The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was a former infantry regiment that was administered by the British Indian Army in 1922. The military unit was formed when the British Government of India re-organized and reformed all the regiments of the British Indian Army in 1922. The single infantry regiments were united together to raise larger multi battalion infantry regiments which consisted of 4 to 6 battalions in each unit. The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was the only infantry unit in British Indian Army that was not merged and remained intact. The regiment consisted of three battalions and the fourth battalion was designated as the 10th training battalion. After the Indian independence, the infantry unit was designated as The Garhwal Rifles.
History of 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles
The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was formed by merging the 1st battalion, the 2nd battalion, the 3rd battalion and the 4th battalion of the 39th Garhwal Rifles. The troops of Garhwal Rifles served valiantly during the Second World War. During this period, five more battalions of the regiment were formed namely 4th battalion, 5th battalion, 6th battalion, 7th battalion and 25th (Garrison) battalion. The 4th battalion was re-designated as the 10th (Training) battalion.
The infantry regiment later took part in a number of British battles and conquests and actively fought in Abyssinia, Eritrea, Iraq, Egypt, Malaya and Burma. During the Battle of Singapore, the 2nd Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles and the 5th Battalion, 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles were captured. The troops suffered heavy casualties throughout World War II. After the culmination of the war, the 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion of the unit were stationed in Italy and Sumatra in a garrison role. Later the battalions went back to British India. In May 1946, the 4th Battalion was restructured and merged with the 2nd Battalion of the regiment. The 6th Battalion of the Garhwal Rifles was dissolved after the culmination of the war.
Development of 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles
The country gained independence from the British Empire in India on 15th August 1947. Consequently, India was divided into 2 parts by the Partition of India. Thus the British Indian Army was shared among the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The 18th Royal Garhwal Rifles was allocated to the modern India Army. It was renamed as The Garhwal Rifles.
