigadier Hugh R.C. Lane (Sep 1939) * Brigadier

William Slim William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

(Sep 1939 – Jan 1941) * Lieutenant-Colonel

(Jan – Mar 1941) * Brigadier Thomas "Pete" Rees (Mar 1941 – Mar 1942) * Brigadier Charles Hamilton Boucher (Mar – Jun 1942) * Brigadier

Arthur Holworthy Major-General Arthur Wilmot Wadeson Holworthy DSO, MC (12 December 1897 – 1983) was a senior British Indian Army officer who fought in both World War I and World War II. Military career Holworthy was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 16 ...

(Jul – Oct 1942) * Brigadier John A. Finlay (Oct 1942 – Feb 1944) * Brigadier Terence N. Smith (Feb 1944 – Aug 1945) ** HQ ** 1st Battalion,

** 2nd Battalion,

Highland Light Infantry The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fusi ...

** 4th Battalion,

10th Baluch Regiment The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After Partition of India, independence, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab Regiment, 8th Punja ...

** 3rd Battalion,

18th Royal Garhwal Rifles The 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 th ...

** 2nd Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles

29th Indian Infantry Brigade (1940–1942)

Commanders: * Brigadier

John Charles Oakes Marriott Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Sir John Charles Oakes Marriott, (29 June 1895 – 11 September 1978) was a senior British Army officer who served during the First World War and again in the Second World War. Military career John ...

(Oct 1940 – Oct 1941) * Brigadier

Denys Whitehorn Reid Major-General Denys Whitehorn Reid (24 March 1897 – 28 November 1970) was an officer in the British Army and the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II. Early life, First World War and inter-war years He was born in Dundee o ...

(Oct 1941 – Jun 1942) ** HQ ** 1st Battalion,

** 3rd Battalion,

2nd Punjab Regiment The 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 The 67th Punjabis were an infantry ...

** 1st Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry ** 6th Royal Battalion,

13th Frontier Force Rifles The 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 The 13th Frontier Force Rifle ...

123rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 23rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II from 1941 to at least 1947. The brigade was formed in February 1941, at Loralai in India and in June 1941, assigned to the 14th Indian Infant ...
(1942–1946)

Commanders: * Brigadier

Arthur Verney Hammond Major General Arthur Verney Hammond (16 October 1892 – 15 January 1982) was a senior officer of the British Indian Army during the Second World War. Early life Hammond was born in Kensington, the son of Sir Arthur Hammond, a British Army off ...

(Jun 1942 – Nov 1943) * Brigadier

Thomas John Willoughby Winterton Major General Sir (Thomas) John Willoughby Winterton KCB, KCMG, CBE, DL (13 April 1898 – 14 December 1987) was a British Army officer who was the Military Governor and Commander of the British and US Zone of the Free Territory of Trieste fro ...

(Nov 1943 – Feb 1944) * Brigadier

(Feb – Jul 1944) * Brigadier Eric J. Denholm-Young (Jul 1944 – Aug 1945) ** HQ ** 2nd Battalion,

Suffolk Regiment The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the First and Second World Wars, before bein ...

** 2nd Battalion,

1st Punjab Regiment The 1st Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamate ...

** 3rd Battalion,

** 1st Battalion,

** 3rd Battalion,

9th Gurkha Rifles The 9th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiments (India), Gorkha infantry regiment of the Indian Army and, previously, the British Army. The regiment was initially formed by the British in 1817, and was one of the Gurkha regiments transferred to the In ...

161st Indian Infantry Brigade The 161st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. As part of the arrangements for the independence and partition of British India the brigade was allocated to India and became the 161st Infa ...
(1942–1946)

Commanders: * Brigadier

William Donovan Stamer Major General William Donovan Stamer CB, CBE, DSO, MC (14 June 1895 – 21 September 1963) was a British Army officer who was commissioned into the North Staffordshire Regiment at the outbreak of the First World War and served in the Army unt ...

(Nov 1941 – May 1942) * Brigadier Francis E.C. Hughes (May – Jul 1942) * Lieutenant-Colonel D Barker (Jul 1942 – Jul 1943) * Brigadier Dermot Warren (Jul 1943 – Sep 1944) * Brigadier Robert G.C. Poole (Sep 1944 – Mar 1945) * Brigadier E.H.W. "Harry" Grimshaw CB CBE DSO (Mar – Aug 1945) ** HQ ** 4th Battalion,

Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army based in the county of Kent in existence from 1881 to 1961. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, originally as the Quee ...

** 1st Battalion,

** 4th Battalion,

7th Rajput Regiment 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

** 3rd Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles ** 2nd Field Company, KGVO Bengal Sappers and Miners

Support units

Royal Indian Army Service Corps The Indian Army Service Corps (IASC) is a corps and an arm of the Indian Army which handles its logistic support function. It is the oldest and the largest administrative service in the Indian Army. While the history of supply and transport serv ...

** 15th, 17th and 29th M.T. Companies ** 20th, 60th, 74th and 82nd Animal Transport Companies (Mule) ** 238th, 239th and 240th GP Transport Companies ** Composite Issue Units * Medical Services ** I.M.S-R.A.M.C-I.M.D-I.H.C-I.A.M.C ** 10th, 21st, 45th and 75th Indian Field Ambulances ** 5th Indian Division Provost Unit * Indian Army Ordnance Corps ** 5th Indian Division Sub Park * Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers ** 112th, 113th and 123rd Infantry Workshop Companies ** 5th Indian Division Recovery Company

Assigned brigades

All these brigades were assigned or attached to the division at some time during World War II: *

7th Indian Infantry Brigade The 7th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939, by the redesignation of the Poona Independent Brigade as the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade and renumbered 4th in June 1 ...

* 9th Indian Infantry Brigade *

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ...

* 29th Indian Infantry Brigade *

5th Indian Infantry Brigade The 5th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was converted from the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade in September 1939, and assigned to the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The brigade fi ...

* 1st South African Infantry Brigade * British 161st Infantry Brigade *

161st Indian Infantry Brigade The 161st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. As part of the arrangements for the independence and partition of British India the brigade was allocated to India and became the 161st Infa ...

11th Indian Infantry Brigade The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was relocated from India to Egypt in the middle of August 1939 and trained at Fayed in Ismailia Governorate on the Great Bitter Lake. I ...

1st Free French Infantry Brigade The 1st Free French Division (french: 1re Division Française Libre, 1re DFL) was one of the principal units of the Free French Forces (FFL) during World War II, renowned for having fought the Battle of Bir Hakeim. Consisting of troops from m ...

* 2nd Free French Infantry Brigade *

18th Indian Infantry Brigade The 18th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in October, 1940 at Meerut in British Raj, India and assigned to the 8th Infantry Division (India), 8th Indian Infantry Divis ...

7th Armoured Brigade 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube. As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...

123rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 23rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II from 1941 to at least 1947. The brigade was formed in February 1941, at Loralai in India and in June 1941, assigned to the 14th Indian Infant ...

* 89th Indian Infantry Brigade *

Lushai Brigade The Lushai Brigade was an improvised fighting formation of the British Indian Army which was formed during World War II. It participated in the Battle of Imphal and the Burma Campaign. History In March 1944, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded ...

33rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 33rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the Indian Army during the Second World War, notably in the Burma Campaign. History The 33rd Indian Infantry Brigade was formed in ...

Notes

References

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External links

5 Indian Infantry Division

British Military History – British Troops in The Sudan 1930–47
{{DEFAULTSORT:05 Indian Infantry Division Indian World War II divisions British Indian Army divisions Divisions of the Indian Army Military units and formations established in 1939 History of the Bengal Sappers Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II D Military units and formations in British Somaliland in World War II Military units and formations disestablished in 1945

History

East African Campaign

North Africa and the Middle East

Burma campaign

Service after Burma

Formation during World War II

Headquarters

9th Indian Infantry Brigade

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ...
(1940–1942)

29th Indian Infantry Brigade (1940–1942)

123rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 23rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II from 1941 to at least 1947. The brigade was formed in February 1941, at Loralai in India and in June 1941, assigned to the 14th Indian Infant ...
(1942–1946)

161st Indian Infantry Brigade The 161st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. As part of the arrangements for the independence and partition of British India the brigade was allocated to India and became the 161st Infa ...
(1942–1946)

Support units

Assigned brigades

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

History

East African Campaign

North Africa and the Middle East

Burma campaign

Service after Burma

Formation during World War II

Headquarters

9th Indian Infantry Brigade

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ... (1940–1942)

29th Indian Infantry Brigade (1940–1942)

123rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 23rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II from 1941 to at least 1947. The brigade was formed in February 1941, at Loralai in India and in June 1941, assigned to the 14th Indian Infant ... (1942–1946)

161st Indian Infantry Brigade The 161st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. As part of the arrangements for the independence and partition of British India the brigade was allocated to India and became the 161st Infa ... (1942–1946)

Support units

Assigned brigades

See also

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

10th Indian Infantry Brigade The 10th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1939. In June 1940 it was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in September 1940, sailed for East A ...
(1940–1942)

123rd Indian Infantry Brigade The 23rd Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II from 1941 to at least 1947. The brigade was formed in February 1941, at Loralai in India and in June 1941, assigned to the 14th Indian Infant ...
(1942–1946)

161st Indian Infantry Brigade The 161st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. As part of the arrangements for the independence and partition of British India the brigade was allocated to India and became the 161st Infa ...
(1942–1946)