mesopotamia

[antonio]

Hello,

I am new in this forum, and i do not how it works, please forgive if i make any mistake.

I am trying to get the order of battle of the 15th, 17th and 18th indian divisions in Mesopotamia 1918.

Can anybody hel me?

Thankyou in advance

[Guest fisherman]

Hi Antonio,

Try this website.... http://www.warpath.orbat.com/index.htm

[PhilB]

Fisherman:- Tried the website. Shouldn`t there be a few Indian units? Phil B

[Guest fisherman]

Phil: you are quite correct that there should be Indian units. this website only displays the British components.

[MartinWills]

You will find much of this information in the (British) Official History of the Great War, Mesopotamia Campaign Vol. 4 (1927 or recent Battery Press/IWM reprint).It has appendices giving Distribution of the MEF for April and for October 1918.

I am afraid there is rather a lot to contemplate typing it out but if there is a specific query or if it is just the principle units as opposed to everything down to the individual sanitary sections I could look that up for you.

It is probably also in

ORDER OF BATTLE PART 5B - Indian Army Divisions. Hardback. 180 pages.

Available from Ray Westlake "£25.00 - OUR PRICE - £15.95. Order No. B66" though I cannot confirm the details it gives as I can't lay hands on my copy at present.

[antonio]

Martin: I am interested in the british and indian battalions and RFA.

Thanks in advance

[MartinWills]

At the risk of setting a record for the longest posts ever, here goes with the info from the Official History:

30 March 1918

3rd Corps HQ at Baquba

15th Division (On the Euphrates between Falluja & Ana; HQ at Khan Baghdadi)

12th Brigade (HQ at Haditha)

 1/5th Queens Royal West Regiment (West Surrey)

 2/39th Garwhalis

 1/43rd Erinpurs Regiment

 90th Punjabis

42nd Brigade (HQ at Khan Baghdadi)

 1/4th Dorsetshire Regiment

 1/5th Ghurkhas

 2/5th Ghurkhas

 2/6th Ghurkhas

50th Brigade (HQ near Khan Baghdadi)

 1st Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

 6th Jats

 24th Punjabis

 1/97th Infantry

Cavalry

D company 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry

10th Lancers (less 2 Squadrons)

Artillery

 215th Brigade RFA

 1086th Battery

 1088th Battery

 816th Battery (2/1st Notts Battery RHA renamed 816th Battery RHA in Feb. 1918)

 524th Battery

 222nd Brigade RFA

 375th Battery

 1070th Battery

 1072nd Battery

 77th Battery

1st Corps HQ at Samarra

17th Division (HQ at Samarra)

34th Brigade

 2nd Queens Own Royal West Kent

 31st Punjabis

 1/112th Infantry

 114th Mahrattas

51st Brigade

 1st Highland Light Infantry

 1/2nd Rajputs

 14th Sikhs

 1/10th Ghurkhas

52nd Brigade

 1/6th Hampshires

 45th Sikhs

 84th Punjabis

 1/113th Infantry

Artillery

 220th Brigade RFA

 1064th Battery

 1066th Battery

 403rd Battery

 221st Brigade RFA

 1067th Battery

 1068th Battery

 404th Battery

18th Division HQ at Akab

53rd Brigade (temporarily detatched to the vicinity of Najaf

 1/9th Middlesex Regt

 1/89th Punjabis

 1/3rd Ghurkhas

 1/7th Ghurkhas (at Falluja Temporarily attached to 15th Division)

PLUS attached:

1 Squadron Patiala Lancers

2 Squadrons 10th Lancers

54th Brigade

 1/5th Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

 25th Punjabis

 1/39th Garwhalis

 52nd Sikhs

55th Brigade

 1/5th East Surrey Regiment

 1/10th Jats

 1/94th Infantry

 116th Mahrattas

Artillery

 336th Brigade RFA

 “A” Battery

 “B” Battery

 “C” Battery

 “D” Battery

 337th Brigade RFA

 “A” Battery

 “B” Battery

 “C” Battery

 341st Battery

19th October 1918

3rd Corps HQ near Shahraban

15th Division (Euphrates line HQ at Ramadi)

12th Brigade (HQ at Hilla)

 1/5th Queens Royal West Regiment (West Surrey)

 1/43rd Erinpurs Regiment

 90th Punjabis

42nd Brigade (HQ at Ramadi)

 1/4th Dorsetshire Regiment

 1/5th Ghurkhas

 2/5th Ghurkhas

50th Brigade (HQ near Hit)

 1st Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry

 6th Jats

 1/97th Infantry

Attached

22nd Cavalry (less 2 squadrons)

10th Lancers

177th Heavy Battery RGA

Artillery

 215th Brigade RFA

 1086th Battery

 1088th Battery

 816th Battery (2/1st Notts Battery RHA renamed 816th Battery RHA in Feb. 1918)

 524th Battery

 222nd Brigade RFA

 375th Battery

 1070th Battery

 1072nd Battery

 429th Battery

1st Corps HQ On the Tigris at & North of Tikrit

17th Division

34th Brigade

 2nd Queens Own Royal West Kent

 1/112th Infantry

 114th Mahrattas

51st Brigade

 1st Highland Light Infantry

 14th Sikhs

 1/10th Ghurkhas

52nd Brigade

 1/6th Hampshires

 1/113th Infantry

 45th Sikhs

Artillery

 220th Brigade RFA

 1064th Battery

 1066th Battery

 403rd Battery

 Anglo-Indian Battery

 221st Brigade RFA

 1067th Battery

 1068th Battery

 404th Battery

 Volunteer Battery

18th Division

53rd Brigade

 1/9th Middlesex Regt

 1/3rd Ghurkhas

 1/7th Ghurkhas

54th Brigade

 1/5th Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

 52nd Sikhs

 1/39th Garwhalis

55th Brigade

 1/5th East Surrey Regiment

 116th Mahrattas

 87th Punjabis

Artillery

 336th Brigade RFA

 “A” Battery

 “B” Battery

 “C” Battery

 “D” Battery

 337th Brigade RFA

 “A” Battery

 “B” Battery

 “C” Battery

 341st Battery

14th Division 1917 & 1918

May 1917

3rd Corps HQ Baghdad

14th division HQ Baquba

35th Brigade

1/5th Buffs (East Kent Regt)

37th Dogras

102nd Grenadiers

2/4th Ghurkhas

36th Brigade (Garrison of Baghdad city)

1/4th Hampshires

26th Punjabis

62nd Punjabis

82nd Punjabis

37th Brigade

2nd Norfolks

67th Punjabis

1/2nd Ghurkhas

2/9th Ghurkhas

13th Brigade RFA (2nd, 8th & 44th batteries)

C/69th Howitzer battery

18 November 1917

3rd Corps HQ Baquba

14th division HQ Shahraban

35th Brigade

1/5th Buffs (East Kent Regt)

37th Dogras

102nd Grenadiers

2/4th Ghurkhas

36th Brigade

1/4th Hampshires

26th Punjabis

62nd Punjabis

82nd Punjabis

37th Brigade

2nd Norfolks

67th Punjabis

1/2nd Ghurkhas

2/9th Ghurkhas

13th Brigade RFA (2nd, 8th, 44th & C/69th batteries)

30th Brigade RFA (384th; 385th, 386th & A/69th batteries)

March 1918

3rd Corps HQ near Baquba

14th division HQ near Qizil Rabat

35th Brigade HQ at Shrahraban

1/5th Buffs (East Kent Regt)

37th Dogras

102nd Grenadiers

2/4th Ghurkhas

36th Brigade HQ at Qaer-i-Shirin

1/4th Hampshires

26th Punjabis

62nd Punjabis

82nd Punjabis

37th Brigade HQ near Qizil Rabat

2nd Norfolks

1/67th Punjabis

1/2nd Ghurkhas

2/9th Ghurkhas

13th Brigade RFA (2nd, 8th, 44th & C/69th batteries)

30th Brigade RFA (384th; 385th, 386th & A/69th batteries)

October 1918

3rd Corps HQ near Shrahraban

14th division HQ Mirjana near Qizil Rabat

35th Brigade

1/5th Buffs (East Kent Regt)

37th Dogras

102nd Grenadiers

37th Brigade

2nd Norfolks

82nd Punjabis

2/9th Ghurkhas

56th Brigade

1/4th Somerset Light Infantry

104th Rifles

1/42nd Deoli Regiment

30th Brigade RFA (384th; 385th, 386th & A/69th batteries)

What period were you looking at the 41st Brigade for. They don’t exactly leap from the pages but it is noted that at the end of April 1917 they were constituted from 4 weak battalions and were sent back Shaik Saad to form a reserve at Basra.

I hope this answers the question!!!

[antonio]

Martin: thanks a lot you have been very helpful, since i have been trying to find this information for a long time and in Internet there is scarcely any piece of information of indian divisions in Mesopotamia. I know the books of Moberley but its difficult for me to buy them.

Would you be angry if I ask you the same for the 14th indian division in 1917 and 1918 and the 41 independent indian brigade.

Any way I am very grateful of your kindeness for your quick reply.

[MartinWills]

I will see what I can do - but it might take a few days .......

[MartinWills]

I've added what I can easily find to the original post.

[antonio]

martin: Thanks a lot for your information. Regarding the 41st indian Brigade I was thinking at the time of the british entry in Baghdad (march-april 1917)