5 GORKHA RIFLES

5 GORKHA RIFLES

The 5 Gorkha Rifles was originally raised as the 25th Punjab Infantry on May 22, 1858 at Abbotabad. Later rechristened as 5th Gorkha (Rifle) in 1891, the Regiment has since acquitted itself with a dazzling record of military victories, valour and array of awards not forgetting the unique feature of winning two Victoria Cross on a single day. It is the only Regiment to have won nine Victoria Crosses in the Great Wars and has 49 battle honours to its credit. It saw hard fought actions in the scorched deserts of Gallipoli and Mesopotamia and rugged clime of Afghanistan during the First World War with an enviable martial account. The British conferred the title 'Royal' on the Regiment in 1921 in recognition of its superlative combat services in the Great War. The Second World War too bore the testimony of sustained military glories with the 'Fighting Fifth' fighting their way through Iraq, Iran, Palestine, Italy, Lebanon, Burma, Java, Malaya and Siam. Its Regimental Centre is Shillong, Meghalaya and its Regimental insignia is a pair of crossed Khukris (a Gorkha dagger) with the numeral 5 in-between. Its motto is ‘Shaurya Evam Nistha’ (Courage and Determination) and its war cry is ‘Ayo Gorkhali’ (The Gorkhas Are Here).