It was mobilized as 20th (Garhwal) Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 7th (Meerut) Division and departed for France.

Kitchener identified the Indian Army's main task as the defence of the North-West Frontier against foreign aggression (particularly Russian expansion into Afghanistan) with internal security relegated to a secondary role.

The Army was organized into divisions and brigades that would act as field formations but also included internal security troops.

It was mobilized with the division in August 1914 as the 20th (Garhwal) Brigade and sailed from Bombay on 20 September for the Western Front.

His award was gazetted[8] on the same date as that of Sepoy Khudadad Khan, the first Indian VC winner.

The new division was short lived: it was broken up again on 7 March 1916 as the need to reform depleted units from France made this plan unrealistic.

[3] The brigade continued to serve on the Suez Canal Defences under command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in 1916 and 1917.

In August 1918, the brigade joined Chaytor's Force along with the Anzac Mounted Division and other units under the command of Major-General E.W.C.