Baloch Regiment
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The Baloch Regiment is an
infantry regiment 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 ...
of the
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ) is the Army, land service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The roots of its modern existence trace back to the British Indian Army that ceased to exist following the partition of India, Partition of British India, wh ...
. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and
Bahawalpur Regiment The Bahawalpur Regiment was a regiment of Pakistan Army. The regiment was formed in 1952 from the infantry battalions of the erstwhile Princely State of Bahawalpur (princely state), Bahawalpur, which had acceded to Pakistan in 1947. In 1956, the Ba ...
s with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to 27 battalions. The Baloch Regiment is descended from the infantry of the old
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 ...
and is named after
Balochistan Balochistan ( ; bal, بلۏچستان; also romanised as Baluchistan and Baluchestan) is a historical region in Western and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. ...
(formerly Baluchistan). Before 1991, it was called the Baluch Regiment but the spelling was changed to 'Baloch' to better reflect the correct pronunciation.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2010). ''Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. The Baloch Regiment is second in seniority after the
Punjab Regiment Punjab Regiment may refer to the following existing units: *Punjab Regiment (India) *Punjab Regiment (Pakistan) From 1922 to 1947, the British Indian Army included 6 numbered Punjab Regiments: *1st Punjab Regiment * 2nd Punjab Regiment *8th Punj ...
. Its senior-most battalion was raised more than two hundred years ago, in 1798. The regiment has a distinguished record of military service both before and after the independence of Pakistan. It has won numerous gallantry awards including 6
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 ...
, one
George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...
, 6
Hilal-i-Jurat The Hilal-e-Jurat ( ur, , as if it were ''Halāl-e-Jurāt''; English: Crescent of Courage , sometimes spelled as Hilal-e-Jur'at, Hilal-e-Jurat, Hilal-i-Jurrat and Hilal-i-Juraat)Various official sources that are highly reputable spell the name ...
with one bar, 68 Sitara-i-Jurat with 4 bars, and 81
Tamgha-i-Jurat Tamgha-i-Jurat ( ur, تمغہِ جرأت, , Medal of Courage), is the fourth highest military award of Pakistan. This citation is awarded for extraordinary heroism while engaged in armed combat with an opposing force on Pakistan soil or outside it ...
.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. The Regiment's long list of
battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...
s dates from the Battle of Cochin in 1809 to the Battle of Qaisar-i-Hind in 1971.


Early history of the Baloch Regiment

The Baloch Regiment has its origin in the former
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
and Madras Armies, as well as the State Forces of
Bahawalpur Bahawalpur () is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. With inhabitants as of 2017, it is Pakistan's 11th most populous city. Founded in 1748, Bahawalpur was the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur, ruled by the Abbasi fa ...
.


The Madras Army

In the 18th century, British possessions in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
were divided into the 'Presidencies' of
Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
,
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
and
Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
. Each presidency maintained its own army, and it was not until the end of the 19th century that a unified command was established for the British Indian Army. For more than fifty years, the
Madras Army The Madras Army was the army of the Presidency of Madras, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government ...
was engaged in the struggle for control of
South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...
and was largely responsible for the British defeat of
Tipu Sultan Tipu Sultan (born Sultan Fateh Ali Sahab Tipu, 1 December 1751 – 4 May 1799), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore based in South India. He was a pioneer of rocket artillery.Dalrymple, p. 243 He int ...
and the French. It also took an active part in the wars against the Mahrattas, dispatched a number of overseas expeditions and played a major role in the conquest and pacification of
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 ...
.Ahmad, Maj RN, and Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2006). ''Unfaded Glory: The 8th Punjab Regiment 1798–1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. The Baloch Regiment's Madrassi origins are derived from the five battalions it inherited from the 8th Punjab Regiment in 1956. The 1st Battalion was raised in 1798 at
Masulipatam Machilipatnam (), also known as Masulipatnam and Bandar, is a city in Krishna district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipal corporation and the administrative headquarters of Krishna district. It is also the mandal headquarte ...
, as 3rd Extra Battalion of Madras Native Infantry, and was known as ''MacLeod ki Paltan'' (MacLeod's Battalion) after the officer, who raised it. It was designated as the 1st Battalion 15th Regiment in 1800, and 29th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry in 1824. The battalion was dispatched to
Ceylon Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
to suppress a rebellion of the Sinhalese in 1818. In 1832, it was stationed at
Malacca Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
, Malaya, when it was again engaged in suppressing a revolt in the State of
Naning Naning (Chinese: 南宁) is a district and a former chiefdom in northern Malacca, Malaysia. It was founded in 1370 by the Prince of Minangkabao, Sutan Jatang Balun or known as Datuk Parpatih Nan Sebatang (The Only One Land Lord). It is part of ...
.Ahmad, Lt Col Rifat Nadeem. (2012). ''The Gallant One: War Services of First Battalion The Baloch Regiment''. Rawalpindi: The Battalion. 2, 3, 4 & 5 Baloch were also raised as battalions of Madras Infantry in 1799–1800. In 1824, they were designated as the 30th, 31st, 32nd & 33rd Madras Native Infantry respectively. The 30th & 32nd Regiments took part in the First Burma War, while the 30th, 31st & 33rd fought in the Third Anglo-Mahratta War of 1817. The 31st Regiment, then known as 1st Battalion 16th Regiment (or
Trichinopoly Tiruchirappalli () ( formerly Trichinopoly in English), also called Tiruchi or Trichy, is a major tier II city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Tiruchirappalli district. The city is credited with bein ...
Light Infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
), greatly distinguished itself at the
Battle of Mahidpur The Battle of Mahidpur was fought during the Third Anglo-Maratha War between the Holkar faction of the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company at Mahidpur, a town in the Malwa region, on 21 December 1817. On 21 December 1817, th ...
. It was styled as Light Infantry in 1811, as a reward for a 25-mile forced march in support of a retreating force; when it arrived just in time to turn the tables in a minor engagement near
Mysore Mysore (), officially Mysuru (), is a city in the southern part of the state of Karnataka, India. Mysore city is geographically located between 12° 18′ 26″ north latitude and 76° 38′ 59″ east longitude. It is located at an altitude of ...
. The 33rd Regiment first made its name in the
Travancore War The Travancore rebellion against the British East India Company was led by the prime ministers of the Indian states of Travancore and Cochin in 1808–09 with support from Sikhs ruling Punjab. Background The East India Company–Travanco ...
in 1809, when the battalion repulsed a force of 3000 rebels at Cochin. All four battalions saw considerable action in
Central India Central India is a loosely defined geographical region of India. There is no clear official definition and various ones may be used. One common definition consists of the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which are included in alm ...
against the Marathas during the Great
Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
-58. Between 1890 and 1893, the five battalions were moved to Burma and reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims,
Sikh Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism, Sikhism (Sikhi), a Monotheism, monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Gu ...
s and other North Indians. Their designations were changed to 29th (7th Burma Battalion), 30th (5th Burma Battalion), 31st (6th Burma Battalion), 32nd (4th Burma Battalion) and 33rd (3rd Burma Battalion) Regiments of Madras Infantry. In 1901, these cumbersome titles were simplified by removing all mention of Madras, and the five regiments were styled as the 29th and 30th Burma Infantry, 31st Burma Light Infantry, 32nd and 33rd Burma Infantry. These Burma Battalions were created to police the new territories acquired in the Third Burma War and pacify the rebellious hill tribes inhabiting the frontier regions of Burma. In 1903, all Madras regiments had sixty added to their numbers, requiring another change in designation to 89th and
90th Punjabis The 90th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1799 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 90th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. ...
,
91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) The 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 91st Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 8th Punjab ...
,
92nd Punjabis The 92nd Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 92nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own) 8th P ...
and
93rd Burma Infantry The 93rd Burma Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 93rd Burma Infantry in 1903 and became the 5th (Burma) Battalion 8th Pu ...
. After 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 five Burma Battalions were grouped together to form the 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. These frontier battalions had adopted uniforms of drab colour (a pinkish shade of
khaki The color khaki (, ) is a light shade of tan with a slight yellowish tinge. Khaki has been used by many armies around the world for uniforms and equipment, particularly in arid or desert regions, where it provides camouflage relative to sandy ...
) when they moved to Burma and the 8th Punjab Regiment retained drab as its regimental colour with blue facings.


The Bombay Army

The senior battalion of what became the
10th Baluch Regiment The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After Partition of India, independence, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab Regiment, 8th Punja ...
in 1922, was raised in 1820, as the 2nd (Marine) Battalion 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry. In 1838, as the 24th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry, it stormed and captured the city of
Aden Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...
(
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
) as part of a punitive expedition sent to rid the area of pirates. The 26th Bombay Native Infantry was raised in 1825, as the 2nd Extra Battalion of Bombay Native Infantry, changing its name a year later. In 1843, the British conquered
Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...
after defeating the ruling confederacy of Baloch chieftains. General Sir Charles Napier, the British commander, was much impressed by the ferocious courage of his Balochi opponents and decided to recruit them for local service within Sindh. As a result, two irregular battalions of
Bombay Army The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three presidencies of Presidencies and provinces of British India, British India. It was established in 1662 and governed by the East India Company until the Government of India A ...
, the 1st and 2nd Belooch (old spelling of Baluch) Battalions were raised in 1844 and 1846 at
Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...
. In 1856, the 2nd Belooch Battalion was dispatched to fight in the Persian War in 1856–57, a campaign frequently overshadowed by the events of the Great
Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
. Meanwhile, the 1st Belooch Battalion was dispatched on foot across the Sindh desert in May, to join the siege artillery train on its way to
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...
; the only Bombay unit to join the Delhi Field Force. The battalion was brought into line in 1861, for its services in North India and it became the 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in the post-Mutiny realignment. 2nd Belooch, in the meantime, had qualified for a similar change in status and became the 29th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.Cadell, Sir Patrick. (1938). ''History of the Bombay Army''. London: Longmans & Green. In 1858, Major John Jacob raised two local 'silladar' infantry battalions known as Jacob's Rifles; the only silladar infantry to have existed in the Indian Army. These battalions soon earned a formidable reputation in and around
Jacobabad Jacobabad ( ur, and sd, جيڪب آباد; formerly Khanger or Khangarh) is a city in Sindh, Pakistan, serving as both the capital city of Jacobabad District and the administrative center of Jacobabad Taluka, an administrative subdivision ...
for keeping the peace on the Sindh frontier. In 1861, the first of these was accorded regular status, becoming the 30th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry or Jacob's Rifles, while the second was disbanded. In 1862, the 2nd Beloochees went to
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
to suppress the
Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a massive rebellion and civil war that was waged in China between the Manchu-led Qing dynasty and the Han, Hakka-led Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It lasted fr ...
. Two years later, they became the first foreign troops to be stationed in
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 ...
, when two companies were sent to
Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
to guard the British legation. Meanwhile, the 1st Beloochees greatly distinguished themselves in the long and arduous Abyssinian Campaign of 1868 and were made Light Infantry as a reward. All Baloch battalions took part in 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 ...
of 1878–80, where Jacob's Rifles suffered heavy casualties at the
Battle of Maiwand The Battle of Maiwand (Dari: نبرد میوند, Pashto: د ميوند جگړه), fought on 27 July 1880, was one of the principal battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Under the leadership of Ayub Khan, the Afghan forces defeated a much smal ...
. The 1st Belooch Regiment again distinguished itself in 1885–87 during the Third Burma War. In 1891, the 24th and 26th Bombay Infantry also became 'Balochi', when they were reconstituted with
Pathans Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
,
Balochis The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There ar ...
and
Hazaras The Hazaras ( fa, , Həzārə; haz, , Āzərə) are an ethnic group and the principal component of the population of Afghanistan, native to, and primarily residing in the Hazaristan (Hazarajat) region in central Afghanistan and generally scatt ...
, and localized in Baluchistan; becoming the 24th and 26th (Baluchistan) Regiments of Bombay Infantry. The 24th and 27th Regiments saw active service in
British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Britai ...
in 1896–99, while the 26th and Jacob's Rifles went to China in 1900 to suppress the
Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, the Boxer Insurrection, or the Yihetuan Movement, was an anti-foreign, anti-colonial, and anti-Christian uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by ...
. In 1903, the 24th, 26th, 27th, 29th, and 30th had one hundred added to their numbers as part of Lord Kitchener's
reforms Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement ...
, emerging as the 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry,
126th Baluchistan Infantry The 126th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1825 as the 2nd Extra Battalion of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 126th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 10th Baluch ...
, 127th Baluch Light Infantry,
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis The 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis in 1903, and became 4th Battalion (Duke ...
and 130th Jacob's Baluchis.Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (1998). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1820–1939''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. Following
World War I 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 five battalions were merged to form the 10th Baluch Regiment. The pre-1914 full dress uniforms of all five Baluchi infantry regiments included dark red trousers; with
rifle green Shades of chartreuse are listed below. Historically, many of these colors have gone under the name of either yellow or green, as the specifics of their color composition was not known until later. Wrapping the spectrum into a color wheel In a ...
tunics and dark green turbans for the 127th, 129th and 130th Baluchis. The 124th and 126th Baluchistan Infantry also wore red trousers but with drab-coloured tunics and turbans. On the formation of the 10th Baluch Regiment, rifle green and red uniform was adopted by the whole regiment.Poulsom, Lt Col NW, and Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2011). ''Uniforms & Devices of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. The 1911 edition of the
Encyclopædia Britannica The (Latin for "British Encyclopædia") is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It is published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.; the company has existed since the 18th century, although it has changed ownership various time ...
commented that "The remarkable Baluchi uniforms (green and drab with baggy red trousers) are unique in the British Empire".


The Bahawalpur State Forces

The two senior battalions of Bahawalpur Regiment trace their origin to 1827 when the
Nawab of Bahawalpur Bahawalpur (Urdu, skr, ) was a princely state of British India, and later Dominion of Pakistan, that was a part of the Punjab States Agency. It existed as an autonomous state, within Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, when it was dissolved and merge ...
first organized his forces. These forces were engaged in support of the British during the
Second Anglo-Sikh War The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a military conflict between the Sikh Empire and the East India Company, British East India Company that took place in 1848 and 1849. It resulted in the fall of the Sikh Empire, and the annexation of the Punjab r ...
in 1848–49 and the Great Rebellion of 1857. In 1889, a small force from Bahawalpur was accepted as
Imperial Service Troops The Imperial Service Troops were forces raised by the princely states of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government. At the beginning of ...
, placing them at the disposal of the British for use in emergencies. However, it was not until the 20th century that these units began training on modern lines. In 1901,
Bahawalpur State Bahawalpur ( Urdu, skr, ) was a princely state of British India, and later Dominion of Pakistan, that was a part of the Punjab States Agency. It existed as an autonomous state, within Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, when it was dissolved and me ...
raised a camel baggage train with an escort of mounted infantry, called the Bahawalpur Imperial Service Mounted Rifles and Camel Transport Corps, which would go on to become the 1st Bahawalpur Sadiq Battalion in 1924. In 1912, the colour of their uniform was khaki with green facings.Head, RW. (1981). ''The Bahawalpur Army''.Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1939–1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre.


Baloch Regiment in the First World War


10th Baluch Regiment

* 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry – British India,
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
. *2/124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry – Raised in 1916 –
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 ...
, Egypt,
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
. *3/124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry – Raised in 1917 – India, Persia, Iraq. Disbanded 1921. *
126th Baluchistan Infantry The 126th Baluchistan Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1825 as the 2nd Extra Battalion of Bombay Native Infantry. It was designated as the 126th Baluchistan Infantry in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 10th Baluch ...
– India, Egypt,
Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is s ...
, Aden, Mesopotamia. *
127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry The 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1844 as The Scinde Bellochee Corps. It was designated as the 127th Baluch Light Infantry in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's O ...
– India,
German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; german: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was a German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Mozam ...
, Persia. *2/127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry – Raised in 1918 – India, Egypt, Palestine. Disbanded 1921. *
129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis The 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1846 as the 2nd Bellochee Battalion. It was designated as the 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis in 1903, and became 4th Battalion (Duke ...
– India,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, German East Africa. *2/129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis – Raised in 1917 – British India,
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. Disbanded 1922. * 130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles) – India, German East Africa, Palestine. *2/130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles) – Raised in 1918 – India. Disbanded 1920. Only 2/124th Baluchistan Infantry of the wartime raisings was retained after the post-war reforms. During the First World War, the 129th DCO Baluchis served on the Western Front in
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, where they became the first Indian regiment to attack the Germans and the only Indian regiment to fight in both the
First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
& Second Battles of Ypres. At
Hollebeke Hollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city. History In World War I, it was the site of allied heroism (like other neighbouring parts of Ypres, such as Klein Zillebeke) that won Khudadad Khan t ...
, during the First Ypres, Sepoy
Khudadad Khan Subedar Khudadad Khan, VC (20 October 1888 – 8 March 1971) was a Pakistani and the recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces. During t ...
became the first Indian to win the Victoria Cross; Britain's highest decoration for valour. Prior to 1911, Indian soldiers were not eligible for the Victoria Cross. The battalion would go on to serve with distinction in German East Africa alongside 127th QMO Baluch Light Infantry and 130th KGO Baluchis. Meanwhile, the 1st and 3rd Battalions of 124th DCO Baluchistan Infantry served in Persia, while the 2nd distinguished itself in Mesopotamia and Palestine.


8th Punjab Regiment

*
89th Punjabis The 89th Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1798 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 89th Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allo ...
– British India, Aden,
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
,
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 ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
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 ...
,
Salonika Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
,
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. *2/89th Punjabis – Raised in 1917 – India,
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
. *
90th Punjabis The 90th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1799 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 90th Punjabis in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. ...
– British India, Mesopotamia. *2/90th Punjabis – Raised in 1918 – India. Disbanded 1922. *
91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) The 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 91st Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 8th Punjab ...
– Burma, Mesopotamia, Egypt,
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
. *2/91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) – Raised in 1918 – India, Egypt. Disbanded 1921. *
92nd Punjabis The 92nd Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 92nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 4th Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own) 8th P ...
– British India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Palestine. *
93rd Burma Infantry The 93rd Burma Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 93rd Burma Infantry in 1903 and became the 5th (Burma) Battalion 8th Pu ...
– India, Egypt, France, Mesopotamia, Palestine. Only the 2/89th Punjabis of the new raisings was retained after the war. The 8th Punjabis had a distinguished record of service during the First World War. Their list of honours and awards included the Victoria Cross awarded to Naik
Shahamad Khan Shahamad Khan (1 July 1879 – 28 July 1947) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Military car ...
of 89th Punjabis in 1916. The 89th Punjabis had the unique distinction of serving in more theatres of war than any other unit of the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
. These included Aden, where they carried out the first opposed sea-borne assault landing in modern warfare, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, North-West Frontier of India, Salonika and Russian
Transcaucasia The South Caucasus, also known as Transcaucasia or the Transcaucasus, is a geographical region on the border of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, straddling the southern Caucasus Mountains. The South Caucasus roughly corresponds to modern Arme ...
. All battalions served in Mesopotamia, while the 93rd Burma Infantry also served in France. The 92nd Punjabis were designated as the 'Prince of Wales's Own' in 1921 for their gallantry and sacrifices during the war.


The Bahawalpur Infantry

A detachment of Bahawalpur Mounted Rifles served in Egypt and Palestine, while the Bahawalpur Camel Corps saw action in Baluchistan and
Waziristan Waziristan (Pashto and ur, , "land of the Wazir") is a mountainous region covering the former FATA agencies of North Waziristan and South Waziristan which are now districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Waziristan covers some . ...
.


Post First World War history

After the First World War, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions in 1922. Among these were the 8th Punjab and 10th Baluch Regiments. The line-up of battalions for the 10th Baluch Regiment was: *1st Battalion (DCO) – 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry. *2nd Battalion – 126th Baluchistan Infantry. *3rd Battalion (QMO) – 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry. *4th Battalion (DCO) – 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis. *5th Battalion (KGO) – 130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles). *10th (Training) Battalion – 2/124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry. The regiment was based at Karachi and initially retained its traditional class composition of Punjabi Muslims,
Pathan Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
s,
Balochis The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. There ar ...
and Brahuis. The Balochis and Brahuis are two of the main ethnic groups of Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Balochis also constitute a major part of the population of Sindh Province and Southern Punjab. However, in 1925, Balochis and Brahuis were replaced with Hindu
Dogra The Dogras or Dogra people, are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group in India and Pakistan consisting of the Dogri language speakers. They live predominantly in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, and in adjoining areas of Punjab, Himachal ...
s because of the difficulty encountered in their recruitment during the war. During the inter-war period, the regiment saw continuous employment on the North West Frontier of India, keeping it in fighting trim for the great test ahead. The distinctive rifle green and red uniform of the old Baluch battalions was adopted by the entire regiment. The officers wore a red boss surmounted by a silver 'X' on field and forage caps, while the old battalion badges were worn on pagris and helmets by the 1st, 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions. It was not until 1945 that a single cap badge was adopted by the regiment on introduction of
beret A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in 19th century France and Spain, and the beret remains ...
s 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 ...
. It consisted of the Roman numeral 'X' within a crescent moon, a Tudor crown above and the title scroll below, all in white metal. The badges of rank were in black metal with red cloth edging, while the
lanyard A lanyard is a cord, length of webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, and activation and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lower ...
was of rifle green cord with two red runners. Another distinctive feature of Baluchi uniforms were plain silver ball buttons worn on service and mess dresses. The line-up of battalions for the 8th Punjab Regiment was: *1st Battalion – 89th Punjabis *2nd Battalion – 90th Punjabis *3rd Battalion – 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) *4th Battalion (PWO) – 92nd Prince of Wales's Own Punjabis *5th Battalion (Burma) – 93rd Burma Infantry *10th (Training) Battalion – 2/89th Punjabis The regiment was based at
Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
and its class composition was 50% Punjabi Muslims, 25% Sikhs and 25% Hindu
Gujjars Gurjar or Gujjar (also transliterated as ''Gujar, Gurjara and Gujjer'') is an ethnic nomadic, agricultural and pastoral community, spread mainly in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, divided internally into various clan groups. They were tradit ...
. 8th Punjab Regiment also remained engaged on the North West Frontier, taking part in numerous actions and engagements during a period of constant trouble in the region. In light of the association of the constituent regiments with Burma, it was appropriate that the new regiment should adopt
Chinthe ''Chinthe'' ( my, ခြင်္သေ့ (); mnw, ဇာဒိသိုၚ် (); shn, သၢင်ႇသီႈ ()) is the Burmese word for 'lion'. The leograph of ''Chinthe'' is a highly stylized lion commonly depicted in Burmese iconogra ...
– the mythical Burmese lion-dragon guardian of Buddhist
pagoda A pagoda is an Asian tiered tower with multiple eaves common to Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most often Buddhist but sometimes Taoist, ...
s, as its emblem in 1927. The cap badge was in white metal with blue backing, while the badges of rank were in
gilding metal Gilding metal is a form of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) with a much higher copper content than zinc content. Exact figures range from 95% copper and 5% zinc to “8 parts copper to 1 of zinc” (11% zinc) in British Army Dress Regulations. ...
. The uniform was of drab colour with blue facings. The lanyard was also of drab colour. In 1917, Bahawalpur State raised the Imperial Service Double Company, which was designated as 2nd Bahawalpur Household Infantry in 1922 and redesignated as 2nd Bahawalpur Haroon Infantry a year later. In 1921, Bahawalpur joined the Indian State Forces Scheme, placing its two infantry battalions at the disposal of the Government of India. The Bahawalpur Infantry was mostly composed of Punjabi Muslims. Their uniforms underwent numerous changes, until settling for grey colour in 1930. Ceremonial headdress included the distinctive '
fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
', which was unique to the Bahawalpur State Forces. The badges of Bahawalpur Infantry also underwent numerous changes but usually included the
pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...
as their central theme.


Baloch Regiment in the Second World War


10th Baluch Regiment

*1st Battalion – India,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
,
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
,
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
. *2nd Battalion – India, Malaya. Captured at
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
in 1942. Reformed in 1946 by redesignation of 9/10th Baluch. *3rd Battalion – India, Iran, Iraq,
North Africa North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in ...
,
Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
,
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
. *4th Battalion – India,
Italian East Africa Italian East Africa ( it, Africa Orientale Italiana, AOI) was an Italian colony in the Horn of Africa. It was formed in 1936 through the merger of Italian Somalia, Italian Eritrea, and the newly occupied Ethiopian Empire, conquered in the Seco ...
, North Africa,
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
, Italy. *5th Battalion – India,
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 ...
. *6th Battalion – Raised in 1940. India. Disbanded 1947; re-raised 1948. *7th Battalion – Raised in 1940. India, Burma. *8th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India, Burma. Disbanded 1946; re-raised 1948. *9th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India. Redesignated as 2 Baluch in 1946. *10th Battalion – Converted into Regimental Centre in 1942. *14th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India, Burma, Malaya,
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
. Disbanded 1946. *15th Battalion – Raised in 1941. Became a training battalion. India. Disbanded 1946. *16th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India, Burma, Malaya. Disbanded 1946. * 17th Battalion – Raised in 1942 by conversion of 53rd Regiment, Indian Armoured Corps. India, Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Greece,
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
. *18th Battalion – Raised as 25th Garrison Battalion in 1941. Redesignated as 18/10th Baluch in 1943. India. Disbanded 1944. *25th Garrison Battalion – Raised in 1941. On conversion to active status, it was redesignated as 18/10th Baluch in 1943. *26th Garrison Battalion – Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1946. *Machine Gun Battalion – Raised on 15 April 1942. Converted into 53rd Regiment, Indian Armoured Corps in August 1942. Redesignated as 17/10th Baluch in November 1942. During the Second World War, the 10th Baluch regiment raised ten new battalions. The regiment fought in all the major theatres of war, and its record of service was once again most impressive. It suffered 6572 casualties and won numerous gallantry awards including two Victoria Crosses to Naik
Fazal Din Fazal Din VC (1 July 1921 – 2 March 1945) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Early life He was born in 1921 to a P ...
and Sepoy
Bhandari Ram Bhandari Ram VC (24 July 191919 May 2002) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Details Bhandari R ...
. At the end of 1945, the 10th Baluch Regiment lost its number and became The Baluch Regiment.


8th Punjab Regiment

*1st Battalion – India, Malaya. Captured at Singapore in 1942. Reformed in 1946 by redesignation of 9/8th Punjab. *2nd Battalion – India,
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 ...
,
French Indochina French Indochina (previously spelled as French Indo-China),; vi, Đông Dương thuộc Pháp, , lit. 'East Ocean under French Control; km, ឥណ្ឌូចិនបារាំង, ; th, อินโดจีนฝรั่งเศส, ...
. *3rd Battalion – India,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. *4th Battalion – India,
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, Iran. *5th Battalion – India, Burma, Malaya,
Dutch East Indies The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
. *6th Battalion (Machine Gun) – Raised in 1940. India, Malaya, Dutch East Indies. Disbanded January 1948; re-raised October 1948. *7th Battalion – Raised in 1940. India, Malaya. Captured at Singapore in February 1942. *8th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India, Burma. *9th Battalion – Raised in 1941. India, Ceylon, Cyprus. Redesignated as 1/8th Punjab in 1946. Re-raised 1948. *10th Battalion – Converted into Regimental Centre in 1942. *14th Battalion – Raised in 1941. Converted into 9th (Punjab) Heavy Anti-aircraft Regiment, Indian Artillery, in 1942. India, Ceylon. Disbanded 1946. *15th Battalion – Raised in 1942. Became a training battalion. India. Disbanded 1946. *16th Battalion – Raised in 1943. Became a training battalion. India. Disbanded 1946. *25th Garrison Battalion – Raised in 1941. India. Disbanded 1946. *26th Garrison Battalion – Raised in 1942. India. Disbanded 1946. The 8th Punjab Regiment also greatly distinguished itself in the war, suffering more than 4500 casualties. It was awarded two Victoria Crosses to Havildar Parkash Singh and Sepoy Kamal Ram, besides numerous other gallantry awards.


The Bahawalpur Regiment

*1st Battalion – India, Malaya. Captured at Singapore in February 1942. Reformed in 1946. *2nd Battalion – India. *3rd Battalion – Raised in 1940. India. Converted into Training Centre in 1946. *4th Battalion – Raised in 1944. India. Re-designated as 3rd Bahawalpur Light Infantry in 1946. Captain
Mahmood Khan Durrani Lieutenant Colonel Mahmood Khan Durrani, GC (1914–1995) was a Pakistani recipient of the George Cross, awarded for ''acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger''. He was a 26-year-old ...
of 1st Bahawalpur Infantry was awarded the
George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...
"for outstanding courage, loyalty and fortitude whilst a Prisoner of War" of the Japanese.


Independence

Following the
independence Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
of
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 ...
in 1947, the 8th Punjab and Baluch Regiments were allotted to Pakistan. Dogra companies of the Baluch Regiment were transferred to 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- ...
. The Regimental Centre shifted to Quetta in 1947, to make room for government offices in the new capital of Pakistan. On 7 July, Baluch (present 15 Baloch) moved to Karachi to prepare for ceremonies in connection with the Independence of Pakistan. The battalion has the distinction of providing the first guard of honour to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as he stepped on the soil of Pakistan. On 14 August, the Subedar-Major, Subedar Major unfurled the first flag at the Governor-General of Pakistan, Governor General’s residence. Officers and men of the Baloch Regiment earned the honoured title of 'Ghazi Balochi' for protecting Muslim refugees fleeing India from marauding bands of Sikhs and Hindus. The 8th Punjab Regimental Centre remained at Lahore. Sikh and Gujjar companies were exchanged with Hindustani Muslims from regiments allotted to India. In 1947, Bahawalpur State acceded to Pakistan and in 1952 the Bahawalpur Infantry was integrated into the Pakistan Army as the Bahawalpur Regiment. The regiment was entirely composed of Punjabi Muslims. The Regimental Centre was based at Ahmadpur East Tehsil, Dera Nawab Sahib. The uniform of the new regiment was of shades of green, rifle green colour with scarlet facings. Officers' winter mess kit was of French grey cloth with black cuffs and facings with and blue overalls. The cummerband was rifle green. The cap badge of gilding metal consisted of a pelican surmounted by a star and crescent, the whole surrounded by a date palm wreath, with a scroll below, inscribed 'Bahawalpur Regiment'. Backing for the cap badge was of circular maroon cloth. Badges of rank were in gilding-metal. The lanyard was of a maroon cord. In July 1948, 5th Bahawalpur Light Infantry was raised from Muslim officers and men of 2nd Patiala State, Patiala Infantry, who had opted for Pakistan. It was redesignated as 4 Bahawalpur in 1952.


Amalgamation

In 1956, a major re-organization was undertaken in the Pakistan Army and the existing infantry regiments were amalgamated to form larger regiments. The Baluch Regiment was reorganised by merging the 10th Baluch, 8th Punjab and the Bahawalpur Regiments. The new regimental centre was initially set up at Multan; moving to Abbottabad in December 1957. The new line up of the regiment was: * 1 Baluch – 89th Punjabis, 1/8th Punjab * 2 Baluch – 90th Punjabis, 2/8th Punjab * 3 Baluch – 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry), 3/8th Punjab * 4 Baluch – 92nd Punjabis, 4/8th Punjab (Prince of Wales's Own) * 5 Baluch – 93rd Burma Infantry, 5/8th Punjab (Burma) * 6 Baluch – 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry, 1/10th Baluch (Duchess of Connaught's Own) * 7 Baluch – 26th Baluchistan Infantry, 2/10th Baluch * 8 Baluch – Bahawalpur Regiment, 1 Bahawalpur (Sadiq) * 9 Baluch – 2 Bahawalpur (Haroon) * 10 Baluch – 127th Baluch Light Infantry, 3/10th Baluch (Queen Mary's Own) * 11 Baluch – 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, 4/10th Baluch (Duke of Connaught's Own) * 12 Baluch – 130th Baluchis, 5/10th Baluch (King George V's Own) (Jacob's Rifles) * 13 Baluch – 6/8th Punjab (later 1st Battalion, Sindh Regiment) * 14 Baluch – 6/10th Baluch * 15 Baluch – 7/10th Baluch * 16 Baluch – 8/10th Baluch * 17 Baluch – 8/8th Punjab (later 2 Sindh Regiment) * 18 Baluch – 9/8th Punjab (later 3 Sindh Regiment) * 19 Baloch Regiment, 19 Baluch (Special Service Group, SSG) – 17/10th Baluch * 20 Baluch – 3 Bahawalpur (Abbas) * 21 Baluch – 4 Bahawalpur


Post-amalgamation history

In 1955, Pakistan raised the Special Service Group (SSG) from the old 17/10th Baluch at Cherat, a hill station near Peshawar.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. In 1979–80, the Baluch Regiment transferred ten battalions (1st Battalion, Sindh Regiment, 13th, 17th, 18th, 44th, 46th, 48th, 49th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd Baluch) to the newly formed Sind Regiment, while 61st Baluch was transferred in 1988. Based at Abbottabad since December 1957, the Balochis have fought with distinction in every operation/engagement of the Pakistan Army since independence, winning numerous awards for gallantry. In 1948, 11 Baluch captured the strategic heights of Pandu in Kashmir, while Balochis played a vital role in blunting the Indian offensive against Lahore in 1965. They also fought in the Rann of Kutch, at Chhamb-Jaurian, Sialkot, Battle of Chawinda, Chawinda, Kasur and Sulemanki. In 1971, the regiment again performed creditably on both the fronts. The newly raised 41 Baluch captured the Indian fortress of Qaisar-i-Hind, while a company of 31 Baluch, augmented with para-military troops, held up an entire Indian brigade for three weeks in the defence of Kamalpur. The regiment has also produced the two most successful field commanders of Pakistan Army, namely, Major General Abrar Hussain (general), Abrar Husain, Commander of 6th Armoured Division (Pakistan), 6 Armoured Division in 1965, who blunted the Indian offensive in Sialkot Sector, and Major General Iftikhar Janjua, Eftikhar Khan Janjua, who captured the strategic town of Battle of Chamb, Chhamb in 1971. During the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1948, 1965 and 1971, the regiment was awarded 6
Hilal-i-Jurat The Hilal-e-Jurat ( ur, , as if it were ''Halāl-e-Jurāt''; English: Crescent of Courage , sometimes spelled as Hilal-e-Jur'at, Hilal-e-Jurat, Hilal-i-Jurrat and Hilal-i-Juraat)Various official sources that are highly reputable spell the name ...
with one bar, 64 Sitara-i-Jurat with 4 bars and 70 Tamgha-i-Jurat, while more than 1500 officers and men sacrificed their lives in defence of Pakistan.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. Since then, the regiment has continued to uphold its reputation and rendered valuable services in the country's defense; in aid to civil authorities during natural disasters and insurgencies, including the recently concluded counter-terrorism operations; and as Peacekeeping, United Nations Peacekeepers. The present badge of the Baloch Regiment, adopted in 1959, depicts crossed Mughal Empire, Mughal swords within a crescent, under the Islamic Star of Glory, appearing above a title scroll. All ranks wear a rifle green
beret A beret ( or ; ; eu, txapela, ) is a soft, round, flat-crowned cap, usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, wool felt, or acrylic fibre. Mass production of berets began in 19th century France and Spain, and the beret remains ...
with a cherry coloured backing for the badge. Officers wear a cherry coloured boss surmounted by a silver star on forage caps. Badges of rank are in black metal with cherry edging. Bandsmen wear the traditional rifle green tunic and cherry trousers of the old Baluch battalions. The Regimental Tartan i
the Baluch Regiment Tartan.
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Regimental Bands

Regimental bands have been a part of Baloch battalions since their inception. However, the first recorded mention of a Baloch regimental band is from 1834, when a Singapore newspaper reported the regret of its citizens on the departure of 29th Madras Native infantry (1 Baloch), whose band had regularly entertained them during the battalion's stay at the station. Meanwhile, a British officer on a visit to Bahawalpur in 1835 recorded that Bahawalpur Infantry had corps of drums "to which they marched in very good time", made up of drummers and flautists. A photograph of 1st Belooch Regiment (10 Baloch) from 1868, shows it on parade in Abyssinia with a 16-strong drum and bugle corps made up of buglers, snare and bass drummers. In 1877, the battalion acquired a brass band, which it retained until 1929. By the turn of the century, 24th Baluchistan Infantry (6 Baloch) and 2nd Baluch Battalion (11 Baloch) were maintaining dhol & surnai bands, which were peculiar to Baluchis, and were later adopted by all Baluch battalions alongside the bugles, forming a local variant of the British tradition. Around this time, Scottish bagpipes were introduced in the Indian Army, mostly on the initiative of individual commanding officers. In 1892, The 26th Bombay Infantry (7 Baloch) became the first Baluch battalion which had formed a pipe band. By 1901, 24th Baluchistan Infantry and 3rd Baluch Battalion (12 Baloch) had also formed pipe bands. After the First World War, brass bands, which were expensive to maintain, were replaced by pipe bands in all Baluch battalions. However, the 8th Punjabis retained their brass band until the Second World War, after which it was converted to pipes and drums.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. Baluchis quickly adopted bagpipes as their own and were soon winning renown for the accomplishment of their pipers. In 1924, the pipe band of 2/10th Baluch (7 Baloch) toured England along with the brass band of 4/8th Punjab (4 Baloch), as the best infantry bands in the Indian Army. In 1946, the honour of being the best in the Army was claimed by the pipe band of 8th Punjab Regimental Centre, which was selected to lead the Indian infantry contingent in the Victory Parade in London on 8 June 1946. Led by the renowned piper Jemadar Ghulam Haider, the band received much acclaim during its visit to the United Kingdom. After the Second World War, a brass band of 8th Punjab Regimental Centre was formed under the legendary bandmaster Jemadar Wazir Ali of 4/8th Punjab. During his long service from 1893 to 1949, he had made 4/8th Punjab's brass band the envy of the Indian Army. The brass band of 8th Punjab Regimental Centre and the pipe band of Baluch Regimental Centre under Pipe Major Karam Dad took part in Independence celebrations at Karachi in August 1947.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. After their formation in 1922, all infantry regiments adopted their own regimental marches, which were selected from among British military tunes. The marching tune of Baluch Regiment was ‘Blue Bonnets over the Border’, while ‘God Bless the Prince of Wales’ was the regimental march of 8th Punjab Regiment. The Baloch Regiment now marches to the tune of ‘Nida-e-Baloch’. Balochis have maintained their excellence in martial music after independence. All Baloch battalions have pipe bands, while the Regimental Centre maintains a brass band. Pipes and Drums of the Regiment have won many awards in international competitions. Prominent among them is 3 Baloch, which won the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh's Piping Trophy for four successive years from 1962 to 1965. It also won the President's Trophy for Best Infantry Pipe Band of Pakistan Army in 1982.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. Meanwhile, the brass band of Baloch Regimental Centre has won the Annual Army Band Competition four times, came in second thrice, and third eight times. The band regularly participates in protocol activities including the Pakistan Day Parade, accreditation ceremonies for the President of Pakistan, as well as other public events such as the South Asian Federation Games (where the band performed in 1989 and 2004). The Army School of Music, which is based at Abbottabad since 1956, was affiliated with Baloch Regimental Centre from 1965 to 2004.


Battle honours

*1798–1914: Travancore War, Cochin, Battle of Mahidpur, Maheidpoor, First Anglo-Burmese War, Ava, Aden#British administration 1839–1967, Aden, Anglo-Persian War, Reshire, Anglo-Persian War, Bushire, Battle of Khushab, Khoosh-ab, Anglo-Persian War, Persia, Siege of Delhi, Delhi 1857,
Central India Central India is a loosely defined geographical region of India. There is no clear official definition and various ones may be used. One common definition consists of the states of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which are included in alm ...
, 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia, Abyssinia, Battle of Kandahar (1880), Kandahar 1880, Second Afghan War, Afghanistan 1878–80, Battle of Tel el-Kebir, Tel-el-Kebir, 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, Egypt 1882, Third Anglo-Burmese War, Burma 1885–87, British East Africa 1896, British East Africa 1897-99, The Boxer Rebellion, China 1900. *World War I: Battle of Messines (1914), Messines 1914, Battle of Armentières, Armentières 1914, First Battle of Ypres, Ypres 1914, First Battle of Ypres, Gheluvelt, Festubert 1914, Battle of Givenchy, Givenchy 1914, Battle of Neuve Chapelle, Neuve Chapelle, Second Battle of Ypres, Ypres 1915, Second Battle of Ypres, St Julien, Battle of Loos, Loos, Western Front (World War I), France and Flanders 1914–15, Macedonian front (World War I), Macedonia 1918, Gallipoli Campaign, Helles, Battle of Krithia, Krithia, Gallipoli Campaign, Gallipoli 1915, First Suez Offensive, Suez Canal, Sinai and Palestine Campaign, Egypt 1915–17, Third Battle of Gaza, Gaza, Battle of Megiddo (1918), Megiddo, Battle of Megiddo (1918), Sharon, Battle of Megiddo (1918), Nablus, Palestine 1917–18, Aden, Mesopotamian campaign#1916, Tigris 1916, Second Battle of Kut, Kut al Amara 1917, Fall of Baghdad (1917), Baghdad, Action of Khan Baghdadi, Khan Baghdadi, Mesopotamian campaign, Mesopotamia 1915–18, Persian campaign (World War I), Persia 1915–18, North-West Frontier (military history)#1914–1918 (First World War), NW Frontier, India 1917, North-West Frontier (military history)#1914–1918 (First World War), Baluchistan 1918, East African Campaign (World War I), Kilimanjaro, East African Campaign (World War I), Behobeho, East African Campaign (World War I), East Africa 1915–18. *Third Anglo-Afghan War, Afghanistan 1919. *World War II: Battle of Gallabat, Gallabat, East African Campaign (World War II)#Agordat and Barentu, Barentu, Battle of Keren, Keren, East African Campaign (World War II)#Massawa, Massawa, East African Campaign (World War II), Abyssinia 1940–41, Battle of Gazala, The Cauldron, First Battle of El Alamein#Battle of Mersa Matruh, Mersa Matruh, First Battle of El Alamein, Ruweisat Ridge, Second Battle of El Alamein, El Alamein, North African Campaign, North Africa 1940–43, Allied invasion of Sicily, Landing in Sicily, Allied invasion of Sicily, Sicily 1943, Bernhardt Line#8th Army on the Adriatic Winter Line defences, The Trigno, Bernhardt Line#8th Army on the Adriatic Winter Line defences, Perano, Bernhardt Line#8th Army on the Adriatic Winter Line defences, The Sangro, Moro River Campaign, Castel Frentano, Moro River Campaign, Orsogna, Operation Diadem, Gustav Line, Trasimene Line, Arezzo, Trasimene Line, Monte Cedrone, Trasimene Line, Citta di Castello, Gothic Line, Gothic Line, Monte Calvo, Gothic Line, Pian di Castello, Gothic Line#Battles for Gemmano and Croce, Croce, Gothic Line#Battles for Gemmano and Croce, Gemmano Ridge, Battle of San Marino, San Marino, Gothic Line, Monte Farneto, Gothic Line, San Paolo-Monte Spaccato, Gothic Line#Time runs out for the Allies, Cesena, Gothic Line#Time runs out for the Allies, Savio Bridgehead, Gothic Line#Time runs out for the Allies, Casa Bettini, Battle of Bologna, Monte Grande, Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, The Senio, Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, Idice Bridgehead, Italian Campaign (World War II), Italy 1943–45, Greek Civil War, Athens, Greek Civil War, Greece 1944–45, Malayan Campaign#Japan invades, North Malaya, Battle of Jitra, Jitra, Malayan Campaign#Advance down the Malayan Peninsula, Machang, Battle of Jitra#Battle 11–13 December, Gurun, Battle of Kampar, Kampar, Malayan Campaign#Defence of Johor, Johore, Battle of Singapore, Singapore Island, Malayan Campaign, Malaya 1941–42, Japanese conquest of Burma, Kuzeik, Arakan Campaign 1942–1943, Donbaik, Burma Campaign#Southern front 1943/44, North Arakan, Burma Campaign#Southern front 1943/44, Maungdaw, Burma Campaign#Southern front 1943/44, Point 551, Burma Campaign 1944–1945#Northern Front, The Shweli, Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay#Opening movements, Shwebo, Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay#Crossing the Irrawaddy, Kyaukmyaung Bridgehead, Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay, Mandalay, Burma Campaign 1944–1945#Northern Front, Myitson, Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay, Capture of Meiktila, Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay, Defence of Meiktila, Battle of Pokoku and Irrawaddy River operations, The Irrawaddy, Burma Campaign 1944–1945#Race for Rangoon, Kama, Burma Campaign 1944–1945#Race for Rangoon, Pegu 1945, Burma Campaign 1944–1945#Final operations, Sittang 1945, Burma Campaign, Burma 1942–45. *Post-independence: Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Kashmir 1948, Khem Karan 1965, Battle of Chawinda, Chawinda 1965, Dewa-Chamb 1965, Jaurian 1965, Sialkot 1965, Lahore 1965, Sulemanki 1965, Rann of Kutch 1965, Kasur 1965, Hajipir 1965, Qaisar-i-Hind 1971, Battle of Chamb, Chhamb 1971, Zafarwal 1971, Lahore 1971.


Colonel-in-Chief, Colonels-in-Chief

Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre.


10th Baluch Regiment The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After Partition of India, independence, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab Regiment, 8th Punja ...

* George V of the United Kingdom, King George V


8th Punjab Regiment

* Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, King Edward VIII


Bahawalpur Regiment The Bahawalpur Regiment was a regiment of Pakistan Army. The regiment was formed in 1952 from the infantry battalions of the erstwhile Princely State of Bahawalpur (princely state), Bahawalpur, which had acceded to Pakistan in 1947. In 1956, the Ba ...

* Sadeq Mohammad Khan V, Amir Sadeq Mohammad Khan V of
Bahawalpur Bahawalpur () is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. With inhabitants as of 2017, it is Pakistan's 11th most populous city. Founded in 1748, Bahawalpur was the capital of the former princely state of Bahawalpur, ruled by the Abbasi fa ...


Post-amalgamation Baloch Regiment

* General Yahya Khan, AM Yahya Khan, Civil decorations of Pakistan, HPk, Hilal-i-Jur'at, HJ (1966) - 11 Baloch * General Mirza Aslam Beg, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, NI (M), Awards and decorations of the Pakistan military, SBt (1989) - 16 Baloch * General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI (M), Hilal-i-Imtiaz, HI (2007) - 5 Baloch * General Rashad Mahmood, NI (M) (2014) - 7 Baloch * General Qamar Javed Bajwa, NI (M) (2017) - 16 Baloch


Colonel Commandant, Colonels Commandant

* Lieutenant General Habibullah Khan Khattak, M Habibullah Khan Khattak, SPk (1957) – 12 Baloch *Major General Syed Ghawas, Sayad Ghawas, Civil decorations of Pakistan, SQA (1961) – 12 Baloch *General Abdul Hamid Khan (general), Abdul Hamid Khan, Civil decorations of Pakistan, HQA, SPk (1966) – 10 Baloch *Lieutenant General Abdul Hameed Khan, HQA, SPk (1973) – 10 Baloch *Major General Ghulam Mohammad, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, HI (M) (1977) – 12 Baloch *General Rahimuddin Khan, NI (M), SBt (1982) – 6 Baloch *Lieutenant General Muhammad Ashraf, HI (M), SBt (1989) *Lieutenant General Iftikhar Ali Khan (general), Iftikhar Ali Khan, HI (M) (1993) – 11 Baloch *Lieutenant General Ali Kuli Khan Khattak, HI (M) (1997) – 12 Baloch *Lieutenant General Agha Jehangir Ali Khan, HI (M) (1999) – 16 Baloch *Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool, HI (M) (2001) – 2 Baloch *Lieutenant General Jamshed Gulzar Kiani, Jamshaid Gulzar, HI (M) (2002) *Lieutenant General Syed Parwez Shahid, HI (M) (2003) – 11 Baloch *Lieutenant General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, HI (M), HI (2005) – 5 Baloch *Lieutenant General Shafaat Ullah Shah, HI (M) (2007) *Lieutenant General Khalid Nawaz Khan, HI (M) (2010) – 3 Baloch *Lieutenant General Qamar Javed Bajwa, HI (M) (2013) – 16 Baloch *Lieutenant General Malik Zafar Iqbal, HI (M) (2017) – 3 Baloch *Lieutenant General Azhar Abbas, HI (M) (2019) - 41 Baloch


Famous soldiers of the regiment

* Captain William Alexander Kerr, William Kerr, VC (
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 ...
recipient, Indian Rebellion of 1857, 1857) – 6 Baloch * General O'Moore Creagh, Sir O'Moore Creagh, VC, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, GCB, GCSI (Commander-in-Chief, India, C-in-C in India 1909–14) – 11 Baloch * Field Marshal Claud Jacob, Sir Claud Jacob, GCB, GCSI, Order of St Michael and St George, (C-in-C in India 1925) – 6 & 12 Baloch * Colonel Charles James William Grant, CJW Grant, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1891) – 1 & 4 Baloch * General Edward Quinan, Sir Edward Quinan, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, KCB, Order of the Indian Empire, KCIE, Distinguished Service Order, DSO, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, OBE (General Officer Commanding, GOC British Tenth Army (United Kingdom), Tenth Army 1942–43) – 3 Baloch * Lieutenant General Harold Rawdon Briggs, Sir Harold Briggs, KCIE, Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, KBE, Order of the Bath, CB, DSO & 2 Medal bar, Bars (GOC 5th Indian Division 1942–44) – 6 & 7 Baloch * Lieutenant General Habibullah Khan Khattak, M Habibullah Khan Khattak, SPk (Chief of staff, COS Army 1958–59) – 12 Baloch * General Gopal Gurunath Bewoor, GG Bewoor, PVSM (Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, COAS India 1973–75) – 12 Baloch * General Yahya Khan, AM Yahya Khan, HPk, HJ (President 1969–71 & C-in-C Army 1966–71) – 10 Baloch * General Abdul Hamid Khan (general), Abdul Hamid Khan, Civil decorations of Pakistan, HQA, SPk (COS Army 1969–71) – 10 Baloch * Lieutenant Colonel
Mahmood Khan Durrani Lieutenant Colonel Mahmood Khan Durrani, GC (1914–1995) was a Pakistani recipient of the George Cross, awarded for ''acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger''. He was a 26-year-old ...
, George Cross, GC (
George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, has been ...
recipient, 1945) – 8 Baloch * Major General Abrar Hussain (general), Abrar Husain, HJ, MBE (Order of the British Empire), MBE (GOC 6th Armoured Division (Pakistan), 6 Armoured Division 1965) – 7 Baloch * Major General Iftikhar Janjua, Eftikhar Khan Janjua, HJ & Bar, SPk, SQA (GOC 23 Division 1971) – 10 Baloch * Major General Aboobaker Osman Mitha, AO Mitha, HJ, SPk, SQA (First Commanding officer, CO of Special Service Group, SSG 1955–61) – 18 & 19 Baluch * General Rahimuddin Khan, NI (M), SBt (Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (Pakistan), CJSC 1984–87) – 6 Baloch * General Mirza Aslam Beg, NI (M), SBt (Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan), COAS 1988–91) – 16 Baloch * General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NI (M), HI (COAS 2007–13) – 5 Baloch * General Tariq Majid, NI (M) (CJSC 2007–10) – 28 Baloch * General Rashad Mahmood, NI (M) (CJSC 2013) – 7 Baloch * General Qamar Javed Bajwa, HI (M) (COAS 2016–) – 16 Baloch * Sepoy
Khudadad Khan Subedar Khudadad Khan, VC (20 October 1888 – 8 March 1971) was a Pakistani and the recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces. During t ...
, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1914) – 11 Baloch * Naik
Shahamad Khan Shahamad Khan (1 July 1879 – 28 July 1947) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Military car ...
, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1916) – 1 Baloch * Havildar Parkash Singh, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1943) – 5 Baloch * Sepoy Kamal Ram, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1944) – 3 Baloch * Sepoy
Bhandari Ram Bhandari Ram VC (24 July 191919 May 2002) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Details Bhandari R ...
, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1945) * Naik
Fazal Din Fazal Din VC (1 July 1921 – 2 March 1945) was an Indian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Early life He was born in 1921 to a P ...
, VC (Victoria Cross recipient, 1945) – 15 Baloch *Brigadier Abdul Qayum Sher, HJ (Commander 22 Brigade 1965) – 11 Baloch * Major General Sanaullah Khan Shaheed, SBt (GOC 17 Division) – 11 Baloch * Major Muhammad Ali Hyderi Shaheed, TBt - 30 Baloch * Captain Bilal Zafar Shaheed, SBt – 42 Baloch (MIB) * Captain Sabih Abrar Shaheed,TBt - 20 Baloch


Current units

* 89th Punjabis, 1st Battalion * 90th Punjabis, 2nd Battalion * 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry), 3rd Battalion * 92nd Punjabis, 4th Battalion * 93rd Burma Infantry, 5th Battalion * 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry, 6th Battalion * 26th Baluchistan Infantry, 7th Battalion * Bahawalpur Regiment, 8th Battalion * 127th Baluch Light Infantry, 10th Battalion * 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis, 11th Battalion * 130th Baluchis, 12th Battalion * 14th Battalion * 15th Battalion * 19 Baloch Regiment, 19th Battalion (now part of Special Service Group) * 24th Battalion * 25th Battalion * 27th Battalion (mechanised) * 32nd Battalion * 35th Battalion * 36th Battalion * 41st Battalion * 42nd Battalion * 43rd Battalion * 47th Battalion * 55th Battalion * 58th Battalion * 68th Battalion * 70th Battalion ;Affiliated units * 2 Light Commando Battalion (Baloch) * 15th Lancers (Baloch)


Affiliations and alliances

* 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 20th & 23rd Battalions Sind Regiment, The Sind Regiment * 13th Lancers * 15th Lancers, 15th Lancers (Baloch) * 26th Jacob's Mountain Battery, 1st (SP) Medium Regiment, Artillery (FF) * 14 (Abbasia) Field Regiment, Artillery * 8 (1st Abbasia) Baloch Regiment, Infantary * 164 Field Regiment, Artillery (Baloch) * 59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force), 1st Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment – 3 Baloch * Royal Regiment of Wales, 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh, The Royal Welsh (Royal Regiment of Wales, The Royal Regiment of Wales) – 4 Baloch * Staffordshire Regiment, 3rd Battalion Mercian Regiment, The Mercian Regiment (Staffordshire Regiment, Staffords) – 7 Baloch * Yorkshire Regiment, The Yorkshire Regiment (previously The Duke of Wellington's Regiment) – 10 Baloch * The Rifles – 11 Baloch * Royal Highland Fusiliers, The Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, The Royal Regiment of Scotland – 11 Baloch


References


Bibliography

* Ahmad, Maj Rifat Nadeem, and Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2006). ''Unfaded Glory: The 8th Punjab Regiment 1798–1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Ahmad, Lt Col Rifat Nadeem. (2010). ''Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Ahmad, Lt Col Rifat Nadeem. (2012). ''The Gallant One: War Services of First Battalion The Baloch Regiment''. Rawalpindi: The Battalion. * Ahmad, Lt Col Rifat Nadeem. (2017). ''History of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (1998). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1820–1939''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (2000). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1939–1956''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Ahmed, Lt Col Habib. (2015). ''The Battle of Hussainiwala and Qaiser-i-Hind, The 1971 War''. Karachi: Oxford University Press. * * Beatson, Brig Gen S. (1903). ''A History of the Imperial Service Troops of Native States''. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, India. * Cadell, Sir Patrick. (1938). ''History of the Bombay Army''. London: Longmans & Green. * Chaldecott, Lt Col OA. (1935). ''The First Battalion (DCO) and the Tenth Battalion, the Tenth Baluch Regiment''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden. * Cook, HCB. (1987). ''The Battle Honours of the British and Indian Armies 1662–1982''. London: Leo Cooper. * * Geoghegan, Col NM, and Campbell, Capt MHA. (1928). ''History of the 1st Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden. * Haycraft, Maj WS. (1921). ''Regimental History, 1914-1920, 93rd Burma Infantry''. Cardiff: William Lewis. * Head, Richard W. (1981). ''The Bahawalpur Army: A History of the Army's Origins, Composition and Achievements''. (Manuscript). * Maxwell, Lt Col WE. (1948). ''Capital Campaigners: The History of the 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) the Baluch Regiment''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden. * Phythian-Adams, Lt Col EG. (1943). ''Madras Infantry 1748–1943''. Madras: The Government Press. * Poulsom, Lt Col NW, and Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2011). ''Uniforms & Devices of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. * Qureshi, Lt Col IA. (1966). ''History of 11th Battalion, the Baluch Regiment''. Lahore: The Allied Press. * Riza, Maj Gen Shaukat. (1989). ''The Pakistan Army 1947–49''. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club. * Rodger, Alexander. (2003). ''Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662–1991''. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press. * * Thatcher, WS. (1932). ''The Fourth Battalion, Duke of Connaught's Own, Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Great War''. Cambridge: The University Press. * Thatcher, WS. (1980). ''The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War''. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre. * Vaughan, Maj MV. ''History of 3/8 Punjab Regiment''. (Manuscript). * Wilson, Lt Col WJ. (1882–88). ''History of the Madras Army''. Madras: The Government Press. {{Use dmy dates, date=March 2017 Baloch Regiment, Infantry regiments of Pakistan British Indian Army infantry regiments Honourable East India Company regiments Military units and formations established in 1798 Military in Balochistan, Pakistan