The 8th Bombay Native Infantry, also known as 108th Infantry regiment, was an erstwhile infantry unit of the British
Indian Army. It was founded in 1768 and remained in military service till the year 1922. The battalion was a part of the Bombay Native Infantry and operated under the
Bombay Army of
Bombay Presidency till 1895. The Bombay Army was one of the 3 major
Presidency Armies in British India. The 108th Infantry were also considered as a division of the Bombay Command.
History of 8th Bombay Native Infantry
The 8th Bombay Native Infantry was formed in the year 1768 as the 1st Battalion, Bombay Sepoys. The troops of the unit initially took part in the Campaign at
Mysore during the
Third Mysore War. The unit also fought in the Battle of
Hyderabad in the year 1843 and later participated in the Second Afghan War. The unit provided valuable military service during the First World War and was posted in British India. It served as part of the 9th (Secunderabad) Division on duties of internal security and training.
Development of 8th Bombay Native Infantry
After the First World War, the British Indian government restructured of the army and merged the single battalion infantry units to form multi battalion regiments consisting of 4 to 6 battalions. The 8th Bombay Native Infantry regiment was re-designated as the 3rd Battalion 4th Bombay Grenadiers in the year 1922. After India became independent from the rule of the
British Empire in India and the
Partition of India on 15th August 1947, the British Indian Army was divided amongst the
Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan. The 108th Infantry regiment was assigned to the modern Army of independent India.
Designations of 8th Bombay Native Infantry
The 8th Bombay Native Infantry occupied several designations and titles that were allotted during the reorganisations of the British Indian Army. The chronology of the titles are mentioned below-
* 1st Battalion, Bombay Sepoys in 1768
* 2nd Battalion, 4th Bombay Native Infantry in 1796
* 8th Bombay Native Infantry in 1824
* 8th Bombay Infantry in 1885
* 108th Infantry in 1903
* 3rd Battalion 4th Bombay Grenadiers in 1922
* Assigned to modern Indian Army in 1947
