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List of regiments of the Indian Army (1903)

The Commander-in-Chief of India, Lord Kitchener carried out a reform of the British Indian Army in 1903. These reforms were intended to improve the Army, which had been formed from the separate Bengal, Bombay and Madras presidency armies in 1895 to be replaced by the Bengal, Bombay, Madras and Punjab commands. The localisation of regiments was abolished, and in future every regiment was to have the opportunity of experiencing service on the Frontier.

British Indian Army
Allegiance British Empire
TypeArmy
Size2.5 million men (1945)
EngagementsSecond Afghan War
Third Afghan War
Second Burmese War
Third Burmese War
Second Opium War
1882 Anglo-Egyptian War
1868 Expedition to Abyssinia
First Mohmand Campaign
Boxer Rebellion
Tirah Campaign
British expedition to Tibet
Sudan Campaign
World War I
Waziristan campaign 1919–1920
Waziristan campaign 1936–1939
World War II
North West Frontier
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Claude Auchinleck

To signify the unification of the three presidency armies, regiments in all Corps were assigned new designations with distinct numerals. The Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Sappers and Miners were numbered consecutively, with presidency names removed. Cavalry regiments were numbered as follows:

  • Bengal regiments retained their existing numbers.
  • 20 was added to the numbers of Punjab regiments. The word 'Punjab' was replaced by 'Frontier Force'.
  • 25 was added to the numbers of Madras regiments.
  • 1st, 2nd, and 4th Regiments of Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent were re-numbered as 20th, 29th and 30th.
  • 30 was added to the numbers of Bombay regiments.
  • The Central India Horse regiments were brought into the line with 37 added to their numbers.

Infantry regiments were numbered as follows:

  • Bengal regiments retained their existing numbers. As the 9th, 42nd, 43rd, and 44th regiments were Gurkha Rifle regiments, they were transferred to the Gurkha Line as 9th, 6th, 7th and 8th Gurkha Rifles. Their places were filled by infantry units from Local Corps.
  • 50 was added to the numbers of Sikh Infantry regiments.
  • Punjab regiments, less the 5th Gurkhas, were numbered consecutively as the 55th to 59th; so that, for example, the 2nd and 4th Punjab Infantry became 56th and 57th respectively. The word 'Punjab' was replaced by 'Frontier Force'.
  • 60 was added to the numbers of Madras regiments (53 to that of the 25th regiment of Madras Infantry). The 10th regiment was transferred to the Gurkha Line as the 10th Gurkha Rifles. The remaining Burma regiments were renamed as Punjabis (except the 33rd, which became 93rd Burma Infantry). Regiments which recruited from north-western India were renamed as Punjabis, while those recruiting from southern India were renamed as Carnatic Infantry.
  • 93 was added to the numbers of Hyderabad Contingent regiments.
  • 100 was added to the numbers of Bombay regiments.[1]

By 1903, the total strength of the Indian Army was 240,000 men.[2] They served in 39 cavalry regiments, 135 infantry battalions (including 17 Gurkha),[2] a joint cavalry-infantry unit the Corps of Guides, three sapper regiments and 12 mountain artillery batteries.[3] In addition to the regular Indian Army, the armies of the Princely states, and regiments of the Auxiliary force (European volunteers) could also be called on to assist in an emergency.[3] The Princely states had 22,613 men in 20 cavalry regiments and 14 infantry battalions.[4] The Auxiliary force could field another 40,000 men in 11 regiments of horse and 42 volunteer infantry battalions.[2] Also available were the Frontier Militia and the Military Police, which could field 34,000 men between them.[2]

Cavalry

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Bodyguard troops

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Former Bengal Regiments[7]

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Former Punjab Regiments[8]

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Former Madras regiments[9]

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Former Hyderabad regiments[10]

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Former Bombay regiments[11]

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Former Local Corps[12]

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Cavalry and Infantry

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  • Queen's Own Corps of Guides: Renamed Queen’s Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden’s) in 1904; Queen Victoria’s Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force) (Lumsden’s) in 1911. Cavalry and Infantry units separated in 1922.[13]

Infantry

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Former Bengal Regiments[14]

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Former Punjab Regiments[21]

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Former Madras Regiments[23]

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Former Hyderabad Regiments[24]

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Former Bombay Regiments[25]

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Former Local Corps[29]

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Gurkha Line[30]

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  • 1st Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment): Late 66th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry. Renamed Ist Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Malaun Regiment) in 1906; 1st King George's Own Gurkha Rifles (the Malaun Regiment) in 1910.
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1815.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1886.
  • 2nd (the Prince of Wales's Own) Gurkha Rifles (the Sirmoor Rifles): Renamed 2nd King George's Own Gurkha Rifles (the Sirmoor Rifles) in 1906.
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1815.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1886.
  • 3rd Gurkha Rifles: Renamed 3rd (The Queen's Own) Gurkha Rifles in 1907; 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles in 1908.
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1815.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1891.
  • 4th Gurkha Rifles
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1857.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1886.
  • 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force): Late 25th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. Renamed 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1921.
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1858.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1886.
  • 6th Gurkha Rifles
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1817.
    • 2nd battalion: Raised 1904.
  • 7th Gurkha Rifles: Late 43rd Regiment of Bengal Infantry
    • 1st Battalion: Raised as 1/8th Gurkha Rifles in 1902. Became 2/10th Gurkha Rifles in 1903; 1/7th Gurkha Rifles in 1907.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1907.
  • 8th Gurkha Rifles: Late 44th Regiment of Bengal Infantry
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1824.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1835. Became 1/7th Gurkha Rifles in 1903; 2/8th Gurkha Rifles in 1907.
  • 9th Gurkha Rifles: Late 63rd Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry
    • 1st Battalion: Raised 1817.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1904.
  • 10th Gurkha Rifles: Late 10th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry
    • 1st Battalion: Re-raised in 1890.
    • 2nd Battalion: Raised 1908.

Support Arms

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Indian Mountain Artillery

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Engineers

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Services

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Imperial Service Troops

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Volunteer Corps

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Cavalry

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Artillery

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Engineers

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Infantry

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Frontier Corps and Para-Military Units

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North-West Frontier and Baluchistan

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North-East Frontier and Burma

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Units formed in World War I

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Cavalry

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Artillery

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Infantry

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Paramilitary

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See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Barthorp, pp.15-42
  2. ^ a b c d Perry, p.85
  3. ^ a b Sumner p.3
  4. ^ Perry, p.86
  5. ^ Quarterly Indian Army List January 1919, p. 262
  6. ^ "The Cavalry". britishempire.co.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2009.
  7. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 260–278.
  8. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 280–283.
  9. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 284–286.
  10. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 279, 287, 288.
  11. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 289–295.
  12. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 296–297.
  13. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 964.
  14. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 311–318, 320–352, 356–359.
  15. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h i Government Of India (January 1939). Supplement Indian Army List For January I - 1939. p. 570.
  17. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1038.
  18. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1074.
  19. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1156.
  20. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1178.
  21. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 360–368.
  22. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1259.
  23. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 369–398.
  24. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 399–404.
  25. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 405–430.
  26. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1467.
  27. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1475.
  28. ^ Authority Of The Council (January 1922). Indian Army List For Jan -1922. p. 1517.
  29. ^ Authority Of The Council (July 1907). Indian Army List For July I -1907. pp. 319, 353–355.
  30. ^ Government Of India (January 1939). Supplement Indian Army List For January I - 1939. pp. 551–570.
  31. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 972
  32. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 973
  33. ^ a b QIAL January 1919, p. 974
  34. ^ a b QIAL January 1919, p. 975
  35. ^ a b c QIAL January 1919, p. 976
  36. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 977
  37. ^ a b QIAL January 1919, p. 978
  38. ^ a b QIAL January 1919, p. 979
  39. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 986
  40. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 991
  41. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 996
  42. ^ "Military Engineers in India". Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  43. ^ "Indian Engineers". Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  44. ^ a b Jackson, p. 465
  45. ^ Jackson, p. 475
  46. ^ Jackson, p. 477
  47. ^ Jackson, p. 463
  48. ^ Jackson, p. 481
  49. ^ Jackson, p. 457
  50. ^ Jackson, p. 498
  51. ^ a b Gaylor, pp. 50 & 52
  52. ^ a b c d e Gaylor, pp. 50 & 53
  53. ^ Gaylor, p.50
  54. ^ a b c d e f Jackson, p. 509. Amalgamated as United Provinces Light Horse 1904.
  55. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 606
  56. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 601
  57. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 604
  58. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 603
  59. ^ a b c d e Gaylor, p. 37
  60. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 605
  61. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 602
  62. ^ a b c d Gaylor, p. 33
  63. ^ a b c d Gaylor, p. 34
  64. ^ a b c d Gaylor, p. 35
  65. ^ a b c d e f g h Gaylor, p. 43
  66. ^ a b c d e Gaylor, p. 38
  67. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gaylor, p. 40
  68. ^ India List, 1902.
  69. ^ a b c Gaylor, p. 39
  70. ^ a b c d Gaylor, p. 41
  71. ^ a b c Gaylor, p. 42
  72. ^ a b Gaylor, p. 36
  73. ^ a b c d e f IAL October 1903, p. 58
  74. ^ IAL October 1904, p. 52
  75. ^ a b QIAL January 1919, p. 980
  76. ^ QIAL January 1919, p. 981
  77. ^ Quarterly Indian Army List January 1919, p. 1447-50
  78. ^ The Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account, p. 20

References

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  • Barthorp, Michael; Jeffrey Burn (1979). Indian infantry regiments 1860-1914. Osprey Publishing. pp. 15–33. ISBN 0-85045-307-0.
  • Gaylor, John. Sons of John Company - The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903-91. Parapress. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, 1996. ISBN 1-898594-41-4.
  • Jackson, Maj. Donovan. India's Army. Sampson Low. London, 1940.
  • Perry, Frederick William (1988). The Commonwealth armies: manpower and organisation in two world wars War. Manchester University Press ND. ISBN 0-7190-2595-8.
  • Sumner, Ian (2001). The Indian Army 1914-1947. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-196-6.
  • The Indian Army List October 1903. Army Headquarters, India. Calcutta, 1903.
  • The Indian Army List October 1904. Army Headquarters, India. Calcutta, 1904.
  • The Indian Army List July 1907. Army Headquarters, India. Calcutta, 1907.
  • The Indian Army List January 1922. Army Headquarters, India. Calcutta, 1922.
  • The Third Afghan War 1919 Official Account. Army Headquarters, India. Calcutta, 1926.

Online

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