33rd Punjabis
Encyclopedia
The 33rd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army
. It was raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was designated as the 33rd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment
in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army
, where it continues to exist as 15th Battalion The Punjab Regiment
.
on 23 December 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was initially composed of low-caste Hindus, but in 1890, it was reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims. The regiment took part in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
of 1885-87.
brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener
in 1903, the regiment's designation was changed to 33rd Punjabis. During the First World War, the 33rd Punjabis served in Egypt
, France
, Aden
and German East Africa
. In 1917, the regiment raised a second battalion, which was disbanded after the war. In 1919, the 33rd Punjabis participated in the Third Afghan War.
, 31st
and 46th Punjabis
, and the 9th Bhopal Infantry
. The battalion's new designation was 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment. During the Second World War, the battalion fought in the Malayan Campaign and was taken prisoner by the Japanese on Singapore Island following the British surrender on 15 February 1942. It was re-raised in 1946. In 1947, the 16th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was merged with the 1st
, 14th
and 15th Punjab Regiment
s to form one large Punjab Regiment
, and 3/16th Punjab was redesignated as 15 Punjab. In 1948, the battalion fought in the war with India in Kashmir
, while during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, it fought at the Rann of Kutch
and Chhamb-Jaurian. In 1971, it served in Lahore
Sector.
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 Allahabad Levy. It was designated as the 33rd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 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....
in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated 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...
, where it continues to exist as 15th Battalion 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...
.
Early History
The regiment was raised during the upheaval of the Indian Mutiny, by Lieutenant EH Longmore at AllahabadAllahabad
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,...
on 23 December 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was initially composed of low-caste Hindus, but in 1890, it was reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims. The regiment took part 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.
33rd 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 33rd Punjabis. During the First World War, the 33rd Punjabis 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...
, 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...
, 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...
and German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
. In 1917, the regiment raised a second battalion, which was disbanded after the war. In 1919, the 33rd Punjabis participated in the Third Afghan War.
Susequent History
In 1921-22, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions. Among these was the 16th Punjab Regiment, formed by grouping the 33rd Punjabis with the 30th30th Punjabis
The 30th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 30th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 31st
31st Punjabis
The 31st Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as Van Cortlandt's Levy. The regiment was designated as the 31st Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 46th Punjabis
46th Punjabis
The 46th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1900, as the 46th Regiment of Bengal Infantry. It was designated as the 46th Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th Battalion of 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 16th Punjab...
, and the 9th Bhopal Infantry
9th Bhopal Infantry
The 9th Bhopal Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy. It was designated as the 9th Bhopal Infantry in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
. The battalion's new designation was 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment. During the Second World War, the battalion fought in the Malayan Campaign and was taken prisoner by the Japanese on Singapore Island following the British surrender on 15 February 1942. It was re-raised in 1946. In 1947, the 16th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. 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....
, 14th
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....
and 15th Punjab Regiment
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....
s to form one large 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...
, and 3/16th Punjab was redesignated as 15 Punjab. In 1948, the battalion fought in the war with India in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, while during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, it fought at the Rann of Kutch
Rann of Kutch
The Great Rann of Kutch, also called Greater Rann of Kutch or just Rann of Kutch , is a seasonal salt marsh located in the Thar Desert in the Kutch District of Gujarat, India and the Sindh province of Pakistan....
and Chhamb-Jaurian. In 1971, it served in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
Sector.
Genealogy
- 1857 Allahabad Levy
- 1861 37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1861 33rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1864 33rd (Allahabad) Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
- 1885 33rd Regiment of Bengal Infantry
- 1891 33rd (Punjab) Regiment of Bengal Infantry
- 1901 33rd Punjab Infantry
- 1903 33rd Punjabis
- 1917 1st Battalion 33rd Punjabis
- 1922 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment
- 1956 15th Battalion The Punjab Regiment
Further reading
- Lawford, Lt Col JP, and Catto, Maj WE. (1967). Solah Punjab: The History of the 16th Punjab Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- 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.