Battle and theatre honours of the Indian Army

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Indian cavalry near the Tigris River, during the First World War

The Indian Army has a distinguished history in which they won many battle and theatre honours. The practice of giving battle honours began with the East India Company who awarded these to the units of the native Indian corps in their presidency armies. The practice continued after the advent of the British Crown post-1857 when the armies of the East India Company became part of the British Indian Army and even after India's independence in 1947. The earliest conflict for which a battle honour was awarded was "Plassey" which was awarded in 1829 to the 1st Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry which served the East India Company in Bengal while the latest is "Kargil" in 1999 awarded to units of independent India's army for feats during the Kargil War.^[1]

Pre-1914 battle honours[edit]

Plassey
Buxar
Amboor
Korah
Guzerat
Carnatic
Sholinghur
Mangalore
Mysore
Sedaseer
Seringapatam
Egypt
Allyghur
Delhi
Assaye
Leswarree
Deig
Cochin
Bourbon
Java
Kirkee
Seetabuldee
Nagpore
Maheidpoor
Corygaum
Nowah
Persian Gulf
Beni Boo Alli
Assam
Ava
Kemmendine
Arracan
Burmah
Bhurtpore
Aden
Afghanistan
Ghuznee 1839
Khelat
Kahun
Jellalabad
Kelat-i-Ghilzie
Candahar 1842
Ghuznee 1842
Cabool 1842
Cutchee
China
Meeanee
Hyderabad
Maharajpoor
Punniar
Moodkee
Ferozeshah
Aliwal
Sobraon
Punjaub
Chillianwalah
Mooltan
Goojerat
Pegu
Persia
Reshire
Bushire
Koosh-ab
Delhi 1857
Lucknow
Defence of Arrah
Behar
Central India
China 1858–59
Taku Forts
Pekin 1860
China 1860–62
Abyssinia
Afghanistan 1878–80
Ali Masjid
Peiwar Kotal
Charasiah
Kabul 1879
Ahmed Khel
Kandahar 1880
Egypt 1882
Tel-el-kebir
Suakin
Tofrek
Burma 1885–1887
Defence of Chitral
Chitral
Punjab Frontier
Malakand
Samana
Tirah
British East Africa
Pekin 1900
China 1900
Somaliland 1901–04

First World War[edit]

Europe & Gallipoli[edit]

Europe

France and Flanders 1914–1918 .
La Bassee, 1914
Armentieres 1914
Messines 1914
Ypres 1914–15
Gheluvelt
Festubert, 1914 (also 1914–15)
Givenchy 1914
Neuve Chappelle
Ypres 1915
St Julien
Aubers
Festubert, 1915
Loos.
Somme 1916
Bazentin
Delville Wood
Flers-Courcelette
Morval
Cambrai 1917

Gallipoli

Gallipoli 1915
Helles
Krithia
Anzac
Landing at Anzac
Defence of Anzac
Suvla
Sari Bair
Landing at Suvla
Scimitar Hill
Macedonia 1916–18

Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Arabia[edit]

Egypt & Palestine

Damascus
Egypt 1915–17
El Mughar
Gaza
Jerusalem
Megiddo
Nablus
Nebi Samwil
Palestine 1917–18
Sharon
Suez Canal
Tell' Asur

Mesopotamia

Baghdad
Basra
Ctesiphon
Defence of Kut al Amara
Khan Baghdadi
Kut al Amara 1915
Kut al Amara 1917
Mesopotamia 1914–18
Shaiba
Sharqat
Tigris 1916

Arabia

Aden

Central Asia, Persia, Afghanistan, India, China[edit]

Central Asia

Merv

Persia

Persia 1915–19

Afghanistan

Afghanistan

India

NW Frontier, India 1914–17
Baluchistan 1915–16, 1918

China

Tsingtao

East Africa[edit]

East Africa 1914–18
Kilimanjaro
Beho Beho
Narungombe
Nyangao

Second World War[edit]

North East Africa, Middle East[edit]

North East Africa

Abyssinia 1940–41
Ad Teclesan
Agordat
Amba Alagi
Barentu
Berbera
British Somaliland
Gallabat
Keren
Keren-Asmara Road
Massawa

Middle East

Iraq 1941

Post-independence[edit]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947[edit]

The battle and theatre honours of the 1947 War are:^[2]

Jammu and Kashmir 1947–48 (theatre honour)
Gurais
Jhangar
Kargil
Naoshera
Punch
Rajouri
Skardu
Srinagar
Tithwal
Uri
Zoji La

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965[edit]

The battle and theatre honours of the 1965 War are:^[3]

Jammu and Kashmir sector

Jammu and Kashmir 1965 (theatre honour)
Hajipir
Jaurian Kalit
Kalidhar
OP Hill
Raja Picquet-Chand Tekri
Sanjoi Mirpur

Punjab sector

Punjab 1965 (theatre honour)
Assal Uttar
Burki
Buttur Dograndi
Charwa
Dograi
Hussainiwala Bridge
Maharajke
Phillora
Tilakpur-Muhadipur

Rajasthan sector

Rajasthan 1965 (theatre honour)
Gadra Road

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971[edit]

East Pakistan Sector

East Pakistan 1971 (theatre honour)
Akhaura
Belonia
Bhaduria
Bogra
Chauddagram
Darsana
Ganga Sagar
Hilli
Jamalpur
Khansama
Kumarkhali
Madhumati River
Mian Bazaar
Mynamati
Poongli Bridge
Shamsher Nagar
Siramani
Suadih
Syamganj
Sylhet

Jammu and Kashmir sector

Jammu and Kashmir 1971 (theatre honour)
Banwat
Brachil Pass and Wali Malik
Chhamb
Defence of Punch
Gutrian
Laleali-Picquet 707
Nangi Tekri
Shingo River Valley
Thanpir
Turtok

Punjab theatre

Punjab 1971 (theatre honour)
Amritsar Airfield
Basantar River
Burj
Chakri
Dera Baba Nanak
Fatehpur
Harar Kalan
Jarpal
Malakpur
Samba (VA/VP)
Shehjra

Sindh theatre

Sindh 1971 (theatre honour)
Chachro
Gadra City
Khinsar
Longanewala
Parbat Ali

Footnotes[edit]

Singh, Sarbans (1993). Battle Honours of the Indian Army 1757 – 1971. New Delhi: Vision Books. ISBN 81-7094-115-6. Retrieved 3 November 2022.

References[edit]

↑ "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
↑ Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 227–238
↑ Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 242–256.

[1] "The Official Home Page of the Indian Army". www.indianarmy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.

[Sarbans-2] Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 227–238

[Sarbansp242-3] Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 242–256.

[1]

[2]

[3]