18th Indian Division

The 18th Indian Division was formed during World War I in 1917 from units of the British Indian Army, for service in Mesopotamia and Persia, in what was called the Mesopotamia Campaign. The Division was attached to the Tigris Corps and was involved in the Actions at the Fat-ha Gorge and on the Little Zab between the 23–26 October 1918 and the Battle of Sharqat between 28–30 October 1918.^[1]

At the end of the war the division would remain in Iraq as part of the Iraq Occupation Force, until it was disbanded in 1920.

Indian troops Mesopotamia

History

Formation 30 March 1918

53rd Brigade

• 1/9th Btn Middlesex Regiment
• 89th Punjabis
• 3rd Gurkha Rifles
• 7th Gurkha Rifles (at Falluja Temporarily attached to 15th Indian Infantry Division)
• 1 Squadron Patiala Lancers
• 2 Squadrons 10th Lancers ^[1][2]

54th Brigade

• 1/5th Btn Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
• 25th Punjabis
• 39th Garhwal Rifles
• 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force) ^[1]

55th Brigade

• 1/5th Btn East Surrey Regiment
• 10th Jats
• 94th Russell's Infantry
• 116th Mahrattas ^[1]

Divisional Artillery

• 336th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
• 337th Brigade Royal Field Artillery

References

Further reading

• ACCOUNT OF THE OPERATIONS OF THE 18TH (INDIAN) DIVISION IN MESOPOTAMIA DECEMBER 1917 TO DECEMBER 1918, Navy and Military Press, Lieut Col WE Wilson-Johnston, ISBN 978-1-84574-323-9
• Perry, F.W. & Becke, A.F. (1945). History of the Great War: Order of Battle of Divisions: Indian Army Divisions Pt. 5B. London HMSO. ISBN 1-871167-23-X
• Haythornthwaite P.J. (1992). The World War One Sourcebook, Arms and Armour Press.
• Moberly, F.J. (1923). Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign, Imperial War Museum. ISBN 1-870423-30-5