The 10th Indian Infantry Division was a war formed
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. In four years, the division travelled over from
Tehran
Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...
to
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
, fought three small wars, and fought two great campaigns: the
Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq under Rashid Gaylani, who had seized power in the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état, with assistance from Germany and Italy. The c ...
, the
Invasion of Syria-Lebanon, the
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, the
North African Campaign, and the
Italian Campaign.
After the
partition of India
The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...
, the division was allocated to the
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
. The Pakistani 10 Infantry Division is part of the
IV Corps and is located in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
. The division was re-raised on 1 April 1965 as part of the independent
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
at
Bangalore
Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...
and
Belgaum
Belgaum (ISO 15919, ISO: ''Bēḷagāma''; also Belgaon and officially known as Belagavi) is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka located in its northern part along the Western Ghats. It is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous ...
in
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
as 10 Mountain Division.
World War II
The Division was formed in January 1941 at
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
, out of the
20th,
21st and
25th Indian Infantry Brigades. The first General Officer Commanding was
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 ...
W.A.K. Fraser.
The division landed in
Basra
Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is hand ...
in April, 1941 for the
Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq under Rashid Gaylani, who had seized power in the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état, with assistance from Germany and Italy. The c ...
. On 16 May 1941,
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 ...
William "Bill" Slim took over command of the division and moved up the
Euphrates
The Euphrates () is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Tigris–Euphrates river system, Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia ( ''the land between the rivers'') ...
, capturing
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
and the oilfields of
Mosul
Mosul ( ar, الموصل, al-Mawṣil, ku, مووسڵ, translit=Mûsil, Turkish: ''Musul'', syr, ܡܘܨܠ, Māwṣil) is a major city in northern Iraq, serving as the capital of Nineveh Governorate. The city is considered the second large ...
. When Iraq's ally
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
relocated its aircraft to Vichy French
Syria
Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
, the 10th
invaded
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing con ...
Syria from Iraq in June. The 21st Brigade advanced towards
Aleppo
)), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black".
, motto =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_caption =
, image_map1 =
...
, while the 20th and 25th Brigades guarded the communication lines and the Mosul oilfield, respectively. Following the French surrender on 11 July, the division returned to guard duty in Mosul. In August, the division took part in the joint
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran. At the conclusion of the Iranian operation, it returned to Iraq, where it underwent additional training and undertook security duties until May 1942. In March 1942, command of the division passed from Slim to Major General
Thomas "Pete" Rees when Slim was ordered to India to take command of
Burma Corps
The Burma Corps ('Burcorps') was an Army Corps of the Indian Army during the Second World War. It was formed in Prome, Burma, on 19 March 1942, took part in the retreat through Burma, and was disbanded on arrival in India in May 1942.
History
Bu ...
, the kernel that would eventually become the
British Fourteenth Army
The British Fourteenth Army was a multi-national force comprising units from Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries during the World War II, Second World War. As well as British Army units, many of its units were from the British Indian ...
.
![Clement Attlee meets representatives of the 10th Indian Division, 1945 (c)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Clement_Attlee_meets_representatives_of_the_10th_Indian_Division%2C_1945_%28c%29.jpg)
The division then moved on to
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 ...
, reaching
Halfaya Pass
Halfaya Pass ( ar, ممر حلفيا, translit=Mamarr Ḥalfayā ) is in northwest Egypt, 11.5 kilometres east of the border with Libya and 7.5 kilometres south of the other, more major pass in the ridge today. A high, narrow escarpment extends ...
on 4 June to take part in the
Western Desert Campaign. Initially the 10th Indian Infantry Division was committed piecemeal with units involved at
El Adem
Gamal Abdel Nasser Airbase () is a Libyan Air Force ( ar, القوات الجوية الليبية, translit=al-Quwwāt al-Ǧawwiyya al-Lībiyya, Berber: Adwas Alibyan Ujnna) base, located about 16 km south of Tobruk. It is believed to on ...
and Sidi Rezegh during the 1942
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala (near the village of ) was fought during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, west of the port of Tobruk in Libya, from 26 May to 21 June 1942. Axis troops of the ( Erwin Rommel) consisting of German and I ...
. In June the division, with the
2nd Free French Brigade under command, was ordered by
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 ...
William Gott
Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart Gott, (13 August 1897 – 7 August 1942), nicknamed "Strafer", was a senior British Army officer who fought during both the First and the Second World Wars, reaching the rank of lieutenant-general while s ...
, the
XIII Corps commander, to hold a position near the Egyptian border with Libya for 72 hours during the
British Eighth Army
The Eighth Army was an Allied field army formation of the British Army during the Second World War, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns. Units came from Australia, British India, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Free French Forces, ...
's retreat to El Alamein. Major General Rees responded that the division had only just concentrated and that defensive works were as yet inadequate. He believed, therefore, that the division was unlikely to be able to withstand a full-scale attack from
Erwin Rommel
Johannes Erwin Eugen Rommel () (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was a German field marshal during World War II. Popularly known as the Desert Fox (, ), he served in the ''Wehrmacht'' (armed forces) of Nazi Germany, as well as servi ...
. Gott immediately visited Rees and relieved him of command of the division, telling him he lacked resolution.
[Mead (2007), p. 373] During its retreat from Libya, the division was tasked with defending the coastal town of
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 ...
. In the ensuing battle it was overwhelmed and forced to retreat. 60% of the men evaded capture, reaching the Allied lines at
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 ...
the following day. Most of the survivors were sent to the
Nile Delta
The Nile Delta ( ar, دلتا النيل, or simply , is the delta formed in Lower Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas—from Alexandria in the west to Po ...
to recover. However, part of the division formed the improvised Robcol formation (comprising a regiment each of field artillery and light anti-aircraft artillery and a company of infantry), which held the
Ruweisat Ridge
Ruweisat Ridge is a geographical feature in the Western Egyptian desert, midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression. During World War II was a prominent part of the defence line in the First and Second Battle of El Alamein
...
between 2–3 July during 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 ...
.
![The British Army in Italy 1944 NA17069](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4f/The_British_Army_in_Italy_1944_NA17069.jpg)
In August, command passed to Major General
Alan Bruce Blaxland
Major-General Alan Bruce Blaxland, (17 October 1892 – 2 September 1963) was a senior British Indian Army officer during the Second World War.
Early life and First World War
Born on 17 October 1892, Blaxland was commissioned onto the Unattache ...
while the division was sent to
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
with the responsibility of protecting the island. In July 1943, Major General
Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd
Major General Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd CBE, DSO and Bar, MC (1 March 1896 – 22 January 1944) was an officer in the British Army and the British Indian Army during the First and Second world wars.
Early life
Lloyd was born in York, England, on 1 Ma ...
took command. In August, the 10th had relocated to the Middle East, now incorporating the 1st Greek Brigade, composed of royalist Greek and
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
n troops along with the 20th and 25th Indian Brigades. During the summer it underwent training for a planned invasion of
Rhodes
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
, but the Allied defeat in the
Dodecanese campaign put an end to those plans. In November it was placed on security duty in
Lebanon
Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. On 27 November, it began training for amphibious assault and mountain warfare in preparation for its role in the
Italian Campaign. In January 1944, Lloyd was killed in a car accident while overseeing a training exercise in Egypt; command passed to Major General
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 ...
.
On 9 March 1944, the division was ordered to transfer to the Italian front. On 22 April, it relieved the
1st Canadian Division
The 1st Canadian Division (French: ''1re Division du Canada'' ) is a joint operational command and control formation based at CFB Kingston, and falls under Canadian Joint Operations Command. It is a high-readiness unit, able to move on very short ...
at the
Ortona
Ortona (Neapolitan language, Abruzzese: '; grc, Ὄρτων, Órtōn) is a coastal town and municipality of the Province of Chieti in the Italy, Italian region of Abruzzo, with some 23,000 inhabitants.
In 1943 Ortona was the site of a Battle o ...
sector, which it held along with the
4th Indian Infantry Division
The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, i ...
. There it engaged in frequent patrols to prevent the enemy from sending reinforcement to the ongoing
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino, also known as the Battle for Rome and the Battle for Cassino, was a series of four assaults made by the Allies against German forces in Italy during the Italian Campaign of World War II. The ultimate objective was ...
. On 4 June, the division was moved to
Venafro
Venafro (Latin: ''Venafrum''; Greek: ) is a ''comune'' in the province of Isernia, region of Molise, Italy. It has a population of 11,079, having expanded quickly in the post-war period.
Geography
Situated at the foot of Mount Santa Croce, elevat ...
where it continued its training in mountain and urban warfare. The division returned to the front lines on 28 June, replacing the
8th Indian Infantry Division
The 8th Mountain Division was raised as the 8th Indian Infantry division of the British Indian Army. It is now part of the Indian Army and specialises in mountain warfare.
The 8th Indian Infantry Division was formed as an infantry division in ...
. Advancing through the
Tiber
The Tiber ( ; it, Tevere ; la, Tiberis) is the third-longest river in Italy and the longest in Central Italy, rising in the Apennine Mountains in Emilia-Romagna and flowing through Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio, where it is joined by the Riv ...
valley, the division occupied
Umbertide Umbertide () is a town and ''comune'' (township) of Italy, in the province of Perugia and in northwestern Umbria, at the confluence of the Reggia river and the Tiber. It is 30 km (19 mi) North of Perugia and 20 km (12 mi) South ...
on 2 July. Taking advantage of its training in mountain warfare, it went on to take
Città di Castello
Città di Castello (); "Castle Town") is a city and ''comune'' in the province of Perugia, in the northern part of Umbria. It is situated on a slope of the Apennines, on the flood plain along the upper part of the river Tiber. The city is north of ...
and
Montone
Montone is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 35 km north of Perugia.
Montone is a walled medieval village with a small industrial and housing estate surrounding the walled to ...
, infiltrating deep into Axis positions and striking from the flanks and the rear. By 1 August, the division's vanguard had reached the north of the Tiber river's basin. Further advance was blocked by the
Alpe di Catenaia
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
heights, a solid block of ridges and peaks that could only be taken by a set piece assault. On 4 August, troops belonging to the 10th Division captured Monte Altuccia; two days later the Regina height was occupied. It was abandoned as the division had to replace the 4th Indian Infantry Division on its former front line sector which spanned . On 19 August, the Alpe di Catenaia heights were finally overtaken by the 3/1st Punjabis. On 17 September, the unit was transferred to the Adriatic in an effort to penetrate the
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German Defense line, defensive line of the Italian Campaign (World War II), Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Generalfeldmarschall, Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's la ...
.
Numerous mountain battles and river crossings followed with ''Operation Olive'' on the Gothic Line and then
Operation Grapeshot
The spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the final Allied attack during the Italian Campaign in the final stages of the Second World War. The attack into the Lombard Plain by the 15th Allied Army Group started on 6 ...
. The 10th Indian Infantry Division earned many battle honours and decorations and suffered many casualties before final victory in Italy and the
end of World War II in Europe in May 1945. Security tasks on the Yugoslav border around
Trieste
Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into provi ...
completed the 10th Indian Division's war service.
The division was disbanded in January 1947; its last wartime commander, Major-General Reid, continuing to command it for the two years after the war.
Divisional commanders
From
*
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 ...
W.A.K. Fraser (January 1941 to May 1941)
* Major-General
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 ...
(May 1941 to March 1942)
* Major-General
T.W. Rees (March 1942 to June 1942)
* Major-General
J.S. Nichols (June 1942 to July 1942)
* Major-General
A.B. Blaxland (July 1942 to July 1943)
* Major-General
W.L. Lloyd (July 1943 to January 1944)
* Major-General
D.W. Reid (January 1944 to 1947, retired mid-1947)
Order of battle
1941
Prior to its piecemeal dispatch to Iraq, April 1941
*
20th Indian Infantry Brigade
** 2nd Battalion,
8th Gurkha Rifles
The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I ...
** 2nd Battalion,
7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles
The 7th Gurkha Rifles was a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army, before being transferred to the British Army, following India's independence in 1947 and after 1959 designated as the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles.
History
F ...
** 3rd Battalion,
11th Sikh Regiment
The 11th Sikh Regiment was 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.S ...
*
21st Indian Infantry Brigade
The 21st Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II.
History
It was converted from the Quetta Brigade in September 1940, and assigned to the 9th Indian Infantry Division. In March 1941, i ...
** 2nd Battalion,
10th Gurkha Rifles
The 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles, (abbreviated to 10 GR), was originally a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was formed in 1890, taking its lineage from a police unit and over the course of its existence it had a ...
** 2nd Battalion,
4th Gurkha Rifles
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth Gorkha Rifles h ...
** 4th 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 ...
*
24th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 24th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. The brigade was formed in February 1941, in India and at first assigned to the 10th Indian Infantry Division, and fought in the Anglo-Iraq ...
** 2nd Battalion,
6th Rajputana Rifles
The 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. The regiment se ...
**
The Kumaon Rifles
** 5th Battalion,
5th Mahratta Light Infantry
The 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, when
the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in World War ...
*
25th Indian Infantry Brigade
** 1st Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
** 2nd Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment
** 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 ...
* Division Troops
**
6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers
*
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 ...
** 3rd Field Regiment
** 157th Field Regiment
* Indian Engineers
** 9th and 61st Field Companies
Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
** 41st Field Park Company Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
1944
Italy, March 1944 – June 1945
*
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 ...
** 1st 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 ...
''(until 29 August 1944)''
**
1st Battalion,
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
''(from May 1944)''
** 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 ...
** 2nd Battalion,
4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth Gorkha Rifles h ...
* 20th Indian Infantry Brigade
** 8th Battalion,
Manchester Regiment
The Manchester Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1958. The regiment was created during the 1881 Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot and the 96th ...
''(until Oct 1944)''
** 1st Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment ''(from Oct 1944 to May 1945)''
** 2nd Battalion,
Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)
The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (until 1921 known as the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Lancashire Reg ...
''(from May 1945)''
** 3rd Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
** 2nd Battalion,
3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
* 25th Indian Infantry Brigade
** 1st Battalion,
King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army. It served under various titles and fought in many wars and conflicts, including both the First and the Second World Wars, from 1680 to 1959. In 1959, the r ...
** 3rd 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,
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 ...
** 4th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment ''(from January 1945)''
**
Royal Yugoslav Guards Battalion
The Royal Yugoslav Guards Battalion was an infantry formation of the Yugoslav Army Outside the Homeland in World War II.
Formed in Cairo in 1941 as the 1st Battalion, Royal Yugoslav Guards, it consisted of Yugoslav soldiers who escaped capture d ...
''(from June 1943 to March 1944)''
* Division troops
**
1st Duke of York's Own 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)
** 10th Indian Division Signals
**
1st Battalion,
Royal Northumberland Fusiliers
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution an ...
''(Machine Gun Battalion)''
* Royal Artillery
**
68th (South Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The 1st Warwickshire Volunteer Artillery, or 'Balsall Heath Artillery', was a part-time unit of Britain's Royal Artillery recruited from Birmingham. It served on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during World War I, including the Bat ...
**
97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Kent Yeomanry was an artillery regiment of the Territorial Army (TA) formed in 1920 by the amalgamation of the Royal East Kent (The Duke of Connaught's Own) Yeomanry (Mounted Rifles) and West Kent Yeomanry (Queen's Own). For the Second Wor ...
**
** 13th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
** 30th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery ''(left November 1944)''
* Indian Engineers
** 5th Field Company
King George's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
** 10th and 61st Field Companies Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
** 41st Field Park Company King George's Own 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 ...
*** 10th Indian Division Troops Transport Company
*** 10th, 20th and 25th Brigade Transport Companies
*** 27th Animal Transport Company (Mule)
**
Indian Army Medical Corps
The Indian Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the Indian Army which primarily provides medical services to all Army personnel, serving and veterans, along with their families.
Early history
Very little is known of the medical organisatio ...
*** 14th, 21st and 30th Indian Field Ambulances
*** 12th Indian Field Hygiene Section
** Corps of Military Police (India)
*** 10th Indian Division Provost Unit
** Indian Army Ordnance Corps
*** 10th Indian Division Ordnance Field Park
** Indian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (IEME)
*** 125th, 126th and 127th Infantry Workshop Companies
*** 10th Indian Division Recovery Company
** Indian General Service Corps
*** 10th Indian Divisional Field Post Office
*** 53rd Indian Field Post Office
** Intelligence Corps (India)
*** 5th and 407th Indian Field Security Sections
Assigned brigades
In addition to those listed above the following brigades were assigned or attached to the division for relatively short times during World War II.
*
1st Armoured Brigade ''(1–5 June 1942)''
*
2nd Indian Armoured Brigade ''(Aug–Dec 1942)''
*
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 ...
''(Nov 1944 – Jan 1945)''
*
9th Armoured Brigade ''(Sept 1941)''
*
252nd Indian Armoured Brigade
The 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade was an armoured formation of the Indian Army.
It was formed from the 3rd (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade when it was dispersed and reformed as the 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade in 1940, from July 1941 as 2nd Independent A ...
''(Jan 1942)''
*
1st Guards Brigade ''(2–5 June 1942)''
*
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 ...
''(Jun–Jul 1942)''
*
15th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 15th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in September 1940, at Secunderabad in India and assigned to the 9th Indian Infantry Division. Between February and March 1941 ...
''(Feb–Mar 1941)''
*
17th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 17th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II.
History
It was formed in November 1940, at the Delhi Cantonment in India and assigned to the 8th Indian Infantry Division. They were se ...
''(Jul–Aug 1941)''
*
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 ...
''(Jun 1942)''
*
43rd (Lorried) Indian Infantry Brigade ''(Oct–Dec 1944)''
*
234th Infantry Brigade ''(Aug–Sept 1943)''
Post re-raising
![Flag of Indian Army, 10th Infantry Division](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Flag_of_Indian_Army%2C_10th_Infantry_Division.png)
Soon after re-raising, with war clouds looming, the division under Major General Dharam Bir Chopra was moved to
Chhamb
Chhamb ( pa, ), also known as Iftikharabad ( pa, ), named after Iftikhar Khan Janjua is an area in the southern tip of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The Chhamb sector consists of many villages, Kherowal, Burejal, Nagial, Paur, Dingawali, Chak Pandit, ...
-
Jourian
Jourian is a town and a notified area committee in Jammu district in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Geography
Jourian is located at . It has an average elevation of 274 metres (899 feet).
Demographics
...
sector under
XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to:
*XV Corps (British India)
* XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* 15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I
*XV Royal Bav ...
. Before it could settle down in its new location, the division was asked to move to the
Akhnoor
Akhnoor is a city and municipal committee, near city of Jammu in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies 28 km away from Jammu city. Akhnoor is on the bank of the Chenab River, just before it enters the Pak ...
sector. The division at this time was re-designated as 10 Infantry Division.
It was asked to take over operational command over 80 and 191 Infantry Brigades by 15 September 1965.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
;Order of battle (ORBAT), as of 3 September 1965
*191 Infantry Brigade
**6
Sikh Light Infantry
The Sikh Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army.[Kumaon Kumaon or Kumaun may refer to:
* Kumaon division, a region in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon Kingdom, a former country in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon, Iran, a village in Isfahan Province, Iran
* , a ship of the Royal Indian Navy during WWII
See also
...](_blank)
**3
Mahar
Mahar, meaning "original inhabitants of Maharashtra" (in various languages), is an Indian caste found largely in the state of Maharashtra and neighbouring areas. Most of the Mahar community followed B. R. Ambedkar in converting to Buddhism in ...
**3
Jammu and Kashmir Militia
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Awantipora with a winter setup near Jammu. Its regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed r ...
**3 Punjab Armed Police
**6/
5 Gorkha Rifles
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army.
The regiment's battalions served ...
**9
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
(relieved 6/5 Gorkha Rifles on 1 September 1965)
**14 Field Regiment
**1 troop Medium Battery
**6
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
(from 163 Mountain Brigade)
*28 Infantry Brigade (initially XV Corps reserve, part of 10 Division from 3 September 1965)
**2
Grenadiers
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
**5/
8 Gorkha Rifles
The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I ...
**1/
1 Gorkha Rifles
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment), often referred to as the 1st Gorkha Rifles, or 1 GR in abbreviation, is the most senior Gorkha Infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally formed as part of the East India Company's Bengal Arm ...
**161 Field Regiment
*41 Mountain Brigade
**9
Mahar
Mahar, meaning "original inhabitants of Maharashtra" (in various languages), is an Indian caste found largely in the state of Maharashtra and neighbouring areas. Most of the Mahar community followed B. R. Ambedkar in converting to Buddhism in ...
**1/
8 Gorkha Rifles
The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I ...
*'C' Squadron
20 Lancers
*38 Medium Regiment (1 battery)
*39 Medium Regiment (1 battery)
Prior to the main operations, close to 1200 Pakistani irregulars infiltrated into this sector on 5 August 1965 as part of ''
Operation Gibraltar
Operation Gibraltar was the codename of a military operation planned and executed by the Pakistan Army in the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir in August 1965. The operation's strategy was to covertly cross the Line of Control (LoC) a ...
''. They captured a large number of posts along the Kalidhar and Nathua-Tibba-Laleali ridges. On 1 September 1965, as part of ''
Operation Grand Slam
Operation Grand Slam was a key military operation of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It refers to a plan drawn up by the Pakistan Army in May 1965 that consisted of an attack on the vital Akhnoor Bridge in Indian-administered Jammu and Kash ...
'', Pakistani forces launched an offensive in Akhnoor sector with three infantry brigades, two armoured regiments (with
M48 Patton
The M48 Patton is an American List of main battle tanks by generation#First generation, first-generation main battle tank (MBT) introduced in February 1952, being designated as the 90mm Gun Tank: M48. It was designed as a replacement for the M2 ...
s and
M-36 Sherman B-2 tank destroyers) and artillery support.
This attack overwhelmed the two forward companies of 15 Kumaon and came to striking distance of HQ, 191 Infantry Brigade. An urgent request for air support proved counter-productive, as it did little damage to the enemy, but took a heavy toll due to friendly fire.
The AMX squadron of 20 Lancers put up a gallant fight, avoiding a disaster.
In face of the overwhelming Pakistani attack, the XV Corps headquarters pushed in 6 Rajput, 20 Lancers and 28 Infantry Brigade. 191 Brigade was asked to partially withdraw to Akhnoor during the night of 1 September 1965 and tasked for its defence. On 2 September 1965, 41 Brigade was asked to occupy Jourian-Troti area with support from 20 Lancers, 161 Field Regiment and a battery of 38 Medium Regiment. On 3 September, Pakistani armour mounted a major attack on Jourian. As the Indian defence was unlikely to withstand the attack, 28 Infantry Division was placed under the command of the division and rushed in. During the night of 4 September, 41 Division withdrew to Akhnoor, with the newly raised 161 Field Regiment abandoning its guns.
In Kalidhar, in spite of heavy shelling, 28 Infantry Brigade maintained a good defence and repulsed the attack. Meanwhile, the offence by
XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to:
* 11th Army Corps (France)
* XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army
* ...
in
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
and
I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
in
Sialkot
Sialkot ( ur, ) is a city located in Punjab, Pakistan. It is the capital of Sialkot District and the 13th most populous city in Pakistan. The boundaries of Sialkot are joined with Jammu (the winter capital of Indian administered Jammu and Ka ...
, forced the Pakistani Army to pull back a major part of armour and artillery along with an infantry brigade from the Chhamb sector. Taking this opportunity, a counter-offensive was planned on the night of 6 September. The offensive though did not make much headway because of intense artillery and tank fire. The plans were revised and subsequent attacks were made on 9 and 10 September. 2 Grenadiers suffered heavy casualties. 41 Mountain Brigade was moved out of the sector to XI Corps zone on 10 September, taking away the Division's striking potential. The battle in the sector shifted north. 6 Sikh Light Infantry captured Point 3776, which gave the Indian troops domination of the Kalidhar ridge. 1/1 Gorkha Rifles captured Point 2357 on 14 September and Manani on 18 September. 3 Kumaon assaulted Gulaba Chappar on 17 September causing heavy enemy casualties, but its attack on Keri NW 7473 was not successful.
The Kumaonis, under Major D.N. Singh were able to successfully attack the Pakistani position at Keri, overwhelming it after a fierce hand-to-hand fight, but the intrusion further was successfully halted and a counterattack followed by accurate artillery fire repulsed the Battalion.
Despite being a nascent formation, the division had acquitted itself well and was awarded six
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...
s and fourteen
Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋiː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield and is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards and ...
s during the war.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
;ORBAT
*
Deccan Horse (9 Horse)
*51
BSF
*57
BSF
*28 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier MV Natu)
**5
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
**2
Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
The Jammu and Kashmir Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Its origins lay in the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. After the accession of the state to the Indian Union in October 1947, ...
**7
Jammu and Kashmir Militia
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Awantipora with a winter setup near Jammu. Its regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed r ...
**8
Jammu and Kashmir Militia
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAK LI) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Awantipora with a winter setup near Jammu. Its regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed r ...
*191 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier RK Jasbir Singh)
**5
Sikh
Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
**5
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
**10
Garhwal Rifles
The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became part of the British Indian Army, and a ...
**4/
1 Gorkha Rifles
1st Gorkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment), often referred to as the 1st Gorkha Rifles, or 1 GR in abbreviation, is the most senior Gorkha Infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally formed as part of the East India Company's Bengal Arm ...
*68 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier RT Morlin)
**7
Kumaon Kumaon or Kumaun may refer to:
* Kumaon division, a region in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon Kingdom, a former country in Uttarakhand, India
* Kumaon, Iran, a village in Isfahan Province, Iran
* , a ship of the Royal Indian Navy during WWII
See also
...
**9
Jat
The Jat people ((), ()) are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and su ...
**5/
8 Gorkha Rifles
The 8th Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in World War I ...
**3/
4 Gorkha Rifles
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese people, Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth ...
*52 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier KK Nayyer)
**16
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
**7
Garhwal Rifles
The Garhwal Rifles, formerly known as the Royal Garhwal Rifles, are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became part of the British Indian Army, and a ...
**3/
4 Gorkha Rifles
The 4th Gorkha Rifles or the Fourth Gorkha Rifles, abbreviated as 4 GR, is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese people, Nepalese nationality, especially Magars and Gurungs hill tribes of Nepal. The Fourth ...
(detached to 68 Brigade)
*3 Independent Armoured Brigade (Brigadier BS Irani)
**
72 Armoured Regiment
**2 Independent Armoured Squadron (from 21 Horse)
**
8 Light Cavalry (detached)
**
Central Indian Horse
The Central India Horse (formerly the 21st King George V's Own Horse, also known as Beatson's Horse) was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army and is presently part of the Indian Army Armoured Corps.
Formation
The regiment was r ...
(21 Horse) (detached)
**7
Grenadiers
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
(detached)
*10 Artillery Brigade (Brigadier K Srinivasan) and other artillery units
**12 Field Regiment
**18 Field Regiment
**81 Field Regiment
**39 Medium Regiment
**216 Medium Regiment
**
86 Light Regiment
**127 Divisional Locating Battery
**151 Air Defence Regiment (1 troop)
*Engineers
**101 Field Company
**102 Field Company
The division was commanded by Major General Jaswant Singh during the
1971 war
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decemb ...
. In addition to the above units, the division had a para commando group from 9
Para
Para, or PARA, may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Paramount Global, traded as PARA on the Nasdaq stock exchange
* Para Group, the former name of CT Corp
* Para Rubber, now Skellerup, a New Zealand manufacturer
* Para USA, formerly ...
and a company of guided missiles from 12
Guards. The division was tasked to defend the
Chhamb
Chhamb ( pa, ), also known as Iftikharabad ( pa, ), named after Iftikhar Khan Janjua is an area in the southern tip of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. The Chhamb sector consists of many villages, Kherowal, Burejal, Nagial, Paur, Dingawali, Chak Pandit, ...
-
Jourian
Jourian is a town and a notified area committee in Jammu district in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Geography
Jourian is located at . It has an average elevation of 274 metres (899 feet).
Demographics
...
sector and also attack across the border. In addition to its regular brigades (28, 52 and 191); 68 Infantry Brigade, which was the XV Corps reserve brigade in the Kashmir valley was earmarked as its fourth brigade. 191 Brigade was moved to Chhamb, 68 Brigade was kept as reserve at Akhnoor, while the other infantry brigades and armoured elements were at Kalit-Troti. Anticipating the onset of a Pakistani attack, 52 Brigade was deployed in the area Nawan Harimpur, 28 Brigade on the Kalidhar range and 68 Brigade to the Troti heights. Across the border was the Pakistani 23 Infantry Division commanded by Major General
Iftikhar Janjua
Major General Iftikhar Khan Janjua ( ur, ) (died December 9, 1971) of the Pakistan Army is one of the most senior Pakistani officers to have been killed in action. He is known in Pakistan as the hero of Rann of Kutch, as he was a brigadier in c ...
with its 20, 111, 66, 4 (POK) and 7 (POK) Infantry Brigades and 2 (Independent) Armoured Brigade.
The Pakistani forces with their numerical superiority and geographical advantage went for the offensive. On the night of 3 December 1971, Pakistani artillery started shelling the Indian defences of 191 Infantry Brigade, followed by the infantry and armour attack on 4 December. The latter was blunted by the tanks of Deccan Horse and 5 Sikh with their
recoilless guns. The Pakistani forces continued with their attack in the north through Sukhtao Nullah and captured Mandiala North by mid-day of 4 December, a position which they consolidated by the evening of the same day. 6 and 11 POK Brigades managed to cross the
Manawar Tawi River
The Manawar Tawi river (also called Rajouri Tawi and Naushera Tawi) is a tributary of the Chenab River, which originates at the Ratan Pir ridge of the Pir Panjal Range and flows through the Rajouri and Jammu districts of Jammu and Kashmir, India ...
, but ran straight into an Indian medium artillery regiment, which inflicted heavy casualties to them. Five Indian guns were damaged. An attempt by Pakistani tanks to cross the river was thwarted by the Indian armour and 5 Pakistani tanks were destroyed. The Pakistanis withdrew across the river. A counter-attack by a Gorkha company led to re-capture of the Mandiala bridge on the morning of 5 December. By the evening, Pakistani forces regrouped and attacked Ghogi, Barsala and Point 951 between Chhamb and Manawar and managed to capture Gurha and Mandiala South in the north. On the night of 6 December, the division decided to withdraw and stabilise the defence line to the eastern bank of the Manawar Tawi river. The retreating forces blew up the Mandiala bridge.
Following the withdrawal, the operations shifted to the area east of the Manawar Tawi river. On 8 and 9 December, the Pakistani forces attempted to force the Raipur crossing, but this attack was beaten back by 10 Garhwal Rifles, leading to 39 Pakistani dead and six taken as prisoners of war. This was followed by multiple unsuccessful probing attacks. An armour attack through Sukhtao nullah opposite Chaprael was also beaten back. On the early hours of 10 December, Pakistani 111 Infantry Brigade along with 4
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
, 10
Baloch and 28 Cavalry crossed Darh and established a
bridgehead
In military strategy, a bridgehead (or bridge-head) is the strategically important area of ground around the end of a bridge or other place of possible crossing over a body of water which at time of conflict is sought to be defended or taken over ...
. This advance, though could not progress much, because of Indian infantry fire and the Pakistani tanks getting bogged. A counter-attack by a mixed group of tanks from the Deccan Horse and 72 Armoured Regiment failed for the same reason - soft soil.
The Pakistani commander, General Janjua was killed on 9 December 1971, after his helicopter was shot down. Following this, the Indians attacked the Pakistani bridgehead from two directions on 10 December -two infantry companies and one squadron of 72 Armoured Regiment from the north and one infantry company from the south. The attack and the decision of the new commander to pull back troops led to the Pakistanis pulling back on 10 December. The Pakistanis lost six tanks, whereas the Indians lost five. Following this, the line of control was stabilised at this point. After the ceasefire and as part of the
Simla Agreement
The Simla Agreement, also spelled Shimla Agreement, was a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan on 2 July 1972 in Shimla, the capital city of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It followed the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, which ...
, India lost the territory west of the Tawi river.
Meanwhile, in the hill sector, Pakistan attacked Picquet 707, Laleali and Dewa on 3 December 1971. These attacks were beaten back, except for the one at Picquet 707, where they managed a foothold. An effective counter-attack managed to force the Pakistanis to withdraw leaving 50 Pakistanis dead. The Pakistani forces attempted further attacks on 6 and 7 December without success. A Pakistani
Air Observation Post
Air Observation Post (AOP) is an aeroplane or helicopter used in the role of artillery spotter by the British Army and Commonwealth forces. In this role, either the pilot of the aircraft or another crew member acts as an observer watching for ta ...
aircraft was shot down at Laleali. A Pakistani platoon successfully infiltrated in the Batal area on 5 December, but was evicted by a company which had moved in from Nathuan Tibba. On 8 December 1971, Dewa and the surrounding heights were captured by Pakistan after heavy fighting.
The present
The 10 Infantry Division is presently located in
Akhnoor
Akhnoor is a city and municipal committee, near city of Jammu in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies 28 km away from Jammu city. Akhnoor is on the bank of the Chenab River, just before it enters the Pak ...
,
Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to:
* Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent
* Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory
* Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...
. It has actively participated in
counter-insurgency
Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionar ...
operations in the sector,
Operation Rakshak
Capt. Sanjay Chauhan, SC, was an Indian Army officer of the 16 Rajputana Rifles. During a military counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir, India, Captain Chauhan attempted to infiltrate an enemy militant group. On the basis of actiona ...
,
Operation Vijay and
Operation Parakram
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
.
It took part in the rescue and relief operation during Operation Megh Rahat during the
September 2014 floods in Jammu and Kashmir.
Formation Sign
Following re-raising, the formation sign of the division was a scarlet diamond on a black background. It was soon replaced by a pair of crossed swords on a black background. The crossed swords also depict the
Roman numeral
Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
'X' and the swords symbolise the personal weaponry of the
Dogras
The Dogras or Dogra people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group in India and Pakistan consisting of the Dogri language speakers. They live predominantly in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, and in adjoining areas of Punjab, Himachal ...
, who inhabit the areas where the division operates. The division is therefore also called as the Crossed Swords Division.
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
* https://www.gallantryawards.gov.in/awardee/3346
{{DEFAULTSORT:10 Indian Infantry Division
Indian World War II divisions
British Indian Army divisions
Divisions of the Indian Army
Military units and formations established in 1941
History of the Bengal Sappers
Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II
Military units and formations disestablished in 1947
Military units and formations established in 1947