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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=4th Punjab Infantry
|image=4 Punjab Inf.jpg
|caption=
|dates=1849 – present
|country={{flag|British India}} (1849-1947) {{flag|Pakistan}} (1947-)
|branch={{army|British India}} {{army|Pakistan}}
|type=Infantry
|size=1 Battalion
|command_structure=
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|ceremonial_chief_label=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|motto=Barhe Challo
|colors_label=Uniform
|colors=Drab; faced blue; blue collars & cuffs
|march=
|mascot=
|battles= [[North-West Frontier (military history)|North West Frontier of India]] [[Indian Mutiny]] 1857-58 [[Second Afghan War]] 1878-80 [[Boxer Rebellion]] 1900
|notable_commanders=Major General AT Wilde, CB
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''4th Punjab Infantry Regiment''' was an infantry regiment of the [[British Indian Army]] formed on 18 April 1849 by Captain GG Denniss at [[Lahore]] as part of the Transfrontier Brigade, which became the [[Punjab Irregular Force]] (PIF) in 1851. The regiment was designated as the '''57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)''' in 1903, and 4th Battalion (Wilde's) [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] in 1922. In 1947, it was allocated to the [[Pakistan Army]], where it continues to exist as '''9th Battalion The [[Frontier Force Regiment]]'''.<ref name="Condon 1953">Condon, Brig WEH. (1953). ''The Frontier Force Rifles''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden Ltd.</ref><ref name="North 1934">North, REFG. (1934). ''The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924''. DI Khan: Commercial Steam Press.</ref>

==Genealogy==

*1849 4th Regiment of Punjab Infantry, Transfrontier Brigade (''Denniss Ka Pultan'')
*1851 4th Regiment of [[Punjab Irregular Force]]
*1865 4th Regiment of Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force
*1901 4th Punjab Infantry
*1903 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)
*1922 4th Battalion (Wilde's), [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]
*1945 4th Battalion (Wilde's), The Frontier Force Rifles
*1956 9th Battalion The [[Frontier Force Regiment]]

==Foundation==
On the conclusion of the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] in 1849, when the [[Sikh Empire|Kingdom of Punjab]] was annexed by the British, 10 irregular regiments were formed, 5 cavalry and 5 infantry, from men who had served in the Sikh Army of the former Kingdom of Punjab, the so-called ''[[Khalsa]] Army'', by order of Col. [[Henry Montgomery Lawrence]], President of the newly created governing body, the ''Board of Administration of the Punjab''. They were ''irregular'' as they were outside the regulations of the Regular Army of the Line in such matters as discipline, training, uniforms etc. These 5 regiments were thus some of the first to adopt [[khaki]] uniforms, known as ''drab'', so suitable for the local barren landscape. The purpose of these regiments was to form together the Transfrontier Brigade, to maintain the frontier between the newly annexed territory and Afghanistan, known as the ''Northwest Frontier'', which was subject to frequent breach by marauding warlike groups of Afghan tribesmen. 
''(See main article: [[North-West Frontier (military history)]])''

==Recruitment & composition==

The regiment was raised at Lahore, historic capital of the kingdom of Punjab, by Capt. George Gladwin Denniss II(1821–1862),<ref>Quarterly Indian Army List January 1919, p.1251; he was the eldest son of Col. George Gladwin Denniss I(1792-1856), CB, Bengal Horse Artillery.</ref> of the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers, appointed on 18 April 1849. Capt. O. Marshall,<ref>Per Regimental History, no further biog. provided. Possibly Henry O. Marshall, d.29/5/1884, Devon, of 22nd Madras Native Infantry</ref> however, of the Madras Native Infantry became its first commandant, resigning on 19 March 1850, from which time Denniss took command until 25 February 1851.<ref>Regimental History of the 4th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles (Wilde's), anonymously written, in Central Library of the RMA, Sandhurst, (Reprinted 2005 by The Naval & Military Press Ltd), Appendix 5. library of</ref> The regiment consisted in the first instance of 60 trans-[[Indus River|Indus]] [[Pashtun people|Pathans]], followers of [[Dewan Mulraj]], who had delivered themselves up as prisoners to the British Government on the capture of [[Multan]], 200 men of Sardar Dhara Singh's Regiment and 300 men of Col. [[Sher Singh Attariwalla|Shere Singh]]'s Regiment. A number of the ''Fateh Paltan'' also were, by order of Sir Henry Lawrence, drafted to the regiment.<ref>Regimental History, p.1</ref> The regiment's subsequent commander Lt-Col. Wilde wrote in 1860:<blockquote>

I have no hesitation in asserting that duty is carried on in the (Regiment) as strictly as in the Line. Compared with the Sepoy of the Bengal Army, there is a marked difference in the address and manners of these Northern men, assimilating somewhat to the more manly bearing of our own Soldiers....I have never heard any officer accuse them of want of discipline or subordination, and I believe in no Native Army has a strict and ready obedience to the orders of their superiors been carried out with greater success....It was in this Force that the [[Pashtun people|Pathan]], [[Jatsikh]] and [[Dogra]] was first taught to serve in the ranks of the British Army; and it was in these Regiments that the [[Afridi (Pashtun)|Afreedees]] and other Afghan tribes were gradually reduced to obedience, and are now as well behaved as any of our Native Soldiery.<ref>Regimental History, Appendix 2</ref>
</blockquote>

The earliest record of such an oath is that recorded by Capt. Wilde, when in command of the Regt., from 1853:<ref name="ReferenceA">Regimental History, Appendix 4, List of Commandants</ref><blockquote>
I....inhabitant of....son of....swear by the [[Guru Granth Sahib|Gooroo Grunth Sahibjee]] (holy scripture of Sikhism) and if I tell a falsehood may the Gooroo Grunth Sahib cause misfortune to descend upon me, that I will never forsake or abandon my Colours, that I will march wherever I am directed whether within or beyond the Company's Territories, that I will implicitly obey all the orders of my Commanders, and in everything behave myself as becomes a good Soldier and faithful servant of the Company, and failing in any part of my duty as such I will submit to the penalties ascribed in the Articles of War, which have been read to me.<ref>Regimental History, Appendix 3</ref>
</blockquote>

==First Action==
The Regiment remained at Lahore until November 1850, the chief event of importance during this time being an inspection on 5 December 1849 by the Governor General, [[James Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie|Lord Dalhousie]]. On 24 November 1850. the regiment, under the command of Capt. Denniss, marched from Lahore to [[Kohat]] via Shahpur and [[Kalabagh]], through the [[Shakar Dara|Shakardarrah Pass]], escorting 6 lakhs of rupees, arriving at Kohat on 8 February 1851. Shortly after their arrival the regiment was inspected by Brigadier Hodgson,<ref>Probably J.S.Hodgson, who as a Captain in 1846 had raised the 1st Sikh Regt., of the Frontier Brigade</ref> commanding the Punjab Irregular Force.<ref>Regimental History, pp.1-2</ref> Denniss relinquished his command on 31 March 1851, to rejoin the 1st European Bengal Fusiliers,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> passing command to Capt. G.W.G.Bristow(1/4/51-21/10/52), thence to Capt. T.P.Walsh(22/10/52-20/2/53), thence to Capt. Alfred Thomas Wilde(21/2/53-10/3/62), who forms a central role in the history of the regiment.

==Wilde Appointed to Command==

Lt. Alfred Thomas Wilde of the 19th Madras Infantry, whose name was given in 1903 to the regiment as part of its official title, was appointed second in command on 4 April 1851, and joined 4 days later, being appointed commandant on 19 November 1851.<ref>Regimental History, p.2</ref>

==Service in Indian Mutiny==
In 1857 the regiment was sent into action by [[John Lawrence, 1st Baron Lawrence|John Lawrence]], younger brother of Henry and Chief Commissioner of Punjab, as vital relief reinforcements during the [[Indian Mutiny]]. Under the command of Wilde, it marched with the rest of the Transfrontier Force 1,000 miles in summer from [[Bannu]] on the NW Frontier to [[Delhi]]. After the [[Siege of Delhi]] had been lifted with their great assistance, they moved onto the [[Siege of Lucknow]] and took part in the [[Capture of Lucknow]], when they captured the [[Sikandar Bagh]] with the [[93rd Highlanders]]. John Lawrence was hailed as the "Saviour of India" for his decisive action in sending the Punjab regiments to assist at Delhi. The tribesmen in these regiments remained loyal to the British during the Mutiny, as they had no affection for the Indian Sepoy, against whom they had fought during the Sikh Wars.

[[File:Image-Secundra Bagh after Indian Mutiny higher res.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Interior of the Sikandar Bagh after the slaughter of 2,000 rebels by the 93rd Highlanders and 4th Punjab Infantry Regiment. Note skulls on ground, possibly positioned by photographer in this notorious image. Photo by [[Felice Beato]]]]
Denniss wrote to his wife on 30 April 1858:<blockquote>
Are you not pleased to see by the papers the splendid conduct of the Gallant 4th or the Denniss Ka Pultan at Delhie and Lucknow, poor old Wylde has been severely wounded in leading almost every charge at the latter place. The conduct of the regiment has been second to none since they came into these provinces. Imagine had we carried out the orders of the Board and enlisted the men for service in the Punjab only agreeable to the wishes of poor Sir Henry Lawrence what a tree we should have been up for want of soldiers to take against these [[Mangal Pandey|Pandies]].
</blockquote>

Denniss had been at the storming of Delhi, being with General [[John Nicholson (East India Company officer)|John Nicholson]] when the latter fell, but as an officer in the [[101st Regiment of Foot (Royal Bengal Fusiliers)|1st European Bengal Fusiliers]], of which regiment he later became Lt. Col.<ref>Chantler, P. (ed.)</ref> Sir Henry Lawrence, under whose orders Denniss had raised the regiment, had died from shell wounds on 4 July 1857 during the siege of Lucknow. Clearly his wishes for the recruitment criteria of the regiment differed from those actually used by Denniss. The word ''Pandy'' was widely used by the British as a synonym for an Indian Mutineer, after [[Mangal Pandey]](executed 1857) one of the first Sepoys to rebel against a British Officer's command, now seen as a freedom-fighter by modern Indian historians.

==Punjab Irregular Force==
In 1851 the 5 original Punjab Infantry regiments of the Transfrontier Brigade became part of the newly formed [[Punjab Irregular Force]], (PIF) whose members were known as ''Piffers''. The Transfrontier Brigade appellation was dropped. A 6th regiment was added the same year, being the former Sind Camel Corps formed in 1843 at Karachi by Lt. Robert FitzGerald, by order of General [[Charles James Napier]], conqueror of Sind. In 1865 the PIF became the "Punjab Frontier Force".

==Second Afghan War==
The 4th regiment was next in action in the [[Second Afghan War]] at the conclusion of which in 1882 its brother 3rd regiment of Punjab Infantry was disbanded, once again taking the number of regiments formerly in the Transfrontier Brigade to 5. The surviving regiments after 1882 were thus the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th. In 1894, it took part in a punitive expedition to [[Waziristan]]. In 1900, the Regiment was sent to China to help quell the [[Boxer Rebellion]], and they were relieved in June 1902 by the [[21st Punjabis|21st Punjab Infantry]] following the end of the rebellion.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest intelligence - the Garrison of Tien-Tsin |date=1 July 1902 |page=3 |issue=36808}}</ref>

==Renumbering as Rifle Regiment==
In 1903, the 5 regiments were renumbered 55 to 59 and afforded the crack status of "Rifle Regiments". Each was named after a notable early commanding officer. The 4th took the appellation "57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force)" in honour of its gallant commanding officer at the siege of Delhi.

==World War I==
[[File:British and Indian officers of the 57th Wildes Rifles (Photo 24-277).jpg|thumb|right|Officers of the 57th Rifles in France, 1915|320px]]During the [[First World War]], the regiment served on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in [[France]] and [[Belgium]], where they fought in Battles of [[Battle of La Bassée|La Bassée]], [[Battle of Messines (1914)|Messines]], [[Battle of Givenchy|Givenchy]], [[Battle of Neuve Chapelle|Neuve Chapelle]], and the [[Second Battle of Ypres]].

Jemadar [[Mir Dast]] was attached to the 57th Wilde's Rifles when he performed the service for which he was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] on 26 April 1915 at Ypres.

From France, the regiment proceeded to [[East African Campaign (World War I)|German East Africa]] in 1916, and again distinguished itself in the long and difficult campaign. The regiment raised a second battalion in 1918, but it was disbanded soon afterwards.<ref name="North 1934"/>

==Between the Wars==
The regiment took part in the [[Third Afghan War]] of 1919. In 1921-22, a major reorganization was undertaken in the British Indian Army leading to the formation of large infantry groups of four to six battalions. The 57th Wilde's Rifles (Frontier Force) was grouped with the [[55th Coke's Rifles (Frontier Force)|55th Coke's Rifles]], [[58th Vaughan's Rifles (Frontier Force)|58th Vaughan's Rifles]], [[59th Scinde Rifles (Frontier Force)|59th Royal Scinde Rifles]], and the two battalions of [[56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)]] to form the [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]. The 57th Wilde's Rifles became the 4th Battalion of the new regiment.<ref name="North 1934"/>

==World War II==
During the [[Second World War]], the battalion took part in the [[Anglo-Iraqi War|British invasion of Iraq]] in May 1941. It then participated in the [[Syria-Lebanon Campaign]] against the [[Vichy French]] and fought in the [[Battle of Deir ez-Zor (1941)|Battle of Deir ez-Zor]] on 3 July 1941. In 1942, the battalion arrived in [[North African Campaign|North Africa]], where it fought in the [[Battle of Gazala]].<ref name="Condon 1953"/>

==Transfer to Pakistan Army==
After the [[independence of Pakistan]] in 1947, the Frontier Force Rifles was allotted to the Pakistani Army.<ref name="Gaylor 1991">{{cite book|last=Gaylor|first=John|title=Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–91|publisher=Stroud: Spellmount|year=1991}}</ref> In 1948, 4 FF Rifles fought in the Kashmir War against [[India]]. In 1956, the Frontier Force Rifles and the [[Pathan Regiment]] were merged with the [[12th Frontier Force Regiment|Frontier Force Regiment]], and 4 FF Rifles was redesignated as '9th Battalion (Wilde's) The Frontier Force Regiment' or 9 FF. During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965, the battalion again distinguished itself in the [[Battle of Chawinda]]. The [[Frontier Force Regiment]] still maintains the lineage and battle honours of its predecessor regiments in the British Army, and retains the old PIF regimental badge of a stringed bugle, but with the addition of an Arabic Islamic character signifying "Here I Am", the standard response to the call of Allah. They still refer to themselves proudly as "Piffers" and are headquartered at Abbottabad, a city named after General [[James Abbott (Indian Army officer)|James Abbott]] (1807–1896).<ref>Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). ''The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71''. Lahore: Wajidalis.</ref>

==Victoria Cross==
Lieutenant [[Henry William Pitcher]] 4th Punjab Infantry was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] on 30 October 1863, in North-West India, Lieutenant Pitcher led a party to recapture the Crag Picquet after its garrison had been driven in by the enemy and sixty of them killed. He led the party up the narrow path to the last rock until he was knocked down and stunned by a large stone thrown from above. On 16 November, the lieutenant displayed great courage in leading a party to the Crag Picquet when it had again fallen into enemy hands. He led the first charge, but was wounded in the action.

==List of Commandants==
[[File:57 (9) & 53 Sikhs (5).jpg|thumb|right|Naik, 57th Wilde's Rifles (left) and Subedar, 53rd Sikhs. Watercolour by Major AC Lovett, 1910.|265px]]
Capt. O. Marshall 18/5/1849-19/3/50 
Capt. G.G. Denniss 20/3/50-31/3/51 
Capt. G.W.G. Bristow 1/4/51-21/10/52 
Capt. T.P. Walsh 22/10/52-20/2/53 
Lt. A.T. Wilde 21/2/53-10/3/62 
Maj. J. Cockburne Hood 17/4/62-2/1/73 
Maj. F.T. Bainbridge 3/1/73-4/10/76 
Lt.Col. H.T. Close 5/10/76-31/12/82 
Lt.Col. A.J.D. Hawes 1/1/83-31/3/91 
Lt.Col. A. McCrae Bruce 1/4/91-4/1/94 
Lt.Col O.C. Radford 5/1/94-6/2/1903 
Lt.Col. L.E. Cooper 7/2/1903-12/11/05 
Lt.Col. G.B. Hodson 13/11/05-9/5/12 
Lt.Col. T.E. Scott 10/5/12-7/3/14 
Lt.Col. F.W.B. Gray 8/3/14-3/3/16 
Lt.Col. T.J. Willans 4/3/16-21/10/21 
Lt.Col. G.L. Pepys 22/10/21-20/4/26 
Lt.Col. E.D. Galbraith 21/4/26-31/1/30 
Lt.Col. C.M.S. Manners 1/2/30- <ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''History of the 4th Battalion 13th Frontier Force Rifles (Wilde’s)''. (1930). London: Butler and Tanner.
* Condon, Brig WEH. (1953). ''The Frontier Force Rifles''. Aldershot: Gale & Polden Ltd.
* Young, Brig WHH. (1945). ''Regimental History of the 13th Frontier Force Rifles''. Rawalpindi: The Frontier Exchange Press.
* North, REFG. (1934). ''The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924''. DI Khan: Commercial Steam Press.
* Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). ''One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949''. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
* Dey, RSBN. (1905). ''A Brief Account of the Late Punjab Frontier Force, From its Organization in 1849 to its Re-distribution on 31st March 1903''. Calcutta.
* Attiqur Rahman, Lt Gen M. (1980). ''The Wardens of the Marches – A History of the Piffers 1947-71''. Lahore: Wajidalis.
* Khan, Maj Muhammad Nawaz. (1996). ''The Glorious Piffers 1843-1995''. Abbottabad: The Frontier Force Regimental Centre.
* Gaylor, John. (1991). ''Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991.'' Stroud: Spellmount. {{ISBN|978-0-946771-98-1}}
*Barthorp, M, and Burn, J. (1979). ''Indian Infantry Regiments 1860-1914''. London: Osprey. {{ISBN|978-0-85045-307-2}}
*Sumner, Ian. (2001). ''The Indian Army 1914-1947''. London: Osprey. {{ISBN|1-84176-196-6}}

==See also==
*[[Frontier Force Regiment|The Frontier Force Regiment]]
*[[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]
*[[Punjab Irregular Force]]

{{Commons category}}

[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Frontier Force Regiment]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1849]]
[[Category:1849 establishments in British India]]

4th Punjab Infantry Regiment - Revision history

Delinker at 11:19, 31 July 2023