Operation Polo: Some more information about the troops involved

I’ve been doing some more online research into the forces that took part in Operation Polo.

INDIAN FORCES

The 1st Armoured Division was the main formation tasked with conducting the operation. It had previously been the 31st Armoured Division of the British Indian Army (it was renamed on 1st September 1945) and at the time of Operation Polo it comprised three brigades, 1st Armoured Brigade (formerly 255th Indian Tank Brigade), 7th Infantry Brigade, and 9th Infantry Brigade. The division was commanded by Major General Joyanto Nath Chaudhuri, who also had overall command of the Indian forces involved in the operation.

For the operation, the division was divided into four forces, Strike Force, Smash Force, Kill Force, and Vir Force.

Strike Force

• 9th Dogra Infantry Regiment (motorised) (less one company)
• 1st Cavalry Regiment (Skinner’s Horse) (less one squadron): Stuart tanks
• 1st Troop, HQ Squadron: Sherman tanks
• 1st Battery, 1st Field Artillery Regiment (Self-propelled): Sexton 25-pounder self-propelled guns
• 1st Forward Air Control team: Auster AOP.6s

Smash Force (Commanded by Brigadier S D Verma)

• 3rd Cavalry Regiment (less one squadron): Stuart tanks
• 17th Horse Regiment (Poona Horse) (less one squadron): Stuart tanks
• Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment (Skinner’s Horse): Stuart tanks
• 48th & 50th Batteries, 1st Field Artillery Regiment (Self-propelled): Sexton 25-pounder self-propelled guns
• 2nd Battery, 40th Medium Artillery Regiment: 5.5” guns
• Company, 9th Dogra Infantry Regiment (motorised)

Kill Force (7th Infantry brigade) (Commanded by Brigadier Gurbachan Singh)

• 2nd Sikh Infantry Regiment
• 1st/3rd Grenadiers Infantry Regiment
• 14th Rajput Infantry Regiment
• 9th Para Artillery Regiment: 75mm pack howitzers

Vir Force (9th Infantry brigade) (Commanded by Brigadier Apji Randhir Singh)

• 3rd/2nd Punjab Infantry Regiment
• 2nd/1st Gurkha Rifles
• 34th Anti-tank Regiment: Archer 17-pounder self-propelled guns

The 1st Armoured Division mounted its attack from the west.

The force attacking the Aurangabad area of Hyderabad from the Bombay Area comprised:

• 4th Rajputana Rifles
• 3/5th Gurkha Rifles
• 17th Sikh Infantry Regiment
• A number of ad hoc tank and armoured car squadrons

The force attacking from the north (the Jabalpur Independent Sub Area) comprised:

• 18th Cavalry Regiment (King Edward's Own): Sherman tanks
• 7th/2nd Punjab Infantry Regiment
• 2nd Jodhpur Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Sikh Infantry Regiment
• A company of police

The force attacking from the east (Vilayawada Station) comprised:

• Squadron, 17th Horse Regiment (Poona Horse): Stuart tanks
• 2nd/5th Gurkha Rifles
• 6th Jat Infantry Regiment
• 6th Kumaon Infantry Regiment
• 9th/2nd Punjab Infantry Regiment
• 3rd Sikh Light Infantry Regiment

The force attacking from the south (Vilayawada Station) comprised:

• Mysore Lancers (provided by the State of Mysore)
• 1st Mysore Infantry Regiment (provided by the State of Mysore)
• 5th/5th Gurkha Rifles

Indian Air Force Hawker Tempest fighters from 3 & 4 Squadrons (based in Poona) were available to give ground-support and to drive off any Pakistani or Portuguese aircraft* that might seek to intervene.

HYDERABAD FORCES

Regular forces comprised:

• Northern Sector (Aurangabad, Nanded, and Adilabad): 2 Regular Infantry Battalions (commanded by Brigadier Taufiz Ali)
• Eastern Sector (Nalgonda, Warangal, and Karim Nagar): 2 Regular Infantry battalions (commanded by Brigadier M H Khan)
• Southern Sector (Gulbarga): 3 Regular Infantry Battalions (commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ali Ahmed)
• Western Sector (Bidar and Osmanabad) : 3 Regular Infantry Battalions (commanded by Brigadier Syeedy Habib Ahmed)
• Hyderabad area (Medak and Altaf-i-Balda): 7 Regular Infantry Battalions plus number of other Infantry Battalions# (comprising the Arab Brigade (3 Infantry Battalions); the Paigah Brigade (2 Infantry battalions), the Saraf-i-Khas Brigade (3 Infantry Battalions), 3 Household Infantry battalions, and 3 Bodyguard Infantry Battalions) There was also a Bodyguard Cavalry Regiment
• 4 Armoured Car Regiments (1st Hyderabad Lancers, 2nd Hyderabad Lancer, 3rd Golconda Lancers, and 4th Hyderabad Lancers): Humber and Staghound armoured cars
• A Field Artillery Regiment: 18 x 25-pounder guns

Hyderabad had no aircraft but hoped that aid would come from Pakistan and/or the Portuguese colony of Goa.

Irregular forces comprised:

• 10 Battalions of Razakars#
• A number of Pathan Battalions# (used mainly for border raids)

This is as far as my research has reached but I will continue to look for further sources.

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* The Nizam of Hyderabad had been negotiating with the Portuguese about the possible use of Goa as an entrepot.

# All poorly armed, some with just swords, spears, and/or muzzle-loading muskets.