MerleGrier1601: updated details further and added references based on references

2026-03-22T19:30:42Z

updated details further and added references based on references

2405:204:3484:B9C3:274A:57F4:7DE:135B at 16:19, 16 December 2022

2022-12-16T16:19:44Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:49, 16 December 2022
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	{{short description\|Regiment of the Indian Army}}		{{short description\|Regiment of the Indian Army}}
	{{About\|a regiment of the Indian Army\|other uses\|Grenadier (disambiguation)}}		{{About\|a regiment of the Indian Army\|other uses\|Grenadier (disambiguation)}}
	{{More footnotes\|date=April ~~2022~~}}		{{More footnotes\|date=April 2011}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=March ~~2022~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=March 2020}}
	{{Infobox military unit		{{Infobox military unit
	\| unit_name = The Grenadiers		\| unit_name = The Grenadiers
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	* Chakra – 1971		* Chakra – 1971
	* [[Battle of Tiger Hill\|Tololing & Tiger Hill (Kargil War) – 1999]]		* [[Battle of Tiger Hill\|Tololing & Tiger Hill (Kargil War) – 1999]]
	{{Expand list\|date=September ~~2022~~}}		{{Expand list\|date=September 2010}}

	==Decorations==		==Decorations==
	The Grenadiers have the unique and distinct honour of having the most number of [[Param Vir Chakra]]s, India's highest medal for gallantry, among all the Indian Army's Infantry Regiments.{{Citation needed\|date=March ~~2022~~}} Of note also, is the fact that prior to independence, British officers serving with The Grenadiers won four [[Victoria Cross]]es.<ref>Sharma, p. 69</ref> Members of the Regiment have also received a number of other decorations prior to independence, including the [[Indian Order of Merit]].		The Grenadiers have the unique and distinct honour of having the most number of [[Param Vir Chakra]]s, India's highest medal for gallantry, among all the Indian Army's Infantry Regiments.{{Citation needed\|date=March 2009}} Of note also, is the fact that prior to independence, British officers serving with The Grenadiers won four [[Victoria Cross]]es.<ref>Sharma, p. 69</ref> Members of the Regiment have also received a number of other decorations prior to independence, including the [[Indian Order of Merit]].

	===Param Vir Chakra Recipients===		===Param Vir Chakra Recipients===

2405:204:3484:B9C3:274A:57F4:7DE:135B at 16:19, 16 December 2022

2022-12-16T16:19:44Z

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Created page with "{{short description|Regiment of the Indian Army}} {{About|a regiment of the Indian Army|other uses|Grenadier (disambiguation)}} {{More footnotes|date=April 2011}} {{Use dmy da..."

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{{short description|Regiment of the Indian Army}}
{{About|a regiment of the Indian Army|other uses|Grenadier (disambiguation)}}
{{More footnotes|date=April 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = The Grenadiers
| image = [[File:The Grenadiers of Indian Army.gif]]
| caption = Regimental Insignia of The Grenadiers
| dates = 1778–present
| country = {{flag icon|India|size=23px}} [[India]]
| branch = {{Army|India}}
| type = [[Infantry]]
| role =
| size = 23 battalions
| command_structure =
| garrison = [[Jabalpur]], [[Madhya Pradesh]]
| garrison_label = Regimental Centre
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| nickname = The Grinders
| patron =
| motto = ''Sarvada Shaktishali (Ever Powerful)''
| colors =
| colors_label = War Cry
| march =
| mascot = The [[Lion]]
| battles = [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]] 
[[Third Burmese War]] 
[[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] 
[[First World War]] 
[[Second World War]] 
[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] 
[[Nathu La and Cho La clashes]] 
[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]] 
[[Kargil War|1999 Kargil War]]
| anniversaries =
| decorations = * [[Victoria Cross|VC]] – 4
* [[Military Cross|MC]] - 35
* [[Indian Order of Merit|IoM]] – 71
* [[Param Vir Chakra|PVC]] – 3
* [[Ashoka Chakra|AC]] – 2
* [[Maha Vir Chakra|MVC]] – 11
* [[Kirti Chakra|KC]] – 20
* [[Param Vishisht Seva Medal|PVSM]] – 32
* [[Uttam Yudh Seva Medal|UYSM]] – 13
* [[Ati Vishisht Seva Medal|AVSM]] – 30
* [[Vir Chakra|VrC]] – 53
* [[Shaurya Chakra|SC]] – 78
* [[Yudh Seva Medal|YSM]] – 26
* [[Vishisht Seva Medal|VSM]] – 43
* [[Sena Medal|SM]] – 284
* [[Mention-In-Dispatch]] - 398
* [[COAS commendation card]]- 917
| battle_honours = '''Post Independence'''
Gurez, Assal Uttar, Jarpal and Chakra
| current_commander =
| current_commander_label =
| ceremonial_chief =
| ceremonial_chief_label =
| colonel_of_the_regiment = Lt. Gen. Rajeev Sirohi, UYSM, AVSM, VSM<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/2020/223002.pdf|title=Gazette of India No 45|date=2020-11-07|access-date=2020-11-24}}</ref>
| colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
| notable_commanders = 
| identification_symbol = A brass grenade bearing the White Horse of Hanover. The insignia is worn on the uniform with a white hackle.
| identification_symbol_label = Regimental Insignia
| identification_symbol_2 =
| identification_symbol_2_label =
}}

'''The Grenadiers''' is an [[infantry]] [[Regiment#Infantry|regiment]] of the [[Indian Army]], formerly part of the [[Bombay Army]] and later the pre-independence [[British Indian Army]], when the regiment was known as the '''4th Bombay Grenadiers'''. It has distinguished itself during the two [[world war]]s and also since the [[Independence of India]]. The regiment has won many [[battle honour]]s and [[gallantry award]]s, and is considered to be one of India's most decorated regiments with three [[Param Vir Chakra]] awardees in three different conflicts.

==Early history==
The oldest grenadier regiment of the armies in the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] belongs to the Indian Army. The concept of 'Grenadiers' evolved from the practice of selecting the bravest and strongest men for the most dangerous tasks in combat. The Grenadiers have the longest unbroken record of existence in the Indian Army.<ref name="Sharma, p. 75">Sharma, p. 75</ref>

The history of the Indian Grenadiers is linked to the troops recruited for the army of the [[Bombay Presidency]]. The very first mention of a grenadier company hails back to 1684, when a little army of English troops, which had taken possession of the island of [[Mumbai|Bombay]] and comprising three companies of Europeans and local Christians, had a grenadier company, but nothing was heard about this unit subsequently. In 1710, the [[Bombay Army]] consisted of five companies of "Europeans, topasses (Indian Christians), and coffrees (Kaffirs or African slaves)" of which the first company was a European grenadier company. This company was merged into the Bombay European Regiment, which was later disbanded. In 1757, [[Robert Clive]] had raised the [[1st Regiment of the Bengal Native Infantry]] of which two companies were grenadier companies, however, no regiments of grenadiers were formed from the Bengal Army until a battalion was formed in 1779.

In 1759, as a response to French manoeuvring in South India, the strength of the Bombay Army was enhanced, and the first company of [[sepoy]] grenadiers was raised with the best of Bombay sepoys "paying a regard to those having families on the island". It had only native officers and all sepoys wore red coats faced with blue. Later on, an [[adjutant]] was appointed to the corps.

Later the Bombay Army comprised a number of sepoy battalions, each having one or two grenadier companies. These were clubbed together as a composite battalion comprising the grenadier companies of the Bombay sepoy battalions, and they won the famous [[battle of Talegaon]] in 1778. So impressive was the performance of this composite battalion that the Bombay Presidency ordered the permanent raising of a grenadier battalion which duly took place on 12 March 1779, thirty-six years before the first time that a British battalion was given the honour of calling itself "grenadiers". The Governor General of Bombay made an Order dated 12 November 1779, according to which the grenadier companies of the following regiments combined to form the very first Grenadier Regiment in the world, namely "[[The Grenadier Battalion, First Regiment of Infantry]]":
* 1st Sepoy Battalion
* 2nd Sepoy Battalion
* 3rd Sepoy Battalion
* 4th Sepoy Battalion
* 5th Sepoy Battalion
* 6th Sepoy Battalion
* Marine Battalion (two companies of grenadiers)

==4th Bombay Grenadiers==
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=4th Bombay Grenadiers
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1922–1947
|country= [[British India]]
|allegiance=
|branch= [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]]
|type= Infantry
|garrison_label=Regimental Centre
}}

The '''4th Bombay Grenadiers''' were an infantry regiment of the pre-independence [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]], formed on 1 March 1922 as part of the reforms of the Indian Army that took place after the end of the [[First World War]].<ref name="Sharma, p. 75"/> Following this, the Regiment spent the next fifteen years serving in the [[British Somaliland]] protectorate in present-day [[Somaliland]], as well as in [[China]] and on the [[North-West Frontier (military history)|North-West Frontier]]. The 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions were all disbanded and the 10th Battalion amalgamated with the 10th Battalion, [[Jat Regiment]] to form a Combined Training Centre at [[Bareilly]].<ref name="Sharma, p. 75">Sharma, p. 75</ref> Following the [[Second World War]] they were one of the regiments allocated to the new [[Indian Army]] and renamed The Grenadiers

The regiment consisted of six battalions, all former regiments themselves. These were:

*1st Battalion - Formerly the [[101st Grenadiers]].
*2nd Battalion - Formerly the [[102nd Grenadiers|102nd King Edward's Own Grenadiers]]
*3rd Battalion - Formerly the [[108th Infantry]]
*4th Battalion - Formerly the [[109th Infantry]]
*5th Battalion - Formerly the [[112th Infantry]]
*10th (Training) Battalion - Formerly the [[113th Infantry]]

===Second World War===
[[File:Indian Armoured Corps in the Middle East 1944.jpg|thumb|Grenadiers in a [[Lend-Lease Sherman tanks|Sherman III]] tank in the Middle East, March 1944.]]

At the beginning of the Second World War there were only two battalions of the Regiment, the 1st and 2nd. This was soon changed, though, as a number of battalions were raised for wartime service, including: 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 14th, 25th, 26th and 27th Battalions.<ref name="Sharma, p. 75"/> The 10th (Training Battalion) was also de-linked from the Jat Regiment. Some of these battalions were to be garrison or rear area troops only, while others went on to serve with distinction in a number of theatres during the war including the Middle East and Burma, notably during the Arakan campaigns and at [[Battle of Kohima|Kohima]].

The 4th Grenadiers formed the motorised infantry element of the Indian Armoured and Tank brigades, distinguishing themselves as 'tank escort' infantry protecting tanks against sniper attack in jungle conditions:

*1/4th Battalion, [[252nd Indian Armoured Brigade]], [[31st Indian Armoured Division]]
*2/4th Battalion, [[50th Indian Tank Brigade]]
*3/4th Battalion, [[254th Indian Tank Brigade]]
*4/4th Battalion, [[255th Indian Tank Brigade]]

==Current battalions of the Indian Grenadiers==
* 2nd Battalion (102nd KEO Grenadiers) (second to none)
* 3rd Battalion (108th Infantry) (Param Vir Chakra Paltan)
* 4th Battalion (109th Infantry) (The Fighting Fourth) (Param Vir Chakra Paltan)
* 5th Battalion (finest fifth)
* 6th Battalion (joshila sixth)
* 8th Battalion ( Chakra Bn)
* 9th Battalion (Mewar, ex-State Forces unit)
* 10th (Training) Battalion - (113th Infantry)
* 11th Battalion (ex-Territorial battalion)
* 12th Battalion (Thundering Twelfths)
* 13th Battalion ([[Bikaner Camel Corps|Ganga risala]])
* 14th Battalion
* 15th Battalion (The Dare Devils)
* 16th Battalion (Shola) (Kargil)
* 17th Battalion (desert hawks)
* 18th Battalion (Param Vir Chakra Paltan) (Kargil)
* 19th Battalion(jalim khanzar)
* 20th Battalion (Double Axe)
* 21st Battalion (Awwal Ekkis)
* 22nd Battalion (Bravest of the Brave) (Ashok Chakra Paltan) (Kargil)
* 23rd Battalion
* 24th Battalion
* 25th Battalion (parakrami pacchees)
* 12 Rashtriya Rifles
* 29 Rashtriya Rifles
* 39 Rashtriya Rifles
* 55 Rashtriya Rifles

The Grenadiers including these battalions have 4 battalions in the Rashtriya Rifles and 2 battalions in the territorial army.

* 1st Battalion, The Grenadiers became 2nd Battalion [[Brigade of the Guards]] in 1950<ref>http://www.grenadiers.info/indian/</ref>
* 7th battalion, The Grenadiers became 9th Battalion [[Mechanised Infantry Regiment]]<ref>http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ARMY/units/102-Grenadiers.html</ref>
* 118 (TA) Battalion - [[Bhusaval, Maharashtra]]
* 123 (TA) Battalion - [[Jaipur, Rajasthan]]

==Battle honours==
[[File:UK-bombay-gren.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Bombay Grenadier in British service, 1910.]]

===Battle Honour (Pre-Independence)===
Prior to Indian independence, the Regiment had won many [[battle honours]] as part of the British Indian Army. These battle honour include:

====Pre-World War I====
* [[Battle of Mangalore|Mangalore – 1784]]
* [[Mysore]] – 1786
* [[Srirangapatnam]] – 1799
* [[Egypt]] – 1802
* Koregaon – 1818
* [[Beni Boo Alli (battle honour)|Beni Boo Alli]] – 1821
* [[Kirkee]] – 1827
* [[Battle of Hyderabad|Hyderabad – 1831–43]]
* Meeane – 1843
* [[Punjab region|Punjab – 1848]]
* Central India – 1858
* [[Ethiopian Empire|Abyssinia – 1868]]
* [[Afghanistan]] – 1878–1880
* [[Siege of Kandahar|Kandahar 1880]]
* [[Second Afghan War|Afghanistan 1878–80]]
* [[Third Burmese War|Burma 1885–87]]
* [[Somaliland]] (Dharatol) – 1901–04

====World War I====
[[File:Парад в честь 70-летия Великой Победы - 39.jpg|250px|thumbnail|right|Grenadiers participating in the [[2015 Moscow Victory Day Parade]], marking the 70th anniversary of the victory in Europe. ]]
* [[German East Africa campaign|East Africa 1914–16]]
* [[Egypt]] – 1916–17
* [[Baghdad]] – 1917
* Kut-Al-Amara – 1917
* [[Battle of Gaza (1917) (disambiguation)|Gaza – 1917]]
* [[Battle of Sharqat]] – 1918
* [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Megiddo]]
* [[Nablus]] – 1918
* [[Sinai and Palestine|Palestine 1917–18]]
* [[Mesopotamia]] – 1915–18
* [[Aden]] – 1914–19
* [[Third Anglo-Afghan War|Afghanistan 1919]]
* Tigris – 1919

====World War II====
* [[Battle of Kohima|Kohima – 1944]]
* [[Kalewa]] – 1944
* Naga Village – 1944
* [[Mandalay Palace|Fort Dufferin]], Mandalay – 1945
* Pwabwe – 1945
* [[Capture of Meiktila]] – 1945
* [[Defense of Meiktila]] – 1945
* [[Battle of Pegu|Pegu – 1945]]
* [[Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay|Taungtha]] – 1945

===Battle Honour (Post-Independence)===
Since 1947, the Regiment has won the following battle honours as part of the Indian Army:
* Gurais – 1948
* [[Battle of Asal Uttar|Asal Uttar – 1965]]
* Jarpal – 1971
* Chakra – 1971
* [[Battle of Tiger Hill|Tololing & Tiger Hill (Kargil War) – 1999]]
{{Expand list|date=September 2010}}

==Decorations==
The Grenadiers have the unique and distinct honour of having the most number of [[Param Vir Chakra]]s, India's highest medal for gallantry, among all the Indian Army's Infantry Regiments.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} Of note also, is the fact that prior to independence, British officers serving with The Grenadiers won four [[Victoria Cross]]es.<ref>Sharma, p. 69</ref> Members of the Regiment have also received a number of other decorations prior to independence, including the [[Indian Order of Merit]].

===Victoria Cross===
* Captain [[George Murray Rolland]], 22 April 1903, Daratoleh, [[Somaliland]]

===Indian Order of Merit===
* Subedar Rahim khan,Palestine (against Turkey), April 1918.<ref>Sharma, p. 73</ref>
* Naik Shivlal Dalal (1933)

===Param Vir Chakra Recipients===
* Company Quarter Master [[Abdul Hamid (soldier)|Havildar Abdul Hamid]], '''4th Grenadiers''' – 1965.
* [[Major Hoshiar Singh]], '''3rd Grenadiers''' – 1971.
* [[Yogendra Singh Yadav|Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav]], '''18th Grenadiers''' – 1999.

===Ashok Chakra Recipients===
* [[Major Rajiv Kumar Joon]], '''22 Grenadiers'''.
* [[Rakesh Singh (soldier)]], '''22 Grenadiers'''.

==References & notes==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Barthorp|first=Michael|last2=Burn|first2=Jeffrey|year=1979|title=Indian infantry regiments 1860–1914|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=0-85045-307-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Rinaldi|first=Richard A|year=2008|title=Order of Battle British Army 1914|publisher=Ravi Rikhye|isbn=0-9776072-8-3}}
* {{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Gautam|year=1990|title=Valour and sacrifice: famous regiments of the Indian Army|publisher=Allied Publishers|isbn=81-7023-140-X}}
* {{cite book|last=Sumner|first=Ian|title=The Indian Army 1914–1947|year=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=1-84176-196-6}}
* Moberly, F.J. (1923). ''Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign'', Imperial War Museum. {{ISBN|1-870423-30-5}}
* Singh, Rajendra (1969) ''History of the Grenadiers''
* Singh, Rajendra (1955) ''Organisation and Administration in the Indian Army''

==See also==
* [[List of regiments of the Indian Army]]
* [[British Indian Army]]
* [[Indian Army]]

==External links==
* [http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/ Official Website of Indian Army]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Units/Infantry/102-Grenadiers.html bharat-rakshak.com – The Grenadiers]
* [http://www.grenadiers.info/indian/ Indian Grenadiers Regiment]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050311031539/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/southasia/inf/1922-04.htm The Bombay Grenadiers]

{{Indian Army Infantry Regiments}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grenadiers Regiment}}
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1947]]
[[Category:Infantry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]
[[Category:Grenadier regiments]]
[[Category:Indian World War I regiments]]
[[Category:Indian World War II regiments]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Burma in World War II]]

The Grenadiers - Revision history

MerleGrier1601: updated details further and added references based on references

2405:204:3484:B9C3:274A:57F4:7DE:135B at 16:19, 16 December 2022

2405:204:3484:B9C3:274A:57F4:7DE:135B at 16:19, 16 December 2022

Khan786: Created page with "{{short description|Regiment of the Indian Army}} {{About|a regiment of the Indian Army|other uses|Grenadier (disambiguation)}} {{More footnotes|date=April 2011}} {{Use dmy da..."