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{{short description|Infantry division of the British Indian Army during WWI}}
{{for|the original division|7th (Meerut) Division}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 7th Meerut Divisional Area<br>Meerut Division
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = September 1914 – 1920
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Infantry]]
| role =
| size = [[Division (military)|Division]]
| command_structure = [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Army]]<br>[[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]]
| garrison = [[Meerut Cantonment]]
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]]
| battles_label = Service
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders = [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Maj.-Gen.]] [[Sir]] [[Henry Keary|H.D’U. Keary]]<br>Maj.-Gen. [[Oliver Nugent|O.S.W. Nugent]]
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
}}
The '''7th Meerut Divisional Area''' was an [[infantry]] [[Division (military)|division]] of the [[British Indian Army]] that formed part of the [[Indian Army during the First World War]]. It was formed in September 1914 to replace the original [[7th (Meerut) Division]] that had been mobilized in August 1914 for service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. It was renamed as '''Meerut Division''' in June 1917 and remained in India throughout the war. The division was broken up in 1920.

==History==
At the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the [[7th (Meerut) Division]] was mobilized in August 1914 and sailed from [[Bombay]] on 20 September for the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]].<ref name=Perry89>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=89}}</ref> 39th Royal Garhwal Rifles went with the 7th (Meerut) Division to fight in World War One on the Western Front. <ref>{{cite news |last1=Joglekar |first1=Rahul |title=Indian WW1 soldiers laid to rest after French mystery |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-42016574 |agency=BBC News |date=17 November 2017}}</ref> The '''7th Meerut Divisional Area''' was formed in September 1914 to take over the area responsibilities of the 7th (Meerut) Division. It took over the units left behind by the original division and started to form brigades to control them: the [[14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]] in November, the [[Bareilly Brigade|Bareilly]] and [[Delhi Brigade]]s in December 1914 and the [[Dehra Dun Brigade]] in March 1915. However, the [[Garhwal Brigade]] was not reformed until April 1917.<ref name=Perry97>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=97}}</ref>

The division served with in India throughout the war (although the Meerut Cavalry Brigade was mobilized for the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1919), initially under [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Army]], then [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]] from January 1918.<ref name=Perry97/>

In 1918, the division was responsible for posts and stations at [[Agra]], [[Almora]], [[Bareilly]], [[Bhim Tal]], [[Chakrata]], [[Chambattia]], [[Dehra Dun]], [[Delhi]], [[Gangora]], [[Kailana]], [[Lansdowne, India|Lansdowne]], [[Meerut]], [[Moradabad]], [[Muttra]], [[Ranikhet]], [[Rurki]] and [[Sitoli]]. It was renamed '''Meerut Division''' in June 1917<ref name=Perry91>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=91}}</ref> and was broken up in 1920.<ref name=Mackie361>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=361}}</ref>

==Order of battle==
The division commanded the following brigades in the [[First World War]]:<ref name=Perry92>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=92}}</ref>
* 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade{{efn|name=Original|[[7th (Meerut) Division]] mobilized with [[19th (Dehra Dun) Brigade|19th (Dehra Dun)]], [[20th (Garhwal) Brigade|20th (Garhwal)]] and [[21st (Bareilly) Brigade]]s.<ref name=Perry84>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=84}}</ref> They are not to be confused with the [[Dehra Dun Brigade|Dehra Dun]], [[Garhwal Brigade|Garhwal]] and [[Bareilly Brigade]]s reformed in the 7th Meerut Divisional Area.<ref name=Perry92/> In addition, the [[7th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]] mobilized for the [[2nd Indian Cavalry Division]]<ref name=Perry85>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=85}}</ref> and should not be confused with the [[4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]].<ref name=Perry92/>}}{{snd}}formed in November 1914; renumbered [[4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade]] in February 1915
* Bareilly Brigade{{efn|name=Original}}{{snd}}formed in December 1914
* Delhi Brigade{{snd}}formed in December 1914; broken up in February 1915; reformed in December 1918
* Dehra Dun Brigade{{efn|name=Original}}{{snd}}formed in March 1915; broken up in December 1918
* Garhwal Brigade{{efn|name=Original}}{{snd}}formed in April 1917
* [[Agra Brigade]]{{snd}}formed in December 1918
* [[Nepalese Army|Nepalese]] Brigade{{snd}}attached to the division from January 1916
** Kali Bahadur Battalion
** Sabuj Barakh Battalion
** Mahindra Dal Battalion
** 2nd Rifle Battalion

==Commanders==
The 7th Meerut Divisional Area / Meerut Division had the following commanders:<ref name=Mackie361/><ref name=Perry91/>
{| class="wikitable"
! From !! Rank !! Name !! Notes
|-
| 7 December 1914 || [[Brigadier-general (United Kingdom)|Brigadier-General]] || [[Osbert M.R. Thackwell|O.M.R. Thackwell]] ||
|-
| 16 October 1917 || [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] || [[Sir]] [[Henry Keary|H.D’U. Keary]] ||
|-
| 3 August 1918 || Major-General || [[Oliver Nugent|O.S.W. Nugent]] || Division broken up in 1920
|}

==See also==
{{portal|World War I}}
* [[7th (Meerut) Division]] for the original division
* [[List of Indian divisions in World War I]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

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

==Bibliography==
* {{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 web
|last=Mackie
|first=Colin
|year=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_area.htm |title=7th Meerut Divisional Area on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-07-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517084750/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/7_ind_div_area.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}

{{Indian Divisions in World War I}}

[[Category:British Indian Army divisions]]
[[Category:Indian World War I divisions]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1920]]

7th Meerut Divisional Area - Revision history

Bot at 11:57, 16 January 2021