35th Indian Brigade

The 35th 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 was disbanded shortly after the end of the war. It was not reformed for the Second World War.[1]

35th Indian Brigade
ActiveDecember 1915 – February 1919
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Part of7th (Meerut) Division
14th Indian Division
EngagementsFirst World War
Mesopotamian Campaign
Battle of Sheikh Sa'ad
Battle of Wadi (1916)
Battle of Hanna
Second Battle of Kut
Fall of Baghdad (1917)

History
7th (Meerut) Division

The 35th Indian Brigade was formed in December 1915 and arrived in Mesopotamia in the same month. It was attached to the 7th (Meerut) Division until February 1916.[2] While with the division, it took part in the attempts to relieve the 6th (Poona) Division besieged in Kut, including the Action of Shaikh Saad (6 – 8 January 1916), the Action of the Wadi (13 January 1916) and the First attack on Hanna (21 January 1916).[3]

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 Passage of the Adhaim (18 April), the action of Adhaim (30 April), the Second Action of Jabal Hamrin (16 – 20 October), and the Third Action of Jabal Hamrin (3 – 6 December 1917).[4]

At the end of the war, the 14th Division was rapidly demobilized and the 35th Indian Brigade was broken up in February 1919.[4]

Order of battle

The brigade had the following composition in the First World War:[2][5]

Commanders

The brigade had the following commanders:[2][13]

FromRankNameNotes
1 December 1915Brigadier-GeneralG.B.H. Ricesick, 3 May 1916
22 May 1916Brigadier-GeneralW.M. Thomson
22 November 1916Lieutenant-ColonelG.M. Morristemporary
6 January 1918Brigadier-GeneralC.B.L. Cleary

See also

Notes
  1. One company of the 1/4th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment was attached to the 30th Indian Brigade when it was captured at Kut on 29 April 1916.[10] On 12 February 1916, the rest of the battalion formed the Composite Territorial Battalion with the 1/5th (The Weald of Kent) Battalion, Buffs (East Kent Regiment).[11] Both battalions were part of the Territorial Force, hence the title. They resumed their separate existence in May 1916.[10][11]
  2. 37th Dogras was joined by 41st Dogras from 21st (Bareilly) Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division to form the Composite Dogra Battalion. They resumed their separate existence in June 1916.[12]

References
  1. Kempton 2003b, p. 41
  2. Perry 1993, p. 85
  3. Perry 1993, p. 89
  4. Perry 1993, p. 130
  5. Perry 1993, p. 128
  6. Perry 1993, p. 68
  7. Perry 1993, p. 42
  8. Perry 1993, p. 154
  9. Perry 1993, p. 80
  10. James 1978, p. 79
  11. James 1978, p. 44
  12. Perry 1993, p. 129
  13. Perry 1993, p. 127

Bibliography
  • James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.
  • 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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