The 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry was an

infantry regiment Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

of the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

raised in 1844 as The Scinde Bellochee Corps. It was designated as the 127th Baluch Light Infantry in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) 10th Baluch Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the

Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...

, where it continues to exist as the 10th Battalion of The Baloch Regiment.Ahmad, Lt Col RN. (2010). ''Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment''. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre.

Early history

In 1843, the British conquered

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

after defeating the ruling confederacy of Baloch chieftains. General Sir Charles Napier, the British commander, was much impressed by the ferocious courage of his Balochi opponents and decided to recruit two irregular battalions of

Bombay Army The Bombay Army was the army of the Bombay Presidency, one of the three presidencies of British India within the British Empire. It was established in 1668 and governed by the East India Company until the Government of India Act 1858 transferr ...

for local service within Sindh. The first of these was raised at

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

as the Scinde Bellochee Corps or the Bellochee Battalion by Major F. Jackson in 1844. Its manpower was mostly drawn from Balochis,

Sindhis Sindhis are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group originating from and native to Sindh, a region of Pakistan, who share a common Sindhi culture, history, ancestry, and language. The historical homeland of Sindhis is bordered by southeastern Balochi ...

and Pathans from Sindh. Later, it also recruited Brahuis and Punjabi Muslims, while the recruitment area was extended to include

Baluchistan Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region of de ...

North-West Frontier Province The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP; ) was a province of British India from 1901 to 1947, of the Dominion of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955, and of the Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan from 1970 to 2010. It was established on 9 November ...

and the

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

. On the raising of the 2nd Battalion in 1846, the regiment was designated as the 1st Belooch Battalion.Maxwell, Lt Col WE. (1948). ''Capital Campaigners: The History of the 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary’s Own) the Baluch Regiment''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden.Cadell, Sir Patrick. (1938). ''History of the Bombay Army''. London: Longmans & Green. When the Indian Mutiny broke out in 1857, the 1st Belooch Battalion under Lieutenant Colonel Farquhar was dispatched across the Sindh desert to join the Delhi Field Force. It was engaged in several actions during the siege and capture of Delhi. During the next two years, it fought in numerous engagements in

Oudh The Kingdom of Awadh (, , also Oudh State, Kingdom of Oudh, Awadh Subah, or Awadh State) was a Mughal subah, then an independent kingdom, and lastly a British protectorate in the Awadh region of North India until its annexation by the Br ...

and

Rohilkhand Rohilkhand (today Bareilly, Moradabad, Badaun and Rampur; ) is a region in the northwestern part of Uttar Pradesh, India, that is centered on the Bareilly and Moradabad divisions. It is part of the upper Ganges Plain, and is named after the ...

, as the British systematically stamped out all resistance. The regiment was brought into line for its services in North India as the 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry or the 1st Belooch Regiment. In 1868, it took part in the long and arduous Expedition to Abyssinia. The splendid performance of 1st Belooch Regiment in Abyssinia was much appreciated and as a reward, it was converted into

Light Infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

. In 1879-80, the 1st Beloochees participated in the

Second Afghan War The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the latter was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai ...

, followed by the Third Burmese War of 1885-87, where they earned the nickname of Capital Campaigners for their excellent performance. In 1897-99, the regiment was sent to

British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was a British protectorate in the African Great Lakes, occupying roughly the same area as present-day Kenya, from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Cont ...

to quell an insurgency in areas now forming

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

.Ahmed, Maj Gen Rafiuddin. (1998). ''History of the Baloch Regiment 1820-1939''. Abbottabad: Baloch Regimental Centre.

127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry

Subsequent to the

reforms Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903, all former

units had 100 added to their numbers. Consequently, the regiment's designation was changed to 127th Baluch Light Infantry. In 1906, the

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (; ) is a title used since the 14th century by the wife of the Prince of Wales. The Princess is the apparent future queen consort, as "Prince of Wales" is a title reserved by custom for the heir apparent to the Monarchy of the ...

(later Queen Mary) was appointed

Colonel-in-Chief Colonel-in-Chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment. It is in common use in several Commonwealth armies, where it is held by the regiment's patron, usually a member of the royal family. Some armed forces take a light-hearted approach to ...

of the regiment. The regimental full dress uniform in 1914 included a rifle green turban and kurta (knee length tunic) piped in red, worn with red trousers and white gaiters. The red trousers were a distinctive feature of all five Baluch infantry regiments then serving in the Indian Army. On the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the regiment served in

German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; ) was a German colonial empire, German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Portugu ...

and

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

. In 1918, it raised the 2nd Battalion 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry, which served in the

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

and took part in the Battle of Megiddo that led to the defeat of the Turkish Army in Palestine. The 2nd Battalion was disbanded in 1921.

Subsequent History

In 1922, the regiment was grouped with five other Baluch battalions: 1st & 2nd Battalions of 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry, 126th Baluchistan Infantry, 129th Duke of Connaught's Own Baluchis and the 130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles), to form the 10th Baluch Regiment. The 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry was redesignated as the 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) 10th Baluch Regiment. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 3/10th Baluch served in

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

and

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. In 1946, it was selected for conversion into an airborne battalion, but the events of 1947 intervened and on the

Partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...

, the battalion, along with the Baluch Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army.Thatcher, WS. (1980). ''The Tenth Baluch Regiment in the Second World War''. Abbottabad: The Baluch Regimental Centre. In 1956, on the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment, 3 Baluch was redesignated as 10 Baluch (now 10 Baloch). During the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, the battalion fought with distinction in

Kashmir Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...

and took part in the capture of Chhamb in 1971. 127 Baluch Light Inf

Genealogy

*1844 - Bellochee Battalion or The Scinde Bellochee Corps *1846 - 1st Bellochee Battalion *1858 - 1st Belooch Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry *1859 - 1st Belooch Regiment Bombay Native Infantry *1861 - 27th Regiment Bombay Native Infantry or 1st Belooch Regiment *1871 - 27th Regiment Bombay Native (Light) Infantry or 1st Belooch Regiment *1885 - 27th Regiment Bombay (Light) Infantry or 1st Belooch Regiment *1888 - 27th Regiment (1st Belooch Battalion) Bombay (Light) Infantry *1892 - 27th Regiment (1st Baluch Battalion) Bombay (Light) Infantry or 27th Baluchis *1901 - 27th Baluch Light Infantry *1903 - 127th Baluch Light Infantry *1906 - 127th Princess of Wales's Own Baluch Light Infantry *1910 - 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry *1918 - 1st Battalion 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry *1921 - 127th Queen Mary's Own Baluch Light Infantry *1922 - 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) 10th Baluch Regiment or 3/10th Baluch *1945 - 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) The Baluch Regiment or 3 Baluch *1946 - 3rd (Para) Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) The Baluch Regiment *1947 - 3rd Battalion (Queen Mary's Own) The Baluch Regiment *1956 - 10th Battalion The Baluch Regiment or 10 Baluch *1991 - 10th Battalion The Baloch Regiment or 10 Baloch 27th Bombay Native Inf 1865

References

External links

127th Baluch Light Infantry (Queen Mary's Own) at The British Empire
*''History of the Baloch Regiment 1820–1939 the Colonial Period'', text o

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