The 72nd Indian Infantry 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 both the
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
* British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
and
Indian Armies, formed in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
in January 1941 during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. On 1 June 1943 it was re-designated as the
British 72nd Infantry Brigade.
On 28 April 1943 a new 72nd Infantry Brigade was formed 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 ...
by the re-designation of the 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade, which had been formed a few weeks earlier in March 1943 as an infantry 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, ...
. It was assigned to the
36th Indian Infantry Division, which became a British division on 1 September 1944.
Composition in United Kingdom 1941-1943
* 13th Battalion,
Royal Welch Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers () was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales's Division, that was founded in 1689, shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated a fusilier regiment and becam ...
(''21 January 1941 - 24 September 1942'')
* 6th Battalion,
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was an Ireland, Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot and the 108th (Ma ...
(''21 January 1941 - 14 January 1942'')
* 15th Battalion,
South Staffordshire Regiment
The South Staffordshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for only 68 years. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 38th (1st Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot a ...
(''21 January 1941 - 25 May 1942'')
* 4th Battalion,
East Lancashire Regiment
The East Lancashire Regiment was, from 1881 to 1958, a Line infantry, line infantry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot and 59t ...
(''14 January 1942 - 8 October 1942'')
* 11th Battalion,
Devonshire Regiment
The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the World War I, First World War and the World War II, ...
(''8 October 1941 - 25 May 1943'')
* 9th Battalion,
Somerset Light Infantry
The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, which served under various titles from 1685 to 1959. In 1959, the regiment was amalgamated with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry to form the Som ...
(''9 September 1942 - 21 May 1943'')
Composition with 36th Infantry Division, India, 1943-
* 6th Battalion,
South Wales Borderers
The South Wales Borderers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for 280 years.
It came into existence in England in 1689, as Sir Edward Dering's Regiment of Foot, and afterwards had a variety of names and headquarters. In ...
(''28 April 1944 - 18 July 1945'')
* 9th Battalion,
Royal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was in existence from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foo ...
(''28 April 1944 - 31 August 1945'')
* 10th Battalion,
Gloucestershire Regiment
The Gloucestershire Regiment, commonly referred to as the Glosters, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 until 1994. It traced its origins to Colonel Gibson's Regiment of Foot, which was raised in 1694 and later became the ...
(''28 April 1944 - 16 July 1945'')
* 30th Field Company,
Indian Engineers
The Indian Army Corps of Engineers is a combat support arm which provides combat engineering support, develops infrastructure for armed forces and other defence organisations and maintains connectivity along the borders, besides helping the civi ...
[Joslen]
See also
*
List of Indian Army Brigades in World War II
References
Sources
* Joslen, HF, Orders of Battle Volume 1 United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War 1939 - 1945, London, HMSO 1960
* Foster, Geoffry, 36th Division - North Burma - 1944–45, England 1946
Military units and formations in Burma in World War II
British Indian Army brigades
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