| 1st (Peshawar) Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1903 |
| Country | British India |
| Allegiance | British Crown |
| Branch | British Indian Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | Third Afghan War |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Major-Gen. Charles James Blomfield (from October 1912 to June 1915) Major-Gen. Sir Frederick Campbell (from June 1915 to April 1919. Became Lieut-Gen. Sir from 1 July 1917) [1] |
The 1st (Peshawar) Division was a Regular Division of the British Indian Army formed as a result of the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army in 1903. During World War I, the Division remained in India for local defense, but was mobilized for action on the North West Frontier on several occasions. [2] [3]
The Division was a part of the Northern Army, later called the Northern Command. In 1919, the Division was mobilized for operations in Afghanistan during the Third Afghan War. Typical of most Indian Army formations, it contained a mixture of British and Indian units; but, unlike British Divisions, it contained a mixture of cavalry and infantry components. [2] [3]
Formed July 1918
The Third Anglo-Afghan War, also known as the Third Afghan War, the British-Afghan War of 1919 and in Afghanistan as the War of Independence, began on 6 May 1919 when the Emirate of Afghanistan invaded British India and ended with an armistice on 8 August 1919. The war resulted in the Afghans winning back control of foreign affairs from Britain, and the British recognizing Afghanistan as an independent nation. According to British author Michael Barthorp, it was also a minor strategic victory for the British because the Durand Line was reaffirmed as the border between Afghanistan and the British Raj, and the Afghans agreed not to foment trouble on the British side. However, Afghans who were on the British side of the border did cause concerns due to revolts.
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