Hi I am looking for information on the activities of this battalion and other infantry battalions during the period in Egypt from Jun to Aug 1942, particularly their part in the battles at Mersa Matruh. It seems the Bn was reducted to company strength after the battle. Is that correct? Thank you!
Here is a summary for the 4/13th Frontier Force Rifles for the period: 21st Indian Infantry Brigade - September 1940 to 2 August 1942 The 21st Indian Brigade was sent to the Western Desert for operations on May 19th. It reached Amiriya on May 29th, Baggush on May 30th, Capuzzo on May 31st and Gambut on June 1st, where the battalion relieved a Baluch battalion and the brigade protected the airfields. The brigade was moved in the southeast perimeter of Tobruk on June 2nd and was put in reserve for the ‘Cauldron’ battle on June 5th. The brigade returned to Gambut on June 17th and then moved to Halfaya Pass on June 18th, where it remained until June 23rd as a rearguard. The brigade then withdrew to Mersa Matruh and fought there from June 28th-30th. After the battle, the brigade was withdrawn to Burgh-el-Arab to recover. The battalion was down to 400 all ranks. 25th Indian Infantry Brigade – 4 August 1942 to 29 August 1942 The battalion left the 21st Brigade on August 4th and was sent to join the 25th Indian Infantry Brigade. It entrained at Cairo on August 18th and embarked for Cyprus on August 20th attached to the brigade. It arrived on the island on August 21st and moved into Malounda Camp attached to the brigade. What other Indian Army battalions are you interested in? There were quite a number in operations as part of the 5th and 10th Indian Infantry Divisions as well as the 3rd and 10th Indian Motor Brigades during this period. A number of other Indian Brigades were also engaged such as the 18th and 161st.
Here's the units war diary held at the National Archives: WO 169/7778 4/13 Frontier Force Rifles 1942 Jan.- Dec.
Here is a summary for the 4/13th Frontier Force Rifles for the period: 21st Indian Infantry Brigade - September 1940 to 2 August 1942 The 21st Indian Brigade was sent to the Western Desert for operations on May 19th. It reached Amiriya on May 29th, Baggush on May 30th, Capuzzo on May 31st and Gambut on June 1st, where the battalion relieved a Baluch battalion and the brigade protected the airfields. The brigade was moved in the southeast perimeter of Tobruk on June 2nd and was put in reserve for the ‘Cauldron’ battle on June 5th. The brigade returned to Gambut on June 17th and then moved to Halfaya Pass on June 18th, where it remained until June 23rd as a rearguard. The brigade then withdrew to Mersa Matruh and fought there from June 28th-30th. After the battle, the brigade was withdrawn to Burgh-el-Arab to recover. The battalion was down to 400 all ranks. 25th Indian Infantry Brigade – 4 August 1942 to 29 August 1942 The battalion left the 21st Brigade on August 4th and was sent to join the 25th Indian Infantry Brigade. It entrained at Cairo on August 18th and embarked for Cyprus on August 20th attached to the brigade. It arrived on the island on August 21st and moved into Malounda Camp attached to the brigade. What other Indian Army battalions are you interested in? There were quite a number in operations as part of the 5th and 10th Indian Infantry Divisions as well as the 3rd and 10th Indian Motor Brigades during this period. A number of other Indian Brigades were also engaged such as the 18th and 161st. Thanks Dryan. I am also interested in the 2/8 Gurkhas and 3/5 Mahratta Light Infantry dueing the same period and the losses they suffered.
Here's the units war diary held at the National Archives: WO 169/7778 4/13 Frontier Force Rifles 1942 Jan.- Dec. Thanks Drew5233. How do I get a copy of this and other documents for Indian Bns that fought in North Africa?
Here is what I have for the 3/5th MLI and 2/8th GR: 3/5th Maharatta Light Infantry (no casualty figures listed) 25th Indian Infantry Brigade – 25 April 1942 to 6 May 1943 The 3/5th Mahratta Light Infantry replaced the 1/5th Mahratta Light Infantry on arrival in Haifa in the 25th Indian Infantry Brigade and moved to Habbaniya during the first week of May to join this formation. Due to the situation in the Western Desert, the brigade was sent to the Western Desert during the last week of May 1942 and arrived at Mersa Matruh on June 5th. It moved to Sollum on June 7th but was send back at Mersa Matruh on June 22nd and arrived on June 25th. After action there, the battalion was withdrawn, with the rest of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, back to Amirya. Two days later it moved to Mena. During July and August it took up positions at Wadi Natrun along the Cairo-Alexandria road. In mid-August 1942, it was sent back to Cyprus under the 25th Indian Brigade. It remained in Cyprus with the Brigade until May 6th, 1943, when it embarked for Beirut. 2/8th Gurkha Rifles 21st Indian Infantry Brigade – May 1942 to 14 January 1943 The 2/8th Gurkha Rifles moved to Egypt in May 1942 at the start of the Gazala battles and came under the command of the 21st Indian Infantry Brigade at Gambut, thirty miles east of Tobruk. During the first week of June, there were various moves to El Adem, Sidi Rezegh, and Tobruk. The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade replaced the 21st Brigade in Tobruk and the 2nd/7th Gurkha Rifles took over from the battalion. The 21st Brigade then came under command of the 5th Indian Infantry Division and moved to Sidi Rezegh, but could not hold the ‘box’ there since the brigade’s artillery and British battalion had been removed. The 21st Brigade then handed over Sidi Rezegh to the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade, newly arrived from Iraq, and the battalion moved to Gambut on aerodrome defence. The battalion was to join the 20th Brigade, but this unit was overrun the next day. It moved with the 21st Indian Brigade to Sollum and Halfaya on June 17th and withdrew again to Mersa Matruh on June 24th. ‘A’ Company then moved to the rear and was replaced by the LOB (Left Out of Battle) company. ‘A’ Company moved into Mersa Matruh and not seen again. The battalion then moved to positions south of Qassaba, near Mersa Matruh on June 28th and formed part of the line defending Mersa Matruh along with the other battalions of the brigade, the 4th/13th Frontier Force Rifles and the 1st/6th Rajputana Rifles. The battalion was in action at Mersa Matruh on June 29th and was withdrawn the same day having been reduced to five British officers and two hundred twenty Gurkhas. The 21st Brigade then withdrew to a box at El Alamein, but this position was taken over by the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, due to the 21st Brigade’s casualties. The battalion, along with the rest of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, was withdrawn to the Delta to refit and the battalion went on aerodrome defence duties. On July 20th, the battalion moved into the area of 20th Australian Infantry Brigade to construct Fortress A in the El Alamein Line. Drafts arrived in August 1942. The brigade remained under the 8th Army until October 1942 as army troops in the Delta. The battalion moved forward after the battle of El Alamein to Martuba in Libya on November 25th, 1942 on the line of communications of 8th Army, but returned to Egypt on November 30th, 1942.
Here is what I have for the 3/5th MLI and 2/8th GR: 3/5th Maharatta Light Infantry (no casualty figures listed) 25th Indian Infantry Brigade – 25 April 1942 to 6 May 1943 The 3/5th Mahratta Light Infantry replaced the 1/5th Mahratta Light Infantry on arrival in Haifa in the 25th Indian Infantry Brigade and moved to Habbaniya during the first week of May to join this formation. Due to the situation in the Western Desert, the brigade was sent to the Western Desert during the last week of May 1942 and arrived at Mersa Matruh on June 5th. It moved to Sollum on June 7th but was send back at Mersa Matruh on June 22nd and arrived on June 25th. After action there, the battalion was withdrawn, with the rest of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, back to Amirya. Two days later it moved to Mena. During July and August it took up positions at Wadi Natrun along the Cairo-Alexandria road. In mid-August 1942, it was sent back to Cyprus under the 25th Indian Brigade. It remained in Cyprus with the Brigade until May 6th, 1943, when it embarked for Beirut. 2/8th Gurkha Rifles 21st Indian Infantry Brigade – May 1942 to 14 January 1943 The 2/8th Gurkha Rifles moved to Egypt in May 1942 at the start of the Gazala battles and came under the command of the 21st Indian Infantry Brigade at Gambut, thirty miles east of Tobruk. During the first week of June, there were various moves to El Adem, Sidi Rezegh, and Tobruk. The 11th Indian Infantry Brigade replaced the 21st Brigade in Tobruk and the 2nd/7th Gurkha Rifles took over from the battalion. The 21st Brigade then came under command of the 5th Indian Infantry Division and moved to Sidi Rezegh, but could not hold the ‘box’ there since the brigade’s artillery and British battalion had been removed. The 21st Brigade then handed over Sidi Rezegh to the 20th Indian Infantry Brigade, newly arrived from Iraq, and the battalion moved to Gambut on aerodrome defence. The battalion was to join the 20th Brigade, but this unit was overrun the next day. It moved with the 21st Indian Brigade to Sollum and Halfaya on June 17th and withdrew again to Mersa Matruh on June 24th. ‘A’ Company then moved to the rear and was replaced by the LOB (Left Out of Battle) company. ‘A’ Company moved into Mersa Matruh and not seen again. The battalion then moved to positions south of Qassaba, near Mersa Matruh on June 28th and formed part of the line defending Mersa Matruh along with the other battalions of the brigade, the 4th/13th Frontier Force Rifles and the 1st/6th Rajputana Rifles. The battalion was in action at Mersa Matruh on June 29th and was withdrawn the same day having been reduced to five British officers and two hundred twenty Gurkhas. The 21st Brigade then withdrew to a box at El Alamein, but this position was taken over by the 18th Indian Infantry Brigade, due to the 21st Brigade’s casualties. The battalion, along with the rest of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, was withdrawn to the Delta to refit and the battalion went on aerodrome defence duties. On July 20th, the battalion moved into the area of 20th Australian Infantry Brigade to construct Fortress A in the El Alamein Line. Drafts arrived in August 1942. The brigade remained under the 8th Army until October 1942 as army troops in the Delta. The battalion moved forward after the battle of El Alamein to Martuba in Libya on November 25th, 1942 on the line of communications of 8th Army, but returned to Egypt on November 30th, 1942. Thank you very much Dryan67
Hello, I don’t suppose you can tell me their movements in Italy please? thanks QUOTE="dryan67, post: 421085, member: 12916"]Here is a summary for the 4/13th Frontier Force Rifles for the period: 21st Indian Infantry Brigade - September 1940 to 2 August 1942 The 21st Indian Brigade was sent to the Western Desert for operations on May 19th. It reached Amiriya on May 29th, Baggush on May 30th, Capuzzo on May 31st and Gambut on June 1st, where the battalion relieved a Baluch battalion and the brigade protected the airfields. The brigade was moved in the southeast perimeter of Tobruk on June 2nd and was put in reserve for the ‘Cauldron’ battle on June 5th. The brigade returned to Gambut on June 17th and then moved to Halfaya Pass on June 18th, where it remained until June 23rd as a rearguard. The brigade then withdrew to Mersa Matruh and fought there from June 28th-30th. After the battle, the brigade was withdrawn to Burgh-el-Arab to recover. The battalion was down to 400 all ranks. 25th Indian Infantry Brigade – 4 August 1942 to 29 August 1942 The battalion left the 21st Brigade on August 4th and was sent to join the 25th Indian Infantry Brigade. It entrained at Cairo on August 18th and embarked for Cyprus on August 20th attached to the brigade. It arrived on the island on August 21st and moved into Malounda Camp attached to the brigade. What other Indian Army battalions are you interested in? There were quite a number in operations as part of the 5th and 10th Indian Infantry Divisions as well as the 3rd and 10th Indian Motor Brigades during this period. A number of other Indian Brigades were also engaged such as the 18th and 161st.[/QUOTE]
