10th Baluch Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment
of the British Indian Army
from 1922 to 1947. After the Partition of India
, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army
. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab
and Bahawalpur Regiment
s. During more than a hundred years of military service, the 10th Baluch Regiment acquired an enviable reputation as one of the most distinguished among the fabled regiments of the British Indian Army. Its long list of honours and awards includes four Victoria Cross
es.
in 1844, when Sir Charles Napier
raised the 1st Belooch (old spelling of Baluch) Battalion (raised as the Scinde Beloochee Corps and designated as 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1861) for local service in the newly conquered province of Sindh
. Two years later, another Belooch battalion was raised (designated as the 29th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1861), while in 1858, John Jacob raised Jacob's Rifles (30th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry), which would soon become the 3rd Belooch Regiment. The term 'local' was interpreted fairly loosely when it became necessary to send the 2nd Beloochees to the Persian War
in 1856-57, a campaign frequently overshadowed by the events of the Indian Mutiny in 1857. The 1st was in Karachi when the news of the insurrection reached the Commissioner. Sir Bartle Frere dispatched them with all haste, on foot across the Sindh desert in May, to join the siege artillery train on its way to Delhi; the only Bombay unit to join the Delhi Field Force. The regiment was brought into line for its services in North India as the 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. Meanwhile, the 2nd Beloochees were also regularized as the 29th Regiment. In 1862, the 2nd Beloochees were dispatched to China
to suppress the Taiping Rebellion
. Two years later, they became the first foreign troops to be stationed in Japan
, when two companies were sent to Yokohama
to guard the British legation. The 1st Beloochees greatly distinguished themselves in the tough Abyssinian Campaign
of 1868 and were made Light Infantry
as a reward. All Baloch battalions took part in the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, where the Jacob's Rifles suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Maiwand
. The 1st Belooch Regiment again distinguished itself in 1885-87 during the Third Burma War.
In 1891, two battalions of Bombay Infantry also became "Baluchi," when they were reconstituted with Baluchis, Hazaras and Pathans from Baluchistan and localized in the province. The first of these, the 24th (Baluchistan) Infantry was raised in 1820, while the other, 26th (Baluchistan) Infantry was raised in 1825. Following the Kitchener Reforms
of 1903, these battalions were redesignated as the 124th (Duchess of Connaught's Own) Baluchistan Infantry
, 126th Baluchistan Infantry
, 127th (Queen Mary's Own) Baluch Light Infantry , 129th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Baluchis
and 130th (King George's Own) Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles). In 1914, their full dress uniforms included red trousers worn with rifle green or drab tunics.
During the First World War, most of the regiments raised second battalions, while the 124th Baluchistan Infantry raised two battalions. Only 2/124th Baluchistan Infantry of the wartime raisings was retained after the post-war reforms.
The 129th DCO Baluchis served on the Western Front
in France
and Belgium
, where they became the first Indian regiment to attack the Germans and the only Indian regiment to fight in both the First
& Second Battles of Ypres
. At Hollebeke
, during the First Ypres, Sepoy Khudadad Khan
became the first Indian to win the Victoria Cross; Britain's highest decoration for valour. Prior to 1911 Indian soldiers had not been eligible for the Victoria Cross. The battalion would go on to serve with distinction in German East Africa alongside the 127th QMO Baluch Light Infantry and 130th KGO Baluchis. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Battalions of 124th DCO Baluchistan Infantry served in Persia, while the 2nd distinguished itself in Mesopotamia and Palestine.
s during the Second World War. It consisted of a Roman numeral 'X' within a crescent moon, a crown above and title scroll below, all in white metal. The badges of rank were in black metal with red edging, while the lanyard was of rifle green cord with two red runners. Another distinctive feature of Baluchi uniforms were plain silver ball buttons worn on service and mess dresses.
The line up of the new regiment was:
The regiment's record of service in the war was once again most impressive. It suffered 6572 casualties and won numerous gallantry awards including two Victoria Crosses to Naik Fazal Din
and Sepoy Bhandari Ram
. During the Second World War, the regiment raised another ten battalions, although most of them were disbanded after the war. At the end of 1945, the 10th Baluch Regiment lost its number and became The Baluch Regiment.
, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th & 17th. The regiment was allotted to Pakistan. Dogra companies of the Baluch Regiment were transferred to the Indian Army. The Regimental Centre shifted to Quetta
in 1947 to make room for the Government offices in the new capital of Pakistan. In 1948, the 6th and 8th Battalions were re-raised in response to the war with India in Kashmir, where the 4th Battalion greatly distinguished itself in the Battle of Pandu. In 1956, major reorganization took place in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 8th Punjab
and Bahawalpur Regiment
s were absorbed by the Baluch Regiment (now called the Baloch Regiment
). The new line up of the regiment was:
Sep Khudadad Khan
, VC
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
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...
from 1922 to 1947. After the 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...
, 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...
. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab
8th Punjab Regiment
The 8th 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 merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.-Madras Infantry:...
and Bahawalpur Regiment
Bahawalpur Regiment
The Bahawalpur Regiment was an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The regiment was formed in 1952 from the infantry battalions of the erstwhile Princely State of Bahawalpur, which had acceded to Pakistan in 1947...
s. During more than a hundred years of military service, the 10th Baluch Regiment acquired an enviable reputation as one of the most distinguished among the fabled regiments of the British Indian Army. Its long list of honours and awards includes four 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....
es.
The Bombay Army
The Baluch Regiment originated in the Army of Bombay PresidencyBombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
in 1844, when Sir Charles Napier
Charles James Napier
General Sir Charles James Napier, GCB , was a general of the British Empire and the British Army's Commander-in-Chief in India, notable for conquering the Sindh Province in what is now Pakistan.- His genealogy :...
raised the 1st Belooch (old spelling of Baluch) Battalion (raised as the Scinde Beloochee Corps and designated as 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1861) for local service in the newly conquered province 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...
. Two years later, another Belooch battalion was raised (designated as the 29th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1861), while in 1858, John Jacob raised Jacob's Rifles (30th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry), which would soon become the 3rd Belooch Regiment. The term 'local' was interpreted fairly loosely when it became necessary to send the 2nd Beloochees to the Persian War
Anglo-Persian War
The Anglo-Persian War lasted between November 1, 1856 and April 4, 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Persia . In the war, the British opposed an attempt by Persia to reacquire the city of Herat...
in 1856-57, a campaign frequently overshadowed by the events of the Indian Mutiny in 1857. The 1st was in Karachi when the news of the insurrection reached the Commissioner. Sir Bartle Frere dispatched them with all haste, on foot across the Sindh desert in May, to join the siege artillery train on its way to Delhi; the only Bombay unit to join the Delhi Field Force. The regiment was brought into line for its services in North India as the 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. Meanwhile, the 2nd Beloochees were also regularized as the 29th Regiment. In 1862, the 2nd Beloochees were dispatched to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to suppress the Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
. Two years later, they became the first foreign troops to be stationed in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, when two companies were sent to Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
to guard the British legation. The 1st Beloochees greatly distinguished themselves in the tough Abyssinian Campaign
1868 Expedition to Abyssinia
The British 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia was a punitive expedition carried out by armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire...
of 1868 and were made Light Infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
as a reward. All Baloch battalions took part in the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, where the Jacob's Rifles suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Maiwand
Battle of Maiwand
The Battle of Maiwand in 1880 was one of the principal battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Under the leadership of Malalai Anaa, the legendary woman of Afghanistan, the Afghan followers of Ayub Khan defeated the British Army in one of the rare nineteenth-century victories of an Asian force...
. The 1st Belooch Regiment again distinguished itself in 1885-87 during the Third Burma War.
In 1891, two battalions of Bombay Infantry also became "Baluchi," when they were reconstituted with Baluchis, Hazaras and Pathans from Baluchistan and localized in the province. The first of these, the 24th (Baluchistan) Infantry was raised in 1820, while the other, 26th (Baluchistan) Infantry was raised in 1825. Following 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 124th (Duchess of Connaught's Own) Baluchistan Infantry
124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry
The 124th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1820 as the 2nd Battalion 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 124th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
, 126th Baluchistan Infantry
126th Baluchistan Infantry
The 126th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1825 as the 2nd Extra Battalion of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 126th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
, 127th (Queen Mary's Own) Baluch Light Infantry , 129th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Baluchis
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis
The 129th Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Baluchis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
and 130th (King George's Own) Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles). In 1914, their full dress uniforms included red trousers worn with rifle green or drab tunics.
First World War
- 124th (Duchess of Connaught's Own) Baluchistan Infantry124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan InfantryThe 124th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1820 as the 2nd Battalion 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 124th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
- 1/124th - India, Persia.
- 2/124th (formed in 1916) - Mesopotamia, Egypt, Palestine, India.
- 3/124th (formed in 1917) - Persia, India, Mesopotamia.
- 126th Baluchistan Infantry126th Baluchistan InfantryThe 126th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1825 as the 2nd Extra Battalion of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 126th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
- India, Egypt, Muscat, Aden, Mosopotamia. - 127th (Queen Mary's Own) Baluch Light Infantry
- 1/127th - India, East Africa, Persia.
- 2/127th (formed in 1918) - India, Egypt, Palestine.
- 129th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Baluchis129th Duke of Connaught's Own BaluchisThe 129th Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Baluchis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922...
- 1/129th - India, France, East Africa.
- 2/129th (formed in 1917) - India, Mesopotamia.
- 130th (King George's Own) Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles)
- 1/130th - India, East Africa, Palestine.
- 2/130th (formed in 1918) - India.
During the First World War, most of the regiments raised second battalions, while the 124th Baluchistan Infantry raised two battalions. Only 2/124th Baluchistan Infantry of the wartime raisings was retained after the post-war reforms.
The 129th DCO Baluchis served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, where they became the first Indian regiment to attack the Germans and the only Indian regiment to fight in both the First
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres, also called the First Battle of Flanders , was a First World War battle fought for the strategic town of Ypres in western Belgium...
& Second Battles of Ypres
Second Battle of Ypres
The Second Battle of Ypres was the first time Germany used poison gas on a large scale on the Western Front in the First World War and the first time a former colonial force pushed back a major European power on European soil, which occurred in the battle of St...
. At Hollebeke
Hollebeke
Hollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city.-History:In World War I, it was the site of allied heroism that won Khudadad Khan the first Victoria Cross ever awarded to a native Indian.In 1970 it was incorporated in Zillebeke, which in turn...
, during the First Ypres, Sepoy Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan, VC , was the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces...
became the first Indian to win the Victoria Cross; Britain's highest decoration for valour. Prior to 1911 Indian soldiers had not been eligible for the Victoria Cross. The battalion would go on to serve with distinction in German East Africa alongside the 127th QMO Baluch Light Infantry and 130th KGO Baluchis. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Battalions of 124th DCO Baluchistan Infantry served in Persia, while the 2nd distinguished itself in Mesopotamia and Palestine.
Inter-War Period
After the First World War, a major re-organization of British Indian Army took place. Most of the wartime units were disbanded, while the remaining single-battalion regiments were merged to form large regimental groups of 4-6 battalions each. Among these was the 10th Baluch Regiment, formed in 1922 at Rajkot (Rajasthan) from the five old Baluch battalions and the second battalion of 124th Baluchistan Infantry. The regimental depot later shifted to Karachi. The distinctive rifle green and red uniform of the old Baluch battalions was adopted by the entire regiment. The officers wore a cherry boss surmounted by a silver 'X' on field and forage caps, while the old battalion badges continued to be worn on pagris and helmets by the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions. It was not until 1945 that a single cap badge was adopted by the regiment on introduction of beretBeret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
s during the Second World War. It consisted of a Roman numeral 'X' within a crescent moon, a crown above and title scroll below, all in white metal. The badges of rank were in black metal with red edging, while the lanyard was of rifle green cord with two red runners. Another distinctive feature of Baluchi uniforms were plain silver ball buttons worn on service and mess dresses.
The line up of the new regiment was:
- 1st Battalion (DCO) - 124th (Duchess of Connaught's Own) Baluchistan Infantry.
- 2nd Battalion - 126th Baluchistan Infantry.
- 3rd Battalion (QMO) - 127th (Queen Mary's Own) Baluch Light Infantry.
- 4th Battalion (DCO) - 129th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Baluchis.
- 5th Battalion (KGO) - 130th (King George's Own) Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles).
- 10th (Training) Battalion - 2/124th (Duchess of Connaught's Own) Baluchistan Infantry.
Second World War
- 1st Battalion - India, IranAnglo-Soviet invasion of IranThe Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the Allied invasion of the Imperial State of Iran during World War II, by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces. The invasion from August 25 to September 17, 1941, was codenamed Operation Countenance...
, 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...
, 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...
, LebanonSyria-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...
. - 2nd Battalion - India, Malaya. Captured at SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in 1942. Reformed in 1946 by redesignation of 9/10th Baluch. - 3rd Battalion - India, Iran, Iraq, 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...
, SicilyAllied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
, 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...
, GreeceGreek Civil WarThe Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
. - 4th Battalion - India, Italian East AfricaEast 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....
, North Africa, CyprusCyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Italy. - 5th Battalion - India, 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...
. - 6th Battalion - Raised in 1940. India. Disbanded 1947; re-raised 1948.
- 7th Battalion - Raised in 1940. India, Burma.
- 8th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Burma. Disbanded 1946; re-raised 1948.
- 9th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India. Redesignated as 2/10th Baluch in 1946.
- 10th Battalion - Converted into Regimental Centre in 1942.
- 14th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Burma, Malaya, Siam. Disbanded 1946.
- 15th Battalion - Raised in 1941. Became a training battalion. India. Disbanded 1946.
- 16th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Burma, Malaya. Disbanded 1946.
- 17th Battalion - Raised in 1942 by conversion of 53rd Regiment, Indian Armoured Corps. India, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Greece, LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. - 18th Battalion - Raised as 25th Garrison Battalion in 1941. Redesignated as 18/10th Baluch in 1943. India. Disbanded 1944.
- 25th Garrison Battalion - Raised in 1941. On conversion to active status, it was redesignated as 18/10th Baluch in 1943.
- 26th Garrison Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1946.
- Machine Gun Battalion - Raised on 15 April 1942. Converted into 53rd Regiment, Indian Armoured Corps in August 1942. Redesignated as 17/10th Baluch in November 1942.
The regiment's record of service in the war was once again most impressive. It suffered 6572 casualties and won numerous gallantry awards including two Victoria Crosses to Naik Fazal Din
Fazal Din
Naik Fazal Din VC was a Punjabi Muslim 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:...
and Sepoy Bhandari Ram
Bhandari Ram
Sepoy Bhandari Ram 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:...
. During the Second World War, the regiment raised another ten battalions, although most of them were disbanded after the war. At the end of 1945, the 10th Baluch Regiment lost its number and became The Baluch Regiment.
Post-independence
At the time of 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...
, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 7th & 17th. The regiment was allotted to Pakistan. Dogra companies of the Baluch Regiment were transferred to the Indian Army. The Regimental Centre shifted to Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
in 1947 to make room for the Government offices in the new capital of Pakistan. In 1948, the 6th and 8th Battalions were re-raised in response to the war with India in Kashmir, where the 4th Battalion greatly distinguished itself in the Battle of Pandu. In 1956, major reorganization took place in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 8th Punjab
8th Punjab Regiment
The 8th 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 merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.-Madras Infantry:...
and Bahawalpur Regiment
Bahawalpur Regiment
The Bahawalpur Regiment was an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The regiment was formed in 1952 from the infantry battalions of the erstwhile Princely State of Bahawalpur, which had acceded to Pakistan in 1947...
s were absorbed by the Baluch Regiment (now called the Baloch Regiment
Baloch Regiment
The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions...
). The new line up of the regiment was:
- 1 Baluch - 1/8th Punjab
- 2 Baluch - 2/8th Punjab
- 3 Baluch - 3/8th Punjab
- 4 Baluch - 4/8th Punjab (Prince of Wales's Own)
- 5 Baluch - 5/8th Punjab (Burma)
- 6 Baluch - 1 Baluch (Duchess of Connaught's Own)
- 7 Baluch - 2 Baluch
- 8 Baluch - 1 Bahawalpur (Sadiq)
- 9 Baluch - 2 Bahawalpur (Haroon)
- 10 Baluch - 3 Baluch (Queen Mary's Own)
- 11 Baluch - 4 Baluch (Duke of Connaught's Own)
- 12 Baluch - 5 Baluch (King George V's Own) (Jacob's Rifles)
- 13 Baluch - 6/8th Punjab
- 14 Baluch - 6 Baluch
- 15 Baluch - 7 Baluch
- 16 Baluch - 8 Baluch
- 17 Baluch - 8/8th Punjab
- 18 Baluch - 9/8th Punjab
- 19 Baluch (SSG) - 17 Baluch
- 20 Baluch - 3 Bahawalpur (Abbas)
- 21 Baluch - 4 Bahawalpur
Battle Honours
- Aden, ReshireAnglo-Persian WarThe Anglo-Persian War lasted between November 1, 1856 and April 4, 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Persia . In the war, the British opposed an attempt by Persia to reacquire the city of Herat...
, BushireAnglo-Persian WarThe Anglo-Persian War lasted between November 1, 1856 and April 4, 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Persia . In the war, the British opposed an attempt by Persia to reacquire the city of Herat...
, Khoosh-abBattle of KhushabThe Battle of Khushab took place on 7 February 1857 and was the largest single engagement of the Anglo-Persian War. Having taken Borazjan without a fight, the British expeditionary army under Sir James Outram was in the process of withdrawing to Bushehr when it was ambushed by a far larger Persian...
, PersiaAnglo-Persian WarThe Anglo-Persian War lasted between November 1, 1856 and April 4, 1857, and was fought between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Persia . In the war, the British opposed an attempt by Persia to reacquire the city of Herat...
, Delhi 1857, Central IndiaCentral India Campaign (1858)The Central India Campaign was one of the last series of actions in the Indian rebellion of 1857,...
, Abyssinia1868 Expedition to AbyssiniaThe British 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia was a punitive expedition carried out by armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire...
, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878-80, Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882, Burma 1885-87, British East Africa 1896British East Africa 1896British East Africa 1896 is a Battle Honour awarded to the 24th Regiment of Bombay Infantry; an infantry battalion of the British Indian Army, which participated in the 1896 expedition to British East Africa to suppress a local rebellion.-Expedition to British East Africa 1896:In 1895, a claimant...
, British East Africa 1897-99British East Africa 1897-99British East Africa 1897-99 is a Battle Honour awarded to 27th Regiment of Bombay Infantry; an infantry battalion of the British Indian Army, which participated in the 1897 expedition to British East Africa to suppress a rebellion.-Expedition to British East Africa 1897-99:In the late 19th...
, China 1900. - World War I: Messines 1914Battle of Messines (1914)The battle of Messines was a battle fought in October 1914 between the German Empire and the British Empire, as part of the Race to the Sea. It took place between the river Douve and the Comines-Ypres canal.-External links:* at historyofwar.org...
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, Aden, Kut al Amara 1917, BaghdadFall of Baghdad (1917)The British Indian Army fought the Ottoman Empire in the First World War. On 11 March 1917, after a series of defeats, it captured Baghdad after a two-year campaign.-Arrival of General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude:...
, Mesopotamia 1916-18, Persia 1915-18Persian CampaignThe Persian Campaign or Invasion of Persia was a series of engagements at northern Persian Azerbaijan and western Persia between the British Empire and the Russian Empire against the Ottoman Empire, beginning in December 1914 and ending with the Armistice of Mudros on October 30, 1918 as part of...
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. - Afghanistan 1919.
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, Massawa, Abyssinia 1940-41East 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....
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Further reading
- Ahmad, Lt Col Rifat Nadeem. (2010). Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre.
- Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (1998). History of the Baloch Regiment 1820-1939. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. ISBN 1-84734-130-6
- Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). History of the Baloch Regiment 1939-1956. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. ISBN 1-84574-094-7
- Barthorp, Michael, & Jeffrey Burn. (1979). Indian Infantry Regiments 1860–1914. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85045-307-2
- Cadell, Sir Patrick. (1938). History of the Bombay Army. London: Longmans & Green
- Chaldecott, Lt Col OA. (1935). The First Battalion (DCO) and the Tenth Battalion, the Tenth Baluch Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Gaylor, John (1992). Sons of John Company: Indian and Pakistan Armies, 1903-1991, Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1.
- Maxwell, Lt Col WE. (1948). Capital Campaigners: The History of the 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary’s Own) the Baluch Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Rodger, Alexander. (2003). Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662-1991. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-637-5
- Thatcher, WS. (1932). The Fourth Battalion, Duke of Connaught's Own, Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Great War. Cambridge: The University Press. ISBN 1-84734-752-5
- Thatcher, WS. (1980). The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre.
External links
- 10th Baluch Regiment by John Gaylor at Pakistan Military Consortium
- History of the Baloch Regiment 1820–1939 the Colonial Period, text of pages 1 to 15 available online as download preview
See also
- Baloch RegimentBaloch RegimentThe Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions...
- Brig Gen John Jacob, CB
- Gen Sir Garrett O'Moore CreaghO'Moore CreaghGeneral Sir Garrett O'Moore Creagh VC GCB GCSI , known as Sir O'Moore Creagh, was born in Cahirbane, County Clare and was an Irish 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...
, VC, GCB, GCSI - Field Marshal Sir Claud JacobClaud JacobField-Marshal Sir Claud William Jacob GCB GCSI KCMG was a British Army officer who served in the First World War.-Military career:...
, GCB, GCSI, KCMG - Lt Gen Sir Harold Rawdon BriggsHarold Rawdon BriggsLieutenant-General Sir Rawdon Briggs KCIE KBE CB DSO and two bars was an officer in the British Indian Army during World War I, World War II and the post-war era.Field Marshal Viscount William Slim said of him-Early life:...
, KCIE, KBE, CB, DSO & 2 Bars - Maj Gen Abrar HusainAbrar HusainMajor General Abrar Hussain, HJ, MBE was a Pakistani military hero of World War II and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.-Early life:...
, HJ, MBE - Lt William Alexander KerrWilliam Alexander KerrCaptain William Alexander Kerr VC was a Scottish 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:...
, VC - Maromar Khan Bahadoor], VC
Sep Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan
Khudadad Khan, VC , was the first South Asian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces...
, VC
- Nk Fazal DinFazal DinNaik Fazal Din VC was a Punjabi Muslim 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:...
, VC - Sep Bhandari RamBhandari RamSepoy Bhandari Ram 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:...
, VC - List of regiments of the British Indian Army (1903)
- List of regiments of the British Indian Army (1922)