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4th Infantry Division (India)
The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division (military), 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, it took part in campaigns in East Africa (Eritrea and Sudan), Syria, North Africa and Italy. Post independence, the division is part of the I Corps (India), I Corps and headquartered at Prayagraj. History North Africa During the war, the 4th Indian Division was in the vanguard of nine campaigns in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II, Mediterranean theatre. Major-General The Hon. Percy Scarlett, P. Gerald Scarlett appears to have been the division's first commander, from October 1939 to January 1940. The British 14th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), 14th Infantry Brigade was attached to the division from 1 June to 20 July 1940; the British 16th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom), 16th Infantry B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himself employed by the British East India company from the age of seventeen until the British government assumed direct rule over India in 1858." * * and lasted from 1858 to 1947. * * The region under British control was commonly called India in contemporaneous usage and included areas directly administered by the United Kingdom, which were collectively called British India, and areas ruled by indigenous rulers, but under British paramountcy, called the princely states. The region was sometimes called the Indian Empire, though not officially. As ''India'', it was a founding member of the League of Nations, a participating nation in the Summer Olympics in 1900, 1920, 1928, 1932, and 1936, and a founding member of the United Nations in San F ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical region. Italy is also considered part of Western Europe, and shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino. It has a territorial exclave in Switzerland, Campione. Italy covers an area of , with a population of over 60 million. It is the third-most populous member state of the European Union, the sixth-most populous country in Europe, and the tenth-largest country in the continent by land area. Italy's capital and largest city is Rome. Italy was the native place of many civilizations such as the Italic peoples and the Etruscans, while due to its central geographic location in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, the country has also historically been home ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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. In October 1939, it was assigned to the 4th Indian Infantry Division. In May 1942, it was attached to the 5th Indian Infantry Division and in June the 2nd South African Infantry Division when it surrendered after Tobruk was captured by the Germans and Italians in 1942. The brigade was then reformed in Egypt in October 1943 and once more assigned to the 4th Indian Division serving in Tunisia, Italy and, at the end of the war, in Greece. The brigade was in the North-East Frontier Agency before the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and fought in that war. Commanders during World War II * Brigadier Alan B. Macpherson (Aug 1939 - Mar 1940) * Brigadier Reginald Savory (Mar 1940 - Sep 1941) * Brigadier Andrew Anderson (Sep 1940 - Jun 1942) * Brigadier ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
7th Royal Tank Regiment
The 7th Royal Tank Regiment (7th RTR) was an armoured regiment of the British Army from 1917 until disbandment in 1959. History The 7th Royal Tank Regiment was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. The regiment originally saw action as G Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917. Part of the 1st Army Tank Brigade, 7th RTR saw service in France in May 1940, alongside the 4th Royal Tank Regiment and the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division during the Battle of Dunkirk and was soon evacuated at Dunkirk, and abandoning most of their vehicles. The 7th RTR returned to England and was sent overseas later in the year. In December 1940, as part of the British Western Desert Force in Egypt, the 7th RTR contained Matilda infantry tanks and supported the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade of the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The regiment attacked and destroyed the Italian "Maletti Group" at the Nibeiwa Camp. The 7th RTR also supported the attack of the 11th Brigade ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sidi Barrani
Sidi Barrani ( ar, سيدي براني ) is a town in Egypt, near the Mediterranean Sea, about east of the Egypt–Libya border, and around from Tobruk, Libya. Named after Sidi es-Saadi el Barrani, a Senussi sheikh who was a head of its Zawiya, the village is mainly a Bedouin community. It has food, gasoline outlets and one small hotel, but virtually no tourist activity or visited historical curiosities. It is the site of an Egyptian Air Force base. History Located close to the Roman city of Zygra, in the Roman province of Libya Inferior, Sidi Barrani is often mentioned in historical records to mark the limit of the initial Italian invasion of Egypt from Libya. The Italian Tenth Army built a series of forts in the vicinity. American Field Service volunteers, providing ambulance services and serving with the British 8th Army were based in the area, in June 1942, 30 miles east of Sidi Barrani. Sidi Barrani was a destination during the total solar eclipse on Octo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 the 10th Army (Marshal Rodolfo Graziani) in western Egypt and Cyrenaica, the eastern province of Libya, from December 1940 to February 1941. The Western Desert Force (WDF) ( Lieutenant-General Richard O'Connor) with about advanced from Mersa Matruh in Egypt on a five-day raid against the Italian positions of the 10th Army, which had about in fortified posts around Sidi Barrani in Egypt and in Cyrenaica. The WDF swiftly defeated the Italians in their fortified posts and at Sidi Barrani and then exploited the success, forcing the rest of the 10th Army out of Egypt and capturing the ports along the Libyan coast. The 10th Army was cut off as it retreated towards Tripolitania and defeated at the Battle of Beda Fomm, the remnants being pursue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force (WDF) was a British Army formation (military), formation active in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of the World War II, Second World War. On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the 6th Infantry Division (United Kingdom), British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Desert Force. The formation consisted of the 7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom), British 7th Armoured Division and the 4th Infantry Division (India), 4th Indian Infantry Division. The force was commanded by Major-general (United Kingdom), Major-General Richard O'Connor, Richard Nugent O'Connor. In September 1940, at the time of the Italian invasion of Egypt, the Western Desert Force consisted of roughly 36,000 soldiers and about 65 tanks. From early December 1940 to February 1941, during Operation Compass, the exploits of the Western Desert Force earned a parody of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill's famous quote, "Never ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, (5 May 1883 – 24 May 1950) was a senior officer of the British Army. He served in the Second Boer War, the Bazar Valley Campaign and the First World War, during which he was wounded in the Second Battle of Ypres. In the Second World War, he served initially as Commander-in-Chief Middle East, in which role he led British forces to victory over the Italians in western Egypt and eastern Libya during Operation Compass in December 1940, only to be defeated by the German Army in the Western Desert in April 1941. He served as Commander-in-Chief, India, from July 1941 until June 1943 (apart from a brief tour as Commander of ABDACOM) and then served as Viceroy of India until his retirement in February 1947. Early life Born the son of Archibald Graham Wavell (who later became a major-general in the British Army and military commander of Johannesburg after its capture during the Second Boer WarSchofield 2006, p. 15) and Lill ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
16th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 16th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw active service during the Second Boer War and the First and Second World Wars. History Second Boer War During the Second Boer War, the 16th brigade was active in South Africa as part of the 8th Division from early 1900 until the war ended in 1902. It was under the command of major-general Barrington Campbell, and included the following battalions: *2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 2nd Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, 1st Battalion Leinster Regiment First World War The brigade was part of the 6th Infantry Division during the First World War. It served on the Western Front throughout the War. Order of battle Component units included: *1st Battalion, the Buffs *1st Battalion, the Leicestershire Regiment (left November 1915) *1st Battalion, the King's Shropshire Light Infantry *2nd Battalion, the York and Lancaster Regiment * 1/5th Battalion, the Loyal North Lancashire Regi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
14th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 14th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation during both the First World War and the Second World War. History First World War In 1914 this brigade was part of the 5th Division and moved over to France. On 30 December 1915 the brigade was transferred to the 32nd Division. Order of battle Subordinate units included: *1st Battalion, Devonshire Regiment - (''left January 1916 transferred to 95th Brigade'') *2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment - (''left September 1914'') *1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment - (''left January 1916 transferred to 95th Brigade'') *1st Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - (''left January 1916 transferred to 95th Brigade'') *2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment - (''joined December 1915, left February 1918 transferred to 96th Brigade'') * 1st Battalion, Dorset Regiment (''joined 7 January 1916'') *1/5th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment - (''joined February 1915, left November 1915'') *1/9th (Highlanders) Battalion, Royal Scots - (''joine ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Percy Scarlett
Major-General Hon. Percy Gerald Scarlett (10 April 1885 – 5 October 1957) was a senior British Army officer. Early life Scarlett was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Leopold James Yorke Campbell Scarlett and Bessie Florence Gibson, and the great-grandson of James Scarlett, 1st Baron Abinger. He was educated at Wellington College, Berkshire. Three of his brothers succeeded to the Abinger Barony, and in 1904 Scarlett was granted the style and precedence of the younger son of a baron by Royal Warrant. Military career He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) in 1907. He fought in the First World War, during which he was Mentioned in Dispatches. He was awarded the Military Cross. After graduating from the Staff College, Camberley in 1921, he was promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel he was in the service of the Shanghai Defence Force from 1927 to 1928. Promoted to brigadier, he served as commander of the 12th In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mediterranean And Middle East Theatre Of World War II
The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. The fighting in this theatre lasted from 10 June 1940, when Italy entered the war on the side of Germany, until 2 May 1945 when all Axis forces in Italy surrendered. However, fighting would continue in Greece – where British troops had been dispatched to aid the Greek government – during the early stages of the Greek Civil War. The British referred to this theatre as the Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre (so called due to the location of the fighting and the name of Middle East Command), the Americans called it the Mediterranean Theater of War and the German informal official history of the fighting is The Mediterranean, South-East Europe, and North A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
