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{{about||the replacement brigade in India in the First World War|Garhwal Brigade|the Second World War formation|20th Indian Infantry Brigade}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Garhwal Brigade 20th (Garhwal) Brigade 20th Indian Brigade
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = 26 November 1902 – 1920
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Infantry]]
| role =
| size = [[Brigade]]
| command_structure = [[7th (Meerut) Division]] [[10th Indian Division]] Independent
| garrison = [[Lansdowne, India|Lansdowne]]
| garrison_label = Peacetime HQ
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]]
:[[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]
::[[Battle of La Bassée]]
::[[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]]
::[[Battle of Aubers]]
::[[Battle of Festubert]]
::[[Battle of Loos]]
:[[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]
::[[Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt|Second Transjordan attack]]
::[[Third Transjordan attack]]
::[[Second Battle of Amman]]
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders = [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Maj.-Gen.]] [[Charles Woollcombe|C.L. Woollcombe]] Maj.-Gen. [[Henry Keary|H.D’U. Keary]] [[Brigadier-general (United Kingdom)|Br.-Gen.]] [[Charles Blackader|C.G. Blackader]]
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
}}
The '''Garhwal Brigade''' was an [[infantry]] [[brigade]] of the [[British Indian Army]] formed in 1902 as a result of the [[Kitchener Reforms]]. It was mobilized as '''20th (Garhwal) Brigade''' at the outbreak of the [[First World War]] as part of the [[7th (Meerut) Division]] and departed for France. It served on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] until November 1915. It then moved to Egypt where it joined the [[10th Indian Division]], by now designated as '''20th Indian Brigade'''.{{efn|name=ImperialService|The brigade is sometimes mistakenly referred to as ''20th Imperial Service Brigade'' due to the fact that it included three [[Imperial Service Troops]] battalions during the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]. There is no evidence that this was the official title.<ref name=LG_OOB>{{London Gazette | issue=31767 | supp=y |page=1530 | date=4 February 1922 }}</ref><ref name=Perry116>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=116}}</ref><ref name=Perry167>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=167}}</ref> All three battalions had previously served with [[32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade]].<ref name=Perry120>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=120}}</ref>}} It left the division in March 1916 and thereafter served as an independent brigade in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]. It was broken up in 1920.

==History==
The [[Kitchener Reforms]], carried out during [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Lord Kitchener's]] tenure as [[Commander-in-Chief, India]] (1902–09), completed the unification of the three former [[Presidency armies]], the [[Frontier Force (disambiguation)|Punjab Frontier Force]], the [[Hyderabad Contingent]] and other local forces into one [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]]. Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the [[North-West Frontier (military history)|North-West Frontier]] against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with [[internal security]] relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into [[division (military)|divisions]] and [[brigade]]s that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.<ref name=Haythornthwaite244>{{harvnb|Haythornthwaite|1996|p=244}}</ref>

The '''Garhwal Brigade''' was formed in November 1902{{efn|name=Formed|26 November 1902 was the appointment date of the first commanding officer of the brigade.<ref name=Hart1906>{{cite web | url = https://archive.org/stream/hartsannualarmy1906hart#page/103/mode/2up | title = Hart's Annual Army List for 1906 | author = The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart | authorlink = Henry George Hart | publisher = John Murray | location = London | access-date=28 July 2015 }}</ref>}} as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. The brigade formed part of the [[7th (Meerut) Division]].<ref name=Hart1906/>

===Western Front===
At the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the Garhwal Brigade was still part of the 7th (Meerut) Division. It was mobilized with the division in August 1914 as the '''20th (Garhwal) Brigade''' and sailed from [[Bombay]] on 20 September for the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. It arrived in [[Marseilles]] on 12 – 14 October and moved up to the Front, entering the line on the night of 30/31 October{{snd}}taking part in the [[Battle of La Bassée]] (10 October – 2 November). While in France, the brigade was known by its geographical rather than numerical designation so as to avoid confusion with the British [[20th Brigade (United Kingdom)|20th Brigade]] also serving on the Western Front at the same time. The brigade served with the division as part of the [[Indian Corps]] on the Western Front until the end of 1915.<ref name=Perry89>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=89}}</ref>

For the rest of 1914, the brigade took part in the [[Defence of Festubert]] (23 – 24 November) and the [[Winter operations 1914–15#Defence of Givenchy|Defence of Givenchy]] (20 – 21 December).<ref name=Perry89/> In the former, [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] [[Darwan Singh Negi]] of the 1st Battalion, [[39th Garhwal Rifles]] won the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. Indian troops only became eligible for the award in 1911. His award was gazetted<ref name=LG_VC1>{{London Gazette | issue=28999 | supp=y |page=10425 | date=7 December 1914 }}</ref> on the same date as that of [[Sepoy]] [[Khudadad Khan]], the first Indian VC winner.<ref name=Haythornthwaite244/>

In 1915, the brigade took part in the [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]] (10 – 13 March)<ref name=Perry89/> where another two VCs were won: [[Rifleman]] [[Gabar Singh Negi]] (posthumous) of the 2nd Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles, and [[Private (rank)|Private]] [[William Buckingham]] of the 2nd Battalion, [[Leicestershire Regiment]].<ref name=LG_VC2and3>{{London Gazette | issue=29146 | supp=y |page=4143 | date=28 April 1915 }}</ref> The brigade then took part in the battles of [[Battle of Aubers Ridge|Aubers]] (9 May), [[Battle of Festubert|Festubert]] (15 – 25 May) and [[Battle of Loos|Loos]] (25 September – 8 October)<ref name=Perry89/> where Rifleman [[Kulbir Thapa]] of the 2nd Battalion, [[3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles]] won the brigade's fourth VC.<ref name=LG_VC4>{{London Gazette | issue=29371 | supp=y |page=11450 | date=16 November 1915 }}</ref>

The losses suffered by the Indian Corps could not be adequately replaced as the reserve and replacement system essentially broke down. Consequently, on 31 October 1915 orders were received to transfer the [[3rd (Lahore) Division|3rd (Lahore)]] and 7th (Meerut) Divisions to [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]]. The last elements were relieved by 9 November and departed for Egypt en route to Mesopotamia.<ref name=Perry89/> While in Egypt, the brigade left 7th (Meerut) Division in December 1915 and was replaced by [[28th Indian Brigade]].<ref name=Perry87>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=87}}</ref>

===Egypt and Palestine===
The [[10th Indian Division]] was re-formed on 7 January 1916 as part of the [[Suez Canal]] Defences with units and formations in Egypt: the 20th (Garwhal) Brigade{{snd}}by now designated as '''20th Indian Brigade'''{{snd}}joined the division along with the [[29th Indian Brigade]] returned from Gallipoli and [[31st Indian Brigade]] formerly with [[11th Indian Division]]. The new division was short lived: it was broken up again on 7 March 1916 as the need to reform depleted units from France made this plan unrealistic.<ref name=Perry118>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=118}}</ref> The brigade became an independent formation<ref name=Perry117>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=117}}</ref> and served as such for the rest of the war in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]].<ref name=Perry167/>

The brigade continued to serve on the Suez Canal Defences under command of the [[Egyptian Expeditionary Force]] in 1916 and 1917. In April 1918, it was attached to the [[Desert Mounted Corps]] and with it took part in the [[Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt|Second Transjordan attack]] (30 April – 4 May 1918). Two battalions of the brigade{{snd}}[[Alwar Infantry]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|I.S.]]) and 1st Battalion, [[Patiala Infantry]] (I.S.){{snd}}were involved in the [[Battle of Abu Tellul|Battle of Abu Tulul]] on 15 July.<ref name=Becke41>{{harvnb|Becke|1945|p=41}}</ref> It then helped to [[British occupation of the Jordan Valley|occupy the Jordan Valley]]. In August 1918, the brigade joined [[Chaytor's Force]] along with the [[Anzac Mounted Division]] and other units under the command of [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] [[Edward Chaytor|E.W.C. Chaytor]]. As part of the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign#Megiddo offensive|Final Offensive in Palestine]], the Force operated in the [[Jordan Valley (Middle East)|Jordan Valley]] and hills to the east of the [[River Jordan|Jordan]].<ref name=LG_OOB/> It took part in the [[Third Transjordan attack]] (19 – 25 September) leading to the [[Second Battle of Amman|capture of Amman]] (25 September).<ref name=Becke42>{{harvnb|Becke|1945|p=42}}</ref>

The brigade was broken up in 1920.<ref name=Mackie363>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=363}}</ref>

==Orders of battle==
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!Garhwal Brigade in India in August 1914
|-
|At the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the brigade had the following composition:<ref name=Perry86>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=86}}</ref>
* 1st Battalion, [[39th Garhwal Rifles]]
* 2nd Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles
* 2nd Battalion, [[3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles]]
* 2nd Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]] ''(transferred in September 1914 to [[21st (Bareilly) Brigade]])''
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!20th (Garhwal) Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division on the Western Front
|-
|The brigade's composition on the Western Front included:<ref name=Perry86/>
* 2nd Battalion, [[Leicestershire Regiment]] ''(joined in September 1914 from [[21st (Bareilly) Brigade]]; transferred on 17 November 1915 to [[28th Indian Brigade]] in Egypt)''
* 1st Battalion, [[39th Garhwal Rifles]] ''(until April 1915)''{{efn|name=39GR|In April 1915, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the [[39th Garhwal Rifles]] were amalgamated as 39th Garhwal Rifles.<ref name=Perry86/>}}
* 2nd Battalion, 39th Garhwal Rifles ''(until April 1915)''{{efn|name=39GR}}
* 39th Garhwal Rifles ''(from April 1915)''{{efn|name=39GR}}
* 2nd Battalion, [[3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles]]
* [[3rd (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment|1/3rd Battalion, London Regiment]] ''(joined on 10 February 1915 from [[Malta]]; joined [[139th (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Brigade]], [[46th (North Midland) Division]] on 4 November 1915)''
* 2nd Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]] ''(rejoined in March 1915 from [[7th (Ferozepore) Brigade]], [[3rd (Lahore) Division]]; left the brigade in Egypt in December 1915 and in March 1916 to [[Lansdowne, India|Lansdowne]], [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]])''
The following Indian units temporarily replaced British ones during July and August 1915:<ref name=Perry85>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=85}}</ref>
* [[15th Ludhiana Sikhs]]
* 1st Battalion, [[1st King George's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment)]]
* 1st Battalion, [[4th Gurkha Rifles]]
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!20th Indian Brigade, 10th Indian Division in Egypt
|-
|The brigade had the following composition while assigned to the 10th Indian Division in Egypt:<ref name=Perry116/>
* [[39th Garhwal Rifles]] ''(left in February 1916 for [[Dehra Dun Brigade]], [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]])''{{efn|name=39GR}}
* 2nd Battalion, [[3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles]]
* 2nd Battalion, [[2nd King Edward's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)]] ''(joined in November 1915 from [[19th (Dehra Dun) Brigade]], 7th (Meerut) Division; left in February 1916 for Dehra Dun Brigade, 7th Meerut Divisional Area)''
* 4th Battalion, [[Gwalior Infantry]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|I.S.]]) ''(joined in January 1916 from [[32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade]])''
* [[Alwar Infantry]] (I.S.) ''(joined in February 1916 from 32nd (Imperial Service) Brigade, via [[Line of communication|Lines of Communication]])''
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!20th Indian Brigade as an independent formation
|-
|The brigade had the following composition while acting as an independent formation in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]]:<ref name=Perry167/>
* 2nd Battalion, [[3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles]] ''(left in December 1916 for [[29th Indian Brigade]])''
* 4th Battalion, [[Gwalior Infantry]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|I.S.]])
* [[Alwar Infantry]] (I.S.){{efn|name=Alwar|The [[Alwar Infantry]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|I.S.]]) was redesignated as the [[145th (Alwar) Infantry]] from August to December 1918.<ref name=Perry168>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=168}}</ref>}}
* [[58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)]] ''(joined in February 1916 from [[31st Indian Brigade]]; left in April 1917 for [[49th Indian Brigade]])''
* 1st Battalion, [[Patiala Infantry]] (I.S.) ''(joined in December 1916 from 29th Indian Brigade)''
* 1st Battalion, [[101st Grenadiers]] ''(joined on 18 January 1918 from 49th Indian Brigade; left on 30 April 1918 for [[29th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|29th Brigade]], [[British 10th Division]])''
* 2nd Battalion, 101st Grenadiers ''(joined on 19 January 1918 from 49th Indian Brigade; left on 1 May 1918 for [[31st Brigade (United Kingdom)|31st Brigade]], British 10th Division)''
* [[110th Mahratta Light Infantry]] ''(joined on 20 July 1918 from [[160th (Welsh Border) Brigade|160th Brigade]], [[British 53rd Division]])''{{efn|name=Original110|The original [[110th Mahratta Light Infantry]] was captured in April 1916 with the [[6th (Poona) Division]] in the [[Siege of Kut|fall of Kut]].<ref name=Perry76>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=76}}</ref> It was reformed from ''2nd Mahratta Reserve Battalion'' in India in June 1917.<ref name=Perry176>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=176}}</ref>}}
The brigade had the following units attached from August to November 1918:<ref name=Perry167/>
* 38th (Service) Battalion, [[Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)]]{{efn|name=Jewish|The 38th and 39th battalions of the [[Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)]] were formed from [[Jewish Legion|Jewish volunteers]].<ref name=James50>{{harvnb|James|1978|p=50}}</ref>}}
* 39th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment){{efn|name=Jewish}}
* 1st Battalion, [[British West Indies Regiment]]
* 2nd Battalion, British West Indies Regiment
|}

==Commanders==
The Garhwal Brigade / 20th (Garhwal) Brigade / 20th Indian Brigade had the following commanders:<ref name=Mackie363/><ref name=Perry84>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=84}}</ref><ref name=Perry115>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=115}}</ref><ref name=Perry167/>
{| class="wikitable"
! From !! Rank !! Name !! Notes
|-
| 26 November 1902<ref name=Hart1906/><ref name=Hart1907>{{cite web | url = https://archive.org/stream/hartsannualarmy1907hart#page/100/mode/2up | title = Hart's Annual Army List for 1907 | author = The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart | authorlink = Henry George Hart | publisher = John Murray | location = London | access-date=28 July 2015 }}</ref>{{efn|name=Mackie|Mackie says the brigade was formed in 1904.<ref name=Mackie363/>}} || [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] || [[Arthur G.F. Browne|A.G.F. Browne]] ||
|-
| 18 October 1907<ref name=Hart1909>{{cite web | url = https://archive.org/stream/hartsannualarmy1909lond#page/110/mode/2up | title = Hart's Annual Army List for 1909 | author = The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart | authorlink = Henry George Hart | publisher = John Murray | location = London | access-date=28 July 2015 }}</ref> || Major-General || [[Charles Woollcombe|C.L. Woollcombe]] ||
|-
| 14 November 1911 || Major-General || [[Henry Keary|H.D’U. Keary]] ||
|-
| 8 January 1915 || [[Brigadier-general (United Kingdom)|Brigadier-General]] || [[Charles Blackader|C.G. Blackader]] || Appointment vacated on 30 November 1915<ref name=Perry84/>
|-
| November 1915{{efn|name=NotShown|Perry does not show the appointment of [[Vaughan Cox|H.V. Cox]] or [[F.A. Smith (Indian Army officer)|F.A. Smith]].<ref name=Perry84/><ref name=Perry115/>}} || Major-General || [[Sir]] [[Vaughan Cox|H.V. Cox]] ||
|-
| December 1915{{efn|name=NotShown}} || Brigadier-General || [[F.A. Smith (Indian Army officer)|F.A. Smith]] ||
|-
| 3 January 1916 || Brigadier-General || [[Harry D. Watson|H.D. Watson]] ||
|-
| 17 January 1918 || Brigadier-General || [[E.R.B. Murray]] || Until January 1919
|}

==See also==
{{portal|World War I}}
* [[Garhwal Brigade]] formed in India to replace the original brigade when it was mobilized
* [[Indian Expeditionary Force A]]


==Notes==
{{notelist|2}}

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

==Bibliography==
* {{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 = Haythornthwaite | first = Philip J.
| authorlink = Philip Haythornthwaite
| year = 1996
| title = The World War One Source Book
| publisher = Arms and Armour Press
| location = London
| isbn = 1-85409-351-7
}}
* {{cite book
| last = James | first = Brigadier E.A.
| year = 1978
| title = British Regiments 1914–18
| publisher = Samson Books Limited
| location = London
| isbn = 0-906304-03-2
}}
* {{cite web
|last=Mackie
|first=Colin
|date=June 2015
|title=Army Commands 1900-2011
|publisher=www.gulabin.com
|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf
|access-date=1 July 2015
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf
|archive-date=5 July 2015
|df=dmy
}}
* {{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/7_ind_div.htm |title=7th (Meerut) Division on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517124514/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/7_ind_div.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/10_ind_div.htm |title=10th Indian Division on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-06-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517084941/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/10_ind_div.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}
*{{cite web|url=http://warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/ind_ind_bdes.htm |title=Independent Indian Brigades on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-07-03 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213201732/http://warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/ind_ind_bdes.htm |archive-date=13 February 2012 |df=dmy }}

[[Category:Brigades of India in World War I]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1902]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1920]]

20th Indian Brigade - Revision history

Bot at 23:01, 28 August 2021