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87-514: 4 Maha Vir Chakra, 32 Vir Chakra, 1 Ashok Chakra, 4 Kirti Chakra, 39 Shaurya Chakra, 1 Padam Shri, 9 PVSM, 3 UYSM, 16 AVSM, 4 Yudh Seva Medals, 49 Vishisht Seva Medals and 221 Sena Medals, 107 M-in-D, The Mahar Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army . Although it was originally intended to be a regiment consisting of troops from the Mahar community of Maharashtra , today

174-748: A sidearm or ancillary weapons . Infantry with ranged or polearms often carried a sword or dagger for possible hand-to-hand combat. The pilum was a javelin the Roman legionaries threw just before drawing their primary weapon, the gladius (short sword), and closing with the enemy line. Modern infantrymen now treat the bayonet as a backup weapon, but may also have handguns as sidearms . They may also deploy anti-personnel mines, booby traps, incendiary, or explosive devices defensively before combat. Infantry have employed many different methods of protection from enemy attacks, including various kinds of armour and other gear, and tactical procedures. The most basic

261-463: A Rissaldar and a Jemadar as S-i-C. For example, in the last third of the 19th century, in the Bengal Army as the largest presidency army, the ranks of Subadar, Ressaldar, Ressaidar and Jemadar were divided in three (sometimes two) paygrades each (native sappers and miners, cavalry, infantry, but not native artillery). Around 1867/68, in native miners and sappers as well as in native infantry,

348-573: A common liaison point between officers and men and as advisers to the British officers on Indian affairs. VCOs were treated and addressed with respect. Even a British officer would address a VCO as, for instance, 'subedar sahib ' or 'sahib'. Nevertheless, they were only saluted by Indian rank and file, not by European other ranks and officers. Furthermore, VCOs did not mess with British officers but ran their own. The three former presidency armies of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras were transformed into

435-628: A few exceptions like the Mongol Empire , infantry has been the largest component of most armies in history. In the Western world , from Classical Antiquity through the Middle Ages ( c. 8th century BC to 15th century AD), infantry are categorised as either heavy infantry or light infantry . Heavy infantry, such as Greek hoplites , Macedonian phalangites , and Roman legionaries , specialised in dense, solid formations driving into

522-512: A full suit of attack-proof armour would be too heavy to wear in combat. As firearms improved, armour for ranged defence had to be made thicker and heavier, which hindered mobility. With the introduction of the heavy arquebus designed to pierce standard steel armour, it was proven easier to make heavier firearms than heavier armour; armour transitioned to be only for close combat purposes. Pikemen armour tended to be just steel helmets and breastplates, and gunners had very little or no armour at all. By

609-617: A greater mix of ethnic, religious and caste backgrounds than was the norm in the Indian Army. They did some useful work defending villages from attacks during partition, and as a reward, were given a more permanent character as the East Punjab Frontier Scouts in 1948. They served along the border with Pakistan as border guards, and were regarded as a useful adjunct of the Punjab Armed Police. The unit

696-417: A hundred meters wide and a dozen rows deep. Maintaining the advantages of heavy infantry meant maintaining formation; this became even more important when two forces with heavy infantry met in battle; the solidity of the formation became the deciding factor. Intense discipline and training became paramount. Empires formed around their military. The organization of military forces into regular military units

783-465: A pair of shoulder wings. Also common were tight-fitting rows of white beads around the neck: for Jemadars one row, for Subedars two rows. When British Army officer rank insignia switched generally from laces or epaulettes to collar-worn rank insignia in the mid-1850s, native officers also followed suit. Jemadars wore one gold sword, Subedars two crossed gold swords on each side of the collar, Subedar-Majors one gold crown. On collarless clothing, such as

870-399: A problem. This can be avoided by having shield-armed soldiers stand close together, side-by-side, each protecting both themselves and their immediate comrades, presenting a solid shield wall to the enemy. The opponents for these first formations, the close-combat infantry of more tribal societies , or any military without regular infantry (so called " barbarians ") used arms that focused on

957-440: A return to body armour for infantry, though the extra weight is a notable burden. In modern times, infantrymen must also often carry protective measures against chemical and biological attack, including military gas masks , counter-agents, and protective suits. All of these protective measures add to the weight an infantryman must carry, and may decrease combat efficiency. Early crew-served weapons were siege weapons , like

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1044-582: A special (or one could say better a 'crippled' form) of King’s Commission in His Majesty’s Native Land Forces was instituted. Indians who had qualified through the Imperial Cadet Corps would earn a commission that was limited to have authority over Indian troops only and its holders could not rise above the rank of Major . From 1917, in the midst of World War I , Indians 'with good family background' became eligible to study at

1131-463: Is personal armour . This includes shields , helmets and many types of armour – padded linen , leather, lamellar , mail , plate , and kevlar . Initially, armour was used to defend both from ranged and close combat; even a fairly light shield could help defend against most slings and javelins, though high-strength bows and crossbows might penetrate common armour at very close range. Infantry armour had to compromise between protection and coverage, as

1218-681: Is commemorated by an obelisk known as the Koregaon pillar—which was erected at the site of the battle—and by a medal issued in 1851. The pillar featured on the Mahar Regiment crest until the Independence of India ; it is inscribed with the names of 22 Mahars killed at the battle. The victory pillar serves as focal point of Mahar heroism. The Mahar began their service to the East India company around 1750. Between 20 and 25 per cent of

1305-744: Is first noted in Egyptian records of the Battle of Kadesh ( c.  1274 BC ). Soldiers were grouped into units of 50, which were in turn grouped into larger units of 250, then 1,000, and finally into units of up to 5,000 – the largest independent command. Several of these Egyptian "divisions" made up an army, but operated independently, both on the march and tactically, demonstrating sufficient military command and control organisation for basic battlefield manoeuvres. Similar hierarchical organizations have been noted in other ancient armies, typically with approximately 10 to 100 to 1,000 ratios (even where base 10

1392-457: The Indian Army and Pakistan Army . There, they are known as junior commissioned officers . Under the British, there was a clear colonial context, with the VCOs being the highest ranks that an Indian could attain. The full commissioned officers were British, from the 18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century. However, that changed slowly under the principles of Indianisation . In 1905,

1479-647: The North-West Frontier Province , while the 2nd and 25th were employed on internal security duties within the country. The 2nd battalion also saw service in the Burma Campaign as a part of the 23rd Indian Division , where they suffered 5 casualties and had one officer mentioned in dispatches . They also served in Iraq after the war as a part of PAIFORCE. In 1946, the 25th Mahars were disbanded, along with many other garrison battalions of

1566-1142: The Royal Dragoon Guards , Royal Lancers , and King's Royal Hussars . Similarly, motorised infantry have trucks and other unarmed vehicles for non-combat movement, but are still infantry since they leave their vehicles for any combat. Most modern infantry have vehicle transport, to the point where infantry being motorised is generally assumed, and the few exceptions might be identified as modern light infantry . Mechanised infantry go beyond motorised, having transport vehicles with combat abilities, armoured personnel carriers (APCs), providing at least some options for combat without leaving their vehicles. In modern infantry, some APCs have evolved to be infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), which are transport vehicles with more substantial combat abilities, approaching those of light tanks . Some well-equipped mechanised infantry can be designated as armoured infantry . Given that infantry forces typically also have some tanks, and given that most armoured forces have more mechanised infantry units than tank units in their organisation,

1653-637: The Royal Military College, Sandhurst and then earn a commission as King's Commissioned Indian Officer (KCIO). By the time of independence in 1947, there were many Indian (and Pakistani) officers who had graduated from Sandhurst or the Indian Military Academy . In 1914, ranks held by VCOs were: As a company commander a Subadar was roughly equivalent to a native Infantry 'Captain'. Nonetheless, in World War I , he

1740-457: The Zouave jacket, one insignia only sat at the top of the right chest. Gurkha VCOs were characterized by miniature kukris , edges downward, instead of the sword insignia. In place of the epaulettes, a pair of crimson worsted silk cords were prescribed. Instead of epaulettes a pair of crimson silk worsted cords was to be worn. From about 1856 commissioned officers and VCOs wore now the sash over

1827-442: The ballista , trebuchet , and battering ram . Modern versions include machine guns , anti-tank missiles , and infantry mortars . Beginning with the development the first regular military forces, close-combat regular infantry fought less as unorganised groups of individuals and more in coordinated units, maintaining a defined tactical formation during combat, for increased battlefield effectiveness; such infantry formations and

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1914-469: The 1800s with the invention of more accurate and powerful weapons. In English, use of the term infantry began about the 1570s, describing soldiers who march and fight on foot. The word derives from Middle French infanterie , from older Italian (also Spanish) infanteria (foot soldiers too inexperienced for cavalry), from Latin īnfāns (without speech, newborn, foolish), from which English also gets infant . The individual-soldier term infantryman

2001-570: The 1890s, the two wings were replaced by four 'double companies', commanded by one British Major or Captain, while the Indian chain of command maintained unaffected. By 1914 the proportion of VCOs to KCOs in an Indian infantry battalion was 16 to 14. In irregular regiments such as those of the Silladar Cavalry , VCOs enjoyed a greater leeway and consequently a higher status due to the smaller number of British officers present. Usually, only

2088-480: The 18th and early 19th centuries, rank insignia in cavalry and horse artillery consisted of varying sets of gold or silver cuff laces. For the foot arms, i.e. infantry, native foot artillery ( Golundauze ) and engineers, the rank insignia developed roughly as follows: A red waist sash and one or two gold epaulettes (depending on rank and era), that were smaller and of different style than those of European commissioned officers; native officers in grenadier companies wore

2175-693: The 2nd battalion. The badge featured the Koregaon Pillar over the word "Mahar". The third battalion, the 25th Mahars, was raised in Belgaum in the August 1942 by Lt. Col V. Chambier and Sub. Maj. Sardar Bahadur Ladkojirao Bhonsale, and the 3rd Mahars were raised in Nowshera by Lt. Col. R.N.D. Frier and Sub. Maj. Bholaji Ranjane. During the Second World War , the 1st and 3rd Mahars served in

2262-527: The American all-purpose lightweight individual carrying equipment (ALICE). Infantrymen are defined by their primary arms – the personal weapons and body armour for their own individual use. The available technology, resources, history, and society can produce quite different weapons for each military and era, but common infantry weapons can be distinguished in a few basic categories. Infantrymen often carry secondary or back-up weapons, sometimes called

2349-578: The Army in large numbers. In October, the Army gave in, and the 1st battalion of the Mahar Regiment was raised in Belgaum under Lt. Col. H.J.R. Jackson of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles and Sub. Maj. Sheikh Hassnuddin. The 2nd battalion was raised in Kamptee in June 1942 under Lt. Col. J.W.K. Kirwan and Sub. Maj. Bholaji Ranjane. A cap badge was designed for the regiment by Capt. E.E.L. Mortlemans, an officer of

2436-717: The Bombay Cavalry, Rissaldar and Ressaidar shared the same rank insignia, e.g. two silver metal stars. VCOs in Gurkha regiments wore bronze or black insignia; the latter on the black shoulder cords of their rifle green tunics. In the Indian Infantry, the Subadar-Major's insignia was one silver metal crown. In contrast, Rissaldar-Majors in the Indian Cavalry had three silver metal stars only, before

2523-752: The British Bombay Army were Mahars. Their conduct as soldiers was praised by many British officers. Mahars were a vital component of the British Marine Battalion. In the East India Company Army they participated in various wars including Second Anglo-Maratha War , Third Anglo-Maratha War , Second Anglo-Sikh War and Second Afghan War . After the 1857 mutiny, the British decided to change their military recruitment policy. One report "emphasized that we cannot practically ignore it (the caste system), so long as

2610-710: The Commandant, the Second-in-Command, the Adjutant and the Surgeon were British, so a troop (equivalent to an infantry company) was commanded by a native resp. Indian Officer, who could even rise to squadron commander. From 1885, a Silladar regiment consisted of four (previously three) squadrons, with a British commander and a British S-in-C each. Each squadron had two 'half-squadrons' or troops of nine Indian NCOs, 70 sowars and one trumpeter, each led by

2697-618: The Government to let them serve in the Army once again. Petitions to this effect were drafted by ex-soldiers such as Gopal Baba Walangkar in 1894, and Shivram Janba Kamble in 1904. These petitions were supported in principle by the politician and social reformer Gopal Krishna Gokhale , who was opposed to the Martial Races theory. They were also supported by the Indian National Congress , who were also opposed to

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2784-574: The Indian Army. Its officers and men were largely absorbed by the other three battalions of the regiment. In the October 1946, the regiment was converted into a machine gun regiment, and the regimental centre was established at Kamptee. Following the conversion, the cap badge was changed. The new badge had two crossed Vickers machine guns over the Koregaon Pillar, over a scroll that said "The Mahar MG Regiment". The three surviving battalions of

2871-513: The Indian army. The Mahar troops, who included 104 Viceroy's Commissioned Officers and a host of Non-commissioned officers and Sepoys were demobilised. This event was regarded by the Mahars as a betrayal of their loyalty by a government they had served for over a hundred years. After the demobilisation of the Mahar troops, there were many attempts by the leaders of the Mahar community to persuade

2958-462: The Indian cavalry existed the appointment of Woordie-Major . He was the assistant to the British adjudant . Usually, a capable Ressaidar, Jemadar or Naib Risaldar (brevet Risaldar, in the Bombay cavalry only) was promoted to this position, then ranking above his substantive rank. The Naib Risaldar (also spelled Naib Ressaldar ) ranked below Ressaidar and above Jemadar, but was roughly equivalent with

3045-753: The Indian soldiers of all ranks with the Colonel (Infantry) or Commandant (Cavalry). Rissaldar-Majors or Subadar-Majors could be appointed Native A.-D.-C. to the Viceroy or the Governor of their British India Province . Beginning from 1903, there were also six (four from 1904) King's Indian Orderly Officers (KIOO), chosen each year to serve as the King's honorary bodyguard in the United Kingdom . They were appointed regardless of their specific ranks. In

3132-544: The Jemadars were designated 1st Tindal (while Havildar ranked as 2nd Tindals ), in order to distinguish them from the native officers of native artillerymen. It is unclear whether the same procedure was followed with the Sirdars 1st and 2nd class of Gun Drivers, Miners and Syces (native stable-helpers and grooms in artillery and cavalry). There was only one Rissaldar-Major or Subadar-Major per regiment. The latter

3219-584: The Koli and Marathas defended the fort of Purandar from Dilirkhan's Moghul army in 1665. Later during Peshwa rule Shidnak mahar saved the life of his commander Parshurambhau Patwardhan during the Battle of Kharda in 1795. During the colonial period, large numbers of Mahars were recruited for military duties by the East India Company and the British Raj . The Battle of Koregaon (1 January 1818)

3306-513: The Mahar Regiment is composed of different communities from mainly states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh , and Bihar . The Mahars are considered original inhabitants of Maharashtra . The community, also known as Kathiwale (men with sticks), Bumiputera (sons of the soil), and Mirasi (landlords), by tradition has the role of defending village boundaries from outsiders, invading tribes, criminals, and thieves. They were also responsible for maintaining law and order throughout

3393-567: The Mahar Regiment, and it is to these units that the Regiment traces its mixed-class composition. The three Battalions style themselves battalions of the Mahar Regiment (Borders) even today. Late on 25 November 1987, when a column of the Mahar Regiment under Major Ramaswamy Parameswaran (8 Mahar) was returning from a search operation in Sri Lanka, it was ambushed by a group of militants armed with five rifles. In response, Parameswaran encircled

3480-507: The Swiss, English, Aragonese and German, to men-at-arms who went into battle as well-armoured as knights, the latter of which at times also fought on foot. The creation of standing armies —permanently assembled for war or defence—saw increase in training and experience. The increased use of firearms and the need for drill to handle them efficiently. The introduction of national and mass armies saw an establishment of minimum requirements and

3567-593: The War, and in 1920 it was merged with the 71st Punjabis . Finally, the battalion was disbanded in March 1921, and the Mahars were once again demobilised. World War II forced the British to broaden their recruitment and the Mahar Regiment was raised in 1941. In that year B. R. Ambedkar was appointed to the Defence Advisory Committee of the Viceroy's Executive Council.He also appealed to the Mahars to join

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3654-759: The ambush was cleared. Parameswaran was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra , India's highest military decoration, for his bravery. Battalions: Territorial Army (TA) Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Special Task Force (STF) Infantry Infantry is a specialization of military personnel who engage in warfare combat . Infantry generally consists of light infantry , irregular infantry , heavy infantry , mountain infantry , motorized infantry , mechanized infantry , airborne infantry , air assault infantry , and naval infantry . Other types of infantry, such as line infantry and mounted infantry , were once commonplace but fell out of favor in

3741-443: The arms they used developed together, starting with the spear and the shield. A spear has decent attack abilities with the additional advantage keeping opponents at distance; this advantage can be increased by using longer spears, but this could allow the opponent to side-step the point of the spear and close for hand-to-hand combat where the longer spear is near useless. This can be avoided when each spearman stays side by side with

3828-411: The carrying burden is spread across several infantrymen. In all, this can reach 25–45 kg (60–100 lb) for each soldier on the march. Such heavy infantry burdens have changed little over centuries of warfare; in the late Roman Republic, legionaries were nicknamed " Marius' mules " as their main activity seemed to be carrying the weight of their legion around on their backs, a practice that predates

3915-463: The distinction between mechanised infantry and armour forces has blurred. The first military forces in history were infantry. In antiquity , infantry were armed with early melee weapons such as a spear , axe , or sword , or an early ranged weapon like a javelin , sling , or bow , with a few infantrymen being expected to use both a melee and a ranged weapon. With the development of gunpowder , infantry began converting to primarily firearms . By

4002-455: The enemy to prepare for the main forces' battlefield attack, protecting them from flanking manoeuvers , and then afterwards either pursuing the fleeing enemy or covering their army's retreat. After the fall of Rome, the quality of heavy infantry declined, and warfare was dominated by heavy cavalry , such as knights , forming small elite units for decisive shock combat , supported by peasant infantry militias and assorted light infantry from

4089-442: The eponymous Gaius Marius . When combat is expected, infantry typically switch to "packing light", meaning reducing their equipment to weapons, ammunition, and other basic essentials, and leaving other items deemed unnecessary with their transport or baggage train , at camp or rally point, in temporary hidden caches, or even (in emergencies) simply discarding the items. Additional specialised equipment may be required, depending on

4176-400: The existence of any organised military, likely started essentially as loose groups without any organisation or formation. But this changed sometime before recorded history ; the first ancient empires (2500–1500 BC) are shown to have some soldiers with standardised military equipment, and the training and discipline required for battlefield formations and manoeuvres: regular infantry . Though

4263-434: The expected duration of time operating away from their unit's base, plus any special mission-specific equipment. One of the most valuable pieces of gear is the entrenching tool —basically a folding spade —which can be employed not only to dig important defences, but also in a variety of other daily tasks, and even sometimes as a weapon. Infantry typically have shared equipment on top of this, like tents or heavy weapons, where

4350-889: The individual – weapons using personal strength and force, such as larger swinging swords, axes, and clubs. These take more room and individual freedom to swing and wield, necessitating a more loose organisation. While this may allow for a fierce running attack (an initial shock advantage) the tighter formation of the heavy spear and shield infantry gave them a local manpower advantage where several might be able to fight each opponent. Thus tight formations heightened advantages of heavy arms, and gave greater local numbers in melee. To also increase their staying power, multiple rows of heavy infantrymen were added. This also increased their shock combat effect; individual opponents saw themselves literally lined-up against several heavy infantryman each, with seemingly no chance of defeating all of them. Heavy infantry developed into huge solid block formations, up to

4437-442: The infantry and artillery the native officer's military dress included Indian and British elements. Foot-, leg- and headwear were usually based on that of the local enlisted men. By contrast, the coatee was often similar to that of the British officers. In the cavalry, especially in irregular units, the native officer's uniform could mirror entirely Indian style, when being richly ornamented with additional braids and embroidery. In

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4524-649: The insignia changed to a metal crown. From the middle of the Second World War a yellow and red stripe had to be worn under the insignia. Until the late 19th century, the placement of Subadar-Major in the VCO-hierarchy of the Madras Army could vary. While in Bengal and in Bombay Cavalry the ranks Rissaldar and Rissaldar-Major were established, they were not in Madras Cavalry. There, the VCO-hierarchy

4611-422: The introduction of special troops (first of them the engineers going back to medieval times, but also different kinds of infantry adopted to specific terrain, bicycle, motorcycle, motorised and mechanised troops) culminating with the introduction of highly trained special forces during the first and second World War. Naval infantry, commonly known as marines , are primarily a category of infantry that form part of

4698-407: The latter. The rank was abolished in 1865. The VCO's status could be bolstered by honorary promotions, e.g. a Rissaldar-Major could held the honorary rank of Captain simultaneously, or a Jemadar was awarded by the honorary rank of Second Lieutenant . A custom often practised on retirement, but not exclusively. An honorary rank was not only a distinction but had the financial benefit of doubling

4785-725: The lower classes. Towards the end of Middle Ages, this began to change, where more professional and better trained light infantry could be effective against knights, such as the English longbowmen in the Hundred Years' War . By the start of the Renaissance , the infantry began to return to a larger role, with Swiss pikemen and German Landsknechts filling the role of heavy infantry again, using dense formations of pikes to drive off any cavalry. Dense formations are vulnerable to ranged weapons. Technological developments allowed

4872-417: The main enemy lines, using weight of numbers to achieve a decisive victory , and were usually equipped with heavier weapons and armour to fit their role. Light infantry, such as Greek peltasts , Balearic slingers , and Roman velites , using open formations and greater manoeuvrability, took on most other combat roles: scouting , screening the army on the march, skirmishing to delay, disrupt, or weaken

4959-447: The main force of the army, these forces were usually kept small due to their cost of training and upkeep, and might be supplemented by local short-term mass-conscript forces using the older irregular infantry weapons and tactics; this remained a common practice almost up to modern times. Before the adoption of the chariot to create the first mobile fighting forces c.  2000 BC , all armies were pure infantry. Even after, with

5046-487: The mid 17th century began replacement of the pike with the infantry square replacing the pike square. To maximise their firepower, musketeer infantry were trained to fight in wide lines facing the enemy, creating line infantry . These fulfilled the central battlefield role of earlier heavy infantry, using ranged weapons instead of melee weapons. To support these lines, smaller infantry formations using dispersed skirmish lines were created, called light infantry, fulfilling

5133-405: The militants from the rear and charged into them, taking them completely surprise. In the ensuing hand-to-hand combat, a militant shot Parameswaran in the chest. Undaunted, he snatched the rifle from the militant and shot him dead. Gravely wounded, he continued to give orders and inspired his command until he died. Five militants were killed and three rifles and two rocket launchers were recovered and

5220-595: The mission or to the particular terrain or environment, including satchel charges , demolition tools, mines , or barbed wire , carried by the infantry or attached specialists. Historically, infantry have suffered high casualty rates from disease , exposure, exhaustion and privation — often in excess of the casualties suffered from enemy attacks. Better infantry equipment to support their health, energy, and protect from environmental factors greatly reduces these rates of loss, and increase their level of effective action. Health, energy, and morale are greatly influenced by how

5307-727: The natives socially maintain it". This led to the discrimination against the Mahars, other low-caste and some unreliable Brahmin castes. After the Revolt of 1857, the British officers of the Indian Army, particularly those who had served in the First and Second Afghan Wars , began to give currency to the Martial Races Theory. This theory was that some races and communities among Indians were naturally warlike, and more suited to warfare than others. A major proponent of this theory

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5394-666: The naval forces of states and perform roles on land and at sea, including amphibious operations , as well as other, naval roles. They also perform other tasks, including land warfare, separate from naval operations. Air force infantry and base defense forces are used primarily for ground-based defense of air bases and other air force facilities. They also have a number of other, specialist roles. These include, among others, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) defence and training other airmen in basic ground defense tactics. Infentory Viceroy%27s Commissioned Officer Similar ranks, as listed below, are retained in

5481-431: The newly established Army of India , in 1895. Each infantry regiment consisted now of one battalion of eight companies , with six British officers in the headquarters and two further British officers as wing officers resp. wing commanders. A 'wing' was a half-battalion of four companies. A company was led by one Subadar, assisted by one Jemadar. The company itself counted ten native NCOs , 75 sepoys and two drummers. In

5568-400: The others in close formation, each covering the ones next to him, presenting a solid wall of spears to the enemy that they cannot get around. Similarly, a shield has decent defence abilities, but is literally hit-or-miss; an attack from an unexpected angle can bypass it completely. Larger shields can cover more, but are also heavier and less manoeuvrable, making unexpected attacks even more of

5655-504: The pay scale ranged from 30 Rs. for a Jemadar, 2nd Class to 100 Rs. for a Subadar, 1st class . A Jemadar, 1st class had to be content with 35 Rs. whereas a Subadar, 3rd class was paid 67 Rs. and a Subadar, 2nd class drew 80 Rs. In the artillery, NOs were not split in different paygrades but were attached to them, so a Subadar in the light artillery was paid like a Subadar, 1st class (100 Rs.), in Garrison and Mountain artillery

5742-518: The pension to be received by the retiring Indian officer. The term 'Viceroy's Commissioned Officer' was formally adopted in 1885 as a substitute for the previously used 'Native Officer' (NO). In the same year, the term Native was dropped from regimental titles. These ranks were created to facilitate effective liaison between the British officers and their Indian troops. The soldiers who were promoted to VCO rank had long service and good service records, spoke reasonably fluent English , and could act as

5829-458: The raising of large numbers of light infantry units armed with ranged weapons, without the years of training expected for traditional high-skilled archers and slingers. This started slowly, first with crossbowmen , then hand cannoneers and arquebusiers , each with increasing effectiveness, marking the beginning of early modern warfare , when firearms rendered the use of heavy infantry obsolete. The introduction of musketeers using bayonets in

5916-560: The recruiting policies of the Army. The recruitment policies of the British Indian Army continued until the beginning of the First World War in 1914. The shortage of men forced the Government to begin more broad-based recruiting, and the Mahars were at last allowed to enlist in the Army. One battalion of Mahar troops, the 111th Mahars was raised in the June 1917. However, the battalion did not see much service during

6003-615: The regiment served as a part of the Punjab Boundary Force , and took part in escorting refugees during the Partition of India . The Border Scouts were an irregular force formed by the people of the border villages in East Punjab during Partition. Hailing as they did from the erstwhile greater state of East Punjab (which included the present states of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh ), the force had people hailing from

6090-452: The right shoulder (from 1859 Havildars over the left shoulder). Since 1888 (Gurkhas 1891), rank insignia was worn on the shoulder-straps or shoulder-chains. From those dates on, the VCO's embroidered rank insignia (metal for full dress since 1906) were usually silver, while those of the (European) commissioned officers were gold. Jemadars wore one star, Subadars and Rissaldars had two stars. In

6177-530: The same as a Ressaidar, 1st class . In comparison, a Lieutenant in one of the seven European cavalry regiments of the Bengal Army in 1867/68, drew about 305 Rs. p.M. , a Cornet's pay was about 250 Rs. A Cavalry Regimental Sergeant Major drew a bit less than 52 Rs. His colleague in the European infantry attached to the Bengal Army came near to 49 Rs., while a Colour Sergeant drew almost 32 Rs. In

6264-1041: The same multiple roles as earlier light infantry. Their arms were no lighter than line infantry; they were distinguished by their skirmish formation and flexible tactics. The modern rifleman infantry became the primary force for taking and holding ground on battlefields as an element of combined arms . As firepower continued to increase, use of infantry lines diminished, until all infantry became light infantry in practice. Modern classifications of infantry have since expanded to reflect modern equipment and tactics, such as motorised infantry , mechanised or armoured infantry , mountain infantry , marine infantry , and airborne infantry . Beyond main arms and armour, an infantryman's "military kit" generally includes combat boots , battledress or combat uniform , camping gear , heavy weather gear, survival gear , secondary weapons and ammunition , weapon service and repair kits, health and hygiene items, mess kit , rations , filled water canteen , and all other consumables each infantryman needs for

6351-723: The soldier is fed, so militaries issue standardised field rations that provide palatable meals and enough calories to keep a soldier well-fed and combat-ready. Communications gear has become a necessity, as it allows effective command of infantry units over greater distances, and communication with artillery and other support units. Modern infantry can have GPS , encrypted individual communications equipment, surveillance and night vision equipment, advanced intelligence and other high-tech mission-unique aids. Armies have sought to improve and standardise infantry gear to reduce fatigue for extended carrying, increase freedom of movement, accessibility, and compatibility with other carried gear, such as

6438-530: The sum was related to the pay of a Subadar, 2nd class (80 Rs.). A Jemadar drew 35 Rs. in all sorts of artillery, like a Jemadar, 1st class . The appointment of Subadar-Major (infantry only) earned an additional allowance of 25 Rs. Pay in native cavalry was much higher. In a regiment of six troops, a Jemadar, 3rd class drew 60 Rs. (i.e. 6 Pounds ) per Mensem while a Jemadar, 1st class drew 80 Rs. The highest native officer's paygrade, Ressaldar, 1st class , drew 300 Rs. A Woordie-Major earned 150 Rs., exactly

6525-464: The time of Napoleonic warfare , infantry, cavalry and artillery formed a basic triad of ground forces, though infantry usually remained the most numerous. With armoured warfare , armoured fighting vehicles have replaced the horses of cavalry, and airpower has added a new dimension to ground combat, but infantry remains pivotal to all modern combined arms operations. The first warriors, adopting hunting weapons or improvised melee weapons, before

6612-445: The time of the musket, the dominance of firepower shifted militaries away from any close combat, and use of armour decreased, until infantry typically went without wearing any armour. Helmets were added back during World War I as artillery began to dominate the battlefield, to protect against their fragmentation and other blast effects beyond a direct hit. Modern developments in bullet-proof composite materials like kevlar have started

6699-531: The tribal host assembled from farmers and hunters with only passing acquaintance with warfare and masses of lightly armed and ill-trained militia put up as a last ditch effort. Kushite king Taharqa enjoyed military success in the Near East as a result of his efforts to strengthen the army through daily training in long-distance running. In medieval times the foot soldiers varied from peasant levies to semi-permanent companies of mercenaries, foremost among them

6786-576: The villages as administrators. The Mahars have a long and proud tradition of bearing arms. Mahar served in various armies over several centuries. Under Islamic rule, Mahars served as soldiers in various armies of the Deccan Sultanates , Bahmani Sultanate , and the Mughals . The Maratha king Shivaji Maharaj recruited a number of them into his army in the 17th century. They served as guards in hill forts and as soldiers. The Mahar along with

6873-613: The weapon speciality; examples of infantry units that retained such names are the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the Grenadier Guards . Dragoons were created as mounted infantry , with horses for travel between battles; they were still considered infantry since they dismounted before combat. However, if light cavalry was lacking in an army, any available dragoons might be assigned their duties; this practice increased over time, and dragoons eventually received all

6960-452: The weapons and training as both infantry and cavalry, and could be classified as both. Conversely, starting about the mid-19th century, regular cavalry have been forced to spend more of their time dismounted in combat due to the ever-increasing effectiveness of enemy infantry firearms. Thus most cavalry transitioned to mounted infantry. As with grenadiers, the dragoon and cavalry designations can be retained long after their horses, such as in

7047-526: Was Lord Roberts , who became Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in the November 1885. There was a gradual "Punjabisation" of the Indian Army to the detriment of the other communities. The final blow for the Mahar troops came in 1892, when it was decided to institute "class regiments" in the Indian Army. The Mahars were not included in these class regiments, and it was notified that the Mahars, among with some other classes, were no longer to be recruited in

7134-608: Was Jemadar - Subadar - Subadar-Major at least until 1885. The rank insignia of a Subadar-Major in the Madras Cavalry was three gold metal stars, while his colleague in the Madras Infantry wore one embroidered silver crown. The spellings of the VCO ranks could vary significantly, mostly from presidency army to presidency army. Besides, there was also variation within the same army, between its different arms and bodies. For example, one finds for Rissaldar also Risaldar , Ressaldar and even Russuldar (in Bombay Cavalry only), at

7221-553: Was classified as native ' Lieutenant ' but remained in the position of company commander. In result, there was no equivalent rank for a native 'Captain' in the Indian native Infantry etc. at that time. Until May 1819, in the Madras Army Native Foot Artillery ( Golundauze ) the Subedars of the lascars (servants or hands , analogous to the matrosses in British artillery) were called Syrang and

7308-438: Was established between 1817 and 1819 in the Bengal Army resp. the Madras Army. In 1825, the equivalent rank of Risaldar-Major was adopted by all Presidency armies. Both ranks would serve as a representative of their people to British officers, but could also command independent companies resp. troops of irregular regiments. While providing guidance to inexperienced British subalterns, they also discussed major issues concerning

7395-570: Was not coined until 1837. In modern usage, foot soldiers of any era are now considered infantry and infantrymen. From the mid-18th century until 1881, the British Army named its infantry as numbered regiments "of Foot" to distinguish them from cavalry and dragoon regiments (see List of Regiments of Foot ). Infantry equipped with special weapons were often named after that weapon, such as grenadiers for their grenades , or fusiliers for their fusils . These names can persist long after

7482-399: Was not common), similar to modern sections (squads) , companies , and regiments . The training of the infantry has differed drastically over time and from place to place. The cost of maintaining an army in fighting order and the seasonal nature of warfare precluded large permanent armies. The antiquity saw everything from the well-trained and motivated citizen armies of Greece and Rome,

7569-469: Was redesignated the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Border Scouts in 1951, with recruitment from different North Indian communities. In 1956, the decision to convert this force into Machine-Gun Regiments was taken, and the three battalions were merged with the Mahar Regiment, the only Indian Machine Gun Regiment in existence at the time. They joined the Regiment as the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions of

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