18th Indian Division

18th Indian Division
Insignia of the 18th Infantry 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

• 1/9th Battalion, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)
• 1st Battalion, 89th Punjabis
• 1st Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
• 1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles
• 207th Machine Gun Company
• 53rd Light Trench Mortar Battery

54th Indian Brigade

• 1/5th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
• 25th Punjabis
• 1st Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles
• 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force)
• 238th Machine Gun Company
• 54th Light Trench Mortar Battery

55th Indian Brigade

• 1/5th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
• 1st Battalion, 10th Jats
• 87th Punjabis
• 1st Battalion, 94th Russell's Infantry
• 116th Mahrattas
• 1st Battalion, 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
• 239th Machine Gun Company
• 55th Light Trench Mortar Battery

Divisional Artillery

• CCCXXXVI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (A, B, C and D (H) Batteries)[a]
• CCCXXXVII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (A, B, C and 341st (H) Batteries)[b]
• X.18 Medium Trench Mortar Battery
• 18th Divisional Ammunition Column

Engineers and Pioneers

• 2nd, 5th, 6th and 8th Field Companies, 1st King George's Own Sappers and Miners
• 18th Division Signal Company, Royal Engineers Signal Service
• 106th Hazara Pioneers
• 1st Battalion, 32nd Sikh Pioneers

Divisional Troops

• 249th Machine Gun Company
• 18th Machine Gun Battalion[c]
• 37th, 38th, 39th and 40th Combined Field Ambulances, RAMC
• No. 12 Mobile Veterinary Section, AVC
• 18th Division Train, ASC

Commanders

The division was commanded from 7 January 1918 by Major-General H.D. Fanshawe[6] and from 12 March 1919 by Major-General Theodore Fraser.

See also

• List of Indian divisions in World War I

Notes

1. CCCXXXVI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was originally the 2/II Home Counties Brigade of the 67th (2nd Home Counties) Division, Territorial Force.[5]
2. CCCXXXVII 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. Perry 1993, p. 150
3. "18th Indian Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
4. Perry 1993, p. 148
5. Perry 1993, p. 149
6. Perry 1993, p. 147

Bibliography

• Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.
• Kempton, Chris (2003a). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Vol. Part I Divisions. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-228-5.
• Moberly, F.J. (1923). Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign. London: Imperial War Museum. ISBN 1-870423-30-5.
• Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
• Wilson-Johnston, Lt.-Col. W.E. (2001) [1919]. Account of the Operations of the 18th (Indian) Division in Mesopotamia December 1917 to December 1918. Naval & Military Press. ISBN 978-1-84574-323-9.

External links

• 18th Indian Division on The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918 by PB Chappell at the Wayback Machine (archived 17 May 2008)
• "Battle of Sharqat, 1918". FirstWorldWar.com. Retrieved 31 May 2015.