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{{Use British English|date=October 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 155th Pioneers
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = May 1918 – 1920
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Pioneer (military)|Pioneers]]
| role =
| size = Two [[battalion]]s
| command_structure = [[10th (Irish) Division]]<br>[[53rd (Welsh) Division]]
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]]
:[[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]
::[[Battle of Nablus (1918)|Battle of Nablus]]
| battles_label =
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders =
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
}}
The '''155th Pioneers''' was a [[Pioneer (military)|pioneer]] [[regiment]] of the [[British Indian Army]]. It was formed in [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]] and [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] in May and June 1918, saw service in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]] in the [[Indian Army during World War I|First World War]], and was disbanded in 1920.

==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>

==History==
The 155th Pioneers was formed of two battalions in May and June 1918. The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia in May, by posting complete companies from battalions serving in that campaign, before transferring to Egypt in July.<ref name=Becke121_2a>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=121}}</ref> It joined the 2nd Battalion which was formed in Palestine in June with companies posted from battalions already serving in the [[Theater (warfare)|theatre]].<ref name=Becke16>{{harvnb|Becke|1938|p=16}}</ref>

The battalions were assigned as pioneers to the two divisions of [[XX Corps (United Kingdom)|XX Corps]],<ref name=Becke250>{{harvnb|Becke|1945|p=250}}</ref> 53rd (Welsh)<ref name=Becke121_2a/> and 10th (Irish),<ref name=Becke16/> respectively. Both battalions were detached to ''Watson's Force''{{efn|Commanded by [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lt.-Col.]] G.B. Watson.<ref name=Becke250/>}} along with the [[1/1st Worcestershire Yeomanry]] (XX Corps Cavalry Regiment) and a detachment from XX Corps Reinforcements Camp. The force occupied 5 miles of the line in the centre of the XX Corps front during the [[Battle of Nablus (1918)|Battle of Nablus]] (19–21 September 1918).<ref name=Becke250/>

===Nomenclature===
Perry shows each battalion with distinct designations: ''1st Battalion, 155th Pioneers'' and ''2nd Battalion, 155th Infantry''<ref name=Perry177>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=177}}</ref> despite the fact that the 2nd Battalion was formed from companies drawn from existing pioneer battalions<ref name=Becke16/><ref name=Perry177/> and served successively as pioneers to the 60th (2/2nd London),<ref name=Becke27>{{harvnb|Becke|1937|p=27}}</ref> 10th (Irish), and 53rd (Welsh) Divisions.<ref name=Becke16/> Similarly, Gaylor designates the units as the ''1st Battalion, 155th Indian Pioneers'' and ''2nd Battalion, 155th Indian Infantry''.<ref name=Gaylor346>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=346}}</ref> It is notable that no other Indian infantry or pioneer regiment incorporated ''Indian'' in their titles [[List of regiments of the Indian Army (1903)|at this time]].{{efn|Later, two regiments incorporated ''Indian'' in their titles: the [[4th Bombay Grenadiers]] (formed on 1 March 1922) was designated as [[The Indian Grenadiers]] from October 1945<ref name=Gaylor144>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=144}}</ref> before being assigned to the [[Indian Army]] on [[Partition of India|Partition]] and being redesignated as [[The Grenadiers]];<ref name=Gaylor269>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=269}}</ref> and the [[Indian Parachute Regiment]] had a brief existence from 1 March 1945 to 26 October 1946<ref name=Gaylor206>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=206}}</ref> before being reformed on 15 April 1952 as the [[Parachute Regiment (India)|Parachute Regiment]].<ref name=Gaylor262>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=262}}</ref>}}

Becke uses a severely abbreviated notation for unit names in his tables: ''2/155 (P.)'' for 10th (Irish) Division<ref name=Becke14>{{harvnb|Becke|1938|p=14}}</ref> and ''155th (P.)'' for 53rd (Welsh) Division<ref name=Becke120>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=120}}</ref> but is more explicit in his General Notes for the 60th (2/2nd London) Division where he names ''2/155 Pioneers''.<ref name=Becke27/>

==={{anchor|1}}1st Battalion===
The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia<ref name=Becke121_2a/> in May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from:<ref name=Perry177/>
*[[34th Sikh Pioneers]]
*[[48th Pioneers]]
*[[64th Pioneers]]
*[[128th Pioneers]]
The battalion was made up of two companies of [[Mazhabi Sikh]]s, one company of [[Jat]]s and one company of [[Rajput]] [[Muslim]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/155th-indian-pioneers-1st-battalion | title=155th Indian Pioneers, 1st Battalion | publisher=Researching the Lives and Service Records of World War One Soldiers | access-date=3 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208051929/http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/155th-indian-pioneers-1st-battalion | archive-date=8 December 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The battalion disembarked at [[Suez]] on 11 July and moved to [[El-Qantarah el-Sharqiyya|Qantara]]. It reached [[Lydda]] on 6 August and joined the 53rd (Welsh) Division on 12 August 1918 near [[Ram Allah]]. 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).<ref name=Becke123>{{harvnb|Becke|1936|p=123}}</ref>

On 27 October, the 53rd (Welsh) 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 1920.<ref name=Gaylor346/>

==={{anchor|2}}2nd Battalion===
The 2nd Battalion was formed in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] on 12 and 13 June 1918 by the transfer of the following complete companies:<ref name=Becke16/><ref name=Perry177/>
*W Company, 1st Battalion, [[23rd Sikh Pioneers]]
*A Company, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Sikh Pioneers
*C Company, 2nd Battalion, [[32nd Sikh Pioneers]]
*A Company, [[121st Pioneers]]
The battalion was made up of three companies of [[Mazhabi Sikh]]s and one company of [[Yusafzai]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/155th-indian-infantry-2nd-battalion | title=155th Indian Pioneers, 2nd Battalion | publisher=Researching the Lives and Service Records of World War One Soldiers | access-date=3 December 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208060247/http://www.researchingww1.co.uk/155th-indian-infantry-2nd-battalion | archive-date=8 December 2015 | url-status=dead | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The battalion served as pioneers with the 60th (2/2nd London) Division from 18 June to 19 July before joining the 10th (Irish) Division as its pioneer battalion. On 31 August, it was detached to the 53rd (Welsh) Division until after the breakthrough as a result of the [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Battles of Megiddo]] (19–25 September). It rejoined the 10th (Irish) Division and in October was employed on the [[Damascus]] Road near [[Tiberias]].<ref name=Becke16/>

The 10th (Irish) Division concentrated near [[Tul Karm]] in the middle of October and was there when the Armistice of Mudros came into effect. The division moved to [[Sarafand al-Amar|Sarafand]] (now [[Tzrifin]]) by 12 November and moved back to Egypt, concentrating in [[Cairo]] by 1 December. It was there when demobilization began in January 1919.<ref name=Becke18>{{harvnb|Becke|1938|p=18}}</ref> The battalion was disbanded in 1920.<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 = Becke | first = Major A.F.
| year = 1945
| title = Order of Battle of Divisions Part 4. The Army Council, GHQs, Armies and Corps 1914–1918
| publisher = [[His Majesty's Stationery Office]]
| location = London
| isbn = 1-871167-16-7
}}
* {{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/10div.htm | title=The 10th (Irish) 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/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/60div.htm | title=The 60th (2/2nd London) 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}}

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155th Pioneers - Revision history

MetaBOT at 13:00, 8 July 2023