1st Punjab Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 1st Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army
from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army
on Partition of India
in 1947, and amalgamated with the 14th
, 15th
and 16th Punjab Regiment
s in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment
.
of the British East India Company
, which was largely responsible for the establishment of British rule in south and central India
. Its senior battalion was raised as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys in 1759, making it the senior-most surviving infantry battalion of the British Indian Army. The 2nd Battalion was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys, while the 3rd Battalion was raised in 1776 as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. This was followed by the 5th Battalion in 1788 as 29th Madras Battalion and the 10th Battalion in 1794 as 34th Madras Battalion. These battalions underwent several changes in nomenclature until 1824, when they were designated as the 2nd, 6th, 16th, 22nd and 24th Regiments of Madras Native Infantry. Their men were mostly enlisted from South India and consisted of Muslims and Hindus. The 4th Battalion was an oddity as being a survivor of the Bengal Army
, most of whose units were disbanded following the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. It was raised in 1776 as the 30th Battalion of Bengal Sepoys. In 1861, it was designated as the 1st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. It mostly recruited Hindu Brahmans from Oudh.
All the battalions of the regiment played an important role in the early military campaigns of the East India Company and were actively engaged in the wars against the French, Mysore
and the Marathas. Their first major engagement was the decisive Battle of Wandiwash
in 1860, which ended French colonial ambitions in India. This was followed by forty years of constant warfare against the Sultans of Mysore
, and then the Marathas chieftains. In the Second Maratha War of 1803-05, the 1st and 10th Battalions fought in the Battle of Assaye
under General Arthur Wellesley
, the future Duke of Wellington, while the 4th Battalion fought in the Battles of Laswari and Agra
in 1803, and Bhurtpore
in 1805. The performance of the 1st and 10th at Assaye was much appreciated and they were permitted the word "Assaye" with the device of an elephant on their colours and appointments. The two battalions were again engaged against the Marathas during the Third Maratha War of 1817-19, which decisively broke the Maratha power in India.
The regiment also made overeas forays, when the 2nd and 10th Battalions took part in the expeditions to Bourbon Island and Mauritius
in the Indian Ocean
in 1810, and the 3rd and 5th served in the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-26. In 1840, the 1st and 2nd Battalions took part in the First Anglo-Chinese War. Their performance was much appreciated and as a reward, they were the only two battalions of the Indian Army authorized to bear a golden dragon wearing the imperial crown upon their regimental colours along with the battle honour
of "China". In the latter part of the 19th century, the regiment did not see much action, although all of its battalions served in Burma.
After the conquest of Sindh
and the Punjab
in the 1840s, British focus shifted towards the northwest and the Madras Army was largely reduced to garrison duties. This greatly affected its morale and efficiency. By the turn of the century, the reputation of Madrassi units had suffered considerably and they were either disbanded or reconstituted with northerners. Among the latter were the five battalions, which would go on to form the 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1902, the South Indians were mustered out and replaced with Punjabi Muslims, Sikh
s and Rajput
s in the 1st, 2nd and 10th Battalions. Next year, the 3rd and 5th Battalions were also reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Hindu Jats. Under the Kitchener Reforms
of 1903, these battalions were redesignated as the 62nd
, 66th
, 76th
, 82nd
and 84th Punjabis
; thus severing almost a hundred and fifty years of association with Madras. Meanwhile, the 1st Bengal Infantry was redesignated as the 1st Brahmans
.
, while the 62nd and 76th Punjabis also served at Suez Canal
during the Turkish offensive
of 1915. Captain Claude Auchinleck
, later Field Marshal and the last Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army, served with the 62nd Punjabis in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
In 1919, the 66th, 76th and 82nd Punjabis participated in the Third Afghan War. In 1921-22, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions in 1922. Among these was the 1st Punjab Regiment; senior-most among the infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The line-up of battalions for the 1st Punjabis was:
The new class composition of the 1st Punjab Regiment, based at Jhelum
, was Punjabi Muslims, Rajputs, Muslims from Hazara and Sikhs. The Elephant of Assaye and the Imperial Dragon superimposed over the Star of India were chosen as its new emblem. The regiment's uniform was scarlet with green facings. In the inter-war period, the 1st Punjab Regiment saw extensive service on the North West Frontier of India. In 1931, the 4th Battalion was disbanded due to retrenchment in the Indian Army. In 1937, King George VI was gazetted as the Colonel-in-Chief
of the 1st Punjab Regiment.
During the Second World War, the 1st Punjab Regiment suffered a total of 5510 casualties, including 1291 killed. The 2nd Battalion received more gallantry awards than any other unit of the Indian Army. These included a posthumous Victoria Cross
to Subedar Ram Sarup Singh
for gallantry in action on Kennedy Peak in Burma in 1944. The 3rd Battalion was nominated for parachute training in June 1946 to join the 2nd Indian Airborne Division. However, soon after completing its training in 1947, the 3rd (Para) Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment was engaged in quelling communal riots and in July, was detailed to join the Punjab Boundary Force, formed to keep the peace on the new East-West Punjab border. The 5th Battalion was sent to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
and independence of Pakistan
in 1947, the 1st Punjab Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army. At the time, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th. Sikhs and Rajputs were transferred to the Indian Army and the regiment's new class composition was fixed as Punjabis and Pathans. In November, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, Supreme Commander of the Indian and Pakistan Armies was appointed Colonel of the 1st Punjab Regiment and the regiment was authorized to wear a grass-green hackle with regimental berets. In 1948, the 14th Battalion was re-raised in response to the war with India in Kashmir
, where the 2nd Battalion again distinguished itself and Captain Muhammad Sarwar
became the first recipient of Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan's highest gallantry award. In 1956, a major reorganization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 1st Punjab Regiment was amalgamated with the 14th
, 15th
and 16th Punjab Regiment
s to form one large Punjab Regiment
. The four regimental centres were also merged and the combined centre moved to Mardan
. The line up of the new regiment was:
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...
from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
on Partition of India
Partition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
in 1947, and amalgamated with the 14th
14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
, 15th
15th Punjab Regiment
The 15th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
and 16th Punjab Regiment
16th Punjab Regiment
The 16th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 15th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
s in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)
The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
.
Madras Army
The 1st Punjab Regiment had its antecedents in the old Madras ArmyMadras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
of the British East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
, which was largely responsible for the establishment of British rule in south and central India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its senior battalion was raised as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys in 1759, making it the senior-most surviving infantry battalion of the British Indian Army. The 2nd Battalion was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys, while the 3rd Battalion was raised in 1776 as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. This was followed by the 5th Battalion in 1788 as 29th Madras Battalion and the 10th Battalion in 1794 as 34th Madras Battalion. These battalions underwent several changes in nomenclature until 1824, when they were designated as the 2nd, 6th, 16th, 22nd and 24th Regiments of Madras Native Infantry. Their men were mostly enlisted from South India and consisted of Muslims and Hindus. The 4th Battalion was an oddity as being a survivor of the Bengal 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...
, most of whose units were disbanded following the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. It was raised in 1776 as the 30th Battalion of Bengal Sepoys. In 1861, it was designated as the 1st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. It mostly recruited Hindu Brahmans from Oudh.
All the battalions of the regiment played an important role in the early military campaigns of the East India Company and were actively engaged in the wars against the French, Mysore
Kingdom of Mysore
The Kingdom of Mysore was a kingdom of southern India, traditionally believed to have been founded in 1399 in the vicinity of the modern city of Mysore. The kingdom, which was ruled by the Wodeyar family, initially served as a vassal state of the Vijayanagara Empire...
and the Marathas. Their first major engagement was the decisive Battle of Wandiwash
Battle of Wandiwash
The Battle of Wandiwash was a decisive battle in India during the Seven Years' War. The Count de Lally's army, burdened by a lack of naval support and funds, attempted to regain the fort at Vandavasi near Pondicherry. He was attacked by Sir Eyre Coote's forces and decisively defeated...
in 1860, which ended French colonial ambitions in India. This was followed by forty years of constant warfare against the Sultans of Mysore
Anglo-Mysore Wars
The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of wars fought in India over the last three decades of the 18th century between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, represented chiefly by the Madras Presidency...
, and then the Marathas chieftains. In the Second Maratha War of 1803-05, the 1st and 10th Battalions fought in the Battle of Assaye
Battle of Assaye
The Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...
under General Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley may refer to:*Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , Anglo-Irish soldier and statesman*Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington , British soldier and nobleman...
, the future Duke of Wellington, while the 4th Battalion fought in the Battles of Laswari and Agra
Agra
Agra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
in 1803, and Bhurtpore
Battle of Bharatpur
The Siege of Bharatpur took place between 2 January and 22 February 1805 in what is now Rajasthan, India, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War. Forces of the British East India Company, led by General Gerard Lake, were four times repulsed in attempts to storm the fortress...
in 1805. The performance of the 1st and 10th at Assaye was much appreciated and they were permitted the word "Assaye" with the device of an elephant on their colours and appointments. The two battalions were again engaged against the Marathas during the Third Maratha War of 1817-19, which decisively broke the Maratha power in India.
The regiment also made overeas forays, when the 2nd and 10th Battalions took part in the expeditions to Bourbon Island and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
in 1810, and the 3rd and 5th served in the First Anglo-Burmese War of 1824-26. In 1840, the 1st and 2nd Battalions took part in the First Anglo-Chinese War. Their performance was much appreciated and as a reward, they were the only two battalions of the Indian Army authorized to bear a golden dragon wearing the imperial crown upon their regimental colours along with the battle honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
of "China". In the latter part of the 19th century, the regiment did not see much action, although all of its battalions served in Burma.
After the conquest of Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
and the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
in the 1840s, British focus shifted towards the northwest and the Madras Army was largely reduced to garrison duties. This greatly affected its morale and efficiency. By the turn of the century, the reputation of Madrassi units had suffered considerably and they were either disbanded or reconstituted with northerners. Among the latter were the five battalions, which would go on to form the 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1902, the South Indians were mustered out and replaced with Punjabi Muslims, Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
s and Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
s in the 1st, 2nd and 10th Battalions. Next year, the 3rd and 5th Battalions were also reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Hindu Jats. Under 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 1903, these battalions were redesignated as the 62nd
62nd Punjabis
The 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to...
, 66th
66th Punjabis
The 66th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. It was designated as the 66th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 76th
76th Punjabis
The 76th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. It was designated as the 76th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 82nd
82nd Punjabis
The 82nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. It was designated as the 82nd Punjabis in 1903 and became the 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 84th Punjabis
84th Punjabis
The 84th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Donald Macdonald at Vellore on 12 August 1794, as the 34th Battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 84th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 10th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922....
; thus severing almost a hundred and fifty years of association with Madras. Meanwhile, the 1st Bengal Infantry was redesignated as the 1st Brahmans
1st Brahmans
The 1st Brahmans was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised at Oudh by Captain T Naylor in 1776 for service in the army of Nawab Wazir of Oudh, and was known as the Nawab Wazir's Regiment. It was transferred to the East India Company in 1777. In 1922, it was designated as...
.
First World War
During the First World War, except for the 1st Brahmans, all battalions of the regiment served in the Mesopotamian CampaignMesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
, while the 62nd and 76th Punjabis also served at Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
during the Turkish offensive
First Suez Offensive
The First Suez Offensive took place between the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
of 1915. Captain Claude Auchinleck
Claude Auchinleck
Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE , nicknamed "The Auk", was a British army commander during World War II. He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers...
, later Field Marshal and the last Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army, served with the 62nd Punjabis in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
- 62nd Punjabis62nd PunjabisThe 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to...
- EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, MesopotamiaMesopotamian CampaignThe Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
, AdenAdenAden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
. - 66th Punjabis66th PunjabisThe 66th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. It was designated as the 66th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- Mesopotamia. Captured by the Turks at Kut al Amara in 1915. Re-formed 1916. - 2/66th Punjabis - Raised in 1918 - India. Disbanded 1921.
- 76th Punjabis76th PunjabisThe 76th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. It was designated as the 76th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- Egypt, Mesopotamia. Captured by the Turks at Kut al Amara in 1915. Re-formed 1917. - 2/76th Punjabis - Raised in 1917 - India. Disbanded 1922.
- 1st Brahmans1st BrahmansThe 1st Brahmans was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised at Oudh by Captain T Naylor in 1776 for service in the army of Nawab Wazir of Oudh, and was known as the Nawab Wazir's Regiment. It was transferred to the East India Company in 1777. In 1922, it was designated as...
- North West Frontier of India, Aden. - 2/1st Brahmans - Raised in 1917 - India. Disbanded.
- 82nd Punjabis82nd PunjabisThe 82nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. It was designated as the 82nd Punjabis in 1903 and became the 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- North West Frontier of India, Mesopotamia. - 84th Punjabis84th PunjabisThe 84th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Donald Macdonald at Vellore on 12 August 1794, as the 34th Battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 84th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 10th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922....
- North West Frontier of India, Mesopotamia, Salonika, RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
In 1919, the 66th, 76th and 82nd Punjabis participated in the Third Afghan War. In 1921-22, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions in 1922. Among these was the 1st Punjab Regiment; senior-most among the infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The line-up of battalions for the 1st Punjabis was:
- 62nd Punjabis62nd PunjabisThe 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to...
- 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 66th Punjabis66th PunjabisThe 66th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. It was designated as the 66th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 76th Punjabis76th PunjabisThe 76th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. It was designated as the 76th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 1st Brahmans1st BrahmansThe 1st Brahmans was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised at Oudh by Captain T Naylor in 1776 for service in the army of Nawab Wazir of Oudh, and was known as the Nawab Wazir's Regiment. It was transferred to the East India Company in 1777. In 1922, it was designated as...
- 4th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 82nd Punjabis82nd PunjabisThe 82nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. It was designated as the 82nd Punjabis in 1903 and became the 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 84th Punjabis84th PunjabisThe 84th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Donald Macdonald at Vellore on 12 August 1794, as the 34th Battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 84th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 10th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922....
- 10th (Training) Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment - 1st (Territorial) Battalion 62nd Punjabis - 11th (Territorial) Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
The new class composition of the 1st Punjab Regiment, based at Jhelum
Jhelum
Jhelum or Jehlum may refer to:* Jhelum, a city in Pakistan on the banks of the Jhelum River* Jhelum District, an administrative division in Punjab, Pakistan surrounding the city of Jhelum...
, was Punjabi Muslims, Rajputs, Muslims from Hazara and Sikhs. The Elephant of Assaye and the Imperial Dragon superimposed over the Star of India were chosen as its new emblem. The regiment's uniform was scarlet with green facings. In the inter-war period, the 1st Punjab Regiment saw extensive service on the North West Frontier of India. In 1931, the 4th Battalion was disbanded due to retrenchment in the Indian Army. In 1937, King George VI was gazetted as the Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
of the 1st Punjab Regiment.
Second World War
- 1st Battalion - India, IraqAnglo-Iraqi WarThe Anglo-Iraqi War was the name of the British campaign against the rebel government of Rashid Ali in the Kingdom of Iraq during the Second World War. The war lasted from 2 May to 31 May 1941. The campaign resulted in the re-occupation of Iraq by British armed forces and the return to power of the...
, North AfricaNorth African campaignDuring the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, BurmaBurma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
, SingaporeOperation TideraceOperation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command...
, Dutch East IndiesDutch East IndiesThe Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. - 2nd Battalion - India, Burma, Dutch East Indies.
- 3rd Battalion - India, North Africa, EritreaEast African Campaign (World War II)The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
, SyriaSyria-Lebanon campaignThe Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
, ItalyItalian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
. - 5th Battalion - India, Burma, Japan.
- 6th Battalion - Raised in 1940. Captured at SingaporeBattle of SingaporeThe Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
by the Japanese in February 1942. - 7th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Andamans, Singapore.
- 8th Battalion - Raised 1941. Converted into 6th (1st Punjab) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment. India. Redesignated as the 28th (Punjab) Para Light Anti Aircraft Regiment in 1947. Disbanded later that year.
- 9th Battalion - Redesignation of the 11th (Territorial) Battalion on regularization in 1941. Transferred to the Royal Indian NavyRoyal Indian NavyThe Royal Indian Navy was the naval force of British India. Along with the Presidency armies and the later British Indian Army it comprised the Armed Forces of British India....
in 1943. - 10th (Training) Battalion - Redesignated as the 1st Punjab Regimental Centre in 1943.
- 11th (Territorial) Battalion - Converted to active status and redesignated as 9/1st Punjab in June 1941.
- 14th Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1947. Re-raised 1948.
- 15th Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1946.
- 16th Battalion - Raised as the 25th Garrison Battalion in 1941. Redesignated as 16/1st Punjab in 1943 and converted into a training battalion. Disbanded 1946.
- 25th (Garrison) Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Redesignated as 16/1st Punjab in 1943.
- 26th (Garrison) Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1943.
During the Second World War, the 1st Punjab Regiment suffered a total of 5510 casualties, including 1291 killed. The 2nd Battalion received more gallantry awards than any other unit of the Indian Army. These included a posthumous Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
to Subedar Ram Sarup Singh
Ram Sarup Singh
Ram Sarup Singh VC was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
for gallantry in action on Kennedy Peak in Burma in 1944. The 3rd Battalion was nominated for parachute training in June 1946 to join the 2nd Indian Airborne Division. However, soon after completing its training in 1947, the 3rd (Para) Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment was engaged in quelling communal riots and in July, was detailed to join the Punjab Boundary Force, formed to keep the peace on the new East-West Punjab border. The 5th Battalion was sent to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.
Post Independence History
On the Partition of IndiaPartition of India
The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...
and independence of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1947, the 1st Punjab Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army. At the time, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th. Sikhs and Rajputs were transferred to the Indian Army and the regiment's new class composition was fixed as Punjabis and Pathans. In November, Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, Supreme Commander of the Indian and Pakistan Armies was appointed Colonel of the 1st Punjab Regiment and the regiment was authorized to wear a grass-green hackle with regimental berets. In 1948, the 14th Battalion was re-raised in response to the war with India in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, where the 2nd Battalion again distinguished itself and Captain Muhammad Sarwar
Muhammad Sarwar
Raja Muhammad Sarwar Khan Bhati was born in Singhori village, Tehsil Gujar Khan, District of Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. Muhammad Sarwar was a captain in the newly formed Pakistani Army. Commissioned: 1944, Punjab Regiment...
became the first recipient of Nishan-i-Haider, Pakistan's highest gallantry award. In 1956, a major reorganization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 1st Punjab Regiment was amalgamated with the 14th
14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
, 15th
15th Punjab Regiment
The 15th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
and 16th Punjab Regiment
16th Punjab Regiment
The 16th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 15th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
s to form one large Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)
The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
. The four regimental centres were also merged and the combined centre moved to Mardan
Mardan
Mardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
. The line up of the new regiment was:
- 1 Punjab - 1/1st Punjab
- 2 Punjab - 2/1st Punjab
- 3 Punjab - 3/1st Punjab
- 4 Punjab - 5/1st Punjab
- 5 Punjab - 1/14th Punjab
- 6 Punjab - 2/14th Punjab (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
- 7 Punjab - 3/14th Punjab
- 8 Punjab - 4/14th Punjab
- 9 Punjab - 1/15th Punjab
- 10 Punjab - 2/15th Punjab
- 11 Punjab - 3/15th Punjab
- 12 Punjab - 4/15th Punjab
- 13 Punjab - 1/16th Punjab
- 14 Punjab - 2/16th Punjab
- 15 Punjab - 3/16th Punjab
- 16 Punjab - 5/14th Punjab (Pathans)
- 17 Punjab - 4/16th Punjab (Bhopal)
- 18 Punjab - 7/1st Punjab
- 19 Punjab - 7/16th Punjab
- 20 Punjab - 14/1st Punjab
Battle Honours
Sholinghur, Carnatic, Mysore, Seringapatam, Assaye, Leswarree, Bourbon, Nagpore, Ava, Bhurtpore, China, Burma 1885-87, Suez Canal, Egypt 1915, Shaiba, Kut al Amara 1915, Ctesiphon, Defence of Kut al Amara, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1915-18, Aden, NW Frontier India 1915, Afghanistan 1919, Agordat, Keren, Abyssinia 1940-41, Damascus, Syria 1941, Sidi Barrani, Omars, Benghazi, Gazala, Defence of Alamein Line, El Alamein, North Africa 1940-43, Arezzo, Advance to Florence, Gothic Line, The Senio, Italy 1943-45, Pyuntaza-Shwegyin, Yenengyaung 1942, Monywa 1942, Donbaik, Htizwe, North Arakan, Buthidaung, Razabil, Mayu Tunnels, Maungdaw, Ngakyedauk Pass, Imphal, Tamu Road, Litan, Kanglatongbi, Kohima, Defence of Kohima, Relief of Kohima, Jail Hill, Ukhrul, Kennedy Peak, Kalewa, Meiktila, Defence of Meiktila, Taungtha, The Irrawaddy, Rangoon Road, Pyawbwe, Shwemyo Bluff, Pyinmana, Toungoo, Pegu 1945, Sittang 1945, Ramree, Burma 1942-45, Kashmir 1948.Further reading
- Qureshi, Maj MI. (1958). The First Punjabis: History of the First Punjab Regiment, 1759-1956. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- An Outline History of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 1759-1944. (1944). Jhelum: Gouldsbury Press.
- Rainey-Robinson, RM. (1904-09). History of the 2nd Madras Infantry. Two volumes. Calcutta: Thacker & Spinks.
- Sanders, CW. (1937). History of the 1st Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment. Lahore: Civil and Military Press.
- A Brief History of the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. (1927). Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Wilson, Lt Col WJ. (1882–88). History of the Madras Army. Madras: The Government Press.
- Phythian-Adams, Lt Col EG. (1943). Madras Infantry 1748-1943. Madras: The Government Press.
- Rizvi, Brig SHA. (1984). Veteran Campaigners – A History of the Punjab Regiment 1759-1981. Lahore: Wajidalis.