10th Indian Infantry Division

The Indian 10th Infantry Division was a war formed Infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. In four years, the division traveled over 4000 mi from Tehran to Trieste, fought three little wars, and fought two great campaigns: Anglo-Iraqi War, Invasion of Syria-Lebanon, Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, North African Campaign, and Italian Campaign.

World War II
The Indian 10th Infantry Division was formed in Iraq in early 1941 under Major-General W.A.K. Fraser. Command was passed in May 1941 to Major-General William "Bill" Slim when Fraser fell ill.

As part of Iraqforce, the division first fought in Iraq, in Syria, and in Iran against forces potentially barring the road from Europe to India.

In March 1942 command of the division passed from Major-General Slim to Major-General T.W. "Pete" Rees when Slim was ordered to India to take command of Burma Corps, the kernel that would eventually become the Fourteenth Army.

The division then moved on to North Africa for the battle for Libya. Initially the division was committed piecemeal with units involved El Adem and Sidi Rezegh during the Battle of Gazala. In June the division, with 2nd Free French Brigade under command, was ordered by William Gott, the XIII Corps commander, to hold a position near the Egyptian border with Libya for 72 hours during the Eighth Army's retreat to El Alamein. Rees responded that the division had only just concentrated and that defensive works were as yet inadequate. He believed therefore that the division was unlikely to be able to withstand a full-scale attack from Rommel. Gott immediately visited Rees and relieved him of command of the division, telling him he lacked resolution. Command passed to Major-General John Nichols and as Rees had foretold, the division was overrun at the Mersa Matruh defenses. Rees was posted to command Indian 19th Infantry Division in Burma.

The division then went to Cyprus for regrouping and hill training under Major-General Alan Bruce Blaxland and then to Iraq to join Tenth Army, part of Paiforce. In July 1943, Major-General Wilfrid Lloyd took command when Blaxland was promoted and in January 1944, command passed to Major-General Denys Reid when Lloyd was killed in an air crash. Reid remained in command until the end of British involvement in the division in 1947.

After nearly a year of relative inactivity and training, the Indian 10th Infantry Division was sent in March 1944 to Italy to join Eighth Army on the Adriatic front. The division fought the rest of the Italian Campaign, facing hard fighting northwards through central Italy with the Eighth Army. Numerous mountain battles and river crossings followed with Operation Olive on the Gothic Line and then the spring 1945 offensive. The division earned many battle honours and decorations and suffered many casualties before final victory in Italy in May 1945. Security tasks on the Yugoslav border around Trieste completed the Division's war service.

Division Formation in World War II
General Officers Commanding:
 * Major-General	W.A.K. Fraser (January 1941 to May 1941)
 * Major-General	William Slim (May 1941 to March 1942)
 * Major-General	T.W. Rees (March 1942 to June 1942)
 * Major-General	J.S. Nichols (June 1942 to July 1942)
 * Major-General	A.B. Blaxland (July 1942 to July 1943)
 * Major-General	W.L. Lloyd (July 1943 to January 1944)
 * Major-General	D.W. Reid (January 1944 to end of war)

Division troops

 * 1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse (Divisional Reconnaissance Reg)


 * Royal Artillery
 * Commanders Royal Artillery: Brigadier R.P. Waller (to August 1942); Brigadier W.R. Goodman March 1943 onwards)


 * HQ
 * 68th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 154th (Leicestershire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 13th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
 * 30th Light A.A. Regiment, Royal Artillery


 * Indian Engineers
 * 5 Field Company King George's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
 * 10 & 61 Field Companies Queen Victoria's Own Madras Sappers and Miners
 * 41 Field Park Company King George's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners


 * 10 Indian Division Signals


 * 1st (MG) Bn The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

10th Indian Infantry Brigade (from September 1942)

 * Officers commanding:
 * Brigadier William Slim (September 1939 to January 1941)
 * Lieutenant-Colonel B.C. Fletcher (January 1941 to March 1941)
 * Brigadier T.W. Rees (March 1941 to March 1942)
 * Brigadier C.H. Boucher (March 1942 to June 1942)
 * Brigadier A.W.W. Holworthy (July 1942 to October 1942)
 * Brigadier J.A. Finlay (October 1942 to February 1944)
 * Brigadier T.N. Smith (February 1944 to end of war)


 * HQ
 * 1st battalion Durham Light Infantry
 * 4th battalion 10th Baluch Regiment
 * 2nd battalion 4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles

20th Indian Infantry Brigade

 * Officers commanding:
 * Brigadier D. Powell (September 1940 to March 1942)
 * Brigadier L.E. MacGregor (March 1942 to June 1943)
 * Brigadier J.B. MacDonald (June 1943 to end of war)


 * HQ
 * 8th battalion The Manchester Regiment (until Oct 1944)
 * 1st battalion 2nd Punjab Regiment (from Oct 1944 to May 1945)
 * 2nd battalion The Loyal Regiment (from May 1945)
 * 3rd battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
 * 2nd battalion 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
 * Nabha Akal Infantry (from Oct 1944 to April 1945)

21st Indian Infantry Brigade (until June 1942)

 * Officers commanding:
 * Brigadier C.J. Weld (Sep 1940 - May 1942)
 * Brigadier J.J. Purves (May 1942 - Mar 1943)
 * Brigadier B.S. Mould (Mar 1943 - Aug 1945)


 * HQ
 * 5th Battalion The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (Nov 1942 to Jun 1945)
 * 1st Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry (from Nov 1942)
 * 3rd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment (from Apr 1943)
 * 1st Jaipur Infantry, State Forces (from Apr 1945)
 * 2nd Battalion 8th Gurkha Rifles (Jun 1942 to Jan 1943)

25th Indian Infantry Brigade

 * Officers commanding:
 * Brigadier R.G. Mountain (February 1941 to July 1942)
 * Brigadier A.E. Arderne (July 1942 onwards)


 * HQ
 * 1st battalion The King's Own Royal Regiment
 * 3rd battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
 * 4th battalion 11th Sikh Regiment
 * 3rd battalion 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles

43rd Independent Gurkha Infantry Brigade
From 6 October 1944


 * 2/6th Gurkha Rifles
 * 2/8th Gurkha Rifles
 * 2/10th Gurkha Rifles

Support Units

 * Royal Indian Army Service Corps
 * 10 Indian Division Troops Transport Company
 * 10, 20 & 25 Brigade Transport Company
 * 22 Indian Supply Company


 * Medical Services
 * I.M.S
 * R.A.M.C
 * I.M.D
 * I.H.C
 * I.A.M.C
 * 14,21,&30 Indian Field Ambulances


 * 10 Indian Division Provost Unit


 * Indian Army Ordnance Corps
 * 10 Indian Division Ordnance Field Park


 * Indian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
 * 125,126 & 127 Infantry Workshop Companies
 * 10 Indian Division Recovery Company

Assigned brigades
All theses brigades were assigned or attached to the division at some time during World War II
 * 24th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 25th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 15th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 21st Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 20th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 17th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade
 * British 9th Armoured Brigade
 * 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade
 * British 1st Armoured Brigade
 * 18th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 5th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * 10th Indian Infantry Brigade
 * British 234th Infantry Brigade
 * British 1st Infantry Brigade (Guards)
 * 43rd Indian Infantry Brigade (Lorried)
 * 7th Armoured Brigade