The Guides Infantry, or 2nd Battalion (Guides) The
Frontier Force Regiment
The Frontier Force Regiment is one of the six infantry regiments of the Pakistan Army. They are popularly known as the ''Piffers'' in reference to their military history as the PIF ( Punjab Irregular Force) of the British Indian Army, or as th ...
, is an infantry battalion of the
Pakistan Army. It was raised in 1846 as part of the famous
Corps of Guides.
Historical Overview
The Corps of Guides was raised at
Peshawar
Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...
on 14 December 1846 by Lieutenant
Harry Burnett Lumsden on the orders of Sir
Henry Lawrence, the British Resident 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 ...
, capital of the
Sikh Empire
The Sikh Empire was a state originating in the Indian subcontinent, formed under the leadership of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who established an empire based in the Punjab. The empire existed from 1799, when Maharaja Ranjit Singh captured Lahor ...
. Initially composed of a troop of cavalry and two companies of infantry mounted on
camels, the Guides were organized as a highly mobile force. The corps was ordered to recruit
:''trustworthy men, who could, at a moment's notice, act as guides to troops in the field; men capable, too, of collecting trustworthy intelligence beyond, as well as within, our borders; and, in addition to all this, men, ready to give and take hard blows, whether on the frontier or in a wider field.''
[Younghusband, Col GJ. (1908). ''The Story of the Guides''. London: MacMillan.]
Although the corps recruited men from all over the country and even beyond the
Frontier of
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 ...
,
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 ...
, Punjabi Muslims,
Sikhs and
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, Himacha ...
s later formed the bulk of their manpower.
[Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). ''One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949''. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.]
Harry Lumsden was chosen to train and lead the force:
:''He was a man of strong character, athletic, brave, resolute, cool and resourceful in emergency; a man of rare ability and natural aptitude for war, and possessed, moreover, of that magnetic influence which communicates the highest confidence and devotion to those who follow. Lumsden upheld the principle that the greatest and best school for war is war itself. He believed in the elasticity which begets individual self-confidence, and preferred a body of men taught to act and fight with personal intelligence''.
Lumsden left a lasting imprint on the Guides, who first fought in numerous frontier operations. Believing that fighting troops were for service and not for show, Lumsden introduced loose and comfortable dust-coloured uniforms for the first time, which would soon become famous as "
khaki
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 ...
" and within decades would be adopted by the British Army for service in India. In 1851, the Guides established themselves at
Mardan
Mardān (Pashto and ; Urdu ; Pashto: ) is a city in the Mardan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. Located in the Valley of Peshawar, Mardan is the second-largest city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (after Peshawar). It is a fast-growing ...
, which would remain their home until 1938.
In 1851, the Corps of Guides became part of the
Punjab Irregular Force
The Punjab Irregular Force (PIF) was created in 1851 to protect the NW frontier of British India. It was termed "Irregular" because it was outside the control of the Regular British East India Company Presidency armies of the three Presidencies o ...
, which later became famous as the
Punjab Frontier Force or
Piffers. The Piffers consisted of five regiments of cavalry, eleven regiments of infantry and five batteries of artillery besides the Corps of Guides. Their mission was to maintain order on the Punjab Frontier; a task they performed efficiently during the next fifty years.
[North, REFG. (1934). ''The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924''. DI Khan: Commercial Steam Press.]
In 1876,
Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...
rewarded the Guides by granting them the use of the
Royal Cypher and they became the
Queen's Own Corps of Guides
The Corps of Guides was a regiment of the British Indian Army made up of British officers and Indian enlisted soldiers to serve on the North West Frontier. As originally raised in 1846, The Guides consisted of infantry and cavalry. It evolv ...
with the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
as their Colonel. 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 cavalry and infantry of the Guides fought separately. During the war, the Guides Infantry raised three more battalions. The 3rd and 4th Guides Infantry were disbanded after the war. In 1921, the cavalry and infantry components were formally separated; the cavalry becoming the 10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force), while the infantry joined the newly formed
12th Frontier Force Regiment to make up the 5th and 10th (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) Battalions of the new infantry regiment. The 10th became the Training Battalion of the regiment. Their new class composition was one company each of Punjabi Muslims, Pathans, Sikhs and Dogras. The regiment adopted the drab uniform with red facings of the Corps of Guides. In 1943, the 10th (Training) Battalion was converted into the 12th Frontier Force Regimental Centre, while in 1945, '12' was dropped from the regiment's designation, changing it to The Frontier Force Regiment.
On the
Partition of India in 1947, the Frontier Force Regiment was allotted to
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. The Sikhs and Dogras were transferred to
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 ...
and the new class composition of the regiment became Punjabi Muslims and Pathans in equal proportion. In 1956, the
Frontier Force Rifles and
Pathan Regiment
The Pathan Regiment was an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army now merged into Frontier Force Regiment. It was raised after the independence of Pakistan on November 1, 1948 from the strength of 12th Frontier Force Regiment and 13th Frontier Force R ...
were merged with the Frontier Force Regiment and all the battalions were re-numbered. At the same time, since Pakistan had become a republic, all titles pertaining to British royalty were dropped. Consequently, the Guides Infantry was redesignated as the
2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment or
2 FF (Guides).
[Khan, Maj Muhammad Nawaz. (1996). ''The Glorious Piffers 1843-1995''. Abbottabad: The Frontier Force Regimental Centre.][Khan, Maj Gen Fazal Muqeem. (1996). ''History of the 2nd Battalion (Guides) Frontier Force Regiment 1947-1994''. Rawalpindi: The Army Press.]
Campaigns
Frontier Operations
The intrepid Guides quickly made a name for themselves on the
North West Frontier of
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 ...
in numerous operations against the turbulent frontier tribes. Between 1847 and 1878, the corps participated in fifteen major frontier expeditions and operations.
Their formidable reputation soon spread far and wide, and was immortalized by
Rudyard Kipling
Joseph Rudyard Kipling ( ; 30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936)''The Times'', (London) 18 January 1936, p. 12. was an English novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. He was born in British India, which inspired much of his work.
...
in several of his works such as
''The Ballad of East and West''. By around the start of the 20th century, the Guides had acquired such a legendary status that when
Robert Baden-Powell
Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the wor ...
, the founder of
Boy Scouts, decided to form a similar organization for girls in 1909, he named them
Girl Guides
Girl Guides (known as Girl Scouts in the United States and some other countries) is a worldwide movement, originally and largely still designed for girls and women only. The movement began in 1909 when girls requested to join the then-grassroot ...
after the Corps of Guides. ''
How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire
''The Handbook for Girl Guides or How Girls Can Help to Build Up the Empire'' is the full title of the book more commonly known as ''How Girls Can Help to Build up the Empire''. It was the first handbook for Girl Guides. The author was Agnes B ...
'', the Girl Guides' handbook has this to say about the Corps of Guides:
:''On the Indian frontier the mountain tribes are continually fighting, and our troops there are renowned for their splendid achievement and gallant conduct. The best known of all is the corps called "The Guides" … To be a Guide out there means you are one who can be relied upon for pluck, for being able to endure difficulty and danger, for being able cheerfully to take up any job that may be required, and for readiness to sacrifice yourself for others''.
Second Sikh War 1848-49
Following their victory in the
First Sikh War
A Sikh War may mean:
*The Mughal-Sikh Wars
*The Afghan–Sikh Wars
*The Gurkha-Sikh War (1809)
*The Sino-Sikh War (1841-1842)
*The First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–1846)
*The Second Anglo-Sikh War
The Second Anglo-Sikh War was a military con ...
of 1845-46, the British posted a
Resident
Resident may refer to:
People and functions
* Resident minister, a representative of a government in a foreign country
* Resident (medicine), a stage of postgraduate medical training
* Resident (pharmacy), a stage of postgraduate pharmaceuti ...
at the Sikh Durbar at Lahore to control the affairs of the Sikh state. However, the Sikhs resented British interference in their affairs and began planning a revolt. Early in 1848, Lumsden and his Guides were summoned to Lahore to gather evidence of the planned Sikh insurrection - a mission that they successfully carried out. However, British counter-measures were unable to prevent the revolt, which broke out at
Multan
Multan (; ) is a city in Punjab, Pakistan, on the bank of the Chenab River. Multan is Pakistan's seventh largest city as per the 2017 census, and the major cultural, religious and economic centre of southern Punjab.
Multan is one of the old ...
in April 1848 and soon spread to the rest of the country. The Guides served at the
Siege of Multan
The siege of Multan began on 19 April 1848 and lasted until 22 January 1849, and saw fighting around Multan (in present-day Pakistan) between the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire. It began with a rebellion against a ruler imposed ...
and then participated in the
Battle of Gujrat
The Battle of Gujrat was a decisive battle in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, fought on 21 February 1849, between the forces of the East India Company, and a Sikh army in rebellion against the company's control of the Sikh Empire, represented by ...
on 21 February 1849, where the Sikh Army was decisively defeated. The
Second Sikh War resulted in the dissolution of the Sikh state and annexation of the Punjab by the British.
The Great Indian Mutiny of 1857
In May 1857, when the mutiny broke out, Lumsden was on a mission at
Kandahar
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 c ...
and Captain
Henry Daly
General Sir Henry Dermot Daly (25 October 1823 – 21 July 1895) was a senior British Indian Army officer, colonial administrator, Liberal Unionist politician and founder of Daly College.
Biography
Daly was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Fran ...
led the Guides to join the Delhi Field Force then besieging the ancient capital city. They left Hoti Mardan on 13 May and arrived at
Delhi
Delhi, 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 ...
on 9 June after marching 580 miles in twenty-six days and fourteen hours in the searing Indian summer.
:''The moral effect of the arrival of the Guides in Delhi was perhaps in some measure greater even than the actual fighting strength thus brought into line. The fame of the march from the far distant frontier, the fine physique and martial bearing of soldiers drawn from warlike tribes new to the eyes of their British comrades, ... all tended to give the approach of the travel-stained Guides a high significance.'' An eyewitness recorded: ''They came in as firm and light as if they had marched but a single mile.''
The Guides went into action the same day and by evening, all of their officers were killed or wounded. They continued to fight gallantly throughout the summer and took part in the
final assault and capture of Delhi. By the time they returned home, they had suffered 350 casualties out of the 600 men who had set out in May.
For their gallant conduct at Delhi, they were awarded the distinction of red piping on their tunic collars; an honour shared with the
60th Foot and the
Sirmoor Rifles, who fought alongside them at Delhi.
Second Afghan War 1878-80
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 ...
of 1878-80, the Guides joined the Peshawar Field Force under General Sir
Sam Browne
General Sir Samuel James Browne, (3 October 1824 – 14 March 1901) was a British Indian Army cavalry officer, known best as the creator of the Sam Browne belt. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the most prestigious award for gallantr ...
and took part in the capture of
Ali Masjid
Ali Masjid (Pashto and ) is the narrowest point of the Khyber Pass. It is located in Khyber District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. It is around east of the city of Landi Kotal (West of Peshawar) and has an elevation of . The width of the Kh ...
, the advance to
Jalalabad
Jalalabad (; Dari/ ps, جلالآباد, ) is the fifth-largest city of Afghanistan. It has a population of about 356,274, and serves as the capital of Nangarhar Province in the eastern part of the country, about from the capital Kabul. Jala ...
and the cavalry action at
Fatehabad, where Lieutenant
Walter Hamilton 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 ...
for gallantry. Following the
Treaty of Gandamak
The Treaty of Gandamak (Dari: معاهده گندمک, Pashto: د گندمک تړون) officially ended the first phase of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Mohammad Yaqub Khan ceded various frontier areas to Britain while retaining full control of ...
in May 1879, the Afghan King agreed to the presence of a British Mission in
Kabul
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 22 municipal districts. Acco ...
. The mission, led by Sir
Louis Cavagnari
Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari (4 July 1841 – 3 September 1879) was an Italian-British military administrator.
Cavagnari was the son of Count Louis Adolphus Cavagnari, of an old family from Parma in the service of the Bonaparte family, ...
, arrived in Kabul on 24 July 1879, escorted by a detachment of 76 Guides under Lieutenant Hamilton, VC. However, on 3 September, a disgruntled regiment of the Afghan Army attacked the British
Residency
Residency may refer to:
* Domicile (law), the act of establishing or maintaining a residence in a given place
** Permanent residency, indefinite residence within a country despite not having citizenship
* Residency (medicine), a stage of postgra ...
. Although the Afghans offered quarter to the Indian ranks, the Guides chose to fight to the death. The Residency finally fell after twelve hours of fierce resistance by the Guides, who perished to the last man along with 600 of their foes. The sacrifice of these gallant men is commemorated in the impressive Guides Memorial at Mardan with the following words:
:''The annals of no army and no regiment can show a brighter record of devoted bravery than has been achieved by this small band of Guides''.
The epic stand of the Guides at Kabul Residency was immortalized by
MM Kaye in her bestselling novel ''
The Far Pavilions
''The Far Pavilions'' is an epic novel of British-Indian history by M. M. Kaye, published in 1978, which tells the story of an English officer during the British Raj. There are many parallels between this novel and Rudyard Kipling's '' Kim'' th ...
'' and in the 1984 motion picture of the same name.
The massacre at Kabul led to the resumption of hostilities and in December 1879, the Guides were dispatched to join the
Kabul Field Force
The Kabul Field Force was a field force created in September 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, under the command of General Frederick Roberts. It combined British and Indian Army regiments, and initially numbered around 7,500 men, but la ...
under General Sir
Frederick Roberts at
Sherpur Cantonment
Sherpur Cantonment, or the British Cemetery, is located in Kabul, Afghanistan. The area was a British military camp or cantonment and the site of the 1879 Siege of the Sherpur Cantonment in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Now officially called th ...
near Kabul. They participated in the attacks on Takht-i-Shah and
Asmai Heights
The Koh-e Asamai ( prs, کوه آسمایی ''Kōh-e Āsamā'ī'') is a mountain located directly to the west of downtown Kabul, Afghanistan at an elevation of . It is known colloquially as the ''Television Hill'' due to the large TV mast and ant ...
, where Captain
Arthur Hammond 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 ...
for conspicuous gallantry.
After the Second Afghan War, the Guides were involved in a number of actions along the
North West Frontier including the
Relief of Chitral in 1895, as part of Malakand and Buner Field Forces during the Frontier Uprising of 1897-98, and in the Mohmand Expedition of 1908. In 1906, the Corps of Guides was reorganized into separates units of cavalry and infantry within the corps.
First World War
At the outbreak of
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 Corps of Guides initially remained in India for service on the Frontier; both Guides Infantry and Cavalry participating in the
Mohmand Blockade in 1915. In January 1917, a second battalion of Guides Infantry was raised by Captain RCG Pollock at Mardan. In October, the 3rd Guides Infantry was raised by Colonel GP Villiers Stuart, also at Mardan, while the 4th Guides Infantry was raised in October 1918 by Lieutenant ND Douglas at
Nowshera. In 1917, the 1st Guides Infantry joined the
7th (Meerut) Division in
Mesopotamia
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 ...
and fought in the action of Tikrit. In 1918, both 1st and 2nd Guides Infantry served in
Palestine and took part in the
Battle of Megiddo, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. The 3rd Guides Infantry served in the
Third Afghan War
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 ...
of 1919. It was disbanded in August 1921. The 4th Guides Infantry was disbanded in December 1918.
The end of the war also spelt the end of the Corps of Guides as a unit. In the post-war reorganization of the Indian Army in 1921, the corps was broken up and the cavalry and infantry became separate units, with the two battalions of Guides Infantry joining the
12th Frontier Force Regiment as its 5th and 10th Battalions.
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 opposi ...
, the Guides Infantry or 5th Battalion (QVO Corps of Guides) 12th FF Regiment, served throughout in
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 the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
and
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 ...
, guarding against the German threat from the north. They were not engaged in any fighting.
Indo-Pakistan War 1948
The Guides Infantry made up for its lack of action during the Second World War by giving an excellent account of itself in
Kashmir in 1948. The battalion was instrumental in checking the Indian offensive in the Kishenganga Valley, where it fought with great gallantry at Tithwal and foiled all enemy efforts at advance. The Guides suffered casualties of 37 killed and 105 wounded, and were awarded eleven gallantry awards.
[Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). ''The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71''. Lahore: Wajidalis.]
Indo-Pakistan War 1965
In 1965 the Guides Infantry (2FF) was camping at Kasur where A and D companies of the battalion were carrying watermanship training at Thaman Distributary near Luliani after they had moved from the Rann of Katch area. The battalion was assigned the task of establishing a bridge head on Rohhi Nullah for launching of 1 Armoured Division across the India – Pakistan border. A and D companies joined the Paltan at about 1230 hrs. The Guides moved out from the camp to cross the border. The battalion crossed the Rohi Nullah on foot and entered the enemy territory on night 6/7 Sep 1965 and established a bridge head for the armoured division. After the launching of the division, the battalion was put under 21 Bde which was part of 11th Infantry Division. On 12 September the Guides Infantry and 5 Frontier Force captured the Indian town of Khem Karan. The battalion advanced up to Bhura Khana a small village in the north of the Khem Karan. On 17 Sep 1965 it was ordered to come back and take defence positions in front of Khem Kharan. On the night 21/22 September 1965 C company position was shelled heavily and was attacked by Indian troops who succeeded in overrunning part of a forward platoon. A counter-attack was launched by C company which recovered the position. During the conflict, the Guides Infantry were awarded one Tamgha-i-Jurat and two C-in-C Commendation cards.
Rann of Kutch Conflict – April 1965.
The trouble began in March 1965 when India started interfering with Pakistan Rangers patrol in Kanger Kot area. Immediately they took a further step and laid their claim on the Kanger Kot Fort. To back it with force they started amassing troops in the Rann of Kutch. Consequently, some troops of Pakistan Army including the Guides Infantry were promptly dispatched to deal with the situation. The Guides Infantry attacked and captured the strong points of the Indian Army at ''Biarbet'' and captured the position being defended by famous Indian PARA Brigade (Guides Infantry marks 12 April as Biarbet day). An area of approx five to six miles was captured and cleared of the Indians immediately. In this small battle the battalion was awarded two Tamgha-e-Jurat, Four Imtiazi Sanads and one C-in-C Commendation Card.
Honours
Tamgh-e-Jurat
* Lance Havildar Khaki Jan
* Naik Atta Khan
Imtiazi Sanad
* Lt Col Muhammad Iqbal Khan ( Later General)
* Captain Bilal Ahmed ( Later Maj General)
* Captain S J Babar ( Later Chief Commissioner Peshawar)
* Sepoy Din Bad Shah
Commendation Card
* Subedar Ali Asghar
* Havildar Muhammad Razak Khan
* Sepoy Noor Jamal
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
On 3 October 1971 during the
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
, the battalion was deployed to the
Chakothi
Chakothi ( ur, ; ) is a border village in the Hattian Bala District of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located from Muzaffarabad, near the Line of Control on the banks of the Jhelum River.
Chakothi is the check post to Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus s ...
area to defend the Sirinager-to-
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad (; ur, ) is the capital and largest city of Azad Kashmir, and the 60th largest in Pakistan.
The city is located in Muzaffarabad District, near the confluence of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers. The district is bounded by the Pak ...
road in the Uri section. C Company was sent to defend the Lipa valley, joined by elements of the Tochi Scouts. Lipa was defended under second-in-command Abdul Hamid Afridi. On 8 November, Indian forces attacked two patrols of C Company at Shisha Ladi with the intent of capturing the Lipa valley. The final attack was repulsed at 04:15. At 08:00 the second attack began with heavy artillery fire, incurring many casualties by 10:30. Major Aziz Ahmed, Samandar Shah and three ''
jawans'' held Shahadat. Members of the battalion received a
Sitara-e-Jurat, a
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 ...
and an
Imtiazi Sanad
Imtiazi Sanad ( ur, امتیازی سناد) is the fifth-highest Pakistani military award for gallantry or distinguished service in combat. It can be conferred upon any member of the Pakistani Armed Forces or Civil Armed Forces who is mentioned ...
. (This entire description needs re-visiting. 2 FF was deployed in Chakothi sector, with battalion HQ at Chakothi, a company deployed on Sugna-Ziarat ridge, A company at Parat and another company which repulsed the Indian infiltration of Ziarat ridge under the command of Captain Gulzar Ahmed Wazir. The fourth company under Major Aziz Ahmed was detached to Lipa Valley where it fought a glorious action on Shisha Ladi ridge, "R" battery of 25 Composite Mountain Regiment (Artillery) was in support. It was commanded by Lt Col Abdul Hameed Khan in 1971.)
Awards
* Sitara-e-Jurat: Major Aziz Ahmed. He embraced shahdat near Zairat post in Khalana valley. A post is named after him in this area, titled as 'Aziz Post'.
* Tamgha-e-Jurrat: Naib Subedar Muhammad Bashir
* Commendation Card: Jumma Khan
Battle Honours
Mooltan, Goojerat, Punjaub, Delhi 1857, Ali Masjid, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1878-80, Chitral, Punjab Frontier, Malakand, Mesopotamia 1917-18, Megiddo, Sharon, Palestine 1918, NW Frontier, India 1914-15, Afghanistan 1919, Kashmir 1948, Rann of Kutch 1965, Khem Karan 1965.
[Rodger, Alexander. (2003). ''Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662-1991''. Ramsbury: The Crowood Press.]
Victoria Cross Recipients
![A Khyberi of Queen's Own Corps of Guides, 1853](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/A_Khyberi_of_Queen%27s_Own_Corps_of_Guides%2C_1853.jpg)
* Lieutenant
RH Shebbeare,
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 ...
, 14 September 1857
* Lieutenant
WRP Hamilton,
Fatehabad,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, 2 April 1879
* Captain
AG Hammond,
Asmai Heights
The Koh-e Asamai ( prs, کوه آسمایی ''Kōh-e Āsamā'ī'') is a mountain located directly to the west of downtown Kabul, Afghanistan at an elevation of . It is known colloquially as the ''Television Hill'' due to the large TV mast and ant ...
,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
, 14 December 1879
* Major
RB Adams, Landakai,
Swat, 17 August 1897
* Lieutenant
HLS Maclean, Landakai,
Swat, 17 August 1897
* Captain
GMC Meynell, Mohmand,
North West Frontier, 29 September 1935
Changes in Title
* 1846 The Corps of Guides
* 1851 The Corps of Guides, Punjab Irregular Force
* 1865 Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force
* 1876 Queen's Own Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force
* 1901 Queen's Own Corps of Guides
* 1904 Queen's Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden's)
* 1906 Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden's) Infantry
* 1917 1st Battalion Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden’s) Infantry
* 1922 5th Battalion (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) 12th Frontier Force Regiment
* 1945 5th Battalion (Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment
* 1956 2nd Battalion (Guides) The Frontier Force Regiment
Affiliations & Alliances
*
The Guides Cavalry
*
The Royal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division (the other being The Light Infantry).
History
The Royal Green Jackets was formed on 1 January 1966 by the amalgama ...
References and Notes
http://www.radio.gov.pk/03-04-2019/pakistan-army-approves-promotion-of-40-brigadiers-to-major-general
Further reading
* Younghusband, Col GJ. (1908). ''The Story of the Guides''. London: MacMillan & Co.
* ''The History of the Guides 1846-1922''. Vol I. (1938). Aldershot: Gale and Polden.
* MacMunn, Lt Gen Sir George. (1950). ''The History of the Guides 1922-1947''. Vol II. Aldershot: Gale and Polden.
* Khan, Maj Gen Fazal Muqeem. (1996). ''History of the 2nd Battalion (Guides) Frontier Force Regiment 1947-1994''. Rawalpindi: The Army Press.
* Condon, Brig WEH. (1962). ''The Frontier Force Regiment''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
* Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). ''The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71''. Lahore: Wajidalis.
* Dey, RSBN. (1905). ''A Brief Account of the Late Punjab Frontier Force, From its Organization in 1849 to its Re-distribution on 31st March 1903''. Calcutta.
* North, REFG. (1934). ''The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924''. Dera Ismail Khan: Commercial Steam Press, HQ Waziristan District.
* Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). ''One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949''. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
* Khan, Maj Muhammad Nawaz. (1996). ''The Glorious Piffers 1843-1995''. Abbottabad: The Frontier Force Regimental Centre.
*
Lumsden, Gen. Sir Peter, and
Elsmie, G. R. (1900). ''Lumsden of the Guides: A Sketch of the Life of Lieutenant General Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, KCSI, CB, with Selections from His Correspondence and Occasional Papers''. London: J Murray.
* Daly, Maj Hugh. (1905). ''Memoirs of General Sir Henry Dermot Daly, GCB, CIE''. London: J Murray.
* Gaylor, John. (1991). ''Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991.'' Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd.
* Elliott, Maj Gen JG. (1968). ''The Frontier 1839-1947: The Story of the North-West Frontier of India''. London: Cassell.
* Ahmed, Lt Gen Mahmud. (2006). ''History of Indo-Pak War – 1965''. Rawalpindi: Services Book Club.
External links
The Story of the Guides by GJ Younghusband*
ttp://www.britishmedals.us/people/lumsden.html Lieutenant General Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden, KCSI, CB. Obituary in ''The Times'', 13 August 1895br>
Article discussing the raising of the Corps of Guides by Harry LumsdenGeneral Sir Henry Dermot Daly
{{Pakistan Infantry Regiments
British Indian Army regiments
British Indian Army infantry regiments
Honourable East India Company regiments
Indian World War I regiments
Indian World War II regiments
Military units and formations established in 1846
Frontier Force Regiment
1846 establishments in British India