The
8th Indian Infantry Division is a
divisionA division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between ten to thirty thousand soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions make up a corps...
of the
Indian ArmyThe Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to ensure the national security and defense of the Republic of India from external aggression and threats, and maintaining peace and security within its borders...
which specialises in tactics and operations in mountainous territory.
Originally formed in
MeerutMeerut is a metropolitan city and a municipal corporation in Meerut district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is an ancient city located north-east of New Delhi. It is a part of the National Capital Region of India. It is the 16th largest metropolitan area in India and the 25th largest...
on 25 October 1940 under Major-General
C.O. HarveyMajor-General Sir Charles Harvey CB, CVO, CBE, MC was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
as part of the Indian Army during World War II the Division was disbanded at the end of
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
but re-formed again in 1962 as a specialist mountain Division.
History
8th Indian Div was one of the most formidable fighting units of the war. Despite its relatively late introduction into the mainstream of battle its members won nearly 600 awards and honours including 4
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
es, 26
DSOsThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.The DSO was instituted on 6 September 1886 by...
and 149
MCsThe Military Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. During the war the division sustained casualties totalling 2012 dead, 8189 wounded and 749 missing.
Iraq Syria and Iran
When originally formed the Division's main fighting formations were 17th, 18th and 19th Indian Infantry Brigades.
On 9 June 1941 17 Brigade arrived in
BasraAl-Baṣrah is the capital of Basra Province, and had an estimated population of 3,800,200 as of 2009. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it is incapable of deep water access, which is handled at the the port of Umm Qasr...
and joined
IraqforceIraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II....
, which had fought the
Anglo-Iraqi WarThe Anglo-Iraqi War was a conflict between the United Kingdom and the rebel government of Rashid Ali in Iraq during the Second World War. The war lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. It is also referred to as the Rashid Ali Rebellion...
to secure the British-owned oilfields during May. These oilfields were perceived to be threatened when a coup d'état brought into power
Rashid Ali al-KaylaniRashid Ali al-Gaylani served as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Iraq on three occasions. He is chiefly remembered as an Arab nationalist that attempted to remove the British influence from Iraq...
who was sympathetic to the Axis powers. By the second half of June the brigade had moved to
MosulMosul is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some 400 km northwest of Baghdad...
to defend British-owned oilfields from an anticipated thrust by
AxisThe Axis powers comprised the countries that were opposed to the Allies during World War II. The three major Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—were part of a military alliance on the signing of the Tripartite Pact in September 1940, which officially founded the Axis powers...
forces south through the
CaucasusThe Battle of Caucasus is a name given to a series of German and Soviet operations in the Caucasus area during the Soviet-German War.-1941 operations:...
.
At the end of June 1 Battalion
12th Frontier Force RegimentThe 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army . It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further 10 battalions were raised...
and 5th Battalion
13th Frontier Force RiflesThe 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
were detached from 17 Brigade to join two battalions from 20 Indian Brigade (part of 10th Indian Infantry Division) to take part in the
Syria-Lebanon campaignThe Syria-Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June-July 1941, during the Second World War....
and capture the Duck's Bill area in north east
SyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south and Israel to the southwest....
and secure the Mosul to
AleppoAleppo is a city in northern Syria, the second largest Syrian city and the capital of the Aleppo Governorate; the Governorate extends around the city for over 16,000 km² and has a population of 4,393,000, making it the largest Governorate in Syria by population...
railway. This was achieved without a shot being fired as the Vichy French forces retired westwards.
On 17 July General Harvey and the divisional HQ arrived in Basra and had 24th Indian Brigade (which had arrived on June 16) assigned to the division. 18 Brigade arrived in Iraq on 26 July. The British, having secured first the Iraqi oilfields and then Syria, now focused their concern on Persia (now
IranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the Sassanid period and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia...
) where it had been estimated there were some 3,000 German nationals working as technicians, commercial agents and advisors. The division first saw shots fired in anger during the
Anglo-Soviet invasion of IranThe Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the invasion of the Imperial State of Iran by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces, codenamed Operation Countenance, from August 25, 1941 to September 17, 1941...
in August 1941 when 24th Brigade made a made a night-time amphibious assault across the Shatt al Arab to capture the oil refinery at
AbadanAbadan is a city in the Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran. It lies on Abadan Island , from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi-Iran border. It is the capital of Abadan County...
in South Persia. Meanwhile 18 Brigade had crossed into Persia between Basra and Abadan to take
KhorramshahrKhorramshahr is a port city in Khūzestān Province in southwestern Iran. It is approximately north of Abadan. The city extends to the right bank of the Shatt al-Arab waterway near its confluence with the Karun river....
and became part of a three brigade advance (with
HazelforceIraqforce was a British and Commonwealth formation that came together in the Kingdom of Iraq. The formation fought in the Middle East during World War II....
) towards Ahwaz, 75 miles north east of Basra. The fighting ended on 28 August when the
ShahShah is a Persian term for a king that has been adopted in many other languages.-Word history:"Shāh" was the title of Iranian kings including the Achaemenid dynasty which unified Persia and created a vast intercontinental empire...
ordered his forces to cease hostlities.
19 Brigade arrived in Iraq in August, replacing in the division's formation 24 Brigade (which transferred to
Indian 6th Infantry DivisionFor the World War I formation see 6th DivisionThe 6th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, created on 1 March 1941 in Secunderabad. On 11 September 1941 it was shipped to the Iraq and later Iran...
), and by 17 October, 18 and 19 Brigades had concentrated at
KirkukKirkuk , , , Kurdish: Kerkûk/کهرکووک , Turkish: Kerkük is a city in Iraq and capital of Kirkuk Governorate....
in northern Iraq and moved north of the oilfields where they were joined by the
6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)The 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army that was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers and the 16th Cavalry...
(6th DCO Lancers), the division's reconnaissance regiment.
North Africa
In June 1942 18 Brigade, having been rushed over to
North AfricaThe Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War was the initial stage of the North African Campaign of The Second World War.-Background:From the start, the Western Desert Campaign was a continuous back-and-forth struggle...
from Mosul, and with only two days to prepare defensive positions, was over-run by
Rommel'sErwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , was perhaps the most famous German Field Marshal of World War II....
tanks at Deir el Shein in front of the
Ruweisat RidgeRuweisat Ridge is a geographical feature in the Western Egyptian desert, mid way between the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression. It was a prominent part of the defence line in the First and Second Battle of El Alamein. During the Second Battle of El Alamein the 4th Indian Infantry...
. In the process, however, they gained valuable time for British Eighth Army to organise the defenses for what was to be the
first battle of AlameinThe First Battle of El Alamein 1–27 July 1942 was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces commanded by Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces commanded by Claude Auchinleck...
halting Rommel's advance towards Egypt. The Brigade was never re-formed.
Iraq and Syria
From August 1942 the Division, still a brigade short, became part of Paiforce when Persia and Iraq became a separate command under
General Sir Henry Maitland WilsonField Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson, GCB, GBE, DSO , also known as "Jumbo" Wilson, saw active service in the Second Boer War and First World War, and became a senior British general in the Middle East and Mediterranean during the Second World War...
in
BaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq and of Baghdad Governorate, with which it is coterminous. Having a municipal population estimated at 6.5 million, it is the largest city in Iraq and the second largest in the Arab World....
, (
General Quinan'sGeneral Sir Edward Pellew Quinan KCB, KCIE, DSO, OBE was a British army commander during World War II. During 1941, Quinan commanded the British and Indian Army forces in the Anglo-Iraqi War, the Syria-Lebanon campaign and the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran.-Early years and career in Indian...
Tenth ArmyThe Tenth Army was a unit of the British Army during World War II created in Iraq and formed from the major part of "Paiforce"...
in Iraq and Persia having previously come under
Middle East CommandThe Middle East Command was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to defend British interests in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region.The...
in
CairoCairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab World. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life...
). As the threat from the North faded following the Axis defeats at
AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of World War II. The battle lasted from 23 October to 5 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance...
and
StalingradThe Battle of Stalingrad was a battle of World War II between Nazi Germany and its allies and the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 17 July 1942 and 2 February 1943....
the Division withdrew in October 1942 to
KifriDiyala is one of the constituent governorates of the nation of Iraq.- Provincial Government :*Governor: Ra’ad Hameed Al-Mula Jowad Al-Tamimi *Deputy Governor: Auf Rahim *Provincial Council Chairman : Ibrahim Hassan al-Bajellane - Geography :...
near Baghdad where it was joined by Indian 21st Infantry Brigade and the 3rd, 52nd and 53rd Field Regiments,
Royal ArtilleryThe Royal Artillery is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
. It spent the winter in intensive training.
In January 1943 command of the Division passed to Major General (later Lieut Gen)
Dudley RussellLieutenant-General Sir Dudley Russell KBE, CB, DSO, MC was an officer in the British and Indian Armies during World War I and World War II.-Early career:...
(The Pasha), the highly successful commander of Indian 5th Infantry Brigade, part of the famous "Red Eagles"
Indian 4th Infantry DivisionThe Indian 4th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II...
. The Division moved in March 1943 to Damascus and continued to spend much of its time training, notably in mountain warfare and combined operations.
In June 1943 the Division was selected to participate in the anticipated
Dodecanese CampaignThe Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
("Operation Accolade"), and seize the Italian-occupied island of
RhodesRhodes is a Greek island approximately southwest of Turkey in eastern Aegean Sea...
, the chief Axis stronghold in the Dodecanese Islands. After frantic preparation and having loaded the first wave of ships, the Division's participation was canceled when the
Italian government surrenderedThe Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
and it was redirected to
ItalyItaly , 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. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
which the German army had continued to occupy.
Italy
On 24 September 1943 the Division landed in
TarantoTaranto is a coastal city in Puglia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base.It is the third-largest continental city of southern Italy: according to the 2001 census, it has a population of...
(Italy), to take its part in the
Italian CampaignThe Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the invasion of...
, and for 19 months was almost continuously in action advancing through mountainous country, crossing river after river.
From October 1943 to April 1944 the Division was part of the Allied thrust by British 8th Army up the
AdriaticThe Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges. The Adriatic Sea is a part of the Mediterranean Sea...
front on the Eastern side of Italy. This involved opposed river crossings of the Biferno, Trigno (October 1943), Sangro (November 1943) and
MoroThe Moro River Campaign was a military campaign during the Second World War fought between units of the British Eighth Army and the LXXVI Panzer Corps of the German Tenth Army. Lasting from 4–26 December 1943, the campaign occurred primarily in the vicinity of the Moro River in eastern Italy...
(December 1943). The following three months proved almost as arduous for, although there was no formal offensive, the period was characterised by patrolling and vicious skirmishes in very difficult terrain and abominable winter weather which proved physically hugely demanding and stressful.
Cassino
When the spring came the Division was switched in great secrecy (along with the bulk of 8th Army) 60 miles west across the
Apennine mountainsThe Apennines or Apennine Mountains is a mountain range stretching c. 1,200 km from the north to the south of Italy along its east coast, traversing the entire peninsula, and forming the backbone of the country...
to concentrate as part of
British XIII CorpsXIII Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I and World War II.-World War I:XIII Corps was formed in France on 15 November 1915 under Lieutenant-General Walter N. Congreve to be part of Fourth Army. It was first seriously engaged during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. On the First day...
along the River Garigliano at a part of the river better known as the
RapidoRapido was the name of the Canadian National Railway's express passenger train service on the Quebec City-Windsor Corridor. The service was introduced on October 31 1965 on the Montreal-Toronto route...
. Their heavily opposed night crossing of the Rapido in May 1944, supported by Canadian tanks (
1st Canadian Armoured BrigadeThe 1st Canadian Tank Brigade was formed on 4 February 1941. The Ontario Regiment and The Three Rivers Regiment were transferred from the incomplete 1st Canadian Armoured Division to provide the nucleus of 1st Canadian Tank Brigade in February 1941. In March, The Calgary Regiment joined the new...
) with which the Division had formed a particularly close fighting relationship over the previous six months, was critical to the Allies' success in this fourth and final Battle of Monte Cassino. Following this, the Division advanced some 240 miles in June across mountainous country fighting many actions against rearguards and defended strongpoints. In late June they had reached
AssisiAssisi is a town of Italy in province of Perugia, in the Umbria region and on the western flank of Monte Subasio.It was the birthplace of St. Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the town in 1208, and St. Clare , the founder of the Poor Clares...
and the Division was rested. It was during the fighting on the Rapido that
Kamal RamKamal Ram VC was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the youngest Indian recipient of the Second World War.He was born in a Gurjar Family on 17 December 1924 in Bholupura village, Sawai Madhopur tehsil, Jaipur State, Rajasthan, son of Shiv Chand Harsana.-Details:He was 19 years old, and a Sepoy in...
of the 3rd battalion
8th Punjab RegimentThe 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1923 to 1946 and the Partition of India.The 8th Punjab Regiment had its origins in the Madras Army; 6 regiments were renamed and reformed as battalions of the new 8th Punjab Regiment. By the end of the Second World War the...
won his
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
, at 19 years of age, the youngest recipient of the war.
Florence and the Gothic Line
By the end of July 1944 the Division was back in the line with 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade in front of
FlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
pushing towards the River
ArnoThe Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy.Arno may also refer to:- Given name :* Arno Breker, German sculptor* Arno Hintjens, Belgian singer* Arno Pijpers , Dutch football coach* Arno Saarinen , Finnish gymnast...
. Florence was occupied by 21 Brigade on 12 August where they had the unusual task to recover some of the world's greatest art treasures and arrange safe custody. By mid September the Division was in the mountains again, breaking through the
Gothic LineThe Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of Nazi Germany's forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold...
and then spending two months of grim (and ultimately unsuccessful) battling in foul weather towards the plains of Northern Italy together with
British 1st InfantryThe 1st Infantry Division was a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsula War, the Crimean War, the First World War, and during the Second World War.-Napoleonic Wars:...
,
Brititish 78th InfantryThe British 78th Infantry Division, also known as the Battleaxe Division, fought in the Second World War in North Africa and Italy.- History :...
and
British 6th Armoured DivisionThe 6th Armoured Division was a Second World War, British Army formation, created on 12 September 1940 The unit was initially supplied with the Matilda Tank and Valentine Tank, which were replaced by Crusader Tanks and then finally issued with the M4 Sherman Tank....
s forming British XIII Corps, which had now become the right wing of the U.S. 5th Army. It was during this time that
Thaman GurungThaman Gurung VC was a Nepalese recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
of the 1st battalion 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles won his Victoria Cross.
In December 1944 the
New Zealand 2nd DivisionThe 2nd New Zealand Division was a formation of the New Zealand Military Forces during World War II. It was commanded for most of its existence by Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg, and fought in Greece, Crete, the Western Desert and the Italy...
, advancing from the Adriatic on the division's right along the
RomagnaRomagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
plain, took
FaenzaFaenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
and the resistance on the 8th Division's front weakened as the Germans withdrew to shorten their front. In late December 1944 19 and 21 Brigades were rapidly switched across the Apennines to reinforce the US 92nd Infantry Division on the 5th Army's left flank in front of
LuccaLucca is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Lucca...
. By the time they had arrived the Germans had broken through but decisive action by Maj-Gen Russell halted their advance and the situation was stabilised by the New Year. The Division then moved to
PisaPisa is a city in Tuscany, central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the Arno River on the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
for a period of rest.
Spring offensive 1945
In mid-February 1945 the Division was back in the line on the Adriatic front, this time as part of 8th Army's
V CorpsV Corps was an army corps of the British Army in both World War I and World War II. The first formation of V Corps was during World War I as part of the Third Army and was composed of the 17th Division and the 38th Division as its major units...
, in front of the River
SenioThe Senio is a 92 km river of Romagna in Italy, the final right-sided tributary of the river Reno. The mean discharge at its mouth is about 10 m³/s; however this can vary from a minimum of 0.3 m³/s to a maximum of 500 m³/s....
. The
main assault on the SenioThe Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on April 6 1945 and ended on May 2 with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
started on 9 April. In desperate fighting two members of the Division,
Namdeo JadavNamdeo Jadav VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
and
Ali HaidarAli Haidar, VC was an ethnic Pashtun recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, won Victoria Crosses. By 11 April the Division reached and crossed the River
SanternoThe Santerno is a river of Romagna, in northern Italy, the major tributary of the Reno River. In Roman times, it was known as the Vatrenus , although, in the Tabula Peutingeriana, it was already identified as the Santernus....
breaking open a hole in the German line for the 78th Division and elements of British 56th Infantry Division to engage the enemy and defeat them in the Argenta Gap. This opened the way to
FerraraFerrara is a city in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara.It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north. The town has broad streets and numerous palaces...
and the
Po RiverThe Po is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest...
and for 6th Armoured Division to pass through, veer left and race westward across country to link with the advancing U.S. 5th Army and complete the encirclement of the divisions of the German
10thThe 10th Army was a World War II field army.The 10th Army was activated on August 6, 1939 with General Walter von Reichenau in command, first seeing service in Poland until October 10, 1939...
and
14thThe 14th Army was a World War II field army.The 14th Army was activated on August 1 1939 with General Wilhelm List in command and saw service in Poland until the end of the campaign in Poland October 13 1939...
Armies defending
BolognaBologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of northern Italy...
. In the aftermath of the Argenta fighting, the Division drove on rapidly through to Ferrara and across the Po and shortly therefter to their last river crossing of the war, the
AdigeThe Adige is a river with its source in the Alpine region of Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol near the Italian border with Austria and Switzerland...
.
The campaign ended on 2 May 1945. The 6th DCO Lancers marked the occasion with a special mission, sending an officer and nine men far up the road towards Austria and arranged the surrender of 11,000 men of their old enemy the German 1st Parachute Division.
Post World War II
Re-raised in 1962, the Division differs from more conventional
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
divisions in the emphasis that is placed on infantry tactics and the limited role that armour can be expected to take in operations in mountainous terrain. The armour that is used may differ from that used by other infantry divisions, for example, specialised mountain guns are required in many areas where the Division might be expected to operate.
The Division was initially created for operations against insurgents fighting for a separate state of
NagalandNagaland is a hill state located in the far north-eastern part of India. It borders the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh and part of Assam to the north, Burma to the east and Manipur to the south. The state capital is Kohima, and the largest city is Dimapur...
. In the mid-1990s, the formation was moved to the
KashmirKashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent...
valley in response to conflict there.
During the early summer of 1999, the Division was moved north to the
Kargil DistrictKargil is a district of Ladakh, Kashmir, India. Kargil lies near the Line of Control facing Pakistan-administered Kashmir's Baltistan to the west, and Kashmir valley to the south. Zanskar is part of Kargil district along with Suru, Wakha and Dras valleys...
to augment the beleaguered 3rd Division, which was based in
LehLeh , was the capital of the Himalayan kingdom of Ladakh, now the Leh District in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.The town is still dominated by the now ruined Leh Palace, former home of the royal family of Ladakh, built in the same style and about the same time as the Potala Palace...
, during Operation Vijay II. It is now permanently based in that sector as part of XIV Corps.
The Division has been constantly involved in operations since its creation.
Formation During World War II
General Officer Commanding:
- Major-General Charles Harvey
Major-General Sir Charles Harvey CB, CVO, CBE, MC was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I and World War II....
(Oct 1940 - Dec 1942)
- Major-General Dudley Russell
Lieutenant-General Sir Dudley Russell KBE, CB, DSO, MC was an officer in the British and Indian Armies during World War I and World War II.-Early career:...
(Jan 1943 - Aug 1945)
Headquarters
- 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)
The 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army that was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers and the 16th Cavalry...
(Div Reconnaissance Reg)
- Royal Artillery
The Royal Artillery is the common name for the Royal Regiment of Artillery, an arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- Divisional artillery:
- Brigadier R.V.M. Garry (Oct 1940 - Sep 1942)
- Brigadier M.W. Dewing (Sep 1942 - Sep 1944)
- Brigadier F.C. Bull (Sep 1944 - Jul 1945)
- Brigadier T.S. Dobree (Jul 1945 - Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 3, 52 & 53 Field Regts. RA
- 26 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt RA
- 4 Mahratta Anti-Tank Regt
- Indian Engineers: Sappers & Miners
- 7, 66 69 Field Coys. King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
- 47 Field Park Coy. King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
- 8 Indian Div Signals
- 5th Royal Battalion Machine Gun 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
The 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, whenthe Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in World War II and raised 30 battalions...
17 Indian Infantry Brigade
Commanders:
- Brigadier J.G. Bruce (Nov 1940 - May 1941)
- Brigadier Douglas Gracey (May 1941 - Mar 1942)
- Brigadier F.A.M.B. Jenkins (Mar 1942 - Oct 1943)
- Brigadier H.L. Wyndham (Oct 1943 - Nov 1943)
- Brigadier J. Scott-Elliott (Nov 1943 - Jan 1944)
- Brigadier Charles Boucher
Major-General Sir Charles Boucher KBE CB DSO and bar was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II.Whilst commanding Indian 10th Infantry Brigade he was captured on 6 June 1942 during the fighting in the Knightsbridge Cauldron when his headquarters were overrun...
(Feb 1944 - Jan 1945)
- Brigadier P.R. Macnamara (Jan 1945 - Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 1st Battalion Royal Fusiliers
- 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales Own Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment
The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army . It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further 10 battalions were raised...
- 1st Battalion 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles
The 5 Gorkha Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1891 as part of the British Indian Army and served in the First World War and Second World War. The regiment was one of the Gorkha regiments that was transferred to the...
- 1st Battalion Jaipur Infantry, Indian State Forces (Nov 1944 to Apr 1945)
18 Indian Infantry Brigade (up to June 1942)
Commanders:
- Brigadier Rupert Lochner
Rupert Lochner was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II.As part of Paiforce , Lochner commanded the 18th Indian Brigade of the Indian 8th Infantry Division during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia....
(Oct 1940 - Aug 1942)
- HQ
- 2nd/5th Battalion Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
(from Dec 1941)
- 4th Battalion 11th Sikh Regiment
The 11th Sikh Regiment were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1922, when after World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments....
(from Apr 1942)
- 2nd Battalion 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
The 3 Gorkha Rifles is an Indian Army infantry regiment. It was originally 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 First and Second World Wars...
- 1st Battalion 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles
The 2nd King Edward's Own Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles , where it exists to this day...
(until Apr 1942)
- 3rd Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment
The 10th Baluch or Baluchi Regiment was a regiment of the Indian Army from 1923. After the partition of India, its units transferred to the Pakistan Army where they became part of the Baloch Regiment.-Origins:...
(until Oct 1941)
19 Indian Infantry Brigade
Commanders:
- Brigadier C.W.W. Ford
Charles Willbraham Watson Ford was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War II. "Willbraham" may also be spelled "Wilbraham."...
(Oct 1940 - Feb 1943)
- Brigadier T.S. Dobree (Feb 1943 - Jul 1945)
- Brigadier W. Sandison (Jul 1945 - Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 1st/5th Battalion The Essex Regiment (up to March 1944)
- 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
The 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was formed in 1881 when the 91st Regiment of Foot were amalgamated with the 93rd Regiment of Foot to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders ....
(from Feb 1944)
- 3rd Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment
The 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1923 to 1946 and the Partition of India.The 8th Punjab Regiment had its origins in the Madras Army; 6 regiments were renamed and reformed as battalions of the new 8th Punjab Regiment. By the end of the Second World War the...
- 6th Royal Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
21 Indian Infantry Brigade (from October 1942)
Commanders:
- Brigadier C.J. Weld
Charles Joseph Weld was an officer in the British Indian Army during the interwar years, World War II, and post-war.As part of Iraqforce, Brigadier Weld commanded the 21st Indian Brigade of the Indian 10th Infantry Division during the Anglo-Iraqi War and the Syria-Lebanon campaign.As part of...
(Sep 1940 - May 1942)
- Brigadier J.J. Purves (May 1942 - Mar 1943)
- Brigadier B.S. Mould (Mar 1943 - Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (Nov 1942 to Jun 1945)
- 1st Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
The 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, whenthe Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in World War II and raised 30 battalions...
(from Nov 1942)
- 3rd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment
The 15th Punjab Regiment was a infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the reforms of the Indian Army post World War I...
(from Apr 1943)
- 1st Battalion Jaipur Infantry, Indian State Forces (from Apr 1945)
- 2nd Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles
The 8 Gorkha Rifles is a Gorkha regiment of the Indian Army. It was raised in 1824 as part of the British East India Company and later transferred to the British Indian Army after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The regiment served in the World War I and World War II, before being one of the Gurkha...
(Jun 1942 to Jan 1943)
Support units
- Royal Indian Army Service Corps
- 8 Ind Div Troops Tpt Coy
- 17, 19 & 21 Brigade Tpt Coys
- Div Supply Units
- Medical Services
- I.M.S-R.A.M.C-I.M.D-I.H.C-I.A.M.C
- 29, 31,& 33 Indian Field Ambulances
- 8 Indian Div Provost Unit
- Indian Army Ordnance Corps
- 8 Indian Div Ordnance FD Park
- Indian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
- 120,121 & 122 Infantry Workshop Coys
- 8 Indian Div Recovery Coy
Badge
During World War II the insignia of the Division was a yellow four-leafed clover (some versions appear as three-leafed -see images) flanked on each side by a yellow three-leafed clover, their stalks forming a "V", all on a red background. The Division and its members were thus referred to as "clovers".
During the period the Scotsmen of the 1st Battalion
Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersThe Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division. In 2004, as part of the restructuring of the infantry, it was announced that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders would be amalgamated with the other Scottish infantry regiments into...
served in the division, its Jock soldiers fondly referred to the division insignia as "the three wee floo'ers" (the three little flowers).
In its second incarnation the formation sign of the Division depicts a red dagger superimposed on two overlapping gold circles on a black background.