I have just been reading of the Indian Mountain Artillery in the Great War. An interesting account of the Gunners from India and their Trusted Friends

Indian Mountain Artillery by Brigadier CAL Graham.

Their actions saw Batteries engaged in Gallipoli, East Africa, Mesopotamia, Persia and Iraq, Their contribution clearly upholding the motto of the Royal Regiment of Artillery – Ubique. The very nature of their equipment, guns broken down into mule loads, meant they could support the infantry in the harshest of conditions.

The events in the book chronicle the determination,professionalism and ingenuity to ensure they could always bring their guns to bear on the enemy, whether it was in mountains, in the dessert, in a jungle or even on the water.

Gallipoli

The 1^st (Kohat) Mountain Battery and 6^th(Jacobs) Battery landed on the Gallipolli Peninsular 25^th April1915. The last Artillery unit to withdraw from Gallipoli was the 6^th (Jacobs) Battery.

Boiling shrapnel shells to improve their effectiveness,cutting cartridges in two to produce half charges due to the short ranges, and improvising range tables.

Expended 21,383 rounds, sustained casualties of 33 killed and 263 wounded. Mules, 62 killed and 212 wounded.

Battle Honors

The 1st (Kohat) Mountain Battery(F.F.) and 6th (Jacob's)…

"Anzac"- "Landing at Anzac"- "Defense of Anzac"- "Suvla"- "SariBatr"- "Gallipoli 1915"- "Suez C anal"- "Egypt,1915-1916".

East Africa

The operation to capture Tanga necessitated an amphibious landing. The 8^th (Lahore) Battery fired from the decks of HMS Kent supplementing her 6 inch and 4.7 inch guns.

Battle Honors

2nd (Derajat) (F.F.)… "East Africa 1916-18"- "Narungombf"

4th (Hazara) (F.F.)…"East Africa 1917-18".

7th (Bengal)…"East Africa1914-18" -"Kilimanjaro"-"Narungombf"-"Nyangao".

8th (Lahore)… "East Africa,1914-17"- "Kilimanjaro".

No. 1 Kashmir… "East Africa,1916-18".

Middle East – Mesopotamia / Persia / Iraq

The initial operation was to clear Fao to clear the Turks out of Shat. In support of that action, the 10^th (Abbottabad ) Battery landed from ships with the infantry, the 3^{rd (}Peshawar) Battery augmented the naval guns of HMS Odin by firing from the decks of the ship.

During the capture of Amara and Nasiriya on the Euphrates. The infantry deployed by boats, the Mountain Batteries supplying the fire support from rafts.

Battle Honors

lst(Kohat)F.F…"Mesopotamia 1916-18"- "Persia

3rd(Peshawar) F.F …"Basra"- "Shaiba" -"Tigris 1916"-"Mesopotamia 1914-16 "

5^th(Bombay) …"Sharqat"- "Mesopotamia 1918".

6ih(Jacob's)… "Mesopotamia 1916-18"- "Persia 1918"

10th(Abbottabad) ... "Basra"- "Shaiba"- "Mesopotamia1914-16".

11th(Dehra Dun) ... "Mesopatania 1918"- "Persia 1918"

14th(Rajputana) ... "Sharqat"- "Mesopotamia 1918".

15th(Jhelum) ... "Persia 1918"

16th(Zhob) ... "Persia1918 "