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{{Short description|Indian Army infantry regiment}}
{{More footnotes|date=July 2010}}
{{Infobox Military Unit
| unit_name = 3rd Gorkha Rifles (1950 onwards) 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles (1908-1950)
| image = 3 Gorkha Rifles.png
| caption =
| dates = 1815 – Present
| country = {{flagicon|India}} [[India]]
| allegiance =
| branch = [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[Indian Army]]
| type = Rifles
| role =
| size = 5 Battalions
| command_structure =
| garrison = [[Varanasi]], [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| garrison_label = Regimental Centre
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| nickname =
| patron =
| motto = ''Kayar Hunu Bhanda Marnu Ramro'' "Better to die than live like a coward"
| colors = Green; faced black
| colors_label =
| march = War Cry:''Jai Maha Kali, Ayo Gorkhali (Hail Goddess Kali, The Gorkhas are here)''
| mascot =
| battles =
| anniversaries =
| decorations = 2 [[Victoria Cross]] 1 [[Ashok Chakra Award|Ashoka Chakra]] 1 [[Kirti Chakra]] 5 [[Vir Chakra]]s 5 [[Shaurya Chakra]]s 1 Yudh Seva Medal 19 [[Sena Medal]]s 1 Bar to Sena Medal 4 Param Vishist Seva Medals 5 Ati Vishist Seva Medals 9 Vishist Seva Medals 2 McGregor Medals 26 Mentioned-in-Despatches 46 COAS' Commendation Cards 19 GOC-in-C's Commendation Cards
| battle_honours = [[Siege of Delhi|Delhi 1857]], [[Battle of Ahmed Khel|Ahmad Khel]], [[Second Afghan War|Afghanistan 1878–80]] [[Third Burmese War|Burma 1885–87]], [[Battle of Chitral|Chitral]] [[Tirah Campaign|Tirah]] [[Punjab region|Punjab Frontier]] '''First World War''' [[Battle of La Bassée|La Bassée 1914]], [[Battle of Armentiéres|Armentières 1914]], [[Defence of Festubert|Festubert 1914]] [[Battle of Festubert|'15]], [[Battle of Givenchy|Givenchy 1914]] [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle|Neuve Chapelle]] [[Battle of Aubers|Aubers]] [[Western Front (World War I)|France and Flanders 1914–15]] [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Egypt 1915–16]] [[Third Battle of Gaza|Gaza]], [[Battle of El Mughar|El Mughar]], [[Battle of Nebi Samwil|Nebi Samwil]] [[Battle of Jerusalem (1917)|Jerusalem]] [[Battle of Tell 'Asur|Tell 'Asur]], [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Megiddo]] [[Battle of Sharon|Sharon]] [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Palestine 1917–18]], [[Battle of Sharqat|Sharqat]], [[Mesopotamian Campaign|Mesopotamia 1917–18]], [[Third Afghan War|Afghanistan 1919]] '''Second World War''' [[Battle of Dei el Shein|Deir el Shein]] [[North African Campaign|North Africa 1940–43]] [[Monte della Gorgace]] [[Il Castello]] [[Monte Farneto]] [[Monte Cavallo]] [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy 1943–45]] [[Battle of Sittang Bridge|Sittang 1942]] [[Kyaukse|Kyaukse 1942]] [[Battle of Imphal|Imphal]] [[Tuitum]], [[Sakawng]] [[Shenam Pass]], [[Bishenpur]], [[Tengnoupal]] [[Battle of Meiktila|Meiktila]] [[Meiktila|Defence of Meiktila]] [[Rangoon|Rangoon Road]], [[Pyawbwy]] [[Pegu|Pegu 1945]] [[Burma Campaign|Burma 1942–45]] '''Post 1947''' [[Uri (India)|Uri]], [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947|Jammu and Kashmir 1947–48]] [[Shingo River Valley]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971|Jammu and Kashmir 1971]]|
| current_commander =
| current_commander_label =
| ceremonial_chief =
| ceremonial_chief_label =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| colonel_of_the_regiment_label =
| notable_commanders = 
| identification_symbol = A pair of crossed [[khukri]]s, with a star in-between and the numeral 3 within
| identification_symbol_label = Regimental Insignia
| identification_symbol_2 = [http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb309/hammersfan_01/Tartans/Colqhoun.gif Colqhuon (pipes and drums)]
| identification_symbol_2_label = Tartan
}}
The '''3rd Gorkha Rifles''' or '''Third Gorkha Rifles''', abbreviated as 3 GR is an Indian Army [[infantry]] [[regiment]]. It was originally a [[Gurkha]] regiment of the [[British Indian Army]] formed in 1815. This regiment recruit mainly [[Magars]] and [[Khas people|Khas/]][[Chhetri]] tribes. They were present at a number of actions and wars including the [[siege of Delhi]] in 1857 to the [[First World War|First]] and [[Second World War]]s. After the [[Partition of India]] in 1947 the regiment was one of the six [[Gurkha|Gorkha]] regiments transferred to the [[Indian Army]] as part of the [[Britain-India-Nepal Tripartite Agreement|Tripartite Agreement]] signed between India, [[Nepal]] and [[United Kingdom|Britain]] at the time of Indian independence. Prior to independence, the regiment was known as the '''3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles'''. In 1950 the regiment's title was changed to 3rd Gorkha Rifles. Since 1947 the regiment has participated in a number of conflicts including the 1947 and 1971 wars against Pakistan.

== History ==

===Formation to 1885===
The regiment was raised during the [[Gurkha War]] by Sir [[Robert Colquhoun (soldier)|Robert Colquhoun]] on 24 April 1815 as the '''Kemaoon Battalion'''.<ref>[http://www.amarjawan.com/3gr.htm About the 3rd Gorkha Rifles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621081303/http://www.amarjawan.com/3gr.htm |date=2010-06-21 }} Accessed June 15, 2010.</ref> It did not consist entirely of [[Gurkha]]s but of men from [[Kumaon division|Kumaon]] and [[Garhwal Kingdom|Garhwal]]. The regiment adopted the [[tartan]] of the [[Clan Colquhoun]].

The regiment was primarily used to police the border with [[Nepal]], doing so for many decades until the [[Indian Mutiny]] began in 1857. The battalion was actively involved in the efforts to quell it. During the [[siege of Delhi]]—which lasted from March to September 1857—the regiment, part of Colonel [[Colin Campbell, 1st Baron Clyde|Colin Campbell's]] Third Column, took part in the storming of [[Kashmiri Gate (Delhi)|Kashmiri Gate]] and gained the [[Battle Honour]] "Delhi 1857". The mutiny was quelled by July 1858.

The regiment, having been brought into the line of the [[Bengal Army]], was briefly titled the '''18th Bengal Native Infantry''' in 1861 before the regiment gained its present numeral designation when it became the '''3rd Gurkha (The Kumaon) Regiment'''.<ref name=regiments>{{cite web |url= http://www.regiments.org/regiments/southasia/gurkha/03GR.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051213084401/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/southasia/gurkha/03GR.htm |archive-date=13 December 2005 |access-date=5 December 2020|title=3rd Gurkha Rifles |work=Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and the Commonwealth }}</ref> The regiment saw service in an expedition to [[Bhutan]] shortly after the name change.
[[File:AfghanWarIllustration1878.jpg|thumb|left|3rd Gurkha during the march to Kabul.]]
In 1878 the [[Second Afghan War]] began and the regiment, as part of the [[2nd Infantry Brigade (British India)|2nd Infantry Brigade]] of the [[Kandahar Field Force]], took part in the march to seize [[Kandahar]]. The field force successfully captured the city on 8 January 1879, having experienced great hardship on the march there. The following year the Kandahar Force began the march towards the Afghan capital [[Kabul]] to join [[Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Major-General Roberts]] force in an attempt to consolidate their situation in the country. During the journey, near [[Ghaziri]], the force were attacked by a large force of Afghan tribesmen at [[Battle of Ahmad Khel|Ahmad Khel]] on 19 April 1880. The fighting that ensued was intense and the field force's situation was in the balance until the Afghan forces were successfully repulsed when the 3rd Gurkha formed an [[infantry square]].

===1885–1914===
The regiment took part in the [[Third Burmese War]] after it began in 1885 and operations concluded by the following year under First Brigade.<ref>Lt.Cardew, F.G., Sketch of the services of the Bengal Native Army, p389-390</ref> In 1887 the 2nd Battalion was formed, consisting entirely of Garhwalis, but this was separated from the regiment in 1890 to form the [[39th Garhwal Rifles|39th (The Garhwal) Regiment of Bengal Light Infantry]]. A new 2nd Battalion for the 3rd Gurkha was raised that same year and in 1891 the regiment was designated a [[rifle regiment]], becoming the '''3rd Gurkha (Rifle) Regiment'''.<ref name=regiments/>

The 3rd Gurkhas took part in numerous campaigns in the volatile [[North-West Frontier (military history)|North-West Frontier]], including the 1st Battalion's participation in the storming of the [[Dargai Heights]] on 20 October 1897 during the [[Tirah Campaign]]. The battalion was part of the [[Tirah Field Force]] intended to put down a large tribal revolt by the [[Afridi (Pashtun)|Afridi]] and [[Orakzais]], orchestrated by [[Afghanistan]]. The 3rd Gurkhas took part in the advance into the [[Tirah Region]], meeting resistance from tribal forces before moving on to help relieve [[Fort Lockheart]] and [[Fort Gulistan]]. After this was done the force marched on [[Dargai]] where they intended to take the [[Battle of the Dargai Heights|heights above Dargai]], controlled by tribal forces.

[[File:View of Almora, with soldiers of 3rd Gurkha, 1895.jpg|left|thumb|View of [[Almora]], with soldiers of 3rd Gurkha Rifles, 1895.]]
The heights had originally been taken by the Tirah force on 18 October but they were ordered to withdraw, coming under attack as they did so and allowing the tribal force to return to the heights and strengthen their positions. The operation to retake the heights began with an artillery bombardment at 10:00 am on 20 October. The regiment took part in the initial assault, positioned at the forefront of the attack with the [[2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles|2nd Gurkha Rifles]] and the [[The Dorset Regiment|1st Dorsets]]. They advanced methodically, moving up the slopes until they charged towards the enemy but sustained heavy casualties and became pinned down. The battle raged on for hours until, after the tribal positions were subject to an artillery bombardment, a final charge was made by the [[The Gordon Highlanders|1st Gordons]], followed by the Gurkhas and [[53rd Sikhs (Frontier Force)|3rd Sikhs]]. The tribal defenders wilted in the face of the charge and the heights were taken later that day.

In 1907 the title was changed to become the '''3rd The Queen's Own Gurkha Rifles''' in honour of [[Alexandra of Denmark]], queen consort of King [[Edward VII of the United Kingdom|Edward VII]], and the following year the title became more specific when it became the '''3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles'''.<ref name=regiments/>

===First World War===
In August 1914 the [[First World War]] began and the regiment's battalions actively participated on the [[Western Front (WWI)|Western Front]] and in the [[Middle East]].

In 1916, a clerical error gave the regiment a 4th Battalion when 4/3rd, instead of 3/4th, was written on the order for the raising of a battalion for the [[4th Prince of Wales's Own Gurkha Rifles|4th Gurkha Rifles]]. The following year a 3rd Battalion for the 3rd Gurkhas was formed.<ref name=regiments/>

====Western Front====
The 2nd Battalion, as part of the [[20th (Garhwal) Brigade]] of the [[7th (Meerut) Division]], was sent to France a few months after the declaration of war in 1914.

The battalion's first large-scale action came at [[Battle of La Bassée|La Bassée]] that had commenced on 12 October as part of a period known as the "[[Race to the Sea]]". The battalion was involved in the [[defence of Festubert]] in November and [[Battle of Givenchy|Givenchy]] in December, during a bitter winter that the Gurkhas were no doubt unaccustomed to having spent the pre-war period on the [[Indian subcontinent|sub-continent]].

The battalion remained on the Western Front until late 1915. At the [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle]] (10–13 March) the Garhwal Brigade advanced successfully during the initial offensive and the 2nd Battalion took part in fierce fighting during the battle. In May it was involved in the battles of [[Battle of Festubert|Festubert]] and [[Battle of Aubers|Aubers]]. In September the battalion took part in the [[Battle of Loos]] which saw the regiment awarded its first [[Victoria Cross]]. The VC action took place on 25 September when Rifleman [[Kulbir Thapa]] of the 2nd Battalion performed with distinction near the village of [[Fauquissart]], becoming the first Gurkha recipient of the award.<ref>Parker 2005, pp. 111–112.</ref>

The Battle of Loos was the battalion's last action on the Western Front and it left the 7th Division with the rest of the Garhwal Brigade for [[Egypt]] in December 1915 after the brigade became an independent unit.

====Middle East====
[[File:Gurkha sentries Palestine December 1917 (IWM Q12935).jpg|thumb|200px| The Gurkha Rifles in front line trenches at the [[Battle of Mughar Ridge]], Palestine, November 1917]]
After its arrival in Egypt the 2nd Battalion saw active service against the [[Ottoman Empire]] and later took part in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Palestine campaign]], the second largest campaign by force totals during the First World War. It fought in the [[Autumn Offensive]], seeing their first action during the [[Third Battle of Gaza|Battles of Gaza]]. It was involved in many other actions during the campaign, including the [[Battle of Mughar Ridge]] in November 1917 and the capture of [[Battle of Jerusalem (1917)|Jerusalem]] in December. On 19 September 1918, just a few months before the conclusion of the war, the [[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Megiddo Offensive]], began and the battalion was involved in the capture of [[Sharon, Israel|Sharon]]. For its part in the campaign the 3rd Gurkhas gained seven [[Battle Honour]]s and the [[Theatre Honour]] "Palestine 1917–18" after such honours were granted to units in the 1920s.

On 10 April 1918 at [[El Kefr]] in Egypt, [[Karanbahadur Rana]] of the 2nd Battalion became the regiment's second VC recipient after distinguishing himself in an encounter with Ottoman forces, and was the last VC recipient of the regiment.<ref>Parker 2005, p. 393.</ref>

Elsewhere the 1st Battalion, from 1917, took part in the [[Mesopotamian Campaign]] (now [[Iraq]]), gaining only a single Battle Honour in the process. It was achieved at the last battle of the campaign, at the [[Battle of Sharqat]] (28–30 October 1918).

===Interwar period===
The First World War concluded with the signing of the [[Armistice]] on 11 November 1918 but this gave the regiment no respite. It took part in the [[Third Afghan War]] in 1919 and spent much of their inter-war years in the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] and [[Burma]].
The post-war reductions saw the regiment reduced to its pre-war establishment. The 3rd Battalion was disbanded in 1920 and the mistakenly raised 4th Battalion followed in 1922.

===Second World War===
{{Expand section|date=February 2009}}
The regiment was actively involved in [[Second World War]] and, as had happened during the First World War, the regiment was expanded to meet its commitments. The 3rd Battalion was re-raised in 1940, followed by the 4th Battalion in 1941. During the conflict, the regiment fought in a number of theatres, including North Africa, Italy and Burma. During the North African campaign, the 2nd Battalion fought at [[Tobruk]], where they were brought in as reinforcements at the height of the battle and suffered misfortune almost immediately, when they were partially overrun by the Germans, losing almost two hundred men as prisoners of war, although many of these managed to escape later.<ref>Parker 2005, pp. 161–163.</ref>

===Post Independence===
[[File:Stamp of India - 2015 - Colnect 595997 - Third Gorkha Rifles.jpeg|thumb|right|3rd Gorkha Rifles Bicentenary postal stamp issued in 2015]]

India gained its independence in 1947 and the regiment was one of six Gurkha regiments (out of 10) to be allocated to the [[Indian Army]] as part of the [[Britain-India-Nepal Tripartite Agreement|Tripartite Agreement]] between Britain, India and [[Nepal]].<ref>Parker 2005, p. 224</ref> The regiment retained its title until 1950 when India was proclaimed a [[Republic]] and the regiment became the ''3rd Gorkha Rifles''. It remains in existence and consists of five battalions.

The Regiment won the Battle Honour 'Pir Kanthi' in the Uri Sector in [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1948|the war of 1948]] and 'Shingo' in the Kargil Sector in [[Indo-Pakistan War of 1971|war of 1971]]. 1/3 GR has the distinction of being the first battalion in the post-independence period to carry out amphibious operations during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Colonel J.R. Chitnis, CO 1/3 GR, was honoured with the [[Ashoka Chakra]] posthumously—India's highest peacetime medal for valour—in Nagaland in 1956.

On 3 December 1997, a statue was unveiled in [[London]] in honour of the Gurkhas. A quote from [[Ralph Lilley Turner|Sir Ralph Turner]], a former officer in the 3rd Gurkhas, was inscribed on the memorial: "''Bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you.''"

[[File:The 39 Gorkha Regiment marching contingent passes through the Rajpath during the 62nd Republic Day Parade-2011, in New Delhi on January 26, 2011.jpg|thumb|305x305px| 3 Gorkha Rifles marching contingent passes through the Rajpath during the 62nd Republic Day Parade-2011|alt=|right]]

==Uniforms==
In its early years as the Kemaoon Battalion, the regiment wore green uniforms with white (after 1828 black) [[facings]]. As the 3rd Gurkhas from 1861, [[rifle green]] uniforms with black cuff facings were adopted to be worn with the round peakless Kilmarnock cap common to all Gurkha regiments.<ref>Carman 1969, pp. 190 & 203</ref> As was the practice with all Gurkha rifle regiments, black metal buttons and insignia were to remain features of the dress uniforms of the 3rd GR. Khaki drill was worn for active service and hot-weather dress from 1878 on. Shorts were adopted by the 3rd GR in 1900, at the same time as the wide brimmed "Kashmir" [[slouch hat]] came into general use. The latter had a green edged "pugri" (wide khaki band) as a regimental distinction.<ref>Carman 1969, pp. 203–204</ref> While the historic dark green ceased to be worn after World War I, except as part of officers' [[mess uniform]]s and a few other limited categories, the Kilmanock cap survived as a dress item until modern times.

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* Carman, W.Y. (1969). "Indian Army Uniforms Under the British From the 18th Century to 1947: Artillery, Engineers and Infantry", Morgan-Grampian: London.
* Parker, John. (2005). ''The Gurkhas: The Inside Story of the World's Most Feared Soldiers''. Headline Books Publishing. {{ISBN|978-0-7553-1415-7}}.

==External links==
*[http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/gurkha/3rdgurkhas.htm Britishempire.co.uk - 3rd Gurkha Rifles]
*[http://www.1914-1918.net/ 1914-1918.net]
*{{cite web |url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/southasia/gurkha/03GR.htm |publisher=Regiments.org |title=3rd Gurkha Rifles |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112142612/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/southasia/gurkha/03GR.htm |archive-date=12 January 2008}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100420065019/http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/Units/Infantry/119-3-Gorkhas.html 3GR on Bharat-Rakshak]

{{Indian Army Infantry Regiments}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1815]]
[[Category:Infantry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]
[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Rifle regiments]]
[[Category:Gurkhas]]
[[Category:1815 establishments in British India]]

3rd Gorkha Rifles - Revision history

Bot at 01:25, 27 November 2022