When first formed, the division was intended to operate in Iraq and Persia, then under Allied military occupation, and first trained for mountain and desert warfare.

As part of the lessons learned by the British Indian Army in the retreat from Burma, the division's equipment was lightened and its establishment was reduced, to allow easier movement off roads and in difficult terrain.

In late 1942, the division began an advance in the Burmese coastal province of Arakan, intending ultimately to recapture Akyab Island, vital for its airfields.

When well-constructed Japanese defences were encountered on the Mayu peninsula only a few miles from the island, extra brigades were added to the division.

Eventually, the division HQ commanded no less than nine brigades and a large rear communications area, making effective administration and coordination impossible.

A temporary headquarters, "Mayforce", was created to control operations in the Mayu River valley, separated from the main body of the division by a rugged hill range.

Japanese reinforcements attacked the division's exposed left flank, overrunning several units and forcing the remainder to make a disorderly withdrawal.

It was stationed at Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, where the terrain and vegetation matched the conditions likely to be encountered in Burma, but the comparatively mild climate allowed training throughout the year.