1st Brahmans
Encyclopedia
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 the 4th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
. It was disbanded in 1931. Over the years the battalion was known by a number of different designations:
While in the service of the East India Company the regiment was awarded battle honours for service in the Second Maratha War 1803-05, the Anglo-Nepalese War 1814-16, the Second Anglo-Burmese War
1824-26 and the Bhurtpore Campaign 1826. The regiment was the senior-most among the twelve Bengal Native Infantry regiments that survived the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. Renumbered as the 1st of the Bengal line, it subsequently saw active service in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
of 1885-87. Following the Kitchener reforms
of the Indian Army, when the names of the presidencies were dropped, the regiment became the 1st Brahman Infantry in 1901.
In 1914, the regimental centre of the 1st Brahmans was located at Allahabad
and it was linked with the 3rd Brahmans. The regiment was recruited from United Provinces Brahman
s, Garhwali Brahmans and some Punjabi Mussalmans. Full dress uniform of the sepoys included a high khaki turban with red fringe, a scarlet kurta (long coat) with white facings, white waist-sash, dark blue trousers and white leggings.
The regiment spent part of World War I in India before being posted to Aden
, then under threat from the Turks. A second battalion raised in 1917 saw service in the Persian Gulf. After the war, major reorganization was undertaken in the Indian Army and the various single-battalion infantry regiments were grouped together to form larger regiments of four to six battalions. The 1st Brahmans became the 4th Battalion of 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. It was disbanded in 1931 due to retrenchment in the 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...
. 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
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...
in 1777. In 1922, it was designated as the 4th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
1st Punjab Regiment
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 Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
. It was disbanded in 1931. Over the years the battalion was known by a number of different designations:
- 1776 Nawab Wazir's Regiment
- 1777 30th Battalion of Bengal Sepoys
- 1781 23rd Regiment of Bengal Sepoys
- 1784 29th Regiment of Bengal Sepoys
- 1786 29th Bengal Sepoy Battalion
- 1796 2nd Battalion 9th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1824 21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1861 1st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1885 1st Regiment of Bengal Infantry
- 1901 1st Brahman Infantry
- 1903 1st Brahmans
- 1922 4th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
While in the service of the East India Company the regiment was awarded battle honours for service in the Second Maratha War 1803-05, the Anglo-Nepalese War 1814-16, the Second Anglo-Burmese War
Second Anglo-Burmese War
The Second Anglo-Burmese War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and the British Empire during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence....
1824-26 and the Bhurtpore Campaign 1826. The regiment was the senior-most among the twelve Bengal Native Infantry regiments that survived the Great Indian Mutiny of 1857-58. Renumbered as the 1st of the Bengal line, it subsequently saw active service in 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...
of 1885-87. 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 the Indian Army, when the names of the presidencies were dropped, the regiment became the 1st Brahman Infantry in 1901.
In 1914, the regimental centre of the 1st Brahmans was located at Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
and it was linked with the 3rd Brahmans. The regiment was recruited from United Provinces Brahman
Brahman
In Hinduism, Brahman is the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe. Brahman is sometimes referred to as the Absolute or Godhead which is the Divine Ground of all being...
s, Garhwali Brahmans and some Punjabi Mussalmans. Full dress uniform of the sepoys included a high khaki turban with red fringe, a scarlet kurta (long coat) with white facings, white waist-sash, dark blue trousers and white leggings.
The regiment spent part of World War I in India before being posted to Aden
Aden
Aden 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...
, then under threat from the Turks. A second battalion raised in 1917 saw service in the Persian Gulf. After the war, major reorganization was undertaken in the Indian Army and the various single-battalion infantry regiments were grouped together to form larger regiments of four to six battalions. The 1st Brahmans became the 4th Battalion of 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. It was disbanded in 1931 due to retrenchment in the Indian Army.