Guides Infantry
Encyclopedia
The Guides Infantry, or 2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment
, is an infantry battalion of the Pakistan Army
. It was raised in 1846 as part of the famous Corps of Guides
. During more than a hundred and fifty years of glorious military service, the battalion has earned a formidable reputation of one of the finest military units in the world.
was raised at Peshawar
on 14 December 1846 by Lieutenant Harry Burnett Lumsden
on the orders of Sir Henry Lawrence
, the British Resident at Lahore
, capital of the enfeebled Sikh Empire. Initially composed of a troop of cavalry and two companies of infantry mounted on camels, the Guides were organized as a highly mobile force. The corps was ordered to recruit
Although the corps recruited men from all over the country and even beyond the Frontier
of India, Pathans, Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogra
s later formed the bulk of their manpower.
Harry Lumsden was chosen to train and lead the force:
Lumsden left a lasting imprint on the Guides, who first fought in numerous frontier operations. Believing that fighting troops were for service and not for show, Lumsden introduced loose and comfortable dust-coloured uniforms for the first time, which would soon become famous as "khaki
" and within decades would be adopted by most of the armies of the world. In 1851, the Guides established themselves at Mardan
, which would remain their home until 1938.
In 1851, The Corps of Guides became part of the Punjab Irregular Force
, which later became famous as the Punjab Frontier Force or Piffers. The Piffers consisted of five regiments of cavalry, eleven regiments of infantry and five batteries of artillery besides the Corps of Guides. Their mission was to maintain order on the Punjab Frontier; a task they performed with great aplomb during the next fifty years.
In 1876, Queen Victoria rewarded the Guides by granting them the use of the Royal Cypher
and they became the Queen's Own Corps of Guides with the Prince of Wales
as their Colonel. During the First World War, the cavalry and infantry of the Guides fought separately. During the war, the Guides Infantry raised three more battalions. The 3rd and 4th Guides Infantry were disbanded after the war. In 1921, the cavalry and infantry components were formally separated; the cavalry becoming the 10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force), while the infantry joined the newly formed 12th Frontier Force Regiment
to make up the 5th and 10th (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) Battalions of the new infantry regiment. The 10th became the Training Battalion of the regiment. Their new class composition was one company each of Punjabi Muslims, Pathans, Sikhs and Dogras. The regiment adopted the drab uniform with red facings of the Corps of Guides. In 1943, the 10th (Training) Battalion was converted into the 12th Frontier Force Regimental Centre, while in 1945, '12' was dropped from the regiment's designation, changing it to The Frontier Force Regiment.
On the Partition of India
in 1947, the Frontier Force Regiment was allotted to Pakistan
. The Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to India
and the new class composition of the regiment became Punjabi Muslims and Pathans in equal proportion. In 1956, the Frontier Force Rifles
and Pathan Regiment were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment and all the battalions were re-numbered. At the same time, since Pakistan had become a republic, all titles pertaining to British royalty were dropped. Consequently, the Guides Infantry was redesignated as the 2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment or 2 FF (Guides). On 14 February 1981, the Corps of Guides was resurrected with the re-unification of the Guides Infantry and Cavalry in an impressive ceremony at Multan. General Muhammad Iqbal Khan
, CJSC, was appointed Colonel of the Corps of Guides.
of India in numerous operations against the turbulent frontier tribes. Between 1847 and 1878, the corps participated in fifteen major frontier expeditions and operations. Their formidable reputation soon spread far and wide, and was immortalized by Rudyard Kipling
in several of his works such as The Ballad of East and West. By the turn of the century, the Guides had acquired such a legendary status that when Robert Baden-Powell
, the founder of Boy Scouts
, decided to form a similar organization for girls in 1909, he named them Girl Guides
after the Corps of Guides. How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire
, the Girl Guides' handbook has this to say about the Corps of Guides:
at the Sikh Durbar at Lahore to control the affairs of the Sikh state. However, the Sikhs resented British interference in their affairs and began planning a revolt. Early in 1848, Lumsden and his Guides were summoned to Lahore to gather evidence of the planned Sikh insurrection - a mission that they successfully carried out. However, British counter-measures were unable to prevent the revolt, which broke out at Multan
in April 1848 and soon spread to the rest of the country. The Guides served at the Siege of Multan
and then participated in the Battle of Gujrat on 21 February 1849, where the Sikh Army was decisively defeated. The Second Sikh War resulted in the dissolution of the Sikh state and annexation of the Punjab by the British.
and Captain Henry Daly led the Guides to join the Delhi Field Force then besieging the ancient capital city. They left Hoti Mardan on 13 May and arrived at Delhi
on 9 June after marching 580 miles in twenty-six days and fourteen hours in the searing Indian summer!
The Guides went into action the same day and by evening, all of their officers had been killed or wounded. They continued to fight gallantly throughout the summer and took part in the final assault and capture of Delhi
. By the time they returned home, they had suffered 350 casualties out of the 600 men who had set out in May. For their gallant conduct at Delhi, they were awarded the distinction of red piping on their tunic collars; an honour shared with the 60th Foot and the Sirmoor Rifles
, who fought alongside them at Delhi.
and took part in the capture of Ali Masjid
, the advance to Jalalabad
and the cavalry action at Fatehabad
, where Lieutenant Walter Hamilton
won the Victoria Cross
for gallantry. Following the Treaty of Gandamak
in May 1879, the Afghan King agreed to the presence of a British Mission in Kabul
. The mission, led by Sir Louis Cavagnari, arrived in Kabul on 24 July 1879, escorted by a detachment of 76 Guides under Lieutenant Hamilton, VC. However, on 3 September, a disgruntled regiment of the Afghan Army attacked the British Residency
. Although the Afghans offered quarter to the Indian ranks, the Guides chose to fight to the death. The Residency finally fell after twelve hours of fierce resistance by the Guides, who perished to the last man along with 600 of their foes. The sacrifice of these gallant men is commemorated in the impressive Guides Memorial at Mardan with the following words:
The epic stand of the Guides at Kabul Residency was immortalized by MM Kaye in her bestselling novel The Far Pavilions
and in the 1984 motion picture of the same name.
The massacre at Kabul led to the resumption of hostilities and in December 1879, the Guides were dispatched to join the Kabul Field Force
under General Sir Frederick Roberts
at Sherpur Cantonment
near Kabul. They participated in the attacks on Takht-i-Shah and Asmai Heights
, where Captain Arthur Hammond won the Victoria Cross
for conspicuous gallantry.
After the Second Afghan War, the Guides were involved in a number of actions along the North West Frontier
including the Relief of Chitral
in 1895, as part of Malakand and Buner Field Forces during the Frontier Uprising of 1897-98, and in the Mohmand Expedition of 1908. In 1906, the Corps of Guides was reorganized into separates units of cavalry and infantry within the corps.
, the Corps of Guides initially remained in India for service on the Frontier; both Guides Infantry and Cavalry participating in the Mohmand Blockade
in 1915. In January 1917, a second battalion of Guides Infantry was raised by Captain RCG Pollock at Mardan. In October, the 3rd Guides Infantry was raised by Colonel GP Villiers Stuart, also at Mardan, while the 4th Guides Infantry was raised in October 1918 by Lieutenant ND Douglas at Nowshera. In 1917, the 1st Guides Infantry joined the 7th (Meerut) Division
in Mesopotamia and fought in the Action of Tikrit. In 1918, both 1st and 2nd Guides Infantry served in Palestine
and took part in the Battle of Megiddo
, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. The 3rd Guides Infantry served in the Third Afghan War of 1919. It was disbanded in August 1921. The 4th Guides Infantry was disbanded in December 1918.
The end of the war also spelt the end of the Corps of Guides as a unit. In the post-war reorganization of the Indian Army in 1921, the corps was broken up and the cavalry and infantry became separate units, with the two battalions of Guides Infantry joining the 12th Frontier Force Regiment
as its 5th and 10th Battalions.
and Iran
, guarding against the German threat from the north. They were not engaged in any fighting.
in 1948. The battalion was instrumental in checking the Indian offensive in the Kishenganga Valley, where it fought with great gallantry at Tithwal and foiled all enemy efforts at advance. The Guides suffered casualties of 37 killed and 105 wounded, and were awarded eleven gallantry awards.
Overall the battalion received nine gallantry awards.
Awards
♦Sitar-e-Jurrat: Major Aziz Ahmed
♦Tamgha-e-Jurrat: Naib Subedar Muhammad Bashir
♦Commendation Card: Sepoy Jumma Khan
Frontier Force Regiment
For Pakistan's Border Guard see: Frontier CorpsThe Frontier Force Regiment is one of six Infantry regiments in the Pakistan Army. At present, the regiment consists of 67 battalions and has its regimental depot at Abbottabad in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. For that reason Abbottabad is also known as Home of...
, is an infantry battalion of the 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...
. It was raised in 1846 as part of the famous Corps of Guides
Corps of Guides (British India)
The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Indian Army which served in the North West Frontier and had a unique composition of being part infantry and part cavalry.-History:...
. During more than a hundred and fifty years of glorious military service, the battalion has earned a formidable reputation of one of the finest military units in the world.
Historical Overview
The Corps of GuidesCorps of Guides (British India)
The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Indian Army which served in the North West Frontier and had a unique composition of being part infantry and part cavalry.-History:...
was raised at Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
on 14 December 1846 by Lieutenant Harry Burnett Lumsden
Harry Burnett Lumsden
Lieutenant-General Sir Harry Burnett "Joe" Lumsden was a British military officer active in India.Lumsden was born aboard the East India Company’s ship Rose in the Bay of Bengal, the son of a British Army Colonel Thomas Lumsden, C.B...
on the orders of Sir Henry Lawrence
Henry Lawrence
Henry Lawrence may refer to:* Henry Lawrence , President of the English Council of State during the Protectorate* Henry Montgomery Lawrence , British soldier and statesman* Henry F...
, the British Resident at Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, capital of the enfeebled Sikh Empire. Initially composed of a troop of cavalry and two companies of infantry mounted on camels, the Guides were organized as a highly mobile force. The corps was ordered to recruit
- trustworthy men, who could, at a moment's notice, act as guides to troops in the field; men capable, too, of collecting trustworthy intelligence beyond, as well as within, our borders; and, in addition to all this, men, ready to give and take hard blows, whether on the frontier or in a wider field.
Although the corps recruited men from all over the country and even beyond the Frontier
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
of India, Pathans, Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogra
Dogra
The Dogras are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group in South Asia. Being a diversified group, the Dogras include both Savarnas such as Brahmins, Rajputs and Non-savarnas. The Dogras also incluide merchant castes such as Mahajans...
s later formed the bulk of their manpower.
Harry Lumsden was chosen to train and lead the force:
- He was a man of strong character, athletic, brave, resolute, cool and resourceful in emergency; a man of rare ability and natural aptitude for war, and possessed, moreover, of that magnetic influence which communicates the highest confidence and devotion to those who follow. Lumsden upheld the principle that the greatest and best school for war is war itself. He believed in the elasticity which begets individual self-confidence, and preferred a body of men taught to act and fight with personal intelligence.
Lumsden left a lasting imprint on the Guides, who first fought in numerous frontier operations. Believing that fighting troops were for service and not for show, Lumsden introduced loose and comfortable dust-coloured uniforms for the first time, which would soon become famous as "khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
" and within decades would be adopted by most of the armies of the world. In 1851, the Guides established themselves at 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...
, which would remain their home until 1938.
In 1851, The Corps of Guides became part of the Punjab Irregular Force
Punjab Irregular Force
The Punjab Irregular Force was created in 1851, to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British armies of the 3 Presidencies of Bengal, Bombay or Madras, but was under the control of the British chief magistrate of...
, which later became famous as the Punjab Frontier Force or Piffers. The Piffers consisted of five regiments of cavalry, eleven regiments of infantry and five batteries of artillery besides the Corps of Guides. Their mission was to maintain order on the Punjab Frontier; a task they performed with great aplomb during the next fifty years.
In 1876, Queen Victoria rewarded the Guides by granting them the use of the Royal Cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
and they became the Queen's Own Corps of Guides with the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
as their Colonel. During the First World War, the cavalry and infantry of the Guides fought separately. During the war, the Guides Infantry raised three more battalions. The 3rd and 4th Guides Infantry were disbanded after the war. In 1921, the cavalry and infantry components were formally separated; the cavalry becoming the 10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force), while the infantry joined the newly formed 12th Frontier Force Regiment
12th Frontier Force Regiment
The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
to make up the 5th and 10th (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) Battalions of the new infantry regiment. The 10th became the Training Battalion of the regiment. Their new class composition was one company each of Punjabi Muslims, Pathans, Sikhs and Dogras. The regiment adopted the drab uniform with red facings of the Corps of Guides. In 1943, the 10th (Training) Battalion was converted into the 12th Frontier Force Regimental Centre, while in 1945, '12' was dropped from the regiment's designation, changing it to The Frontier Force Regiment.
On the 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, the Frontier Force Regiment was allotted to 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...
. The Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to 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...
and the new class composition of the regiment became Punjabi Muslims and Pathans in equal proportion. In 1956, the Frontier Force Rifles
13th Frontier Force Rifles
The 13th Frontier Force Rifles was part of the British Indian Army, and after 1947, Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by amalgamation of five existing regiments and consisted of five regular battalions.-History:...
and Pathan Regiment were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment and all the battalions were re-numbered. At the same time, since Pakistan had become a republic, all titles pertaining to British royalty were dropped. Consequently, the Guides Infantry was redesignated as the 2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment or 2 FF (Guides). On 14 February 1981, the Corps of Guides was resurrected with the re-unification of the Guides Infantry and Cavalry in an impressive ceremony at Multan. General Muhammad Iqbal Khan
Iqbal Khan (general)
General Muhammad Iqbal Khan, NI, SBt, is a former four star general of the Pakistan Army who stayed as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from 1980 to 1984 during the martial regime of Chief Martial Law Administrator and Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Army General Zia-ul-Haq...
, CJSC, was appointed Colonel of the Corps of Guides.
Campaigns
Frontier Operations
The intrepid Guides quickly made a name for themselves on the North West FrontierNorth-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
of India in numerous operations against the turbulent frontier tribes. Between 1847 and 1878, the corps participated in fifteen major frontier expeditions and operations. Their formidable reputation soon spread far and wide, and was immortalized by Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
in several of his works such as The Ballad of East and West. By the turn of the century, the Guides had acquired such a legendary status that when Robert Baden-Powell
Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell
Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, Bt, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB , also known as B-P or Lord Baden-Powell, was a lieutenant-general in the British Army, writer, and founder of the Scout Movement....
, the founder of Boy Scouts
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
, decided to form a similar organization for girls in 1909, he named them Girl Guides
Girl Guides
A Guide, Girl Guide or Girl Scout is a member of a section of some Guiding organisations who is between the ages of 10 and 14. Age limits are different in each organisation. It is the female-centred equivalent of the Scouts. The term Girl Scout is used in the United States and several East Asian...
after the Corps of Guides. How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire
How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire
The Handbook for the Girl Guides or How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire is the full title of the book more commonly known as How Girls Can Help to Build up the Empire. It was the first handbook for Girl Guides. The author was Agnes Baden-Powell in conjunction with Lieutenant-General Sir...
, the Girl Guides' handbook has this to say about the Corps of Guides:
- On the Indian frontier the mountain tribes are continually fighting, and our troops there are renowned for their splendid achievement and gallant conduct. The best known of all is the corps called "The Guides" … To be a Guide out there means you are one who can be relied upon for pluck, for being able to endure difficulty and danger, for being able cheerfully to take up any job that may be required, and for readiness to sacrifice yourself for others.
Second Sikh War 1848-49
Following their victory in the First Sikh War of 1845-46, the British posted a ResidentResident (title)
A Resident, or in full Resident Minister, is a government official required to take up permanent residence in another country. A representative of his government, he officially has diplomatic functions which are often seen as a form of indirect rule....
at the Sikh Durbar at Lahore to control the affairs of the Sikh state. However, the Sikhs resented British interference in their affairs and began planning a revolt. Early in 1848, Lumsden and his Guides were summoned to Lahore to gather evidence of the planned Sikh insurrection - a mission that they successfully carried out. However, British counter-measures were unable to prevent the revolt, which broke out at 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 April 1848 and soon spread to the rest of the country. The Guides served at the Siege of Multan
Siege of Multan
The Siege of Multan was a prolonged contest between the city and state of Multan and the British East India Company. The siege lasted between 19 April 1848, when a rebellion in the city against a ruler imposed by the East India Company precipitated the Second Anglo-Sikh War, and 22 January 1849,...
and then participated in the Battle of Gujrat on 21 February 1849, where the Sikh Army was decisively defeated. The Second Sikh War resulted in the dissolution of the Sikh state and annexation of the Punjab by the British.
The Great Indian Mutiny of 1857
In March 1857, when the mutiny broke out, Lumsden was on a mission at KandaharKandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
and Captain Henry Daly led the Guides to join the Delhi Field Force then besieging the ancient capital city. They left Hoti Mardan on 13 May and arrived at Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
on 9 June after marching 580 miles in twenty-six days and fourteen hours in the searing Indian summer!
- The moral effect of the arrival of the Guides in Delhi was perhaps in some measure greater even than the actual fighting strength thus brought into line. The fame of the march from the far distant frontier, the fine physique and martial bearing of soldiers drawn from warlike tribes new to the eyes of their British comrades, ... all tended to give the approach of the travel-stained Guides a high significance. An eye-witness recorded: They came in as firm and light as if they had marched but a single mile.
The Guides went into action the same day and by evening, all of their officers had been killed or wounded. They continued to fight gallantly throughout the summer and took part in the final assault and capture of Delhi
Siege of Delhi
The Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...
. By the time they returned home, they had suffered 350 casualties out of the 600 men who had set out in May. For their gallant conduct at Delhi, they were awarded the distinction of red piping on their tunic collars; an honour shared with the 60th Foot and the Sirmoor Rifles
2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles , where it exists to this day...
, who fought alongside them at Delhi.
Second Afghan War 1878-80
During the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, the Guides joined the Peshawar Field Force under General Sir Sam BrowneSam Browne
General Sir Samuel James Browne VC GCB KCSI was a British Indian Army cavalry officer in India and the Afghanistan, best known today as the namesake of the Sam Browne belt...
and took part in the capture of Ali Masjid
Battle of Ali Masjid
The Battle of Ali Masjid, which took place on 21 November 1878, was the opening battle in the Second Anglo-Afghan War between the British forces, under Lieutenant-General Sir Samuel James Browne, and the Afghan tribesmen, under Ghulam Haider Khan...
, the advance to Jalalabad
Jalalabad
Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with...
and the cavalry action at Fatehabad
Fatehabad, Afghanistan
-History:Fatehabad has been the site of two major battles:*During the Afghan Wars of Succession, a battle was fought there in 1041*During the Second Anglo-Afghan War, a battle was fought there in 1879-References:...
, where Lieutenant Walter Hamilton
Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton
Walter Richard Pollock Hamilton VC was born in Inistioge, County Kilkenny and was an Irish 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. He is featured in M. M...
won 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 gallantry. Following the Treaty of Gandamak
Treaty of Gandamak
The Treaty of Gandamak officially ended the first phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Afghanistan ceded various frontier areas to Britain to prevent invasion of further areas of the country....
in May 1879, the Afghan King agreed to the presence of a British Mission in Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
. The mission, led by Sir Louis Cavagnari, arrived in Kabul on 24 July 1879, escorted by a detachment of 76 Guides under Lieutenant Hamilton, VC. However, on 3 September, a disgruntled regiment of the Afghan Army attacked the British Residency
The Residency
The Residency is the usual name of the official residence of a Resident, Resident Commissioner or Resident Councillor in the British Empire....
. Although the Afghans offered quarter to the Indian ranks, the Guides chose to fight to the death. The Residency finally fell after twelve hours of fierce resistance by the Guides, who perished to the last man along with 600 of their foes. The sacrifice of these gallant men is commemorated in the impressive Guides Memorial at Mardan with the following words:
- The annals of no army and no regiment can show a brighter record of devoted bravery than has been achieved by this small band of Guides.
The epic stand of the Guides at Kabul Residency was immortalized by MM Kaye in her bestselling novel The Far Pavilions
The Far Pavilions
The Far Pavilions is an epic novel of British-Indian history by M. M. Kaye, first published in 1978, which tells the story of an English officer during the Great Game. The novel, rooted deeply in the romantic epics of the 19th century, has been hailed as a masterpiece of storytelling...
and in the 1984 motion picture of the same name.
The massacre at Kabul led to the resumption of hostilities and in December 1879, the Guides were dispatched to join the Kabul Field Force
Kabul Field Force
The Kabul Field Force was a field force created in September 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, under the command of General Frederick Roberts...
under General Sir Frederick Roberts
Frederick Roberts
Frederick Roberts or Fred Roberts may refer to:* Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts , Anglo-Irish soldier and one of the most successful commanders of the Victorian era...
at Sherpur Cantonment
Sherpur Cantonment
Sherpur Cantonment, or the British Cemetery, is located in Kabul, Afghanistan.The place used to be a British military camp or Cantonment, the site of the 1879 Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment in the Second Anglo-Afghan War....
near Kabul. They participated in the attacks on Takht-i-Shah and Asmai Heights
Asmai Heights
The Asmai Heights are a mountain range within Kabul Province on the outskirts of Kabul City, Afghanistan. It is known colloquially as TV Hill due to the large tv mast at its summit. The heights are the site of an ancient fort...
, where Captain Arthur Hammond won 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 conspicuous gallantry.
After the Second Afghan War, the Guides were involved in a number of actions along the North West Frontier
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
including the Relief of Chitral
Chitral Expedition
The Chitral Expedition was a military expedition in 1895 sent by the British authorities to relieve the fort at Chitral which was under siege after a local coup.-Background to the conflict:Chitral was at the extreme north west of British India...
in 1895, as part of Malakand and Buner Field Forces during the Frontier Uprising of 1897-98, and in the Mohmand Expedition of 1908. In 1906, the Corps of Guides was reorganized into separates units of cavalry and infantry within the corps.
First World War
On the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Corps of Guides initially remained in India for service on the Frontier; both Guides Infantry and Cavalry participating in the Mohmand Blockade
Mohmand Blockade
The Mohmand Blockade was a blockade formed by a series of blockhouses and barbed wire defences, along the Mohmand border on the North West Frontier by the Indian Army during World War I. The Blockade began after a number of Mohmand raids into Peshawar. The most important engagement occurred on 15...
in 1915. In January 1917, a second battalion of Guides Infantry was raised by Captain RCG Pollock at Mardan. In October, the 3rd Guides Infantry was raised by Colonel GP Villiers Stuart, also at Mardan, while the 4th Guides Infantry was raised in October 1918 by Lieutenant ND Douglas at Nowshera. In 1917, the 1st Guides Infantry joined the 7th (Meerut) Division
7th (Meerut) Division
The 7th Division was an infantry division of the British Indian Army that saw active service during World War I.-Pre-Mutiny:The Meerut Division first appeared in the Indian Army List in 1829, under the command of Sir Jasper Nicolls, KCB...
in Mesopotamia and fought in the Action of Tikrit. In 1918, both 1st and 2nd Guides Infantry served in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and took part in the Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Megiddo refers to one of the major battles fought near the ancient site of Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley of northern Israel. Of these, the first is by far the most common allusion:...
, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. The 3rd Guides Infantry served in the Third Afghan War of 1919. It was disbanded in August 1921. The 4th Guides Infantry was disbanded in December 1918.
The end of the war also spelt the end of the Corps of Guides as a unit. In the post-war reorganization of the Indian Army in 1921, the corps was broken up and the cavalry and infantry became separate units, with the two battalions of Guides Infantry joining the 12th Frontier Force Regiment
12th Frontier Force Regiment
The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was part of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945 the prenomial "12th" was dropped when the British...
as its 5th and 10th Battalions.
Second World War
During the Second World War, the Guides Infantry or 5th Battalion (QVO Corps of Guides) 12th FF Regiment, served throughout in IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, guarding against the German threat from the north. They were not engaged in any fighting.
Indo-Pakistan War 1948
The Guides Infantry made up for its lack of action during the Second World War by giving an excellent account of itself in KashmirKashmir
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 1948. The battalion was instrumental in checking the Indian offensive in the Kishenganga Valley, where it fought with great gallantry at Tithwal and foiled all enemy efforts at advance. The Guides suffered casualties of 37 killed and 105 wounded, and were awarded eleven gallantry awards.
Indo-Pakistan War 1965
In 1965 the Guides Infantry (2FF) was camping at Kasur where A and D companies of the battalion were carrying watermanship training at Thaman Distributary near Luliani after they had moved from the Rann of Katch area. The battalion was assigned the task of establishing a bridge head on Rohhi Nullah for launching of 1 Armoured Division across the India – Pakistan border. A and D companies joined the Paltan at about 1230 hrs. The Guides moved out from the camp to cross the border. The battalion crossed the Rohi Nullah on foot and entered the enemy territory on night 6/7 Sep 1965 and established a bridge head for the armoured division. After the launching of the division, the battalion was put under 21 Bde which was part of 11th Infantry Division. On 12th September the Guides Infantry and 5 Frontier Force captured the Indian town of Khem Karan. The battalion advanced up to Bhura Khana a small village in the north of the Khem Karan. On 17 Sep 1965 it was ordered to come back and take defence positions in front of Khem Kharan. On the night 21/22 September 1965 C company position was shelled heavily and was attacked by Indian troops who succeeded in overruning part of a forward platoon. A counter-attack was launched by C company which recovered the position. During the conflict, the Guides Infantry was awarded the following awards:-- TJ - 1
- C-in-C Commendation cards - 2
Overall the battalion received nine gallantry awards.
Indo-Pakistan War 1971
On 3 Oct 1971, the Bn was depl on Chakothi area to def the strat and imp Sirinager – Muzafarabad rd in much publicized Uri Sec. Our C coy sent for the def of Lipa Valley along with the elms of Tochi Scouts and Mjds. The def of Lipa was placed under the overall comd of our 2IC Maj Abdul Hamid Afridi. On 8 Nov 1971 the Indians for the capture Lipa attk on two Pls of our C coy at Shisha Ladi. The waves of attackers came pressing in until by 0415 hrs, the last of them was repulsed – At 0800 hrs, the sec attk came in after hy arty fire. The Guides Lived up to the highest traditions of gallantry. Maj Aziz Ahmed inspired his men to fight with ferocity and invincible faith,, by 1030 hrs the slopes were littered with corpses. Maj Aziz Ahmed, Hav Samandar Shah and three Jawans embraced Shahadat. The Bn was awarded one Sitata-i-Jurat, one Tamgha Jurat and one Imtiazi Sanad. A day after the cease fire the en captured a tac imp spur called Ziarat in the Uri Sec which formed a bdry between the two bdes, Guides Inf rose to this challenge, attk on the en 2nd Gd Bn which was forced to wdr from the posn, in the process of this battle, 5 Indian soldiers were captured along with a fair amount of wpns. In addition, approx 60 cas were inflected on the en. Own cas in the battle was one offr injured and 3 Jawans were martyred.Awards
♦Sitar-e-Jurrat: Major Aziz Ahmed
♦Tamgha-e-Jurrat: Naib Subedar Muhammad Bashir
♦Commendation Card: Sepoy Jumma Khan
Battle Honours
Mooltan, Goojerat, Punjaub, Delhi 1857, Ali Masjid, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1878-80, Chitral, Punjab Frontier, Malakand, Mesopotamia 1917-18, Megiddo, Sharon, Palestine 1918, NW Frontier, India 1914-15, Afghanistan 1919, Kashmir 1948, Rann of Kutch 1965, Khem Karan 1965.Victoria Cross Recipients
- Lieutenant RH ShebbeareRobert Haydon ShebbeareRobert Haydon Shebbeare VC was an English 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.-Background:...
, DelhiSiege of DelhiThe Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...
, 14 September 1857 - Lieutenant WRP Hamilton, FatehabadFatehabadFatehabad may refer to:* Fatehabad, Afghanistan* Fatehabad, Haryana a town in Haryana, India* Fatehabad district, a district in Haryana, India* Fatehabad, Madhya Pradesh, a city in Madhya Pradesh, India* Fatehabad, Agra, a village in Uttar Pradesh, India...
, Afghanistan, 2 April 1879 - Captain AG HammondArthur George HammondColonel Sir Arthur George Hammond VC, KCB, DSO was an English 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.Arthur Hammond was born in Dawlish, Devon in 1843 and, on leaving...
, Asmai HeightsAsmai HeightsThe Asmai Heights are a mountain range within Kabul Province on the outskirts of Kabul City, Afghanistan. It is known colloquially as TV Hill due to the large tv mast at its summit. The heights are the site of an ancient fort...
, Afghanistan, 14 December 1879 - Major RB Adams, Landakai, SwatSiege of MalakandThe Siege of Malakand was the 26 July – 2 August 1897 siege of the British garrison in the Malakand region of colonial British India's North West Frontier Province...
, 17 August 1897 - Lieutenant HLS MacleanHector Lachlan Stewart MacLeanHector Lachlan Stewart MacLean VC was a Scottish 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....
, Landakai, SwatSiege of MalakandThe Siege of Malakand was the 26 July – 2 August 1897 siege of the British garrison in the Malakand region of colonial British India's North West Frontier Province...
, 17 August 1897 - Captain GMC MeynellGodfrey MeynellGodfrey Meynell VC MC was an English 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.-Background:...
, Mohmand, North West FrontierNorth-West Frontier (military history)The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
, 29 September 1935
Changes in Title
- 1846 The Corps of Guides
- 1851 The Corps of Guides, Punjab Irregular Force
- 1865 Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force
- 1876 Queen's Own Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force
- 1901 Queen's Own Corps of Guides
- 1904 Queen's Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden's)
- 1906 Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden's) Infantry
- 1917 1st Battalion Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden’s) Infantry
- 1922 5th Battalion (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) 12th Frontier Force Regiment
- 1945 5th Battalion (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment
- 1956 2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment
Affiliations & Alliances
The Guides Cavalry The Royal Green JacketsRoyal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
Further reading
- Younghusband, Col GJ. (1908). The Story of the Guides. London: MacMillan & Co.
- The History of the Guides 1846-1922. Vol I. (1938). Aldershot: Gale and Polden.
- MacMunn, Lt Gen Sir George. (1950). The History of the Guides 1922-1947. Vol II. Aldershot: Gale and Polden.
- Khan, Maj Gen Fazal Muqeem. (1996). History of the 2nd Battalion (Guides) Frontier Force Regiment 1947-1994. Rawalpindi: The Army Press.
- Condon, Brig WEH. (1962). The Frontier Force Regiment. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71. Lahore: Wajidalis.
- Dey, RSBN. (1905). A Brief Account of the Late Punjab Frontier Force, From its Organization in 1849 to its Re-distribution on 31st March 1903. Calcutta.
- North, REFG. (1934). The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924. Dera Ismail Khan: Commercial Steam Press, HQ Waziristan District.
- Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
- Khan, Maj Muhammad Nawaz. (1996). The Glorious Piffers 1843-1995. Abbottabad: The Frontier Force Regimental Centre.
- Lumsden, Gen Sir Peter, and Elsmie, GR. (1900). Lumsden of the Guides: A Sketch of the Life of Lieutenant General Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, KCSI, CB, with Selections from His Correspondence and Occasional Papers. London: J Murray.
- Daly, Maj Hugh. (1905). Memoirs of General Sir Henry Dermot Daly, GCB, CIE. London: J Murray.
- Gaylor, John. (1991). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1
- Elliott, Maj Gen JG. (1968). The Frontier 1839-1947: The Story of the North-West Frontier of India. London: Cassell.
- Ahmed, Lt Gen Mahmud. (2006). History of Indo-Pak War – 1965. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club.
External links
- The Story of the Guides by GJ Younghusband
- Queen's Own Corps of Guides (Punjab Frontier Force) at The British Empire
- 12th Frontier Force Regiment by John Gaylor at Pakistan Military Consortium
- Lieutenant General Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, KCSI, CB. Obituary in The Times, 13th August 1895
- Article discussing the raising of the Corps of Guides by Harry Lumsden
- General Sir Henry Dermot Daly