Third Battalion The Garhwal Rifles

Defence India Mountain

November 19, 2016

Third Battalion The Garhwal Rifles

A commemorative postage stamp on the Centenary of the 3^rd Battalion the Garhwal Rifles, one of the most decorated infantry regiments of Indian Army :

Issued by India

Issued on Nov 19, 2016

Issued for : The Department of Posts is pleased to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Third Battalion The Garhwal Rifles.

Credits :
Stamp / FDC / Brochure / Cancellation Cachet : Smt. Nenu Gupta

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 500 Paise

Stamps Printed : 402290

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About :

3 Garhwal Rifles was raised at Lansdowne by Lieutenant Colonel JMT Hogg on 20 August 1916 and was christened as 3^rd Battalion 39^th Garhwal Rifles. Soon after raising, the battalion participated in the Third Afghan War in 1919. The services of the battalion were recognised by the grant of the Indian General Service Medal 1908 with Clasp, ‘Afghanistan, NW frontier 1919’. The battalion was rechristened as 3^rd Battalion, 18^th Royal Garhwal Rifles on 01 October 1921.
In 1940, during the Second World War the battalion fought gallantly in the famous battle of Gallabat and earned one of the first victories of the war for the allied forces. For this rare feat, Field Marshal Viscount Slim, who was then the Brigade Commander, while reminiscing, years after the war, said:– “I suppose I have commanded battalions of every regiment of the Indian Army but I never had a better one than yours and Snab Taylor’s 3^rd Garhwalis and that’s something for such a dyed in the wool Gurkha as me to say. But it’s true. They were splendid”.
As an apt recognition of the valiant efforts of the ‘Bhullas’ throughout the Second World War, the battalion was conferred with Battle Honours of ‘Gallabat’, ‘Keren’, ‘Berento’, ‘Massawa’, ‘Amba Alagi’ and ‘Citta De Castello’ and Theatre Honours of ‘Abyssinia’, ‘North Africa’ and ‘Italy’.
The major awards won by the battalion pre-Independence included two Distinguished Service Order, 11 Indian Order of Merit, 13 Military Cross, 12 Indian Distinguished Service Medal and 13 Military Medals.
During 1948, fighting to defend the frontiers of independent India at Tithwal, the battalion was awarded one Mahavir Chakra (awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Kaman Singh Pathania, the Commanding Officer), 18 Vir Chakra, Two Shaurya Chakra and 19 Mention-in-Despatches in one single operation, which has few parallels in the annals of the Indian Army. The battalion was honoured with battle honour of ‘Tithwal’ and Theatre Honour of ‘Jammu & Kashmir’.
The battalion also has the unique distinction of being part of the first ever overseas contingent of the Indian Army post independence, wherein it was employed in the Human Repatriation Mission in Korea during 1953-54. The battalion has performed impressively in a number of other operations such as 1965 War, 1971 War, Operation Blue Star, Operation Shanti, Operation Trident, Operation Kartoose, Operation Parakram and Operation Rakshak.
The rich legacy of the battalion since its raising has always been fuelling pride and quest for excellence in all ranks of the battalion as they march on towards greater heights of glory and success.
Text : Based on the material received from proponent.