32nd Sikh Pioneers

Last updated

32nd Sikh Pioneers
Active1857-1922
CountryBritish Raj Red Ensign.svg  British India
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
SizeThree battalions
Part of Bengal Army (to 1895)
2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade
Nickname(s) Mazhabi and Ramdasia Pioneers
UniformRed; faced dark blue
EngagementsDelhi
Lucknow
1878 - 80 Afghanistan
1888 Sikkim Expedition
1897 Chitral

The 32nd Sikh Pioneers was a regiment of the Indian Army during British rule. The regiment was founded in 1857 as the Punjab Sappers (Pioneers). [1] After a series of names changes, it became the 32nd Punjab Pioneers in 1901 and the 32nd Sikh Pioneers in 1903. To honour the visit of the Prince and Princess of Wales to Indian they took part in the Rawalpindi Parade 1905. In 1922, it united with 23rd Sikh Pioneers and 34th Sikh Pioneers, to form 2nd Bn, 3rd Sikh Pioneers. Their most celebrated feat of arms was the relief in 1895 of the besieged British garrison of Chitral, by a gruelling crossing of the snow-covered Shandur Pass.

Contents

The regiment recruited the Mazhabi Sikhs and Ramdasia Sikhs of Punjab province. Despite being Pioneers by name, the regiment was specially trained as Assault Pioneers.

It was one of the first native mounted infantry to be posted for active service outside India. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First Anglo-Sikh War</span> 1845–46 conflict between the British East India Company and the Sikh Empire

The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company in 1845 and 1846 around the Ferozepur district of Punjab. It resulted in defeat and partial subjugation of the Sikh empire and cession of Jammu & Kashmir as a separate princely state under British suzerainty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military history of the North-West Frontier</span> Historical aspect of modern-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

The North-West Frontier was a region of the British Indian Empire. It remains the western frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the modern Pakistani frontier regions of North-West Frontier Province, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Balochistan from neighbouring Afghanistan in the west. The borderline between is officially known as the Durand Line and divides Pashtun inhabitants of these provinces from Pashtuns in eastern Afghanistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikh Regiment</span> Infantry regiment of the Indian Army

The Sikh Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. Sikh regiment is the highest decorated regiment of the Indian Army and in 1979, the 1st battalion was the Commonwealth's most decorated battalion with 245 pre-independence and 82 post-independence gallantry awards, when it was transformed into the 4th battalion, Mechanised Infantry Regiment. The first battalion of the regiment was officially raised just before the partial annexation of the Sikh Empire on 1 August 1846, by the British East India Company. Currently, the Sikh Regimental Centre is located in Ramgarh Cantonment, Jharkhand. The Centre was earlier located in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh.

The Sikh Light Infantry is a light infantry regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment is the successor unit to the 23rd, 32nd and 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers of the British Indian Army. The regiment recruits from the Sikh community of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana states of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Frontier Force Regiment</span> Military unit

The 12th Frontier Force Regiment was formed in 1922 as part of the British Indian Army. It consisted of five regular battalions; numbered 1 to 5 and the 10th (Training) Battalion. During the Second World War a further ten battalions were raised. In 1945, the prenominal "12th" was dropped when the British Indian Army dispensed with prenominal numbering of its regiments. After the independence in 1947, it was formed into the Frontier Force Regiment, part of the army of Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mazhabi Sikh</span> Community from Northern India that follows Sikhism

Mazhabi Sikh is a community from Northern India, especially Punjab region, who follow Sikhism. Mazhabi are part of wider category of Dalit Sikhs, who convert from the hindu Valmiki community. The word Mazhabi is derived from the Arabic term mazhab, and can be translated as the faithful. They live mainly in Indian Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana.

The Ramdasia were historically a Sikh, Hindu sub-group that originated from the caste of leather tanners and shoemakers known as Chamar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bengal Army</span> Army of the Bengal Presidency of British India

The Bengal Army was the army of the Bengal Presidency, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd (Lahore) Division</span> Military unit

The 3rd (Lahore) Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army and before 1895, the Bengal Army, first organised in 1852. It saw service during World War I as part of the Indian Corps in France before being moved to the Middle East where it fought against troops of the Ottoman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">8th Punjab Regiment</span> Former infantry regiment of the armies of British India and Pakistan

The 8th Punjab Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. It was transferred to Pakistan Army on Partition of India in 1947 and merged with the Baluch Regiment in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">92nd Punjabis</span> Military unit

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 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 4th Battalion of The Baloch Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">23rd Sikh Pioneers</span> Military unit

The 23rd Sikh Pioneers were a regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were known as the 15th (Pioneer) Regiment of Punjab Infantry. The regiment recruited the Mazhabi Sikhs and Ramdasia Sikhs of Punjab province. Despite being Pioneers by name, the regiment was specially trained as Assault Pioneers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">51st Sikhs (Frontier Force)</span> Pakistan Army Unit

The 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1846 as the 1st Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 51st Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 and became 1st Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 3 Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">34th Royal Sikh Pioneers</span> Military unit

The 34th Royal Sikh Pioneers was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1857, when they were raised as the Punjab Sappers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force)</span> Military unit

The 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1846 as the 2nd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 52nd Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 and became 2nd Battalion (Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 4th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment.

The 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1847 as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion (Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 5th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">54th Sikhs (Frontier Force)</span> Military unit

The 54th Sikhs (Frontier Force) were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1846 as the 4th Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade. It was designated as the 54th Sikhs (Frontier Force) in 1903 and became 4th Battalion (Sikhs) 12th Frontier Force Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 6th Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment.

The 72nd Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 16th Battalion Coast Sepoys.

The 3rd Sikh Pioneers was a regiment of the British Indian Army formed in 1922, when the Indian army moved from single battalion regiments to multi-battalion regiments. The 3rd Sikh Pioneers were one of four Pioneer units in the 1922 reorganisation, including the 1st Madras Pioneers, 2nd Bombay Pioneers, and 4th Hazara Pioneers.

References

  1. British Empire: Armed Forces: Units: Indian Infantry: 32nd Sikh Pioneers
  2. Winrow, Andrew (2016). The British Army Regular Mounted Infantry 1880–1913. Taylor & Francis. p. 150. ISBN   978-1-317-03994-5.

Further reading