2nd Infantry Division (India) explained

Unit Name:2nd Infantry Division
Dates:August 1942 - October 1944
1962 - date
Country: British India
Allegiance:
India
Branch: British Indian Army
Type:Infantry
Role:Mountain warfare, Counterinsurgency
Size:Division
Command Structure:III Corps
Current Commander:Maj Gen M S Bains SC YSM SM [1]
Garrison:Dinjan
Nickname:Dao Division
Battles:Second World War
Sino-Indian War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

The 2nd Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II and was disbanded in 1944. In its present form, 2 Mountain Division, raised in 1962, is part of the Indian Army.

World War II

The 2nd Division was created for deception purposes in order to control Line of Communications and Sub-area formations within Persia and Iraq Command. It was formed by the re designation of the 30th Indian Infantry Brigade on 15 August 1942. It was later converted to HQ Northern Iraq Area on 15 October 1944.

During the period 1942 - 44 the division was converted and re-converted from the 31st Indian Infantry Brigade and the 90th Indian Infantry Brigade.[2] 31 Indian Infantry Brigade was formed on 15 January 1943, from the Mosul-Teheran Lines of Communications Sub-Area. It only had two units assigned which were The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) and the 2nd Hyderabad Infantry, Indian State Forces. On 15 May 1943 it was reconverted into 2 Indian Division. On 1 June 1943, 31 Indian Infantry Brigade was reformed from HQ Kermanshah LOC Sub-Area. The brigade was disbanded on 14 October 1944.[3]

Thus 2 Indian Division had been reformed on 15 May 1943. Three months later, on 13 August 1943, it was reorganised as 90 Indian Brigade under Lieutenant-Colonel GH Pulling. 90 Indian Brigade served for ten months and then was disbanded in June 1944.[4] Two days later, on 15 August 1943, 2 Indian Division was reformed again by the conversion of 30th Indian Infantry Brigade. This time, the division lasted fourteen months before being finally disbanded in October 1944 by conversion into Headquarters Northern Iraq Area.

One of the division's subordinate LOC areas/brigades was the 40th Indian Infantry Brigade. It was initially raised as Shaiba LOC Sub-Area in September 1942. What higher headquarters it was under at the time is not confirmable from present internet-accessible sources. However, the brigade then came under 2 Indian Division on 1 January 1943. In October 1944, when 2 Indian Division disbanded, the brigade was re-designated again as an lines of communication headquarters, this time as HQ South Iraq Area.

Post Independence

2 Infantry Division was re-raised in the Digboi-Tinsukia area in October 1962 during the Sino-Indian War, following the fall of Tawang. It was placed under IV Corps and was to be responsible for the whole of North-East Frontier Agency, except for Kameng Frontier Division. Major General Mohinder Singh Pathania was its first commander.[5] [6]

Sino-Indian War

See main article: Sino-Indian War. Major General MS Pathania arrived at Walong on 26 October 1962 and took command of the newly raised division. 181 Brigade was placed under the division. But, General Pathania preferred to have Brigadier N. C. Rawlley and his 11 Brigade under his command. 11 Brigade was thus moved under 2 Division from Manipur to Lohit Frontier Division and 181 Brigade was moved to the India–Burma border.[6] As of 31 October 1962, the order of battle (ORBAT) for 11 Infantry Brigade was[7] [8] -

Following the formation of the division, Subansiri and Siang Frontier Divisions were placed under the operational responsibility of 5 Infantry Brigade. 192 Infantry Brigade was later inducted in this sector and took over the Siang Division on 12 November 1962.[9] The ORBAT of 5 Infantry Brigade as on 18 November 1962 was-

The ORBAT of 192 Infantry Brigade as on 16 November 1962 was-

Battle of WalongOn 14 November 1962, 'D Company' of 4 Sikh and two companies of 6 Kumaon carried out the only offensive operation during the war - an attack to capture two tactical features - yellow pimple and green pimple, but were beaten back by the Chinese.[6] [10] During the war, 6 Kumaon lost 2 officer, 6 JCOs and 118 other ranks, 113 were wounded and 172 taken prisoner; 4 Dogra lost one officer, 2 JCOs and 107 other ranks; 4 Sikh lost 2 officer, 4 JCOs and 76 other ranks and had 98 wounded, whereas Delta Company of 3/3 Gorkha Rifles was completely wiped out.[8]
Subansiri and Siang Frontier DivisionsFollowing the Longju incident in 1959, Subansiri Frontier Division was manned by 9 Assam Rifles and Siang Frontier Division by 11 Assam Rifles. On 27 October 1962, the Chinese ordered the launch of operations towards Limeking (Subansiri Frontier Division), Mechuka and Tuting (both in Siang Frontier Division). An ad hoc force of 2200 troops from different units were earmarked for this offensive. The Chinese carried out preparatory operations between 21 and 30 October to secure positions along the border before the main attack. The main attack was planned for 18 November.[11]

At this time, the Indian deployment was as follows[11] -

The Chinese captured Mechuka on 19 November, Gelling and Limeking on 21 November.[11]

Gallantry awards[12] [13] [14]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

2 Mountain Division was part of IV Corps and was commanded by Major General Gandharv Singh Nagra. It was deployed on the Chinese border and hence, most of the division did not take part in the conflict. The exception was 5 Mountain Brigade, which was detached to 101 Communications Zone on 8 September 1971. The brigade consisted of the following units[15] -

The present

The division presently covers eastern and upper Assam and eastern Arunachal Pradesh and is responsible for conduct of counter-insurgency operations and the defense of the Indo-China border. The divisional headquarters is at Dinjan in the extreme northeast of Assam.[16] The Division is part of III Corps (Spear Corps), headquartered at Dimapur.[17] [18] [19] It includes the following brigades -

References

  1. Web site: Army celebrated Reh festival. 2021-02-01. 2021-11-12.
  2. Web site: oob.com . 2009-10-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070314220354/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=6001&Tab=Sub . 2007-03-14 . dead .
  3. Web site: 2009-10-21. 31 Indian Brigade. Order of Battle. https://web.archive.org/web/20070314223258/http://www.ordersofbattle.com/UnitData.aspx?UniX=172088&Tab=Uhi. 2007-03-14. dead.
  4. Web site: 2009-10-23. Order of Battle. 90 Indian Brigade.
  5. Book: Rao, KVK. Prepare or Perish: A Study of National Security. Lancer Publishers. 1991. 978-8172120016.
  6. Book: Das, Gautam. China-Tibet-India: The 1962 War and the Strategic Military Future. Har Anand Publications. 2009. 978-8124114667. 193–194.
  7. Book: Prasad, Shankar. The Gallant Dogras-An Illustrated History of the Dogra Regiment. 2008. Lancer International. 978-8170622680.
  8. Book: Verma, Shiv Kumar. 1962 The war that wasn't. Aleph Book Company. 2016. 978-9382277972.
  9. Book: Johri, Major Sita Ram. Chinese Invasion of NEFA. 1968. Himalaya Publications.
  10. Web site: Battle of Walong — how India fought its only counter-attack in 1962 India-China war. 2019-11-15. 2021-11-15.
  11. Web site: 1962 War – The Unknown Battles : Operations in Subansiri and Siang Frontier Divisions. 2014-07-01. 2021-11-25.
  12. Web site: Gazette of India, No 31. 1963-08-03. 2021-11-17.
  13. Web site: Gazette of India, No 8. 1963-02-23. 2021-11-17.
  14. Web site: Gazette of India, No 2. 1964-01-11. 2021-11-17.
  15. Book: Gill, JH. An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War - Creation of Bangladesh. 2003. National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. 74–75.
  16. Web site: Army undertakes major infra drive along LAC in Arunachal. . 2022-09-08. 2022-09-08.
  17. Web site: Defence Minister of State Dr SubhashBhamre visits Armys Dao Division HQ. 2017-12-13. 2021-11-13.
  18. Conboy et al, Elite Forces of India and Pakistan, p.8
  19. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1071220/asp/guwahati/story_8690054.asp Paranoia after Ulfa threat; Army steps up vigilance in upper Assam
  20. Web site: Army steps in to help school. 2011-12-11. 2021-11-12.
  21. Web site: Indian Army to begin deploying light howitzers in eastern sector. 2019-10-07. 2021-11-12.
  22. Web site: Ambush raises questions about security lapses. . 2017-01-23. 2021-11-12.
  23. Web site: 8 Illegal coal laden trucks seized. 2010-06-09. 2021-11-12.