8th Punjab Regiment
| 8th Punjab Regiment | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1922 - 1956 |
| Allegiance |
 British Crown (1922 - 47) Pakistan (1947 - 56) |
| Branch |
 British Indian Army Pakistan Army
|
| Type | Line Infantry |
| Regimental Centre | Lahore |
| Uniform | Drab; faced blue |
| March | Soldiers' Chorus |
| Engagements |
Second Poligar War 1801 Second Anglo-Maratha War 1803-05 Travancore War 1808-09 Third Anglo-Maratha War 1817-19 Third Kandy War 1818 First Burma War 1824-26 Naning War 1831-32 Coorg War 1834 Second Burma War 1852-53 Indian Rebellion of 1857 Second Afghan War 1878-80 Rampa Rebellion of 1879 Third Burma War 1885-87 Upper Burma 1890-96 Manipur Expedition 1891 The Boxer Rebellion 1900 First World War 1914-18 (France & Flanders, Egypt, Palestine, Gallipoli, Mesopotamia, Aden, Salonika, Russia) Third Afghan War 1919 Iraqi Revolt 1920 Second World War 1939-45 (Italy, Iran, Iraq, Burma, Malaya, French Indochina, Dutch East Indies) Kashmir War 1948 |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | King Edward VIII |
| Colonels of the Regiment | General Sir Edward Quinan Brigadier Fazal Ur Rahman Kallue |
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.
The 8th Punjab Regiment had its origins in the Madras Army, where its first battalion was raised at Masulipatam in 1798. Four more battalions were raised in 1799-1800. In 1824, they were designated as the 29th, 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd Regiments of Madras Native Infantry. In the early 19th century, these battalions were engaged in fighting the Marathas and took part in a number of foreign expeditions including the Anglo-Burmese Wars. Between 1890 and 1893, they were reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims and Sikhs as Burma Battalions and permanently based in Burma to police the turbulent Burmese hill tracts. Under the Kitchener Reforms of 1903, they were redesignated as the 89th, 90th, 91st, 92nd Punjabis, and 93rd Burma Infantry. They were delocalized from Burma before the First World War.
Only 2/89th Punjabis of the wartime raisings was retained after the post-war reforms.
The 8th Punjabis have a most distinguished record of service during the First World War. Their long list of honours and awards includes the Victoria Cross awarded to Naik Shahmed Khan of 89th Punjabis in 1916. The 89th Punjabis had the unique distinction of serving in more theatres of war than any other unit of the British Empire. These included Aden, where they carried out the first opposed sea-borne assault landing in modern warfare, Egypt, Gallipoli, France, Mesopotamia, North-West Frontier Province, Salonika and Russian Transcaucasia. All battalions served in Mesopotamia, while 93rd Burma Infantry also served in France. The 92nd Punjabis were made 'Prince of Wales's Own' in 1921 for their gallantry and sacrifices during the war.
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Wikipedia