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{{for|the original Ambala Brigade|3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Ambala Brigade
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| dates = 11 November 1914 – 1941
| country = {{flag|British India|23px}}
| allegiance = [[British Crown]]
| branch = {{army|British India|23px}}
| type = [[Infantry]]
| role =
| size = [[Brigade]]
| command_structure = [[3rd Lahore Divisional Area]]<br>[[16th Indian Division]]
| garrison =
| garrison_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| march =
| mascot =
| anniversaries =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = [[First World War]]<br>[[Second World War]]
| battles_label = Service
| decorations =
| battle_honours =
| battle_honours_label =
| disbanded =
| notable_commanders =
| identification_symbol =
| identification_symbol_label =
}}
The '''Ambala Brigade''' was an [[infantry]] [[brigade]] of the [[British Indian Army]] that formed part of the [[Indian Army during World War I|Indian Army during the First World War]]. It was formed in November 1914 to replace the original Ambala Brigade that had been mobilized as the [[3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade]] for service on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]. It remained in India throughout the war.

The brigade continued to exist between the World Wars and by September 1939 it was designated '''Ambala Brigade Area'''. It was broken up in 1941.

==History==
At the outbreak of the [[First World War]], the [[Ambala Cavalry Brigade]] was part of the [[3rd (Lahore) Division]]. It was mobilized in August 1914 as the [[3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade]], assigned to the newly formed [[1st Indian Cavalry Division]]<ref name=Perry49>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=49}}</ref> and sailed from [[Bombay]] on 16 October for the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]].<ref name=Perry16>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=16}}</ref> Likewise, the 3rd (Lahore) Division was transferred to France in August 1914.<ref name=Perry53>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=53}}</ref> The [[3rd Lahore Divisional Area]] was formed in September 1914 to take over the area responsibilities of the 3rd (Lahore) Division<ref name=Perry58>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=58}}</ref> and on 11 November 1914{{efn|The first commanding officer was appointed on 11 November 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette | issue = 29023 | date = 31 December 1914 |page=11207 | supp = y }}</ref>}} a new Ambala Brigade was formed in 3rd Lahore Divisional Area to replace the original brigade. The brigade served with the division in India until May 1917.<ref name=Perry55>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=55}}</ref>

From December 1916, the [[16th Indian Division]] began forming as a reserve division for the [[Military history of the North-West Frontier|North-West Frontier]] eventually taking over the responsibilities and brigades of the 3rd Lahore Divisional Area: [[44th (Ferozepore) Brigade]] in February 1917 and the Ambala and [[45th (Jullundur) Brigade]]s in May.<ref name=Perry55/> It remained with the new division until June 1918 when it became an independent formation.<ref name=Perry137>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=137}}</ref>

The brigade continued to exist after the end of the war. By 1926 it had been redesignated as '''Ambala Brigade Area'''.<ref>{{London Gazette | issue = 33179 | date = 3 July 1926 |page=4404 | supp = y }}</ref> It was broken up in 1941.<ref name=Mackie350>{{harvnb|Mackie|2015|p=350}}</ref>

==Orders of battle==
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!3rd Lahore Divisional Area
|-
|The brigade commanded the following units while assigned to 3rd Lahore Divisional Area:<ref name=Perry56>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=56}}</ref>
* 1/5th Battalion, [[Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry)]] ''(arrived in India with the [[43rd (Wessex) Division]] and joined the brigade in December 1914; transferred in March 1916 to the [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]])''
* 1st Battalion, [[8th Gurkha Rifles]] ''(joined in January 1915 from [[Shillong]], [[8th (Lucknow) Division]]; transferred in March 1916 to [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]] where it joined [[21st (Bareilly) Brigade]], [[7th (Meerut) Division]])''
* 1/4th Battalion, [[Dorsetshire Regiment]] ''(joined in March 1915 from [[Mhow]],<ref name=Perry68>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=68}}</ref> [[5th (Mhow) Division]]; transferred in February 1916 to Mesopotamia where it joined the [[42nd Indian Brigade]], [[15th Indian Division]])''
* 1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion, [[Hampshire Regiment]] ''(joined in March 1916 from [[Dehra Dun Brigade]], 7th Meerut Divisional Area)''
* 1/7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment ''(joined in March 1916 from [[Meerut]])''
* [[9th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment|1/9th Battalion]], [[Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)]] ''(joined in March 1917 from [[43rd Indian Brigade]], 16th Indian Division)''
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!16th Indian Division
|-
|The brigade commanded the following units while assigned to 16th Indian Division:<ref name=Perry138>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=138}}</ref>
* 1/6th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Battalion, [[Hampshire Regiment]] ''(transferred in August 1917 to Mesopotamia where it joined the [[52nd Indian Brigade]], [[17th Indian Division]])''<ref name=Perry144>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=144}}</ref>
* [[9th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment|1/9th Battalion]], [[Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)]] ''(transferred in November 1917 to the [[53rd Indian Brigade]], [[18th Indian Division]])''<ref name=Perry148>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=148}}</ref>
* 1/7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment ''(transferred in January 1918 to the [[Aden Brigade]])''
* 1/4th Battalion, [[Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)]] ''(joined in January 1918 from [[43rd Indian Brigade]]; transferred in March to the [[45th (Jullundur) Brigade]]''
* [[33rd Punjabis]] ''(joined in February 1918 from [[East African Campaign (World War I)|East Africa]]; transferred in April to [[2nd (Rawalpindi) Division]])''
* 2nd Battalion, [[55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)]] ''(formed in February 1918; transferred in April to [[Multan]])''
* [[Jind State|Jind]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|Imperial Service]]) Infantry ''(joined in February 1918 from East Africa)''
* 1/9th ([[Bicycle infantry|Cyclist]]) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment ''(joined in February 1918 from [[44th (Ferozepore) Brigade]])''
* 2nd Battalion, [[69th Punjabis]] ''(formed in May 1918)''
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!Independent formation
|-
|The brigade commanded the following units while serving as an independent formation:<ref name=Perry138/>
* [[Jind State|Jind]] ([[Imperial Service Troops|Imperial Service]]) Infantry
* 1/9th ([[Bicycle infantry|Cyclist]]) Battalion, [[Hampshire Regiment]] ''(transferred in October 1918 to [[Siberian Intervention|Siberia]])''
* 2nd Battalion, [[69th Punjabis]] ''(transferred in August 1918 to [[Delhi Brigade]], [[7th Meerut Divisional Area]])''
* 3rd Battalion, [[34th Sikh Pioneers]] ''(formed in June 1918)''
* 3rd Battalion, [[30th Punjabis]] ''(formed in June 1918; transferred in August to [[44th (Ferozepore) Brigade]])''{{efn|3rd Battalion, [[30th Punjabis]] was formed in June 1918 as the 1st Battalion, [[132nd (Punjab Police) Regiment]]<ref name=Gaylor345>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=345}}</ref> from a police battalion that had been in existence since 1916. It was renumbered in June 1918.<ref name=Perry139>{{harvnb|Perry|1993|p=139}}</ref>}}
* 4th Battalion, 30th Punjabis ''(formed in June 1918; transferred in December to 44th (Ferozepore) Brigade)''{{efn|4th Battalion, 30th Punjabis was formed in June 1918 as the 2nd Battalion, 132nd (Punjab Police) Regiment<ref name=Gaylor345/> from a police battalion that had been in existence since 1916. It was renumbered in July 1918.<ref name=Perry139/>}}
* 1st Battalion, [[140th Patiala Infantry]] ''(formed in July 1918)''{{efn|1st Battalion, [[140th Patiala Infantry]] was formed from [[Patiala State|Patiala]] [[Indian State Forces|State Forces]] in July 1918.<ref name=Perry139/>}}
* 1/5th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment ''(joined in October 1918 from [[Rangoon Brigade]], [[Burma Division]])''
|}
{| class="toccolours collapsible collapsed" style="width:100%; background:transparent;"
!Ambala Brigade Area on 3 September 1939
|-
|At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], the brigade area had the following units under command:<ref name=Nafziger>{{harvnb|Nafziger|n.d.|p=3}}</ref>
* 2nd Battalion, [[East Lancashire Regiment]] ''(at [[Kasauli]])''
** Detachments at Ambala and [[Jutogh|Jutagh]]
* Detachment, 2nd Battalion, [[Green Howards]] ''(at [[Solan|Solon]])''
* 3rd Battalion, [[14th Punjab Regiment]]
* 10th Battalion, [[15th Punjab Regiment]]{{efn|10th Battalion, [[15th Punjab Regiment]] was the Training Battalion<ref name=Gaylor183>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=183}}</ref> / Regimental Centre<ref name=Gaylor360>{{harvnb|Gaylor|1996|p=360}}</ref> of the 15th Punjab Regiment.}}
* Frontier Post, [[Royal Indian Artillery|Indian Artillery]] ''(at [[Arawali]])''
* The Mountain Artillery Training Centre
* The Survey Section (India) ''(at [[Kakul]])''
* 11th Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment, [[Indian Territorial Force|ITF]]
|}

==Commanders==
The Ambala Brigade had the following commanders:<ref name=Perry55/><ref name=Perry137/><ref name=Mackie350/>
{| class="wikitable"
! From !! To !! Rank !! Name
|-
| 11 November 1914 || 15 October 1915 || [[Brigadier-General]] || [[Herbert Augustus Iggulden|H.A. Iggulden]]
|-
| 15 October 1915 || 2 June 1918 || Brigadier-General || rowspan=2| [[Charles Edward Hendley|C.E. Hendley]]
|-
| 3 June 1918 || March 1920 || [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]]
|-
| November 1920 || April 1921 || Brigadier-General || H.C. Wooldridge
|-
| April 1921 || October 1921 || Brigadier-General || [[Claude H. Rowcroft|C.H. Rowcroft]]
|-
| || September 1922 || Brigadier-General || C.C. Newnham
|-
| || December 1923 || Brigadier-General || [[Herbert J.P. Browne|H.J.P. Browne]]
|-
| December 1923 || December 1927 || Major-General || [[Dennis Deane|D. Deane]]
|-
| December 1927 || March 1929 || [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] || [[Ernest Cyril Gepp|E.C. Gepp]]
|-
| April 1929 || May 1931 || Brigadier || [[Walter E. Wilson-Johnston|W.E. Wilson-Johnston]]
|-
| May 1931 || May 1932 || Brigadier || [[Henry Lawrence Scott|H.L. Scott]]
|-
| May 1932 || February 1934 || Brigadier || [[Frederick George Gillies|F.G. Gillies]]
|-
| February 1934 || February 1938 || Brigadier || [[Edward George Hall|E.G. Hall]]
|-
| February 1938 || 1941 || Brigadier || [[Charles A.L. Howard|C.A.L. Howard]]
|}

==See also==
{{portal|World War I|World War II}}
* [[3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade]] for the original brigade


==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 book
| last = Kempton | first = Chris
| year = 2003b
| title = 'Loyalty & Honour', The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947
| volume = Part II Brigades
| publisher = The Military Press
| location = Milton Keynes
| isbn = 0-85420-238-2
}}
* {{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 web
| last = Nafziger | first = George
| author-link = George Nafziger
| date = n.d.
| title = The Indian Army 3 September 1939
| publisher = Combined Arms Research Library, United States Army Combined Arms Center
| location = [[Fort Leavenworth]]
| url = http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/939BIBB.pdf
| access-date = 9 July 2015
}}
* {{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/3_ind_div_area.htm |title=3rd Lahore Divisional Area on ''The Regimental Warpath 1914 - 1918'' by PB Chappell |access-date=2015-07-31 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517085149/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/3_ind_div_area.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}
*{{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 |access-date=2015-06-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517084648/http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/16_ind_div.htm |archive-date=17 May 2008 |df=dmy }}

[[Category:Brigades of India in World War I]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1941]]

Ambala Brigade - Revision history

Bot at 19:59, 8 April 2021