91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)

The 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. The regiment was raised in 1800 as a battalion of Madras Native Infantry. It was designated as the 91st Punjabis in 1903 and became 3rd Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 3rd Battalion of The Baloch Regiment.

Early History
The regiment was raised on 1 January 1800 at Trichonopoly as the 1st Battalion 16th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry by Lieutenant Colonel S Jennerett and was known as Jennerett ki Paltan (Jennerett's Battalion). It was composed mostly of Muslims, Tamils and Telugus of South India. In 1811, it was styled as Trichonopoly Light Infantry as reward for a 25-mile forced march in support of a retreating force; when it arrived just in time to turn the tables in a minor engagement near Mysore. In 1817-19, the regiment took part in Third Anglo-Maratha War, where it greatly distinguished itself in the Battle of Mahidpur. In 1824, it was redesignated as the 31st Regiment of Madras Native Infantry. During the Great Indian Rebellion of 1857, it operated in Central India.

In 1892, the 31st Madras Light Infantry was reconstituted with Punjabi Muslims, Pathans, Dogras, Sikhs, Rajputs, Brahmins & Garhwalis, and permanently based in Burma. Its designation was changed to 31st Regiment (6th Burma Battalion) of Madras (Light) Infantry. In 1901, its title was again changed to 31st Burma Light Infantry. The Burma Battalions were special units raised to police the new territories acquired in the Third Anglo-Burmese War and pacify the rebellious hill tribes inhabiting the frontier regions of Burma. Between 1892 and 1896, the regiment operated in the Chin Hills against recalcitrant hill tribes. In 1900, the regiment proceeded to China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion.

91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
Subsequent to the reforms brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903, all former Madras units had 60 added to their numbers. Consequently, the regiment's designation was changed to 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry). In 1912, Major General Henry D'Urban Keary was appointed Colonel of the Regiment. He had commanded the regiment from 1892 to 1909.

On the outbreak of the First World War, the regiment was still stationed in Burma. It moved to Mesopotamia in 1916 and participated in operations on both the Tigris and the Euphrates Fronts, including the First Battle of Ramadi. In 1918, the regiment moved to Palestine and took part in the Battle of Megiddo, which led to the annihilation of Turkish Army in Palestine. During the war, the 91st Punjabis suffered 443 casualties including 185 killed. In 1918, they raised a second battalion which served in Egypt after the war. It was disbanded in 1921.

Subsequent History
After the First World War, the 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) were grouped with the 90th and 92nd Punjabis, 93rd Burma Infantry and the two battalions of 89th Punjabis to form the 8th Punjab Regiment in 1922. The 91st Punjabis became the 3rd Battalion of the new regiment. During the Second World War, 3/8th Punjab fought with great gallantry in the Italian Campaign and suffered 1289 casualties including 314 killed. It was awarded numerous gallantry awards including the Victoria Cross to Sepoy Kamal Ram in 1944. In 1947, the 8th Punjab Regiment was allocated to Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was merged with the Baluch Regiment and 3/8th Punjab was designated as 3 Baluch (now 3 Baloch). During the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, the battalion distinguished itself on the Lahore Front.

Genealogy

 * 1800 - 1st Battalion 16th Regiment Madras Native Infantry
 * 1812 - 1st Battalion 16th Regiment (Trichonopoly) Madras Native Infantry or Trichonopoly Light Infantry31st MLI.jpg
 * 1824 - 31st Regiment Madras Native Infantry or Trichonopoly Light Infantry
 * 1885 - 31st Regiment (Trichonopoly) Madras (Light) Infantry
 * 1892 - 31st Regiment (6th Burma Battalion) Madras (Light) Infantry
 * 1901 - 31st Burma Light Infantry
 * 1903 - 91st Punjabis
 * 1904 - 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
 * 1918 - 1st Battalion 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry) or 1/91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
 * 1921 - 91st Punjabis (Light Infantry)
 * 1922 - 3rd Battalion 8th Punjab Regiment or 3/8th Punjab
 * 1956 - 3rd Battalion The Baluch Regiment or 3 Baluch
 * 1991 - 3rd Battalion The Baloch Regiment or 3 Baloch