THE INDIAN ARMY

New Zealand Mail, 21 February 1901, Page 40

THE INDIAN ARMY

TROOPS NOV VISITING NEW ZEALAND. SERVICES AND UNIFORMS.' SOME HISTORIC REGIMENTS. The Indian soldiers who will arrive here during the week are selected to represent the whole of the Native Army and the Imperial Service Corps in India, which numbers altogether over 500,000 of all arms. Of these only about 200,000 are regularly under arms, scattered over all the cantonments of the Indian Empire, and on active service. The Indian Army dates, properly speaking, from the middle of the eighteenth century, when the English and French companies trading in India first enrolled Sepoys to guard their factories. As settlement.progressed, and the riva_::y ;--::wcen the nations resolved into a:: w;tr:n. went warfare, these forces, v sr- at::..j increased, and took a leading part r solving the question of European supremacy in India. As far as the present organisation is concerned, the Indian Army may be said to date from 1858, when the lessons of the Mutiny prompted a complete dismemberment of the army of Bengal and a re-establishment of the whole system on a new basis. On account of the disbanding of all but the few loyal regiments in Northern India, most of the Bengal regiments now are set down as having been created in 1858, although, as a matter of fact, many of the men had served for years under the old regime. The Bombay and Madras troops, which took no part in the Mutiny, accordingly retain their old seniority in point of age. The army is, and always has been, an essential and honourable element in Indian life. The second highest caste, the Kshatriyas, is set apart for the military profession, and hence, with a population of 300,000,000 and a voluntary system of enlistment, there are always sufficient recruits to keep the Anglo-Indian Army up to strength. Families of the military caste expect their sons to go into the service. The physique of men obtained from such a wide field may be judged by the representatives who visit us this week.

The difficulties of class and creed, which are even now very considerable, where hundreds of races and sects are drawn together in a single province, is obviated by the “class” system of recruiting. Either the whole regiment consists of one class, in which case it is called ■ a “class logiment,” or there are several different'classes, each being kept together in its own squadron or company, : in which case the regiment is kno.wn as a “class squadron"” or a “class company” regiment However, these objections are not now nearly, so strong as formerly. Fifty years ago "caste” would have prevented Indian troops crossing the sea at all. N owjpi all recruits enlist on the express understanding that they are liable for m er*seai service. Enrolment is for a per_ three years, at the expiration of ’ii 1 e soldier may re-enlist for anotheFyterm of eighteen years, the completiOiVbf fVhfbh tentitles him to a pension. : ,

Tli© establishment of a-'- cavalry regiment consists of eight British 'officers a S: C V. 0 ' medical officer, seventeen native officers and 608 . non-commissioned offiand men..... In infantry the battalion establishment is seven British officers and . a medical officer, sixty native officersv eighty non-commissioned officers, and from 700 to 800 Sepoys. The native ranks, with their English uivalents, are as follow:—Cavalry Bissaldar-major, or major, the chief na»tive officer ; rissaldar-oaptain (halfsquadron commander); duffadar, sergeant ; kot duffadar, corporal; sowar, troopet; wordi-major, adjutant. In-fantry—Subahdar-major, or major • subahdar, captainjemadar, lieutenant; havildiar-major, sergeant-major; havildar, sergeant'; naik, corporal; sepoy, ptiVate. Iff the cavalry the organisation is somewhat irreghlar. The horses, clothings saddlery and arms, except rifles and revolvers, belong to the regiment, being purchased' by a donation from each man on 'fehteting' and periodical subscriptioa&>'->- ‘ On a man leaving the service his donation is refunded.

With regard to the men themselves, thec'btst fighting races are found in the plains'of the Punjab and Northern India, 'Where incessant warfare dates from tim& 'immemorial. The tall bearded Sikli^' , wh.o‘ offered the British forces such 1 determined resistance at Sobraon, Chillianwallah, Moodkee, Aliwal and Gujerat, have since been among the most loyal of the native races, and now furnish for organised warfare perhaps the finest of Asiatic infantry. They are also one of the most aristocratic races in India.

Other races in the Punjab are the Jat-s, the Rajputs and the JDogras, and evidence of the high military reputation they enjoy is to be found in the fact that rarely, if ever, has a frontier war in India been carried on by troops which ■did not include a large proportion of one of these races. Fighting is second natrare among the inhabitants of Northern India, and it has been a rule which has

worked admirably and proved satisfactory to both parties, for the Sirkar (Government) to employ refractory tribesmen in its own service as soon as their subjugation has been completed. Of course there have been instances in which the men thus enlisted have not been faithful, but many cases of praiseworthy loyalty have occurred. On one occasion an Afridi battalion

recently formed was suddenly brought face to face with its own people, who were "up” against the Sirkar. At this critical juncture the men remained true to their salt, and refused to go over to

their, tribesmen. There is a certain, code of honour when appeals to all of them to remain true to the Queen’s salt while they are in the service, although there is no doubt that much of the organised resistance which the Government of India encounters on the frontier is instigated and conducted by men who have learned the art of war in the ranks of the Indian Army. The Pathans, who are widely scattered oyer the frontier, form a large proportion of the army of the Punjab ox the Punjab Frontier Force. They are essentially’ wild, but their soldierly qualities were recognised by Lord Roberts, who cho.se two Pathans, two Sikhs and txvo Gurkhas to act as his orderlies throughout the Afghan campaign. Many' Baluchis are also included in the regiments represented in the contingent, and the frontier force contains several regiments composed entirely of Baluchis. A peculiar feature about these regiments is the fact that they have bagpipe bands. The little Gurkhas, from the hills of Nepal, are well represented, and deservedly so. “Small of stature, but active as cats, they -will go anywhere and do anything; the only difficulty their officers have is in keeping them back and persuading them to shoot at least a few r of the enemy before rushing in to bayonet them.”

“Little Johnny Gurkha” has an unbroken record of loyalty and unflinching bravery. The capture of Nilt Fort and the Peiwar Kotal are only but two'of the picturesque incidents in the history of these little men, who are as ready to clear a bamboo thicket under fire Avith their curved kukris, and fight at the same time, as to scale several hundred feet of exposed rock in single file under a fir e from above. In the Tirali campaign the Gurkhas were thirty-six times engaged, and killed more than their own strength of the enemy. At the battle of Dargai the Gurkhas, who had been under heavy fire for three hours, refused to leave their position, but were finally relieved by the charge of the Gordons, and were selected as the troops to crown the position for the night. The Highlanders and Gurkhas always fraternised, and were purposely brigaded together on service, and the Gordons on this occasion volunteered to carry down the Gurkhas' dead and wounded.

At the end of the Afghan campaign, in which Lbrd Roberts paid the Gurkhas the compliment of saying that they and the Highlanders would be the last troops the Afghans would wish to meet again, the Gurkhas presented the Highlanders with a shield, the Highlanders in turn giving the Gurkhas a, silvermounted drum-major’s staff. The Bombay army possesses a large strain of the old fighting blood of Central India, and is accordingly a fighting machine of considerable value. The Madrassis are, on the whole, inferior; there is not the stamina and martial spirit among the people of Southern India that are so important for a native army. The sam© may be said of the Bengalis. The nature of the company is conducive to effeminacy, and physical sloth among the Bengalis is very marked. THE IMPERIAL SERVICE CORPS. When the status of the Native States in India was recognised, it was stipulated that- the princes could maintain armies of a prescribed strength in their own dominions, but they were forbidden to wage war upon each other. If this veto were respected there would, of course, be no use for local armies, were it possible to suddenly abolish militarism among peoples who have been soldiers for centuries past.' This was both impossible to achieve, and impolitic to attempt, and by-and-byc the native rajahs commenced to offer the services of their troops in frontier Avars, and for service abroad. There was no doubt as to the loyalty of the States, and hence tffe Imperial sendee troops commenced to take ‘their place beside the regulars in every Indian war, and, later on, in every Avar in which Indian troops Avere engaged. At present twenty-one Native States maintain Imperial service troops, amounting in all to 19,200 men of all arms. The whole armies of the native princ©9 amount to 350,000, but only those definitely recognised as Imperial service troops are thoroughly efficient. There are sixteen British inspecting officers, and the standard of efficiency and discipline is almost on a par with that of the regular Indian Army.

FORMATION OF THE CONTINGENT. REGIMENTAL REPRESENTATIVES. In the following list of the regiments represented in the contingent uoav ATisiting New Zealand the services given are

only the campaigns and actions in which the regiments gained distinction, and do not represent the whole active service of the regiments. The names of the representatives of each regiment are also given :

Commanding.—Colonel Lumley Seabed Peyton, of the Indian Staff Corps, was second in command of the Fourteenth Bengal Lancers. He received the medal for the Afghan war of io/980^ The other Bricis.h officers are:—Captain H. W. Campbell (jcnofhteenth Bengal Lancers), Captain J. Henegan (Tenth Burma Rifles), Lieutenant P. J. Pccoek (Nineteenth Bombay Infantry), Major .J. Scott (Indian Medical Service). BENGAL CAVALRY. First Bengal Lancers (1803). Services—Bhurtpore, Kandahar 1842, Afghanistan 1879-80. Yeilow uniform, black velvet facings, gold lace ana black puggri. Kot-Duffadar Hassan Khan. .'second Bengal Lancers (.1800) —Aranan. ceoracn. .runiao. Try pc 188“ 44 ■- i.-Xr ::v. -'ir.rorni —3 in-:- xiz:. ..at .a:-.n;:s. r:. :,e-_ T’hxiv Bengal Cavan— ..-14 . a- - istan, Ghuznee, Maharajpur, Mudki, Ferozeshali, Aliwal, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform— Blue, with yellow facings, gold lace and blue puggri. Kot-Duffadar Jagat Singii. Sixth (Prince of Wales’s Own) Bengal Cavalry (1842). —Punniar, Mudki, Eerozeshah, Sobraon, Egypt 1882, Tel-el-Kebir. Uniform—Biue, with scarlet facings, gold lace, blue loonji puggri and scarlet kuliah. Rissaldar Rakor Singh, Kot-Duffadar Thaman Singh. Ninth Bengal Lancers, Hcdson's Horse (1857). —Delhi, Lucknow, Suakim 1885 and Chitral. Uniform —Blue, with white facings, gold lace and blue puggri. Rissaldar Ram Singh, Duffadar Chatar Singh.

Tenth (Duke cf Cambridge’s Own) Bengal Lancers (1857), formerly Second Hobson’s Horse —Delhi,'Lucknow, Abyssinia, Afghanistan 1878-80. Uniform — Blue, with scarlet facings, gold lace and blue loonji puggri. Duffadar Khevan Singh. Eleventh Bengal Lancers, the Prince of Wales’s Own (1857). —Lucknow, Taka Forts, Pekin, Ali Musjid, Afghanistan 1878-79, Chitral. Uniform—Biue, with scarlet facings, gold lace and blue puggri. Rissaldar Turok Singh Bahadur. Twelfth Bengal Cavalry (1837). —Abyssinia, Peiwar Kotai, Ciarasia, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform— Blue, with blue facings, gold lace, blue loonji puggri. Kot-Duffadar Pada Singh. Fourteenth Bengal Lancers (1857). — Charasia, Kabul, Afghanistan, 1878-80. Uniform —Dark blue,with scarlet facings, gold lace, red puggri. Rissalder Maluk Ram, Duffadars Dap Singh and Ram Singh. Seventeenth Benagl Cavalry (1858). —

Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform —Blue, Avith Avliite facings, gold, lace, dark blue puggri and Avhite kuliah. Ivot-duffadar Asaman Khan.

Eighteenth Bengal Lancers (1858). — Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform —Scarlet, Avith blue facings, gold lace and; blue puggri. Rissaldar Major Mishari Khan. Nineteenth Bengal Lancers (I 860). Taku Forts, Pekin, Aimed Khel, Afghanistan, 1878-80. Uniform—Blue, Avith French grey facings, silver lace and blue puggri. Rissaldar DilaAvar Khan.. BENGAL INFANTRY. First Bengal Infantry (1776). —Leiswarri, Bhurtpur, Burma 1885-87. Uniform —Scarlet, Avith white facings, gold lace and khaki and red puggri. HaAul-dar-Major Prathiriana, Havildar Sedar Shah. Tenth (Jat)‘ Bengal Infantry (1823). — China, 1858-59, Burma, 1885-87. Uniform—Red, Avith yellow facings, gold lace, blue and yellow puggri. Subahdar Bishanrani, Havildar-Major Santa, Havildars Jai Kishen and Mulo.

Eleventh (Rajput) Bengal Infantry (1825). —Punjab, Chillian wallah, Gujerat, China 1858-59. Afghanistan 187880, Burma 1885-87. Uniform—Red, with yellow facings, and gold lace. Subahdar Chandra Dip, Havildar Matadin, Naik Ram Avatar Singh. Fifteenth (Ludhiana) Sikhs. (1846). — China, 1860-62, Ahmed Khel, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878-80, Suakim 1885, Tofrek, Chitral. Uniform —Red, Avith emerald facings, gold lace and red and yelloAV puggri. Subahdar Gurdad Singh. Nineteenth (Punjab) Bengal Infantry (1857). —Ahmed lvhel, Afghanistan 1878- Uniform—Red, Avith dark blue facings, gold lace, dark blue and khaki puggri. Naik Son Singh. TAventy-first (Punjab) Bengal Infantry (1857). Abyssinia, Afghanistan, 1879- Uniform—Drab, with scarlet facings, drab lace, khaki and red puggri. Havildar Zedgul. Twenty-ninth (Punjab) Bengal Infantry (1857). —Peiwar Kotal, Afghanistan 1878-80, Chitral. Uniform —Red, with blue facings, gold lace, dark blue and 1 yellow puggri. HaAuldar Tuleshar Singh. Thirty-third (Punjabi Mohammedan) Bengal Infantry (1857). —Burma 1885-87 Uniform—Red, with white facings, gold lace, dark blue and red puggri. Subahdar Yulammand.

Thirty-sixth (Sikh) Bengal Infantry (1858. —Uniform,—Red, Avith yellow facings, gold laoe and red puggri. Havil-dar-Major Inka Singh. Thirty-seventh (Dogra) Bengal Infantry (1858). —Chitral. Uniform—Red,

with yellow facings, gold lace, khaki and yellow puggri. Jemadar 31 oh an Singh. Tiiirty-eighth (Dogra) Bengal Infantry (1858). —Uniform—Red. with yeilow facings, gold lace and blue puggri. Havildar Bhandari. Fortieth (Pathan) Bengal Infantry (1858). —Uniform—Drab with green facings, drab lace, drab puggri and dark green kuliah. Kalar-HaviTdar Sherali. Forty-third (Gurkha Ri lies) Bengal Infantry (1835). — Burma, 1885-87. Uniform- —Dark green with black facings and lace. Subaiidar KalwanaJi. Naik Harkabir Thapa. PUNJAB FRONTIER FORCE. Fifth Gliurka Rifles (1858). —Peiwar Kotal, Charasia, Kabul 1879, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan Uniform— Dark green, with black facings and lace. Subahdar-lMajor Gangi .Thapa. Third Sikh Infantry (1847). —Kabul 18 /9, Kandahar 1880, Afghan is can 18/980. Uniform —Drab, with black facings, drab lace, khaki puggri with black .me. orange. . Havildar Panjah Singii. ana green pv.gg:y. ~ -liivuoo- . out Hamed. The Queen’s Own Corps of Guides Infantry (1846). —Punjab, Multan, Gujerat, Delhi, Ali Musjid, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1878-80, Chitral. Uniform— Drab, with red velvet facings, gold lace and biue brojnze puggri. SubahdarMajor Sarfraj Khan. 'liie QueenA Own Corps of Guides Cavalry.—(Same services and uniforms). Kis-saiaar Sundar Singh, Duffadar Asa Singh. MADRAS CAVALRY. First Madras Lancers (1757). —Mysore, Seringapatam, Ava, Afghanistan 18/9-80, Burma 1885-87. l niform— French grey, with buff facings, silver lace, dark blue puggri, and kiiaki kuliah. Jemadar Fiari Singh. Duffadar Kishan Singh-

Second Madras Lancers (1784). —Car natic, Siiolinghur, Mysore, Seringapatam, Burma 1885-87. Uniform — French grey, with buff facings, silver lace, darlt and light blue puggri, white kuliah. Duffadar Slnvajirao, Kot-Duf-fadar Ankajirao.

Xtnrd lViadra-s Lancers (1784). —Mysore, Seringapatam, Mahidpur. Uni-form-—French grey, with buff facings* silver lace, darlc blue and red puggri, grey ku.iaii. llissaidar Asmei Kuan. MADRAS INFANTRI*. Third (Palamcottah) Light Infantry (175 a). —Carnatic, Siiolinghur, Mysore, Mahidpur, Ava, Burma 1885-87. Uniform—Red, with emerald green facings, gold lace, khaki and green puggri, red kuliah. Subahdar Ragaswani, Naik Ibrahim Sharif. Fourth (Pioneers) Madras Infantry (1759). —Carnatic, Siiolinghur, Mysore, Assaye, Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform —Red, with white facings, gold lace, khaki, red and white puggri, red kuliah. Subahdar Venkatachealam. Fifteenth Madras Infantry (1776). — Carnatic, Siiolinghur, Mysore, Afghanistan 1879-80, Burma 1885-87. XTniform —Red, with yellow facings, geld lace, white and yellow puggri. HavildarMajor Ram Kishan. Nineteenth Madras Infantry (1777). - Carnatic. Sholinghur, Mysore, Seringapatam, Pegu, Central India. Uniform— Red, with yellow facings, gold lace, khaki and yellow puggri. Naik Manigam. Twenty-third Madras Light Infantry (1794). —Services —Seringapatam, Nagi ' pore, Burma 1885-87. Harildar Annagam. BOMBAY CAVALRY. The Viceroy’s Body Guard (1865). Uniform—Scarlet, with yellow facings. Duffadar Mahomed Jan, Xot-duffadar Ahanali. First Bombay Lancers, the Duke of Connaught’s Own (1817). —Burma 188587. Uniform—Dark green, with scarlet facings, gold lace, dark blue, black and yellow puggri, scarlet throat plume. Duffadar Morirao. Second Bombay Lancers (1817). —Ceiltral India, Afghanistan, 1879-80. Uniform—Dark green, with white facings, gold lace*_ dark and light blue and white puggri, white threat plume. Rissaldar Mahmandabudkhan, Duffadar Yusuf Ali K ban. Fourth Bombay Cavalry, the Poona Horse, Prince Albert Victor’s Own (1817). —Koregam, Ghuznee, Afghanistan. Kandahar, Meanee, Hyderabad, Persia, Reshire, Khusha, Bushire, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1879-80. Uniform—Dark green, with French grey facings, gold lace, green, red, blue and yellow puggri ana loonji, grey throat plume. Rissaldar Agar Singh, Duffadar Anar Singh. Twelfth Bombay Lancers.—Kot-duffa_ dar Subah Singh. Fifteenth Bombay Lancers.—Duffadar Khazi Khan. Second Central India Horse (local corps) (1860). Uniform—Drab, with maroon facings, gold lace, blue and white puggn. Rissaldar Mamtazal, Kot-duffa-dars Ibrahim Khan and Gulab Khan. BOMBAY INFANTRY. First Bombay Infantry (Grenadiers) (1779). —Mangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878-80. Uniform—Red, with white facings, gold lace, khaki and white puggri, red kuliah. Subahdar Siva Modak, Havildar Shevajirao. Sixteenth Bombay Infantry (1800). —- Afghanistan, 1879-80. Uniform—Red,

with yellow facings, gold lace, khaki and blue puggri, scarlet kullah. Jemadar Ramchandrasuo, Havildar Kishana. Nineteenth Bombay Infantry (1817). — Ghuznee, Afghanistan, Punjab, Multan, Gujerat, Kandahar, 1880, Afghanistan, 1878-80. Uniform —Red, with yellow facings, gold laoo, khald and yellow puggri, yellow kullah. Havildars Sheikh Ahamand and Skikari Gujar. Twenty-third Bombay Infantry (1820). —Kirkee, Persia, Afguanistan 1879-80, Burma 1885-87. Uniform —Rifle green, with scarlet facings, green pucum, scarlet kullah. Jemadar Jaykhishar, Naik Ajepalsingh. HYDERABAD CONTINGENT. Fourth Lancers.—Central India, Burma. Uniform—Rifle green, with white fa-cings and gold lace. Rissaldar Suchet Singh, Duffadar Kifait Khan, Kotduffadar Ghulam Rasul. _ Fourth Infantry.—Nagpur. Uniform Red, with green facings, gold lace, green puggri, red kullah. Subahdarmajor Chirangi Lai, Havildars Jamal Khan and Said Ali Mohamed. imperial service troops. Jamnagar Imperial Service Cavalry. (Mawanagar State, in Gujerat).—Colonel Dadbha, Duffadar Mararsingh. Bhaonagar Imperial Service Cavalry. —Duffadar. Rup Singh. Kashmir I.S. Infantry.—Subahdar Khashimir • Singh, Subahdar Gandip Singh. • Fourth Kashmir I.S. Infantry.—Havildars Saida Singh, Keshari Singh, Maniram and Santsingh. |' Gwalior I.S. Cavalry.—Major Keshawarao, Duffadar Pandurangrao, Kot- ! duffadar Devarao. , Mysore I.S. Cavalry.—Jemadar Sind Amand, Duffadars Said Abul Rajah and Abdalsatar. - , .7 Sirmur I.S. Infantry.—Jemadar Chatar Singh.