15th Indian Division
The 15th Indian Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the First World War. It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. The division was not reformed for the Second World War.History
The 15th Indian Division was formed on 7 May 1916 to replace the 12th Indian Division on the Euphrates Front. The division remained on the Euphrates Front until the end of the war. It took part in the Action of As Sahilan, the Capture of Ramadi, the Occupation of Hīt and the Action of Khan Baghdadi. The division was not attached to either of the army corps operating in Mesopotamia, the I Corps and III Corps.
At the end of the war, the division was rapidly run down and it was disbanded in March 1919.Order of battle
The division commanded the following units, although not all of them served at the same time:- 1/5th Battalion, Queen's
- 2nd Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles
- 1st Battalion, 43rd Erinpura Infantry
- 90th Punjabis
- 128th Machine Gun Company
- 12th Light Trench Mortar Battery
- 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own
- 31st Punjabis
- 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry
- 114th Mahrattas
- 129th Machine Gun Company
- 1/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
- 1/4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 5th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Battalion, 5th Gurkha Rifles
- 2nd Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles
- 130th Machine Gun Company
- 42nd Light Trench Mortar Battery
- 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
- 6th Jat Light Infantry
- 14th King George's Own Ferozepore Sikhs
- 24th Punjabis
- 1st Battalion, 97th Deccan Infantry
- 256th Machine Gun Company
- 50th Light Trench Mortar Battery
Divisional Artillery
- VII Mountain Brigade, Indian Mountain Artillery
- CCXXII Brigade, Royal Field Artillery and 429th
- CCXV Brigade, Royal Field Artillery Batteries
Engineers and Pioneers
- 4th Field Company, 1st King George's Own Sappers and Miners
- Malerkotla Sappers and Miners, ISF
- 448th Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 450th Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 451st Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 15th Division Signal Company, Royal Engineers Signal Service
- 48th Pioneers
Divisional troops
- 275th Machine Gun Company
- 3rd, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 34th, 105th and 108th Combined Field Ambulances, RAMC
- No. 16 Mobile Veterinary Section, AVC
- 15th Division Train, ASC
Commander
The division was commanded from formation on 7 May 1916 by Brigadier-General H.T. Brooking. Brooking was promoted to Major-General on 5 June 1916.Battles and engagements
The division was involved in the following actions:
- Action of As Sahilan '
- Capture of Ramadi '
- Occupation of Hīt '
- Action of Khan Baghdadi '
