The 24th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 11th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 24th Punjabis in 1861 and became 4th Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 8th Battalion (CRACKS) The Punjab Regiment.[1]
Early history
The regiment was raised on 5 June 1857, at Peshawar by Capt G N Kave during the upheaval of the
Second Afghan War of 1878-80 and after taking part in Lord Roberts' 'Kabul to Kandahar' march, fought at the Battle of Kandahar on 1 September 1880. In 1897, during a general uprising of Pashtun tribes, the regiment was stationed at Malakand. In July, the garrison was attacked by hostile tribesmen, who were repulsed after a fierce engagement. Lieutenant Edmund Costello was awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry during the action. In 1900, the regiment was sent to China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion.[1]
24th Punjabis
Subsequent to the
reforms brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903, the regiment's designation was changed to 24th Punjabis.[2]
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. Among these was the 14th Punjab Regiment, formed by grouping the 24th Punjabis with the
Burma Campaign.[3] In 1947, the 14th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was merged with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments to form one large Punjab Regiment, and 4/14th Punjab was redesignated as 8 Punjab. In 1948, the battalion fought in the war with India in Kashmir, while during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, it served in Lahore and Chhamb Sectors. In 1971, it fought in East Pakistan.[1]
24th Punjabis . Watercolour by Major AC Lovett, 1910.Badge of the 24th Punjabis
Genealogy
Raised from 24th, 27th, 51st and 64th Regiments Native Infantry at Peshawar
5 Jun 1857 24th Punjab Infantry
5 Aug 1857 16th Regiment of Punjab Infantry
1861 28th Regiment Native Infantry
1861 24th (Punjab) Native Infantry
1903 24 Punjabis
1922 4th Battalion 14th Punjab Regiment
1956 8th Battalion The Punjab Regiment
Prominent general officers
Maj Gen Muhammad Mushtaq (DG Military Intelligence, GOC 11th Division, DG Rangers Sindh, GOC 21st Division)
Gen Muhammad Sharif (Late), Jiont Chief of Staff Committee
Lt Gen Muhammad Akam, VC UET Lahore
Maj Gen Muhammad Arshad Ch (late)
Lt Gen Syed Ather Ali, Comd 5 Corps, Def Secy
Lt Gen Khalid Rabbani, Comd 11 Corps, Chairman AWT
