Ganga
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The 9th battalion of the Madras Regiment (Travancore) has completed 300 years in the service of the motherland. The battalion was raised in 1704 at Padmanabhapuram in Kalkulam taluk of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu. Padmanabhapuram was the erstwhile capital of Travancore State. Raised as personal bodyguards to the Maharaja of Travancore, the unit, though redesigned through the ages, continues to retain its individual identity with no history of disbandment or reraising.
The Travancore Army completely exterminated the superior and better equipped Dutch Forces which landed at Colachal in July 1741 during the reign of Anizham Thirunal Veer Bala Marthand Varma. In the battle of Colachal, Capt Eustace De Lanoy, the Dutch Naval Forces Commander, was captured who was asked later to train the Travancore Army. From 1741 to 1758, Capt De Lanoy remained in command of the Travancore Forces and was involved in annexation of small principalities.
In 1935, the Travancore State joined the Indian State Forces Scheme and the battalion was named 1st Travancore Nayar Infantry, Travancore State Forces. The unit was reorganised as an Indian State Infantry Battalion by Lt Col HS Steward who was appointed Commandant of the Travancore State Forces. In 1940, the battalion left for Padmanabhapuram and arrived at Military Station, Cannanore.
The battalion served overseas in 1940s. In 1945, Maj Gen Parameshwaran Pillai was appointed GOC, Travancore State Forces. In the same year, the unit was asked to move to South East Asian Command. Embarked on At Taima, the unit sailed to Hong Kong. Disembarked at Kowloon Harbour, it was placed under the command of 150 Independent Infantry Brigade. While at Kowloon, the unit was assigned the task of guarding Japanese prisoners of war, airfields and docks. It also looked after the repatriation of PoWs to Japan. The unit left Hong Kong, disembarked at Madras and arrived at Trivandrum on January 31, 1947.
In April, 1951 the battalion was integrated with Indian Army and on May 1, 1954, it was merged with the Madras Regiment and was redesignated 9th Battalion of the Madras Regiment (Travancore). After the integration of Travancore State Force with the Indian Army, the State Forces Colours were ceremonially laid up at Chetwode Hall, Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun in 1956.
The then President, Mr VV Giri, presented new Colours to the battalion on May 23, 1970 at Barrack square, Wellington at a solemn ceremony. Over the years, everybody was impressed with the valiant deeds of the battalion. In fond recognition of their bravery, people started calling them terrors.
Post Independence, the battalion served from Siachen to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and from Nagaland to Rajasthan. Some of the operational achievements are highlighted below:
• The battalion actively participated in the Hyderabad Police Action during 1948 and was instrumental in restoring peace and tranquility in the riot-torn region.
• For the first time, the unit was deployed in high altitude area in Sugar Sector in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and occupied forward posts in inhospitable terrain during 1962 war.
• During Indo-Pak war in 1965, the battalion located at Ferozpur under 65 Infantry Brigade fought the famous Battle of Barki and played a leading role in the capture of Barka-Kalan and Ichogil Bund. In this heroic action, twentyseven personnel made supreme sacrifice. The battalion was honoured with one Vir Chakra, two Sena Medals, twelve mention-in-despatches and the theatre honour Punjab.
• In Nagaland, the battalion conducted operations against Naga hostiles. The unit performed extremely well and was awarded one Sena Medal and two COAS commendation cards.
• The 9th battalion took part in operation Cactus Lily during 1971 war. The battalion, deployed under 330 Infantry Brigade at Barmer, captured Mahendro Ro Par and Fateh Ro Par on Gadra City-Umraokot axis. It remained deployed at Naya Chor till the announcement of ceasefire on December 17, 1971. During this operation, it suffered ten casualties. In another operation, during 1971 war, Capt Gopa Kumar Raman Pillai was awarded Vir Chakra.
• The battalion served in Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1990 to 1994 where it had the opportunity to undertake anti-poaching operations in conjunction with Navy and the Air Force. The unit was awarded one Vishisht Seva Medal and four GOC-in-C Southern Command commendation cards during these operations.
• During operation Rakshak, the battalion conducted counter-insurgency operations in Bhadarwah and Rajouri Sectors. It neutralised more than 35 militants and captured a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives including SAM missiles, UMGs and a sniper rifle. Maj Sajjan Singh Gahalawat and three ORs made supreme sacrifice during these operations. The unit was awarded two Shaurya Chakra, three Sena Medals, two COAS commendation cards and two GOC-in-C commendation cards.
• While participating in operation Meghdoot, the unit served at the world’s highest battlefield. It occupied Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen. During this operation, the battalion suffered two casualties due to adverse weather conditions.
. During operation Parakram, the unit was operationally deployed at Turtuk, Baramulla, Handanbrog, Dras and Kargil.
http://mod.nic.in/samachar/april15-04/image_n/p-5bn%20copy.GIF
Dutch forces surrendering to the nair brigade
The Travancore Army completely exterminated the superior and better equipped Dutch Forces which landed at Colachal in July 1741 during the reign of Anizham Thirunal Veer Bala Marthand Varma. In the battle of Colachal, Capt Eustace De Lanoy, the Dutch Naval Forces Commander, was captured who was asked later to train the Travancore Army. From 1741 to 1758, Capt De Lanoy remained in command of the Travancore Forces and was involved in annexation of small principalities.
In 1935, the Travancore State joined the Indian State Forces Scheme and the battalion was named 1st Travancore Nayar Infantry, Travancore State Forces. The unit was reorganised as an Indian State Infantry Battalion by Lt Col HS Steward who was appointed Commandant of the Travancore State Forces. In 1940, the battalion left for Padmanabhapuram and arrived at Military Station, Cannanore.
The battalion served overseas in 1940s. In 1945, Maj Gen Parameshwaran Pillai was appointed GOC, Travancore State Forces. In the same year, the unit was asked to move to South East Asian Command. Embarked on At Taima, the unit sailed to Hong Kong. Disembarked at Kowloon Harbour, it was placed under the command of 150 Independent Infantry Brigade. While at Kowloon, the unit was assigned the task of guarding Japanese prisoners of war, airfields and docks. It also looked after the repatriation of PoWs to Japan. The unit left Hong Kong, disembarked at Madras and arrived at Trivandrum on January 31, 1947.
In April, 1951 the battalion was integrated with Indian Army and on May 1, 1954, it was merged with the Madras Regiment and was redesignated 9th Battalion of the Madras Regiment (Travancore). After the integration of Travancore State Force with the Indian Army, the State Forces Colours were ceremonially laid up at Chetwode Hall, Indian Military Academy, Dehra Dun in 1956.
The then President, Mr VV Giri, presented new Colours to the battalion on May 23, 1970 at Barrack square, Wellington at a solemn ceremony. Over the years, everybody was impressed with the valiant deeds of the battalion. In fond recognition of their bravery, people started calling them terrors.
Post Independence, the battalion served from Siachen to Andaman and Nicobar Islands and from Nagaland to Rajasthan. Some of the operational achievements are highlighted below:
• The battalion actively participated in the Hyderabad Police Action during 1948 and was instrumental in restoring peace and tranquility in the riot-torn region.
• For the first time, the unit was deployed in high altitude area in Sugar Sector in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh and occupied forward posts in inhospitable terrain during 1962 war.
• During Indo-Pak war in 1965, the battalion located at Ferozpur under 65 Infantry Brigade fought the famous Battle of Barki and played a leading role in the capture of Barka-Kalan and Ichogil Bund. In this heroic action, twentyseven personnel made supreme sacrifice. The battalion was honoured with one Vir Chakra, two Sena Medals, twelve mention-in-despatches and the theatre honour Punjab.
• In Nagaland, the battalion conducted operations against Naga hostiles. The unit performed extremely well and was awarded one Sena Medal and two COAS commendation cards.
• The 9th battalion took part in operation Cactus Lily during 1971 war. The battalion, deployed under 330 Infantry Brigade at Barmer, captured Mahendro Ro Par and Fateh Ro Par on Gadra City-Umraokot axis. It remained deployed at Naya Chor till the announcement of ceasefire on December 17, 1971. During this operation, it suffered ten casualties. In another operation, during 1971 war, Capt Gopa Kumar Raman Pillai was awarded Vir Chakra.
• The battalion served in Andaman and Nicobar Islands from 1990 to 1994 where it had the opportunity to undertake anti-poaching operations in conjunction with Navy and the Air Force. The unit was awarded one Vishisht Seva Medal and four GOC-in-C Southern Command commendation cards during these operations.
• During operation Rakshak, the battalion conducted counter-insurgency operations in Bhadarwah and Rajouri Sectors. It neutralised more than 35 militants and captured a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives including SAM missiles, UMGs and a sniper rifle. Maj Sajjan Singh Gahalawat and three ORs made supreme sacrifice during these operations. The unit was awarded two Shaurya Chakra, three Sena Medals, two COAS commendation cards and two GOC-in-C commendation cards.
• While participating in operation Meghdoot, the unit served at the world’s highest battlefield. It occupied Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL) in Siachen. During this operation, the battalion suffered two casualties due to adverse weather conditions.
. During operation Parakram, the unit was operationally deployed at Turtuk, Baramulla, Handanbrog, Dras and Kargil.
http://mod.nic.in/samachar/april15-04/image_n/p-5bn%20copy.GIF
Dutch forces surrendering to the nair brigade
