5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
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 conscripted ...
of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
comprising
Gurkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
soldiers of
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
ese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the
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 co ...
.
The regiment's battalions served in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
(
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
) and
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
(
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran,
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
,
Italian campaign, and in Burma).
The regiment was known as the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) when it was one of the
Gurkha
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
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
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...
and the
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decem ...
. It has also participated in
peacekeeping operations in Sri Lanka.
History
19th century
The regiment was raised in 1858 as the 25th Native Punjab Infantry, also known as the "
Hazara Goorkha Battalion". The soldiers of the regiment originated from the
Kingdom of Nepal
The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu king ...
and in 1861 it was renamed the 5th Gurkha Regiment.
The regiment's first major action was during the
Second Afghan War
The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ps, د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the ...
, where they were awarded their first battle honour at
Peiwar Kotal and Captain
John Cook was awarded the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
.
[Gaylor, p.233] In 1891 the regiment was awarded the prestigious title of a Rifle regiment and became 5th Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment which was shortened to 5th Gurkha Rifles in 1901.
The regiment spent most of its time up to the end of the 19th century based in the
Punjab
Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
as part of the Punjab Frontier Force (
PIF or
PIFFER), and its regimental centre was at the frontier hill town of
Abbottabad
Abbottabad (; Urdu, Punjabi language(HINDKO dialect) آباد, translit=aibṭabād, ) is the capital city of Abbottabad District in the Hazara region of eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is the 40th largest city in Pakistan and fourth ...
, in the
Hazara region of North-West Frontier Province (now
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...
in
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
). This connection was reflected when in 1903, the regiment was renamed the 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force).
First World War
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the regiment primarily saw service in the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
—the 1st Battalion saw extensive and hard service at
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
in 1915
(where seven officers and 129 men were killed in the first few hours after the battalion landed). During the withdrawal, a
company
A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
of the 5th Gurkhas were among the last troops to leave.
The 2nd Battalion initially served in India with the
2nd (Rawalpindi) Division before transferring to
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the F ...
in April 1916 and joining the
42nd Indian Brigade
The 42nd Indian Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service with the Indian Army during the First World War. It served in the Mesopotamian Campaign on the Euphrates Front throughout its existence. It was ...
,
15th Indian Division. The 1st Battalion joined them in March 1917 from the
1st (Peshawar) Division and both battalions fought together at the
action of Khan Baghdadi. A 3rd Battalion was raised for service on the
North-West Frontier, before being disbanded in 1921.
[Gaylor, p.234]
Inter-War period
In 1921, the regiment was given the title the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, in recognition of its service during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
During the inter-war period, the regiment received three further battle honours, for the
Third Afghan War
The Third Anglo-Afghan War; fa, جنگ سوم افغان-انگلیس), also known as the Third Afghan War, the British-Afghan War of 1919, or in Afghanistan as the War of Independence, began on 6 May 1919 when the Emirate of Afghanistan inv ...
in 1919, and two for service on the
North West Frontier. The regiment together with the
13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers were the only units awarded such honours.
Second World War
During the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the 1st Battalion 5th Gurkhas as part of the
8th Indian Infantry Division
The 8th Mountain Division was raised as the 8th Indian Infantry division of the British Indian Army. It is now part of the Indian Army and specialises in mountain warfare.
The 8th Indian Infantry Division was formed as an infantry division in ...
's
17th Indian Infantry Brigade served in the
Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre
The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Medi ...
(including the
Italian Campaign). Rifleman
Thaman Gurung
Thaman Gurung VC (2 October 1924 – 10 November 1944) was a Nepalese Gurkha 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 for ...
of the 1st Battalion won the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
while serving in Italy.
The 2nd Battalion served in the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
in the
Burma Campaign as part of the
17th Indian Infantry Division and was involved in the retreat of the
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 co ...
from
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
, they were one of four battalions chosen to fight as the rearguard at the
Sittang River
The Sittaung River ( my, စစ်တောင်းမြစ် ; formerly, the Sittang or Sittounghttps://unstats.un.org/unsd/geoinfo/UNGEGN/docs/8th-uncsgn-docs/inf/8th_UNCSGN_econf.94_INF.75.pdf ) is a river in south central Myanmar in Bago ...
, which formed the border with India. When the bridge over the river was blown up, preventing the
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese forces from entering India, many of the regiment were left on the wrong side. The regiment was involved in the re-entry into Burma in 1943 where three members of the regiment were awarded the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
. After the war, the 2nd Battalion was re-issued with new uniforms, equipment and transport and posted to
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
in Japan as part of the
British Commonwealth Occupation Force
The British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) was the British Commonwealth taskforce consisting of Australian, British, Indian and New Zealand military forces in occupied Japan, from 1946 until the end of occupation in 1952.
At its peak, t ...
.
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
The Battle of the Admin Box (sometimes referred to as the Battle of Ngakyedauk or the Battle of Sinzweya) took place on the southern front of the Burma campaign from 5 to 23 February 1944, in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II.
Japa ...
), 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
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC i ...
three times.
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
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, including the first heliborne operations undertaken by the army during the 1971 war. The regiment has participated in the following actions:
*
Indo-Pak War of 1947–48
*
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...
*
Battle of Topa
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
(Jammu and Kashmir)
*
Battle of Atgram
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decem ...
(East Pakistan) 1971
*
Battle of Sylhet
The Battle of Sylhet ( bn, সিলেটের যুদ্ধ ''Silet-er Juddho'') was a major battle fought between the advancing Mitro Bahini and the Pakistani defences at Sylhet during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The battle took pla ...
(East Pakistan) 1971
*
Battle of Gazipur
The Battle of Gazipur ( bn, গাজীপুরের যুদ্ধ) was a military engagement on 4 and 5 December 1971, during the Bangladesh liberation war. It took place at the Gazipur Tea Estate near Kulaura, in the Sylhet District of ...
(East Pakistan—Bangladesh) 1971
The 1st and 4th Battalions were also a part of the
Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. It was formed under the mandate of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lankan Accord that aimed to end the Sri Lankan ...
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
Shillong () is a hill station and the capital of Meghalaya, a Indian state, state in northeastern India, which means "The Abode of Clouds". It is the headquarters of the East Khasi Hills district. Shillong is the list of most populous cities in ...
, in North-Eastern India.
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).
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
Kabul (; ps, , ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Located in the eastern half of the country, it is also a municipality, forming part of the Kabul Province; it is administratively divided into #Districts, 22 municipal dist ...
,
Kandahar 1880
Kandahar (; Kandahār, , Qandahār) is a city in Afghanistan, located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of . It is Afghanistan's second largest city after Kabul, with a population of about 614,118. It is the ca ...
,
Afghanistan 1878–80,
Punjab Frontier;
[
* First World War: ]Suez Canal
The Suez Canal ( arz, قَنَاةُ ٱلسُّوَيْسِ, ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia. The long canal is a popular ...
, Egypt 1915–16, Khan Baghdadi
Khan may refer to:
*Khan (inn), from Persian, a caravanserai or resting-place for a travelling caravan
*Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name
*Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by ...
, Mesopotamia 1916–18, Helles
Helles or hell is a traditional German pale lager beer, produced chiefly in Southern Germany, particularly Munich. The German word ''hell'' can be translated as "bright", "light", or "pale".
Flavour profile
Helles-style beers typically are f ...
, Krithia, Suvla
View of Suvla from Battleship Hill
Suvla () is a bay on the Aegean coast of the Gallipoli peninsula in European Turkey, south of the Gulf of Saros.
On 6 August 1915, it was the site for the Landing at Suvla Bay by the British IX Corps as pa ...
, Sari Bair
The Battle of Sari Bair ( tr, Sarı Bayır Harekâtı), also known as the August Offensive (), represented the final attempt made by the British in August 1915 to seize control of the Gallipoli peninsula from the Ottoman Empire during the Fir ...
, Gallipoli 1915
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles st ...
, North West Frontier 1917;[
* Inter War Years: Afghanistan 1919, North West Frontier 1930, North West Frontier 1936–39;][
* Second World War: The Sangro, ]Caldari
Caldari is a frazione of the municipality of Ortona in the Province of Chieti in Abruzzo, Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the mi ...
, Cassino
Cassino () is a ''comune'' in the province of Frosinone, Southern Italy, at the southern end of the region of Lazio, the last city of the Latin Valley.
Cassino is located at the foot of Monte Cairo near the confluence of the Gari and Liri rive ...
II, San Angelo in Teodice, Rocca d'Arce
Rocca d'Arce is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Frosinone in the Italy, Italian region Lazio, located about southeast of Rome and about southeast of Frosinone.
Rocca d'Arce borders the following municipalities: Arce, Lazio, Arce, ...
, Ripa Ridge, Femmina Morta
Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the '' Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero ...
, Monte San Bartolo, The Senio, Italy 1943–45, Sittang 1942, Yenangyaung
Yenangyaung ( my, ရေနံချောင်း; literally "stream of oil") is a city in the Magway Region of central Myanmar, located on the Irrawaddy River and 363 miles from Yangon. Until 1974, it remained the capital city of both Minbu Div ...
1942, Buthidaung
Buthidaung (, ) is a town in Rakhine State, in the westernmost part of Myanmar (Burma). It is the administrative seat of the Buthidaung Township. Buthidaung lies on the west bank of the Mayu river, and experienced severe flooding in June 2010 and ...
, Stockades, North Arakan
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.
Etymology
The word ''north'' is ...
, Chindits 1944
The Chindits, officially as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of World War II.
The British ...
, Mogaung
Mogaung ( my, မိုးကောင်း ; ( Shan: မိူင်းၵွင်း) is a town in Kachin State, Myanmar. It is situated on the Mandalay-Myitkyina railway line.
History
Mogaung or Möngkawng was the name and capital (roya ...
, Imphal
Imphal ( Meitei pronunciation: /im.pʰal/; English pronunciation: ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (also known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the fo ...
, Sakawng, Shenam Pass, Bishenpur
Bishnupur ( mni, ꯕꯤꯁ꯭ꯅꯨꯄꯨꯔ) is a town in Bishnupur district in the state of Manipur, India. It derived its name from an ancient Vishnu temple located in the town which was established in 15th Century. Bishunupur is the admin ...
, The Irrawaddy
''The Irrawaddy'' () is a news website by the Irrawaddy Publishing Group (IPG), founded in 1990 by Burmese exiles living in Thailand. From its inception, ''The Irrawaddy'' has taken an independent stance on Burmese politics. As a publication pr ...
1942–45, Sittang 1945, Burma 1942–45;[Parker 2005, p. 387.]
* Post Independence: Zoji La
Zoji La (sometimes Zojila Pass) is a high List of mountain passes#India, mountain pass in the Himalayas. It is in the Government of India, Indian Union territory of Ladakh, Kargil district, Kashmir. Located in the Dras, Drass, the pass connec ...
, Kargil
Kargil ( lbj, ) is a city and a joint capital of the union territory of Ladakh, India. It is also the headquarters of the Kargil district. It is the second-largest city in Ladakh after Leh. Kargil is located to the east of Srinagar in Jam ...
, Jammu and Kashmir 1947–48, Charwa, Punjab 1965, Sylhet
Sylhet ( bn, সিলেট) is a metropolitan city in northeastern Bangladesh. It is the administrative seat of the Sylhet Division. Located on the north bank of the Surma River at the eastern tip of Bengal, Sylhet has a subtropical climate an ...
, East Pakistan 1971, Jammu and Kashmir 1971, Sehjra
Sehjra ( ur, ) is a town and Union Council of Kasur District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is part of Kasur Tehsil
Kasur ( ur, ), is an administrative subdivision (tehsil) of Kasur District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. , Punjab 1971.
Victoria Cross recipients
There were seven Victoria Crosses awarded to British officers and Gurkhas serving with the regiment prior to 1947:[Parker 2005, pp. 391–393.]
* Captain John Cook (1st Battalion): Afghanistan, 2 December 1878 (posthumously)
* Lieutenant Guy Boisragon
Brigadier Guy Hudleston Boisragon VC (5 November 1864 – 14 July 1931) was a 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 ...
(1st Battalion): Hunza Hunza may refer to:
* Hunza, Iran
* Hunza Valley, an area in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan
** Hunza (princely state), a former principality
** Hunza District, a recently established district
** Hunza River, a waterway
** Hunza Peak, a mou ...
, 2 December 1891
* Lieutenant John Manners-Smith (1st Battalion): Hunza, 20 December 1891
* Havildar
Havildar or havaldar ( Hindustani: or (Devanagari), (Perso-Arabic)) is a rank in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese armies, equivalent to sergeant. It is not used in cavalry units, where the equivalent is daffadar.
Like a British sergeant, ...
Gaje Ghale (2nd Battalion): Burma, 27 May 1943
* Naik Agansing Rai (2nd Battalion): Burma, 26 June 1944
* Jemadar
Jemadar or jamadar is a title used for various military and other officials in the Indian subcontinent.
Etymology
The word stems from Urdu (), which derives through Persian ''jam'dar'' from Arabic ''jamā‘a(t)'' 'muster' + Persian ''-dār' ...
Netrabahadur Thapa
Netrabahadur Thapa Magar VC ( ne, नेत्रबहादुर थापामगर 8 January 1916 – 26 June 1944) was a Nepalese Gurkha recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the fac ...
(2nd Battalion): Burma, 26 June 1944 (posthumously)
* Rifleman Thaman Gurung
Thaman Gurung VC (2 October 1924 – 10 November 1944) was a Nepalese Gurkha 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 for ...
(1st Battalion): Italy, 10 November 1944 (posthumously)
Maha Vir Chakra recipients
The following members of the regiment have received the Maha Vir Chakra:
* Lieutenant Colonel Anant Singh Pathania, MC (1st Battalion)
* L/Havildar Ram Prasad Gurung (1st Battalion)
* Major General H K Sibal
* Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
(Later 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 (4th Battalion)
See also
* Abbottabad
Abbottabad (; Urdu, Punjabi language(HINDKO dialect) آباد, translit=aibṭabād, ) is the capital city of Abbottabad District in the Hazara region of eastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is the 40th largest city in Pakistan and fourth ...
* Gorkha regiments (India)
Since the independence of India in 1947, as per the terms of the Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement, six Gorkha regiments, formerly part of the British Indian Army, became part of the Indian Army and have served ever since. The troops ...
* Royal Gurkha Rifles
The Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR) is a rifle regiment of the British Army, forming part of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Unlike other regiments in the British Army, RGR soldiers are recruited from Nepal, which is neither a dependent territory of the Unite ...
* St. Luke's Church, Abbottabad
St Luke's Church, Abbottabad is an Anglican church dedicated to Saint Luke, now under the jurisdiction of the Peshawar Diocese of the Church of Pakistan. It was founded in the town of Abbottabad, British India, in 1864.
History
The work on ...
Notes
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. .
* Roberts, M.R. (1952). ''Golden Arrow'', Aldershot, Gale & Polden.
External links
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{{Indian Army Infantry Regiments
1858 establishments in India
British Indian Army infantry regiments
Gurkhas
Infantry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947
Military units and formations established in 1858
Rifle regiments
R
Units of the Indian Peace Keeping Force