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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=72nd Punjabis
|image=
|caption=
|dates=1759–1922
|country=[[British Raj|Indian Empire]]
|branch=Army
|type=Infantry
|size=
|command_structure=[[Madras Army]] (to 1895) [[Madras Command]]
|garrison=
|ceremonial_chief=
|ceremonial_chief_label=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=Red; faced pale buff, 1882 white 1892 Drab; faced white
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[Second Anglo-Mysore War]] [[First Burmese War]] [[Third Burmese War]] [[World War I]]
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=
}}
The '''72nd Punjabis''' were an infantry regiment of the [[British Indian Army]]. They could trace their origins to 1759, when they were raised as the 16th Battalion Coast Sepoys.

==History==
The regiment's first battle was the [[Battle of Sholinghur]] in 1781, during the [[Second Anglo-Mysore War]]. They were next involved in the [[Battle of Ava]] during the [[First Burmese War]]. During the [[Indian Mutiny of 1857]], they were stationed in [[Hong Kong]] and [[Singapore]]. Their next action was during the [[Third Burmese War]]. With the defeat of King [[Thibaw Min]], the regiment remained in Burma, being renamed the 2nd Burma Battalion in 1891.<ref>Sharma, p.21</ref> This transferral of six regiments of the Madras line to Burma Battalions was intended to provide permanent garrisons for the newly acquired territory. It was also part of a deliberate policy by General Sir [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Roberts]] to reduce the Madrasi element in the Indian Army and replace them with northern recruits from the Punjab. The title of the regiment subsequently underwent a number of changes but, as late as 1914, its regimental centre remained [[Mandalay]].<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Gaylor|pages=7 & 9|title=Sons of John Company|year=1992 |publisher=Spellmount |isbn=0-946771-98-7}}</ref>

During [[World War I]], they were deployed along the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] with the [[1st (Peshawar) Division]] to prevent incursions by the Afghan tribes, but they were later sent to Egypt and Palestine and took part in the [[Sinai and Palestine Campaign]] attached to the [[75th Division (United Kingdom)|75th Division]].<ref>Sharma, p.23</ref>

After World War I, the Indian government reformed the army, moving from single battalion regiments to multi battalion regiments.<ref>Sumner p.15</ref> In 1922, the 72nd Punjabis became the 3rd Battalion, [[2nd Punjab Regiment]].<ref>Sharma, p.24</ref> After independence, they were one of the regiments allocated to the [[Indian Army]].<ref>Sharma, p.28</ref>

==Predecessor names==
*16th Battalion Coast Sepoys - 1759
*13th Carnatic Battalion - 1769
*12th Carnatic Battalion - 1770
*12th Madras Battalion - 1784
*2nd Battalion, 8th Madras Native Infantry - 1796
*12th Madras Native Infantry - 1824
*2nd Burma Infantry - 1890
*12th Regiment (2nd Burma Battalion) Madras Infantry - 1891
*12th Burma Infantry - 1901
*72nd Punjabis - 1903

==Composition==
Recruited from Madrasis during its history prior to 1890, the regiment underwent substantial changes after that year. The senior Indian position of [[subadar]]-major was filled by a Sikh and the Madrasi rank and file were replaced by Pathans, Punjabis, Mussalmans and Sikhs. In 1903 the 12th lost its status as a Madras/Burma Infantry unit and was formally designated as a Punjabi regiment (see above).<ref>{{cite book|first=John|last=Gaylor|pages=134–135|title=Sons of John Company|year=1992 |publisher=Spellmount |isbn=0-946771-98-7}}</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=Rinaldi|first=Richard A|year=2008|title=Order of Battle British Army 1914|publisher=Ravi Rikhye|isbn=978-0-9776072-8-0}}
*{{cite book|last=Sharma|first=Gautam|year=1990|title=Valour and sacrifice: famous regiments of the Indian Army|publisher=Allied Publishers|isbn=81-7023-140-X}}
*{{cite book|last=Sumner|first=Ian|title=The Indian Army 1914-1947|year=2001|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=1-84176-196-6}}
*Moberly, F.J. (1923). ''Official History of the War: Mesopotamia Campaign'', Imperial War Museum. {{ISBN|1-870423-30-5}}

[[Category:British Indian Army infantry regiments]]
[[Category:Military history of the Madras Presidency]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1759]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1922]]

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72nd Punjabis - Revision history

CleanupBot at 04:27, 22 March 2026