Dr.Sanjeev Narayani at 21:19, 11 March 2026

2026-03-11T21:19:21Z

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{{Short description|Regiment of the British Indian Army}}{{more citations needed|date=October 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox Military Unit
|unit_name=5th Mahratta Light Infantry
|image=A sepoy of the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry, 1943 (c).jpg
|caption=A soldier of the 5th Mahratta Light Infantry in 1943.
|dates= 1922 - 1947
|country= [[British India]]
|allegiance=
|branch= [[British Indian Army]]
|type= Infantry
|role=
|size=
|command_structure=
|garrison=
|garrison_label=Regimental Centre
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=

|current_commander=
|current_commander_label=
|ceremonial_chief=
|ceremonial_chief_label=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
|notable_commanders=

|identification_symbol=
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}}

The '''5th Mahratta Light Infantry''' was a regiment of the [[British Indian Army]]. It was formed in 1922,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barr |first1=James S. |title=A Brief History of the Mahratta Light Infantry |date=1945 |publisher=G. Claridge |pages=3-4 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Brief_History_of_the_Mahratta_Light_In/wNigAAAAMAAJ |language=en}}</ref> when
the Indian government reformed the army moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments. The regiment fought in [[World War II]] and raised 30 battalions. After the war it was allocated to the [[Indian Army]] in 1947, being renamed the [[Maratha Light Infantry]].

==Formation 1922==
*1st [[Battalion]] ex [[103rd Mahratta Light Infantry]] served in [[North Africa Campaign]] and [[Allied invasion of Italy]] during World War II. [[Sepoy]] [[Namdeo Jadhav]] was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC) in Italy in 1945.
*2nd Battalion ex [[105th Mahratta Light Infantry]] served in [[Eritrea]] and North Africa until June 1942 when it bore the full brunt of the German attack on [[Tobruk]], sustaining very heavy casualties so that after the surrender of Tobruk the survivors became prisoners of war.
*3rd Battalion ex [[110th Mahratta Light Infantry]] served in Eritrea, North Africa and Italy during World War II. [[Naik (military rank)|Naik]] [[Yeshwant Ghadge]] was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously in [[Italy]] in 1944.
*4th Battalion ex [[116th Mahrattas]] served on the border of India and Burma during World War II, most notably in the defense of [[Battle of Imphal|Imphal]].
*5th Battalion ex [[117th Mahrattas]]. This battalion was designated 'Royal' in recognition of its exemplary service in Mesopotamia in World War I. This honour of a single battalion was unknown in the British Army and very rarely bestowed in the Indian Army. During World War II it served in the Middle East before becoming a Machine Gun battalion in Italy.
*6th Battalion Mahratta Light infantry was created in June 1940 and in October 1942 joined its sister battalion, the 4th, in 49 Brigade in the defense of Imphal.
*10th (Training) Battalion ex [[114th Mahrattas]]. During World War II it trained hundreds of young soldiers to supply the needs of its sister active service and other battalions of the Regiment.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1922]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Burma in World War II|R]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1947]]

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5th Mahratta Light Infantry - Revision history

Dr.Sanjeev Narayani at 21:19, 11 March 2026