8th Infantry Division (India)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2012) |
8th Indian Infantry Division 8th Mountain Division | |
---|---|
Active | 1940–1946 1963–present |
Country | British India India |
Allegiance | India |
Branch | British Indian Army Indian Army |
Type | Mountain Infantry |
Size | Division |
Garrison/HQ | Khumbathang[1] |
Nickname(s) | The Clovers |
Engagements |
|
Italy | |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Dudley Russell K. V. Krishna Rao Ved Prakash Malik Dalbir Singh Suhag |
The 8th Mountain Division was raised as the 7th Indian Infantry division of the British Indian Army. It is now part of the Indian Army and specialises in mountain warfare.
The 8th Indian Infantry Division was formed as an
The division was disbanded at the end of World War II in 1946, but re-formed again in 1963 as a specialist mountain division of the Indian Army.[2]
History
Despite its relatively late introduction into the mainstream of battle, its members won nearly 600 awards and honours including 4 Victoria Crosses, 26 DSOs and 149 MCs.[3] During the war the 8th Indian Division sustained casualties totalling 2,012 dead, 8,189 wounded and 749 missing.[4]
Iraq, Syria and Iran
When originally formed, the division's main fighting formations were 17th, 18th and 19th Indian Infantry Brigades.
On 9 June 1941, 17th Brigade arrived in
At the end of 1 June, 1/
On 17 July,
The 19th Indian Infantry Brigade arrived in Iraq in August, replacing 24th Brigade (which transferred to
North Africa
In June 1942 the
Iraq and Syria
From August 1942 the division, still a brigade short, became part of
In January 1943 command of the 8th Indian Division passed to Major-General
In June 1943 the division was selected to participate in the anticipated
Italy
On 24 September 1943 the 8th Indian Division landed in
From October 1943 to April 1944 the 8th Indian Division was part of the
Cassino
When the spring came the 8th Indian Division was switched in great secrecy (along with the bulk of the British Eighth Army, now commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Oliver Leese) 60 miles west across the Apennine Mountains to concentrate as part of Lieutenant-General Sidney C. Kirkmans British XIII Corps, serving alongside the British 4th and 78th Infantry Division, 6th Armoured Divisions, as well as the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade, along the River Garigliano at a part of the river better known as the Gari. Their heavily opposed night crossing of the Gari in May 1944, supported by Canadian tanks (1st Canadian Armoured Brigade) with which the division had formed a particularly close fighting relationship over the previous six months, was critical to the Allies' success in this, the fourth and final Battle of Monte Cassino. Following this, the division advanced some 240 miles in June across mountainous country, fighting many actions against rearguards and defended strongpoints. In late June they had reached Assisi and the division was rested. It was during the fighting on the Gari that Kamal Ram of the 3rd Battalion, 8th Punjab Regiment was awarded his Victoria Cross. At 19 years of age, he was one of the youngest recipients of the VC during the Second World War.
Florence and the Gothic Line
By the end of July 1944, after a few weeks out of the line, the 8th Indian Division was back in the line with
In December 1944 the 2nd New Zealand Division, advancing from the Adriatic on the division's right along the Romagna plain, took Faenza and the resistance on the 8th Indian Division's front weakened as the Germans withdrew to shorten their front. In late December 1944, 19th and 21st Brigades were rapidly switched across the Apennines to reinforce the U.S. 92nd Infantry Division on the Fifth Army's left flank in front of Lucca. By the time they had arrived the Germans had broken through but decisive action by Major-General Russell halted their advance and the situation was stabilised by the New Year. The 8th Indian Division then moved to Pisa for a period of rest.
Spring offensive 1945
In mid-February 1945 the division was back in the line on the Adriatic front, this time as part of
The campaign ended on 2 May 1945. The
Formation and order of battle during World War II
General Officer Commanding:
- Major-General Charles Harvey(Oct 1940 – Dec 1942)
- Major-General Dudley Russell (Jan 1943 – Aug 1945)
- Brigadier T. S. Dobree (acting) (18 Feb – 11 March 1945)
- Brigadier T. S. Dobree (acting) (3–18 Jun 1945)
Headquarters
- 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)(Div Reconnaissance Reg)
- Royal Artillery
- Divisional artillery:
- Brigadier R.V.M. Garry (Oct 1940 – Sep 1942)
- Brigadier M.W. Dewing (Sep 1942 – Sep 1944)
- Brigadier F.C. Bull (Sep 1944 – Jul 1945)
- Brigadier T.S. Dobree (Jul 1945 – Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 3 Field Regt, RA
- 52 (Manchester) Field Regt, RA
- 53 (Bolton) Field Regt, RA
- 26 Light Anti-Aircraft Regt RA
- 4 Mahratta Anti-Tank Regt
- Indian Engineers: Sappers & Miners
- 7, 66 69 Field Coys. King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
- 43 Field Park Coy. King George V's Own Bengal Sappers and Miners
- 7, 66 69 Field Coys.
- 8 Indian Div Signals
- 5th Royal Battalion Machine Gun 5th Mahratta Light Infantry
17th Indian Infantry Brigade
Commanders:
- Brigadier John Geoffrey Bruce(Nov 1940 – May 1941)
- Brigadier Douglas Gracey (May 1941 – Mar 1942)
- Brigadier F.A.M.B. Jenkins (Mar 1942 – Oct 1943)
- Brigadier H.L. Wyndham (Oct 1943 – Nov 1943)
- Brigadier J. Scott-Elliot (Nov 1943 – Jan 1944)
- Brigadier Charles Boucher (Feb 1944 – Jan 1945)
- Brigadier P.R. Macnamara (Jan 1945 – Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
- 1st Battalion, 12th Frontier Force Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
- 1st Battalion, Indian States Forces(Nov 1944 to Apr 1945)
18th Indian Infantry Brigade (up to June 1942)
Commanders:
- Brigadier Rupert Lochner (Oct 1940 – Aug 1942)
- HQ
- 2/5th Battalion, Essex Regiment (from Dec 1941)
- 4th Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment (from Apr 1942)
- 2nd Battalion, 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles
- 1st Battalion, 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (until Apr 1942)
- 3rd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment (until Oct 1941)
19th Indian Infantry Brigade
Commanders:
- Brigadier C.W.W. Ford(Oct 1940 – Feb 1943)
- Brigadier T.S. Dobree (Feb 1943 – Jul 1945)
- Brigadier W. Sandison (Jul 1945 – Aug 1945)
- HQ
- 1/5th Battalion, Essex Regiment (up to March 1944)
- 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (from Feb 1944)
- 3rd Battalion, 8th Punjab Regiment
- 6th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles
21st Indian Infantry Brigade (from October 1942)
Commanders:
- 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, 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 Battalion, Jaipur Infantry, Indian State Forces(from Apr 1945)
- 2nd Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles(Jun 1942 to Jan 1943)
Support units
- Royal Indian Army Service Corps
- 8 Ind Div Troops Tpt Coy
- 17, 19 & 21 Brigade Tpt Coys
- Div Supply Units
- Medical Services
- I.M.S-R.A.M.C-I.M.D-I.H.C-I.A.M.C
- 29, 31,& 33 Indian Field Ambulances
- 8 Indian Div Provost Unit
- Indian Army Ordnance Corps
- 8 Indian Div Ordnance FD Park
- Indian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
- 120,121 & 122 Infantry Workshop Coys
- 8 Indian Div Recovery Coy
Assigned brigades
All these brigades were assigned or attached to the division at some time during World War II
- 24th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 25th Indian Infantry Brigade
- 2nd British Parachute Brigade
- 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade
- 12th British Infantry Brigade
- 21st British Army Tank Brigade
- Palestine Infantry Brigade/Jewish Brigade[10]
Post re-raising
The division was re-raised on 01 August 1963 at
The division has been constantly involved in operations since its creation, earning the sobriquet Forever in Operations Division. It was initially created for operations against insurgents fighting for a separate state of Nagaland and headquartered at Zakhama (near Kohima). As part of Operation Orchid, it was deployed in the hills of Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh for counter insurgency operations.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The division took part in the liberation of East Pakistan, (now Bangladesh) in the North Eastern Sector. The division was commanded by Major General K. V. Krishna Rao. The order of battle for the division was as follows[11] -
8 Mountain Division (Major General K.V. Krishna Rao)
59 Mountain Brigade (Brigadier C.A. Quinn)
- 9 Guards
- 6 Rajput
- 4/5 Gorkha Rifles
- 1 East Bengal Regiment
81 Mountain Brigade (Brigadier Raja C.V. Apte)
- 3 Punjab
- 4 Kumaon
- 10 Mahar
- 8 East Bengal Regiment
- 99 Mountain Regiment
Echo Sector (Brigadier M.B. Wadke)
- 5/5 Gorkha Rifles
- 86 BSF
- 3 East Bengal Regiment
BSF Sector (Brigadier Kulwant Singh)
- 87 BSF
The division was to advance along the line Dharmanagar-Kulaura-Maulvi Bazar securing Shamshernagar Airport and Maulvi Bazar and thereafter head for Sylhet.[12] The Sylhet area was surrounded on three sides by Indian territory and was defended by the 202 and 313 Pakistani brigades of 14 Division.[11] The plans for the various brigades was as follows[13]-
- 59 Mountain Brigade - Dharmanagar - Sylhet axis
- 81 Mountain Brigade - to capture Shamshernagar and Maulvi Bazar and advance to Sylhet
- Echo Sector - Jaintiapur - Sylhet axis
- BSF Sector - Karimganj - Charkai axis
81 Mountain Brigade secured the Shamshernagar complex on the midday of 2 December 1971 against stiff resistance. 59 Mountain Brigade reached Kulaura on same day, but took till 6 December for it to be captured. 81 Mountain Brigade resumed its advance and secured Munshi Bazaar by 5 December. 4/5 Gorkha Rifles was air-lifted using Mi-8 helicopters to the southeast of Sylhet. 81 Mountain Brigade entered Maulvi Bazar on 9 December without meeting much opposition. It secured the ferries at Saidpur and Sherpur. Having met it assigned objectives, the brigade was pulled out to Agartala airfield as corps reserve. 59 Mountain Brigade advanced towards Sylhet and captured Fenchuganj on 11 December. 5/5 Gorkha Rifles captured Chandghat, surrounding Sylhet from the north-east. From 13 December onwards, Sylhet fortress was surrounded from all directions and the garrison surrendered on 17 December.[14][15] Echo sector captured Jaintiapur, but got held up at Sarighat on 7 December, as the bridge there was blown off. By 10 December, Echo sector advanced up to Hemu, capturing it on the same night. It captured Chandighat on 12 December and Khadim Nagar on 15 December.[13]
Relocation
The formation was moved to the state of
- 56 Mountain Brigade at Wusan in Ganderbal district
- 192 Mountain Brigade in the northern parts of the valley, including Sopore
- 81 Mountain Brigade
- 8 Mountain Artillery Brigade in Tangmarg
- 11 Sector Rashtriya Rifles in southern Kashmir
Kargil War (Operation Vijay)
The 8th was shifted 1 June 1999 to
The brigades under the division during the Kargil war were as follows.[21] (The full order of battle (ORBAT) can be found here- Kargil order of battle)
- 56 Mountain Brigade (Brigadier Amar Aul)
- 192 Mountain Brigade (Brigadier M.P.S. Bajwa)
- 8 Mountain Artillery Brigade (Brigadier Lakhwinder Singh)
Additional brigades under the division-
- 50 Parachute Brigade
- 79 Mountain Brigade (XV Corps reserve) (Brigadier RK Kakkar)
- 121 (Independent) Infantry Brigade (Brigadier O.P. Nandrajog)
The division won the bulk of the gallantry awards during the Kargil war. Prominent among them include[22]-
- Captain Vikram Batra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
- Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles
- Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers
- Major Rajesh Singh Adhikari, 18 Grenadiers
- Major Vivek Gupta, 2 Rajputana Rifles
- Major Padmapani Acharya, 2 Rajputana Rifles
- Captain Anuj Nayyar, 17 Jat
- Captain Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, 2 Rajputana Rifles
- Lieutenant Balwan Singh, 18 Grenadiers
- Naik Digendra Kumar, 2 Rajputana Rifles
- Naik Imliakum Ao, 2 Naga
The present
The division is headquartered at Khumbathang, Ladakh and is now part of XIV Corps. It is tasked to look after the Line of Control.[23][24]
Badge
During World War II the insignia of the division was a yellow four-leafed clover (some versions appear as three-leafed -see images) flanked on each side by a yellow three-leafed clover, their stalks forming a "V", all on a red background. The division and its members were thus referred to as "clovers".
During the period the Scotsmen of the 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders served in the division, in the 19th Indian Infantry Brigade, the Jock soldiers fondly referred to the division insignia as "the three wee floo'ers" (the three little flowers).
In its second incarnation, the formation sign of the division depicts a red dagger superimposed on two overlapping gold circles on a black background.
See also
- Operation Sabine (1941)
Notes
- ^ "The Kargil victors: 8 Mountain division, 'Forever in Operations'". 21 July 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Warriors of the East". 6 June 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Condon (1962), p.336
- ^ One More River: The Story of The Eighth Indian Division, pp. 44–45
- ^ Compton Mackenzie, Eastern Epic, p. 83
- ^ Compton Mackenzie, Eastern Epic, p. 124
- ^ Compton Mackenzie, pp. 125–6
- ^ Compton Mackenzie, Eastern Epic, p. 129
- ^ Compton Mackenzie, pp. 130–139
- ^ "8 Division units". Order of Battle. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2009.
- ^ a b 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. 72.
- ISBN 978-0761933229.
- ^ ISBN 978-8172120016.
- ISBN 978-0-7069-1057-5.
- ISBN 978-9382652236.
- ISBN 978-8172236359.
- ISBN 978-8170623120.
- ^ Renaldi and Rikhye, 2011, 41
- ^ "How India overcame the Kargil challenge". 22 July 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ "That July 4th". 4 July 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ "Where heroes lost". 24 February 2006. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Recalling Young India's Kargil triumph". 26 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
- ^ Renaldi and Rikhye, 2011, 107
- ^ "Kargil Revisited: 22 Years Later, Gaps at Strategic Level Still Exist but Being Fixed". 26 July 2021. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
References
- Anon (1946). One More River: The Story of The Eighth Indian Division. Bombay: H.W. Smith, Times of India Press.
- Anon (1946). The Tiger Triumphs: The Story of Three Great Divisions in Italy. HMSO.
- Blaxland, Gregory (2001). Alexander's Generals (the Italian Campaign 1944–1945). London: William Kimber & Co. ISBN 0-7183-0386-5.
- Condon, Brigadier W.E.H. (1962). The Frontier Force Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Kempton, Chris (2003). Loyalty and Honour: The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947. Part I: Divisions. Milton Keynes: Military Press. pp. 51–63. ISBN 0-85420-228-5.
- Majdalany, Fred (1957). Cassino: Portrait of a Battle. London: Longmans, Green & Co Ltd.
- Mackenzie, Compton(1951). Eastern Epic. London: Chatto & Windus.
- Mason, Philip (9 June 1982). The Indian Divisions Memorial, 1939–1945, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Wellingborough: Skelton's Press.
- Orgill, Douglas (1967). The Gothic Line (The Autumn Campaign in Italy 1944). London: Heinemann.
- Renaldi, Richard A.; Rikhye, Ravi (2011). Indian Army Order of Battle. Orbat.com for Tiger Lily Books. ISBN 978-0-9820541-7-8.
- Yeats-Brown, F (1945). Martial India. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode.