The 11th Infantry Division was a British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

 colonial unit formed in February 1943 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Formation

In 1943, the 11th (East Africa) Division was formed primarily of troops from British East Africa.

The division should not be confused with the 11th (African) Division which fought in the East African Campaign

East African Campaign (World War II)

The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....

 and was disbanded in late 1941. Unlike the 11th (East Africa) Division, the 11th (African) Division

1st (African) Division

The 1st Division was a British Empire colonial unit during World War II. The division was formed on 24 July 1940 in East Africa. On 24 November of that year, the division was re-designated as the British Army's 11th Division. The division were composed primarily of West African and East African...

 was composed of brigades from British East Africa and Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

 in British West Africa

British West Africa

British West Africa was the collective name for British colonies in West Africa during the colonial period, either in the general geographical sense or more specifically those comprised in a formal colonial administrative entity...

.

Combat history

The Division was composed of Troops from Kenya

Kenya

Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...

, Uganda

Uganda

Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...

, Nyasaland

Nyasaland

Nyasaland or the Nyasaland Protectorate, was a British protectorate located in Africa, which was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Since 1964, it has been known as Malawi....

, Tanganyika

Tanganyika

Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...

 plus Troops from Rhodesia

Rhodesia

Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...

.
The 11th (East Africa) Division fought with the Fourteenth Army in Burma during the Burma Campaign

Burma Campaign

The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...

. In 1945, elements of the division played a part in the Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay.

Commanding officers

• Major-General Charles Christopher Fowkes
  Charles Christopher Fowkes
  Major-General Charles Christopher Fowkes, DSO was an officer in the British Army during World War II. His nickname was "Fluffy."...
  
   (February 1943 to December 1944)
• Major-General Robert Mansergh
  Robert Mansergh
  General Sir Eric Carden Robert Mansergh GCB KBE MC was a British Army General during and after World War II.-Military career:...
  
   (January 1945 to February 1945)
• Major-General William Alfred Dimoline
  William Alfred Dimoline
  Major-General William Alfred Dimoline CB CMG CBE DSO MC was an officer in the British Army during World War I and World War II...
  
   (March 1945 to August 1945)

21st East African Brigade

Commander - Brigadier J. F. Macnab

2nd King's African Rifles

King's African Rifles

The King's African Rifles was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the various British possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within the East African colonies as well as external service as...

4th King's African Rifles

1st Northern Rhodesia Regiment

25th East African Brigade

Commander - Brigadier N. C. Hendricks

11th King's African Rifles

26th King's African Rifles

34th King's African Rifles

26th East African Brigade

Commander - Brigadier V. K. H. Channer (up to November 18, 1944) , Brigadier A. P. Walsh (November 18, 1944 )

22nd King's African Rifles

36th King's African Rifles

44th King's African Rifles

Divisional Artillery

Commander - Brigadier J. V. D. Radford

302nd East African Field Regiment

303rd East African Field Regiment

304th East African Field Regiment

Divisional Engineers

34th East African Field Company

58th East African Field Company

64th East African Field Company

62nd East African Field Park Company

See also

• List of British Empire divisions in World War II
• Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay
• 1st SA Infantry Division

External Links

• British Military History - East Africa 1940 - 47