Brigade of the Guards
Encyclopedia
Brigade of The Guards is a regiment of the Indian Army. It is the first "All India" mixed "All Class" Composition Infantry Regiment of the Army where troops from all parts of India serve together in various battalions of the Regiment. The Guards Brigade was raised to implement the Government's policy of encouraging Army recruitment from classes and regions which had been under-represented in the forces. In the new regiment, called The Guards Brigade, the old system of class composition was replaced with recruitment open to all regions, castes, creeds, and sections of society. Three of the Army's oldest and most distinguished battalions—2nd Battalion of the 2nd Punjab Regiment, 1st Battalion of the Indian Grenadiers Regiment and 1st Battalion of the 6th Rajputana Rifles were converted as Guards battalions in 1949. Later, they were joined by the 1st Battalion of the 7th Rajput Regiment. It is the only regiment of Foot Guards
in the Indian Army
. Though the Brigade of The Guards is only 50 years old, its constituent battalions go back as far as 225 years and between them share 93 Battle Honours earned around the globe.
The President of India is the Honorary Colonel-in-Chief and the Chief of Army Staff is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Guards. The Guards Regimental Centre is at Kamptee in Maharashtra.
OBE
to be raised after independence of India. The first battalions of the Brigade of Guards were formed by taking the oldest battalions of some of the infantry regiments of the Indian Army. At the moment Brigade of the Guards consists of 19 battalions, the youngest being the 19th battalion. In the eighties, the Indian Army began to increase the number of mechanized infantry battalions on its order of battle. As part of this program, the battalions of the Brigade of Guards were eventually mechanized infantry.
and Angola
. The regiment has also been used in counter-insurgency
operations in India
.
that is made up of men from the different castes and regions of India
. The regiment also has two Territorial Army battalions attached to it.
s, 2 Ashoka Chakra
s, 1 Padma Bhushan
, 8 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 6 Maha Vir Chakra
s, 4 Kirti Chakra
s, 46 Vir Chakra
s, 18 Shaurya Chakra
s, 77 Sena Medal
s, 10 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 3 Yudh Seva Medals, 16 Vishisht Seva Medals, 45 Mention-in-Despatches, 151 COAS's Commendation Cards and 79 GOC-in-C's Commendation Cards
Selinghar; Carnatic; Mysore; Ava; Pegu; Suez Canal
; Nels, Krithia; Laos; Aden
; Point-551; Kanghaw; Naushera; Mangalore; Hyderabad; Gaza; Megiodo; Nablus; Curais; Seringapatnam; Beurabone; Punjab; Mooltan; Persia; Reshire; Khooshab; Central India; Basra; Shaiba; Ctesiphon; Defence of Kut-AI-Amarnath; Sidi Barrani; Keren; Cassino; Castele Hill; Leswarree; Deig; Bharatpore; Khelat; Mahrakpore; Chilianwallah; Goojerat and Punjab.
Foot Guards
-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Regular Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist. The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a reserve formation of the Household Brigade in existence from 1900-1901...
in 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...
. Though the Brigade of The Guards is only 50 years old, its constituent battalions go back as far as 225 years and between them share 93 Battle Honours earned around the globe.
The President of India is the Honorary Colonel-in-Chief and the Chief of Army Staff is the Colonel-in-Chief of The Guards. The Guards Regimental Centre is at Kamptee in Maharashtra.
History and Raising
Prior to the raising of the Guards, Indian Army infantry regiments derived their name from region, religion or sub caste. Also there was a message with its formation that country comes ahead of everything else including religion and caste. The Regiment was formed in 1949 as the first mixed class Indian regiment by Field Marshal KM CariappaKodandera Madappa Cariappa
Field Marshal Kodandera "Kipper" Madappa Cariappa OBE was the first Indian Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army and led the Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1947.He is among only two Indian Army officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal Field Marshal...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
to be raised after independence of India. The first battalions of the Brigade of Guards were formed by taking the oldest battalions of some of the infantry regiments of the Indian Army. At the moment Brigade of the Guards consists of 19 battalions, the youngest being the 19th battalion. In the eighties, the Indian Army began to increase the number of mechanized infantry battalions on its order of battle. As part of this program, the battalions of the Brigade of Guards were eventually mechanized infantry.
1971 Liberation War
In the 1971 war, the Brigade of the Guards participated in actions on both the Eastern and the Western fronts. The 14th Guards earned their first PVC ( Param Veer Chakra) through L/Nk Albert Ekka of Bravo Company, for heroism in the Gangasagar theatre: he single-handedly turned the tide against Pakistani defenders, who were firing from LMG and MMG from the top of a building, putting the entire attacking party in risk.UN Operations and Counter-Insurgency Operations
The Brigade of the Guards has also taken part in UN peace keeping operations in GazaGaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. The regiment has also been used in counter-insurgency
Counter-insurgency
A counter-insurgency or counterinsurgency involves actions taken by the recognized government of a nation to contain or quell an insurgency taken up against it...
operations in 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...
.
Current Strength
The regiment currently consists of a total of 19 battalions. The majority of these operate as mechanised infantry, with four operating in the reconnaissance and support role, in support of the border force. Of these, one is equipped as an anti-tank missile battalion and three proudly remain as infantry. Today, the regiment is one of three in the Indian ArmyIndian 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...
that is made up of men from the different castes and regions 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...
. The regiment also has two Territorial Army battalions attached to it.
- 1st Battalion (Mechanized)(former 2 Punjab)
- 2nd Battalion (Mechanized)(former 1 GrenadiersThe GrenadiersThe Grenadiers are an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India...
) - 3rd Battalion (Mechanized)(former 104th Wellesley's RiflesRajputana RiflesThe Rajputana Rifles is the most senior rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1921 as part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated together to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles...
) - 4th Battalion (Mechanized)(former 1 RajputRajput RegimentThe Rajput Regiment is a regiment in the Indian Army that is composed primarily of the Rajput clans from India. The British designated the Rajputs as a martial race and subsequently employed large numbers of these warriors in the British Indian Army....
) - 5th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 6th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 7th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 8th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 9th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 10th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 11th Battalion (Mechanized)
- 12th Battalion (Mechanized)(Recce & Sup - Tracked)
- 13th Battalion
- 14th Battalion (Mechanised)
- 15th Battalion (Recce & Sup)
- 16th Battalion (Recce & Sup)
- 17th Battalion (ATGM)
- 18th Battalion (Mechanised)
- 19th Battalion (Recce & Sup)
- 117th Battalion (Territorial Army)
- 125th Battalion (Territorial Army)
Gallantry Awards
2 Param Vir ChakraParam Vir Chakra
The Param Vir Chakra is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously....
s, 2 Ashoka Chakra
Ashoka Chakra
The Ashoka Chakra is depiction of the Buddhist Dharmachakra, represented with 24 spokes. It is so called because it appears on a number of edicts of Ashoka, most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath which has been adopted as the National Emblem of the Republic of India.The most...
s, 1 Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
, 8 Param Vishisht Seva Medals, 6 Maha Vir Chakra
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra is the second highest military decoration in India and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It may be awarded posthumously. Literally Maha Veer means extraordinarily brave.-Appearance:The medal is made...
s, 4 Kirti Chakra
Kirti Chakra
The Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
s, 46 Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
s, 18 Shaurya Chakra
Shaurya Chakra
The Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra...
s, 77 Sena Medal
Sena Medal
This article is about the Sena Medal, an Indian Military decoration. 'SM' redirects here The Sena Medal is awarded to members of the Indian army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made...
s, 10 Ati Vishisht Seva Medals, 3 Yudh Seva Medals, 16 Vishisht Seva Medals, 45 Mention-in-Despatches, 151 COAS's Commendation Cards and 79 GOC-in-C's Commendation Cards
Pre-Independence
Delhi 1803; Egypt 1876-1917; British East Africa 1878; Afghanistan 1878-80; Kandahar 1880; Burma 1891 ; China 1900; East Africa 1914-1916; Mesopotamia 1914- 1918, Egypt 1915, Gallipoli 1915, France and Flanders 1915, Kutal Amarah 1915; Palestine 1916-1918; Tigris 1916; Macedonia 1918; Afghanistan 1919; Donbaik 1943; Italy 1943-1945; Burma 1945; J&.K 1947-1948;Selinghar; Carnatic; Mysore; Ava; Pegu; Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
; Nels, Krithia; Laos; Aden
Aden
Aden 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...
; Point-551; Kanghaw; Naushera; Mangalore; Hyderabad; Gaza; Megiodo; Nablus; Curais; Seringapatnam; Beurabone; Punjab; Mooltan; Persia; Reshire; Khooshab; Central India; Basra; Shaiba; Ctesiphon; Defence of Kut-AI-Amarnath; Sidi Barrani; Keren; Cassino; Castele Hill; Leswarree; Deig; Bharatpore; Khelat; Mahrakpore; Chilianwallah; Goojerat and Punjab.