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The 17th Indian Infantry Brigade was an
It was formed in November 1940, at the
infantry
Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...
brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...
formation of the Indian Army during World War II
The Indian Army during World War II, a British force also referred to as the British Indian Army, began the war, in 1939, numbering just under 200,000 men.Sumner, p.25 By the end of the war, it had become the largest volunteer army in history, ...
.
History
It was formed in November 1940, at the Delhi Cantonment
Delhi Cantonment (ISO: ''Dillī Chāvanī''; popularly referred to as Delhi Cantt) is a Class I Cantonment Board established in 1914. The area of the Cantonment is and the population of the Cantonment as per the 2011 census is 110,351.
The ...
in India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
and assigned to the 8th Indian Infantry Division. They were sent to participate in the Anglo-Iraqi War
The Anglo-Iraqi War was a British-led Allies of World War II, Allied military campaign during the Second World War against the Kingdom of Iraq, then ruled by Rashid Ali al-Gaylani who had seized power in the 1941 Iraqi coup d'état with assista ...
and the Syria-Lebanon Campaign and came under command of the 10th Indian Infantry Division
The 10 RAPID Division (erstwhile 10 Inf Division) was a war formed infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. In four years, the division travelled over from Tehran to Trieste, fought three small wars, and fought two gre ...
between July and August 1941. Returning to the 8th Indian Division in September 1941, at the end of the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, also known as the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia, was the joint invasion of the neutral Imperial State of Iran by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union in August 1941. The two powers announced that they w ...
, they were sent to Egypt
Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. They then spent 1942, as a garrison force in Syria. It then took part in the Italian Campaign from September 1943 to August 1945. It was briefly coming under command of the British 78th Infantry Division between 3 and 7 November 1943.
Units
*1st Battalion,5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army.
The regiment's battalions serve ...
November 1940 to July 1941 and October 1941 to August 1945
*1st Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment
The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was formed in 1922 as part of the British Indian Army. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th (Training) Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. ...
May 1941 to June 1945
*32nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
July 1941
*1st Battalion, King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army. It served under various titles and fought in many wars and conflicts, including both the First and the Second World Wars, from 1680 to 1959. In 1959, the ...
July to December 1941
*1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881.
The regiment served in many war ...
December 1941 to June 1945
*144th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
July to August 1942
*50th Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest tank unit in the world, being formed by the British Army in 1916 during the World War I, First World War. Today, it is an Armoured warfare, armoured regiment equipped with Challenger 2 main battle tanks ...
November 1943
*52nd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
November 1943
*166th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
November 1943
* 11th Canadian Armoured Regiment April to May 1944 and August 1944
*6th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakista ...
June 1944
*4th Anti Tank Regiment, Indian Artillery
The Regiment of Artillery is a combat support arm of the Indian Army, which provides massive firepower during all ground operations of the Indian Army. It is a successor to the Royal Indian Artillery (RIA) of British Indian Army, which itsel ...
August 1944
* 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers August 1944
*5th Battalion, 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
The 5th Mahratta Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, when
the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in World War ...
August 1944
*1st Battalion, Jaipur Infantry December 1944 to April 1945
Commanders
*Brigadier John Geoffrey Bruce (Nov 1940 – May 1941) *BrigadierDouglas Gracey
General Sir Douglas David Gracey, (3 September 1894 – 5 June 1964) was a British Indian Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars. He also fought in French Indochina and was the second Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan ...
(May 1941 – Mar 1942)
*Brigadier F.A.M.B. Jenkins (Mar 1942 – Oct 1943)
*Brigadier H.L. Wyndham (Oct 1943 – Nov 1943)
*Brigadier James Scott-Elliot
Major General James Scott-Elliot, (6 November 1902 – 12 September 1996) was a senior British Army officer.
Military career
Educated at Wellington College, Berkshire, and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Scott-Elliot was commissioned i ...
(Nov 1943 – Jan 1944)
*Brigadier Charles Hamilton Boucher (Feb 1944 – Jan 1945)
*Brigadier Playford Rawdon Macnamara (Jan 1945 – Aug 1945)
See also
* List of Indian Army Brigades in World War IIReferences
British Indian Army brigades {{India-mil-unit-stub