16th Punjab Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 16th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army
from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army
on Partition of India
in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st
, 14th
and 15th Punjab Regiment
s in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment
.
, 31st
, 33rd
and 46th Punjabis
, and 9th Bhopal Infantry
. Except for the 46th Punjabis, who were raised in 1900, the rest were raised during the upheaval of the Indian Mutiny in 1857-59. The 30th and 31st Punjabis were raised in 1857, as the 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry and Van Cortlandt's Levy respectively. The 33rd Punjabis were also raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy, while the 9th Bhopal Infantry was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy from the remnants of loyal elements of the Bhopal Contingent. The 30th and 31st Punjabis served in the Bhutan War of 1864-66 and all the battalions saw service on the North West Frontier of India. The 30th and 31st Punjabis along with the 9th Bhopal took part in the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, while the 33rd Punjabis served in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
of 1885-87.
, while their 2nd Battalion served in the Palestine Campaign. The regiment raised a total of three new battalions during the war. Another regiment that raised three battalions was the 9th Bhopal Infantry, who were dispatched to the killing fields of France
and Flanders
in 1914. The regiment suffered heavy losses at the Battles of Neuve Chapelle
, Festubert
, Givenchy
and the Second Ypres. In 1915, they arrived in Mesopotamia
, where Sepoy Chatta Singh
was awarded the Victoria Cross
for exceptional valour. By the time they returned home, only fifteen men remained of those who had sailed for France in 1914.
All war-raised battalions were disbanded after the war. 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 16th Punjab Regiment. The line-up of battalions for Solah Punjab was:
The class composition of the new regiment was Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogras. The new regimental badge consisted of a Maltese cross with a Muslim crescent and a Sikh quoit, surmounted by a Tudor crown with a scroll below. The uniform was scarlet with white facings. Multan
in the Punjab
was chosen as the permanent station for the Training Battalion.
, they had fought in the campaign with great gallantry. The 1st, 5th and 7th Battalions also performed well in Burma, while the 4th Battalion's performance in Africa and Italy rivalled their gallant conduct during the First World War. Lance Naik Sher Shah
of the 7th Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross
in Burma. During the war, the 16 Punjab Regiment suffered a total of 2744 casualties including 990 killed or died of wounds.
and independence of Pakistan
in 1947, the 16th Punjab Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army. At the time, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th. Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to the Indian Army
and the regiment's new class composition was fixed as Punjabis and Pathans. In 1948, the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions fought in the war with India in Kashmir
. In 1956, a major reorganization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 16th Punjab Regiment was amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 15th Punjab Regiments to form one large Punjab Regiment. The four regimental centres were also merged and the combined centre moved to Mardan
. The line-up of the new regiment was:
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...
from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
on 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, and amalgamated with the 1st
1st Punjab Regiment
The 1st Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
, 14th
14th Punjab Regiment
The 14th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to the Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 15th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956, to form the Punjab Regiment....
and 15th Punjab Regiment
15th Punjab Regiment
The 15th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947, and amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 16th Punjab Regiments in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment....
s in 1956 to form the Punjab Regiment
Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)
The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
.
Early History
The 16th Punjab Regiment was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of the 30th30th Punjabis
The 30th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 30th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 31st
31st Punjabis
The 31st Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as Van Cortlandt's Levy. The regiment was designated as the 31st Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
, 33rd
33rd Punjabis
The 33rd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was designated as the 33rd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
and 46th Punjabis
46th Punjabis
The 46th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1900, as the 46th Regiment of Bengal Infantry. It was designated as the 46th Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th Battalion of 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 16th Punjab...
, and 9th Bhopal Infantry
9th Bhopal Infantry
The 9th Bhopal Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy. It was designated as the 9th Bhopal Infantry in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
. Except for the 46th Punjabis, who were raised in 1900, the rest were raised during the upheaval of the Indian Mutiny in 1857-59. The 30th and 31st Punjabis were raised in 1857, as the 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry and Van Cortlandt's Levy respectively. The 33rd Punjabis were also raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy, while the 9th Bhopal Infantry was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy from the remnants of loyal elements of the Bhopal Contingent. The 30th and 31st Punjabis served in the Bhutan War of 1864-66 and all the battalions saw service on the North West Frontier of India. The 30th and 31st Punjabis along with the 9th Bhopal took part in the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, while the 33rd Punjabis served in the Third Anglo-Burmese War
Third Anglo-Burmese War
The Third Anglo-Burmese War was a conflict that took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance and insurgency continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the British...
of 1885-87.
First World War
The 30th Punjabis served with distinction in the German East AfricaGerman East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
, while their 2nd Battalion served in the Palestine Campaign. The regiment raised a total of three new battalions during the war. Another regiment that raised three battalions was the 9th Bhopal Infantry, who were dispatched to the killing fields of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1914. The regiment suffered heavy losses at the Battles of Neuve Chapelle
Battle of Neuve Chapelle
The Battles of Neuve Chapelle and Artois was a battle in the First World War. It was a British offensive in the Artois region and broke through at Neuve-Chapelle but they were unable to exploit the advantage.The battle began on 10 March 1915...
, Festubert
Festubert
Festubert is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. The village was on the Western Front during the First World War and was largely destroyed in the May 1915 Battle of Festubert.-Geography:...
, Givenchy
Battle of Givenchy
Battle of Givenchy was a battle fought during World War I as part of the First Battle of Champagne, that saw an initially advancing British force face strong opposition and counter-attack from a solidly entrenched German force around the village of Givenchy.With the French under heavy pressure at...
and the Second Ypres. In 1915, they arrived in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, where Sepoy Chatta Singh
Chatta Singh
Chatta 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.-Details:He was approx...
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....
for exceptional valour. By the time they returned home, only fifteen men remained of those who had sailed for France in 1914.
- 30th Punjabis - India, German East AfricaGerman East AfricaGerman East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
, EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
. - 2/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India, Egypt, PalestinePalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. - 3/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India.
- 4/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India.
- 31st Punjabis - India, MesopotamiaMesopotamiaMesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
, GreeceGreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. - 33rd Punjabis - India, Egypt, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, AdenAdenAden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a...
, German East Africa. - 2/33rd Punjabis - Raised in 1917. India.
- 9th Bhopal Infantry - India, France, Egypt, Mesopotamia.
- 2/9th Bhopal Infantry (The Delhi Regiment) - Raised in 1917. India, Mesopotamia.
- 3/9th Bhopal Infantry - Raised in 1917. India, Mesopotamia.
- 4/9th Bhopal Infantry - Raised in 1918. India.
- 46th Punjabis - India, Egypt.
All war-raised battalions were disbanded after the war. 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 16th Punjab Regiment. The line-up of battalions for Solah Punjab was:
- 1st Battalion - 30th Punjabis30th PunjabisThe 30th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the 22nd Regiment of Punjab Infantry. It was designated as the 30th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 2nd Battalion - 31st Punjabis31st PunjabisThe 31st Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as Van Cortlandt's Levy. The regiment was designated as the 31st Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 3rd Battalion - 33rd Punjabis33rd PunjabisThe 33rd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1857, as the Allahabad Levy. It was designated as the 33rd Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 4th Battalion - 9th Bhopal Infantry9th Bhopal InfantryThe 9th Bhopal Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1859, as the Bhopal Levy. It was designated as the 9th Bhopal Infantry in 1903 and became 4th Battalion 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922...
- 10th (Training) Battalion - 46th Punjabis46th PunjabisThe 46th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1900, as the 46th Regiment of Bengal Infantry. It was designated as the 46th Punjabis in 1903 and became 10th Battalion of 16th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1943, it was converted into the 16th Punjab...
.
The class composition of the new regiment was Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogras. The new regimental badge consisted of a Maltese cross with a Muslim crescent and a Sikh quoit, surmounted by a Tudor crown with a scroll below. The uniform was scarlet with white facings. Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
in the Punjab
Punjab region
The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...
was chosen as the permanent station for the Training Battalion.
Second World War
The performance of 16th Punjab Regiment in the Second World War was excellent. Even though the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were captured by the Japanese at SingaporeSingapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, they had fought in the campaign with great gallantry. The 1st, 5th and 7th Battalions also performed well in Burma, while the 4th Battalion's performance in Africa and Italy rivalled their gallant conduct during the First World War. Lance Naik Sher Shah
Sher Shah
Sher Shah may refer to:* Sher Shah Suri , founder of the Suri dynasty* Sher Shah , neighbourhood of Kiamari Town, Karachi, Pakistan* Sher Shah , town in Multan District, Pakistan...
of the 7th Battalion 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 Burma. During the war, the 16 Punjab Regiment suffered a total of 2744 casualties including 990 killed or died of wounds.
- 1st Battalion - India, Burma, Dutch East IndiesDutch East IndiesThe Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
. - 2nd Battalion - India, MalayaBritish MalayaBritish Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. Captured by the Japanese at SingaporeSingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
in February 1942. Re-raised in 1945. - 3rd Battalion - India, Malaya, Singapore. Captured by the Japanese in February 1942. Re-raised in 1946 as 3rd (Para) Battalion.
- 4th Battalion - India, North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
, Italian East AfricaItalian East AfricaItalian East Africa was an Italian colonial administrative subdivision established in 1936, resulting from the merger of the Ethiopian Empire with the old colonies of Italian Somaliland and Italian Eritrea. In August 1940, British Somaliland was conquered and annexed to Italian East Africa...
, ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, PalestinePalestinePalestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
. - 5th Battalion - Raised in 1940. India, Burma. Re-designated as 2/16th Punjab in 1945.
- 6th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Ceylon. Re-designated as 3/16th Punjab in 1946.
- 7th Battalion - Raised in 1941. India, Burma, Malaya. Disbanded January 1948; re-raised October 1948.
- 9th Battalion - Raised in 1943 by re-designation of 25th Garrison Battalion on conversion to active status. India. Disbanded 1945.
- 25th Garrison Battalion - Raised in 1941. India. Redesignated as 9/16th Punjab in 1943 on conversion to active status. India.
- 26th Garrison Battalion - Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1946.
Post Independence History
On the Partition of IndiaPartition 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...
and independence of 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 1947, the 16th Punjab Regiment was allotted to Pakistan Army. At the time, the active battalions were 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 7th. Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to 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...
and the regiment's new class composition was fixed as Punjabis and Pathans. In 1948, the 1st, 3rd and 4th Battalions fought in the war with India in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. In 1956, a major reorganization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and larger infantry groups were created by amalgamating the existing infantry regiments. As a result, the 16th Punjab Regiment was amalgamated with the 1st, 14th and 15th Punjab Regiments to form one large Punjab Regiment. The four regimental centres were also merged and the combined centre moved to Mardan
Mardan
Mardan , known as The city of hospitality, is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is the de facto headquarters of the Yousafzai tribe and the second most populous city in the province, located at 34°12'0N 72°1'60E and an altitude of in the south...
. The line-up of the new regiment was:
- 1 Punjab - 1/1st Punjab
- 2 Punjab - 2/1st Punjab
- 3 Punjab - 3/1st Punjab
- 4 Punjab - 5/1st Punjab
- 5 Punjab - 1/14th Punjab
- 6 Punjab - 2/14th Punjab (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
- 7 Punjab - 3/14th Punjab
- 8 Punjab - 4/14th Punjab
- 9 Punjab - 1/15th Punjab
- 10 Punjab - 2/15th Punjab
- 11 Punjab - 3/15th Punjab
- 12 Punjab - 4/15th Punjab
- 13 Punjab - 1/16th Punjab
- 14 Punjab - 2/16th Punjab
- 15 Punjab - 3/16th Punjab
- 16 Punjab - 5/14th Punjab (Pathans)
- 17 Punjab - 4/16th Punjab (Bhopal)
- 18 Punjab - 7/1st Punjab
- 19 Punjab - 7/16th Punjab
- 20 Punjab - 14/1st Punjab
Battle Honours
Afghanistan 1879-80, Burma 1885-87, Chitral, Tirah, Malakand, Punjab Frontier, La Bassee 1914, Messines 1914, Armentieres 1914, Festubert 1914, Givenchy 1914, Ypres 1915, St Julien, Aubers, Loos, France and Flanders 1914-15, Macedonia 1918, Suez Canal, Egypt 1915-16, Megiddo, Nablus, Palestine 1918, Aden, Tigris 1916, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1915-18, NW Frontier India, 1915, 1916-17, Behobeho, Narungombe, Nyangao, East Africa 1917-18, Afghanistan 1919, Mescelit Pass, Mt Engiahat, Massawa, Abyssinia 1940-41, Sidi Barrani, Omars, Benghazi, El Alamein, Mareth, Akarit, Djebel Garci, Tunis, North Africa 1940-43, Cassino I, Italy 1943-45, Kroh, Jitra, Gurun, Ipoh, Kampar, The Muar, Singapore Island, Malaya 1941-42, Fort White, North Arakan, Kaladan, Maungdaw, Ngakyedauk Pass, Imphal, Tamu Road, Litan, Arakan Beaches, Burma 1942-45, Kashmir 1948.Further reading
- Lawford, Lt Col JP, and Catto, Maj WE. (1967). Solah Punjab: The History of the 16th Punjab Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Lawford, James. (1972). 30th Punjabis. London: Osprey.
- Qureshi, Col HU. History of DoSolah: 14th Battalion The Punjab Regiment 1857-1985.
- Jackson, Maj CC, Martin, Lt Col GD, and Smith, Col H. (1931). Historical Record of the 4th Battalion, 16th Punjab Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Qureshi, Brig MI. (2003). The Haidris: 17 Punjab Regiment in Indo-Pak War, 1965. Quetta: Command & Staff College.
- Rizvi, Brig SHA. (1984). Veteran Campaigners – A History of the Punjab Regiment 1759-1981. Lahore: Wajidalis.
- Cardew, Lt FG. (1903). A Sketch of the Services of the Bengal Native Army to the Year 1895. Calcutta: Military Department.