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| |
 Divisional sign until Jun-42(?) |
17 Indian
Infantry Division
Burma 1942
|
|
|
| 01-Jul-41 |
Raised as a War Office Reserve
Division in Ahmednagar in July 1941. Officially mobilised on 01-Dec-41. |
| Divisional badge was a black
cat on a khaki square background. Fought against the Japanese for longer than any |
| other British or Indian
formation. |
| The division was to be sent to
Iraq in 1941 for training and equipment for desert warfare as a fully mechanised division. |
| In Nov-41 moved to Dhond for
training. In December 1941 the division was incomplete and unfit for active operations. |
|
01-Jul-41 |
Maj Gen |
HV Lewis |
|
01-Nov-41 |
Maj Gen |
JG Smyth VC |
|
01-Mar-42 |
Maj Gen |
DT Cowan |
The division was continuously reorganised during
the 1942 campaign. Orders of battle for selected actions are presented
below.
1. Moulmein - 18 January
1942
2. The Bilin River Action -
15 January 1942
3.
17th Indian Division after the Sittang Disaster
- 25
February 1942
|
5th Mountain Battery, Indian
Artillery |
(Moulmein) |
|
|
|
60th Field Company, Madras
Sappers and Miners |
(Moulmein) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 16 Indian Infantry
Brigade |
(Kawkareik) |
|
|
|
1st Battalion, 9th The Jat
Regiment (1/9 Jats) |
(Kawkareik) |
|
|
1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha
Rifles (1/7 Gurkhas) |
(Kawkareik) |
|
|
|
4th Battalion,
The Burma Rifles (4 Burif) |
(Kawkareik,
attached from 2 Burma Brigade Group) |
|
|
4th Battalion,
12th Frontier Force Regiment (4/12 Frontier Force) |
(Moulmein,
detached to 2 Burma Brigade Group from 09-Jan-42) |
| 46 Indian Infantry
Brigade |
(Bilin area, from Rangoon
where just arrived from India) |
|
3rd Battalion, 7th Gurkha
Rifles (3/7 Gurkhas) |
(Bilin area) |
|
|
|
7th Battalion, 10th Baluch
Regiment (7/10 Baluchis) |
(Bilin area) |
|
|
|
5th Battalion, 17th Dogra
Regiment (5/17 Dogras) |
(Rangoon) |
|
|
|
|
|
| 2 Burma
Brigade Group |
(Moulmein, under command 17th
Indian Division from 1st Burma Division) |
|
2nd Battalion, The Burma
Rifles (2 Burif) |
(Mergui, awaiting evacuation
to Rangoon) |
|
3rd Battalion,
The Burma Rifles (3 Burif) |
(Moulmein, less two companies
the remnants of which retreating to Moulmein from Tavoy) |
|
4th Battalion,
The Burma Rifles (4 Burif) |
(Kawkareik, detached to 16th
Indian Brigade) |
|
6th Battalion, The Burma
Rifles (6 Burif) |
(remnants retreating to
Moulmein from Tavoy) |
|
8th (Frontier Force)
Battalion, The Burma Rifles (8 Burif) |
(Moulmein) |
|
4th Battalion,
12th Frontier Force Regiment (4/12 Frontier Force) |
(Moulmein,
attached from 16 Indian Infantry Brigade from 09-Jan-42) |
|
FF2, Burma Frontier Force |
(attached - Mergui, awaiting
evacuation to Rangoon) |
|
The Kokine
Battalion, Burma Frontier Force |
(attached detachments at
Moulmein and Mergui, Tavoy detachment dispersed) |
|
The Tenasserim Battalion,
Burma Auxiliary Force |
(attached - Moulmein, less one
company) |
|
12th Mountain Battery, Indian
Artillery |
(attached - Moulmein) |
|
|
1st Burma Field Company, Burma
Sappers and Miners |
(one section attached -
Moulmein) |
|
3rd Indian Light Antiaircraft
Battery |
(Moulmein, 'C' Troop only
attached) |
|
2nd Indian
Anti-Tank Regiment |
(In
Rangoon during the Bilin River action) |
|
15th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
(Rangoon,
not able
to come forward until around 20-Feb-42 due to
need to improvise truck transport) |
|
28th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
(Rangoon,
not able
to come forward until around 20-Feb-42 due to
need to improvise truck transport) |
|
28th Mountain
Regiment, Indian Artillery |
(Headquarters) |
|
24th Field
Company, Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners |
|
|
60th Field
Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners |
|
1st Battalion,
The West Yorkshire Regiment |
|
|
2nd Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
(Papun, attached) |
|
4th Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
(Shwegyin, attached, one
company) |
|
7th Battalion,
10th Baluch Regiment (7/10 Baluch) |
(250 strong,
reforming at Kyaikto) |
|
8th (Frontier
Force) Battalion, The Burma Rifles |
(Kamamaung, one company
attached ) |
|
FF2, Burma
Frontier Force |
(attached.
No. 1 Column on the coast, No.2 Column to the north based on Melan) |
| |
|
| 16 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
(defending the Bilin River Line) |
|
1st Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment |
(between Shwehle
and Bilin) |
|
1st Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles |
(Brigade reserve, area west of
Bilin village)) |
|
2nd Battalion,
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry |
(Danyingon, Paya
and Yinon, north of Bilin, attached) |
|
5th Battalion, 17th Dogra Regiment |
(Bilin-Thaton
road, 3-4 mls south-east of Bilin village, attached from 46
Indian Infantry Brigade) |
|
8th (Frontier
Force) Battalion, The Burma Rifles |
(Bilin
village, less one company
detached to 17 Indian Infantry
Division) |
|
1st Armoured Car
Company, Burma Auxiliary Force |
(one section (3 X
cars) attached) |
|
5th Field
Battery, Royal Artillery, Burma Auxilliary Force |
(attached. 2 X 18pdr field guns in the anti-tank
role) |
|
12th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
(attached) |
|
5th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
(attached) |
|
|
|
| 46 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
(defending the Kyaikto area) |
|
3rd Battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles |
(reorganising and resting) |
|
4th Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
(reorganising
and resting, attached, less
one company 17
Indian Infantry Division) |
|
4th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment |
(Kyaikto with
one company at Kyaikkatha, attached but without heavy weapons and stores) |
|
|
|
| 48 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
(Divisional
reserve, holding position from Taungzun and Thebyuchaung and patrolling
the Kyaikto-Bilin road) |
|
1st Battalion, 3rd Queen
Alexandra's Own
Gurkha Rifles |
|
|
1st Battalion, 4th Prince of Wales's
Own Gurkha
Rifles |
|
|
2nd Battalion, 5th Royal Gurkha
Rifles (Frontier
Force) |
|
| 2 Burma Brigade
Group
|
(to
Nyaunglebin on 16-Feb-42, attached from 1
Burma Division) |
|
3rd Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
(Mokpalin) |
|
7th (Burma
Police) Battalion The Burma Rifles |
|
|
2nd Anti-Tank
Regiment, Indian Artillery |
In
Rangoon |
|
28th Mountain
Regiment, Indian Artillery |
RHQ, to Army command |
|
5th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
detached,
re-equipping at Mandalay |
|
12th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
less one section
re-equipping at Mandalay |
|
28th Mountain
Battery, Indian Artillery |
detached,
re-equipping at Mandalay |
|
5th Field
Battery, Royal Artillery, Burma Auxilliary Force |
all guns lost
east of the Sittang River |
|
Heavy
Antiaircraft Batteries |
|
8th Indian Heavy
Antiaircraft Battery, Indian Artillery |
in support from
Army Command |
|
Light Antiaircraft Batteries |
|
3rd Indian Light
Antiaircraft Battery, Indian Artillery |
in support from
Army Command |
|
24th Field
Company, Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners |
|
|
60th Field
Company, Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and |
|
|
1st Battalion,
The West Yorkshire Regiment |
to Pegu Force
on/after 18-Feb-42. |
|
2nd Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
attached |
|
|
|
| |
|
| 16 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
|
|
'A' Battalion,
"The King's Own Dukes" |
|
2nd Battalion
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment |
temporarily
amalgamated with 2nd Battalion KOYLI to |
|
form 'A'
Battalion - the "King's Own Dukes" |
|
2nd Battalion,
The King's Own Yorkshire Light |
|
|
1st Battalion,
9th Jat Regiment (1/9th Jat) |
('B' Battalion) |
|
'C' Battalion |
a composite
battalion formed after the Sittang |
|
Bridge disaster
- formed from survivors of the following battalions:- |
|
7th Battalion,
10th Baluch Regiment (7/10th |
|
|
4th Battalion,
12th Frontier Force Regiment (4/12th FFR) |
|
|
5th Battalion,
17th Dogra Regiment (5/17th Dogra) |
|
|
3rd Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
|
|
4th Battalion,
The Burma Rifles |
|
|
8th (Frontier
Force) Battalion, The Burma Rifles |
|
|
|
| 46 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
Broken up
25-Feb-42 |
|
|
| 48 Indian
Infantry Brigade
|
|
|
1st Battalion,
4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles (1/4th Gurkha
Rifles) |
|
"5th
Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles (Composite Battalion)" |
|
1st Battalion,
3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha |
|
Rifles (1/3rd
Gurkha Rifles) |
|
2nd Battalion,
5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier |
|
Force) (2/5th
Gurkha Rifles) |
|
"7th Gurkha
Rifles (Composite Battalion)" |
|
|
1st Battalion,
7th Gurkha Rifles (1/7th Gurkha Rifles) |
|
3rd Battalion,
7th Gurkha Rifles (3/7th Gurkha Rifles) |
| 7 Armoured
Brigade
|
attached |
|
1st Battalion,
The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) |
attached |
|
'A' Battery,
95th Anti-Tank Regiment, RA |
|
414th Battery,
Royal Horse Artillery |
| 'Pegu Force'
|
formed 18-Feb-42 |
|
1st Battalion,
The West Yorkshire Regiment |
|
|
Burma Military
Police |
detachments |
|
FF6, Burma
Frontier Force |
|
|
