Battle and theatre honours of the Indian Army

The Indian Army has a distinguished history in which they won many battle and theatre honours. The practice of giving battle honours began with the East India Company who awarded these to the units of the native Indian corps in their presidency armies. The practice continued after the advent of the British Crown post-1857 when the armies of the East India Company became part of the British Indian Army and even after India's independence in 1947. The earliest conflict for which a battle honour was awarded was "Plassey" which was awarded in 1829 to the 1st Regiment, Bengal Native Infantry which served the East India Company in Bengal while the latest is "Kargil" in 1999 awarded to units of independent India's army for feats during the Kargil War.

Pre-1914 battle honours

Plassey Buxar Amboor Korah Guzerat Carnatic Sholinghur Mangalore Mysore Sedaseer Seringapatam Egypt Allyghur Delhi Assaye Leswarree Deig Cochin Bourbon Java Kirkee Seetabuldee Nagpore Maheidpoor Corygaum Nowah Persian Gulf Beni Boo Alli Assam Ava Kemmendine Arracan Burmah Bhurtpore Aden Afghanistan Ghuznee 1839 Khelat Kahun Jellalabad Kelat-i-Ghilzie Candahar 1842 Ghuznee 1842 Cabool 1842 Cutchee China Meeanee Hyderabad Maharajpoor Punniar Moodkee Ferozeshah Aliwal Sobraon Punjaub Chillianwalah Mooltan Goojerat Pegu Persia Reshire Bushire Koosh-ab Delhi 1857 Lucknow Defence of Arrah Behar Central India China 1858–59 Taku Forts Pekin 1860 China 1860–62 Abyssinia Afghanistan 1878–80 Ali Masjid Peiwar Kotal Charasiah Kabul 1879 Ahmed Khel Kandahar 1880 Egypt 1882 Tel-el-kebir Suakin Tofrek Burma 1885–1887 Defence of Chitral Chitral Punjab Frontier Malakand Samana Tirah British East Africa Pekin 1900 China 1900 Somaliland 1901–04

First World War

Europe & Gallipoli Europe

France and Flanders 1914–1918 . La Bassee, 1914 Armentieres 1914 Messines 1914 Ypres 1914–15 Gheluvelt Festubert, 1914 (also 1914–15) Givenchy 1914 Neuve Chappelle Ypres 1915 St Julien Aubers Festubert, 1915 Loos. Somme 1916 Bazentin Delville Wood Flers-Courcelette Morval Cambrai 1917

Gallipoli

Gallipoli 1915 Helles Krithia Anzac Landing at Anzac Defence of Anzac Suvla Sari Bair Landing at Suvla Scimitar Hill Macedonia 1916–18

Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Arabia Egypt & Palestine

Damascus Egypt 1915–17 El Mughar Gaza Jerusalem Megiddo Nablus Nebi Samwil Palestine 1917–18 Sharon Suez Canal Tell' Asur

Mesopotamia

Baghdad Basra Ctesiphon Defence of Kut al Amara Khan Baghdadi Kut al Amara 1915 Kut al Amara 1917 Mesopotamia 1914–18 Shaiba Sharqat Tigris 1916

Arabia Aden

Central Asia, Persia, Afghanistan, India, China Central Asia Merv Persia Persia 1915–19 Afghanistan Afghanistan India

NW Frontier, India 1914–17 Baluchistan 1915–16, 1918

China Tsingtao

East Africa

East Africa 1914–18 Kilimanjaro Beho Beho Narungombe Nyangao

Second World War

North East Africa, Middle East North East Africa

Abyssinia 1940–41 Ad Teclesan Agordat Amba Alagi Barentu Berbera British Somaliland Gallabat Keren Keren-Asmara Road Massawa

Middle East Iraq 1941

Post-independence

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 The battle and theatre honours of the 1947 War are:Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 227–238

Jammu and Kashmir 1947–48 (theatre honour) Gurais Jhangar Kargil Naoshera Punch Rajouri Skardu Srinagar Tithwal Uri Zoji La

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 The battle and theatre honours of the 1965 War are:Singh, Sarbans (1993) pp 242–256. Jammu and Kashmir sector

Jammu and Kashmir 1965 (theatre honour) Hajipir Jaurian Kalit Kalidhar OP Hill Raja Picquet-Chand Tekri Sanjoi Mirpur

Punjab sector

Punjab 1965 (theatre honour) Assal Uttar Burki Buttur Dograndi Charwa Dograi Hussainiwala Bridge Maharajke Phillora Tilakpur-Muhadipur

Rajasthan sector

Rajasthan 1965 (theatre honour) Gadra Road

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 East Pakistan Sector

East Pakistan 1971 (theatre honour) Akhaura Belonia Bhaduria Bogra Chauddagram Darsana Ganga Sagar Hilli Jamalpur Khansama Kumarkhali Madhumati River Mian Bazaar Mynamati Poongli Bridge Shamsher Nagar Siramani Suadih Syamganj Sylhet

Jammu and Kashmir sector

Jammu and Kashmir 1971 (theatre honour) Banwat Brachil Pass and Wali Malik Chhamb Defence of Punch Gutrian Laleali-Picquet 707 Nangi Tekri Shingo River Valley Thanpir Turtok

Punjab theatre

Punjab 1971 (theatre honour) Amritsar Airfield Basantar River Burj Chakri Dera Baba Nanak Fatehpur Harar Kalan Jarpal Malakpur Samba (VA/VP) Shehjra

Sindh theatre

Sindh 1971 (theatre honour) Chachro Gadra City Khinsar Longanewala Parbat Ali

Kargil War, 1999 Kargil

See also

Repugnant battle honours of the Indian Army Awards and decorations of the Indian Armed Forces

Footnotes

References