21st Punjabis
Encyclopedia
The 21st Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army
. It was raised in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 21st Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th (Training) Battalion of 14th Punjab Regiment
in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 14th Punjab Regimental Centre. In 1947, the 14th Punjab Regiment was allocated to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, the 1st, 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regimental Centres where amalgamated to form the Punjab Regimental Centre.
of 1867-68 and the Second Afghan War of 1878-80.
brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener
in 1903, the regiment's designation was changed to 21st Punjabis. During the First World War, the regiment served in Egypt
and Palestine
. In 1918, it took part in the Battle of Megiddo
, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. In 1917, the 21st Punjabis raised a second battalion, which was disbanded after the war.
, 20th, 22nd
and 24th Punjabis
, and the 40th Pathans
to form the 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922. The battalion was redesignated as 10th (Training) Battalion of the 14th Punjab Regiment, based at Ferozepur. During the Second World War, 10/14th Punjab was converted into the 14th Punjab Regimental Centre. In 1947, the 14th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army, and in 1956, it was merged with the 1st
, 15th
and 16th Punjab Regiment
s to form the Punjab Regiment
. The 14th Punjab Regimental Centre was merged with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regimental Centres to form the Punjab Regimental Centre. It is based at Mardan
.
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 in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 21st Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th (Training) Battalion of 14th Punjab Regiment
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....
in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 14th Punjab Regimental Centre. In 1947, the 14th Punjab Regiment was allocated to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, the 1st, 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regimental Centres where amalgamated to form the Punjab Regimental Centre.
Early History
The regiment was raised in 1857, during the upheaval of the Indian Mutiny, as the 9th Regiment of Punjab Infantry from the men of the 3rd and 6th Punjab Infantry. The regiment took part in the Abyssinian Campaign1868 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 1867-68 and the Second Afghan War of 1878-80.
21st Punjabis
Subsequent to the reformsKitchener 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...
brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
in 1903, the regiment's designation was changed to 21st Punjabis. During the First World War, the regiment served in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , 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...
and Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. In 1918, it took part in the Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo (1918)
The Battle of Megiddo took place between 19 September and 1 October 1918, in what was then the northern part of Ottoman Palestine and parts of present-day Syria and Jordan...
, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. In 1917, the 21st Punjabis raised a second battalion, which was disbanded after the war.
Subsequent History
After the First World War, the 21st Punjabis were grouped with the with the 19th19th Punjabis
The 19th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 7th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 19th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 20th, 22nd
22nd Punjabis
The 22nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 22nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 24th Punjabis
24th Punjabis
The 24th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 22nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, and the 40th Pathans
40th Pathans
The 40th Pathans were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1858, as the Shahjehanpur Levy. It was designated as the 40th Pathans in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
to form the 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922. The battalion was redesignated as 10th (Training) Battalion of the 14th Punjab Regiment, based at Ferozepur. During the Second World War, 10/14th Punjab was converted into the 14th Punjab Regimental Centre. In 1947, the 14th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army, and in 1956, it was merged with the 1st
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....
, 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 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...
. The 14th Punjab Regimental Centre was merged with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regimental Centres to form the Punjab Regimental Centre. It is based at 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...
.
Genealogy
- 1857 9th Regiment of Punjab Infantry
- 1861 25th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1861 21st Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1864 21st (Punjab) Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1885 21st (Punjab) Regiment of Bengal Infantry
- 1901 21st Punjab Infantry
- 1903 21st Punjabis
- 1917 1st Battalion 21st Punjabis
- 1921 21st Punjabis
- 1922 10th (Training) Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment
- 1943 14th Punjab Regimental Centre
- 1956 Punjab Regimental Centre
Further reading
- Murray, Maj P. (1919). Records of the 1/XXI Punjabis. Aldershot: Gale and Polden.
- Haig, Brodie. Fourteenth Punjab Regiment 1939-1945. London: Lund Humphries, n.d.
- Rizvi, Brig SHA. (1984). Veteran Campaigners – A History of the Punjab Regiment 1759-1981. Lahore: Wajidalis.
- Cardew, Lt FG. (1903). A Sketch of the Services of the Bengal Native Army to the Year 1895. Calcutta: Military Department.