When did 3/14th Punjab Regiment join 9th Indian Brigade?

Discussion in 'British Indian Army' started by dryan67, Jan 9, 2021.

  1. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    I am trying to get a handle on exactly when the 3/14th Punjab Regiment joined the 9th Indian Brigade in Egypt in July 1942.

    My notes from Haig's Fourteenth Punjab Regiment; a short history, 1939-45 states that the 3/14th Punjab Regiment arrived in Egypt in April 1942 (dates anyone?) and took over the POW cages at Cairo and Alexandria. In July 1942 (exact date anyone?) to join 5th Indian Division and then came under command 9th Indian Brigade.

    I believe that the 9th Indian Brigade moved up to the Alamein Line on July 14, 1942 from Khataba based on the regimental history of the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment. The brigade left behind the 3/12th Frontier Force Regiment (which was replaced by the 3/14th Punjab Regiment) and the 3/12th moved to Mena on July 17th, 1942, thus leaving the brigade, probably on the 14th. The first mention of the 3/14th Punjab Regiment at Alamein that I have is on July 23rd during an attack on Point 63 and Dier el Shein.

    Unfortunately, I also have no information on the 9th Jat Regiment during this period since I don't have its regimental history and my notes from the past are poor.

    Again, the question is "When did the 3/14th Punjab Regiment join the 9th Brigade?"

    Any sources used would be great. I have consulted both Indian and British Official Histories, Ball of Fire, Kempton's Loyalty and Honour, and the West Yorks regimental history.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2021
  2. idler

    idler GeneralList

    The Jats' history has the Bde moving to the southern end of the line at Abu Dweiss on 28 June. Within a few days, they'd been bypassed. After withdrawing to shorten the line, they were pulled out of it. 'Early' July they were back at Khatatba and still there on the 21st. Their last role in Egypt was as a mobile anti-airlanding force guarding bridges over the Nile in Cairo; it's not clear if they were formally detached from the Bde for that.

    If 9 Bde went back into the fray in the middle of July, it looks like it left both of its original Indian battalions behind. If a second 'new' battalion was added alongside 3/14 Punjab, perhaps their history might add something?
     
    dryan67 likes this.
  3. sol

    sol Very Senior Member

    From the "Eastern Epic - Vol. 1" by Compton Mackenzie

    ... it may be added that until the 3/14th Punjab Regt joined the brigade on July 21st the 2nd West Yorkshire Regt was the sole battalion.
     
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  4. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Thanks, Sol. That is the information I am looking for.
     
  5. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    I had forgotten that I have a digital copy of Eastern Epic. I will have to see what else is there. I guess the 'Eastern' in the title threw me off thinking it was about the Eastern theatre of operations.
     
  6. dryan67

    dryan67 Senior Member

    Thanks Idler for the addition from the Jat’s history. Every piece adds to the puzzle.
     
    Last edited: Jan 11, 2021

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