I have been trying to tie down the dates regarding the re-formation of the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade in 1943-44 from the creation of the HQ until the brigade joined the division at Cassino. I have some dates listed below from a variety of sources, which are also listed. There is some contradiction on these dates but the timeline I have listed seems to be the most logical based on these dates. I would appreciate it if anyone can add more to this timeline or confirmation of the some of the dates with the source. TIMELINE FOR RE-FORMATION OF 11th INDIAN INFANTRY BRIGADE 11/11/43 - HQ 232nd Infantry Brigade arrived in Egypt from Malta. 13/11/43 - HQ 232nd Infantry Brigade disbanded in Egypt. Brigade HQ used to reform HQ 11th Indian Infantry Brigade in Egypt (Probably at Mena) 18/12/43 - 4th Battalion 6th Rajputana Rifles left Palestine at Pardes Hanna and returned to Egypt at Mena Camp by this date. 1/1/44 - 2nd Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles moved to Tripoli on January 1st, 1944 and entrained for Cairo. On arrival in Cairo, it rejoined the 11th Indian Brigade with the 2nd Camerons and the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles. 3/1/44 - 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders disembarked at Port Said and moved to Mena, where it joined the 11th Indian Infantry Brigade. 17/1/44 - 2nd Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles embarked at Suez for Italy. 18/1/44 - 2nd Battalion 7th Gurkha Rifles sailed from Suez for Italy. 19/1/44 - 4th Battalion 6th Rajputana Rifles arrived at Taranto, Italy. The 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders embarked in Egypt with HQ, 'A' and 'B' Companies on the HMT Princess Kathleen and 'C' and 'D' Companies on the HMT Ranchi. Support Company was on the HMT Sibajak. 20/1/44 - The convoy with 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders sailed for Italy. 25/1/44 - 2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders reached Taranto on January 25th and spent five days there getting reacquainted with the 2nd/7th Gurkha Rifles and 4th/6th Rajputana Rifles. 30/1/44 - 11th Indian Infantry Brigade left Taranto by train to village of Pietramelara, a concentration area thirty-five miles north of Naples, where the 11th Brigade rejoined the 4th Indian Division. 6/2/44 - 11th Indian Brigade joined 4th Indian Infantry Division (Date listed by Kempton and 6th Rajputana Rifles history 19/2/44 - 2nd Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders moved by MT to Cervaro, near Cassino, and then by march to Portella, near San Michelle. 20/2/44 - The 11th Brigade arrived at the Cassino front at San Michele. Sources Used for Above Timeline Abhayankar, Major M.G. The Rajputana Rifles; a History of the Regiment 1775-1947. Bombay: Orient Longmans, 1961. (MoD)(Library of Congress) Mackay, John N. History of the 7th Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Gurkha Rifles. Edinburgh: William Blackwood an Sons, Ltd., 1962. (Yale)(NYPL) Praval, K.C. The Red Eagles: A History of Fourth Division of India. New Delhi: Vision Books, 1982. (Cornell) Kempton, Chris. Loyalty and Honour: The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947: Part I Divisions. Milton Keynes: Military Press, 2003. (D.Ryan) Kempton, Chris. Loyalty and Honour: The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947: Part II Brigades. Milton Keynes: Military Press, 2003. (D.Ryan) Kempton, Chris. Loyalty and Honour: The Indian Army September 1939 – August 1947: Part III. Milton Keynes: Military Press, 2003. (D.Ryan) Prasad, Bisheshwar, Ed. Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War 1939-45. Combined Inter-Services Historical Section (India and Pakistan). Calcutta: Orient Longmans. Dharm Pal. The Campaign in Italy 1943-45. 1960. (D.Ryan) Perry, F.W. The Armies of the Commonwealth: Volumes 3A & 3B. Privately Published, 1978. (NAM) Indian Government. The Tiger Triumphs. London: Her Majesty’s Stationier’s Office, 1946. (NYPL)(D.Ryan) Joslen, H.F. Orders of Battle. London: HMSO, 1960. (D.Ryan)
I also used: Anon. Historical Records of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 1932-1948: Volumes V, VI. London: William Blackwood, 1952. (NYPL Annex)(D.Ryan)
dryan.. if you were to refer to my posting on yesterdays thread by Herosson on the 2nd Batt Camerons - you might find some clarification of the 11th Bde reformation in the "The Tiger Triumphs" - as it only refers to the Chapter 5 - Cassino - but the whole article will give some confirmation to your dates. Cheers
I have just been backtracking a little bit and although I can't offer you anything I am grateful for this detailed information on the movement of the 2nd Camerons between January and March 1944. My father's platoon commander in 'D' company was Lt. Peter I. Laughton, (now Major) who lives in Petworth in Sussex. He would know exactly the movements of the Camerons at least.
I have the Camerons regimental history and it is pretty detailed on the movements of the 2nd Camerons during the period. Thank you for your kind offer. What I have been trying to confirm is that the 11th Indian Brigade was actually reformed in Egypt, where all three battalions assembled rather than in Italy, which is what is quoted in most sources.
