AndyMfn275514 at 11:00, 26 July 2024

2024-07-26T11:00:14Z

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{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=60 Medium Regiment
|image=
|caption=
|dates=1957 – present
|country={{flag icon|India}} [[India]]
|allegiance=India
|branch= [[File:Flag of Indian Army.svg|24px]] [[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=60 Med Regt
|identification_symbol_label=Abbreviation

|nickname=
|patron=
|motto= Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)<br/>Har Kadam Aage
|colors= Red & Navy Blue
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|anniversaries=1 January – Raising Day
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
}}
'''60 Medium Regiment''' is part of the [[Regiment of Artillery (India)|Regiment of Artillery]] of the [[Indian Army]].

== Formation==
The regiment traces its history from 1823, when the '''Jammu and Kashmir Bodyguard Cavalry''' was raised by [[Gulab Singh|Maharaja Gulab Singh]], the founder of [[Dogra dynasty]] and the first [[Maharaja]] of the [[princely state]] of [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.3425/page/35/mode/2up?view=theatre|last=Palit|first=Major General DK|title=Jammu and Kashmir arms: History of the J & K Rifles| publisher=Palit and Dutt Publishers, Dehra Dun|year=1972|page=36}}</ref> It was composed of Hindu [[Dogras|Dogra]] troops.<ref>{{cite book|last=Birdwood|first=Lord|title=Two Nations and Kashmir|page=212|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.65159/page/n1/mode/2up?view=theater |publisher=Robert Hale Limited|year=1956}}</ref> As part of the [[Imperial Service Troops]], the unit fought in [[World War I]]. The regiment gave a brilliant account of itself in the [[Sinai and Palestine campaign|Palestine campaign]] and in recognition of its achievements, it was awarded the battle honours ''[[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Megiddo]]'', ''[[Battle of Megiddo (1918)|Sharon]]'' and ''[[Sinai and Palestine Campaign|Palestine]]''.<ref name="GJ">{{cite web|url=https://samsshopping.com/product/60-field-regiment-golden-jubilee/|title=60 Field Regiment-Indian Army Postal Cover|date=2007-01-01|access-date=2024-01-20}}</ref>

The regiment as part of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces saw action during the [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948]]. The regiment was disbanded in 1956 and all the personnel, except officers were absorbed into the newly raised artillery regiment on 1 January 1957. This unit was designated as '''60 Heavy Regiment'''. At raising, the unit was equipped with [[BL 7.2-inch howitzer|Mark 6 BL 7.2-inch Howitzers]]. The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel KL Suri {{small|[[Vir Chakra|VrC]]}}. The regiment was unique in its composition of four batteries with four howitzers in each battery, unlike the standard three-battery (with six guns each) composition of other Indian artillery regiments. These batteries were designated 128, 129, 130 and 131 heavy batteries. The unit received its initial training at [[Trimulgherry|Tirumalagiri]] in [[Secunderabad]]. The regiment was converted to a field regiment in August 1991 after its guns were transferred to 61 Heavy Regiment. It shed its 131 Heavy Battery to 106 Medium Regiment. The regiment is presently a medium regiment with 128, 129 and 130 medium batteries, the same configuration as all other artillery regiments.<ref name="GJ"/>

==Operations==
The regiment has taken part in the following operations<ref name="GJ"/> –
{{Incomplete list|date=January 2024}}
*'''[[Indo-Pakistani war of 1965]]''' – The unit took part in Operation Ablaze and Operation Riddle and was deployed in the [[Amritsar]] sector. It was part of 21 Independent Artillery Brigade under [[15th Infantry Division (India)|15 Infantry Division]], where it was in support of an infantry brigade.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://indianstrategicknowledgeonline.com/web/1965Chapter06.pdf|title=Official history, chapter 6, page 146|access-date=2024-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Harbaksh |title=War Despatches: Indo-Pak Conflict 1965|date=2012|publisher= Lancer Publishers LLC|isbn=978-8170621171|page=}}</ref> The regiment played an important role in the capture of Dograi and destroyed most of the Pakistani bridges built on the [[Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian Canal|Ichogil Canal]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Sainik Samahar, Volume 37, page 25|year=1990|publisher=Director of Public Relations, Ministry of Defence.}}</ref>
*'''[[Indo-Pakistani war of 1971]]''' – The regiment was deployed in [[Firozpur]] sector during Operation Cactus Lily. It was part of 7 Artillery Brigade under 7 Infantry Division. Two batteries each were deployed in [[Khalra]] sub-sector under 65 Infantry Brigade and Khem Karan subsector under 48 Infantry Brigade. The unit saw action in Baltoha and Asal Uttar.<ref name="Jagjit1">{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Jagjit|title=Indian Gunners at War: The Western Front 1971|date=1994|publisher= Spantech & Lancer|isbn=978-1897829554|pages=176–177}}</ref>
*'''Operation Rakshak''' – 60 Field Regiment was deployed in counter terrorist operations in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] between April 1997 and July 2000. It was also involved in firing across the [[Line of Control]] (LoC). In July 2003, the unit moved to the [[Batalik]] sector.
*'''[[Kargil War|Operation Vijay]]''' – The regiment was deployed in [[Uri, Jammu and Kashmir|Uri]] under an infantry brigade and in Batalik under a mountain brigade during the operations.

==Equipment==
The regiment has used the following guns-
{{Incomplete list|date=January 2024}}
*[[BL 7.2-inch howitzer]]s
*[[122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)|122 mm howitzer]]
*[[Indian Field Gun]]
*[[Indian Field Gun|Light field gun]]

==Gallantry awards==
The regiment has won the following gallantry awards<ref name="GJ"/> -
{{Incomplete list|date= January 2024}}
*During Operation Rakshak, the unit was awarded the General Officer Commanding, [[XIV Corps (India)|14 Corps]] appreciation letter.
*The unit was awarded the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[South Western Command (India)|South Western Command]] Unit Citation in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/PRODefRjsthn/status/976029091496452097|title=Sapta Shakti Command Investiture Ceremony for the award of 'Unit Citations' to units|date=2018-03-20|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref>
*The unit was awarded the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, [[Northern Command (India)|Northern Command]] Unit Citation in 2022.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}
*[[Sena Medal]] – Captain Ajay Singh Rana (posthumous) and Lance Naik (Operator) Susheel Kumar (both for Operation Rakshak)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/in.gazette.central.w.2004-11-13.084/|title=Gazette of India, No 46, page 955 and 960|date=2004-11-13|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref>
*[[Vishisht Seva Medal]] – Colonel Ravinder Ahuja (for Operation Vijay)
*[[Commendation Card (Indian Army)|Chief of Army Staff Commendation cards]] – 10 (Second Lieutenant Harsharanjit Singh, Subedar Sarisht Singh and Lance Naik Choote Lal (1965 operations))
*Vice Chief of Army Staff Commendation Cards - 2
*[[Commendation Card (Indian Army)|General Officer Commanding in Chief Commendation cards]] – 35

==Motto==
The motto of the regiment is हर कदम आगे (Har Kadam Aage) which translates to ''Every Step Forward''.<ref name="GJ"/>

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

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1957]]
[[Category:Artillery regiments of the Indian Army after 1947]]

60 Medium Regiment India - Revision history

AndyMfn275514 at 11:00, 26 July 2024