3rd Sikh Infantry
| 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1846 – 1922 |
| Country | British India |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | 1 Battalion |
| Nickname(s) | Renny ki Paltan |
| Uniform | Drab; faced black |
| Engagements |
North West Frontier of India Indian Mutiny 1857-59 Sikkim 1861 Second Afghan War 1878-80 First World War 1914-18 |
The 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force) were 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.
The regiment was raised on 1 January 1847 at Ferozepur as the 3rd Regiment of Infantry The Frontier Brigade by Captain DF Winter. It was composed of Sikhs, Punjabi Muslims, Pathans, Dogras and Hindustanis. In 1847, it was designated 3rd Regiment of Sikh Local Infantry, becoming the 3rd Regiment of Sikh Infantry in 1857. In 1851, it became part of the Punjab Irregular Force, which later became famous as the Punjab Frontier Force or The 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 with great aplomb. On the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny in 1857, the Hindustani Company was disbanded. In 1858 the 3rd Sikh Infantry took part in mopping up operations in North India. During the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, the regiment took part in the defence of Sherpur Cantonment and the Battle of Kandahar, while in 1897, it served in the Tirah Campaign.
Subsequent to the reforms brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903, the regiment's designation was changed to 53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force). In 1914, the regiment's class composition was four companies of Sikhs, two of Pathans, and one each of Punjabi Muslims and Dogras. During the First World War, the regiment served throughout with the 28th Indian Brigade. In 1915, it served in Egypt and Aden (Yemen), moving to Mesopotamia in December. Here, it fought with great gallantry in the bloody battles for the Relief of Kut al Amara on the Tigris Front in 1916-17, the capture of Baghdad and in operations north of Baghdad at Istabulat, Daur and Tikrit. In 1918, the regiment moved to Palestine and took part in the Battle of Megiddo, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. It returned to India in 1920.
...
Wikipedia