Madras Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Madras Regiment is the oldest regiment in the Indian army
formed in the 1750s. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British Indian Army
and the Indian Army
.
as the second company established in India. However, it was formed as a battalion in 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence
. The battalion was involved in all the battles against the French forces in India. Lawrence structured the regiment to include two battalions, one European and one Sepoy (Indian). Both battalions were similar in structure and included seven companies each, with each company including three officers in command and seventy privates. Also part of the companies were four sergeants and corporals and three drummers.
The oldest Battalion in the Madras Regiment (and the Indian Army) was the 9th Battalion, formerly known as the Nair Brigade
(Nayar Pattalam-"Nair Army"). This militia was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram
as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore
, and were active in the Battle of Colachel
in defeating the Dutch
forces. The army was made up of soldiers from Nair
warrior clans, however after the 1940s, non-Nairs were permitted to join. The "Nayar Army" became incorporated into the Indian Army
on April 1951.
In 1748 Major Stringer Lawrence
, a veteran of action in Spain, Flanders and the Highlands, was hired by the East India Company to take charge of the defense of Cuddalore
. He laid the foundations of what was to become the Indian Army. Training the levies to become a militia, the Madras Levies were formed into "companies" and trained to become a disciplined and fine fighting force. In 1758 Lawrence raised the Madras Regiment, forming the several Companies of Madras Levies into two battalions. 2 Madras was raised in 1776 as 15 Carnatic Infantry at Thanjavur [and underwent many nomenclature changes thereafter]. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British Indian Army
and the Indian Army
. Many well-known British officers have commanded this regiment, Robert Clive is one among them. This regiment has fought the Carnatic wars, which were fought in South India. The elephant crest symbolizes its gallantry in the Battle of Assaye
under Arthur Wellesley
, later Duke of Wellington.
There after the British annexed the Indian sub-continent, largely with the help of the Madras Regiment sepoys. The coming of the British rule and merging the Presidency armies into a British Indian Army led the erstwhile regiments to be reorganised. After conquest of India,main threat to British was from Russia . So recruitment was re-oriented towards north Indians of Panjab and Nepal. This resulted in the British reducing the strength of the madras regiment since the southern borders were relatively peaceful.
After many years, this regiment was re-raised with fresh recruits and a draft of troops from the Madras Sappers during the World War II. The newly reborn Madras Regiment performed very creditably during the War in the Burma campaign.
After independence, the infantry battalions of the Travancore "Nair Pattalam
", Cochin and Mysore State forces were amalgamated into the Madras Regiment. Post-independence saw the consolidation of the Regiment and re-affirmation of the versatility and valour of the South Indian troops when the battalions of the Regiment fought fierce battles during the 1947–48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations, the 1962 Sino-Indian Conflict and the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. The deployment of as many as seven battalions of the Regiment in Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan in 1987–89 was a testimony to the faith the Indian Army reposed in the loyalty, dedication and valour of the troops of the Madras Regiment. Two battalions (3 and 25 Madras) of the Regiment have been awarded unit citations by the COAS in recognition of their splendid service in combating insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab. Further two battalions served the nation, in the world's highest battlefield in the subzero temperatures of Siachen Glacier. The Madras Regiment has taken part in various humanitarian aid operations in India. It has also taken part in various UN Peacekeeping missions.
. Current battalions of the Madras regiment are:
For they who at the call of duty, left all that was dear to them,
Endured hardships, faced dangers, and finally passed out of sight of men,
In the path of duty and self-sacrifice, Giving their lives that we might live in freedom.
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
formed in the 1750s. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British 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...
and the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
.
History
The Madras Regiment was initially formed as the Madras European Regiment in the 1660s by the East India CompanyEast 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...
as the second company established in India. However, it was formed as a battalion in 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence
Stringer Lawrence
Major-General Stringer Lawrence was an English soldier, the first Commander-in-Chief, India, sometimes regarded as the "Father of the Indian Army"....
. The battalion was involved in all the battles against the French forces in India. Lawrence structured the regiment to include two battalions, one European and one Sepoy (Indian). Both battalions were similar in structure and included seven companies each, with each company including three officers in command and seventy privates. Also part of the companies were four sergeants and corporals and three drummers.
The oldest Battalion in the Madras Regiment (and the Indian Army) was the 9th Battalion, formerly known as the Nair Brigade
Nair Brigade
The Nair Brigade was the army of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore in India. Nairs were a warrior community in the region which was responsible for the security of Travancore and other local kingdoms. King Marthanda Varma's personal bodyguard was called 'Thiruvithamkoor Nair Pattalam'...
(Nayar Pattalam-"Nair Army"). This militia was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
as body guards for the Maharajah of Travancore
Travancore
Kingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
, and were active in the Battle of Colachel
Battle of Colachel
The Battle of Colachel was fought on between forces of the Indian kingdom of Travancore and the Dutch East India Company, during the Travancore-Dutch War...
in defeating the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
forces. The army was made up of soldiers from Nair
Nair
Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...
warrior clans, however after the 1940s, non-Nairs were permitted to join. The "Nayar Army" became incorporated into the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
on April 1951.
In 1748 Major Stringer Lawrence
Stringer Lawrence
Major-General Stringer Lawrence was an English soldier, the first Commander-in-Chief, India, sometimes regarded as the "Father of the Indian Army"....
, a veteran of action in Spain, Flanders and the Highlands, was hired by the East India Company to take charge of the defense of Cuddalore
Cuddalore
Cuddalore is a fast growing industrial city and headquarter of Cuddalore district in the Tamil Nadu state of southern India. Located south of Pondicherry on the coast of Bay of Bengal, Cuddalore has a large number of industries which employ a great deal of the city's population.Cuddalore is known...
. He laid the foundations of what was to become the Indian Army. Training the levies to become a militia, the Madras Levies were formed into "companies" and trained to become a disciplined and fine fighting force. In 1758 Lawrence raised the Madras Regiment, forming the several Companies of Madras Levies into two battalions. 2 Madras was raised in 1776 as 15 Carnatic Infantry at Thanjavur [and underwent many nomenclature changes thereafter]. The regiment has been through many campaigns with both the British 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...
and the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. Many well-known British officers have commanded this regiment, Robert Clive is one among them. This regiment has fought the Carnatic wars, which were fought in South India. The elephant crest symbolizes its gallantry in the Battle of Assaye
Battle of Assaye
The Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...
under Arthur Wellesley
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, later Duke of Wellington.
There after the British annexed the Indian sub-continent, largely with the help of the Madras Regiment sepoys. The coming of the British rule and merging the Presidency armies into a British Indian Army led the erstwhile regiments to be reorganised. After conquest of India,main threat to British was from Russia . So recruitment was re-oriented towards north Indians of Panjab and Nepal. This resulted in the British reducing the strength of the madras regiment since the southern borders were relatively peaceful.
After many years, this regiment was re-raised with fresh recruits and a draft of troops from the Madras Sappers during the World War II. The newly reborn Madras Regiment performed very creditably during the War in the Burma campaign.
Post Independence
Nair Brigade
The Nair Brigade was the army of the erstwhile kingdom of Travancore in India. Nairs were a warrior community in the region which was responsible for the security of Travancore and other local kingdoms. King Marthanda Varma's personal bodyguard was called 'Thiruvithamkoor Nair Pattalam'...
", Cochin and Mysore State forces were amalgamated into the Madras Regiment. Post-independence saw the consolidation of the Regiment and re-affirmation of the versatility and valour of the South Indian troops when the battalions of the Regiment fought fierce battles during the 1947–48 Jammu & Kashmir Operations, the 1962 Sino-Indian Conflict and the Indo-Pak Wars of 1965 and 1971. The deployment of as many as seven battalions of the Regiment in Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan in 1987–89 was a testimony to the faith the Indian Army reposed in the loyalty, dedication and valour of the troops of the Madras Regiment. Two battalions (3 and 25 Madras) of the Regiment have been awarded unit citations by the COAS in recognition of their splendid service in combating insurgency in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab. Further two battalions served the nation, in the world's highest battlefield in the subzero temperatures of Siachen Glacier. The Madras Regiment has taken part in various humanitarian aid operations in India. It has also taken part in various UN Peacekeeping missions.
Current Strength
Currently the regiment has a strength of 19 battalions. The 1st Battalion was converted to the Mechanised Infantry RegimentMechanised Infantry Regiment
The Mechanised Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is one of the youngest regiments in the army, and though it was formed as a result of lessons learned in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, to give infantry battalions greater mobility, it was the mastermind of late Gen K Sundarji...
. Current battalions of the Madras regiment are:
- 2nd Battalion (old 75th Carnatic Infantry75th Carnatic InfantryThe 75th Carnatic Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1776, when they were raised as the 15th Carnatic Battalion by enlisting men from the 2nd, 6th and 12th Carnatic Battalions....
) - 3rd Battalion (old 79th Carnatic Infantry79th Carnatic InfantryThe 79th Carnatic Infantry was a infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1777, when the 20th Carnatic Battalion was raised from units of the 1st, 3rd, 8th and 16th Carnatic Battalions....
) - 4th Battalion (old 83rd Wallajahabad Light Infantry)
- 5th Battalion
- 6th Battalion
- 7th Battalion (Shandaar Saat chamkte rahe )
- 8th Battalion
- 9th Battalion Madras Regiment9th Battalion Madras RegimentThe 9th battalion of the Madras Regiment has completed 300 years in Indian service. The battalion was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram in Kalkulam taluk of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram was the erstwhile capital of Travancore State...
(former State Forces unit) - 10th Battalion
- 11th Battalion (old Territorial Battalion)(Double First)
- 12th Battalion (old Territorial Battalion)
- 16th Battalion (former State Forces unit)
- 17th Battalion (former State Forces unit)
- 18th Battalion (former Mysore Infantry)
- 19th Battalion
- 25th Battalion (old garrison battalion)
- 26th Battalion (old garrison battalion)
- 27th Battalion (old garrison battalion)
- 28th Battalion (old coastal defence battalion)
Regimental Tribute
Let those who come after, see to it that these names be not forgotten,For they who at the call of duty, left all that was dear to them,
Endured hardships, faced dangers, and finally passed out of sight of men,
In the path of duty and self-sacrifice, Giving their lives that we might live in freedom.