Derajat Brigade

Last updated September 29, 2019

The Derajat Brigade was formed after the 1903 reforms of the British Indian Army by Herbert Kitchener when he was Commander-in-Chief, India. The brigade was part of the Northern Army and deployed along the North West Frontier.^[1] The Derajat Brigade had its winter headquarters at Dera Ismail Khan, and the garrison consisted of a mountain battery, a regiment of Native cavalry, and three regiments of Native infantry. Detachments from these regiments helped to garrison the outposts of Drazinda, Jandola, and Jatta.

British Indian Army 1858–1947 land warfare branch of British Indias military, distinct from the British Army in India

The British Indian Army was the principal military of the British Indian Empire before its decommissioning in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of both the British Indian Empire and the princely states, which could also have their own armies. The Indian Army was an important part of the British Empire's forces, both in India and abroad, particularly during the First World War and the Second World War.

During the period of the Company rule in India and the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India was the supreme commander of the British Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at GHQ India, and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India. Following the Partition of India in 1947 and the creation of the independent dominions of India and Pakistan, the post was abolished. It was briefly replaced by the position of Supreme Commander of India and Pakistan before the role was abolished in November 1948. Subsequently, the role of Commander-in-Chief was merged into the offices of the Commanders-in-Chief of the independent Indian Army and Pakistan Army, respectively, before becoming part of the office of the President of India from 1950, of the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army from 1947.

Dera Ismail Khan, often abbreviated to D.I. Khan, is a city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, about 300 kilometres (190 mi) south of the provincial capital Peshawar, and 230 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Multan, Punjab. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. The total population of the city was 217,457 in the 2017 Census, making it the 37th Largest city in Pakistan and largest city in the southern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In 1914 at the start of World War I the brigade formation was:

World War I 1914–1918 global war starting in Europe

World War I, also known as the First World War or the Great War, was a global war originating in Europe that lasted from 28 July 1914 to 11 November 1918. Contemporaneously described as "the war to end all wars", it led to the mobilisation of more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, making it one of the largest wars in history. It is also one of the deadliest conflicts in history, with an estimated nine million combatants and seven million civilian deaths as a direct result of the war, while resulting genocides and the resulting 1918 influenza pandemic caused another 50 to 100 million deaths worldwide.

Commander Major General George Younghusband. He was succeeded by Brigadier-General Francis John Fowler. By 1917 the commander was Brigadier-General Guy Melfort Baldwin.
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The 27th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 19th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 27th Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 11th Battalion The Punjab Regiment.
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Major General Sir George John Younghusband, was a cavalry officer and major-general in the British Indian Army.

Major-General Francis John Fowler was a British officer who served in the Indian Army from 1885-1921. He saw active service in a number of conflicts throughout the British Empire and was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Order and CB.

Brigadier-General Guy Melfort Baldwin was a British cavalry officer in the British Indian Army where he commanded the 25th Cavalry and later the Derajat Brigade.

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References

↑ Sumner, p.9
↑ "Indian Army 1914". Orbat.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2009-09-09.

Bibliography

Sumner, Ian (2001). The Indian Army 1914-1947. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-196-6.

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[1] Sumner, p.9

[2] "Indian Army 1914". Orbat.com. Archived from the original on 2009-09-09. Retrieved 2009-09-09.