44 Field Regiment (India)

44 Field Regiment
Active	1948 – present
Allegiance	India
Branch	Indian Army
Type	Artillery
Size	Regiment
Nickname(s)	Fighting Forty Four
Motto(s)	Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
Colors	Red & Navy Blue
Anniversaries	-
Insignia
Abbreviation	44 Fd Regt

44 Field Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

Formation and history

The regiment was raised as 44 Anti-Tank Regiment in 1948 with a class composition of South Indian Classes. At raising, the unit was equipped with 6-pounder anti-tank guns. ^[1] The regiment has since been converted to a heavy mortar regiment, a light regiment, a medium regiment and is presently a field regiment. The unit consists of 69, 70 and 71 field batteries. ^[2]

Operations

The regiment has taken part in the following operations ^[2] –

Map of North East Frontier Agency by Verrier Elwin, 1959

• Sino-Indian War of 1962 – The regiment was deployed in North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA), (presently Arunachal Pradesh) during the war. The Lohit, Siang and Subansiri Frontier Divisions of NEFA were the responsibility of 5 Infantry Brigade (which was under 4 Infantry Division of IV Corps, located at Tezpur). 44 Heavy Mortar Regiment was deployed in this large area, with their regiment headquarters at Tezpur in support of 5 Infantry Brigade. 69 Heavy Mortar Battery was deployed in Subansiri frontier division at Daporijo and then in Taliha in support of 2 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles. 70 Heavy Mortar Battery was in Siang frontier division at Tuting and Menchuka in support of 2 Madras. 71 Heavy Mortar Battery was in Lohit Frontier Division at Walong in support of 6 Kumaon and later with 4 Sikh. In spite of firing all their mortars, they were overrun by the vastly superior Chinese numbers, ammunition and equipment. ^{[3] [4] [5]} The regiment lost one officer and four men during the operations. ^{[6] [7]}
• Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 – 44 Light Regiment took part in Operation Ablaze and Operation Riddle. It lost four men during the operations in the Jammu and Kashmir sector. ^[8]
• Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 – During Operation Cactus Lily, 44 Light Regiment was part of 54 Artillery Brigade under 54 Infantry Division in the western sector. ^[9] The regiment lost officer and one Junior commissioned officer during the war. ^[10]
• Operation Sunflower – 1972
• Operation Blue Star – 1984
• Operation Trident – 1986-1987
• Operation Rakshak – 1995
• Operation Meghdoot – 1995-1997
• Operation Vijay – 1999
• Operation Parakram – 2001-2002
• Operation Falcon and Operation Rhino – 2006-2009 – The regiment was actively involved in counter-terrorism operations in Assam. ^{[11] [12] [13] [14]}
• Flood relief operations (2018 Kerala floods) – Columns from the regiment weren't actively involved in rescue efforts during the devastating floods affecting the state of Kerala in 2018. ^{[15] [16]}

Equipment

The regiment has used the following weapon systems over the years ^[2] –

• 1948 – 6-pounder anti-tank guns
• 1956 – 4.2-inch mortar
• 1963 – 120 mm E1 Mortar
• 1972 – Mortar (type ?)
• 1981 – M-46 130 mm guns
• 2006 – 105 mm light field guns

Gallantry awards

The regiment has won the following gallantry awards–

• Vir Chakra
  • Second Lieutenant (later Brigadier) Pradeep Singh Bhandari ^[17]
• Shaurya Chakra
  • Major (now Brigadier) Sukhmeet Singh, while serving with Assam Rifles ^{[18] [19]}
• Sena Medal
  • Colonel Zohair Ibn Salma Yazdani ^{[20] [21]}

See also

• List of artillery regiments of Indian Army

References

1. Gulati, YB (1973). History of the Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army. Leo Cooper Ltd. p. 102. ISBN   978-0850521184.
2. "Diamond Jubilee APO cover". 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
3. "1962 War - The Unknown Battles : Operations in Subansiri and Siang Frontier Divisions". 2014-07-01. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
4. Sandhu, PJS (1992). 1962: A View from the Other Side of the Hill. VIJ Books (India) Pty Ltd. ISBN   978-9384464769.
5. Singh, Jagjit (2006). Artillery: The Battle-Winning Arm. Lancer Publishers, New Delhi. ISBN   978-8176021807.
6. "EXTRACT OF MIA/KIA LIST – 1962" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-01-10.
7. "Official history, Chapter 6" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-01-11.
8. "1965 war - Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997" . Retrieved 2024-01-10.
9. Singh, Jagjit (1994). Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971. Spantech & Lancer. p. 131. ISBN   978-1897829554.
10. "Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997" . Retrieved 2024-01-09.
11. "ULFA tries to blow up train on raising day". 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
12. "Northeast Briefs". 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
13. "Encounter in North Lakhimpur: 2 ULFA cadres killed". 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
14. "ULFA targets security forces, triggers 3 grenade attacks". 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
15. "Kerala flood: Army constructs 35 feet long footbridge". 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
16. "Operation Sahyog: Indian Army Builds 40-Foot Bridge From Fallen Trees In Kerala". 2018-08-16. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
17. "Second Lieutenant Pradeep Singh Bhandari" . Retrieved 2024-01-11.
18. "MAJ SUKHMEET SINGH, SC" . Retrieved 2024-01-10.
19. "Gazette of India, No 12, page 462". 2003-03-22. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
20. "440 Republic Day Gallantry and other Defence Decorations Announced". 2011-01-25. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
21. "Gazette of India, No 14, page 707". 2011-04-02. Retrieved 2024-01-10.