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Garhwal Rifles
The Garhwal Rifles are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became "The Royal Garhwal Rifles" as part of the British Indian Army, and after the Independence of India, it was incorporated into the Indian Army and is one of its most decorated regiments.
It served during the frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well in both World Wars and the wars fought after independence. It is mainly made up of Garhwali people from seven districts of Uttarakhand's Garhwal division: Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar.
Today it has well over 26,000 soldiers, organized into twenty one regular battalions (2nd to 22nd), two battalions of the Territorial Army (121 Inf Bn TA and 127 Inf Bn TA (Eco)) and three Rashtriya Rifles Battalions (14 RR, 36 RR, 48 RR). The 1st Battalion has since been converted to mechanized infantry and forms part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment as its 6th battalion. The regiment has a specialized scout battalion of Garhwal Scouts also known as "The Snow Leopards", it is an elite infantry battalion specializing in long range reconnaissance and extreme high-altitude warfare. Garhwal Scouts are stationed permanently at Joshimath. Garhwal Scouts is the main battalion of the Ibex brigade (9th Independent Mountain Brigade). The battalion is distinguished from other battalions with scouts patches on sholders and scout badge on chest.[citation needed]
The regimental insignia incorporates a Maltese cross and is based on the defunct Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) as they are a designated rifle regiment.[citation needed] Unlike regular rifle regiments, they are one of ten such units marching in the regular paces used in the Indian Army's ceremonies.[citation needed]
Up to 1887, Garhwális had been enlisted in the five regiments of Gurkhas belonging to the Bengal Infantry and the Punjab Frontier Force.[citation needed] The Sirmoor Battalion (later the 2nd Gurkhas), which fought in the siege of Delhi in 1857, had 33% Garhwális on their rolls at that time.
The first proposal to raise a separate Regiment of the Garhwális was initiated by His Excellency Lieutenant General, (Later Field Marshal) Sir F. S. Roberts, VC, then Commander-in-Chief, India, in January 1886.[citation needed] Accordingly, in April 1887, the raising of the Second Battalion of the Third (The Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment was ordered, with its class composition as six mixed companies of Garhwali and Kumaoni men and two of Gurkhas.[citation needed] Based on this decision, recruiting commenced in the area of upper Garhwál and Tehri state by Major L Campbell and Captain Browne.[citation needed] The battalion was raised by Lieutenant Colonel E P Mainwaring of the 4th Gurkhas. Major LRD Campbell was the second in Command and Lt Col JHT Evatt, the Adjutant, both from the Punjab Frontier Force.[citation needed] Lt Col EP Mainwaring raised the First Battalion at Almora on 5 May 1887 and moved it to Kaludanda, which was later renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India, on 4 November 1887.[citation needed]
In 1891, the two Gurkha companies moved away to form the nucleus of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles and the remaining Battalion was re-designated as 39th (Garhwáli) Regiment of the Bengal Infantry.[citation needed] The ‘Crossed Khukris’ of the Gurkhas were replaced by the ‘Phoenix’, the mythical bird which rises out of its own ashes, in the crest, marking the formal beginnings of the Garhwális as a distinct class Regiment.[citation needed] The official title of ‘Rifles’ was received in 1892. The ‘Phoenix’ was later dropped, and the Maltese Cross which was in use by the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) was adopted.[citation needed]
The Regimental Centre was established at Lansdowne on 1 October 1921.
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Garhwal Rifles
The Garhwal Rifles are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army. It then became "The Royal Garhwal Rifles" as part of the British Indian Army, and after the Independence of India, it was incorporated into the Indian Army and is one of its most decorated regiments.
It served during the frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well in both World Wars and the wars fought after independence. It is mainly made up of Garhwali people from seven districts of Uttarakhand's Garhwal division: Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Tehri Garhwal, Dehradun, Pauri Garhwal and Haridwar.
Today it has well over 26,000 soldiers, organized into twenty one regular battalions (2nd to 22nd), two battalions of the Territorial Army (121 Inf Bn TA and 127 Inf Bn TA (Eco)) and three Rashtriya Rifles Battalions (14 RR, 36 RR, 48 RR). The 1st Battalion has since been converted to mechanized infantry and forms part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment as its 6th battalion. The regiment has a specialized scout battalion of Garhwal Scouts also known as "The Snow Leopards", it is an elite infantry battalion specializing in long range reconnaissance and extreme high-altitude warfare. Garhwal Scouts are stationed permanently at Joshimath. Garhwal Scouts is the main battalion of the Ibex brigade (9th Independent Mountain Brigade). The battalion is distinguished from other battalions with scouts patches on sholders and scout badge on chest.[citation needed]
The regimental insignia incorporates a Maltese cross and is based on the defunct Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) as they are a designated rifle regiment.[citation needed] Unlike regular rifle regiments, they are one of ten such units marching in the regular paces used in the Indian Army's ceremonies.[citation needed]
Up to 1887, Garhwális had been enlisted in the five regiments of Gurkhas belonging to the Bengal Infantry and the Punjab Frontier Force.[citation needed] The Sirmoor Battalion (later the 2nd Gurkhas), which fought in the siege of Delhi in 1857, had 33% Garhwális on their rolls at that time.
The first proposal to raise a separate Regiment of the Garhwális was initiated by His Excellency Lieutenant General, (Later Field Marshal) Sir F. S. Roberts, VC, then Commander-in-Chief, India, in January 1886.[citation needed] Accordingly, in April 1887, the raising of the Second Battalion of the Third (The Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment was ordered, with its class composition as six mixed companies of Garhwali and Kumaoni men and two of Gurkhas.[citation needed] Based on this decision, recruiting commenced in the area of upper Garhwál and Tehri state by Major L Campbell and Captain Browne.[citation needed] The battalion was raised by Lieutenant Colonel E P Mainwaring of the 4th Gurkhas. Major LRD Campbell was the second in Command and Lt Col JHT Evatt, the Adjutant, both from the Punjab Frontier Force.[citation needed] Lt Col EP Mainwaring raised the First Battalion at Almora on 5 May 1887 and moved it to Kaludanda, which was later renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India, on 4 November 1887.[citation needed]
In 1891, the two Gurkha companies moved away to form the nucleus of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles and the remaining Battalion was re-designated as 39th (Garhwáli) Regiment of the Bengal Infantry.[citation needed] The ‘Crossed Khukris’ of the Gurkhas were replaced by the ‘Phoenix’, the mythical bird which rises out of its own ashes, in the crest, marking the formal beginnings of the Garhwális as a distinct class Regiment.[citation needed] The official title of ‘Rifles’ was received in 1892. The ‘Phoenix’ was later dropped, and the Maltese Cross which was in use by the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) was adopted.[citation needed]
The Regimental Centre was established at Lansdowne on 1 October 1921.
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