The 2nd Punjab Regiment was a

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which cou ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

from 1922 to the

partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: India and Pakistan. T ...

in 1947. The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of other regiments: *1st Battalion, from the 67th Punjabis, formerly the 7th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry *2nd Battalion, from the

69th Punjabis The 69th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 10th Battalion Coast Sepoys. The regiment's first engagement was during the Carnatic Wars, this was follo ...

*3rd Battalion, from the

72nd Punjabis The 72nd Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 16th Battalion Coast Sepoys. History The regiment's first battle was the Battle of Sholinghur in 1781, du ...

*4th Battalion, from the

74th Punjabis The 74th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1776, when they were raised as the 14th Carnatic Battalion. The regiment first saw action during the Carnatic Wars. This was followed by the ...

*5th Battalion, from the

87th Punjabis The 87th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1798, when they were raised as the 1st Battalion, 14th Madras Native Infantry. The regiments first action was in the Battle of Mahidpur duri ...

*10th (Training) Battalion, formed by redesignation of 2nd Bn, 67th Punjabis

History

The first battalion was raised at Trichinopoly in 1761 as "Coast Sepoys". The first four battalions were raised during the hostilities in the Carnatic in south India between 1761 and 1776. The numbers and titles of the battalions changed during the successive reorganisations of the

Madras Presidency The Madras Presidency, or the Presidency of Fort St. George, also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision (presidency) of British India. At its greatest extent, the presidency included most of southern India, including the ...

Army and later of the Indian Army. The regiment insignia is of a naval vessel, a

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be u ...

. It was awarded to the 9th Madras Native Infantry in recognition of the readiness to serve overseas, after the battalion had fought in eight overseas campaigns by 1824.

Battle honours

*The Great War: Loos, France and Flanders 1915, Helles, Krithia, Gallipoli 1915, Suez Canal, Egypt 1915–17, Gaza, Megiddo, Sharon, Nablus, Palestine 1917–18, Defence of Kut al Amara, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Mesopotamia 1915–18, Aden, E Africa 1914–17, NW Frontier India 1915 '16–17 *Afghanistan 1919 *Second World War: Keren, Ad Teclesan, Amba Alagi, Abyssinia 1940–41, Central Malaya, Ipoh, Singapore Island, Malaya 1941–42, North Africa 1940–43, Casa Bettini, Italy 1943–45, Buthidaung, Ngakedaung Pass, North Arakan, Imphal, Litan, Kanglatongbi, Tengnoupal, Tonzang, Kennedy Peak, Defence of Meiktila, Pyinmana, Burma 1942–45.

References

* * Military units and formations established in 1761 P British Indian Army infantry regiments Honourable East India Company regiments Indian World War II regiments R Military units and formations in British Somaliland in World War II R {{WWII-stub