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{{short description|Regiment of the British Indian Army}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=43rd Erinpura Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates=1860-1922
|country=[[British Raj|Indian Empire]]
|branch=Army
|type=Infantry
|size=
|command_structure=[[Bengal Army]] (to 1895)<br>[[Bengal Command]]
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|ceremonial_chief_label=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=Green; faced red. Red trousers
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''43rd Erinpura Regiment''' was a regiment of the [[British Indian Army]]. It originated in the three infantry companies of [[Meena]], [[Bhil people|Bhil]] [[tribe]] of the [[Jodhpur Legion]] that stayed loyal to the British when the Legion revolted in 1857. (The Bhil companies had been raised in 1841.)<ref name=IGI/>

They were incorporated in 1860 as the Erinpoorah (or Erinpura) Irregular Force by a Lt-Col J F W Hall. This force was composed
of a squadron of cavalry, mainly Sikhs, numbering, 164 of all ranks, and eight companies of infantry, numbering 719. The British mostly enlisted Bhils and [[Meena|Minas]] in the infantry to provide employment to people of the local tribes and thus ween them away from their lawless habits.<ref name=IGI>[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/gazetteer/text.html?objectid=DS405.1.I34_V12_033.gif ''Imperial Gazetteer of India'', (1908–1931), v. 12, p. 27.]</ref>

From end 1870 to 1881 the commandant was in political charge of the [[Sirohi district]] and on several occasions he sent out detachments to support the police in patrolling disturbed areas and arresting [[Dacoity|dacoits]].<ref name=IGI/>

In 1895 the strength of the cavalry squadron was reduced from 164 to 100 of all ranks.<ref name=IGI/>

In 1897 the force, which had till then been under the Foreign Department of the Government of India, was placed under the Commander-in-Chief.<ref name=IGI/>

After the [[Kitchener Reforms|Kitchener reforms]] of the Indian Army in 1903, it was renamed the 43rd (Erinpura) Regiment.<ref name=IGI/> The regiment was made up of four double companies of infantry recruited from Rajputana Hindus and Muslims. The regimental depot was at [[Erinpura]] in [[Rajasthan]] throughout its history from 1860–1921. On the outbreak of World War I the 43rd was serving as part of the 5th (Mhow) Division.

During [[World War I]] the regiment served in the [[15th Indian Division]] during the [[Mesopotamia Campaign]]. The first or regular battalion was employed mainly in escort duties and guarding line of communication, although it was present at the Second Battle of Ramada in September 1917.

A second battalion was raised in 1917. As a war-time unit lacking experienced personnel it was employed mainly for guard and other security purposes in Bombay,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/indianinfantry/43rderinpura.htm|title = The British Empire, Imperialism, Colonialism, Colonies}}</ref> before being disbanded in 1920.

After World War I the Indian government reformed the army again moving from single-battalion infantry units to multi-battalion regiments. As part of this reorganisation nine infantry regiments were disbanded. The 43rd Erinpura Regiment was one of these and was disbanded in October 1921.<ref>Sumner p.15</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*{{cite book|last1=Barthorp|first1=Michael|last2=Burn|first2=Jeffrey|year=1979|title=Indian infantry regiments 1860-1914|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=0-85045-307-0}}
*{{cite book|last=Sumner|first=Ian|title=The Indian Army 1914-1947|year=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=1-84176-196-6}}

[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Honourable East India Company regiments]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1860]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1922]]
[[Category:Bengal Presidency]]

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43rd Erinpura Regiment - Revision history

UpdateBot at 20:02, 26 March 2022