11th Rajputs
Encyclopedia
The 11th Rajputs was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army
and later of the British Indian Army
. They could trace their origins to 1825, when they were the 2nd Extra Battalion, Bengal Native Infantry. In 1828 they were renamed the 70th Bengal Native Infantry and a number of changes in name followed the 11th Bengal Native Infantry 1861–1885, the 11th Bengal Infantry 1885–1897, the 11th (Rajput) Bengal Infantry 1897–1901, the 11th Rajput Infantry
1901–1903. Finally in 1903, after the Kitchener reforms
of the Indian Army the 11th Rajputs.
During this time the regiment took part in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
in the Battle of Chillianwala
and the Battle of Goojerat (or Gujrat, Gujerat), the Second Opium War
in China, the Third Afghan War, the Third Anglo-Burmese War
and World War I
. During World War I the regiment was first assigned to the Presidency Brigade, 8th Lucknow Division
on internal security duties. They then served in the 33rd Indian Brigade, 12th Indian Division
during the Mesopotamia Campaign.
After World War I the Indian government reformed the army again moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The 11th Rajputs now became the 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment
. After independence this was one of the regiments allocated to the new Indian Army
.
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
and later of the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
. They could trace their origins to 1825, when they were the 2nd Extra Battalion, Bengal Native Infantry. In 1828 they were renamed the 70th Bengal Native Infantry and a number of changes in name followed the 11th Bengal Native Infantry 1861–1885, the 11th Bengal Infantry 1885–1897, the 11th (Rajput) Bengal Infantry 1897–1901, the 11th Rajput Infantry
1901–1903. Finally in 1903, after the Kitchener reforms
Kitchener Reforms
The Kitchener Reforms of the Indian Army began in 1903 when Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, India, completed the unification of the three armies of the former Presidencies , and also the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces, into one...
of the Indian Army the 11th Rajputs.
During this time the regiment took part in the Second Anglo-Sikh War
Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
in the Battle of Chillianwala
Battle of Chillianwala
The Battle of Chillianwala was fought during the Second Anglo-Sikh War in the Chillianwala region of Punjab, now part of modern-day Pakistan. The battle was one of the bloodiest fought by the British East India Company. Both armies held their positions at the end of the battle and both sides...
and the Battle of Goojerat (or Gujrat, Gujerat), the Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
in China, the Third Afghan War, the Third Anglo-Burmese War
Third Anglo-Burmese War
The Third Anglo-Burmese War was a conflict that took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance and insurgency continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the British...
and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During World War I the regiment was first assigned to the Presidency Brigade, 8th Lucknow Division
8th Lucknow Division
The 8th Lucknow Division was a formation of the British Indian Army's Northern Army that was first formed as a result of the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army in 1903...
on internal security duties. They then served in the 33rd Indian Brigade, 12th Indian Division
12th Indian Division
For the World War II formation see 12th Indian Infantry DivisionThe 12th Indian Division was formed in March 1915 from units of the British Indian Army. It formed part of the Tigris Corps, for service during the Mesopotamia Campaign of World War I...
during the Mesopotamia Campaign.
After World War I the Indian government reformed the army again moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The 11th Rajputs now became the 5th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment
7th Rajput Regiment
The 7th Rajput Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, after the Indian government decided to reform the army moving away from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments...
. After independence this was one of the regiments allocated to the new Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
.