153rd Punjabis

September 2015 May 2026 153rd Punjabis / 153rd Rifles 18 May 1918 – 24 June 1922 British India 23px British Crown British India 23px Infantry Three battalions 53rd (Welsh) Division First World War Sinai and Palestine Campaign Battle of Nablus The 153rd Punjabisalso designated 153rd Rifles, see nomenclature (below)was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in Mesopotamia and Palestine in May 1918, saw service in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign in the First World War, and was disbanded in June 1922. Background Heavy losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front following the German spring offensive in March 1918 resulted in a major reorganization of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force: two divisions52nd (Lowland)Becke 1936 115 and 74th (Yeomanry)Becke 1937 121 were transferred to France in April; they were replaced by the 3rd (Lahore)Perry 1993 54 and 7th (Meerut) DivisionsPerry 1993 90 from Mesopotamia; nine yeomanry regiments were dismounted, converted to machine gunners and sent to France at the end of the same month; the 4thPerry 1993 21–24 and 5th Cavalry DivisionsPerry 1993 25–28 were reformed with Indian cavalry regiments withdrawn from France and the 15th (Imperial Service) Cavalry Brigade already in Egypt; the 10th (Irish),Becke 1938 15–16 53rd (Welsh),Becke 1936 120–121 60th (2/2nd London),Becke 1937 29–30 and 75th DivisionsBecke 1937 126–128 were reduced to a single British battalion per brigade. They were reformed with nine Indian infantry battalions and an Indian pioneer battalion each.The remaining infantry division in the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in March 1918the 54th (East Anglian) Divisionremained unaffected by these changes.Becke 1936 128–129 In fact, the 75th Division already had four Indian battalions assigned,In March 1917, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force started forming the 75th Division, originally to be made up of Territorial Force battalions arriving from India. In May 1917, to speed up the formation of the division, it was decided to incorporate Indian battalions.Becke 1937 129 To this end, the independent 29th Indian Brigade was broken up in June 1917 and its battalions posted to 75th Division.Perry 1993 167 so of the 36 battalions needed to reform the divisions, 22 were improvisedPerry 1993 174 by taking whole companies from existing units already on active service in Mesopotamia and Palestine to form the 150th Infantry (3 battalions), 151st Sikh Infantry (3), 152nd Punjabis (3), 153rd Punjabis (3), 154th Infantry (3), 155th Pioneers (2), 156th Infantry (1) and the 11th Gurkha Rifles (4).Perry 1993 177–178 The donor units were then brought back up to strength by drafts. In the event, just 13 of the battalions were assigned to the divisionshttp://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, September 1918 Hanafin James orbat.com 11 November 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153754/http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf 9 January 2015 and the remaining nine were transferred from Mesopotamia to India in June 1918.Perry 1993 44,64,81,103,155 History The 153rd Punjabis was formed of three battalions in May 1918. The 1st Battalion was formed in Mesopotamia with companies posted from battalions serving in the 14th, 15th, and 18th Indian Divisions.Perry 1993 128,134,148 It was transferred to Egypt during June and July 1918. In contrast, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were formed in Palestine with companies posted from battalions already serving in the theatre,Becke 1936 121 particularly from the 3rd (Lahore)Perry 1993 51 and 7th (Meerut) Divisions.Perry 1993 87 All three battalions were assigned to the 53rd (Welsh) DivisionBecke 1936 120 in June and August and remained with the division for the rest of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, taking part in the Battle of Nablus (18–21 September 1918). At the end of the battle, the division was employed on salvage work and working on the Nablus road.Becke 1936 123 On 27 October, the division started moving to Alexandria even before the Armistice of Mudros came into effect on 31 October, thereby ending the war against the Ottoman Empire. It completed its concentration at Alexandria on 15 November. The division received demobilization instructions on 20 December 1918. The Indian infantry battalions returned to India as transports became available and 159th Brigade was reduced to cadre by 7 March 1919. The battalions were disbanded in India in 1921 and 1922.Gaylor 1996 346 Nomenclature Oddly, the designation of the regiment varied between the battalions. The 1st and 2nd Battalions were 153rd Punjabis whereas the 3rd Battalion was 153rd Rifles, hence 1st Battalion, 153rd Punjabis, 2nd Battalion, 153rd Punjabis and 3rd Battalion, 153rd Rifles.Perry 1993 177 Other sources designate all three battalions as 153rd Infantry.http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm The 53rd (Welsh) Division in 1914–1918 The Long, Long Trail Chris Baker 1 August 2015 16 August 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20010816092354/http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm dead 1st Battalion The 1st Battalion was formed at Diyala on 18 May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from: 82nd Punjabis 87th Punjabis 89th Punjabis 90th Punjabis The battalion moved to Amara on 23 May and left for Egypt on 20 June. It disembarked at Suez on 5 July and reached Lydda on 17 July. The battalion joined the 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division on 2 August 1918 near Jerusalem. 1st Battalion, 153rd Punjabis was disbanded on 15 June 1921. 2nd Battalion The 2nd Battalion was formed at Sarafand (now Tzrifin) on 27 May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from: 74th Punjabis 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) 92nd Punjabis 93rd Burma Infantry The battalion joined the 159th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division on 5 June 1918 near Ram Allah. 2nd Battalion, 153rd Punjabis was disbanded on 15 June 1921. 3rd Battalion The 3rd Battalion was also formed at Sarafand on 24 May 1918 by the transfer of complete companies from: 105th Mahratta Light Infantry 123rd Outram's Rifles 2nd Battalion, 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry 125th Napier's Rifles The battalion joined the 158th Brigade, 53rd (Welsh) Division on 10 June 1918 at Et Taiyibe. 3rd Battalion, 153rd Rifles was disbanded on 24 June 1922. See also Indian Army during World War I Notes References 2 Bibliography Gaylor John 1996 2nd Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991 Parapress Tunbridge Wells 1-898594-41-4 Perry F.W. 1993 Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions Ray Westlake Military Books Newport 1-871167-23-X External links http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm The 53rd (Welsh) Division in 1914–1918 The Long, Long Trail Chris Baker 1 August 2015 16 August 2001 https://web.archive.org/web/20010816092354/http://www.1914-1918.net/53div.htm dead http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf Order of Battle of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, September 1918 Hanafin James orbat.com 11 November 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20150109153754/http://orbat.com/site/history/open4/uk_eygptianexpeditionaryforce1918.pdf 9 January 2015 Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments Category:Military units and formations established in 1918 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1922