Regiment of Artillery
Encyclopedia
The Regiment of Artillery is an operational arm (a regiment
/corps) of the Indian Army
. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery
(RIA) of British Indian Army
which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827. It was later involved in extensive service in the First World War
, in East Africa
, Gallipoli
, Mesopotamia and Palestine
.
Today it is the second largest arm of the Indian Army, and with its guns, mortars, rocket launchers, unmand aerial vehicles, surveillance systems and missiles, artillery fire-power, constitutes almost one-sixth of its total strength.
is popularly credited with introduction of Artillery in India, in the Battle of Panipat in 1526, where he decisively used gunpowder
firearm
s and field artillery
and defeated the much larger army of Ibrahim Lodhi
, the ruler of the large North India
n Delhi Sultanate
, thus not just laying the foundation of the Mughal Empire
but also setting a precedent of all future battles in the subcontinent. However evidence of earlier use of gun by Bahmani Kings
in the 'Battle of Adoni
' in 1368 and King Mohammed Shah of Gujarat in fifteenth century have been recorded.
The East India Company raised the first regular company of Artillery in 1748, with a small percentage of Indian Gunners called Gun Lashkars, Tindals and Serangs. A few Indian mountain artillery batteries, officered by the British, were raised in the 19th century and formed part of the Royal Artillery. The Royal Indian Artillery
(RIA) of the British India Army, was raised on September 28, 1827, as a part of the Bombay Army
, a presidency army
of the Bombay Presidency
. It was later renamed as 5 Bombay Mountain Battery, and participated in the First Anglo-Afghan War
(1839-1842). The Indian Rebellion of 1857
was sparked off in Meerut on 10 May 1857, primarily by native artillery of Bengal Army
, following which all Indian artillery units were banned except mountain artillery batteries, though Major Richard Keatinge
of Bombay Artillery was awarded the Victoria Cross
in 1858 for his service during the Indian Rebellion
.
In the 20th century, the Artillery was later involved in extensive service in the First World War
, in East Africa
, Gallipoli
, Mesopotamia, and Palestine
.
The Regiment of Artillery was raised on 15th January 1935, when the first three Indian Field Regiments, originally numbered A, B, and C were authorised. Originally called the 'Indian Regiment of Artillery', which later became 'The Regiment of Indian Artillery' on 1 November 1940 and 'Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery' in October 1945, after its success in World War II
.
After the partition of India
in 1947 RIA was divided between the newly formed artillery regiments of India
and Pakistan
.. In the coming years the artillery took part in all the operations fought by the Indian Army, the latest being the Kargil War
.
The School of Artillery of the Indian Army is situated at Devlali near Nashik, and the Regiment of Artillery Museum, established in 1970, is also situated in Nashik at Nasik Road Camp.
The Regiment of Artillery was divided in the mid 1990s between the Field Artillery, the Corps of Air Defence Artillery formed in January 1994, and the Army Aviation Corps
formed in November 1993. The Field Artillery is the largest successor branch, with 190 regiments, but no longer accounted for a sixth of the army's 1.2 million 1996 strength.
Jane's Defence Weekly
said in 1996 that divisional artillery deployed on India's plains is expected to have a mix of 130mm and 155mm guns. This could be a combination of three 130mm regiments and one regiment of 155mm guns, or two regiments of each calibre, depending on the anticipated threat and whether the division is to be employed for offensive or defensive operations.
On 15th January 1985, a commemorative stamp depicting a Gunner and Howitzer from Mountain Battery was released by India Post, on the Golden Jubilee of the Regiment of Artillery
Mortars
Anti-aircraft guns
Field artillery
Self-propelled artillery
Rocket artillery
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
/corps) of 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...
. Formerly part of Royal Indian Artillery
Royal Indian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery, generally known as the Royal Indian Artillery , was an administrative corps of the British Indian Army...
(RIA) of 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...
which itself traces its origins to the formation of Bombay Artillery in 1827. It was later involved in extensive service in the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
, Mesopotamia and Palestine
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
.
Today it is the second largest arm of the Indian Army, and with its guns, mortars, rocket launchers, unmand aerial vehicles, surveillance systems and missiles, artillery fire-power, constitutes almost one-sixth of its total strength.
History
Historically Mughal Emperor BaburBabur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
is popularly credited with introduction of Artillery in India, in the Battle of Panipat in 1526, where he decisively used gunpowder
Gunpowder warfare
Early modern warfare is associated with the start of the widespread use of gunpowder and the development of suitable weapons to use the explosive, including artillery and handguns such as the arquebus and later the musket, and for this reason the era is also summarized as the age of gunpowder...
firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s and field artillery
Field artillery
Field artillery is a category of mobile artillery used to support armies in the field. These weapons are specialized for mobility, tactical proficiency, long range, short range and extremely long range target engagement....
and defeated the much larger army of Ibrahim Lodhi
Ibrahim Lodhi
Ibrahim Lodi was one of the ruler of the Lodi dynasty who became the last Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate in India. He was an Afghan who ruled over much of northern India from 1517 to 1526, when he was defeated by Babur's army.Lodi attained the throne upon the death of his father, Sikandar Lodi,...
, the ruler of the large North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
n Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
, thus not just laying the foundation of the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
but also setting a precedent of all future battles in the subcontinent. However evidence of earlier use of gun by Bahmani Kings
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
in the 'Battle of Adoni
Adoni
Adoni , is a municipality, mandal headquarters and commercial town in Kurnool district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is 180 miles from Hyderabad and 307 miles from Chennai by rail. It has a population of about 2,43,247 people . Adoni is 245th biggest city in terms of population in India...
' in 1368 and King Mohammed Shah of Gujarat in fifteenth century have been recorded.
The East India Company raised the first regular company of Artillery in 1748, with a small percentage of Indian Gunners called Gun Lashkars, Tindals and Serangs. A few Indian mountain artillery batteries, officered by the British, were raised in the 19th century and formed part of the Royal Artillery. The Royal Indian Artillery
Royal Indian Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery, generally known as the Royal Indian Artillery , was an administrative corps of the British Indian Army...
(RIA) of the British India Army, was raised on September 28, 1827, as a part of the Bombay Army
Bombay Army
The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia.The Presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct...
, a presidency army
Presidency armies
The presidency armies were the armies of the three presidencies of the East India Company's rule in India, later the forces of the British Crown in India...
of the Bombay Presidency
Bombay Presidency
The Bombay Presidency was a province of British India. It was established in the 17th century as a trading post for the English East India Company, but later grew to encompass much of western and central India, as well as parts of post-partition Pakistan and the Arabian Peninsula.At its greatest...
. It was later renamed as 5 Bombay Mountain Battery, and participated in the First Anglo-Afghan War
First Anglo-Afghan War
The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought between British India and Afghanistan from 1839 to 1842. It was one of the first major conflicts during the Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in Central Asia between the United Kingdom and Russia, and also marked one of the worst...
(1839-1842). The Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
was sparked off in Meerut on 10 May 1857, primarily by native artillery of Bengal Army
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
, following which all Indian artillery units were banned except mountain artillery batteries, though Major Richard Keatinge
Richard Harte Keatinge
Lieutenant General Richard Harte Keatinge VC CSI was an Irish 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.-Life and career:Keatinge was born in Dublin...
of Bombay Artillery 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....
in 1858 for his service during the Indian Rebellion
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 began as a mutiny of sepoys of the British East India Company's army on 10 May 1857, in the town of Meerut, and soon escalated into other mutinies and civilian rebellions largely in the upper Gangetic plain and central India, with the major hostilities confined to...
.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
, Mesopotamia, and Palestine
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
.
The Regiment of Artillery was raised on 15th January 1935, when the first three Indian Field Regiments, originally numbered A, B, and C were authorised. Originally called the 'Indian Regiment of Artillery', which later became 'The Regiment of Indian Artillery' on 1 November 1940 and 'Royal Regiment of Indian Artillery' in October 1945, after its success in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
After the partition of India
Partition 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 RIA was divided between the newly formed artillery regiments of 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...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.. In the coming years the artillery took part in all the operations fought by the Indian Army, the latest being the Kargil War
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
.
The School of Artillery of the Indian Army is situated at Devlali near Nashik, and the Regiment of Artillery Museum, established in 1970, is also situated in Nashik at Nasik Road Camp.
The Regiment of Artillery was divided in the mid 1990s between the Field Artillery, the Corps of Air Defence Artillery formed in January 1994, and the Army Aviation Corps
Army Aviation Corps (India)
The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Indian Army formed on 2 November 1987. The Army aviation has 365+ helicopter and UAV flights operated by 10 squadrons...
formed in November 1993. The Field Artillery is the largest successor branch, with 190 regiments, but no longer accounted for a sixth of the army's 1.2 million 1996 strength.
Jane's Defence Weekly
Jane's Defence Weekly
Jane's Defence Weekly is a weekly magazine reporting on military and corporate affairs, edited by Peter Felstead. It is one of a number of military-related publications named after John F. T. Jane, an Englishman who first published Jane's All the World's Fighting Ships in 1898...
said in 1996 that divisional artillery deployed on India's plains is expected to have a mix of 130mm and 155mm guns. This could be a combination of three 130mm regiments and one regiment of 155mm guns, or two regiments of each calibre, depending on the anticipated threat and whether the division is to be employed for offensive or defensive operations.
On 15th January 1985, a commemorative stamp depicting a Gunner and Howitzer from Mountain Battery was released by India Post, on the Golden Jubilee of the Regiment of Artillery
Artillery of India
- 120 mm E1 light mortar
Anti-aircraft guns
- All Weather Air Defence Gun System (AWADGS)
- 40mm Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft gun (upgraded variant)
- 40mm Bofors L/60 anti-aircraft gun (upgraded variant)
- 23mm ZSU-23-2 anti-aircraft gun
Field artillery
- 105mm Indian Field Gun
- 105mm Light Field Gun
- 122mm D-30 Howitzer
- 130mm M-46 Field Gun
- 155mm E1 Metamorphosis gun 45 Caliber Howitzer
- 155mm Haubits FH77/B HowitzerHaubits FH77/AHaubits 77 is a Swedish 155 mm howitzer. It was developed and manufactured by Bofors. It was available in two versions, the original with a sliding block mechanism, and the later FH77 B export version with an interrupted screw breech.-Overview:In the 1960s Sweden started to look for a...
Self-propelled artillery
- 105mm FV433 Abbot self-propelled gunFV433 Abbot SPGFV433 Field Artillery, Self-Propelled "Abbot" is the self-propelled artillery variant of the British Army FV430 series of armoured fighting vehicles, using much of the chassis of the FV430 but with a fully rotating turret at the rear housing the 105 mm gun and given the vehicle designation of...
- 130mm M-46 Catapult self-propelled gunM-46 CatapultThe M-46 Catapult is a self-propelled gun developed in India by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment of DRDO. It is based on the conversion of ageing British/Indian Vijayanta tank's hull mounted with Russian 130mm M-46 field gun....
Rocket artillery
- 122mm BM-21 Grad Multiple Barrel Rocket LauncherBM-21The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
- 214mm Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket LauncherPinaka Multi Barrel Rocket LauncherPinaka is a multiple rocket launcher produced in India and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation for the Indian Army. The system has a maximum range of 39–40 km and can fire a salvo of 12 HE rockets in 44 seconds, neutralizing a target area of 3.9 km2...
- 300mm BM-30 Smerch Multiple Barrel Rocket LauncherBM-30The BM-30 Smerch or 9A52 is a Soviet heavy multiple rocket launcher. The system is designed to defeat personnel, armored, and soft-skinned targets in concentration areas, artillery batteries, command posts and ammunition depots. It was created in the early 1980s and entered service in the Soviet...
Notable personnel
- Chief of Army Staff of the Indian ArmyChief of Army Staff of the Indian ArmyThe Chief of the Army Staff is the commander and usually the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army. The position is abbreviated as COAS in Indian Army cables and communication....
- GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Paramasiva Prabhakar KumaramangalamParamasiva Prabhakar KumaramangalamGeneral Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam, PV, DSO, MBE was the 7th Chief of Staff of the Indian Army in the period . He was the last of the King's Commissioned Indian Officers trained at Sandhurst in the Indian Army.-Early life and education:P.P. Kumaramangalam was born to the Former Chief...
(June 7, 1966 - June 7, 1969) - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Om Prakash MalhotraOm Prakash MalhotraGeneral Om Prakash Malhotra PVSM , was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.Commissioned in the Regiment of Artillery in November 1941, he fought against the Japanese in the Second World War in Burma. He commanded artillery regiments across India between November 1950 and July 1961...
(May 31, 1978 - May 31, 1981) - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sunith Francis RodriguesSunith Francis RodriguesGen. Sunith Francis Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, formerly Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army. Born on 19 September 1933 in Bombay. Over the years as Governor, in Punjab, he has generally received a positive response by the Punjabi press and the Punjabi people have accepted him as one their own...
(June 30, 1990 - June 30, 1993) - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sundararajan PadmanabhanSundararajan PadmanabhanSundararajan Padmanabhan was the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army Padmanabhan succeeded General V.P. Malik on September 30, 2000.General Padmanabhan was schooled at the Rashtriya Indian Military College...
(September 30, 2000 - December 31, 2002) - GeneralGeneralA general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Deepak KapoorDeepak KapoorGeneral Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC was the 25th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, appointed on 30 September 2007 and Chairman, Chiefs of Staffs Committee appointed on 31 August 2009....
(September 30, 2007 - March 31, 2010)
- General
- Umrao SinghUmrao SinghCaptain Umrao Singh VC , ; ) was an Indian 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...
: Victoria CrossVictoria CrossThe 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....
:World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Further reading
- History of the Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army, by Y. B. Gulati, D. K. Palit. Published by Leo Cooper, 1972. ISBN 0-85052-118-1.
- Kargil '99: Blood, Guts and Firepower, by Gurmeet Kanwal, India Army. Regiment of Artillery. Published by Regiment of Artillery in association with Lancer Publishers, 2000. ISBN 1-897829-64-7.
External links
- Regiment of Artillery at Official website of the Indian Army
- Martyrs of Regiment of Artillery Indian ArmyIndian ArmyThe 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...
- Regiment of Artillery at Bharat RakshakBharat RakshakBharat Rakshak is a website devoted to discussing India's military affairs. It was started and is run by military enthusiasts.- History :...
- WeGunners
- 4 Hazara Mountain Battery (FF)