Jat Regiment


The Jat Regiment is part of the infantry of the Indian Army, of which it is one of the longest-serving and most-decorated regiments. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 and 1947, and post-independence it has won five battle honours, eight Mahavir Chakra, eight Kirti Chakra, 32 Shaurya Chakras, 39 Vir Chakras and 170 Sena Medals. During its 200-year service history, the regiment has participated in various actions and operations in India and abroad, including the First and the Second World Wars. Numerous battalions of the Jat Regiment, including the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, fought in the First World War.

History

British Indian Army: 1795 to 1947

The Regiment claims its origins from the Calcutta Native Militia that was raised in 1795, which later became an infantry battalion of the Bengal Army. The 14th Murray's Jat Lancers was formed in 1857. After 1860, there was a substantial increase in the recruitment of Jats into the British Indian Army. The Class Regiment, The Jats, was initially created in 1897 as infantry units from old battalions of the Bengal Army. In January 1922, at the time of the grouping of the Class Regiments of the Indian Army, the 9th Jat Regiment was formed by merging four active battalions and one training battalion into a single regiment.
The 1st Battalion was raised as the 22nd Bengal Native Infantry in 1803. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions were raised in 1817 and 1823 respectively. All three battalions had distinguished records of service, including the winning of many honours during World War I. The 1st Battalion served with great distinction in France and Iraq and was conferred the signal honour of being declared "Royal" in addition to being made Light Infantry.
Jat Army Officer's Brass Button – from the famous 9th JAT Regiment an elite-fighting Unit of the Jat Regiment
The Regiment saw a great deal of fighting in North Africa, Ethiopia, Burma, Malaya, Singapore, and Java-Sumatra. A large number of gallantry awards including a Victoria Cross and two George Crosses were won. At the end of the war, the Regiment removed the numeral 9 from its title and became the Jat Regiment.

Gates of Somnath temple

After the Battle of Kabul, Governor General Lord Ellenborough
had ordered Major General William Nott, who was commanding British-Indian forces, to recover a set of ornate gates known as the Somnath Gates, which had been looted from India by the Afghans and hung at the tomb of Sultan Mahmud II. A whole sepoy regiment, the 43rd Bengal Native Infantry—which later became the 6th Jat Light Infantry after the Indian Rebellion of 1857—was tasked with carrying the gates back to India.

Post-independence

Following Indian independence from the UK in 1947, the Jat Regiment served in Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the conflicts with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, and in Sri Lanka and Siachen. In 1965, 3 Jat under Lt Col Desmond Hayde on 1 September and then again on 21–22 September, crossed the Ichhogil Canal and captured Dograi right up to Batapore-Attocke Awan, advancing towards Lahore. In the 1999 Kargil War, five of the regiment's battalions took part. The regiment has also contributed battalions to UN missions in Korea and Congo. It was also involved in counter-insurgency operations that have kept the Indian Army busy ever since independence.

Battle cry

The battle cry, adopted in 1955, in Hindi, is जाट बलवान, जय भगवान .

Regimental battalions

Currently the regiment has 23 regular battalions, 4 Rastriya Rifles battalions and 2 reserve battalions:
In 1979 the 1st Battalion was converted to the 2nd Battalion Mechanised Infantry Regiment.

Gallantry awards

Battle honours

Pre-1947

When a unit is decorated for counter-insurgency operations, unit citations are given instead of battle or theatre honours.