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5 Gorkha Rifles

The 5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising of Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1891 as part of the British Indian Army and served in the Great War and World War II. The regiment was one of the Gorkha regiments that was transferred to the Indian Army following independence. The regiment was formerly known as the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force).

History

19th Century

The regiment was raised in 1858 as the 25th Punjab Infantry. The soldiers of the regiment originated from the Kingdom of Nepal and in 1861 it was renamed the 5th Gurkha Regiment. The regiment's first major action was during the Second Afghan War, where they were awarded there first battle honour at Peiwar Kotal and Captain John Cook was awarded the Victoria Cross. In 1891 the regiment was afforded the prestigious title of a Rifle regiment and became 5th Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment which was shortened to 5th Gurkha Rifles in 1901.

The regiment spent most of its time up to the end of the 19th century based in the Punjab as part of the Punjab Frontier Force, more famously known as PFF or Piffers. This was reflected when in 1903, when the regiment was renamed the 5th Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force).

World War I

During the First World War, the regiment primarily saw service in the Middle East - the 1st Battalion saw extensive service at Gallipoli in 1915 (where 7 officers and 129 men were killed in the first few hours after the battalion landed). During the withdrawal, the last troops to leave was a company of the 5th Gurkhas.

The 2nd Battalion saw service in Mesopotamia, initially with the 2nd (Rawalpindi) Division and from April 1916 with the 15th Division.

The 1st Battalion joined them in March 1917 from the 1st (Peshawar) Division and both battalions fought together at the Action of Khan Baghdadi.

A 3rd Battalion was raised for service on the North-West Frontier, before being disbanded in 1921.

Inter-War

In 1921, the regiment was given the title the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles, in recognition of its service during the war. During the inter-war period, the regiment received three further battle honours, for the Third Afghan War in 1919, and two for service on the North West Frontier. The regiment together with the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers were the only units awarded such honours.

World War II

During the Second World War, the 1st Battalion 5th Gurkhas as part of the Indian 8th Infantry Division's Indian 17th Infantry Brigade served in the Middle East campaign and the Italian Campaign. Rifleman Thaman Gurung of the 1st Battalion won the Victoria Cross while serving in Italy.

The 2nd Battalion served in the Far East in the Burma Campaign as part of the 17th Indian Infantry Division and was involved in the retreat of the British Indian Army from Burma, they were one of four battalions chosen to fight as the rearguard at the Sittang River, which formed the border with India. When the bridge over the river was blown up preventing the Japanese forces from entering India, many of the regiment were left on the wrong side. The regiment was involved in the re-entry into Burma in 1943 where three members of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross. At the end of the war the 2nd Btn was part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force of Japan.

The 4th Battalion was raised in 1941 and also served in the Burma Campaign as part of the 7th Indian Infantry Division, fighting in five epic battles at North Arakan, Buthidaung (Battle of the Admin Box), Kohima, Pokkoku (Irrawaddy) and Sittang. The Battalion had the unique distinction of getting Four Battle Honours for the Five Battles Fought. Major I M Brown of the 4th Battalion was one of the few soldiers of the Second World War that was awarded the Military Cross three times.

Post Independence

On Independence, the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles was one of the six Gurkha regiments that remained part of the new Indian Army, they were renamed the 5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) in 1950. The Regiment now has a total of six Battalions and has, participated in virtually every major action the Indian Army has undertaken in its four wars with Pakistan, including the first airborne operations undertaken by the army during the 1971 war. The Regiment has participated in he following actions: