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The Garhwal Rifles is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was originally raised in 1887 as the 39th (Garhwal) Regiment of the Bengal Army, it became part of the British Indian Army, and after the Independence of India, the Indian Army. It served during the Frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, as well in both the World Wars and the wars fought after Independence. Mainly made up of Garhwali soldiers, this regiment has a distinguished record and a unique identity. Today it is made up of more than 25,000 soldiers, organised into nineteen regular battalions (i.e. 2nd to 19th), the Garhwal Scouts who are stationed permanently at Joshimath and two battalions of the Territorial Army including 121 Inf Bn TA and 127 Inf Bn TA (Eco). The 1st Battalion has since been converted to mechanised infantry and forms part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment as its 6th battalion. The regimental insignia incorporates a Maltese Cross and is based on the defunct Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) as they are a designated rifle regiment. Unlike regular rifle regiments, they are one of 10 such units marching in the regular paces used in Indian Army's ceremonies. ==Early History== Up to 1887, Garhwális had been enlisted in the five regiments of Gurkhas belonging to the Bengal Infantry and the Punjab Frontier Force. The Sirmoor Battalion (later the 2nd Gurkhas), which won fame in the siege of Delhi in 1857, had 33% Garhwális on their rolls at that time. The first proposal to raise a separate Regiment of the Garhwális was initiated by His Excellency Lieutenant General, (Later Field Marshal) Sir F. S. Roberts, VC, then Commander-in-Chief, India, in January 1886. Accordingly, in April 1887, the raising of the Second Battalion of the Third (The Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment was ordered, with its class composition as six companies of Garhwális and two of Gurkhas. Based on this decision, recruiting commenced in the area of upper Garhwál and Tehri state by Major L Campbell and Captain Browne. The battalion was raised by Lieutenant Colonel E P Mainwaring of the 4th Gurkhas. Major LRD Campbell was the second in Command and Lieutenant J T Evatt, the Adjutant, both from the Punjab Frontier Force. Mainwaring raised the First Battalion at Almora on 5 May 1887 and moved it to Kaludanda, which was later renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India, on 4 November 1887. In 1891, the two Gurkha companies moved away to form the nucleus of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Gurkha Rifles and the remaining Battalion was re-designated as 39th (Garhwáli) Regiment of the Bengal Infantry. The ‘Crossed Khukris’ of the Gurkhas were replaced by the ‘Phoenix’, the mythical bird which rises out of its own ashes, in the crest, marking the formal beginnings of the Garhwális as a distinct class Regiment. The official title of ‘Rifles’ was received in 1892. The ‘Phoenix’ was later dropped, and the Maltese Cross which was in use by the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) was adopted. The Regimental Centre was established at Lansdowne on 1 October 1921. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Garhwal Rifles」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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