72nd Punjabis: Difference between revisions

The regiments first battle was the [[Battle of Sholinghur]] in 1781, during the [[Second Anglo-Mysore War]]. They were next involved in the [[Battle of Ava]] during the [[First Burmese War]]. During the [[Indian Mutiny of 1857]] they were stationed in [[Hong Kong]] and [[Singapore]]. Their next action was during the [[Third Burmese War]]. With the defeat of King [[Thibaw Min]] the regiment remained in Burma, being renamed the 2nd Burma Battalion in 1891.<ref>Sharma, p.21</ref> This transferral of six regiments of the Madras line to Burma Battalions was intended to provide permanent garrisons for the newly acquired territory. It was also part of a deliberate policy by General Sir [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Roberts]] to reduce the Madrasi element in the Indian Army and replace them with northern recruits from the Punjab. The title of the regiment subsequently underwent a number of changes but as late as 1914 its regimental centre remained [[Mandalay]].<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Gaylor|pages=7 & 9|title=Sons of John Company|ISBN=0-946771-98-7}}</ref>

During [[World War I]] they were deployed along the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] with the [[1st (Peshawar) Division]] to prevent incursions by the Afghan tribes, but they were later sent to Egypt and Palestine and took part in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]] attached to the [[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Division]].<ref>Sharma, p.23</ref>  

After World War I the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.<ref>Sumner p.15</ref> In 1922, the 72nd Punjabis became the 3rd Battalion, [[2nd Punjab Regiment]].<ref>Sharma, p.24</ref> After independence they were one of the regiments allocated to the [[Indian Army]].<ref>Sharma, p.28</ref>