The 37th Indian Brigade was an

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 ...

of the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

that saw active service with the Indian Army during the First World War. It took part in the

Mesopotamian campaign The Mesopotamian campaign or Mesopotamian front () was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the British Empire, with troops from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain, Australia and the vast major ...

and was disbanded shortly after the end of the war.

History

;3rd (Lahore) Division Units of the 37th Indian Brigade began to land at

Basra Basra () is a port city in Iraq, southern Iraq. It is the capital of the eponymous Basra Governorate, as well as the List of largest cities of Iraq, third largest city in Iraq overall, behind Baghdad and Mosul. Located near the Iran–Iraq bor ...

on 21 January 1916 and the brigade was formed in the next month. It served in the

Mesopotamian Campaign The Mesopotamian campaign or Mesopotamian front () was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the British Empire, with troops from United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Britain, Australia and the vast major ...

for the rest of the war. It was attached to the 3rd (Lahore) Division from March to April 1916. While with the division, it took part in the attempts to relieve the 6th (Poona) Division besieged in Kut, including the Attack on the Dujaila Redoubt (8 March) and the action of Bait Isa (17 – 18 April). ;14th Indian Division In May 1916, the brigade joined the newly formed 14th Indian Division. It remained with the division for the rest of the war and took part in a large number of small actions: the Advance to the Hai and Capture of the Khudaira Bend (14 December 1916 – 19 January 1917), the Capture of the Hai Salient (25 January – 5 February 1917), the Capture of the Dahra Bend (9 – 16 February), the Capture of Sannaiyat (17 – 24 February), the Passage of the Tigris (23 – 24 February), the Second Action of Jabal Hamrin (16 – 20 October), and the Third Action of Jabal Hamrin (3 – 6 December 1917). At the end of the war, the 14th Division was rapidly demobilized and the 37th Indian Brigade was broken up in February 1919.

Order of battle

The brigade had the following composition in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

: * 1/4th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) ''(joined in February 1916 from 2nd (Nowshera) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division; left for 41st Indian Brigade in May)'' * 34th Sikh Pioneers ''(attached from 3rd (Lahore) Division from March to April 1916)'' * 92nd Punjabis ''(joined in February 1916 from 22nd (Lucknow) Brigade, 10th Indian Division; left for 19th (Dehra Dun) Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division in April)'' * 1st Battalion, 2nd King Edward's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) ''(joined in February 1916 from Dehra Dun Brigade, 7th Meerut Divisional Area; left in April 1918 and in August joined

36th Indian Brigade The 36th Indian Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service with the Indian Army during the First World War. It took part in the Mesopotamian campaign and later formed part of the North Persia Force. ...

)'' * 36th Sikhs ''(joined in April 1916 from 1st (Peshawar) Brigade, 1st (Peshawar) Division; transferred to Corps Troops in February 1917)'' * 64th Pioneers ''(joined in April 1916 from Jhansi Brigade, 5th (Mhow) Division; left for Corps Troops in June)'' * 1/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment ''(joined on 5 May 1916 from 41st Indian Brigade; transferred to Corps Troops in February 1917)'' * 45th Rattray's Sikhs ''(joined in June 1916 from 41st Indian Brigade; transferred to Corps Troops in February 1917)'' * 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment ''(joined from Corps Troops in February 1917)'' * 2nd Battalion, 9th Gurkha Rifles ''(joined from Corps Troops in February 1917)'' * 1st Battalion, 67th Punjabis ''(joined from Corps Troops in February 1917; left in April 1918 to join the 82nd Brigade in British 27th Division)'' *

82nd Punjabis The 82nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. It was designated as the 82nd Punjabis in 1903 and became the 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was al ...

''(transferred from 36th Indian Brigade in August 1918)'' * 185th Machine Gun Company ''(joined in August 1916)'' * 37th Light Trench Mortar Battery ''('L' Light Trench Mortar Battery joined 14th Division in September 1917 and assigned to the brigade in February 1918)''

Commanders

The brigade had the following commanders:

References

Bibliography

External links