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{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=2 Medium Regiment (Self Propelled)
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1940 – present
|country=[[India]]
|allegiance={{flag|British India}}<br />{{flag|India}}
|branch= {{army|British India|23px}}<br />[[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|23px]] [[Indian Army]]
|type= [[File:Regiment of Artillery Insignia (India).svg|20px]] [[Artillery]]
|role=
|size= Regiment
|command_structure=
|equipment=

|Past Commanders=
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=2 Med Regt (SP)
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=
|patron=
|motto= ''SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL'' (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
|colors= "Red & Navy Blue"
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}

'''2 Medium Regiment (Self Propelled) (Letse & Point 171)''' is part of the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation ==
The regiment was raised on 15 May 1940 as '''‘B’ Field Brigade, Indian Artillery''' at [[Bangalore]] by Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) Guy Horsfield.{{refn|group=nb|The designation of ‘field brigade’ of the time is the same as the ‘regiment’ of today.}} It consisted of Headquarters (H.Q.), 3rd Indian and 4th Indian Field Batteries. It was subsequently redesignated as the '''2 Indian [[Field artillery|Field]] Regiment'''. During its deployment in the [[Persia and Iraq Command]] (PAIC), 7th Indian Field Battery joined the regiment.<ref name="britishmilitaryhistory">{{cite web|url=https://www.britishmilitaryhistory.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/124/2020/08/6-Indian-Division-1942-44.pdf|title=British military history|date=2020-08-12|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Naravane|first=AS|title= A Soldier's Life in War and Peace|publisher= APH Publishing Corporation|year=2004|isbn= 978-8176484374}}</ref>{{refn|group=nb|3rd Field Battery later became part of [[7 Field Regiment (Gazala)|7 Field Regiment]] in January 1947 as 18 (Bir Hacheim) Field Battery.}}

==Composition==
In the early years, there was one battery each of [[South India]]n Class (SIC), [[Marathi people|Marathas]] and [[Sikhs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianarmy.gov.in/writereaddata/documents/hist_of_arty.PDF|title=Brief history of Artillery|date=|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Adams|first=EG Phythian|title=The Madras Soldier 1746-1946|date=1948|publisher=The Superintendent Government Of Madras|page=147}}</ref> In May 1946, the regiment was converted to a single class regiment with Sikh soldiers.<ref name="2FdAPOcover">{{cite web|url= http://gunsinstamps.blogspot.com/2014/11/2-field-regiment-sp-golden-jubilee-1990.html|title=2 Field Regiment Golden Jubilee Cover|date=1990-10-05|access-date=2021-05-29}}</ref>

==Name changes==
The regiment has undergone the following changes in its designation:
* ‘B’ Field Brigade, Indian Artillery
* 2nd Indian Field Regiment, Indian Artillery
* 2nd Indian Field Regiment, [[Royal Indian Artillery|RIA]]
* 2nd Indian Field Regiment (Self Propelled), RIA
* 2nd Field Regiment (Self Propelled)
* 2nd Medium Regiment (Self Propelled)

==Operations==
;[[World War II]] – North Africa
[[File:Battle of Bir Hakeim.svg|thumb|right|Bir Hakeim in Libya]]
In May 1942, the Regiment joined [[6th Infantry Division (India)|6 Indian Division]] in the PAIC. It moved to [[Basra]], [[Kingdom of Iraq|Iraq]] and later to [[First Syrian Republic|Syria]] and [[Iran]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Gulati|first=YB|title=History of the Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army|publisher=Leo Cooper Ltd|year=1973|page=70|isbn=978-0850521184}}</ref> The regiment was deployed in the [[Western Desert campaign|Western desert]] in February 1942 as part of the [[3rd Indian Motor Brigade]], which formed part of the Gazala-Bir Hakeim defences.{{refn|group=nb| Gazala is near the modern town of Ayn al Ghazālah, west of [[Tobruk]] in Libya.}}{{refn|group=nb|Bir Hakeim is also spelled as Bir Hachiem.}} It was equipped with [[Ordnance QF 25-pounder|25-pounder]] guns and fought against the German [[Afrika Korps]] under [[Erwin Rommel|Rommel]] in the [[Battle of Bir Hakeim]].<ref name="britishmilitaryhistory"/>

On 26 May 1942, the Brigade Group with 2 Field Regiment and 1 Indian Anti-Tank Regiment as its artillery component, moved to [[3rd Indian Motor Brigade#Action at Point 171|Point 171]], south of Bir Hakeim in Libya. Late in the evening of 26 May, 2 Field Regiment was warned of an impending attack by Rommel's forces early next morning. Rommel's forces had [[15th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|15 Panzer Division]], [[21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|21 Panzer Division]], the Italian [[132nd Armoured Division Ariete|Ariete Division]] and [[90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)|90 Light Infantry Division]]. The defenders were hopelessly outnumbered, but determined to give a fight, which ended up creating history. Throughout the night, the Regiment made preparations to face an impending armour attack on its gun positions. The defences at Point 171 were incomplete, without mines, uncoordinated and without any tanks deployed in the Brigade Box area, but were ready to face the might of the Germans.

Early morning of 27 May saw Rommel's forces moving out of their harbour hardly 2 miles away. The Battle at Point 171 was so swift and bloody, that in about two hours’ time Rommel's forces had over-run the defences of the Brigade, but not before facing the wrath of the Indian Gunners who kept firing till their positions were over-run. In the battle, despite being surrounded from all sides by German [[German tanks in World War II|Panzers]], the gunners showed indomitable spirit and courage and destroyed many tanks (estimated 52–64).<ref>{{cite web|url= https://mea.gov.in/Uploads/PublicationDocs/23460_IWM_Book__11-06-2014_.pdf|title= Last Post Indian War Memorials Around the World, page 31|date=|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref name="Hours of Glory: Famous Battles of the Indian Army 1801-1971">{{cite book|last=Das|first=CN|title=Hours of Glory|date=1997|publisher=Vision Books Pvt.Ltd|isbn=978-8170940692|page=}}</ref> The ferocity of the battle can be gauged from the numbers of enemy tanks destroyed as also from the fact that the losses suffered by 2 Field Regiment included six officers and many men killed, and many wounded or taken prisoners of war. For its gallant action, the regiment was honoured with the title ''Point 171'', the first Indian Artillery regiment to be awarded a [[Battle honour|honour title]].<ref name="Salute">{{cite web|url=https://salute.co.in/2-indian-field-regiment-and-the-battle-of-bir-hachiem-pt-171/|title=2 Indian Field Regiment and The Battle Of Bir Hachiem – PT 171|date=2019-07-24|access-date=2021-05-31}}</ref><ref name="History">{{cite web|url= https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=cNPN9MnZ4wtNR97EiR5qXg==&ParentID=Xbd/g1gn8mlkaKpp3KfHCA==|title=The History Of Indian Artillery|date=|access-date=2021-05-31}}</ref>

It was awarded the following gallantry awards –<ref>{{cite book|last=|first=|title=The Tiger Kills|date=1944|publisher=Director of Public Relations, India Command, Government of India|page=317}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35665/page/3543|title=The London Gazette, Publication date:11 August 1942, Issue:35665, Page:3543|date=1942-08-11|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35665/page/3544|title=The London Gazette, Publication date:11 August 1942, Issue:35665, Page:3544|date=1942-08-11|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35665/page/3545|title=The London Gazette, Publication date:11 August 1942, Issue:35665, Page:3545|date=1942-08-11|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
*[[Distinguished Service Order]] - Lieutenant Colonel G Horsfield {{citation needed|date=June 2021}}, Major PP Kumaramangalam
*[[Military Cross]] - 1
*[[Indian Order of Merit]] - Havildar Modan Singh
*[[Indian Distinguished Service Medal]] - Havildar Major Lakshmi Narasu, Havildar Bahadur Khan, Havildar Ghulam Ali, Naik Kehar Singh, Lance Naik Yesudas
*[[Mentioned in Despatches]] – 7
;[[World War II]] – Burma
After proving its mettle in North Africa, the regiment was inducted into the [[Burma campaign]] in 1944. After a short three weeks rest at [[Kalay|Kalemyo]], the regiment joined [[7th Indian Infantry Division]], [[IV Corps (United Kingdom)|IV Corps]] at [[Pakokku|Pokokku]].<ref name="Hours of Glory: Famous Battles of the Indian Army 1801-1971"/> It was then part of the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]] and subsequently the [[20th Infantry Division (India)|20th Indian Division]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.alternatewars.com/Nafziger/Pt_I_1943-1945/944piac.pdf|title=Allied Land Forces, SEAC September 1944 - May 1945|date=|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Rosie|first=George|title=The British in Vietnam, How the twenty five year war began|publisher=Panther Books, London|year=1970|page=45}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://nigelef.tripod.com/indregt.htm|title=Field Artillery Regiments Of The Indian Artillery In World War 2|date=|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/29525/1/10731681.pdf|title= An interpretation of documentary and oral primary source materials for the period September 1945 until May 1946 in the region of Cochinchina and Southern Annam|date=1979|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
In 1945, it was part of the [[255th Indian Tank Brigade]], which was temporarily under [[17th Infantry Division (India)|17th Indian Division]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Pearson|first=Michael|title= End Game Burma, 1945: The Battle at Meikila|publisher=Pen & Sword Military|year=2010|isbn=978-1848841147}}</ref>

On 23 February 1945, the Regiment was positioned in defence near Letse (east of [[Arakan]]), Burma; when the Japanese launched a Brigade attack. The gunners of the regiment killed around 300 Japanese soldiers in a deadly artillery attack.<ref name="Salute"/><ref>{{cite book|last=Gulati|first=YB|title=History of the Regiment of Artillery, Indian Army|publisher=Leo Cooper Ltd|year=1973|page=81|isbn=978-0850521184}}</ref> The regiment thus got its second honour title – ''Letse'' and the following gallantry awards –
*[[Order of the British Empire]] - Lieutenant Colonel PS Gyani<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37595/supplement/2730|title= The London Gazette, Publication date:4 June 1946, Supplement:37595, Page:2730|date=1946-06-04|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
*[[Military Cross]] - 1
In May 1946, the regiment was converted to a single class regiment with [[Sikhs|Sikh]] soldiers and into a [[self-propelled artillery]] regiment.
;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948]]
Participation of Indian Artillery in Jammu and Kashmir operations during 1947-48 commenced with the first flights of civil and Royal Indian Air Force [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Dakotas]], which transported [[Sikh Regiment|1 Sikh]] Battalion to [[Srinagar]] on the morning of 27 October 1947. Personnel of 2 Field Regiment (SP) and [[13 Field Regiment (Chushul & Gadra City)|13 Field Regiment]] donned uniforms of 1 Sikh and proceeded as a composite company of the battalion under Captain RL Chauhan of 13 Field Regiment. It operated as infantry till the first week of November1947, when four [[QF 3.7-inch mountain howitzer|3.7 inch howitzers]] reached the area. Thereafter, they took over the guns and assisted the infantry to drive out the infiltrators along [[Srinagar–Baramulla highway|Srinagar - Baramula road]].<ref name="History"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spslandforces.com/story/?id=461&h=Guns-and-Glory---A-Saga-of-Dedication-and-Valour|title=Guns and Glory - A Saga of Dedication and Valour|date=|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/4/12093/This-Day-70-Years-Ago|title=This Day 70 Years Ago|date=2017-10-27|access-date=2021-06-01}}</ref>

;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]:

The regiment equipped with [[Sexton (artillery)|25-pounder self propelled Sextons]] was part of the of 1 Artillery Brigade under [[1st Armoured Division (India)|1 Armoured Division]]. It along with [[101 Field Regiment (India)|101 Field Regiment (SP)]] and [[71 Field Regiment|71 Medium Regiment]] were allotted to provide timely and accurate fire support to 1 Armoured Brigade during the [[Battle of Phillora]].

The performance of the gunners was summarised by Brigadier [[Khem Karan Singh|KK Singh]], MVC, Commander 1 Armoured Brigade in the ‘Report’ sent by him after the operations. This reads as under:-

''During the operations our gunners supported us to the hilt-a truly magnificent performance. The success of the armoured units was in great measure facilitated by the promptitude, accuracy and intensity of our artillery fire through the Commanding Officer 2 Field Regiment (SP) and his battery commanders and forward observation officers. Without this support we could not have done half as well as we did. ''

In the Battle of Phillora, the bulk of the tanks of the Pakistani [[I Corps (Pakistan)|1 Corps]] were destroyed. ‘C’ Squadron of [[Poona Horse]] with [[9th Gorkha Rifles|5/9 Gorkha Rifles]] battalion duly supported by massive artillery fires captured Phillora. The intensity of artillery fire can be appreciated from the fact that just one regiment, 2 Field Regiment (SP), fired 10,436 rounds during the operations.<ref name="Mukherjee">{{cite web |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/203255/5/chapter%203.pdf|title=Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter II|access-date=2021-05-31}}</ref>

The unit won the following gallantry awards –
*[[Vir Chakra]] – 2nd Lieutenant Bhupinder Kumar Vaid<ref>{{cite web|url= https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1966/O-1662-1966-0001-75746.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 1, page 21|date=1966-01-01|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
*COAS Commendation Cards – 10
[[File:K9 Vajra-T passes through the Rajpath, at the 70th Republic Day Celebrations, in New Delhi on January 26, 2019.jpg|thumb|right| K9 Vajra-T tanks of 2 Medium Regiment passes through the Rajpath, at the 70th Republic Day Celebrations, in New Delhi on January 26, 2019]]

==Equipment==
The regiment has been equipped with the following artillery guns -
*[[Ordnance QF 25-pounder|25-pounder]] guns
*[[Sexton (artillery)|25-pounder SP, tracked, Sexton]]
*[[FV433 Abbot SPG|FV433, 105 mm Self-Propelled "Abbot"]]
*[[K9 Thunder#India|K-9 Vajra]]

==Honours and Awards==
[[File:Bir Hachiem Regiment.jpg|thumb|Lieutenant General Raj Shukla, GOC-IN-C ARTRAC, visiting the regiment, July 2021.]]
*The regiment has the unique honour of having two Chiefs of Army Staff as its officers - General [[Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam]] of the Indian Army and General [[Tikka Khan]] of the Pakistan Army.
*BHM (Later Subedar) [[Makhan Singh (sprinter)|Makhan Singh]] represented India in athletics in the [[1962 Asian Games]] and the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] and had the distinction of winning the [[Arjuna Award]].
*The regiment with its newly acquired K-9 Vajra tanks participated in the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day Parade]] in 2019.

==Notable Commanders==
*General [[Paramasiva Prabhakar Kumaramangalam]] {{small|DSO, MBE}} – 6th [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]] (COAS) of the [[Indian Army]] from 1967 to 1969.
*General [[Tikka Khan]] {{small|[[Hilal-i-Jurat|HJ]]}} {{small|[[Sitara-e-Pakistan|S.Pk]]}} – The first [[Chief of Army Staff (Pakistan)|Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan]] from March 1972 till March 1976.
*Lieutenant General PS Gyani {{small|OBE, PVSM}} – First Indian officer to be commissioned out of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in 1932. He became the first Indian officer to command an Indian field regiment, the 2 Indian Field Regiment.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTempSimple.aspx?MnId=ZOLP7y58yrOYh4+Ec28PJw==&ParentID=4Ox6WcvsSOPVioRxvV0wuw==&flag=dGdDWEcez8KgL+qj0AZpiA==|title= Evolution of Regiment of Artillery|date=|access-date=2021-05-25}}</ref>
*Major General AS Naravane – Colonel Commandant of Artillery<ref>{{cite web|url= https://indianarmy.nic.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmPhotoGalleryWithMenuWithTitle.aspx?MnId=eeWudtEtBbOH5We6L91nGw==&ParentID=XQZlVt+AYP8lzKoAxegnUg==|title= Colonel Commandants|date=|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
*Major General Sukhwant Singh – Deputy Director of Military Operations at Army Headquarters during the 1971 war; author
*Lieutenant General Parmendra Kumar Singh {{small|PVSM, AVSM}} – GOC-in-C, [[South Western Command (India)|South Western Command]] August 2006-July 2008
*Lieutenant General Anjan Mukherjee {{small|PVSM, AVSM}} – Director General, Financial Planning, Army HQ and Director General Artillery<ref>{{cite web|url= http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2012/apr16-12/h18.htm#:~:text=h18,National%20Defence%20College%2C%20New%20Delhi.|title= Appointments|date=2012-04-16|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>
*Major General AJS Sandhu {{small|VSM}} – Additional Director General (Artillery); author

==War Cry==
The war cry of the regiment is 'Har Maidan Fateh' (हर मैदान फ़तेह), which translates to Victory in every field.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/chandigarh/the-first-kargil-battle/story-C45qyUpq90QPJikylBKY1O.html|title=2nd Field Regiment|date=2012-07-02|access-date=2021-06-02}}</ref>

==See also==
[[List of regiments of the Indian Army#Artillery|List of artillery regiments of Indian Army]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=nb}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940]]
[[Category:Artillery regiments of the Indian Army after 1947]]
[[Category:British Indian Army regiments]]
[[Category:Indian World War II regiments]]
[[Category:Artillery units and formations of British India]]

2 Medium Regiment India - Revision history

Bot at 08:03, 12 December 2022