List of Indian divisions in World War I

In the First World War the British Indian Army contributed a number of divisions and independent brigades.The British Indian Army underwent major reforms in 1903 after Kitchener was appointed Commander-in-Chief, India in 1902. He instituted the large-scale reforms, including merging the three armies of the Presidencies into a unified force and forming higher level formations, eight army divisions, and brigading Indian and British units.

Following Kitchener's reforms:
*The Indian Army was "the force recruited locally and permanently based in India, together with its expatriate British officers." [Oxford History of the British Army]
*The British Army in India consisted of British Army units posted to India for a tour of duty, and which would then be posted to other parts of the Empire or back to the UK.
*The Army of India." [Oxford History of the British Army, Oxford University Press] consisted of both the Indian Army and the British Army in India.

Divisions

:1st (Peshawar) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India during the Great War for service on the North West Frontier, served in Afghanistan 1919, during the Third Afghan War.:2nd (Rawalpindi) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India during the Great War for service on the North West Frontier, served in Afghanistan 1919, during the Third Afghan War.:3rd (Lahore) Division, was a pre war Division, served in France, Mesopotamia, Palestine, and participated in the Palestine Occupation Force. The Division was broken up by 1923.:4th (Quetta) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India during the Great War for service on the North West Frontier, served in Afghanistan 1919, during the Third Afghan War.:5th (Mhow) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India during the Great War for Internal security and training.:6th (Poona) Division, was a pre war Division served in Mesopotamia,and was captured at Kut-el-Amara in April 1916.:7th (Meerut) Division, was a pre war Division served in France, Mesopotamia, Palestine, and participated in the Palestine Occupation Force. The Division was broken up in 1920.:8th (Lucknow) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India for Internal security.:9th (Secundarabad) Division, was a pre war Division, remained in India on Internal security duties less, One Brigade to East Africa, and the Cavalry Brigade to France.:10th Indian Division, formed in 1914 in Egypt, broken up 1916.:11th Indian Division, formed in 1914 in Egypt, for the defence of the Suez canal broken up 1915.:12th Indian Division, formed in 1915 in Mesopotamia, disbanded 1916.:14th Indian Division, formed in 1916 in Mesopotamia, broken up 1916.:15th Indian Division, formed in 1916 in Mesopotamia, disbanded 1919.:16th Indian Division, formed in 1916 served on the North West Frontier and in Afghanistan 1919 during the Third Afghan War.:17th Indian Division, formed in 1917 in Mesopotamia, was a part of the Iraq Occupation Force and was broken up in 1928.:18th Indian Division, formed in 1917-18 in Mesopotamia,was a part of the Iraq Occupation Force and was broken up in 1920.:Burma Division, was a pre war Division remained in Burma on internal security duties.:1st Indian Cavalry Division, was formed in 1914 in India, served in France, where it was renumbered as the 4th Cavalry Division in December 1916, the Indian elements were sent to Egypt in 1918.:2nd Indian Cavalry Division, was formed in 1914 in India, served in France where it was renumbered as the 5th Cavalry Division in December 1916, the Indian elements were sent to Egypt in 1918.:1st Mounted Division, was formed in Egypt in 1918 from the Yeomanry Mounted Division and incorporated the Indian elements from the 4th Cavalry Division in France, but then renumbered as 4th Cavalry Division, served in Palestine and was a part of thePalestine Occupation Force. The Division was broken up 1921:2nd Mounted Division, was formed in Egypt in 1918 from the Indian elements of the 5th Cavalry Division in France, but then renumbered as the 5th Cavalry Division,served in Palestine and was a part of the Palestine Occupation Force. The Division was broken up in 1920.:Cavalry Division, formed in 1916 in Mesopotamia, served in Mesopotamia. The Division was broken up in 1918, but its brigades then serving independently.

Brigades

:Aden Brigade, formed pre-war, remained in Aden.:Bannu Brigade, formed pre-war, remained on the North West Frontier.:Derajat Brigade, formed pre-war, remained on the North West Frontier.:Kohat Brigade, formed pre-war, remained on the North West Frontier.:South Persia Brigade, formed in 1915, served in South Persia and the Gulf. The Brigade was broken up by 1921.

Indian Expeditionary Forces 1914-18

The British Indian Army formed a number of Expeditionary forces during the Great War;

;Force A: Served in France consisted of: 1st Indian Cavalry Division, 2nd Indian Cavalry Division, 3rd (Lahore) Division, 7th (Meerut) Division

;Force B: The 27th (Banglore) Brigade and the Imperial Service Brigade served in East Africa. Force B was broken up in December 1914 and its units used for the defence of East Africa.

;Force C: Served in Uganda, 29th Battalion Punjab Regiment, half battalions of Jind, Bharatpur, Kapurthala and Rampur Infantry Regiments (ISF), a volunteer 15-pdr. battery, a mountain 10-pdr. battery, a volunteer maxim gun battery and a Field Ambulance. Force C was broken up on its arrival at Mombasa and its units subsequently served separately.

;Force D: Served in Mesopotamia: Cavalry Division (created from independent brigades December 1916), 6th (Pooma) Division, 7th (Meerut) Divisions, 12th Indian Division, 15th Indian Division, 17th Indian Division, 18th Indian Division.

;Force E: Served in Egypt: 1st Mounted Division (later 4th Cavalry Division), 2nd Mounted Division (later 5th Cavalry Division), 11th Indian Division.

;Force F: Served in Egypt, 28th, 29th and 30th Brigades i.e., 10th Indian Division. The division was broken up in March 1915.

;Force G: Served at Gallipoli 29th Brigade. The brigade served away from its parent division

References

Further reading

*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 187116723X

*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 1870423305