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{{Use British English|date=September 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 154th Infantry
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = 24 May 1918 – 15 May 1921
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Infantry]]
| role =
| size = Three [[battalion]]s
| command_structure = [[53rd (Welsh) Division]]<br>[[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Division]]<br>[[Derajat Brigade]]
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
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| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]]
:[[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]
::[[Battle of Nablus (1918)|Battle of Nablus]]
::[[Battle of Sharon]]
[[Third Anglo-Afghan War]]
| battles_label =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders =
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}}
The '''154th Infantry'''{{efn|Gaylor<ref name=Gaylor346>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=346}}</ref> states that the regiment was called the ''154th Indian Infantry'' whereas Perry<ref name=Perry177>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=177}}</ref> says ''154th Infantry''. The latter seems more likely given the designation of, for examples, the pre-war [[18th Infantry]], [[98th Infantry]] and [[108th Infantry]].}} was an [[infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[British Indian Army]]. It was formed in [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]] in May 1918, saw service in the [[Indian Army during World War I|First World War]] and the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]], and was disbanded in May 1921.

==History==
===Background===
Heavy losses suffered by the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War I)|British Expeditionary Force]] on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] following the [[German spring offensive]] in March 1918 resulted in a major reorganization of the [[Egyptian Expeditionary Force]]:
* two divisions{{snd}}[[52nd (Lowland) Division|52nd (Lowland)]]<ref name=Becke115>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=115}}</ref> and [[74th (Yeomanry) Division|74th (Yeomanry)]]<ref name=Becke121_2b>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|p=121}}</ref>{{snd}} were transferred to France in April; they were replaced by the [[3rd (Lahore) Division|3rd (Lahore)]]<ref name=Perry54>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=54}}</ref> and [[7th (Meerut) Division]]s<ref name=Perry90>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=90}}</ref> from [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]];
* nine [[yeomanry]] [[regiment]]s were dismounted, converted to machine gunners and sent to France at the end of the same month; the [[4th Cavalry Division (British Indian Army)|4th]]<ref name=Perry2124>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=21–24}}</ref> and [[5th Cavalry Division (British Indian Army)|5th Cavalry Divisions]]<ref name=Perry2528>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=25–28}}</ref> were reformed with Indian cavalry regiments withdrawn from France and the [[15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade]] already in Egypt;
* the [[10th (Irish) Division|10th (Irish)]],<ref name=Becke1516>{{harvnb|Becke|1938|pp=15–16}}</ref> [[53rd (Welsh) Division|53rd (Welsh)]],<ref name=Becke120121>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|pp=120–121}}</ref> [[60th (2/2nd London) Division|60th (2/2nd London)]],<ref name=Becke2930>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|pp=29–30}}</ref> and [[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Divisions]]<ref name=Becke126128>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|pp=126–128}}</ref> were reduced to a single British [[battalion]] per [[brigade]]. They were reformed with nine Indian infantry battalions and an Indian [[Pioneer (military)|pioneer]] battalion each.{{efn|The remaining infantry division in the [[Egyptian Expeditionary Force]] in March 1918{{snd}}the [[54th (East Anglian) Division]]{{snd}}remained unaffected by these changes.<ref name=Becke128129>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|pp=128–129}}</ref>}}
In fact, the 75th Division already had four Indian battalions assigned,{{efn|In March 1917, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force started forming the [[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Division]], originally to be made up of [[Territorial Force]] battalions arriving from India. In May 1917, to speed up the formation of the division, it was decided to incorporate Indian battalions.<ref name=Becke129>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|p=129}}</ref> To this end, the independent [[29th Indian Brigade]] was broken up in June 1917 and its battalions posted to 75th Division.<ref name=Perry167>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=167}}</ref>}} so of the 36 battalions needed to reform the divisions, 22 were improvised<ref name=Perry174>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=174}}</ref> by taking whole [[Company (military unit)|companies]] from existing units already on active service in Mesopotamia and Palestine to form the [[150th Infantry]] (3 battalions), [[151st Sikh Infantry]] (3), [[152nd Punjabis]] (3), [[153rd Punjabis]] (3), '''154th Infantry''' (3), [[155th Pioneers]] (2), [[156th Infantry]] (1) and the [[11th Gurkha Rifles]] (4).<ref name=Perry177178>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=177–178}}</ref> The donor units were then brought back up to strength by drafts. In the event, just 13 of the battalions were assigned to the divisions<ref name=Hanafin>{{cite web |url=http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf |title=Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, September 1918 |last=Hanafin |first=James |publisher=orbat.com |access-date=11 November 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153754/http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf | archive-date=9 January 2015}}</ref> and the remaining nine were transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918.<ref name=PerryVar>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=44,64,81,103,155}}</ref>

[[File:Captain Donald Clive Anderson, 2nd 154th Indian Infantry 1921.jpg|thumb|[[Captain Donald Clive Anderson]] with the last stand of the 2nd 154th Indian Infantry, raised 26th May 1918, disbanded 1921. Lt Gilbert, Captin Glass MC, Sub Major Hargian, Lt Eldred, Lt Col A Boxwell CIE, Captin HE Morris, Hardial, Kale Khan, Lt Shikari Banadur IDSM, Lt Shikari Bahanur IDSM, Lt Woodford, Sub Ladnu Ram, Captin Sale.]]

===Formation===
The regiment was formed with three battalions in Mesopotamia in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies posted from regiments serving in the [[14th Indian Division|14th]], [[15th Indian Division|15th]], [[17th Indian Division|17th]], and [[18th Indian Division]]s.<ref name=PerryVar2>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=128,134,144,148}}</ref> The 1st Battalion was transferred to India in June 1918 and later took part in the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1919 as part of the [[Derajat Brigade]].<ref name=Perry156>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=156}}</ref> The other two battalions were transferred to Egypt in July 1918,<ref name=Becke121_2a>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=121}}</ref><ref name=Becke128>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|p=128}}</ref> were assigned to British divisions and took part in the final [[Allies of World War I|Allied]] offensive of the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]] (the [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Battles of Megiddo]]).<ref name=Becke129/><ref name=Becke123>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=123}}</ref>

==Battalions==
==={{anchor|1}}1st Battalion===
The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia<ref name=Perry155>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=155}}</ref> in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:<ref name=Perry177/>
*[[94th Russell's Infantry]]
*[[95th Russell's Infantry]]
*[[96th Berar Infantry]]
*[[97th Deccan Infantry]]

The battalion was transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918 and joined the [[Derajat Brigade]] on the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–55)|North-West Frontier]] where it remained in until the end of the [[First World War]].<ref name=Perry155/> In May 1919, part of the battalion mobilized with the Derajat Brigade and took part in the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]].<ref name=Perry156/> The battalion was disbanded in 1919.<ref name=Gaylor346/>

==={{anchor|2}}2nd Battalion===
The 2nd Battalion was formed at [[Basra]] on 24 May 1918<ref name=Becke128/> by the transfer of complete companies from:<ref name=Perry177/>
*[[102nd King Edward's Own Grenadiers]]
*[[108th Infantry]]
*[[119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment)]]
*[[122nd Rajputana Infantry]]

It embarked on 19 June for Egypt, arriving at [[Suez]] on 5 July and moved to [[El-Qantarah el-Sharqiyya|Qantara]]. On 16 July, it entrained and arrived at [[Lydda]] the next day. The battalion joined the [[233rd Brigade (United Kingdom)|233rd Brigade]], [[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Division]] at [[Rantis]] on 25 July. It remained with the division for the rest of the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]],<ref name=Becke128/> taking part in the [[Battle of Sharon]] (19 September 1918).<ref name=Becke129/> The division was then withdrawn into [[XXI Corps (United Kingdom)|XXI Corps]] Reserve near [[et Tire]] where it was employed on salvage work and road making. On 22 October it moved to [[Haifa]] where it was when the [[Armistice of Mudros]] came into effect and the war ended.<ref name=Becke130>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|p=130}}</ref>

On 13 November, the 75th Division concentrated at Lydda and by 10 December had moved back to Qantara. On 18 January 1919, instructions were received that the Indian battalions would be returned to India as transport became available.<ref name=Becke130/> The battalion was disbanded on 15 May 1921.<ref name=Gaylor346/>

==={{anchor|3}}3rd Battalion===
The 3rd Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia<ref name=Becke121_2a/> in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:<ref name=Perry177/>
*[[112th Infantry]]
*[[113th Infantry]]
*[[114th Mahrattas]]
*[[116th Mahrattas]]

The battalion disembarked at [[Suez]] on 5 July and reached [[Lydda]] on 17 July. It joined the [[158th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|158th Brigade]], [[53rd (Welsh) Division]] on 3 August near [[Jerusalem]]. It remained with the division for the rest of the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]],<ref name=Becke121_2a/> taking part in the [[Battle of Nablus (1918)|Battle of Nablus]] (18–21 September 1918). At the end of the battle, the division was employed on salvage work and working on the [[Nablus]] road.<ref name=Becke123/>

On 27 October, the division started moving to [[Alexandria]] even before the [[Armistice of Mudros]] came into effect on 31 October, thereby ending the war against the [[Ottoman Empire]]. It completed its concentration at Alexandria on 15 November. The division received demobilization instructions on 20 December 1918. The Indian infantry battalions returned to India as transports became available and the division was reduced to cadre by 7 June 1919.<ref name=Becke123/> The battalion was disbanded in 1919.<ref name=Gaylor346/>

==See also==
{{portal|World War I}}
* [[Indian Army during World War I]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
| last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1936
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A. The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42–56)
| publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-12-4
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1937
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B. The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th–69th) with The Home-Service Divisions (71st–73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions
| publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-00-0
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1938
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3A. New Army Divisions (9–26)
| publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-08-6
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Gaylor | first = John
| year = 1996
| edition = 2nd
| title = Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991
| publisher = Parapress
| location = Tunbridge Wells
| isbn = 1-898594-41-4
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Perry | first = F.W.
| year = 1993
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions
| publisher = Ray Westlake Military Books
| location = Newport
| isbn = 1-871167-23-X
}}

==External links==
* {{cite web | url=http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm | title=The 53rd (Welsh) Division in 1914–1918 | publisher=The Long, Long Trail | first=Chris | last=Baker | access-date=1 August 2015}}
* {{cite web | url=http://www.1914-1918.net/75div.htm | title=The 75th Division in 1914–1918 | publisher=The Long, Long Trail | first=Chris | last=Baker | access-date=1 August 2015}}
* {{cite web |url=http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf |title=Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, September 1918 |last=Hanafin |first=James |publisher=orbat.com |access-date=11 November 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153754/http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf | archive-date=9 January 2015}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=British Indian Army infantry regiments, Military units and formations established in 1918, Military units and formations disestablished in 1921
|description=
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[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1918]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1921]]

154th Infantry - Revision history

MetaBOT at 12:58, 8 July 2023