7th Indian Infantry Division

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Indian 7th Division


caption=
dates= 1940 - 1947
country= United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch=British Indian Army
type=
role=
size=
command_structure=
garrison= Peshawar
equipment=
current_commander=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=Major General Frank Messervy
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_2=
nickname="Golden Arrow Division"
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles= Battle of the Admin Box
Battle of Kohima
Battle of Central Burma
Irrawaddy River
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The 7th Indian Infantry Division was a war-formed division, part of the British Indian Army, created during World War II .

History

It was created on 1 October 1940 at Attock, in present-day Pakistan. Its formation sign was an arrow, pointing bottom left to top right, in yellow on a black background. The division was known as the "Golden Arrow" division from this sign.

After initially training for operations in the deserts in the Middle East, in early 1943 it was reassigned to the Burma Campaign. After extensive training and preparation, it fought in the Arakan from December 1943. After the divisional HQ was overrun by a Japanese attack, units of the division took part in the Battle of the Admin Box. The division later moved to Assam and fought in the Battle of Kohima. In 1945 it played a prominent part in the Battle of Central Burma and the subsequent advance down the Irrawaddy River.

After the war ended, the division moved to Thailand, where it disarmed the Japanese occupying army, and liberated and repatriated Allied prisoners of war.

The 7th Infantry Division is now part of the Pakistan Army, stationed in Peshawar in the North western Frontier Province.

Component Units (1 June 1944)

(Note: on this date, the unit was fighting at Kohima. Indian 89th Infantry Brigade was detached to the Indian 5th Infantry Division at Imphal.)

*Indian 33rd Infantry Brigade
** 1st Bn. Burma Regiment
** 1st Bn. Queen's Royal Regiment
** 4th Bn. 15th Punjab Regiment
** 4th Bn. 1st Gurkha Rifles

*Indian 114th Infantry Brigade
** 1st Bn. Somerset Light Infantry
** 4th Bn. 14th Punjab Regiment
** 4th Bn. 5th Gurkha Rifles

*Indian 161st Infantry Brigade (attached from Indian 5th Infantry Division)
** 4th Bn, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
** 1st Bn. 2nd Punjab Regiment
** 4th Bn. 7th Rajput Regiment

upport Units

* 7th Bn, 2nd Punjab Regiment

* 136th (1st West Lancashire) Field Regt. RA
* 139th (4th London) Field Regt. RA
* 25th Mountain Regt. Royal Indian Artillery

Commanders

*Maj. Gen. A.V.T. Wakely
*Maj. Gen. R. Richardson
*Maj. Gen. T.W. Corbett
*Maj. Gen. Sir Frank Messervy
*Maj. Gen. G.C. Evans

External links

*

Further reading

* Jon Latimer, "Burma: The Forgotten War", London: John Murray, 2004 ISBN 0-7195-6576-6