The 17th Indian Division was formed in 1917 from units of the British Indian Army for service in the Mesopotamia Campaign during World War I. After the war, it formed part of the occupation force for Iraq and took part in the Iraq Rebellion in 1920. In August 1923, the division was reduced to a single brigade.
Most of the infantry battalions that had already been guarding lines of communications in Mesopotamia for some months, were somewhat acclimatized and accustomed to the country.[1] The division was involved in the action at Fat-ha Gorge on the Little Zab between 23–26 October 1918 and the Battle of Sharqat, 28–30 October 1918[2] under command of I Corps[1]
At the end of the war, the 17th Division was chosen to form part of the occupation force for Iraq. It took part in the Iraq Rebellion in 1920. In August 1923, the division was reduced to a single brigade; the last British troops left in March 1927 and the Indian ones in November 1928.[1]
Order of battle
The division commanded the following units, although not all of them served at the same time:[3]
^CCXX Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was originally the 1/I Home Counties Brigade of the Home Counties Division, Territorial Force, plus the 403rd (H) Battery. The Anglo-Indian Battery joined in May 1918.[4]
^CCXXI Brigade, Royal Field Artillery was originally the 1/II Home Counties Brigade of the Home Counties Division, TF, plus the 404th (H) Battery. The Volunteer Battery joined in April 1918[4] from 15th Indian Division.[5]
^17th Machine Gun Battalion was organised in November 1918 from the 129th, 257th, 258th and 276th Machine Gun Companies.[4]