34th Indian Brigade

The 34th Indian Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the Mesopotamian campaign in the Indian Army during the First World War. It was reformed for the Second World War as the 34th Indian States Forces Infantry Brigade.[2]

For the Second World War formation, see 34th Indian States Forces Infantry Brigade.

34th Indian Brigade
ActiveDecember 1915 – August 1923
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Part of12th Indian Division
15th Indian Division
17th Indian Division
EngagementsFirst World War
Mesopotamian Campaign
Battle of Sharqat
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Br.-Gen. A.G. Wauchope[1]

History
12th Indian Division

The 34th Indian Brigade was formed in Mesopotamia in December 1915 with four battalions newly arrived from India. It joined the 12th Indian Division to replace the 33rd Indian Brigade that was broken up on 7 December.[3] While with the division, it took part in the Affair of Butaniya on 14 January 1916. The division never reached full strength as units were constantly detached to support the efforts to relieve the 6th (Poona) Division besieged at Kut.[4] The division was broken up on 10 March 1916 and the brigade joined Corps Troops before it was posted to the new 15th Indian Division in May 1916.[5]

15th Indian Division

The 15th Indian Division was formed on 7 May 1916 to replace the 12th Indian Division on the Euphrates Front; the brigade joined the division on formation. It remained with the division on the Euphrates Front until August 1917. The only significant action that the brigade took part in as part of the 15th Indian Division was the action of As Sahilan on 11 September 1916.[6]

17th Indian Division

The brigade joined the newly formed 17th Indian Division, swapping places with the 50th Indian Brigade.[6] It remained with the division for the rest of the war, taking part in the action at Fat-ha Gorge on the Little Zab (23–26 October 1918) and the Battle of Sharqat (28–30 October 1918).[7]

At the end of the war, the 17th Division was chosen to form part of the occupation force for Iraq. It took part in the Iraq Rebellion in 1920. In August 1923, the division was reduced to a single brigade; the last British troops left in March 1927 and the Indian ones in November 1928.[7]

Order of battle

The brigade had the following composition in the First World War:[5][8][9]

Commanders

The brigade had the following commanders:[3][12][13]

FromRankName
2 December 1915Brigadier-GeneralE.C. Tidswell
1 May 1917Brigadier-GeneralA.G. Wauchope

See also

Notes
  1. The other half of the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) was assigned to the 30th Indian Brigade, 6th (Poona) Division in November 1915.[10] It was captured in the fall of Kut.[11] The battalion was brought up to full strength in June 1916.[8]

References
  1. "No. 30134". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 1917. p. 5966.
  2. Kempton 2003b, p. 41
  3. Perry 1993, p. 123
  4. Perry 1993, p. 126
  5. Perry 1993, p. 124
  6. Perry 1993, p. 136
  7. Perry 1993, p. 146
  8. Perry 1993, p. 134
  9. Perry 1993, p. 144
  10. Perry 1993, p. 125
  11. Perry 1993, p. 76
  12. Perry 1993, p. 131
  13. Perry 1993, p. 141

Bibliography
  • Kempton, Chris (2003b). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Vol. Part II Brigades. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-238-2.
  • 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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