The 12th Madras Native Infantry was an infantry battalion of the British East India Company, which existed from the year 1759 to 1922. It was a part of the Madras Native Infantry under the Army of the Madras province, before the commencement of the Great Revolt of 1857. The Madras Army was the armed forces of Madras Presidency and one of the 3 major Presidency Armies in British India. The Army of Madras Presidency was established with the purpose of protecting the commercial interests of the British East India Company. The British Presidency Armies belonged to the British East India Company until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. Later in the year 1903, the 3 separate presidency armies were merged to form the United British Indian Army. The army unit was also incorporated as a part of the Madras Command. The 12th Madras Native Infantry was also known as the 72nd Punjabis regiment.
History of 12th Madras Native Infantry
The 12th Madras Native Infantry was raised as the 16th Battalion Coast Sepoys in the year 1759 by the Honourable British India Company. The military unit took part in the Second Mysore War and fought at the Battle of Sholinghur in the year 1781. The regiment later participated at the Battle of Ava in the First Burmese War. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the battalion was sent to Singapore and Hong Kong. Later they fought at the Third Burmese War and after they defeated King Thibaw Min, the army unit stayed in Burma and was renamed as the 2nd Burma Battalion in the year 1891.
During the First World War, 72nd Punjabis regiment was stationed along the North West Frontier with the 1st (Peshawar) Division in order to forestall the invasions of the Afghan tribes. The troops were consequently deployed at Palestine and Egypt and later participated in the Campaign of Sinai and Palestine. The unit was attached to the 75th Division.
Development of 12th Madras Native Infantry
After the culmination of World War I, the British Government of India re-structured and renumbered the British Indian army. The different single battalion infantry regiments were amalgamated together in order to form multi battalion regiments. In the year 1922, the 12th Madras Native Infantry was re-designated as the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment.
After the country gained independence from the rule of the British Empire in India in the year 1947, the nation was divided by the occurrence of the Partition of India. As a result, 2 self-governing states were formed namely, the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The British Indian Army was divided amongst the 2 newly independent nations. The 12th Madras Native Infantry regiment was allocated to the modern Indian Army.
Designations of 12th Madras Native Infantry
The 12th Madras Native Infantry Regiment of the British Indian Army held various titles through out its existence during the restructuring of the army, like most of the other military units. These are mentioned as follows -
* 16th Battalion Coast Sepoys in 1759
* 13th Carnatic Battalion in 1769
* 12th Carnatic Battalion in 1770
* 12th Madras Battalion in 1784
* 2nd Battalion, 8th Madras Native Infantry in 1796
* 12th Madras Native Infantry in 1824
* 2nd Burma Infantry in 1890
* 12th Regiment (2nd Burma Battalion) Madras Infantry in 1891
* 12th Burma Infantry in 1901
* 72nd Punjabis in 1903
