The Nowshera Brigade was one of the former infantry forces of the British Indian Army. The brigade was formed in September 1939 by the British Empire in India during the Second World War. The military formation remained in active service for a very brief period from the year 1939 to 1945. The brigade mainly provided military service along the North West Frontier. The troops of the Nowshera Brigade took part in several military operations under the British administration during World War II. The brigade was dissolved in the year 1945.
Formation of Nowshera Brigade
The Nowshera Brigade included several regiments which are listed as follows-
* 1st Field Regiment, Royal Artillery (September 1939)
* 10/11th Sikh Regiment (September 1939)
* 1/6th Gurkha Rifles (September 1939 - April 1940)
* 2/11th Sikh Regiment (September 1939 - August 1940)
* 11/12th Frontier Force Regiment (September 1939)
* 4/5th Mahratta Light Infantry (September 1939 - April 1941)
* 2/9th Gurkha Rifles (September 1939 - November 1939)
* 2/6th Gurkha Rifles (April 1940 - November 1940)
* 2nd South Staffordshire Regiment (December 1939 - September 1940)
* Mahindra Dal Regiment (September 1940 - November 1941)
* 3/9th Jat Regiment (October 1940 - May 1941)
* Shere Regiment, Nepal (September 1940 - December 1941)
* Purnao Gorakh Regiment (October 1940 - December 1942)
* 1/4th Bombay Grenadiers (November 1940 - October 1941)
* Bairab Nath Regiment (October 1940 - July 1941)
* 2/7th Rajput Regiment (November 1940 - March 1941)
* Kalibahadur Regiment (November 1940 - December 1940)
* Jodhpur Sadar Infantry (November 1940 - April 1941)
* 1st Patiala Infantry (March 1941- April 1941)
* 1st Lincolnshire Regiment (June 1941 - February 1942)
* 2/4th Bombay Grenadiers (April 1941 - October 1941)
* 2/5th Gurkha Rifles (September 1941 - October 1941)
* 14/5th Mahratta Light Infantry (February 1942 - October 1942)
* 7/14th Punjab Regiment (November 1941 - February 1942)
* 8/15th Punjab Regiment (April 1942 - May 1942)
* 16/7th Rajput Regiment (August 1942 to September 1942)
* 1st Mahar Regiment (August 1942 - March 1944)
* 16/13th Frontier Force Rifles (October 1942 - June 1943)
* 8/10th Baluch Regiment (June 1943 - September 1944)
* 2nd Patiala Infantry (December 1942 - March 1944)
* 8/6th Rajputana Rifles (July 1943 - February 1945)
* 18th King Edward VII`s Own Cavalry (July 1944 - August 1944)
* 3rd Mahar Regiment (November 1943 - August 1945)
* 8/9th Jat Regiment (August 1944 - June 1945)
* 2/5th Gurkha Rifles (September 1944 - August 1945)
* 2/3rd Madras Regiment (September 1944 - March 1945)
* 15/9th Jat Regiment (November 1944 - August 1945)
* 15/6th Rajputana Rifles (March 1945 - August 1945)
* 1/7th Rajput Regiment (March 1945 - June 1945)
* 3/11th Sikh Regiment (June 1945 - August 1945)
* Shirmoor Field Company, Indian State Forces (November 1940 - December 1941)
* 2nd Field Company, Indian Engineers (September 1939)
* 96th Field Company, Indian Engineers (January 1942 - September 1942)
* 75th Field Company Indian Engineers (January 1942 - December 1943)
* 426th Field Company, Indian Engineers (January 1942 - June 1942)
* 79th Field Company, Indian Engineers (March 1945 - August 1945)
* 336th Field Company, Indian Engineers (January 1944 - March 1945)
Commanding Officers of Nowshera Brigade
Some of the most reputed commanding officers of the Nowshera Brigade are mentioned below-
* Brigadier H. H. Rich
* Brigadier Harold Alexander
* Brigadier G.G.C. Bull
* Brigadier R.G. Ekin
* Brigadier E.W. Langlands