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4th Infantry Division

 
Wikipedia: 4th Infantry Division (India)
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For the division of the First World War, see 4th (Quetta) Division.
4th Indian Infantry Division
Active 1939 - present
Country India British India (1939 - 1947)
 India (1947 - present)
Branch British Indian Army (1939 - 1947)
Indian Army (1947 - present)
Type Infantry
Size Division
Nickname "Red Eagle Division".
Engagements Second World War
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 Indian4DivBadge.JPG
Identification
symbol		 Divisional insignia

The Indian 4th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. The lineage of the unit is kept alive through a division of the Indian Army.

The division was formed in Egypt in 1939 under the command of Major-General (later Lieutenant General Sir) Noel Beresford-Peirse and was the first Indian formation to go overseas during the Second World War.

As with all formations in the Indian Army prior to independence, it primarily had British officers and Indians in other ranks. However, it did include Indian officers with ranks as high as Captain or Major. During World War II, it took part in campaigns in East Africa (Eritrea and Sudan), Syria, North Africa and Italy.

Contents

World War II history

North Africa

During World War II, the Division was in the vanguard during nine campaigns in the Mediterranean theatre. In the first of Archibald Wavell's operations in Egypt, as part of the Western Desert Force, it took part in Operation Compass in December 1940. The Division was involved in the decisive battles of that campaign in the camps around Sidi Barrani. Along with the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, the 11th Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division destroyed the Italian Maletti Group at the Nibiewa Camp.

East Africa

East Africa Campaign northern front: Allied advances in 1941

In December 1940 the division was rushed to the British Sudan to join with the Indian 5th Infantry Division), to prevent the numerically vastly superior Italian forces (ten divisions in total) from threatening Red Sea supply routes to Egypt as well as Egypt and the Suez Canal itself from the South. The East African campaign culminated (March 1941) with the battles at Keren in Eritrea where 42 Italian battalions (an initial 33 battalions, subsequently reinforced by a further 9 battalions) were defeated by 19 British and Indian battalions.

It was at Keren that Subadar Richhpal Ram of the 1/6th Rajputana Rifles, part of 4th Division's 11 Infantry Brigade, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. In April 1941 Beresford-Peirse was promoted to command Western Desert Force and Major General (later General Sir) Frank Messervy assumed command.

North Africa and Syria

Having returned to Egypt, part of the Division (its 5th Indian Infantry Brigade) was hurried across to Syria and was heavily involved in the advance on Damascus (June 1941). The rest of the Division was heavily involved in the fighting which ebbed and flowed past Tobruk from June 1941 onwards, having been rejoined by 5 Brigade, returning from Syria, in the autumn of 1941. For most of this period the Division was dispersed with units temporarily attached to other formations much to the disgust of Major General Francis Tuker who assumed command of the Division in December 1941. Notable at this time was the break-out at the end of January by 7 Brigade, having been cut off at Benghazi during the Germans' counter-offensive from Agheila and moving 200 miles avoiding the enemy to rejoin the 8th Army.

Early in April 1942 the Division was dispersed with 7 Brigade going to Cyprus, 5 Brigade to Syria, 11 Brigade to the Suez Canal Zone for training and the Central India Horse to Iraq after a period of training. By May 1942 11 Brigade was back in the fighting at Tobruk (attached to Indian 5th Infantry Division). 11th Brigade was caught in the siege of Tobruk which fell on 21 June, and so disappeared from the order of battle for the next 18 months. 5th Brigade was rushed to the desert in June 1942 - after escaping from Mersa Matruh, the brigade held the vital Ruweisat Ridge at Alamein in the fighting of July-August 1942. Shortly before the second battle of Alamein in October 1942 the 4th Indian Division was back together again with the 7th Brigade returning from Cyprus and 161st Brigade attached (until December 1942) to fill the gap of the over-run 11th Brigade. The Division had a relatively subsidiary role in the battle, holding in stiff fighting, as a diversionary tactic, the Ruweisat Ridge which was at the centre of the Allied front whilst the breakthrough was planned further North.

By December 1942 the Division was once again dispersed but strong representations by its GOC, Francis Tuker, (including his asking to be relieved of command) resulted in the Division being brought together as a fighting entity in March 1943 and it fought with distinction through to the fall of Tunis in May 1943 gaining a particular reputation for its prowess in mountainous country. The Division had the honour of capturing General von Arnim in Tunisia, bringing an end to the North African campaign. Its major battles in North Africa were Benghazi, Tobruk, Wadi Akarit, Enfidaville and Tunis.

Italy

The division then moved in January 1944 to Italy (joined by the newly re-constituted 11 Brigade), where it took part in the Italian Campaign. It took a major role (sustaining very heavy casualties) in the second Battle of Monte Cassino (where in Tuker's absence through illness it was commanded by Brigadier Harry Dimoline, the divisional Commander of Royal Artillery). During the battle, the Division was to attack in an arc towards the south and south west, taking Point 593 and then moving south east, up the heights towards the Abbey. The Indian Division would only advance on the Abbey, once the NZ Division had attacked south and south east taking the town of Cassino.[1] The main attack eventually commenced just after last light[2] with the NZ Division's 28 (Maori) Battalion tasked to cross the Rapido River and to seize the station south of Cassino town, to establish a bridgehead for the corps armour to move into the town and to the foot of the Cassino massif—the attack starting at 2130. However the 28th Battalion attack failed, and so had the 4th Indian Division attack on Point 593.[3]

The division also suffered heavy casualties during the third battle (in March 1944) when it was commanded by Major-General Alexander Galloway, who had been released from command of British 1st Armoured Division.

Command of the division was assumed by Major-General Arthur Holworthy late in March 1944 and the division took part in the advance from Cassino after the fourth battle in May 1944 to the Trasimene Line in Central Italy and then the Gothic Line.

In November 1944 the division was shipped to Greece to help stabilise the country after the Axis withdrawal. Holworthy was succeeded by Major-General Charles Boucher in January 1945 who commanded the division until the end of hostilities.

Conclusion

During World War II the Division captured 150,000 prisoners and suffered 25,000 casualties, more than the strength of a whole division. It won over 1,000 Honours and Awards which included 4 Victoria Crosses and 3 George Crosses.

Field Marshall Lord Wavell wrote:

"The fame of this Division will surely go down as one of the greatest fighting formations in military history, to be spoken of with such as The Tenth Legion, The Light Division of the Peninsular War and Napoleon's Old Guard"

Even beyond its fighting reputation it will be remembered for the spirit of mutual trust and fellowship maintained between all ranks coming from so many different races and creeds.

Formation During World War II

General Officer Commanding:

Headquarters

Commanders divisional artillery:

5 Indian Infantry Brigade

Commanders:

7 Indian Infantry Brigade

Commanders:

11 Indian Infantry Brigade (1939 - 1942 and 1944 - 1945)

Commanders:

Support Units

  • Royal Indian Army Service Corps
    • 4 Ind Div Troops Transport Company
    • 5, 7 & 11 Brigade Transport Companies
    • 220 Indian DID
  • Medical Services
    • I.M.S-RAMC-I.M.D-I.H.C-I.A.M.C
    • 14, 17, 19, 26 & 32 Indian Field Ambulances
    • 4 Indian Div Provost Unit
  • Indian Army Ordnance Corps
    • 4 Indian Div Ordnance FD Park
  • Indian Electrical & Mechanical Engineers
    • 117, 118 & 119 Infantry Workshop Companies
    • 4 Indian Div Recovery Company

Assigned brigades

All theses brigades were assigned or attached to the division at some time during World War II

Badge

4th Division Badge

The Division, known as Red Eagle due to its badge of a red eagle on a black background, is now a part of the Indian Army. Coming under the Central Command, it is headquartered in Allahabad.

Notable Members of the 4th Indian Division

Notes

  1. ^ Molony p. 712
  2. ^ Ellis, p. 185
  3. ^ Ellis, p. 191
  4. ^ "4 Division units". Order of Battle. http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=1368&Tab=Su. Retrieved 2009-10-22. 

References

  • Anon (1946). The Tiger Triumphs: The Story of Three Great Divisions in Italy. HMSO. 
  • Ellis, John (1984). Cassino: The Hollow Victory. London: Andre Deutsch. 
  • Mackenzie, Compton (1951). Eastern Epic. London: Chatto & Windus. OCLC 1412578. 
  • Mason, Philip (1982-06-09). The Indian Divisions Memorial, 1939-1945, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Wellingborough: Skelton's Press. 
  • Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; with Flynn, Captain F.C. (R.N.); Davies, Major-General H.L. & Gleave, Group Captain T.P. (2004) [1st. pub. HMSO:1973]. Butler, Sir James. ed. The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume V Part 1: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, UK: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1-845740-69-6. 
  • Yeats-Brown, F (1945). Martial India. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode. 
  • "Orders of Battle.com". http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=1368&Tab=Uhi. Retrieved 2007-09-02. 
v • d • e
Indian Army Divisions in World War II
Airborne
Armoured
Infantry
Long-range Penetration
Training
Deception / LoC
Emergency

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