7th Indian Infantry Division

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Indian 7th Division
Active	1940 - 1947
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Indian Army
Garrison/HQ	Peshawar
Nickname	Golden Arrow Division
Engagements	Burma Campaign
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major General Frank Messervy

The 7th Indian Infantry Division was a war-formed division, part of the British Indian Army, created during World War II .

1 History
2 Component Units (1 June 1944)
- 2.1 Support Units
3 Commanders
4 External links
5 Further reading

[edit] History

It was created on 1 October 1940 at Attock, in present-day Pakistan. Its formation sign was an arrow, pointing bottom left to top right, in yellow on a black background. The division was known as the "Golden Arrow" division from this sign.

After initially training for operations in the deserts in the Middle East, in early 1943 it was reassigned to the Burma Campaign. After extensive training and preparation, it fought in the Arakan from December 1943. After the divisional HQ was overrun by a Japanese attack, units of the division took part in the Battle of the Admin Box. The division later moved to Assam and fought in the Battle of Kohima. In 1945 it played a prominent part in the Battle of Central Burma and the subsequent advance down the Irrawaddy River.

After the war ended, the division moved to Thailand, where it disarmed the Japanese occupying army, and liberated and repatriated Allied prisoners of war.

The 7th Infantry Division is now part of the Pakistan Army, stationed in Peshawar in the North western Frontier Province.