44th Merwara Infantry
Encyclopedia
The 44th Merwara Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army
. They could trace their origins to 1824, when the Sylhet Light Infantry was raised. This first 44th eventually became the 44th Gurkhas and later 8th Gurkha Rifles.
The Mhairwara Local Battalion became a civil unit in 1861, but returned to a military role as the Mhairwara Battalion in 1871. It became the 44th Merwara Infantry in 1903, after the Kitchener reforms
of the Indian Army. During World War I
the regiment was part of the 12th Indian Division
and took part in the Battle of Shaiba
, the Battle of Khafajiya and the Battle of Nasiriya in the Mesopotamia Campaign
Further reforms of the army were undertaken after World War I and nine single battalion regiments were disbanded. The 44th Merwara Infantry being one of the nine and were disbanded on 20 June 1921.
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 1824, when the Sylhet Light Infantry was raised. This first 44th eventually became the 44th Gurkhas and later 8th Gurkha Rifles.
The Mhairwara Local Battalion became a civil unit in 1861, but returned to a military role as the Mhairwara Battalion in 1871. It became the 44th Merwara Infantry 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. During 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...
the regiment was part of the 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...
and took part in the Battle of Shaiba
Battle of Shaiba
The Battle of Shaiba, 12–14 April 1915 was between British forces and Ottoman forces that were trying to retake the city of Basra from the British.-Background:...
, the Battle of Khafajiya and the Battle of Nasiriya in the Mesopotamia Campaign
Further reforms of the army were undertaken after World War I and nine single battalion regiments were disbanded. The 44th Merwara Infantry being one of the nine and were disbanded on 20 June 1921.
Previous names
- The Mhairwara Local Battalion - 1822
- 14th (Mhairwara) Local Battalion - 1823
- 9th (Mhairwara) Local Battalion - 1826
- The Mhairwara Battalion - 1843
- The Ajmer and Mhairwara Police Corps - 1861
- The Mhairwara Battalion - 1871
- 44th Merwara Infantry - 1903