Jump to content

Jat Regiment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Aliali3303 (talk | contribs) at 11:18, 30 August 2011. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Jat Regiment
File:The Jat Regiment BRITCHS DOGS Chrome Insigna.JPG
The Jat Regiment Insignia
Active1795 – Present [1]
CountryIndia
BranchArmy
TypeLine Infantry
Size18 Battalions
Regimental CentreBareilly, Uttar Pradesh
Motto(s)Sangathan Va Veerta (Unity And Valour)
War CryJat Balwan, Jai Bhagwan (The Jat is powerful, Victory to god!)
Anniversariesand East Pakistan - 1971
Insignia
Regimental InsigniaThe Roman numeral nine representing its ninth position in the regimental hierarchy of the Indian Army of the 1920s. The insignia also has a bugle indicating the Light Infantry antecedents of two of its battalions.

The Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army and is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army.[2] The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 to 1947[3] and post independence 5 battle honours, Two ASHOK CHAKRA, eight Mahavir Chakra, eight Kirti Chakra, 32 Shaurya Chakras, 39 Vir Chakras and 170 Sena Medals.[2]

Over its life of more than 200 years, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations both in the pre and post-independence India and abroad, including the First and the Second World Wars. Numerous sections of the Jat regiment fought in the First World War including the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers.[4]

History

The Jat people

The Jat Regiment Insignia during British India (Pre-1947).
Main article: Jat people

Jat people formed part of almost all successful armies of Indian feudal states. They offered a vigorous resistance to the Arab invaders. In 836 they were overthrown by Amran and used their arms to vanquish the Meds on the Indus River. In the reign of Abbasid Caliph Mansur (813–33) they broke a rebellion which it took him and his successor Mutasim (833–42), the best part of 20 years to quell.

Ibn Khurdabah mentions 'Zutts' as guarding the route between Kirman and Mansura while Ibn Hawqal writes: "Between Mansura and Makran the waters from the Mehran form lakes and the inhabitants of the country are the south Asian races called 'Zutt'. The Chinese traveller Yuan Chwang who visited this region in the 7th century. also mentioned Jats. The Persian Command Hurmuz used Jat soldiers against Khalid Bin Walid in the battle of 'salasal' of 634 (12 AH). This was the first time that Jats were captured by the Arabs. The Persian King Yazdjard had also sought the help of the Sind ruler who sent Jat soldiers and elephants which were used against the Arabs in the battle of Qadisia.

According to Tibri, Hazrat Ali had employed Jats to guard Basra treasury during the battle of Jamal. "Jats were the guards of the Baitul Maal at al-Basra during the time of Hazrat Osman and Hazrat Ali." Amir Muawiya had settled them on the Syrian border to fight against the Romans. Harun-ur-Rashid had recruited Jats to reinforce Cilician fortress against Romans.

British Indian Army History 1795 to 1947

The Regiment claims its origins from the Calcutta Native Militia raised in 1795,[5] which later became an infantry battalion of the Bengal Army. The 14th Murray's Jat Lancers were formed in 1857.[5] After 1860, there was a substantial increase in the recruitment of Jats in the British Indian Army, however the Class Regiment, The Jats, was initially created as infantry units in 1897 from old battalions of the Bengal Army. In January 1922, at the time of the grouping of the Class Regiments of the Indian Army, the 9th Jat Regiment was formed by bringing under a single regiment, four active and one training battalion.

The Jat people are the merged descendents of Indo-Scythian Central Asian tribes and Indo-Aryans. In Mughal times, they preserved their independence and power in Delhi.

Hindu Jat society is a republican form of society, epitomized by the Sarv Khap, a body, a council, based at Shoron, district Muzaffarnagar, U.P, India, that united the Jats from Haryana, Punjab to Central India and organized the resistance to the feudal forces and the invaders.

They formed principalities like Bharatpur, Dholpur, Rajasthan, Gohad(Bhind), Patiala, Nabha, Jind, Haryana and Punjab, Kuchesar(UP) and Bahadurgarh.

Conservative by nature, the Jats rarely marry people from other ethnic groups. Great pride is placed in their ancestry. In fact, all the Jats in a particular village consider themselves to be the descendants of the man whom they believe founded it.

The British in their quest for power and domination in India came into conflict with the Hindu Jat people and recorded that they caused them the maximum trouble along with the Jat Sikhs. So impressed were they by the soldierly qualities of the Jats that they soon started recruiting them in ever-increasing numbers into all branches of the Bengal Army. The 1st Battalion was raised as the 22nd Bengal Native Infantry in 1803.

The 2nd and 3rd Battalions were raised in 1817 and 1823 respectively. All three battalions had distinguished records of service including the winning of many honours during World War I. The 1st Battalion in particular served with great distinction in France and Iraq (then Mesopotamia) and was conferred the signal honour of being declared ‘Royal’ in addition to being made Light Infantry.

A World War I (1914-1918) Jat Army Officer's Brass Button - from the famous 9th JAT Regiment an elite-fighting Unit of the Jat Regiment

War Services of the 9th Jat Regiment by Lieutenant Colonel W.L. Hailes, is a historically famous publication detailing the military history of the Jat Regiment and of the Jat people. The publication details the military history & fighting prowess of the Jat Regiment & Jat people from 1893 to 1937.

In the 1922 re-organization these Battalions along with the 18th Musalman Rajput Infantry were grouped together to form the 9th Jat Regiment with its class composition being fixed as 50% Jats from Punjab and Haryana, 25% Punjabi from cis-Satluj States, Gujarat District and Ponchh District of J&K and Musalman Rajputs (Ranghars). World War 2 saw a large expansion in the ranks of the Regiment with a number of new battalions being raised. Owing to the large demands of manpower the Rajputs were supplemented by the addition of Hindustani Hindu Jats from Haryana, UP, MP, Bihar, Rajasthan and the Deccan).

The Regiment saw a great deal of fighting with the Jats showing their mettle in North Africa, Ethiopia, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, and Java-Sumatra. A large number of gallantry awards were won including a Victoria Cross and two George Crosses. At the end of the war the Regiment, in company with other regiments of the Indian Infantry, dropped the numeral 9 from its title and became simply the Jat Regiment.

Post Independence

14th Murray's Jat Lancers (Risaldar Major) by AC Lovett (1862–1919)

In free India the Jats maintained the high reputation they had created for themselves on the battle-fields of France and Flanders, Libya, Malaya and Burma to name a few. In Jammu and Kashmir 1947–48, the China War 1962, the conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, and in Sri Lanka and Siachen, they have added to the laurels of the Regiment and the Army. But the actions of 3 Jat under Lt Col (now Brig Retd) Desmond Hayde initially on 1 September and then again on 21–22 September of crossing the Ichhogil Canal and capturing Dograi right up to Batapore-Attocke Awan and knocking on the very doors of Lahore speaks for itself about the battalion's leadership and the bravery of the troops. Recently in the 1999 Kargil conflict five of the Regiment’s battalions took part and once again displayed the soldierly qualities that have made the Jats so well known amongst the community of fighting men. The performance of the Regiment’s battalions during the UN missions in Korea and Congo has been in keeping with its high standards. Again, it performed very well in the counter-insurgency operations that have kept the Indian Army busy ever since independence. Nowadays, it fights the foreign mercenaries in Kashmir with its traditional martial spirit.[citation needed]

Battle Cry

The battle cry, adopted in 1955 is, "Hindi: जाट बलवान जय भगवान IAST :Jāt Balwān Jai Bhagwān" meaning "The Jat is Powerful, Victory Be to God!"

Current Strength

Commemorative stamp on envelope celebrating the Jat Regiment in army uniforms of the regiment, past and present.

Currently the regiment has a strength of 34 regiments.

  • 2nd Battalion (former 15th Jat)
  • 3rd Battalion (old 10th Jats)
  • 4th Battalion (old 18th Inf.)(saviours of fazilka)
  • 5th Battalion (PHILLORA Captors)
  • 6th Battalion
  • 7th Battalion (former 11th Jat)
  • 8th Battalion
  • 9th Battalion
  • 11th Battalion
  • 12th Battalion (former 31st Jat)
  • 14th Battalion
  • 15th Battalion
  • 16th Battalion
  • 17th Battalion
  • 18th Battalion
  • 19th Battalion
  • 20th Battalion
  • 21st Battalion
  • 114 Infantry Battalion (TA) Jat
  • 151 Infantry Battalion (TA) Jat

Gallantry Awards

Battle Honours

File:Victoria Cross Medal Ribbon & Bar.jpg
The prestigious Victoria Cross, awarded for exceptional valour "in the face of the enemy".

Pre-1947

Nagpur, Afghanistan (1839) Ghuznee, Ali Masjid, Kandahar (1842) Cabool (1842) Maharajpore, Sobraon, Mooltan, Goojrat, Punjab, China (1858–59) Kandahar (1880) Burma (1885–87), Afghanistan (1879–80) China (1900) La Basee (1914) Festubert (1914–15) Shaiba, Ctesiphon, Khan Baghdadi, Kut al Amara (1915) Neuve Chappelle, France and Flanders (1914–15) Defence of Kut al Amara, Tigris (1916) Mesopotamia (1914–18) North West Frontier (India) (1914–15) (1917) Afghanistan (1919) Razabil, Kampar, Burma (1942–45) Jitra, Kanglatongbi, Malaya (1941–42) Ninshigum, The Muars, North Africa (1940–43)

Post-Independence

Rajauri Zoji La Dograi (1965) Phillora (1965) Unit Citations

Citations are given instead of Battle/Theatre Honours when a unit is decorated for Counter Insurgency Operations.

  • 4th Battalion Nagaland 1995
  • 7th Battalion J&K 1997
  • 11th Battalion Operation Rakshak 2011
  • 34th Battalion Rashtriya Rifles J&K 1997
  • 17th Battalion Operation Vijay 1999
  • 16th Battalion Operation Rakshak 2005/2011
  • 21st Battalion Operation Rhino 2009


Victoria Cross Winners

Maha Vir Chakra

Major Asha ram tyagi [19th BN., JAT REG.], was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously in 1965 India-Pakistan war, born in Fatehpur, a nearby countryside. He was born in the Zamindar Family of Ch. Sagwa Singh Tyagi and mother Basanti Devi

Vir Chakra

See also

References

  1. ^ Army's Jat Regiment Best Marching Contingent in Republic Day 2007 Parade | India Defence
  2. ^ a b Army's Jat Regiment Best Marching Contingent in Republic Day 2007 Parade | India Defence
  3. ^ http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MONITOR/ISSUE3-4/bajwa.html .
  4. ^ The Times History of the War: The Battlefield of Europe. Woodward & Van Slyke
  5. ^ a b The valiant Jat soldier - The Tribute
  6. ^ a b We Were There - Medals and Awards - Victoria Cross Winners
  7. ^ Risaldar Badlu Singh, VC
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jat_Regiment&oldid=447470042"