The 6th (Poona) Division was a division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903, following the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army.
World War I
The 6th (Poona) Division served in the Mesopotamian campaign. Led by Major General Barrett then Major General Townshend, the division were the first British Indian troops to land in Mesopotamia in November 1914 at the Fao Landing.
After a string of early successes, the 6th Division was delivered a setback at the Battle of Ctesiphon in November 1915. Following this engagement, the division withdrew back to Kut, where Townshend made the decision to hold the city. After a lengthy siege by the Ottomans, Townshend surrendered on 29 April 1916. 10,061 troops and 3,248 followers were taken captive.
Following the surrender, the officers and the N.C.O. and men of the garrison were separated, and the N.C.O.'s and men were forced marched to Anatolia. The suffering of the enlisted soldiers was particularly egregious, and over 4,000 died in captivity.
After the surrender, the Poona Division ceased to exist until another 6th Division was raised in 1920 for the Iraq Rebellion.
Order of Battle December 1914 16th (Poona) Brigade 2nd Bn. Dorsetshire Regiment 1st Bn. 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry (Brownlow's Punjabis) 1st Bn. 104th Wellesley's Rifles 1st Bn. 117th Mahrattas 17th (Ahmednagar) Brigade 1st Bn. Ox & Bucks 1st Bn. 119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment) 1st Bn. 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry 1st Bn. 22nd Punjabis 18th (Belgaum) Brigade 2nd Bn. Norfolk Regiment 1st Bn. 110th Mahratta Light Infantry 1st Bn. 120th Rajputana Infantry 1st Bn. 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajputs Divisional Artillery X Brigade, Royal Field Artillery (RFA) 76 Bty. RFA 82 Bty. RFA 63 Bty. RFA 1st Indian Mountain Artillery Brigade 23rd (Peshawar) Mountain Battery (Frontier Force) 30th Mountain Battery 1/5th Hampshire Howitzer Battery, RFA (Territorial Force) Divisional troops 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry 17 Co. 3rd Sappers and Miners 22 Co. 3rd Sappers and Miners 48th Pioneers
Divisional Commanders This list is incomplete. 1908-1912: Major-General Edwin Alderson CB 1912-1915: Major-General Sir Arthur Barrett KCB KCVO 1915-1916: Major-General Charles Townshend CB DSO
See also List of Indian divisions in World War I
References
Bibliography
External links