42nd Deoli Regiment

Last updated

42nd Deoli Regiment
Active1857–1922
Country Indian Empire
BranchArmy
TypeInfantry
Part of Bengal Army (to 1895). Bengal Command (1895 –1908).
Nickname(s) Meena Battalion (original title)
ColorsDark green coats and tunics faced red. Scarlet trousers.

The 42nd Deoli Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traced their origins to 1857, when the Meena Battalion was raised during the Indian Mutiny. This battalion was the nucleus for the infantry of the Deoli Irregular Force which in May 1861, numbered eight companies. A cavalry detachment was added to the regiment by 1865 and continued to form part of it until at least 1886. [1] After this date the 42nd became an exclusively infantry regiment.

From its foundation the regiment was recruited mainly from various Meena sub-sects. In the Indian Army List of January 1919 the recruitment basis was described broadly as "four companies of Rajputana Hindus and Musalmans".

The regiment later served in the Second Afghan War and World War I in the 5th (Mhow) Division. During World War I a second battalion was raised in 1917. [2] Both battalions remained in India for internal security duties during the war but a single company of Meenas was posted to Mesopotamia. After World War I the Indian infantry was reorganized, moving from single battalion regiments to multi-battalion regiments. Nine regiments were disbanded as part of this restructuring. The 42nd Deoli Regiment was one of the regiments surplus to the new structure and it was disbanded on 10 December 1921. [3]

Related Research Articles

The 64th Pioneers was a regiment of the British Indian Army. Originally serving as regular infantry it evolved into a specialist military pioneer unit performing engineering and construction tasks.

The 17th Infantry (The Loyal Regiment) was an infantry regiment of the Bengal Army, later of the united British Indian Army. It was formed at Phillour in 1858 by Major J. C. Innes from men of the 3rd, 36th and 61st Bengal Native Infantry regiments who remained loyal to the British East India Company during the Indian Mutiny, and designated The Loyal Purbiah Regiment.

The 44th Merwara Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1824, when the Sylhet Light Infantry was raised. This first 44th eventually became the 44th Gurkhas and later 8th Gurkha Rifles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">83rd Wallajahbad Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The 83rd Wallajahbad Light Infantry was an infantry regiment originally raised in 1794 as the 33rd Madras Battalion, part of the Presidency of Madras Army which was itself part of the Honourable East India Company Army. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct authority of the British Crown. In 1903 all three presidency armies were merged into the British Indian Army. The unit was disbanded before Indian Independence.

The 43rd Erinpura Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army. It originated in the three infantry companies of Meena, Bhil tribe of the Jodhpur Legion that stayed loyal to the British when the Legion revolted in 1857.

The 79th Carnatic Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1777, when the 20th Carnatic Battalion was raised from sub-units of the 1st, 3rd, 8th and 16th Carnatic Battalions.

<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.

The 48th Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1901, when they were raised as the 48th (Pioneers) Bengal Infantry. They were the last raised Bengal Infantry unit before the reorganization of the Indian Army in 1903. Compared to various other regiments, the 48th Pioneers were religiously diverse.

<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 to 1758, when they were raised as the 1st Battalion Coast Sepoys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry</span> Military unit

The 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment could trace its origins to 1759, when it was raised as the 4th Battalion Coast Sepoys.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">73rd Carnatic Infantry</span> Military unit

The 73rd Carnatic Infantry was an infantry regiment originally raised in 1776 as the 13th Carnatic Battalion as part of the Presidency of Madras Army which was itself part of the Honourable East India Company Army. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct authority of the British Crown. In 1903 all three presidency armies were merged into the British Indian Army. The unit was transferred to the Indian Army upon Indian Independence.

The 74th Punjabis were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1776, when they were raised as the 14th Carnatic Battalion.

The 80th Carnatic Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1777, when they were raised as the 21st Carnatic Battalion, by enlisting men from the 2nd, the 6th, the 12th and the 15th Carnatic Battalions.

The 81st Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1786, when they were raised as the 28th Madras Battalion.

The 86th Carnatic Infantry was an infantry regiment originally raised in 1794 as the 36th Madras Native Infantry, part of the Presidency of Madras Army which was itself part of the Honourable East India Company Army. The presidency armies, like the presidencies themselves, belonged to the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferred all three presidencies to the direct authority of the British Crown. In 1903 all three presidency armies were merged into the British Indian Army. The unit was disbanded before Indian Independence.

The 88th Carnatic Infantry were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. They could trace their origins to 1798, when they were raised as the 2nd Battalion, 14th Madras Native Infantry.

<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.

The 121st Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the East India Company's Bombay Army and later the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1777, when they were raised as the Marine Battalion.

The 128th Pioneers were an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment traces their origins to 1846, when they were raised as the 28th Bombay Native Infantry.

References

  1. W.Y. Carman, page 121, "Indian Army Uniforms – Infantry", Morgan-Grampian: London 1969
  2. "42nd Deoli Regiment", britishempire.co.uk
  3. Sumner p.15

Further reading