Bangalore Brigade

The Bangalore Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1904 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 27th (Bangalore) Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War. As part of Indian Expeditionary Force B, it was sent to assault Tanga in German East Africa. With the failure of the Battle of Tanga, its units joined the defences of British East Africa and it was broken up.

For the Second World War formation, see 27th Indian Infantry Brigade.

1st Bangalore Brigade
Bangalore Brigade
27th (Bangalore) Brigade
ActiveDecember 1904 – November 1914
January 1917 – 1926
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Part of9th (Secunderabad) Division
Indian Expeditionary Force B
Garrison/HQBangalore Cantonment
EngagementsFirst World War
East African Campaign
Battle of Tanga
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Maj.-Gen. R.I. Scallon
Maj.-Gen. T.D. Pilcher
Br.-Gen. Lord Ruthven

The brigade was reformed in India in 1917 for internal security duties and to aid the expansion of the Indian Army in the last year of the war. It, too, was disbanded in 1926.

A 2nd Bangalore Brigade also existed from 1904 to 1911.

1st Bangalore Brigade

The Kitchener Reforms, carried out during Lord Kitchener's tenure as Commander-in-Chief, India (1902–09), completed the unification of the three former Presidency armies, the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces into one Indian Army. Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with internal security relegated to a secondary role. The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.[1]

The 1st Bangalore Brigade was formed in December 1904[lower-alpha 1] as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. The brigade formed part of the 9th (Secunderabad) Division.[3] In 1906, the 2nd Bangalore Brigade was renamed as the Bangalore Cavalry Brigade, and the 1st Brigade became simply the Bangalore Brigade.[2]

27th (Bangalore) Brigade

In August 1914, Indian Expeditionary Force B was intended to assault Dar es Salaam in German East Africa with 16th (Poona) Brigade as its nucleus. In the event, 16th (Poona) Brigade was mobilized with 6th (Poona) Division and sent to Mesopotamia. Instead, Bangalore Brigade was mobilized on 10 September 1914 as the 27th (Bangalore) Brigade along with the Imperial Service Infantry Brigade.

The Force sailed from Bombay on 16 October with Tanga as the target for an attack. After the failure of the Battle of Tanga (2–5 November), the Force disembarked at Mombassa and joined the defences of British East Africa. The brigade was broken up at this point.[4]

Reformed brigade

The Bangalore Brigade was reformed in 9th (Secunderabad) Division in January 1917.[5] It remained with the division for the rest of the war, carrying out internal security duties. In the final year of the war, the division (and brigade) took part in the general expansion of the Indian Army as new units were formed.[6] It was disbanded in 1926.[2]

Orders of battle

1st / 27th Brigade commanders

The 1st Bangalore Brigade / Bangalore Brigade / 27th (Bangalore) Brigade / Bangalore Brigade had the following commanders:[2]

FromRankNameNotes
December 1904Major-GeneralR.I. Scallon
June 1908Major-GeneralT.D. Pilcher
June 1909Major-GeneralJ.G. Ramsay
May 1911Major-GeneralE.C.W. Mackenzie-Kennedy
January 1913Brigadier-GeneralR. WapshareBrigade broken up in November 1914
January 1917Brigadier-GeneralH.A. IgguldenBrigade reformed
January 1919Brigadier-GeneralO.C. Wolley-Dod
December 1919Major-GeneralT.E. Scott
May 1920Brigadier-GeneralLord Ruthven
May 1923Brigadier-GeneralH.W. JacksonBrigade broken up in 1926

2nd Bangalore Brigade
2nd Bangalore Brigade
Bangalore Cavalry Brigade
ActiveDecember 1904 – October 1911
Country British India
AllegianceBritish Crown
Branch British Indian Army
TypeInfantry then Cavalry
SizeBrigade
Part of9th (Secunderabad) Division
Garrison/HQBangalore Cantonment
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Maj.-Gen. J.E. Nixon

As a result of the Kitchener Reforms of the British Indian Army, the 2nd Bangalore Brigade was formed in December 1904[lower-alpha 1] from the former Bangalore Second Class District.[2] Major-General John Nixon, commander of the Bangalore District, took command.[14][15] The brigade formed part of the 9th (Secunderabad) Division.[3]

In 1906, the brigade was renamed as the Bangalore Cavalry Brigade (and the 1st Bangalore Brigade became simply the Bangalore Brigade). It was broken up in 1911.[2]

2nd Brigade commanders

The 2nd Bangalore Brigade / Bangalore Cavalry Brigade had the following commanders:[2]

FromRankNameNotes
May 1903Major-GeneralJ.E. NixonGOC of Bangalore Second Class District[14]
August 1906Brigadier-GeneralF.G. Atkinson
August 1909Brigadier-GeneralG.A. CooksonBrigade broken up in October 1911

See also

Notes
  1. December 1904 was the appointment date of the first commanding officer of the 1st Bangalore Brigade.[2]
  2. 2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment remained in East Africa until December 1916 (though it was in South Africa from 10 May to 20 August 1916 to recover from ill health). It was posted to Egypt where it joined the British 75th Division on 14 April 1917.[10][11]
  3. 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry remained in East Africa until January 1917.[4] It returned to India and joined the Secunderabad Brigade, 9th (Secunderabad) Division.[7]
  4. 98th Infantry remained in East Africa until January 1917.[4] It returned to India and joined the 44th (Ferozepore) Brigade, 16th Indian Division.[13]
  5. 101st Grenadiers remained in East Africa until August 1916. It joined the 29th Indian Brigade in Egypt on 4 September 1916.[4]

References
  1. Haythornthwaite 1996, p. 244
  2. Mackie 2015, p. 371
  3. The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1906". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  4. Perry 1993, p. 165
  5. Perry 1993, p. 106
  6. Perry 1993, p. 110
  7. Perry 1993, p. 108
  8. "The Indian Army 1914 by Dr. Graham Watson on orbat.com". Archived from the original on 9 May 2013. Retrieved 2009-10-15.
  9. Perry 1993, p. 50
  10. James 1978, p. 88
  11. Baker, Chris. "The 75th Division in 1914-1918". The Long, Long Trail. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  12. Perry 1993, p. 109
  13. Perry 1993, p. 138
  14. Mackie 2015, p. 322
  15. The late Lieutenant General H.G. Hart. "Hart's Annual Army List for 1904". London: John Murray. Retrieved 3 July 2015.

Bibliography
  • Haythornthwaite, Philip J. (1996). The World War One Source Book. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN 1-85409-351-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • James, Brigadier E.A. (1978). British Regiments 1914–18. London: Samson Books Limited. ISBN 0-906304-03-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Mackie, Colin (June 2015). "Army Commands 1900-2011" (PDF). www.gulabin.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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