268th Indian Infantry Brigade

The 268th Indian Infantry Brigade was raised as an infantry formation for providing military service during the Second World War. The armed force remained in service from 1942 to 1947. It was raised as the 268th Indian Armoured Brigade under the British Indian Army July 1942. Later in October 1942, the British Indian brigade was re-designated as the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade. It was attached to the 43rd Indian Armoured Division till March 1943. The 268th Indian Infantry Brigade was eventually assigned to the 44th Indian Armoured Division and brigade served under its administration till March 1944. The troops of the brigade participated in a number of conflicts and conquests under the British and also served in the Burma Campaign.

The infantry brigade was re-allocated to the 21st Indian Infantry Division in May 1944 and was attached with the 23rd Indian Infantry Division later in July 1944. It also served as the corps reserve for IV Corps in November 1944 and XXXIII Indian Corps in December 1944. Later the brigade was attached to the British 2nd Infantry Division in April 1945 and served as a part of the 7th Indian Infantry Division until the culmination of World War II.

After the war, the troops provided military service in Japan with the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. The brigade included the 1st Maratha Light Infantry, 2/5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) and the 5/1 Punjab Regiment. The brigade was sent back to India in August 1947.

After the partition of India and the Indian independence on 15th August 1947, the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade was assigned to the independent army of the newly formed Union of India. The troops then took part in the Indo Pakistan War in 1947. Later it was attached to the 19th Infantry Division (India) in 1962. Presently the headquarters of the brigade and the division is situated in the district of Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian 19th Infantry Division served as a part of XV Corps in Western Command.

Formation of 268th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 268th Indian Infantry Brigade included several British Indian infantry units during World War II. These are listed as follows-
* 8/13th Frontier Force Rifles
* 17/7th Rajput Regiment
* 17/10th Baluch Regiment
* 2/4th Bombay Grenadiers
* 1st Assam Regiment
* 5/4th Bombay Grenadiers
* 1st The Chamar Regiment
* Kalibahadur Regiment
* 4/3rd Madras Regiment
* Mahindra Dal Regiment
* 2nd The King`s Own Scottish Borderers
* 1/3rd Madras Regiment
* 2nd The South Lancashire Regiment
* 45th Cavalry
* 429th Field Company Indian Engineers