Indian Infantry: 54th Sikhs

In Collaboration With Charles Griffin

Brief History

The 4th Sikhs were raised in 1847 with transfers from the Umballa Police Battalion as well as the 6th and 11th Bengal Native Infantry as a local force. They became part of the Punjab Irregular Force (PIF) in 1851, together with the Corps of Guides and six regiments of Punjabi Infantry. In 1852 the 4th and 3rd Sikhs volunteered for Burma, the 4th being the one accepted, serving there for two years. All four Sikh regiments went to Central India at the time of the Mutiny, but the 4th gained the most fame. They marched from Abbottabad to Delhi, a distance of 560 miles in 30 days in the June heat, going into action on their arrival. They became the 54th Sikhs in 1903 and in the period up to WW1 they were stationed at Kohat. They served in India, Egupt and Turkey during that war. The 1922 reorganisation saw them as the 4th battalion 12th Frontier Force Regiment and in 1933 they were one of the units nominated for Indianisation. The Second World War saw them in India and Burma.

Badge

Uniforms

Post Mutiny

Pouchbelts

Post-Mutiny

Principal Campaigns and Battles

1879	Pegu
1880	Delhi
	Chitral

Predecessor Units

4th Regiment of the Frontier Force
(1846 - 1847)
4th Sikh Local Infantry
(1847 - 1857)
4th Sikh Infantry, Punjab Irregular Force
(1857 - 1865)
4th Sikh Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force
(1865 - 1901)
4th Sikh Infantry
(1901 - 1903)

Successor Units

4th/12th Frontier Force Regiment
(1922 - 1947)

Post-Independence Fate

To Pakistan

Suggested Reading

A Matter of Honour
by Philip Mason

India's Army
by Donovan Jackson

Regiments and Corps of the British Army: A Critical Bibliography
by Roger Perkins

Sons of John Company
by John Gaylor

Armies of India
Painted by Lovett, Text by Macmunn

The Indian Army
by Boris Mollo

Forces of the British Empire
by E. Nevins and B. Chandler