16th Punjab Regiment - First World War

First World War

The 30th Punjabis served with distinction in the German East Africa, while their 2nd Battalion served in the Palestine Campaign. The regiment raised a total of three new battalions during the war. Another regiment that raised three battalions was the 9th Bhopal Infantry, who were dispatched to the killing fields of France and Flanders in 1914. The regiment suffered heavy losses at the Battles of Neuve Chapelle, Festubert, Givenchy and the Second Ypres. In 1915, they arrived in Mesopotamia, where Sepoy Chatta Singh was awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional valour. By the time they returned home, only fifteen men remained of those who had sailed for France in 1914.

• 30th Punjabis - India, German East Africa, Egypt.
• 2/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India, Egypt, Palestine.
• 3/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India.
• 4/30th Punjabis - Raised in 1918. India.
• 31st Punjabis - India, Mesopotamia, Greece, Turkey.
• 33rd Punjabis - India, Egypt, France, Aden, German East Africa.
• 2/33rd Punjabis - Raised in 1917. India.
• 9th Bhopal Infantry - India, France, Egypt, Mesopotamia.
• 2/9th Bhopal Infantry (The Delhi Regiment) - Raised in 1917. India, Mesopotamia.
• 3/9th Bhopal Infantry - Raised in 1917. India, Mesopotamia.
• 4/9th Bhopal Infantry - Raised in 1918. India.
• 46th Punjabis - India, Egypt.

All war-raised battalions were disbanded after the war. In 1921-22, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions. Among these was the 16th Punjab Regiment. The line-up of battalions for Solah Punjab was:

• 1st Battalion - 30th Punjabis
• 2nd Battalion - 31st Punjabis
• 3rd Battalion - 33rd Punjabis
• 4th Battalion - 9th Bhopal Infantry
• 10th (Training) Battalion - 46th Punjabis.

The class composition of the new regiment was Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogras. The new regimental badge consisted of a Maltese cross with a Muslim crescent and a Sikh quoit, surmounted by a Tudor crown with a scroll below. The uniform was scarlet with white facings. Multan in the Punjab was chosen as the permanent station for the Training Battalion.