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>IronBattalion (grouped sections into a history section) |
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|garrison= | |garrison= | ||
|ceremonial_chief=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] (1904) | |ceremonial_chief=[[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|King Edward VII]] (1904) | ||
|ceremonial_chief_label= | |ceremonial_chief_label=Coleridgeonel-in-Chief | ||
|colonel_of_the_regiment= | |colonel_of_the_regiment= | ||
|nickname= | |nickname= | ||
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As the 42nd Bengal Native (Light) Infantry the regiment carried as battle honours "Arakan, Afghanistan and Kandahar 1842", "Ghunze 1842", and "Kabul and Moodkee, Ferozeshah and Sobroan 1857". The 42nd BNI was one of only twelve infantry regiments of the old [[Bengal Army]] to remain fully loyal to the British [[East India Company]] and to escape mutiny or disbandment during the [[Indian Mutiny]] of 1857–58.<ref name=mutiny/> It was then renumbered as the 5th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry.<ref name=mutiny/> | As the 42nd Bengal Native (Light) Infantry the regiment carried as battle honours "Arakan, Afghanistan and Kandahar 1842", "Ghunze 1842", and "Kabul and Moodkee, Ferozeshah and Sobroan 1857". The 42nd BNI was one of only twelve infantry regiments of the old [[Bengal Army]] to remain fully loyal to the British [[East India Company]] and to escape mutiny or disbandment during the [[Indian Mutiny]] of 1857–58.<ref name=mutiny/> It was then renumbered as the 5th Bengal Native (Light) Infantry.<ref name=mutiny/> | ||
As noted above the regimental title underwent several subsequent changes until it became the 5th Light Infantry in 1903. Throughout its history the 5th LI was known to its Indian soldiers as "Jansen-ki-Paltan" or Johnson's Regiment after its first commander (Captain Jeremiah).<ref name=mutiny/> After serving in the Second Afghan War of 1879–80 and the Third Burmese War of 1885–87, the regiment saw only garrison duty until World War I. In 1914 the regiment was stationed at [[Nowgong, Chhatarpur|Nowgong]] in the Central Provinces. From there they were posted to Singapore in October to replace a British battalion.<ref name=mutiny/> The regimental centre was at [[Benares]] and for enlistment and training purposes the 5th LI was linked with the [[17th Infantry]] and the [[18th Infantry]].<ref>John Gaylor, page 8 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | As noted above the regimental title underwent several subsequent changes until it became the 5th Light Infantry in 1903. Throughout its history the 5th LI was known to its Indian soldiers as "Jansen-ki-Paltan" or Johnson's Regiment after its first commander (Captain Jeremiah).<ref name=mutiny/> After serving in the Second Afghan War of 1879–80 and the Third Burmese War of 1885–87, the regiment saw only garrison duty until World War I. In 1914 the regiment was stationed at [[Nowgong, Chhatarpur|Nowgong]] in the Central Provinces. From there they were posted to Singapore in October to replace a British battalion.<ref name=mutiny/> The regimental centre was at [[Benares]] and for enlistment and training purposes the 5th LI was linked with the [[17th Infantry]] and the [[18th Infantry]].<ref>John Gaylor, page 8 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | ||
Unusually for Indian Army regiments of the period, the 5th Light Infantry was an entirely Muslim unit. The regiment comprised Ranghars (Muslims of Rajput origin) making up the Right Wing, and Pathans making up the Left Wing.<ref>So designated from their respective positions on parade.</ref> Numbering 800 men at full strength, the regiment was commanded by both British and Indian officers.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 244 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> | Unusually for Indian Army regiments of the period, the 5th Light Infantry was an entirely Muslim unit. The regiment comprised Ranghars (Muslims of Rajput origin) making up the Right Wing, and Pathans making up the Left Wing.<ref>So designated from their respective positions on parade.</ref> Numbering 800 men at full strength, the regiment was commanded by both British and Indian officers.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 244 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> | ||
===[[Singapore Mutiny]]=== | ===[[Singapore Mutiny]]=== | ||
Following the entry of Turkey into the War in October 1914 the loyalty of the Muslim troops who made up a large proportion of the Indian Army came under some strain. In most regiments this did not cause major problems.<ref>Philip Mason, page 427 "A Matter of Honour", {{ISBN|0-333-41837-9}}</ref> However the 5th Light Infantry had, since its arrival in Singapore, been plagued by internal discord and there were intelligence reports that agents of the Indian revolutionary group ''Ghadr'' were trying to foment rebellion amongst Muslim soldiers from Bengal, Delhi and UP areas.<ref>Peter Hopkirk, article 'The Great Game and its military dimensions:A review of the Singapore Mutiny by the 5th Indian Native Light Infantry (Bengal)', in the Proceedings of the Special Indian Mutiny Seminar Delhi, 1987</ref> Also, Colonel Martin, newly promoted to command, was unpopular with his officers<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, pages 4–5 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> and there was further discord between factions amongst the sepoys focussing on issues of promotion, pay and other conditions of service.<ref>Hopkirk</ref> Garrison duties in Singapore included guarding German internees who attempted with some success to persuade the Indian soldiers that Britain was losing the War. Some of the sepoys attended a mosque where the resident local [[Maulvi]] preached that Turkey was the seat of the Khalifa of Islam and that no Muslim should fight against him.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 224 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> Finally, in mid-February 1915 the regiment received orders to embark for further garrison duty in Hong Kong.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 31 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> With poor communication between British officers and sepoys, and morale already low, the rumour that they were being sent to fight the Turks spread amongst the sepoys.<ref>http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-11789.html</ref> | Following the entry of Turkey into the War in October 1914 the loyalty of the Muslim troops who made up a large proportion of the Indian Army came under some strain. In most regiments this did not cause major problems.<ref>Philip Mason, page 427 "A Matter of Honour", {{ISBN|0-333-41837-9}}</ref> However the 5th Light Infantry had, since its arrival in Singapore, been plagued by internal discord and there were intelligence reports that agents of the Indian revolutionary group ''Ghadr'' were trying to foment rebellion amongst Muslim soldiers from Bengal, Delhi and UP areas.<ref>Peter Hopkirk, article 'The Great Game and its military dimensions:A review of the Singapore Mutiny by the 5th Indian Native Light Infantry (Bengal)', in the Proceedings of the Special Indian Mutiny Seminar Delhi, 1987</ref> Also, Colonel Martin, newly promoted to command, was unpopular with his officers<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, pages 4–5 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> and there was further discord between factions amongst the sepoys focussing on issues of promotion, pay and other conditions of service.<ref>Hopkirk</ref> Garrison duties in Singapore included guarding German internees who attempted with some success to persuade the Indian soldiers that Britain was losing the War. Some of the sepoys attended a mosque where the resident local [[Maulvi]] preached that Turkey was the seat of the Khalifa of Islam and that no Muslim should fight against him.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 224 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> Finally, in mid-February 1915 the regiment received orders to embark for further garrison duty in Hong Kong.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 31 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> With poor communication between British officers and sepoys, and morale already low, the rumour that they were being sent to fight the Turks spread amongst the sepoys.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-11789.html|title=Singapore - CROWN COLONY, 1867-1918}}</ref> | ||
On 15 February while final preparations were being made for departure,<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 40 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> mutiny broke out amongst four companies of the eight comprising the 5th LI. During the hours that followed about 40 British and local soldiers and civilians were killed by the mutineers, including two officers of the regiment.<ref name=mutiny/> About half of the Indian personnel of the regiment did not take part in the mutiny but scattered in confusion and could not be brought to act against their fellow sepoys. Sepoys who rallied to their officers at Colonel Martin's bungalow overlooking the barracks, were registered and ordered to disperse "to a safe place" to avoid nighttime confusion between mutineers and loyalists.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 93 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> | On 15 February while final preparations were being made for departure,<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 40 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> mutiny broke out amongst four companies of the eight comprising the 5th LI. During the hours that followed about 40 British and local soldiers and civilians were killed by the mutineers, including two officers of the regiment.<ref name=mutiny/> About half of the Indian personnel of the regiment did not take part in the mutiny but scattered in confusion and could not be brought to act against their fellow sepoys. Sepoys who rallied to their officers at Colonel Martin's bungalow overlooking the barracks, were registered and ordered to disperse "to a safe place" to avoid nighttime confusion between mutineers and loyalists.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, page 93 ''Singapore Mutiny'' {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> | ||
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===Post mutiny=== | ===Post mutiny=== | ||
On 3 July 1915 the remnants of the 5th LI – seven British and Indian officers and 588 other ranks – sailed from Singapore to West Africa where they arrived in time to see active service in the German Cameroons. Following the German surrender the regiment was transferred to German East Africa (modern Tanzania) where it saw further action in the Lindi area. In 1917 the 5th LI was moved to Aden, then under threat by Turkish forces. Finally it returned to its cantonments in India during 1918.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, pages 228–229 ''Singapore Mutiny'', {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref>Following the departure of the regiment from Singapore members of the [[Ahir]] community were recruited to replace the Ranghars who had formerly comprised the Right Wing. A second wartime battalion was raised but spent the war in India, providing drafts for the overseas 1st Battalion, before being disbanded in 1919.<ref>John Gaylor, page 336 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | On 3 July 1915 the remnants of the 5th LI – seven British and Indian officers and 588 other ranks – sailed from Singapore to West Africa where they arrived in time to see active service in the German Cameroons. Following the German surrender the regiment was transferred to German East Africa (modern Tanzania) where it saw further action in the Lindi area. In 1917 the 5th LI was moved to Aden, then under threat by Turkish forces. Finally it returned to its cantonments in India during 1918.<ref>R.W.E. Harper & Harry Miller, pages 228–229 ''Singapore Mutiny'', {{ISBN|0-19-582549-7}}</ref> Following the departure of the regiment from Singapore members of the [[Ahir]] community were recruited to replace the Ranghars who had formerly comprised the Right Wing. A second wartime battalion was raised but spent the war in India, providing drafts for the overseas 1st Battalion, before being disbanded in 1919.<ref>John Gaylor, page 336 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | ||
In spite of its credible performance in Africa during 1915–17, the 5th Light Infantry was amongst those regiments disbanded after the war as part of a general restructuring of the Indian Army. The date of disbandment for the 5th LI was 12 January 1922.<ref>John Gaylor, page 19 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | In spite of its credible performance in Africa during 1915–17, the 5th Light Infantry was amongst those regiments disbanded after the war as part of a general restructuring of the Indian Army. The date of disbandment for the 5th LI was 12 January 1922.<ref>John Gaylor, page 19 ''Sons of John Company'', {{ISBN|0-946771-98-7}}</ref> | ||