The 35th Indian Brigade was formed in December 1915 and arrived in Mesopotamia in the same month. It was attached to the 7th (Meerut) Division until February 1916. While with the division, it took part in the attempts to relieve the 6th (Poona) Division besieged in Kut, including the Action of Shaikh Saad (6 – 8 January 1916), the Action of the Wadi (13 January 1916) and the First attack on Hanna (21 January 1916).