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{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{infobox military unit
|unit_name=16th Indian Division
|image=
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|dates=1916–1922
|country={{flag|British India|23px}}
|allegiance=[[British Crown]]
|branch={{army|British India|23px}}
|type=Infantry
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|size=Division
|command_structure=Northern Army
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|battles=[[First World War]]<br>[[Third Afghan War]]
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The '''16th Indian Division''' was an infantry division of the [[Indian Army during the First World War]]. It was formed in December 1916, during the [[First World War]]. It was the only war formed division of the [[British Indian Army]] that was not sent overseas,{{efn|The [[3rd Lahore Divisional Area|3rd Lahore]],<ref name=Perry55>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=55}}</ref> [[6th Poona Divisional Area|6th Poona]],<ref name=Perry82>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=82}}</ref> and [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]]s<ref name=Perry97>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=97}}</ref> also remained in India throughout the war.}} instead it was sent to guard the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]]. The division took over the responsibilities of the [[3rd Lahore Divisional Area]] when it was disbanded in May 1917.

The 16th Division was called into action for the [[Waziristan campaign (1919–1920)|Waziristan Campaign]] in 1917, the 45th (Jullundur) Brigade under command of Brigadier [[Reginald Dyer]] were responsible for the [[Jallianwala Bagh massacre]]. In 1919, they were sent into Afghanistan during the [[Third Afghan War]].<ref>{{cite web|accessdate=1 October 2009 |title=Waziristan Campaign 1917 |publisher=25th County of London Cycle Battalion |url=http://www.25thlondon.com/waziristan.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107000139/http://www.25thlondon.com/waziristan.htm |archivedate=7 January 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The division was not reformed for the [[Second World War]].<ref>{{harvnb|Kempton|2003a|loc=i}}</ref>

== Order of Battle ==
The division was composed as follows:<ref name = Perry16>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|pp=67–71}}</ref>
=== 43rd Indian Brigade ===
{{main|43rd Indian Brigade}}
* [[6th (Cyclist) Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment|2/6th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment]]
* 2nd Battalion [[12th Pioneers]]
* 1st Battalion [[124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan]]
* 1st Battalion [[4th Gurkha Rifles]]

=== 44th (Ferozepore) Brigade ===
{{main|44th (Ferozepore) Brigade}}
Joined the division in February 1917:
* 1/9th Battalion [[Hampshire Regiment]]
* 2nd Battalion [[17th Infantry]]
* 2nd Battalion [[30th Punjabis]] (Replaced by the 3rd battalion August 1918)

=== 45th (Jullundur) Brigade ===
Joined the division in May 1917:
* [[25th (County of London) Cyclist Battalion|1/25th Battalion London Regiment]]
* 3rd Battalion [[23rd Sikh Pioneers]]
* [[55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)]]
* 2nd Battalion [[151st Sikh Infantry]]

In the Third Afghan War the formation was:
* 1 Squadron [[37th Lancers (Baluch Horse)]]
* 1/25th Battalion London Regiment
* 2nd Battalion [[41st Dogras]]
* 2nd Battalion [[69th Punjabis]]
* 2nd Battalion [[150th Infantry]]
* [[57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)]]
* 1 Company 2/4th Battalion [[Border Regiment]]
* [[23rd (Peshawar) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force)]]<ref>Collett, pp.301–302</ref>

=== Ambala Brigade ===
{{main|Ambala Brigade}}
Joined the division in May 1917:
* [[9th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment|1/9th Battalion Middlesex Regiment]]
* 4th Battalion [[30th Punjabis]]

=== Divisional troops ===
* 23rd Battalion [[Rifle Brigade]]
* 2nd Battalion [[10th Jats]]

===Divisional Artillery===
* VI Brigade, [[Royal Field Artillery]] (RFA)
* [[217th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery|CCXVII Brigade, RFA]]
* [[218th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery|CCXVIII Brigade, RFA]]
* [[221st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery|CCXXI Brigade, RFA]]

==See also==
{{portal|World War I}}
* [[List of Indian divisions in World War I]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

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

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
| last = Collett | first = Nigel
| year = 2007
| title = The Butcher of Amritsar: General Reginald Dyer
| publisher = Continuum International Publishing Group
| location =
| isbn = 1-85285-575-4
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Kempton | first = Chris
| year = 2003a
| title = 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947
| volume = Part I Divisions
| publisher = The Military Press
| location = Milton Keynes
| isbn = 0-85420-228-5
}}
* {{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.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/16_ind_div.htm |title=16th Indian Division on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |accessdate=30 June 2015 |url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517084648/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/16_ind_div.htm |archivedate=17 May 2008 }}

{{Indian Divisions in World War I}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=British Indian Army divisions, Indian World War I divisions, Military units and formations established in 1916, Military units and formations disestablished in 1922
|description=
}}

[[Category:British Indian Army divisions]]
[[Category:Indian World War I divisions]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1916]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1922]]

16th Indian Division - Revision history

MetaBOT at 13:14, 8 July 2023