20 SATA Regiment (India)

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20 SATA Regiment
Active1942 – present
CountryIndia
Allegiance British India
 India
Branch British Indian Army
Indian Army
Type Artillery
SizeRegiment
Nickname(s)Alma mater of Locators
Motto(s)SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL “Everywhere with Honour and Glory”.
Colors"Red & Navy Blue"
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Col E. R. Culverwell, Maj Gen H. D. W. Sitwell, Maj Gen K. F. Mackay Lewis, Gen O. P. Malhotra, Lt Gen MM Lakhera
Insignia
Abbreviation20 SATA Regt

20 SATA Regiment, nicknamed the ‘Alma Mater of Locators’ is a

Surveillance and Target Acquisition (SATA) artillery regiment which is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army
.

Formation

The Regiment was raised on August 4, 1924 at the School of Artillery in Kakul (now in Pakistan) as 1 Survey Section Royal Indian Artillery under Captain E. R. Culverwell. Upon establishment, it consisted of only nine personnel, which included two British officers, as well as several V.C.Os, Indian Officers and Other Ranks. These nine persons, later to be known as the ‘Nine Originals’, had passed a Royal Engineers survey course at Roorkee. They were selected from Mountain Artillery, Cavalry and Infantry Units to form the nucleus of Survey Section Royal Indian Artillery.[1]

History

Captain Culverwell commanded the section for several years and was followed by Captains H. D. W. Sitwell, C. L. Ferard, K. F. Mackay Lewis, W. J. Gyde and R. MacCaig. 1 Survey Section was reorganised in 1941 as the ‘Survey Troop’ and carried out the survey of the Khyber Pass. In January 1942, it was re-designated as 1 Survey Battery under Major J. H. C. Hunter, and shortly afterwards re-joined the School of Artillery at Deolali.[2]


In August, 1942, the 1st Battery and a new Regimental Headquarters (R.H.Q.) were combined to form the 1st Indian Survey Regiment. The first Commanding Officer was Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. S. Rendall, with Major J. H. C. Hunter as Second-in -Command and Captain Matthews as Adjutant.[1] Major S. A. Brighty commanded No. 1 Battery. In June, 1943, No. 2 Battery was formed under Major F. A. von Goldstein. A radar troop was raised in 1943 as part of the Regiment.[2]

In July 1944, the Regiment moved by road to

19 Indian Division for the northern crossings of the Irrawaddy.[1] One Military Cross and three Military Medals were awarded to personnel from the regiment.[3][4][5][6]

Orders had been issued that units not urgently required were to return to India and on 13 May 1945, the 1st Indian Survey Regiment was flown to Comilla. Lieutenant-Colonel H. G. Croly was now in command and repatriation had begun, and many changes of all ranks were taking place. The regiment eventually moved to Hyderabad (Sind) under Lieutenant-Colonel von Goldstein as commanding officer.[1] On 25 January 1947, as a result of the Partition, the 1st Indian Survey Regiment became 20th Survey Regiment, R.I. A., under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Rajbahadur, having shed 2nd Survey Battery. This became the 2nd Survey Battery, R.P.A. (later 13th Survey Battery, R.P.A.).[1][7][8]

In 1948, the Regiment took part in the

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948.[2]

In July 1952, the Regiment was reorganised as the 20 Locating Regiment.

NEFA.[2]

The Regiment fought in the

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 in the Western Sector.[11][12]

It was part of the

Mentioned in Despatches.[15]

In June 1987, the Regiment was redesignated as the 20 Surveillance and Target Acquisition (SATA) Regiment with the role of carrying out all weather surveillance of targets including enemy guns and mortars.

Operation Parakram (all in J&K).[16] The regiment had the honour to participate in the Republic Day Parade in 1993.[17] It was awarded the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Unit Citation during the Army Day Parade in 2021.[18]

See also

List of artillery regiments of Indian Army

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Graham, C. A. L. (1957). The History Of The Indian Mountain Artillery. Aldershot Gale & Polden Ltd.
  2. ^ a b c d "20 SATA Regiment - Golden Jubilee 1992". 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  3. ISBN 978-0850521184
    .
  4. ^ "Hav Abdullah Khan Military Medal in the UK National Archives". Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  5. ^ "Hav Girdhara Singh Military Medal in the UK National Archives". Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  6. ^ "Hav Anwar Hussain Military Medal in the UK National Archives". Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  7. ^ "Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter3, page 79, 86" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  8. ISBN 978-1844155149
    .
  9. ^ "Operation Polo: The Liberation Of Hyderabad at Bharat Rakshak Volume 2-3, November-December 1999". Retrieved 2020-09-15.
  10. ^ a b "Sainik Samachar, Aug 7-15 2007 - 84th raising day". Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  11. ISBN 978-9385563973
    .
  12. ^ "The Print 15-09-2020 article "As Brig Nisar passes away, read how he led Pak artillery to break Indian attack in Chawinda"". 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  13. ISBN 978-1897829424
    .
  14. ISBN 978-1897829554
    .
  15. ^ "Gazette of India, No 19" (PDF). 1974-05-11. Retrieved 2022-02-05.
  16. ^ "SATA Regiment celebrates 58th Raising Day". 2018-08-01. Retrieved 2020-09-14.
  17. ^ "Republic day parade 1993". Retrieved 2021-06-12.
  18. ^ "23 Indian Army Units Set To Receive COAS Citations For 2020". 2021-01-11. Retrieved 2023-01-15.

Further reading

  • Larkhill's Wartime Locators: Royal Artillery Survey in the Second World War by Massimo Mangilli-Climpson. Published by Pen & Sword, 2007.
    ISBN 978-1844155149
    .

External links
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