40 Field Regiment (India)
| 40 Field Regiment (Asal Uttar) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1943 – present |
| Country | India |
| Allegiance |  British India India |
| Branch |  British Indian Army Indian Army |
| Type | .svg){kind=small} Artillery |
| Role | Field Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | Roaring Forty |
| Motto(s) | SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL "Everywhere With Honour and Glory". |
| Colors | "Red & Navy Blue" |
| Anniversaries | Raising day - 1 February Asal Uttar Day - 7 September[1] |
| Equipment | Indian Field Gun |
| Battle honours | Asal Uttar |
| Insignia | |
| Abbreviation | 40 Fd Regt (Asal Uttar) |
40 Field Regiment (Asal Uttar), nicknamed the Roaring Forty is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
Formation[edit]
The Regiment was raised at Risalpur (presently in Pakistan) as 8 Indian Field Regiment on 1 February 1943 with the troop nucleus being of South Indian classes.[2][3] The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel WMC Wall and the regiment was then equipped with 25 Pounder guns.[4]
History[edit]
The regiment was raised as 8 Indian Field Regiment on 01 February 1943 in Risalpur (now in Pakistan 100 KM North East of Peshawar) under its first commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel WMC Wall, RA. The Batteries were designated as 19, 20 and 21 Field Batteries. The troop nucleus of the regiment consisted of the South Indian classes. In 1944 the regiment was bestowed with the honour of being re-designated as the 1st Medium Regiment. One battery was disbanded and the other two batteries were redesignated as 1 Medium Battery and 2 Medium Battery respectively. Post the Independence, the regiment was re-designated as 40 Medium Regiment in order to avoid duplication of numbers in the Regiment of Artillery. For the same reason in 1953 the batteries were also re-numbered as 28 and 29 Medium Batteries. In January 1966, a third battery was raised as 403 Battery (i.e. the third battery of the 40 medium regiment).
Through its formative years the regiment had the opportunity to be a part of key events in the history of India. The regiment has the distinction of carrying Mahatma Gandhi's ashes, the Apostle of peace, for immersion in the Damodar River in Ramgarh on one of the carriages of its gun in 1948. The regiment also proved its mettle in numerous operations and battles that it undertook across the length and the breadth of the country in various operational roles.The Veer Thambis, true to their war cry “Veeravel Vetrivel” spared no efforts to achieve victory.
For its bravery and courage the regiment was bestowed with the battle honour of ASAL UTTAR. The regiment has the honour of participating in the Republic Day parade of 1979, 1987 and 1989. The awards and citations presented to the regiment display its strife for excellence as is represented in its motto “Excel”.
Operations[edit]
Some of the major operations undertaken by the Regiment include:
- Operation Polo
- J&K Operations
- Operation Riddle
- Operation Cactus Lily
- Operation Rescue
- Operation Pawan
- Operation Rakshak
- Operation Parakram
- Operation Meghdoot
- Operation Rhino
- Operation Vajr Strike
Awards & Citations[edit]
The regiment has the following Awards and Citations -
•Battle Honour- ASAL UTTAR
•Maha Vir Chakra- Captain Dara Dineshaw Mistry,MVC
•Sena Medal-
- Maj Ramnath
- Nk A Poulose (Posthumous)
- L/Nk Sundram
- L/Nk S Swamy Dam
- Gnr Seshathiri
- Captain Harish Raman
• Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card- 6
• GOC-in-C Commendation Card- 14
• GOC-in-C Northern Command Unit Appreciation
See also[edit]
List of artillery regiments of Indian Army
References[edit]
- ^ "Asal Uttar Day Celebrations at Ferozepur". 12 September 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
- ^ Palit, DK (1971). History of the Regiment of Artillery – India. Palit & Dutt Publishers, Dehradun. p. 53. ISBN 978-0850521184.
- ^ "The Cholas Some Enduring Issues of Statecraft, Military Matters and International Relations, P.K. Gautam, page 55". Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ^ "Platinum Jubilee". 7 September 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2023.