7th Meerut Divisional Area

At the outbreak of the First World War, the 7th (Meerut) Division was mobilized in August 1914, and sailed from Bombay on 20 September for the Western Front. 39th Royal Garhwal Rifles went with the 7th (Meerut) Division to fight in World War One on the Western Front. The 7th Meerut Divisional Area was formed in September 1914 to take over the area responsibilities of the 7th (Meerut) Division. It took over the units left behind by the original division and started to form brigades to control them "the 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade in November, the Bareilly and Delhi Brigades in December 1914, and the Dehra Dun Brigade in March 1915". However, the Garhwal Brigade was not reformed until April 1917. The division served within India throughout the war (although the Meerut Cavalry Brigade was mobilized for the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919), initially under Northern Army, then Northern Command from January 1918. and was broken up in 1920. ==Order of battle==

The division commanded the following brigades in the First World War: • 14th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigadeformed in November 1914; renumbered 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade in February 1915 • Bareilly Brigadeformed in December 1914 • Delhi Brigadeformed in December 1914; broken up in February 1915; reformed in December 1918 • Dehra Dun Brigadeformed in March 1915; broken up in December 1918 • Garhwal Brigadeformed in April 1917 • Agra Brigadeformed in December 1918 • Nepalese Brigadeattached to the division from January 1916 • Kali Bahadur Battalion • Sabuj Barakh Battalion • Mahindra Dal Battalion • 2nd Rifle Battalion ==Commanders==

The 7th Meerut Divisional Area / Meerut Division had the following commanders: ==See also==