Military unit
The 41st Indian Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw service with the Indian Army during the First World War . It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. It was not reformed for the Second World War .[ 1]
The Headquarters 41st Indian Brigade was formed in February 1916 and arrived in Mesopotamia in the following month where it served as an independent formation . On 15 September 1916, it was redesignated as 41st Brigade & H.Q. Euphrates Defences [ 2] at which time it commanded the 1/4th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) , the 6th Jat Light Infantry and the 1st Battalion, 10th Gurkha Rifles .[ 3] On 19 March 1918, it was further redesignated as H.Q. Euphrates Defences [ 2]
The brigade had the following composition in the First World War :[ 4]
1st Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles (joined in March 1916 from Ambala Brigade , 3rd Lahore Divisional Area ; transferred in April to 21st (Bareilly) Brigade , 7th (Meerut) Division )
1/4th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment (joined in April 1916 from 42nd Indian Brigade , 15th Indian Division ; transferred in June to 37th Indian Brigade , 14th Indian Division )
2nd Battalion, 4th Gurkha Rifles (joined in April 1916 from Kohat Brigade ; transferred in June to 35th Indian Brigade , 14th Indian Division)
45th Rattray's Sikhs (joined in April 1916 from Derajat Brigade ; transferred in June to 37th Indian Brigade, 14th Indian Division)
126th Baluchistan Infantry (joined in April 1916 from Aden and Muscat ; transferred in June to 4th (Quetta) Division ) [ a]
1/4th Battalion, Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) (joined on 5 May 1916 from 37th Indian Brigade, 14th Indian Division; transferred in October to Euphrates Defences) [ b]
6th Jat Light Infantry (joined in June 1916 from 21st (Bareilly) Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division; transferred in October to Euphrates Defences)
2nd Battalion, 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry (formed in June 1916 and transferred to Jubbulpore Brigade , 5th (Mhow) Division )
2nd Battalion, 10th Gurkha Rifles (joined in June 1916 from Egypt; transferred in July to Burma Division )
1st Battalion, 10th Gurkha Rifles (joined in September 1916 from Burma Division; transferred in October to Euphrates Defences)
The brigade had the following commanders:[ 2]
James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18 . London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2 .
Kempton, Chris (2003b). 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947 . Vol. Part II Brigades. Milton Keynes: The Military Press. ISBN 0-85420-238-2 .
Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions . Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X .