It was at Keren that Subadar Richhpal Ram of the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles, 5th Indian Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

Having returned to Egypt, the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade was hurried across to Syria and participated in the advance on Damascus during the Syria-Lebanon campaign (June 1941).

[3] The rest of the 4th Indian Division, having been rejoined by the 5th Brigade returning from Syria, was involved in the fighting, which ebbed and flowed past Tobruk from June 1941 into the autumn of 1941.

For most of this period, the division was dispersed, with units temporarily attached to other formations, much to the disgust of Major General Francis Tuker, who had assumed command of the division in December 1941. Notable at this time was the break-out at the end of January by 7th Brigade, having been cut off at Benghazi during the Axis counter-offensive from Agheila and moving 200 miles avoiding the enemy to rejoin the new Eighth Army.

The situation had become so confused that General Erwin Rommel, also known as the Desert Fox, lost his way and was forced to spend a night in the open.

The division had a relatively subsidiary role in the battle, holding in stiff fighting, as a diversionary tactic, the Ruweisat Ridge, which was at the centre of the Allied front, whilst the breakthrough was planned further north.

It fought with distinction in the Tunisia Campaign, right through to the fall of Tunis in May 1943, gaining a particular reputation for its prowess in mountainous country.

The division had the honour of capturing General Hans-Jürgen von Arnim in Tunisia, bringing an end to the war in North Africa.

The division then moved in January 1944 to Italy (joined by the re-constituted 11th Brigade), where it took part in the Italian Campaign.

During the battle, the division was to attack in an arc towards the south and south-west, taking Point 593 and then moving south-east, up the heights towards the Abbey.

[5] The main attack eventually commenced just after last light with the NZ Division's 28 (Maori) Battalion to cross the Rapido River and to seize the station south of Cassino town, establishing a bridgehead for the corps armour to move into the town and to the foot of the Cassino massif—the attack starting at 2:130.

[7] Holworthy was succeeded by Major-General Charles Hamilton Boucher in January 1945 who commanded the division until the end of hostilities.

Das wrote, "Even beyond its fighting reputation, it will be remembered for the spirit of mutual trust and fellowship maintained between all ranks coming from so many different races and creeds".

[7] The unit listing is from a booklet issued to mark the inauguration of the Indian Divisions' Memorial 1939–1945 at RMA Sandhurst in June 1982.

Anticipating an armour thrust, the GOC decided to pull back to Asal Uttar on 7 September and hold the enemy.

Though some positions of 1/9 Gorkhas and 18 Rajputana Rifles were overrun, 7 and 62 Brigades supported by Deccan Horse and 3 Cavalry were able to repulse the attacks.

This attack was held back by the units of 7 Brigade, supported by armour and artillery and the enemy lost many tanks.

As expected, in the morning of 10 September, the Pakistani M-47 and M48 Patton tanks were lured inside the horse-shoe shaped defensive position.

This was when Company Quartermaster Havildar Abdul Hamid destroyed three tanks with his recoilless gun (for which he was awarded the Param Vir Chakra).

However, the swampy grounds and the tactical planning of the Indians meant that they suffered heavy losses - which included a total of 97 tanks and many men and senior officers.

The divisional plan was to advance on Magura by way of Majdia, Jibannagar, Kotchandpur and Jhenaidah, so as to secure the ferry on the Madhumati river.

7 Mountain Brigade, which had been entrusted to capture Kushtia in the North, met with stiff resistance on 9 December from the Pakistanis, which included armour.

Ansari, GOC, Pakistan’s 9 Infantry Division and his divisional staff surrendered to Major General M.S.