In fact, the 75th Division already had four Indian battalions assigned,[c] so of the 36 battalions needed to reform the divisions, 22 were improvised[16] by taking whole companies from existing units already on active service in Mesopotamia and Palestine to form the 150th Infantry (3 battalions), 151st Sikh Infantry (3), 152nd Punjabis (3), 153rd Punjabis (3), 154th Infantry (3), 155th Pioneers (2), 156th Infantry (1) and the 11th Gurkha Rifles (4).[17] The donor units were then brought back up to strength by drafts. In the event, just 13 of the battalions were assigned to the divisions[18] and the remaining nine were transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918.[19]
The battalion was transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918 and joined the Derajat Brigade on the North-West Frontier where it remained in until the end of the First World War.[25] In May 1919, part of the battalion mobilized with the Derajat Brigade and took part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War.[21] The battalion was disbanded in 1919.[1]
2nd Battalion
The 2nd Battalion was formed at Basra on 24 May 1918[23] by the transfer of complete companies from:[2]
It embarked on 19 June for Egypt, arriving at Suez on 5 July and moved to Qantara. On 16 July, it entrained and arrived at Lydda the next day. The battalion joined the 233rd Brigade, 75th Division at Rantis on 25 July. It remained with the division for the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign,[23] taking part in the Battle of Sharon (19 September 1918).[14] The division was then withdrawn into XXI Corps Reserve near et Tire where it was employed on salvage work and road making. On 22 October it moved to Haifa where it was when the Armistice of Mudros came into effect and the war ended.[26]
On 13 November, the 75th Division concentrated at Lydda and by 10 December had moved back to Qantara. On 18 January 1919, instructions were received that the Indian battalions would be returned to India as transport became available.[26] The battalion was disbanded on 15 May 1921.[1]
3rd Battalion
The 3rd Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia[22] in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:[2]
On 27 October, the division started moving to Alexandria even before the Armistice of Mudros came into effect on 31 October, thereby ending the war against the Ottoman Empire. It completed its concentration at Alexandria on 15 November. The division received demobilization instructions on 20 December 1918. The Indian infantry battalions returned to India as transports became available and the division was reduced to cadre by 7 June 1919.[24] The battalion was disbanded in 1919.[1]
^Gaylor[1] states that the regiment was called the 154th Indian Infantry whereas Perry[2] says 154th Infantry. The latter seems more likely given the designation of, for examples, the pre-war 18th Infantry, 98th Infantry and 108th Infantry.
^In March 1917, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force started forming the 75th Division, originally to be made up of Territorial Force battalions arriving from India. In May 1917, to speed up the formation of the division, it was decided to incorporate Indian battalions.[14] To this end, the independent 29th Indian Brigade was broken up in June 1917 and its battalions posted to 75th Division.[15]
Becke, Major A.F. (1936). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56). London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN1-871167-12-4.
Becke, Major A.F. (1937). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. ISBN1-871167-00-0.