Iraq 1941- 10 Indian Infantry Division
General Claude Auchinleck Commander-in-Chief at India Command in New Delhi
despatched Iraqforce, founded on 10 Indian Infantry Division, under the command
of Lt Gen Sir Edward Quinan to secure Iraq. The force was sent by sea from
Karachi to seize and secure the port of Basra as a preliminary to creating a
base for operations. The aim was to
reinstate the Iraqi government under the Regent and to protect British interests
in Iraq, in particular the strategically vital oil.
Operation Sabine was launched to deploy a strong force from India to
Iraq.
IRAQFORCE
Iraqforce
was based on the Indian 10 Infantry Division which had been loaded for transport
to Singapore. As a result the
stores and equipment were loaded to make best use of space on the ships.
This could not be remedied before they sailed and so when the need to
send troops ashore against a possible hostile force they did so without much of
their heavy weapons and equipment.
The first force landed was the 20 Infantry Brigade which arrived at Basra on 18
and 19 April securing the dock area.
Then on 29 April three more transports arrived bringing in supporting
troops. The 21 Infantry Brigade
arrived on 6 May and the 25 Brigade on 30 May completing the Division.
The Division first secured the base at RAF Shaibah near Basra.
Once the Division was complete the 21 Brigade (Tigris Brigade) advanced
on Baghdad via Kut by boat and steamer in Operation Regatta while the 20 Brigade
(Euphrates Brigade) advanced in Operation Regulta.
Field Regiment RA - The Field Regiments at full strength deployed a total of 24 x 25pdr guns in three 8-gun batteries. Fire control was provided by Forward Observation Officers from the troop and battery HQ elements. On the full establishment there were 9 Armoured Observation Posts. These would be either the British tracked Carrier or the Indian Pattern Wheeled Carrier. The Regiments allocated to the Division had only 2 batteries each. Some references suggest that at least one battery had 12 guns. Photographs show Quads as tractors.
13th Duke of Connaughts Own Lancers
Indian Infantry Battalion
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The standard Indian infantry battalion was composed of the Battalion HQ,
the command element, and HQ Company with: Signals Platoon
which maintained radio, wire and telephone communication between the Battalion
and Brigade and the flanking units. Anti-aircraft Platoon had twin Bren gun mounts on each of its
four 15 cwt trucks. Each Detachment
also carried an anti-tank rifle. Mortar Platoon had six 3-inch mortars each was supposed to be
transported in a modified Universal carrier, though 15 cwt trucks were just as
likely. The
six mortar detachments were organised into three sections or two mortars.
Each section had an ammunition truck which also carried an anti-tank
rifle. Platoon HQ included a
carrier and motorcycles for liaison. The Carrier Platoon had four Sections, each of three carriers, plus another at Platoon HQ making a total of thirteen. Each Carrier was crewed by three men, an NCO, a driver-mechanic and a rifleman, with each carrier mounting a Bren gun, and each Section having both a 2-inch mortar and a Boys anti-tank rifle. |
The Pioneer Platoon was commanded by a Subaltern and had a 3
ton lorry to transport its 21 men, stores and equipment.
Although the Machine Gun Platoon had been deleted from the 1941 organisation of a British Battalion it may have been retained in the units stationed in India |
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Models
to represent the majority of the units have already been covered:
Field Artillery 25 pdrs and Quads Airfix Anti-Tank 2 pdr Raventhorpe, Reiver
Medium Artillery 5.5 Gun Airfix
or 4.5 How Raventhorpe
Trucks Frontline, Raventhorpe, Airfix etc
Universal Carriers Frontline, Airfix etc
Indian Pattern Carriers I converted mine from Matchbox Humber Armoured Cars
many, many years ago.
Chevrolet Crossley armoured cars will need to be scratch built or bought at
about £15 each.
The carrier platoons may use either the Bren Carriers or maybe the Indian
Pattern Carriers.
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The figures came from Airfix, Revell and Esci
Most units represented simply by painting them to represent Indian soldiers in Khaki Drill desert uniforms. |
The Gurkhas were the Airfix Gurkha figures painted in Khaki Drill. |
Ive not made any Sikhs yet but making a turban and beard from modelling clay is simple enough or find suitable heads from the Esci Northwest Frontier figures or the new HaT ones. Reiver miniatures make a range of Sikhs in metal.
The
Lancers gave me most problems. The
references are not clear on what equipment they had or how they were organised.
According to the various books and internet articles they may have had
Morris, Rolls Royce or Crossley or Chevrolet Crossley armoured cars.
There is a photograph of the latter the caption of which indicates that
it was taken in Syria in 1941. So
far Ive decided that they will use the British Armoured Car Regiment
Organisation.
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The Chevrolet Armoured Car is made from the chassis of a Frontline Rolls Royce with a new turret made from craft beads. | Indian Pattern Wheeled Carriers converted from Matchbox Humber Armoured Cars |
However, I have seen a wargames Order of Battle that shows an organisation of a HQ Squadron, 2 Armoured Car Squadrons and one Squadron in trucks or Indian Pattern Armoured Cars
Notes on Camouflage
The Division had been ordered for Singapore so the original vehicles would
probably have been painted green.
After landing some may have been repainted in Desert colours as would, probably,
any captured vehicles. That said Ive
gone for a compromise and maybe a pragmatic solution of painting irregular
aircraft style sand patches over the green of the vehicles.
Die cast toy van painted as an Iraqi Ambulance.
Build Arab Legion and Transjordan Frontier Force
Build 10th Indian Infantry Division (Iraqforce)