15th Infantry Division (India)

The 15th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the First World War. It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. It did not serve in the Second World War,[1] but was reformed at Dehradun in 1964 as part of the post-independence Indian Army.

15th Indian Division
Active7 May 1916 – March 1919; 1 October 1964 onwards
Country British India
India India
Branch British Indian Army
Indian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeDivision
Nickname(s)Panther Division
EngagementsWorld War I
Mesopotamian Campaign
Capture of Ramadi
Action of Khan Baghdadi
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Major General H T Brooking
Major General Mohinder Singh MVC
Major General BM Bhattacharjee PVSM, MVC

History
The 2nd Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles of 42nd Indian Brigade march towards the action of Khan Baghdadi
World War I

The division was formed on 7 May 1916 to replace the 12th Indian Division on the Euphrates Front. It remained on the Euphrates Front until the end of the war. It took part in the action of As Sahilan (11 September 1916), the Capture of Ramadi (28 and 29 September 1917), the Occupation of Hīt (9 March 1918) and the action of Khan Baghdadi (26 and 27 March 1918).[2] The division was not attached to either of the army corps operating in Mesopotamia, the I Corps and III Corps.

The division was commanded from formation on 7 May 1916 by Brigadier-General Harry T Brooking. Brooking was promoted to Major-General on 5 June 1916.[3]

At the end of the war, the division was rapidly run down and it was disbanded in March 1919.[2]

Post Independence

The division was re-raised on 1 October 1964 at Clement Town, Dehradun under Major General Niranjan Prasad and assigned to XI Corps.[4][5] The divisional headquarters has been located at Amritsar since 1965.

Order of battle, First World War

The division commanded the following units, although not all of them served at the same time:[6]

12th Indian Brigade

34th Indian Brigade
Joined the division on formation and left for the 17th Indian Division in August 1917

42nd Indian Brigade

50th Indian Brigade
Joined from the 17th Indian Division in September 1917

Divisional Artillery

Engineers and Pioneers

Divisional troops
  • D Squadron 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry (6 August 1917 to May 1918)
  • 275th Machine Gun Company
  • 3rd, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 34th, 105th and 108th Combined Field Ambulances, RAMC
  • No. 16 (renumbered No. 6) Mobile Veterinary Section, AVC
  • 15th Division Train, ASC

Battles and engagements during World War I

The division was involved in the following actions:[2]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Main article: Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

The division was fully operational on 31 March 1965 and moved to its headquarters in Amritsar by 1 April 1965. It took part in Operation Ablaze and the Battle of Dograi.[8]

The division consisted of 38 Infantry Brigade, 54 Infantry Brigade and 15 Artillery Brigade.[9] 38 Infantry Brigade consisted of 1 Jat, 1/3 Gorkha Rifles and 3 Garhwal Rifles. 54 Infantry Brigade consisted of 3 Jat, 15 Dogra, 13 Punjab. In addition to the two infantry brigades, the division consisted of 14 Horse (Scinde Horse), 60 Heavy Regiment and 71 Field Company.[10][11] 96 Infantry Brigade, consisting of 6 Kumaon, 7 Punjab and 16 Dogra was initially part of the XI Corps reserve, but subsequently placed under the division's operational command.[9] 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade was placed under the division on 11 September. It was tasked to capture the road and rail bridges in Jallo area, but suffered heavy casualties during 16 and 17 September and had to be withdrawn.

The division was given the task to advance on the Grand Trunk Road axis and capture the bridge on the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal (also called Ichhogil Canal) in Dograi east of Lahore. 3 Jat under Lieutenant Colonel Desmond Hayde captured Dograi on the eastern bank of the Canal on 6 September 1965. The same day, 3 Jat captured the Batapore and Attokeawan localities on the west bank of the Canal. Due to lack of support, the unit had to fall back. 1 Jat managed to reach Bhaini Dhilwan bridge, but could not secure it due to armour and artillery fire and had to withdraw. This bridge was subsequently captured by 96 Infantry Brigade.[12] Following the initial reverses faced by the division, Major General Niranjan Prasad was replaced by Major General Mohindar Singh on 9 September 1965.[9][5] The period of 11 to 18 September was characterised by a series of unproductive actions. The division subsequently plunged in the battle for the Ichhogil canal with zeal and determination. On 21 and 22 September, 3 Jat of the 54 Brigade captured Dograi. The unit won 3 Maha Vir Chakras, 4 Vir Chakras, 7 Sena Medals, 12 Mention in Dispatches and 11 COAS Commendation Cards.[13]

At the end of the war, 15 Division saw 486 killed (26 Officers, 9 JCOs, 451 ORs), 1569 wounded (60 Officers, 57 JCOs, 1450 ORs, 2 NCEs) and 85 missing (3 Officers, 2 JCOs, 79 ORs, 1 NCE).[14]

Awards and honours
  • The following regiments won the battle honour Dograi-[15][16][17][18]
    • 14 Horse
    • 3 Jat
    • 15 Dogra
    • 7 Punjab
    • 13 Punjab
  • During the campaign, four Maha Vir Chakras were awarded for conspicuous bravery-[13][19]
    • Major General Mohinder Singh, GOC 15 Infantry Division
    • Lieutenant Colonel Desmond E Hayde, Commanding Officer, 3 Jat
    • Major AR Tyagi (Posthumous), 3 Jat
    • Captain Kapil Singh Thapa (Posthumous), 3 Jat

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
Main article: Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

The division was under Major General BM Bhattacharjee MVC during the 1971 war and was responsible for the area between Gurdaspur and the Grand Trunk road opposite Amritsar. It took part in the battles of Dera Baba Nanak and Fatehpur – Burj.[8]

Order of battle

[20]

Awards and honours

15 Infantry Division won numerous gallantry awards during the war.[26] Prominent among them are:

Param Vishisht Seva Medal awardee-
  • Major General BM Bhattacharjee MVC
Maha Vir Chakra awardees-
  • Battle of Dera Baba Nanak
    • Brigadier Krishnaswamy Gowri Shankar, Commander of 86 Infantry Brigade
    • Lieutenant Colonel Narinder Singh Sandhu of 10 Dogra
    • Captain Devinder Singh Ahlawat of 10 Dogra
  • Battle of Burj
    • Sepoy Pandurang Salunkhe of 15 Maratha Light Infantry
  • Ranian
    • Major Basidev Singh Makotia of 9 Punjab
  • Fathepur
    • Lieutenant Colonel Harish Chandra Pathak of 8 Sikh Light Infantry
  • Pul Kanjiri
    • Lance Naik Shangara Singh of 2 Sikh
Battle Honours
  • 86 Infantry Brigade was awarded the battle honour Dera Baba Nanak.[27]
  • 15 Maratha Light Infantry was awarded the battle honour Burj and the theatre honour Punjab. It was declared as the 'Best Performing Battalion' during the 1971 Indo-Pak War in the XI Corps Zone by the GOC, Lieutenant General N. C. Rawlley PVSM, AVSM, MC.[24][28]
  • 10 Dogra was awarded the battle honour Dera Baba Nanak.[29]
  • 1/9 Gorkha Rifles was awarded the battle honour Dera Baba Nanak and theatre honour Punjab.[30]

Other Operations

See also

Notes
  1. VII Mountain Brigade, Indian Mountain Artillery joined in May 1916 and left in April 1917.[7]
  2. CCXXII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery joined in October 1916. It was originally the III Home Counties Brigade of the Home Counties Division, Territorial Force, plus the 375th and 77th (H) Batteries. 429th (H) Battery replaced 77th (H) Battery in October 1918.[7]
  3. CCXV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery joined in October 1917 from 3rd (Lahore) Division. It was originally the I Wessex Brigade of the Wessex Division, Territorial Force, plus the 816th and 524th (H) Batteries. 816th Battery was originally 2/1st Nottinghamshire Royal Horse Artillery.[7]
  4. The Volunteer Battery left in April 1918 for 17th Indian Division.[7]
  5. M, N and O Light Trench Mortar Batteries joined in September 1917 and were assigned to the infantry brigades in February 1918.[7]

References
  1. Kempton 2003a, i
  2. Perry 1993, p. 136
  3. Perry 1993, p. 131
  4. Richard A. Renaldi and Ravi Rikhye, 'Indian Army Order of Battle,' Orbat.com for Tiger Lily Books: A division of General Data LLC, ISBN 978-0-9820541-7-8, 2011, 103-4.
  5. "Army ad errs on 1965 war history, makes amends". 17 August 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. Perry 1993, p. 134
  7. Perry 1993, p. 135
  8. "15 Infantry Division, Golden Jubilee Cover". 1 October 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  9. Singh, Harbaksh (2012). War Despatches: Indo-Pak Conflict 1965. Lancer Publishers LLC. ISBN 978-8170621171.
  10. "The Scinde Horse". 9 January 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  11. "Recalling epic tank battles of 1965 war: When Pakistan Army began avoiding Indian Army tanks". 4 January 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  12. Rao, KVK (1991). Prepare or Perish: A Study of National Security. Lancer Publishers. pp. 131–132. ISBN 978-8172120016.
  13. "GOLDEN JUBILEE OF 1965 WAR, The Battle of Dograi". 1 October 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  14. Singh, Jogindar (1993). Behind the Scene: An Analysis of India's Military Operations, 1947–1971. Lancer Publishers. p. 152. ISBN 978-1897829202.
  15. "8 MECHANISED INFANTRY (7 PUNJAB ICHHOGIL WARRIORS". 1 October 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  16. "Battle Honour Day Celebrated". 1 November 2008. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  17. "INDO – PAK WAR OF 1965, Valour of Punjab Regiment and Brigade of Guards". 1 October 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  18. "BATTLES THAT MADE HISTORY". 1 January 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  19. "Gazette of India, No 41, page 661" (PDF). 8 October 1966. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  20. Gill, JH (2003). An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War – Creation of Bangladesh. National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. p. 86.
  21. Praval, KC (2009). Indian Army After Independence. Lancer Publishers. ISBN 978-1935501107.
  22. "Guts, Grit and Glory – Braveheart's Victory". Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  23. Singh, Jagjit (1994). Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. Spantech & Lancer. p. 164. ISBN 978-1897829554.
  24. "Guts, Grit and Glory – Braveheart's Victory – How Major Ranbir Singh won the landmark Battle of Burj, 1971". Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  25. Singh, Jagjit (1994). Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. Spantech & Lancer. p. 162. ISBN 978-1897829554.
  26. "Gazette of India, No" (PDF). 12 February 1972. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  27. "DBN Brigade celebrates anniversary". 6 December 2006. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  28. "Baatcheet, April 2021" (PDF). 1 April 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
  29. Prasad, Shankar (2008). The Gallant Dogras-An Illustrated History of the Dogra Regiment. Lancer International. ISBN 978-8170622680.
  30. "A Saga of Valour – 200 Years of First Nine Gorkhas". 1 April 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2021.

Bibliography
  • Kempton, Chris (2003a). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Vol. Part I Divisions. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-228-5.
  • Moberly, F.J. (1923). Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign. London: Imperial War Museum. ISBN 1-870423-30-5.
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.
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