76th Punjabis
Encyclopedia
The 76th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army
. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. It was designated as the 76th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army
, where it continues to exist as 3rd Battalion The Punjab Regiment
.
of the British East India Company
, which was largely responsible for the British conquest of south and central India
. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. The regiment's first action was in 1778, when it took part in the capture of the French enclave of Pondicherry. During the next twenty years, the regiment was engaged in constant warfare against the Sultans of Mysore
, fighting in the Battles of Pollilur
, Porto Novo
, Sholinghur
and Seringapatam
. In the nineteenth century, it fought in the First and Third Anglo-Burmese War
s.
s and Hindu Jats. As a result of the reforms
brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener
, all Madras units had 60 added to their numbers, and the regiment's designation was changed to 76th Punjabis. On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the 76th Punjabis were dispatched to Egypt
to protect the Suez Canal
. In March 1915, they arrived in Mesopotamia
to join the 12th Indian Division
. After taking part in the Battle of Shaiba, where the Turkish counter-attack was repulsed, the regiment participated in the operations in Persian Arabistan
. In June and July, the 76th Punjabis took part in the operations along the River Euphrates, which led to the capture of Nasiriyah
. In August, the regiment joined Major General Charles Townsend
's 6th Indian Division in its advance towards Baghdad
. It fought in the Battle of Ctesiphon
and then retired towards Kut al Amara, where it was besieged by the Turks with the rest of the 6th Division. The regiment resolutely resisted all Turkish attempts to overwhelm the defences of Kut al Amara, suffering 171 casualties during the 150 days long siege. But after the failure of the British to relieve them, the starving garrison of Kut was forced to surrender on 29 April 1916. The 76th Punjabis became prisoners of war and suffered terrible privations during their long captivity. Out of the 341 officers men present with the regiment at the commencement of the siege in December 1915, 72 died during the siege, while another 101 died during the captivity. The 76th Punjabis were re-formed on 1 January 1917 and moved to Chaman
on the North West Frontier. On 16 October 1917, the regiment raised a second battalion at Nasirabad
. In December 1918, 208 Kut prisoners returned to the battalion after their release from Turkish captivity. The 1st Battalion 76th Punjabis took part in the Third Afghan War of 1919, while the 2nd Battalion served in Waziristan
during 1919-20. It was disbanded in 1922.
, 66th
, 82nd
and 84th Punjabis
, and the 1st Brahmans
to form the 1st Punjab Regiment, and were redesignated as 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. On the outbreak of the Second World War, 3/1st Punjab was dispatched to North Africa
in September 1939. In December 1940, the battalion fought in the Battle of Sidi Barani against the invading Italians. It then fought in Eritrea
and Syria
, before returning to North Africa to take part in a gallant attack on Libyan Omar on 30 November 1941. The battalion arrived in Italy
in March 1944, where it remained engaged in intense fighting until the final Allied victory in 1945. The battalion suffered 1651 casualties during the war, including four Commanding Officers, who fell leading their men in battle. In 1947, the 1st Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was merged with the 14th
, 15th
and 16th Punjab Regiment
s to form one large Punjab Regiment
, and 3/1st Punjab was redesignated as 3 Punjab. During the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, the battalion fought at Jassar in the Sialkot
Sector, while in the 1971 war, it took part in capture of the Indian fortress of Qaisar-i-Hind in the Hussainiwala
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 by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. It was designated as the 76th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 3rd 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....
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 3rd 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 had its antecedents in the old Madras ArmyMadras Army
The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of the British India within the British Empire.The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three...
of the British 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...
, which was largely responsible for the British conquest of south and central 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...
. It was raised by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly on 16 December 1776, as the 16th Carnatic Battalion. The regiment's first action was in 1778, when it took part in the capture of the French enclave of Pondicherry. During the next twenty years, the regiment was engaged in constant warfare against the Sultans of Mysore
Anglo-Mysore Wars
The Anglo-Mysore Wars were a series of wars fought in India over the last three decades of the 18th century between the Kingdom of Mysore and the British East India Company, represented chiefly by the Madras Presidency...
, fighting in the Battles of Pollilur
Battle of Pollilur
The Battle of Pollilur, also known as the Battle of Polilore or Battle of Perambakam, took place on 10 September 1780 at Pollilur near the city of Kanchipuram in present-day Tamil Nadu state, India as part of the Second Anglo-Mysore War...
, Porto Novo
Battle of Porto Novo
The Battle of Porto Novo was fought on 1 July 1781 between forces of the Kingdom of Mysore and Great Britain near the village of Porto Novo on the Indian subcontinent, during the Second Anglo-Mysore War...
, Sholinghur
Battle of Sholinghur
The Battle of Sholinghur was fought on 27 September 1781 between forces of the Kingdom of Mysore led by Hyder Ali and British East India Company forces led by General Eyre Coote. The company forces were victorious.-References:*Vibart, H. M ....
and Seringapatam
Battle of Seringapatam
The Siege of Seringapatam was the final confrontation of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore. The British achieved a decisive victory after breaching the walls of the fortress at Seringapatam and storming the citadel. Tippu Sultan, Mysore's...
. In the nineteenth century, it fought in the First and 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...
s.
76th Punjabis
In 1903, the regiment, now designated as the 16th Madras Infantry, was reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims, SikhSikh
A 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"...
s and Hindu Jats. As a result of the 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...
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...
, all Madras units had 60 added to their numbers, and the regiment's designation was changed to 76th Punjabis. On the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the 76th Punjabis were dispatched to 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...
to protect the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. In March 1915, they arrived in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
to join the 12th Indian Division
12th Indian Division
For the World War II formation see 12th Indian Infantry DivisionThe 12th Indian Division was formed in March 1915 from units of the British Indian Army. It formed part of the Tigris Corps, for service during the Mesopotamia Campaign of World War I...
. After taking part in the Battle of Shaiba, where the Turkish counter-attack was repulsed, the regiment participated in the operations in Persian Arabistan
Arabistan
Arabistan or Arabestan may refer to:*The name of the Arabian Peninsula*A satrapy of the Achaemenid and Sassanid Persian empires.*The region of Khuzestan was also called "Arabistan" in some chronicles and reports, mainly during the Qajar era of the 19th century....
. In June and July, the 76th Punjabis took part in the operations along the River Euphrates, which led to the capture of Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah
Nasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
. In August, the regiment joined Major General Charles Townsend
Charles Townsend
Charles Townsend may refer to:*Charlie Townsend , Gloucestershire cricketer*Charles Champlain Townsend , U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania*Charles E. Townsend , U.S...
's 6th Indian Division in its advance towards Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. It fought in the Battle of Ctesiphon
Battle of Ctesiphon
The Battle of Ctesiphon may refer to several battles fought near Ctesiphon:* Battle of Ctesiphon * Battle of Ctesiphon * Battle of Ctesiphon , between Roman emperor Julian the Apostate & Persian emperor Shapur II outside the walls of Ctesiphon...
and then retired towards Kut al Amara, where it was besieged by the Turks with the rest of the 6th Division. The regiment resolutely resisted all Turkish attempts to overwhelm the defences of Kut al Amara, suffering 171 casualties during the 150 days long siege. But after the failure of the British to relieve them, the starving garrison of Kut was forced to surrender on 29 April 1916. The 76th Punjabis became prisoners of war and suffered terrible privations during their long captivity. Out of the 341 officers men present with the regiment at the commencement of the siege in December 1915, 72 died during the siege, while another 101 died during the captivity. The 76th Punjabis were re-formed on 1 January 1917 and moved to Chaman
Chaman
Chaman is the capital of Qilla Abdullah District, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is situated just south of the border with Afghanistan. Across the border in Afghanistan is the neighbouring town of Spin Boldak, in Kandahar Province...
on the North West Frontier. On 16 October 1917, the regiment raised a second battalion at Nasirabad
Nasirabad
Nasirabad may refer to:* Mymensingh Town, the former name of Mymensingh Town, Bangladesh* Nasirabad, India in Rajasthan, India* Nasirabad, Raibareli in Uttar Pradesh, India* Nasirabad, Ardabil, Iran* Nasirabad, alternate name of Nasrabad, Isfahan, Iran...
. In December 1918, 208 Kut prisoners returned to the battalion after their release from Turkish captivity. The 1st Battalion 76th Punjabis took part in the Third Afghan War of 1919, while the 2nd Battalion served in Waziristan
Waziristan
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...
during 1919-20. It was disbanded in 1922.
Subsequent History
In 1922, the 76th Punjabis were grouped with the 62nd62nd Punjabis
The 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to...
, 66th
66th Punjabis
The 66th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1761 as the 7th Battalion of Coast Sepoys. It was designated as the 66th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 82nd
82nd Punjabis
The 82nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1788, as the 29th Madras Battalion. It was designated as the 82nd Punjabis in 1903 and became the 5th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 84th Punjabis
84th Punjabis
The 84th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised by Captain Donald Macdonald at Vellore on 12 August 1794, as the 34th Battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 84th Punjabis in 1903 and became the 10th Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922....
, and the 1st Brahmans
1st Brahmans
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...
to form the 1st Punjab Regiment, and were redesignated as 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. On the outbreak of the Second World War, 3/1st Punjab was dispatched to 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...
in September 1939. In December 1940, the battalion fought in the Battle of Sidi Barani against the invading Italians. It then fought in Eritrea
East 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....
and Syria
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...
, before returning to North Africa to take part in a gallant attack on Libyan Omar on 30 November 1941. The battalion arrived in Italy
Italian 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...
in March 1944, where it remained engaged in intense fighting until the final Allied victory in 1945. The battalion suffered 1651 casualties during the war, including four Commanding Officers, who fell leading their men in battle. In 1947, the 1st Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was merged with the 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....
, 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 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 3/1st Punjab was redesignated as 3 Punjab. During the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, the battalion fought at Jassar in the Sialkot
Sialkot
Sialkot is a city in Pakistan situated in the north-east of the Punjab province at the foothills of snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab river. It is the capital of Sialkot District. The city is about north-west of Lahore and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu.The...
Sector, while in the 1971 war, it took part in capture of the Indian fortress of Qaisar-i-Hind in the Hussainiwala
Hussainiwala
Hussainiwala is a village in Ferozepur district in Punjab state, India. It lies near the banks of the Sutlej river. The village is on the border with Pakistan, opposite the Pakistani village of Ganda Singh Wala...
Sector.
Genealogy
- 1776 16th Carnatic Battalion
- 1784 16th Madras Battalion
- 1796 2nd Battalion 5th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry
- 1824 16th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry
- 1885 16th Regiment of Madras Infantry
- 1901 16th Madras Infantry
- 1903 76th Punjabis
- 1917 1st Battalion 76th Punjabis
- 1922 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment
- 1956 3rd Battalion The Punjab Regiment
Further Reading
- Qureshi, Maj MI. (1958). The First Punjabis: History of the First Punjab Regiment 1759-1956. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- A Brief History of the 3rd Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment. (1927). Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Wilson, Lt Col WJ. (1882–88). History of the Madras Army. Madras: The Government Press.
- Phythian-Adams, Lt Col EG. (1943). Madras Infantry 1748-1943. Madras: The Government Press.
- Rizvi, Brig SHA. (1984). Veteran Campaigners – A History of the Punjab Regiment 1759-1981. Lahore: Wajidalis.