18th Indian Division

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]

18th Indian Division
Active24 December 1917 – 1921
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Part ofI Corps
EngagementsWorld War I
Mesopotamian Campaign
Battle of Sharqat
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Major-General H.D. Fanshawe

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

55th Indian Brigade

Divisional Artillery

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[lower-alpha 3]
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Kempton, Chris (2003a). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Part I Divisions. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-228-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Moberly, F.J. (1923). Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign. London: Imperial War Museum. ISBN 1-870423-30-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • 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.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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