5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) | |
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The Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-1880 The Third Anglo-Afghan War of 1919 Second World War 1939-1945 Indo-Pakistani war of 1947-48 Indo-China war of 1962 Arthur Arnold Barrett , GCB, GCSI, KCVO, ADC
Lt General Faridoon Noshir Billimoria PVSM, ADC; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Army Command[1]
Dalbir Singh , PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi , PVSM, MVC, VrC, VSM Lt Gen S. K. Sinha, PVSM (Ex Governor of J&K and Assam) Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM | |
Insignia | |
Regimental Insignia | A pair of Black crossed Khukris with the floriated numeral 5 in between |
Tartan | Government (pipes and drums) |
Abbreviations | 5 GR(FF) |
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army. The regiment's battalions served in the
The regiment was known as the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) when it was one of the Gurkha regiments that was transferred to the Indian Army following independence of Indian and Pakistan in 1947 and given its current name in 1950.
Since 1947, the regiment has served in a number of conflicts, including the
History
19th century
The regiment was raised in 1858 as the 25th Native Punjab Infantry, also known as the "
The regiment spent most of its time up to the end of the 19th century based in the
First World War
During the
The 2nd Battalion initially served in India with the
Inter-War period
In 1921, the regiment was given the title the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, in recognition of its service during the
Second World War
During the
The 2nd Battalion served in the
The 4th Battalion was raised in 1941 and also served in the Burma Campaign as part of the 7th Indian Infantry Division, fighting in five epic battles at North Arakan, Buthidaung (Battle of the Admin Box), Kohima, Pakkoku (Irrawaddy), and Sittang. The battalion had the unique distinction of getting four Battle Honours for the five battles fought. Major I M Brown of the 4th Battalion was one of the few soldiers of the Second World War who was awarded the Military Cross three times.[10]
Post Independence
On Independence, the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) was one of the six Gurkha regiments that remained part of the new Indian Army; they were renamed the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1950. The Regiment now has a total of six Battalions and has participated in virtually every major action the Indian Army has undertaken in its four wars with Pakistan, including the first heliborne operations undertaken by the army during the 1971 war. The regiment has participated in the following actions:[citation needed]
- Indo-Pak War of 1947–48
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
- Battle of Topa (Jammu and Kashmir)
- Battle of Atgram(East Pakistan) 1971
- Battle of Sylhet (East Pakistan) 1971
- Battle of Gazipur (East Pakistan—Bangladesh) 1971
The 1st and 4th Battalions were also a part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force which served in Sri Lanka and fought against the LTTE. During this deployment, the 4th Battalion's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Bawa, was injured and later died, along with many of his officers and soldiers. The regiment's present headquarters are at Shillong, in North-Eastern India.[citation needed]
Lineage
1858–1861: 25th Punjab Infantry
1861–1891: 5th Gurkha Regiment
1891–1901: 5th Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment
1901–1903: 5th Gurkha Rifles
1903–1921: 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force)
1921–1950: 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles
1950–present: 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force).[3]
Regimental Battalions and Affiliations
- 1st Battalion: 'FASFIF' & 'Jethi' is affiliated to 56 Field Regiment (JITRA) of The Indian Army.
- 2nd Battalion: 'SEKINFIF' (Victoria Cross Paltan)
- 3rd Battalion: 'THREEFIF'
- 4th Battalion: 'FOFIFF' & 'KANCHI',is affiliated to 110 Helicopter Unit, Indian Air Force.
- 5th Battalion: 'FIVFIV' &' CHINDITS' ( Ashok Chakra Paltan)
- 6th Battalion:
- 33 Rashtriya Rifles (58 GR)
- INS Khukri (P49): A 'Khukri'-class corvette of the Indian Navy
Battle honours
- 19th century: Peiwar Kotal, Charasiah, Kabul 1879, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878–80, Punjab Frontier;[11]
- First World War: North West Frontier 1917;[11]
- Inter War Years: North West Frontier 1936–39;[11]
- Second World War: Sittang 1945, Burma 1942–45;[11]
- Post Independence: Punjab 1971.[12]
Victoria Cross recipients
There were seven Victoria Crosses awarded to British officers and Gurkhas serving with the regiment prior to 1947:[13]
- Captain John Cook (1st Battalion): Afghanistan, 2 December 1878 (posthumously)
- Lieutenant Guy Boisragon (1st Battalion): Hunza, 2 December 1891
- Lieutenant John Manners-Smith (1st Battalion): Hunza, 20 December 1891
- Havildar Gaje Ghale (2nd Battalion): Burma, 27 May 1943
- Naik Agansing Rai (2nd Battalion): Burma, 26 June 1944
- Jemadar Netrabahadur Thapa (2nd Battalion): Burma, 26 June 1944 (posthumously)
- Rifleman Thaman Gurung (1st Battalion): Italy, 10 November 1944 (posthumously)
Maha Vir Chakra recipients
The following members of the regiment have received the Maha Vir Chakra:[citation needed]
- Lieutenant Colonel Anant Singh Pathania, MC (1st Battalion)
- L/Havildar Ram Prasad Gurung (1st Battalion)
- Major General H K Sibal
- Lt. Gen.) Zoravar Chand Bakshi
- Brigadier Mohindar Lal Whig
- Lieutenant Colonel (Later Brigadier) Arun Bhimrao Harolikar (4th Battalion)
- Rifleman (Later Havildar) Dil Bahadur Chettri (4th Battalion)
- Lieutenant Colonel Inder Bal Singh Bawa {Posthumous} (4th Battalion)
See also
Notes
- ^ Lieutenant General Bilimoria, His Life & Times by Major General Ian Cardozo, published 2016, Centre for Armed Forces Research, United Services Institute of India
- ^ Gaylor 1992, pp. 232–234
- ^ a b c d "5th Gurkha Rifles". Britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
- ^ a b Gaylor, p.233
- ^ Parker 2005, p. 118
- ^ Parker 2005, p. 126.
- ^ a b Gaylor, p.234
- ^ Parker 2005, pp. 212–213
- ^ Parker 2005, p. 219.
- ^ Roberts 1952,[page needed]
- ^ a b c d Parker 2005, p. 387.
- ^ "5th Gurkha Rifles". Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth. Archived from the original on 13 January 2006. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
- ^ Parker 2005, pp. 391–393.
References
- Anon. (1956). History of the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force), 1858–1947 (2 vols.), Aldershot, UK: Gale & Polden.
- Gaylor, John (1992). Sons of John Company: A History of the Indian and Pakistan Armies. London, UK: Spellmount Press.
- Palsokar, Col. R. D. (1990). History of the 5th Gorkha Rifles. Shillong: 9 Regt Centre.
- Parker, John (2005). The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7553-1415-7.
- Roberts, M.R. (1952). Golden Arrow, Aldershot, Gale & Polden.
External links
- "5th Gurkha Rifles". Britishempire.co.uk website. Retrieved 18 July 2008.