104th Wellesley's Rifles

Last updated

104th Wellesley's Rifles
Rajputana infantry aclovett.jpg
A depiction of a subadar-major of the 104th Wellesley's Rifles (second from left) amongst other British Indian Army troops
Active1775-1922
CountryBritish Raj Red Ensign.svg  British India
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
Part of Bombay Army (to 1895)
Bombay Command
UniformGreen; faced red.
Engagements Third Anglo-Mysore War
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Beni Boo Ali
Second Anglo-Sikh War
Anglo-Persian War
Second Afghan War
Indian Rebellion of 1857
World War I

The 104th Wellesley's Rifles were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1775, when they were raised as the 5th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys and presently its designation is 3 Guards (1 Rajputana Rifles) of Indian Army.

Contents

The regiments first action was during the Mysore Campaign in the Third Anglo-Mysore War. This was followed by their participation in the Battle of Seringapatam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. They were next called to serve in the Beni Boo Ali campaign in 1821, against the pirates in Eastern Arabia and the Persian Gulf region. Returning to India they took part in the Siege of Multan during the Second Anglo-Sikh War. They were next involved in the Anglo-Persian War in 1856, followed the next year by the Indian Rebellion of 1857 taking part in the Central India Campaign.

Twenty years were to pass until their next action in the Battle of Kandahar during the Second Afghan War. They were also in East Africa during the Sudan Campaign. During World War I they were in the 6th (Poona) Division during the Mesopotamia Campaign. After a string of early successes particularly during the Battle of Es Sinn, the 6th Division was defeated at the Battle of Ctesiphon in November 1915. Following this engagement, the division withdrew to Kut and Siege of Kut began. After a lengthy siege all they surrendered in April 1916. [1]

After World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. [2] In 1922, the 104th Wellesley's Rifles became the 1st Battalion 6th Rajputana Rifles.[ citation needed ] After independence they were one of the regiments allocated to the Indian Army.[ citation needed ]

Predecessor names

Successor Names

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajputana Rifles</span> Rifle regiment of the Indian Army

The Rajputana Rifles is the oldest rifle regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally a part of the British Indian Army, when six previously existing regiments were amalgamated to form six battalions of the 6th Rajputana Rifles. In 1945, the numeral designation was dropped from the title and in 1947 the regiment was transferred to the newly independent Indian Army. Since independence, the regiment has been involved in a number of conflicts against Pakistan, as well as contributing to the Custodian Force (India) in Korea under the aegis of the United Nations in 1953–54 and to the UN Mission to the Congo in 1962. As a rifle regiment, it uses a bugle horn as its insignia, the same as the British Light Division, but unlike its British counterparts, the Rajputana Rifles march at the same march pace used in the Indian Army as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Grenadiers</span> Regiment of the Indian Army

The Grenadiers is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, formerly part of the Bombay Army and later the pre-independence British Indian Army, when the regiment was known as the 4th Bombay Grenadiers. It has distinguished itself during the two world wars and also since the Independence of India. The regiment has won many battle honours and gallantry awards, and is considered to be one of India's most decorated regiments with three Param Vir Chakra awardees in three different conflicts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maratha Light Infantry</span> Infantry regiment of Indian army

The Maratha Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It traces its lineage to the Bombay Sepoys, raised in 1768, making it the most senior light infantry regiment in the Indian Army. The class composition of the regiment was and is primarily formed by Maratha recruits from the former Maratha Empire. The men are mostly drawn from all over the state of Maharashtra, with some percentage from Marathi-speaking areas of Karnataka including Coorg. The regimental centre has been in Belgaum, Karnataka, since 1922, which was part of the Bombay Presidency at that time. The battle cry of Maratha Light Infantry is, "Bola Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai ". Maratha regiment is the strongest regiment in India. The regiment has won over 79 battle honours, including 25 in World War I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Punjab Regiment</span> Former infantry regiment of the armies of British India and Pakistan

The 1st Punjab Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. Upon the Partition of India, it was transferred to the newly-raised Pakistan Army. It ceased to exist in this form in 1956, when it was amalgamated with the 14th, 15th and 16th Punjab regiments to form the Punjab Regiment, an existing infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army.

The 6th (Poona) Division was a division of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1903, following the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">125th Napier's Rifles</span> Military unit

The 125th Napier's Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. At various points in history it was also known as the 1st Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry, the 25th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry (1826–1889) and the 25th Bombay Rifles. Amalgamated with five other regiments in 1922, it is now the 5th Battalion, Rajputana Rifles. The Battalion celebrated its bicentenary on 17 Feb 2020. The Battalion is now known as 5th Battalion the Rajputana Rifles (Napiers) or 5 RAJ RIF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment)</span> Military unit

The 119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment originated in 1817, when it was raised as the 1st Battalion, 10th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">62nd Punjabis</span> Military unit

The 62nd Punjabis was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1759 as the 3rd Battalion of Coast Sepoys, and formed part of the Madras Army. It was designated as the 62nd Punjabis in 1903 and became 1st Battalion 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 1st battalion, Punjab Regiment. It is the senior-most surviving infantry battalion of the British Indian Army.

The 108th Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1768, when they were raised as the 1st Battalion, Bombay Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">109th Infantry</span> Military unit

The 109th Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to 1768, when it was raised as the 5th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">120th Rajputana Infantry</span> Military unit

The 120th Rajputana Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1817, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, 10th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">61st Pioneers</span> Military unit

The 61st Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They trace their origins to1758, when they were raised as the 1st Battalion Coast Sepoys.

The 67th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 8th Battalion Coast Sepoys.

The 69th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 10th Battalion Coast Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">103rd Mahratta Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The 103rd Mahratta Light Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1768, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, Bombay Sepoys. The regiment was first in action in the Mysore Campaign during the Third Anglo-Mysore War, quickly followed by the Battle of Seedaseer and the Battle of Seringapatam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. Their next action was at Beni Boo Ali against pirates in Eastern Arabia and the Persian Gulf region led the East India Company to carry out a punitive expedition in 1819 to Ras al Khaimah which destroyed the pirate base and removed the threat from the Persian Gulf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">105th Mahratta Light Infantry</span> British Indian Army unit

The 105th Mahratta Light Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1768, when they were raised as the 3rd Battalion, Bombay Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">107th Pioneers</span> Military unit

The 107th Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. Their origin can be traced back to 1788, when they were raised as the 4th Battalion, Bombay Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">110th Mahratta Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The 110th Mahratta Light Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1797, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, 5th (Travancore) Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">117th Mahrattas</span> Military unit

The 117th Mahrattas were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1800, when they were raised as the Bombay Fencible Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">122nd Rajputana Infantry</span> Military unit

The 122nd Rajputana Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1818, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, 11th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry.

References

Notes
  1. See Gardner, Nikolas. 2004 'Sepoys and the Siege of Kut-Al-Amara, December 1915-April 1916', War in History (journal) 11(3), pp. 307-326
  2. Sumner p. 15
Bibliography