57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
Encyclopedia
The 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army
formed on 18 April 1849 by Captain GG Denniss at Lahore
as part of the Transfrontier Brigade, which became the Punjab Irregular Force
(PIF) in 1851. The regiment was designated as the 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1903, and 4th Battalion (Wilde's) 13th Frontier Force Rifles
in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army
, where it continues to exist as 9th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment
.
in 1849, when the Kingdom of Punjab was annexed by the British, 10 irregular regiments were formed, 5 cavalry and 5 infantry, from men who had served in the Sikh Army of the former Kingdom of Punjab, the so-called Khalsa
Army of Sikh religious fanatics, by order of Col. Henry Montgomery Lawrence
, President of the newly created governing body, the Board of Administration of the Punjab. They were irregular as they were outside the regulations of the Regular Army of the Line in such matters as discipline, training, uniforms etc. These 5 regiments were thus some of the first to adopt khaki
uniforms, known as drab, so suitable for the local barren landscape. The purpose of these regiments was to form together the Transfrontier Brigade, to maintain the frontier between the newly annexed territory and Afghanistan, known as the Northwest Frontier, which was subject to frequent breach by marauding warlike groups of Afghan tribesmen.
(See main article: North-West Frontier (military history)
)
Pathans
, followers of Dewan Mulraj
, who had delivered themselves up as prisoners to the British Government on the capture of Multan
, 200 men of Sardar Dhara Singh's Regiment and 300 men of Col. Shere Singh
's Regiment. A number of the Fateh Paltan also were, by order of Sir Henry Lawrence, drafted to the Regiment. The Regiment's subsequent commander Lt-Col. Wilde wrote in 1860:
The earliest record of such an oath is that recorded by Capt. Wilde, when in command of the Regt., from 1853:
. On 24 November 1850 the regiment, under the command of Capt. Denniss marched from Lahore to Kohat
via Shahpur and Kalabagh
, through the Shakardarrah Pass
, escorting 6 lakhs of rupees, arriving at Kohat on 8 February 1851. Shortly after their arrival the regiment was inspected by Brigadier Hodgson, commanding the Punjab Irregular Force. Denniss relinquished his command on 31 March 1851, to rejoin the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers, passing command to Capt. G.W.G.Bristow(1/4/51-21/10/52), thence to Capt. T.P.Walsh(22/10/52-20/2/53), thence to Capt. Alfred Thomas Wilde(21/2/53-10/3/62), who forms a central role in the history of the regiment.
, younger brother of Henry and Chief Commissioner of Punjab, as vital relief reinforcements during the Indian Mutiny. Under the command of Wilde it marched with the rest of the Transfrontier Force 1,000 miles in summer from Bannu
on the NW Frontier to Delhi
. After the Siege of Delhi
had been lifted with their great assistance, they moved onto the Siege of Lucknow
and took part in the Capture of Lucknow
, when they captured the Sikandar Bagh
with the 93rd Highlanders. John Lawrence was hailed as the "Saviour of India" for his decisive action in sending the Punjab regiments to assist at Delhi. The tribesmen in these regiments remained loyal to the British during the Mutiny, as they had no affection for the Indian Sepoy, against whom they had fought during the Sikh Wars.
Denniss wrote to his wife on 30 April 1858:
Denniss had been at the storming of Delhi, being with General John Nicholson when the latter fell, but as an officer in the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers
, of which regiment he later became Lt. Col. Sir Henry Lawrence, under whose orders Denniss had raised the regiment, had died from shell wounds on 4 July 1857 during the siege of Lucknow. Clearly his wishes for the recruitment criteria of the regiment differed from those actually used by Denniss. The word Pandy was widely used by the British as a synonym for an Indian Mutineer, after Mangal Pandey
(executed 1857) one of the first Sepoys to rebel against a British Officer's command, now seen as a freedom-fighter by modern Indian historians.
, (PIF) whose members were known as Piffers. The Transfrontier Brigade appellation was dropped. A 6th regiment was added the same year, being the former Sind Camel Corps formed in 1843 at Karachi by Lt. Robert FitzGerald, by order of General Charles James Napier
, conqueror of Sind. In 1865 the PIF became the "Punjab Frontier Force".
. In 1900, the Regiment was sent to China to help quell the Boxer Rebellion
.
in France
and Belgium
, where they fought in Battles of La Bassée
, Messines
, Givenchy
, Neuve Chapelle
, and the Second Battle of Ypres
. From France, the regiment proceeded to German East Africa
in 1916, and again distinguished itself in the long and difficult campaign. The regiment raised a second battalion in 1918, but it was disbanded soon afterwards.
, 58th Vaughan's Rifles
, 59th Royal Scinde Rifles
, and the two battalions of 56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)
to form the 13th Frontier Force Rifles
. The 57th Wilde's Rifles became the 4th Battlaion of the new regiment.
in May 1941. It then participated in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
against the Vichy French and fought in the Battle of Deir ez-Zor
on 3 July 1941. In 1942, the battalion arrived in North Africa
, where it fought in the Battle of Gazala
.
in 1947, the Frontier Force Rifles was allotted to Pakistan Army. In 1948, 4 FF Rifles fought in the Kashmir War against India
. In 1956, the Frontier Force Rifles and the Pathan Regiment were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment
, and 4 FF Rifles was redesignated as 9th Battalion (Wilde's) The Frontier Force Regiment or 9 FF. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, the battalion again distinguished itself in the Battle of Chawinda
. The Frontier Force Regiment
still maintains the lineage and battle honours of its predecessor regiments in the British Army, and retains the old PIF regimental badge of a stringed bugle, but with the addition of an Arabic Islamic character signifying "Here I Am", the standard response to the call of Allah. They still refer to themselves proudly as "Piffers" and are headquartered at Abbottabad, a city named after General James Abbott (1807–1896).
4th Punjab Infantry was awarded the Victoria Cross
on 30 October 1863, in North-West India, Lieutenant Pitcher led a party to recapture the Crag Picquet after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy and sixty of them killed. He led the party up the narrow path to the last rock until he was knocked down and stunned by a large stone thrown from above. On 16 November, the lieutenant displayed great courage in leading a party to the Crag Picquet when it had again fallen into enemy hands. He led the first charge, but was wounded in the action.
Capt. G.G. Denniss 20/3/50-31/3/51
Capt. G.W.G. Bristow 1/4/51-21/10/52
Capt. T.P.Walsh 22/10/52-20/2/53
Lt. A.T.Wilde 21/2/53-10/3/62
Maj. J. Cockburne Hood 17/4/62-2/1/73
Maj. F.T.Bainbridge 3/1/73-4/10/76
Lt.Col. H.T.Close 5/10/76-31/12/82
Lt.Col. A.J.D.Hawes 1/1/83-31/3/91
Lt.Col. A. McCrae Bruce 1/4/91-4/1/94
Lt.Col O.C.Radford 5/1/94-6/2/1903
Lt.Col. L.E.Cooper 7/2/1903-12/11/05
Lt.Col.G.B.Hodson 13/11/05-9/5/12
Lt.Col.T.E.Scott 10/5/12-7/3/14
Lt.Col.F.W.B.Gray 8/3/14-3/3/16
Lt.Col. T.J.Willans 4/3/16-21/10/21
Lt.Col.G.L.Pepys 22/10/21-20/4/26
Lt.Col. E.D.Galbraith 21/4/26-31/1/30
Lt.Col. C.M.S.Manners 1/2/30-
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...
formed on 18 April 1849 by Captain GG Denniss at 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...
as part of the Transfrontier Brigade, which became the Punjab Irregular Force
Punjab Irregular Force
The Punjab Irregular Force was created in 1851, to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British armies of the 3 Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay or Madras, but was under the control of the British chief magistrate of...
(PIF) in 1851. The regiment was designated as the 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1903, and 4th Battalion (Wilde's) 13th Frontier Force Rifles
13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
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 9th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment
Frontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
.
Genealogy
- 1849 4th Regiment of Punjab Infantry, Transfrontier Brigade (Denniss Ka Pultan)
- 1851 4th Regiment of Punjab Irregular ForcePunjab Irregular ForceThe Punjab Irregular Force was created in 1851, to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British armies of the 3 Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay or Madras, but was under the control of the British chief magistrate of...
- 1865 4th Regiment of Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force
- 1901 4th Punjab Infantry
- 1903 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
- 1922 4th Battalion (Wilde's), 13th Frontier Force Rifles13th Frontier Force RiflesThe 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
- 1945 4th Battalion (Wilde's), The Frontier Force Rifles
- 1956 9th Battalion The Frontier Force RegimentFrontier Force RegimentFor Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
Foundation
On the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh WarSecond Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War took place in 1848 and 1849, between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company. It resulted in the subjugation of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab and what subsequently became the North-West Frontier Province by the East India Company.-Background...
in 1849, when the Kingdom of Punjab was annexed by the British, 10 irregular regiments were formed, 5 cavalry and 5 infantry, from men who had served in the Sikh Army of the former Kingdom of Punjab, the so-called Khalsa
Khalsa
+YouWebImagesVideosMapsNewsMailMoreTranslateFrom: ArabicTo: EnglishEnglishHindiEnglishAllow phonetic typingHindiEnglishArabicAssumptionGoogle Translate for Business:Translator ToolkitWebsite TranslatorGlobal Market Finder...
Army of Sikh religious fanatics, by order of Col. Henry Montgomery Lawrence
Henry Montgomery Lawrence
Sir Henry Montgomery Lawrence was a British soldier and statesman in India, who died defending Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny.-Career:Lawrence was the brother of John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence and was born at Matara, Ceylon...
, President of the newly created governing body, the Board of Administration of the Punjab. They were irregular as they were outside the regulations of the Regular Army of the Line in such matters as discipline, training, uniforms etc. These 5 regiments were thus some of the first to adopt khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
uniforms, known as drab, so suitable for the local barren landscape. The purpose of these regiments was to form together the Transfrontier Brigade, to maintain the frontier between the newly annexed territory and Afghanistan, known as the Northwest Frontier, which was subject to frequent breach by marauding warlike groups of Afghan tribesmen.
(See main article: North-West Frontier (military history)
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
)
Recruitment & Composition
The Regiment was raised at Lahore, historic capital of the kingdom of Punjab, by Capt. George Gladwin Denniss II(1821–1862), of the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers, appointed on 18 April 1849. Capt. O. Marshall, however, of the Madras Native Infantry became its first commandant, resigning on 19 March 1850, from which time Denniss took command until 25 February 1851. The Regiment consisted in the first instance of 60 trans-IndusIndus River
The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...
Pathans
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, followers of Dewan Mulraj
Dewan Mulraj
Dewan Mulraj was a 19th century ruler of Multan-History:-Conquest of Multan:In the 19th century, the Sikh ruler Ranjit Singh conquered Multan. The ruler of Multan, Muzaffar Khan Saddozai was defeated and killed...
, who had delivered themselves up as prisoners to the British Government on the capture of Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, 200 men of Sardar Dhara Singh's Regiment and 300 men of Col. Shere Singh
Sher Singh Attariwalla
General Sher Singh was a royal military commander and a member of the Sikh nobility during the period of the Sikh Empire in the mid-19th century in Punjab....
's Regiment. A number of the Fateh Paltan also were, by order of Sir Henry Lawrence, drafted to the Regiment. The Regiment's subsequent commander Lt-Col. Wilde wrote in 1860:
I have no hesitation in asserting that duty is carried on in the (Regiment) as strictly as in the Line. Compared with the Sepoy of the Bengal Army, there is a marked difference in the address and manners of these Northern men, assimilating somewhat to the more manly bearing of our own Soldiers....I have never heard any officer accuse them of want of discipline or subordination, and I believe in no Native Army has a strict and ready obedience to the orders of their superiors been carried out with greater success....It was in this Force that the PathanPashtun peoplePashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, SikhSikhA Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
and DograDograThe Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
was first taught to serve in the ranks of the British Army; and it was in these Regiments that the Afreedees and other Afghan tribes were gradually reduced to obedience, and are now as well behaved as any of our Native Soldiery.
The earliest record of such an oath is that recorded by Capt. Wilde, when in command of the Regt., from 1853:
I....inhabitant of....son of....swear by the Gooroo Grunth SahibjeeGuru Granth SahibSri Guru Granth Sahib , or Adi Granth, is the religious text of Sikhism. It is the final and eternal guru of the Sikhs. It is a voluminous text of 1430 angs, compiled and composed during the period of Sikh gurus, from 1469 to 1708...
(holy scripture of Sikhism) and if I tell a falsehood may the Gooroo Grunth Sahib cause misfortune to descend upon me, that I will never forsake or abandon my Colours, that I will march wherever I am directed whether within or beyond the Company's Territories, that I will implicitly obey all the orders of my Commanders, and in everything behave myself as becomes a good Soldier and faithful servant of the Company, and failing in any part of my duty as such I will submit to the penalties ascribed in the Articles of War, which have been read to me.
First Action
The Regiment remained at Lahore until November 1850, the chief event of importance during this time being an inspection on 5 December 1849 by the Governor General, Lord DalhousieJames Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie
James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie KT, PC was a Scottish statesman, and a colonial administrator in British India....
. On 24 November 1850 the regiment, under the command of Capt. Denniss marched from Lahore to Kohat
Kohat
Kohat is a medium sized town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It is located at 33°35'13N 71°26'29E with an altitude of 489 metres and is the capital of Kohat District. The town centres around a British-era fort, various bazaars, and a military cantonment. A British-built narrow gauge...
via Shahpur and Kalabagh
Kalabagh
Kalabagh a town and union council of Mianwali District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located on the western bank of Indus River. It is the site of the proposed Kalabagh Dam. It is also famous for its red hills of the salt range and scenic view of the Indus River traversing through the...
, through the Shakardarrah Pass
Shakar Dara
Shakar Dara is a village and the center of Shakardara District, Kabul Province, Afghanistan. It is located at at 2265 m altitude....
, escorting 6 lakhs of rupees, arriving at Kohat on 8 February 1851. Shortly after their arrival the regiment was inspected by Brigadier Hodgson, commanding the Punjab Irregular Force. Denniss relinquished his command on 31 March 1851, to rejoin the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers, passing command to Capt. G.W.G.Bristow(1/4/51-21/10/52), thence to Capt. T.P.Walsh(22/10/52-20/2/53), thence to Capt. Alfred Thomas Wilde(21/2/53-10/3/62), who forms a central role in the history of the regiment.
Wilde Appointed to Command
Lt. Alfred Thomas Wilde of the 19th Madras Infantry, whose name was given in 1903 to the regiment as part of its official title, was appointed second in command on 4 April 1851, and joined 4 days later, being appointed commandant on 19 November 1851.Service in Indian Mutiny
In 1857 the regiment was sent into action by John LawrenceJohn Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence
John Laird Mair Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence, GCB, GCSI, PC , known as Sir John Lawrence, Bt., between 1858 and 1869, was an Englishman who became a prominent British Imperial statesman who served as Viceroy of India from 1864 to 1869.-Early life:Lawrence came from Richmond, North Yorkshire...
, younger brother of Henry and Chief Commissioner of Punjab, as vital relief reinforcements during the Indian Mutiny. Under the command of Wilde it marched with the rest of the Transfrontier Force 1,000 miles in summer from Bannu
Bannu
Bannu is the principal city of the Bannu District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It is an important road junction and market city. Bannu is a very old city, founded in ancient times; however, the present location of the downtown Bannu was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848,...
on the NW Frontier to Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. After the Siege of Delhi
Siege of Delhi
The Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...
had been lifted with their great assistance, they moved onto the Siege of Lucknow
Siege of Lucknow
The Siege of Lucknow was the prolonged defense of the Residency within the city of Lucknow during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. After two successive relief attempts had reached the city, the defenders and civilians were evacuated from the Residency, which was abandoned.Lucknow was the capital of...
and took part in the Capture of Lucknow
Capture of Lucknow
The Capture of Lucknow was a battle of Indian rebellion of 1857. The British recaptured the city of Lucknow which they had abandoned in the previous winter after the relief of a besieged garrison in the Residency, and destroyed the organised resistance by the rebels in the Kingdom of Awadh The...
, when they captured the Sikandar Bagh
Sikandar Bagh
Sikandar Bagh , formerly known by the British as Sikunder/Sikandra/Secundra Bagh, is a villa and garden enclosed by a fortified wall, with loopholes, gateway and corner bastions, approx. 150 yards square, c. 4.5 acres, located in the city of Lucknow, Oudh, Uttar Pradesh, India. It was built by the...
with the 93rd Highlanders. John Lawrence was hailed as the "Saviour of India" for his decisive action in sending the Punjab regiments to assist at Delhi. The tribesmen in these regiments remained loyal to the British during the Mutiny, as they had no affection for the Indian Sepoy, against whom they had fought during the Sikh Wars.
Are you not pleased to see by the papers the splendid conduct of the Gallant 4th or the Denniss Ka Pultan at Delhie and Lucknow, poor old Wylde has been severely wounded in leading almost every charge at the latter place. The conduct of the regiment has been second to none since they came into these provinces. Imagine had we carried out the orders of the Board and enlisted the men for service in the Punjab only agreeable to the wishes of poor Sir Henry Lawrence what a tree we should have been up for want of soldiers to take against these PandiesMangal PandeyMangal Pandey was a sepoy in the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry of the English East India Company. He is widely known in India as one of its first freedom fighters...
.
Denniss had been at the storming of Delhi, being with General John Nicholson when the latter fell, but as an officer in the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers
101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)
The 101st Regiment of Foot was a regiment of the British Army from 1862 to 1881 but with a previous history in the Bengal Army going back to 1652.-History:...
, of which regiment he later became Lt. Col. Sir Henry Lawrence, under whose orders Denniss had raised the regiment, had died from shell wounds on 4 July 1857 during the siege of Lucknow. Clearly his wishes for the recruitment criteria of the regiment differed from those actually used by Denniss. The word Pandy was widely used by the British as a synonym for an Indian Mutineer, after Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey
Mangal Pandey was a sepoy in the 34th Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry of the English East India Company. He is widely known in India as one of its first freedom fighters...
(executed 1857) one of the first Sepoys to rebel against a British Officer's command, now seen as a freedom-fighter by modern Indian historians.
Punjab Irregular Force
In 1851 the 5 original Punjab Infantry regiments of the Transfrontier Brigade became part of the newly formed Punjab Irregular ForcePunjab Irregular Force
The Punjab Irregular Force was created in 1851, to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British armies of the 3 Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay or Madras, but was under the control of the British chief magistrate of...
, (PIF) whose members were known as Piffers. The Transfrontier Brigade appellation was dropped. A 6th regiment was added the same year, being the former Sind Camel Corps formed in 1843 at Karachi by Lt. Robert FitzGerald, by order of General Charles James 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 :...
, conqueror of Sind. In 1865 the PIF became the "Punjab Frontier Force".
Second Afghan War
The 4th regiment was next in action in the Second Afghan War at the conclusion of which in 1882 its brother 3rd regiment of Punjab Infantry was disbanded, once again taking the number of regiments formerly in the Transfrontier Brigade to 5. The surviving regiments after 1882 were thus the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th. In 1894, it took part in a punitive expedition to WaziristanWaziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
. In 1900, the Regiment was sent to China to help quell the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
.
Renumbering as Rifle Regiment
In 1903 the 5 regiments were renumbered 55 to 59 and afforded the crack status of "Rifle Regiments". Each was named after a notable early commanding officer. The 4th took the appellation "57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)" in honour of its gallant commanding officer at the siege of Delhi.World War I
During the First World War, the regiment served on the Western FrontWestern 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 fought in Battles of La Bassée
Battle of La Bassée
The Battle of La Bassée was a battle between British and German forces in northern France in October 1914, and was part of the Race to the Sea....
, Messines
Battle 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...
, Givenchy
Battle of Givenchy
Battle of Givenchy was a battle fought during World War I as part of the First Battle of Champagne, that saw an initially advancing British force face strong opposition and counter-attack from a solidly entrenched German force around the village of Givenchy.With the French under heavy pressure at...
, Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
, and the Second Battle 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...
. From France, the regiment proceeded to German East Africa
East African Campaign (World War I)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
in 1916, and again distinguished itself in the long and difficult campaign. The regiment raised a second battalion in 1918, but it was disbanded soon afterwards.
Between the Wars
The regiment took part in the Third Afghan War of 1919. 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. The 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force) was grouped with the 55th Coke's Rifles55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 55th Coke's Rifles was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 1st Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 55th Coke's Rifles in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
, 58th Vaughan's Rifles
58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 58th Vaughan's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 5th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 58th Vaughan's Rifles in 1903 and became 5th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
, 59th Royal Scinde Rifles
59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 59 Scinde Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment is one of the most reputed outfits of British Indian Army. It was raised in 1843, as the Scinde Camel Corps. In 1856, it was incorporated into the Punjab Irregular Force...
, and the two battalions of 56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)
56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)
The 56th Punjabi Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1849 as the 2nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 56th Punjabi Rifles in 1906 and became 2nd Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles in 1922...
to form the 13th Frontier Force Rifles
13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
. The 57th Wilde's Rifles became the 4th Battlaion of the new regiment.
World War II
During the Second World War, the battalion took part in the British invasion of IraqAnglo-Iraqi War
The 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...
in May 1941. It then participated in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The 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...
against the Vichy French and fought in the Battle of Deir ez-Zor
Battle of Deir ez-Zor
The Battle of Deir ez-Zor was part of the Allied invasion of Syria during the Syria-Lebanon campaign in World War II.The Battle of Deir ez-Zor is noted for the bold outflanking tactics employed by Allied field commander William "Bill" Slim of Iraq Command...
on 3 July 1941. In 1942, the battalion arrived in North Africa
North African campaign
During 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...
, where it fought in the Battle of Gazala
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
.
Transfer to Pakistan Army
With Indian Independence and the 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...
in 1947, the Frontier Force Rifles was allotted to Pakistan Army. In 1948, 4 FF Rifles fought in the Kashmir War against India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. In 1956, the Frontier Force Rifles and the Pathan Regiment were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment
12th Frontier Force Regiment
The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
, and 4 FF Rifles was redesignated as 9th Battalion (Wilde's) The Frontier Force Regiment or 9 FF. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, the battalion again distinguished itself in the Battle of Chawinda
Battle of Chawinda
The Battle of Chawinda was a part of the Sialkot Campaign in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II....
. The Frontier Force Regiment
Frontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
still maintains the lineage and battle honours of its predecessor regiments in the British Army, and retains the old PIF regimental badge of a stringed bugle, but with the addition of an Arabic Islamic character signifying "Here I Am", the standard response to the call of Allah. They still refer to themselves proudly as "Piffers" and are headquartered at Abbottabad, a city named after General James Abbott (1807–1896).
Victoria Cross
Lieutenant Henry William PitcherHenry William Pitcher
Henry William Pitcher VC was an English 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:...
4th Punjab Infantry was awarded the 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....
on 30 October 1863, in North-West India, Lieutenant Pitcher led a party to recapture the Crag Picquet after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy and sixty of them killed. He led the party up the narrow path to the last rock until he was knocked down and stunned by a large stone thrown from above. On 16 November, the lieutenant displayed great courage in leading a party to the Crag Picquet when it had again fallen into enemy hands. He led the first charge, but was wounded in the action.
List of Commandants
Capt. O. Marshall 18/5/1849-19/3/50Capt. G.G. Denniss 20/3/50-31/3/51
Capt. G.W.G. Bristow 1/4/51-21/10/52
Capt. T.P.Walsh 22/10/52-20/2/53
Lt. A.T.Wilde 21/2/53-10/3/62
Maj. J. Cockburne Hood 17/4/62-2/1/73
Maj. F.T.Bainbridge 3/1/73-4/10/76
Lt.Col. H.T.Close 5/10/76-31/12/82
Lt.Col. A.J.D.Hawes 1/1/83-31/3/91
Lt.Col. A. McCrae Bruce 1/4/91-4/1/94
Lt.Col O.C.Radford 5/1/94-6/2/1903
Lt.Col. L.E.Cooper 7/2/1903-12/11/05
Lt.Col.G.B.Hodson 13/11/05-9/5/12
Lt.Col.T.E.Scott 10/5/12-7/3/14
Lt.Col.F.W.B.Gray 8/3/14-3/3/16
Lt.Col. T.J.Willans 4/3/16-21/10/21
Lt.Col.G.L.Pepys 22/10/21-20/4/26
Lt.Col. E.D.Galbraith 21/4/26-31/1/30
Lt.Col. C.M.S.Manners 1/2/30-
Further reading
- History of the 4th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles (Wilde’s). (1930). London: Butler and Tanner.
- Condon, Brig WEH. (1953). The Frontier Force Rifles. Aldershot: Gale & Polden Ltd.
- Young, Brig WHH. (1945). Regimental History of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles. Rawalpindi: The Frontier Exchange Press.
- North, REFG. (1934). The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924. DI Khan: Commercial Steam Press.
- Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
- Dey, RSBN. (1905). A Brief Account of the Late Punjab Frontier Force, From its Organization in 1849 to its Re-distribution on 31st March 1903. Calcutta.
- Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71. Lahore: Wajidalis.
- Khan, Maj Muhammad Nawaz. (1996). The Glorious Piffers 1843-1995. Abbottabad: The Frontier Force Regimental Centre.
- Gaylor, John. (1991). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount. ISBN 978-0946771981
- Barthorp, M, and Burn, J. (1979). Indian Infantry Regiments 1860-1914. London: Osprey. ISBN 978-0-85045-307-2
- Sumner, Ian. (2001). The Indian Army 1914-1947. London: Osprey. ISBN 1-84176-196-6
See also
- The Frontier Force RegimentFrontier Force RegimentFor Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
- 13th Frontier Force Rifles13th Frontier Force RiflesThe 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
- Punjab Irregular ForcePunjab Irregular ForceThe Punjab Irregular Force was created in 1851, to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British armies of the 3 Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay or Madras, but was under the control of the British chief magistrate of...