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Indian 10th Infantry Division

 
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The Indian 10th Infantry Division was a war formed Indian division during the Second World War. In four years, the division traveled over from Tehran
Tehran

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
 to Trieste
Trieste

Trieste is a city and port in northeastern Italy very near to the Slovenian border, to the North, East, and South. Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea....
, fought three little wars, and fought two great campaigns: Anglo-Iraqi War
Anglo-Iraqi War

The Anglo-Iraqi War was a conflict between the United Kingdom and the nationalist government of Iraq during World War II. The conflict lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941....
, Invasion of Syria-Lebanon
Syria-Lebanon campaign

The Syria-Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allies of World War II invasion of Vichy France-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June-July 1941, during World War II....
, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran

The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the invasion of Iran by United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, codenamed Operation Countenance, from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941....
, North African Campaign
North African campaign

During World War II, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 16 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libya and Egypt deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia ....
, and Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allies operations in and around Italy, from History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars#Italy and the Second World War ....
.

Indian 10th Infantry Division was formed in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
 in early 1941 under Major-General W.A.K. Fraser
William Archibald Kenneth Fraser

William Archibald Kenneth Fraser, Order of the Bath, CBE, Distinguished Service Order, MVO, Military Cross was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
. Command was passed in May 1941 to Major-General William "Bill" Slim when Fraser fell ill.

The division first fought in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, in Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
, and in Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 against forces potentially barring the road from Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
 to India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
.

In March 1942 command of the division passed from Major-General Slim to Major-General T.W. "Pete" Rees
Thomas Wynford Rees

Thomas Wynford Rees Order of the Bath, Order of the Indian Empire, Distinguished Service Order & medal bar, Military Cross, DL was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, the Interwar period, World War II, and post-war....
 when Slim was ordered to India to take command of Burma Corps, the kernal that would eventually become the Fourteenth Army.

The division then moved on to North Africa
North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the United Nations subregion of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories:...
 for the battle for Libya
Libya

Libya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country located in North Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
.






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The Indian 10th Infantry Division was a war formed Indian division during the Second World War. In four years, the division traveled over from Tehran
Tehran

Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, and the administrative center of Tehran Province. Tehran is a sprawling city at the foot of the Alborz mountain range with an immense network of highways unparalleled in Western Asia....
 to Trieste
Trieste

Trieste is a city and port in northeastern Italy very near to the Slovenian border, to the North, East, and South. Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea....
, fought three little wars, and fought two great campaigns: Anglo-Iraqi War
Anglo-Iraqi War

The Anglo-Iraqi War was a conflict between the United Kingdom and the nationalist government of Iraq during World War II. The conflict lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941....
, Invasion of Syria-Lebanon
Syria-Lebanon campaign

The Syria-Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allies of World War II invasion of Vichy France-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June-July 1941, during World War II....
, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran

The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the invasion of Iran by United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, codenamed Operation Countenance, from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941....
, North African Campaign
North African campaign

During World War II, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 16 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libya and Egypt deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia ....
, and Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allies operations in and around Italy, from History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars#Italy and the Second World War ....
.

History


World War II

The Indian 10th Infantry Division was formed in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
 in early 1941 under Major-General W.A.K. Fraser
William Archibald Kenneth Fraser

William Archibald Kenneth Fraser, Order of the Bath, CBE, Distinguished Service Order, MVO, Military Cross was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
. Command was passed in May 1941 to Major-General William "Bill" Slim when Fraser fell ill.

The division first fought in Iraq
Iraq

Iraq , officially the Republic of Iraq , is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros Mountains, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, in Syria
Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is an Arab-majority country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north....
, and in Iran
Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran and formerly known internationally as Persian Empire until 1935, is a country in Central Eurasia, located on the northeastern shore of the Persian Gulf and the southern shore of the Caspian Sea....
 against forces potentially barring the road from Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
 to India
India

India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and outlying territories by total area country by geographical area, the List of countries by population country, and the most populous liberal democracy in the world....
.

In March 1942 command of the division passed from Major-General Slim to Major-General T.W. "Pete" Rees
Thomas Wynford Rees

Thomas Wynford Rees Order of the Bath, Order of the Indian Empire, Distinguished Service Order & medal bar, Military Cross, DL was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, the Interwar period, World War II, and post-war....
 when Slim was ordered to India to take command of Burma Corps, the kernal that would eventually become the Fourteenth Army.

The division then moved on to North Africa
North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the United Nations subregion of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories:...
 for the battle for Libya
Libya

Libya , officially the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya , is a country located in North Africa. Bordering the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya lies between Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. Initially the division was committed piecemeal with units involved El Adem and Sidi Rezegh during the Battle of Gazala
Battle of Gazala

The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the World War II Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from May 26 to June 21, 1942....
. In June the division, with 2nd Free French Brigade under command, was ordered by William Gott
William Gott

Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart "Strafer" Gott Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order and medal bar, Military Cross was a British Army officer during both the World War I and World War II, reaching the rank of lieutenant-general when serving in the British Eighth Army....
, the XIII Corps
XIII Corps (United Kingdom)

XIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II....
 commander, to hold a position near the Egyptian border with Libya for 72 hours during the Eighth Army's retreat to El Alamein. Rees responded that the division had only just concentrated and that defensive works were as yet inadequate. He believed therefore that the division was unlikely to be able to withstand a full-scale attack from Rommel. Gott immediately visited Rees and relieved him of command of the division, telling him he lacked resolution. Command passed to Major-General John Nichols and as Rees had foretold, the division was overrun at the Mersa Matruh defenses. Rees was posted to command Indian 19th Infantry Division
Indian 19th Infantry Division

The Indian 19th Infantry Division was raised during World War II, and played a prominent part in the final part of the Burma Campaign.It was raised in Secunderabad in India in 1941....
 in Burma.

The division then went to Cyprus
Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is an island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, south of Turkey and north of Egypt....
 for regrouping and hill training under Major-General Alan Bruce Blaxland
Alan Bruce Blaxland

Alan Bruce Blaxland, CB, OBE was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II.As part of Paiforce , Brigadier Blaxland commanded the 27th Indian Brigade of the Indian 6th Infantry Division during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia....
 and then to Iraq to join Tenth Army, part of Paiforce
Iraqforce

Iraqforce was a United Kingdom and Commonwealth formation that fought in the Middle East during World War II. Iraqforce was commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Edward Quinan and was variously part of British India Command, Middle East Command and finally Persia and Iraq Command....
. In July 1943, Major-General Wilfrid Lloyd
Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd

Major-General Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was an officer in the British Army and the Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
 took command when Blaxland was promoted and in January 1944, command passed to Major-General Denys Reid
Denys Whitehorn Reid

Denys Whitehorn Reid Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was an officer in the British Army and the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
 when Lloyd was killed in an air crash. Reid remained in command until the end of British involvement in the division in 1947.

After nearly a year of relative inactivity and training, the Indian 10th Infantry Division was sent in March 1944 to Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 to join Eighth Army on the Adriatic front. The division fought the rest of the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allies operations in and around Italy, from History of Italy as a monarchy and in the World Wars#Italy and the Second World War ....
, facing hard fighting northwards through central Italy with the Eighth Army. Numerous mountain battles and river crossings followed with Operation Olive on the Gothic Line
Gothic Line

The Gothic Line, also known as Linea Gotica, formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennine Mountains during the fighting retreat of Nazi Germany's forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander,...
 and then the spring 1945 offensive
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy

The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and Eighth Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on April 6 1945 and ended on May 2 with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
. The division earned many battle honours and decorations and suffered many casualties before final victory in Italy in May 1945. Security tasks on the Yugoslav
Yugoslavia

File:LocationYugoslavia2.pngYugoslavia is a term that describes three political entities that existed successively on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century....
 border around Trieste
Trieste

Trieste is a city and port in northeastern Italy very near to the Slovenian border, to the North, East, and South. Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste on the Adriatic Sea....
 completed the Division's war service.

Post War

Upon partition the division was allocated to Pakistan. The 10th Infantry Division is now stationed in Lahore as part of IV Corps Pakistan Army. The formation has a distinguished record in the defence of the city of Lahore from the numerically much superior Indian Army in both the 1965 and 1971 wars.

Division Formation in World War II


General Officers Commanding:
  • Major-General W.A.K. Fraser
    William Archibald Kenneth Fraser

    William Archibald Kenneth Fraser, Order of the Bath, CBE, Distinguished Service Order, MVO, Military Cross was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
     (January 1941 to May 1941)
  • Major-General William Slim (May 1941 to March 1942)
  • Major-General T.W. Rees
    Thomas Wynford Rees

    Thomas Wynford Rees Order of the Bath, Order of the Indian Empire, Distinguished Service Order & medal bar, Military Cross, DL was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, the Interwar period, World War II, and post-war....
     (March 1942 to June 1942)
  • Major-General J.S. Nichols (June 1942 to July 1942)
  • Major-General A.B. Blaxland
    Alan Bruce Blaxland

    Alan Bruce Blaxland, CB, OBE was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II.As part of Paiforce , Brigadier Blaxland commanded the 27th Indian Brigade of the Indian 6th Infantry Division during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia....
     (July 1942 to July 1943)
  • Major-General W.L. Lloyd
    Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd

    Major-General Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was an officer in the British Army and the Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
     (July 1943 to January 1944)
  • Major-General D.W. Reid
    Denys Whitehorn Reid

    Denys Whitehorn Reid Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was an officer in the British Army and the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
     (January 1944 to end of war)


Division troops

  • 1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse (Divisional Reconnaissance Reg)


  • Royal Artillery
    Royal Artillery

    The Royal Artillery, is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, is an Arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it is made up of a number of regiments....
Commanders Royal Artillery: Brigadier R.P. Waller (to August 1942); Brigadier W.R. Goodman March 1943 onwards)
    • HQ
    • 68,97 & 154 Field Regiments RA
    • 13 Anti-Tank Regiment
    • 30 Light A.A. Regiment RA


  • Indian Engineers
    • 5 Field Company King George's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
    • 10 & 61 Field Companies Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
      Madras Engineer Group

      Madras Engineer Group are a regiment of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers of the Indian Army. The Madras Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Madras Army of the British Raj....
    • 41 Field Park Company King George's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners


  • 10 Indian Division Signals


  • 1st (MG) Bn The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers


Indian 10th Infantry Brigade

Officers commanding:
Brigadier William Slim (September 1939 to January 1941)
Lieutenant-Colonel B.C. Fletcher
Bernard Campbell Fletcher

Bernard Campbell Fletcher Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II.During the East African Campaign , Fletcher commanded both the Indian 10th Infantry Brigade and the Indian 9th Infantry Brigade, both of the Indian 5th Infantry Division....
 (January 1941 to March 1941)
Brigadier T.W. Rees (March 1941 to March 1942)
Brigadier C.H. Boucher
Charles Hamilton Boucher

Major-General Sir Charles Boucher Order of the British Empire,Order of the Bath, Distinguished Service Order and medal bar was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II....
 (March 1942 to June 1942)
Brigadier A.W.W. Holworthy
Alan Holworthy

Alan Wilmot Wadeson Holworthy Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross was a British Indian Army officer in both World War I and World War II....
 (July 1942 to October 1942)
Brigadier J.A. Finlay (October 1942 to February 1944)
Brigadier T.N. Smith (February 1944 to end of war)


  • HQ
  • 1st battalion Durham Light Infantry
    Durham Light Infantry

    The Durham Light Infantry was formed in 1881 from the 68th Regiment of Foot which had originally been raised in County Durham by General John Lambton in 1758, and the 106th Regiment of Foot ....
  • 4th battalion 10th Baluch Regiment
    Baloch Regiment

    The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of the modern Pakistan Army. It was established in April 1956 from an existing unit, the former 10th Baluch Regiment of the same name, merged with the 8th Punjab Regiment and the Bahawalpur Regiment....
  • 2nd battalion 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles
    4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles

    The 4 Gorkha Rifles is a regiment of the Indian Army and was transferred from the British Indian Army at the time of India's independence in 1947....


Indian 20th Infantry Brigade

Officers commanding:
Brigadier D. Powell
Donald Powell

Donald Powell was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II'...
 (September 1940 to March 1942)
Brigadier L.E. MacGregor (March 1942 to June 1943)
Brigadier J.B. MacDonald (June 1943 to end of war)


  • HQ
  • 8th battalion The Manchester Regiment
    The Manchester Regiment

    The Manchester Regiment was a regiment of the British army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 63rd Regiment of Foot and the 96th Regiment of Foot....
     (until Oct 1944)
  • 1st battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment
    2nd Punjab Regiment

    The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947.The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments:...
     (from Oct 1944 to May 1945)
  • 2nd battalion The Loyal Regiment
    Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire)

    The Loyal Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army from 1881 to 1970. The regiment's lineage is continued by The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment....
     (from May 1945)
  • 3rd battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
    Maratha Light Infantry

    The Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was formed as the 103rd Maharattas in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment of the Army....
  • 2nd battalion 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
    3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles

    The 3 Gorkha Rifles is an Indian Army Regiment. It was a Gurkha regiment of the British Indian Army formed in 1815. They were present at a number of actions and wars including the Siege of Delhi in 1857 to the Great War and World war II....
  • Nabha Akal Infantry (from Oct 1944 to April 1945)


Indian 25th Infantry Brigade

Officers commanding:
Brigadier R.G. Mountain
Ronald Gervase Mountain

Ronald Gervase Mountain was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II. "Gervase" may also be spelled "Gervais."...
 (February 1941 to July 1942)
Brigadier A.E. Arderne (July 1942 onwards)


  • HQ
  • 1st battalion The King's Own Royal Regiment
  • 3rd battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
    1st Punjab Regiment

    The 1st Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the partition of India in 1947. Thereafter it was a regiment of the Pakistan Army until 1956 when it was merged with three other Punjab Regiments to form the Punjab Regiment ....
  • 4th battalion 11th The Sikh Regiment
    The Sikh Regiment

    The Sikh Regiment is a regiment of the Indian Army.The Sikh Regimental Centre is presently located in Ramgarh Cantonment, 30 km from the Ranchi, Capital of Jharkhand state in India....
  • 3rd battalion 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles


Support Units

  • Royal Indian Army Service Corps
    • 10 Indian Division Troops Transport Company
    • 10, 20 & 25 Brigade Transport Company
    • 22 Indian Supply Company


  • Medical Services
    • I.M.S
    • R.A.M.C
      Royal Army Medical Corps

      The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace....
    • I.M.D
    • I.H.C
    • I.A.M.C
    • 14,21,&30 Indian Field Ambulances


  • 10 Indian Division Provost Unit


  • Indian Army Ordnance Corps
    • 10 Indian Division Ordnance Field Park


  • Indian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
    • 125,126 & 127 Infantry Workshop Companies
    • 10 Indian Division Recovery Company


Sources