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Showing posts with the label War

NO. 10 SQUADRON

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NO. 10 SQUADRON The last Indian Air Force Squadron to be raised during the Second World War was No.10, the 'Winged Daggers'. The Squadron was formed on February 20, 1944 at Lahore and was equipped with the Hawker Hurricane IIc fighter. The unit was not a pure IAF one, but more a 'commonwealth' formation with a fair bit of British pilots as well as Australian and New Zealanders thrown in. The Winged Dagger emblem of No.10 Squadron was officially approved by the President of India in December 1955. The emblem was in use unofficially since the late 1940s, as can be seen on the photograph on the right. The specially fashioned Dagger, which received formal approval on May 26, 1983, symbolises the lethality of their splendid weapon. The Squadron’s motto is ‘Yudhyay Krutnischay’ meaning ‘Into War with Determination'. The combination of cross guard and Quillon is designed to include the squadron number (in Roman character) along with its operational intent of m

THE JAMMU & KASHMIR RIFLES

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THE JAMMU & KASHMIR RIFLES The Jammu & Kashmir Rifles has a unique regimental history. It was not raised by the British but by an intrepid Indian ruler called Gulab Singh in 1821. Gulab Singh was one of the ablest Generals of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and later became the ruler of the Jammu & Kashmir state. He and his legendary General Zorawar Singh led many spectacular campaigns to add Ladakh, Baltistan, Hunza and Skardu to the State territories. Zorawar Singh mounted a breath-taking invasion of Tibet in 1841. The state forces fought as Imperial Service troops in both World Wars under their own native officers. They distinguished themselves in East Africa, Palestine and Burma. However, the regiment's grimmest hour came during the Pakistani invasion of Kashmir in 1947. It was their heroic stand that gained time for the entry of the Indian Army and thus saved the Kashmir Valley. It may not be out of place to mention that the Indian people largely owe the

THE MADRAS REGIMENT

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THE MADRAS REGIMENT ‘In the path of duty and self-sacrifice, giving their lives that we might live in freedom’. The Madras Regiment was initially formed as the Madras European Regiment in the 1660s by the East India Company as the second company established in India. However, it was formed as a battalion in 1748 under the command of Major Stringer Lawrence. Many well-known British officers have commanded this regiment; Robert Clive is one among them. This regiment has fought the Carnatic wars, which were fought in South India. The elephant crest symbolizes its gallantry in the Battle of Assaye under Arthur Wellesley, later Duke of Wellington. After independence, the infantry battalions of the Travancore ‘Nair Pattalam’, Cochin and Mysore State forces were amalgamated into the Madras Regiment. Currently the regiment has a strength of 20 battalions. The Regimental Centre is at Wellington, Tamilnadu. Its Regimental insignia is an Assaye Elephant  posed upon a shield