The 10th Bombay Native Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army that was raised by the Honourable British East India Company. It was formed in the year 1797 as the 2nd Battalion, 5th (Travancore) Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry and remained active till 1922. It was a unit of the Bombay Native Infantry of the Bombay Army, which was one of the main Presidency Armies in British India. The Bombay Army was regarded as the official force of the Bombay Presidency. It operated under the administration of the East India Company until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. But after the Great Revolt and the sanction of the Government of India Act 1858, the infantry unit was administered by the British Empire in India. Later in 1903, the army battalion was included as a part of the United British Indian Army. The 10th Bombay Native Infantry was also known as the 110th Mahratta Light Infantry regiment. It was also incorporated as a part of the Bombay Command.
Military Operations of 10th Bombay Native Infantry
The first operation of the 10th Bombay Native Infantry was during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. The regiment took part in the Third Mysore War and also fought in the Battle of Seringapatam and the Battle of Seedaseer during the Fourth Mysore War. The troops later participated in the retaliatory campaign in the Beni Boo Ali campaign against the pirates in the Persian Gulf and Eastern Arabia in the year 1821. The 110th Mahratta Light Infantry provided military service in the Siege of Kahun during the First Afghan War.
It also served in the Second Anglo Sikh War and annexation of British Punjab. Later the unit was stationed in China during the Second Opium War. Next the troops were posted in Afghanistan and took part in the Second Afghan War. They also participated in the annexation of Burma during the Second Burmese War. The former infantry regiment actively served in the First World War. The unit was merged with the 6th (Poona) Division during the Mesopotamia Campaign.
Development of 10th Bombay Native Infantry
After the culmination of the First World War, the British Government of India re-numbered and re-grouped all the regiments of the British Indian Army. The single battalion units were joined together in order to form larger multi battalion infantry regiments comprising 4 to 6 battalions. Accordingly, the 10th Bombay Native Infantry was designated as the 3rd Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry in the year 1922.
After the former British India achieved freedom from the political domination of the British Crown on 15th August 1947, the nation was divided by the Partition of India. Consequently, the units of the British Indian Army were shared amongst the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The 10th Bombay Native Infantry unit was assigned to the modern Indian Army.
Designations of 10th Bombay Native Infantry
The 10th Bombay Native Infantry regiment of the British Indian Army occupied a number of designations through out its service. These are mentioned below-
* 2nd Battalion, 5th (Travancore) Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry in 1797
* 10th Bombay Native Infantry in 1824
* 10th Bombay Native (Light) Infantry in 1871
* 10th Regiment of Bombay (Light) Infantry in 1885
* 10th Bombay Light Infantry in 1901
* 10th Mahratta Light Infantry in 1903
* 3rd Battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry in 1922
