18th Indian Division

18th Indian Division
Active 24 December 1917 – 1921
Country  British India
Allegiance British Crown
Branch  British Indian Army
Type Infantry
Size Division
Part of I Corps
Engagements

World War I

Mesopotamian Campaign
Battle of Sharqat
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Major-General H.D. Fanshawe

The 18th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the First World War. It took part in the Mesopotamian campaign and formed part of the occupation force for Iraq post-war. The division was not reformed for the Second World War.[1]

History

Indian troops Mesopotamia

The 18th Indian Division was formed in Mesopotamia on 24 December 1917, although the last of its brigades (55th) was not formed until January 1918. Many of the division's units transferred directly from India so time was needed for them to become acclimatized. It remained in Mesopotamia for the rest of the First World War, taking part in the Action at Fat-ha Gorge on the Little Zab (23–26 October 1918) and the Battle of Sharqat (28–30 October 1918) under the command of I Corps.[2][3]

At the end of the war, the 18th Division was chosen to form part of the occupation force for Iraq. It took part in the Iraq Rebellion in 1920 and was broken up in the following year.[2]

Order of battle

The division commanded the following units, although not all of them served at the same time:[4]

53rd Indian Brigade

54th Indian Brigade

55th Indian Brigade

Divisional Artillery

Engineers and Pioneers

Divisional Troops

Commander

The division was commanded from 7 January 1918 by Major-General H.D. Fanshawe.[6]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ CCXXXVI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was originally the 2/II Home Counties Brigade of the 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division, Territorial Force.[5]
  2. ↑ CCXXXVII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was originally the 2/III Home Counties Brigade of the 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division, Territorial Force.[5]
  3. ↑ 18th Machine Gun Battalion was organised in November 1918 from the 207th, 238th, 239th and 249th Machine Gun Companies.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Kempton 2003a, i
  2. 1 2 Perry 1993, p. 150
  3. ↑ 18th Indian Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell at the Wayback Machine (archived 17 May 2008)
  4. ↑ Perry 1993, p. 148
  5. 1 2 3 Perry 1993, p. 149
  6. ↑ Perry 1993, p. 147

Bibliography

External links

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