LouieWebb342 at 09:34, 9 March 2026

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{{For|the unrelated formation in the [[World War I|First World War]]|36th (Ulster) Division}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=36th Indian Infantry Division<br/>36th British Infantry Division
|image=36 inf div -vector.svg
|caption=The [[Divisional insignia of the British Army|divisional insignia]]
|dates= 1944–1945
|allegiance={{flagicon|British Raj}} [[British Raj|British India]]<br/>{{flag|United Kingdom}}
|branch=[[File:British Raj Red Ensign.svg|26px]] [[British Indian Army]]<br/>{{army|United Kingdom}}
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=
|size=[[Division (military)|Division]]
|command_structure=
|current_commander=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[World War II|Second World War]]
|notable_commanders=[[Francis Festing]]
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''36th Indian Infantry Division''' was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[Indian Army during World War II|Indian Army during the Second World War]]. The division was subsequently redesignated as a [[British Army]] formation, the '''36th Infantry Division''' in September 1944. It served in [[British Raj|India]] and during the [[Burma Campaign]]. After the end of the war it was disbanded and its remaining British units were transferred to the [[2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 2nd Infantry Division]].

==History==
===36th Indian Division===
The division was formed in India on 15 December 1942. Its constituent formations were the [[29th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|29th Infantry Brigade]] Group (under command from 26 January 1943), which had already fought as an independent brigade in the [[Battle of Madagascar]], and [[72nd Indian Infantry Brigade]] confusingly composed of entirely British combat units. 72nd Indian Infantry Brigade was re-designated the new 72nd Infantry Brigade (the previous 72 Inf Bde had become [[5th Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)|5th Parachute Brigade]] on 28 April 1943). Most of the division's engineer, medical and service units were Indian. The division's formation sign was two interlinked rings, one white and one red, on a black square background.<ref name=badge>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30072609|title=Badge, formation, British 36th Infantry Division|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

In January 1943, Brigadier [[Francis Festing]] was promoted from command of the 29th Brigade to that of the division. (His replacement as commander of 29th Brigade was Brigadier [[Hugh Stockwell]].) Parts of the division were present in the [[Arakan Campaign 1942–1943|First Arakan campaign]] in early 1943. It was intended that part of the division was to launch an amphibious assault on [[Sittwe|Akyab Island]], but this operation was cancelled.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JeeOAQAAQBAJ&pg=PT53|title=The Encyclopedia of Codenames of World War II (Routledge Revivals)|first=Christopher |last=Chant|publisher=Routledge|year=2013|isbn=978-0415710879}}</ref>

The division was initially in reserve for the Second Arakan campaign in early 1944, but was called on to relieve the besieged [[7th Indian Infantry Division|7th Indian infantry Division]] after early setbacks. After the Japanese were defeated at the [[Battle of Ngakyedauk]], 7th Division was withdrawn and 36th Division took over the offensive in the Kalapanzin River Valley. Units of the division captured the vital eastern railway tunnel linking the Kalapanzin valley with the port of [[Maungdaw]].<ref>{{harvnb|Slim|1956|pp=242–243}}</ref>

The division withdrew for a brief rest at [[Shillong]] in Assam, and was then despatched to [[Ledo, Assam|Ledo]], where it came under command of the American-led [[Northern Combat Area Command]].<ref>{{harvnb|Nesbit|2009|p=157}}</ref>

===36th Infantry Division===
[[File:Royal Scots Fusiliers approach Pinwe.jpg|thumb|left|Men of the [[Royal Scots Fusiliers]], 36th Infantry Division, advancing near [[Pinwe]], December 1944.]]
Early in July 1944, the division started to fly into [[Nampong Air Force Base|Myitkyina airfield]] in North Burma, with 72nd Brigade being the first formation to land. On 1 September 1944, shortly after the division had started advancing down the "Railway valley" from [[Mogaung]] towards [[Indaw]] on the right flank of [[Northern Combat Area Command|NCAC]], the division was renamed the British 36th Division.<ref name=badge/> On 14 December, a third brigade was added to the division; confusingly, this was the first Indian formation that the division commanded (the [[26th Indian Infantry Brigade]], of one British and two Indian battalions).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ordersofbattle.com/Units/UnitSuperiors?UniX=1422|title=26th Indian Infantry Brigade|publisher=Orders of Battle|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

The division was distinguished for being the only British division to rely entirely on air supply, mainly by the United States' [[Tenth Air Force]], for an extended period. The United States Army Air Force also provided the division with 12 light aircraft equipped for casualty evacuation and a US Army engineer company to construct its airstrips. Initially, the division was without its own divisional artillery and instead relied on a Chinese artillery group under US command.<ref>Foster</ref>

[[File:The British Army in Burma 1945 SE2137.jpg|thumb|right|Men of the 6th Battalion, [[South Wales Borderers]], 36th Infantry Division, march through Bahe en route for [[Mandalay]], January 1945.]]

The division, having linked up with the main body of [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|William "Bill" Slim]]'s British [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]], crossed the [[Irrawaddy River]] and advanced independently down the eastern side of the river. Units from the division suffered losses forcing the crossing the 300 yard wide [[Shweli River]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205205155|title=The British Army in Burma 1945|date=1 February 1945|publisher=Imperial War Museum|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ww2online.org/image/36th-infantry-division-elephants-being-urged-shweli-river-burma-1945|title=36th Infantry Division elephants being urged into the Shweli River, Burma 1945|publisher=The National World War II Museum|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref> but the division continued to advance until the fall of [[Mandalay]] in March 1945.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://queensregimentalassociation.org/media/Royal%20Sussex%20Regiment.pdf|title=Royal Sussex Regiment|page=3|publisher=Queen's Regimental Association|access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref> On 1 April 1945 the division transferred from NCAC to Fourteenth Army. The 26th Indian Brigade became the 26th British Brigade on 6 April.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unithistories.com/units_british/36InfDiv.html|title=36th Infantry Division|publisher=Unit Histories|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

As there were now more troops in Burma than could be supplied (and the transport aircraft allocated to NCAC were being withdrawn to [[China]]), the division was returned to India, officially arriving on 12 May, and joined [[XXXIV Corps (India)]] on 28 May.<ref name = "BMH24May2020">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2019/07/36-Infantry-Division-1943-45.pdf|title=36th Infantry Division|publisher=British Military History|page=12|access-date=24 May 2020}}</ref>

==Order of battle==
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!colspan= |36th Infantry Division (Burma, 1944)
|-
|colspan="2" |

29th British Infantry Brigade
*1st Battalion, [[Royal Scots Fusiliers]]
*2nd Battalion, [[Royal Welch Fusiliers]]
*2nd Battalion, [[East Lancashire Regiment]]
*2nd Battalion, [[South Lancashire Regiment]] (until 16 March 1944)
(25 May 1945 – 31 August 1945)
*2nd Battalion, [[Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)]]
*1st Battalion, [[Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]]
*1st Battalion, [[Essex Regiment]]
(These three battalions were all former [[Chindits|Chindit]] units)

72nd British Infantry Brigade
*6th Battalion, [[South Wales Borderers]]
*9th Battalion, [[Royal Sussex Regiment]]
*10th Battalion, [[Gloucestershire Regiment]]

26th Indian Infantry Brigade (under command from December 1944)
*2nd Battalion, [[Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)]]
*2nd Battalion, [[8th Punjab Regiment]]
*1st Battalion, [[19th Hyderabad Regiment]]
*1st Battalion, [[1st Gurkha Rifles]]

[[26th_Infantry_Brigade_(United_Kingdom)|26th British Infantry Brigade]] (converted from 26th Indian Infantry Brigade 6 April 1945
*2nd Battalion, [[Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)]]
*1st Battalion, [[Devonshire Regiment]]
*1st Battalion, [[Northamptonshire Regiment]]

Divisional Troops
* 36th Infantry Divisional artillery, [[Royal Artillery]]
** [[130th (Lowland) Assault Field Regiment, Royal Artillery]] (315, 316 & 494 Batteries) (11 August 1943 – 13 June 1945)
** [[178th Assault Field Regiment, Royal Artillery]] (122, 366 & 516 Batteries) (17 July 1943 – 5 July 1945)
** [[145th (Berkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery]] (22 June 1945 – 13 July 1945)
** 158th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (8 July 1945 – 31 August 1945)
** 8th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (20 July 1945 – 31 August 1945)
** 32nd Mountain Regiment (12, 17 & 28 Batteries), [[Royal Indian Artillery]] (6 February 1945 – 31 August 1945)
** 12th and 28th Indian Mountain Batteries, Royal Indian Artillery (3 December 1944 – 5 February 1945)
** [[Birmingham Rifles|122nd Light Anti Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery]] (400 & 402 LAA Batteries and 168 & 321 Atk Batteries)(31 November 1943 – 14 September 1944)
** [[Birmingham Rifles|122nd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery]] (168, 321 & 402 Batteries) (15 September 1944 – 20 August 1945)
** 59th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery (19 May 1944 – 31 August 1944)
* Divisional Engineers<ref>{{cite book|title=The Indian Engineers 1939–47|last=Sandes|first=E.W.C.|year=1956|publisher=Institution of Military Engineers|location=Kirkee, India}}</ref>
** 236 Field Company, [[Royal Engineers]]
** 30 Field Company, [[Bombay Engineering Group|Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners]], [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers|Indian Engineers]]
** 324 Field Park Company, Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners, Indian Engineers
** 15 Indian Engineer Battalion, Indian Engineers
** 12 Bridging Section, Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners, Indian Engineers<ref name = "BMH24May2020"/>
* D Company, 2nd Battalion, [[Manchester Regiment]] (Machine Guns)
* 88th Indian Infantry Company ([[8th Gurkha Rifles]]) (Divisional HQ Company)
* 2nd Battalion, [[Royal Leicestershire Regiment|Leicestershire Regiment]] (Defence Battalion) (20 May 1945 – 31 August 1945)
* 1st Battalion, [[7th Rajput Regiment]] (Machine Gun Battalion) (22 June 1945 – 31 August 1945)
* 2nd Battalion, [[Border Regiment]] (Reconnaissance Battalion) (10 April 1945 – 31 August 1945)
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Nesbit|first=Roy Conyers|title=The Battle for Burma|publisher=Pen and Sword|year=2009|isbn=978-1844159550}}
* {{cite book|last=Foster|first=Geoffry|title=36th Division - North Burma - 1944–45|year=1946}}
* {{cite book|last=Granillo|first=Mandy|title=When Britain Feared None}}
* {{cite book|last1= Renaldi|first1=Richard A.|last2= Rikhe|first2=Ravi |year=2011|title=Indian Army Order of Battle|publisher= Tiger Lily Books: A division of General Data LLC|isbn=978-0-9820541-7-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Slim|first=William | author-link=William Slim| title=Defeat Into Victory| location=London| publisher=Cassell| year=1956| oclc=253543428}}

==Further reading==
* Joslen, HF, (1960) Orders of Battle Volume 1 United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War 1939–1945, London, HMSO 1960

==External links==
* [http://www.unithistories.com/units_british/36InfDiv.html Unit Histories]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317010033/http://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/documents.php?aid=132&nid=15&start=0 British Military History - Indian Divisional Histories]

{{British Army Divisions}}
{{Indian Divisions in World War II}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:36 Infantry Division}}
[[Category:Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War II]]
[[Category:Indian World War II divisions]]
[[Category:Divisions of the Indian Army]]
[[Category:British Indian Army divisions]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1944]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Burma in World War II|D]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1945]]

36th Infantry Division United Kingdom - Revision history

LouieWebb342 at 09:34, 9 March 2026