Early History
Prior to 1887, there was no separate battalion of the Garhwali soldiers. They used to be recruited in the Gorkha regiments, Bengal Infantry and Punjab Frontier Force. Impressed by their simplicity, honesty, courage and dedication, the British government decided to form a separate battalion for the Garhwali soldiers. The Garhwal Rifles was raised in 1887 to give the Garhwali hillmen their own regiment. This was propagated by Field Marshal Sir Frederick Sleigh Roberts, VC, who realized that many Garhwalis had served in Gurkha regiments, and majority of the early awards to Gurkha regiments were actually won by Garhwalis soldiers.
On May 5, 1887, the first battalion was constituted under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. P. Mainwaring at Almora. It was designated the 2nd Battalion, 3rd (Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment, and it comprised six companies of Garhwalis and two of Gurkhas. On November 4 of the same year, this battalion reached Kalundanda in Garhwal. In 1890, Kalundanda was renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India. In 1891, the two Gurkha companies were dropped and the battalion was redesignated the 39th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. This was the first all Garhwali battalion.
Following this, the Garhwalis served along the Tibet border, in the Chin Hills and on the North-East and North-West Frontiers of India, where they earned the battle honour 'Punjab Frontier'. In 1901, another battalion was raised as part of the Bengal Infantry. This was designated the 49th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. Later that same year, this battalion and the 39th were regimented together to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 39th Garhwal Rifles.
Read more about this topic: The Garhwal Rifles
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