Chamar Regiment

The Chamar Regiment was an infantry regiment formed by the British during World War II. Raised on 1 March 1943, the regiment was initially assigned to the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade. The regiment was disbanded in 1946.

The Chamar Regiment
चमार रेजिमेंट
Regimental Insignia of the Chamar Regiment
Active1943-1946[1]
Country British India
Branch Indian Army
TypeInfantry
Garrison/HQJabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
Engagements
  • Battle of Kohima
  • Battle of Kamo
  • Battle of Tokyo
  • Battle of Imphal
  • Battle of Mandla
  • Battle of Rangoon
  • Battle of Singapore
  • Battle of Burma
Decorations
Insignia
Regimental InsigniaA Bison,The Traditional Animal of Chamars

History

The Regiment Raised on 1 March 1943, the regiment was initially assigned to the 268th Indian Infantry Brigade, which was part of 43rd Armoured Division in July 1943 and when the division was broken up to form the 44th Armoured Division the Chamar Regiment was included in the new division.[2] During this time the regiment did not take part in any fighting.

World War II

Later, the Chamar Regiment became part of 23rd Indian Infantry Division. In mid-1944, the regiment's 1st Battalion was committed to the Burma Campaign to fight against Imperial Japanese Army in Nagaland.[3] The fighting lasted over three months, during which time the regiment took part in the Battle of Kohima.

The Chamar regiment distinguished itself in the field of battle. It was part of the force that lifted the siege of Imphal and advanced against the Imperial army by liberating Burma along with other units of the army. They also took part in the assault on Kamo, Tokyo, Imphal, Mandla, Burma, Rangoon and cleared the city of Japanese troops. By mid 1945 the Chamar regiment had helped free entire Burma from Japanese occupation. The dropping of the Atomic bombs on Japan, brought about the surrender of Japan. The Indian army accepted the surrender of Japanese troops in SE Asia> Chamar Regiment defeated Japan on LAND and United States of America defeated Japan on SEA and AIR.

Engagements

● Battel of Kohima

● Battel of Kamo

● Battel of Tokyo

● Battle of Imphal

● Battel of Mandla

● Battel of Rangoon

● Battel of Singapore

● Battle of Burma

Shoulder title, Chamar Regiment, 1943–1946, from back
Shoulder title, Chamar Regiment, 1943–1946, from front

Awards and decorations

Battle honour

World War II

Battle of Kohima 1944, 1st chamar[4]

Disbandment

During the 2nd world war, the British Indian Government pitted the Chamar Regiment against the Japanese Imperial Army and Indian National Army, headed by Mutaguchi Renya and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Many Indian Prisoners of War before first March 1943 (formation of Chamar Regiment) joined Netaji; the most prominent member from the Chamar Regiment was Captain Mohan Lal Kureel. However British Indian Army never faced defeat since formation of Chamar Regiment, i.e. 1 March 1943.

In 1946 the regiment denied to fight against subash chandra bose headed Indian national party that led to its disbanding by the British government.[5] However On 15 August 1945, Japan surrendered, with the surrender documents finally signed at Tokyo Bay on the deck of the American battleship USS Missouri on 2 September 1945, ending the war.

Since then, many Dalit and non-Dalit leaders like Chandrasekhar Azad Ravan,[6] RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh,[7] Congress lawmaker Udit Raj,[8] and Rajesh Bagha, the Chairman of Punjab S.C Commission,[9] have suggested that the Chamar Regiment be re-raised.

Notable Chamar Regiment Freedom fighter

Captain Mohan Lal Kureel — The most prominent member from the Chamar Regiment

References
  1. "चमार रेजीमेंट ने क्यों किया था ब्रिटिश आर्मी और अंग्रेजों से विद्रोह...!". 15 January 2019.
  2. 44 Armoured Division. Order of Battle.
  3. "चमार रेजीमेंट ने क्यों किया था ब्रिटिश आर्मी और अंग्रेजों से विद्रोह...!". News18 India. 2019-01-15. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  4. http://www.gautambookcenter.com/images/ww2_kohima.pdf
  5. Roy, Kaushik (2016). "Indian society and the soldier: will the twain ever meet?". In Pant, Harsh V. (ed.). Handbook of Indian Defence Policy: Themes, structures and doctrines. Routledge. p. 67. ISBN 978-1138939608. Retrieved 15 October 2019. The Martial Race theory disdained the low castes as lacking in warrior spirit. During World War II, the British Government of India experimented with raising a chamar8 battalion. The chamars were hereditary low-caste leather workers. Soon, the Indian Interim Government under British government disbanded the chamar regiment, citing cases of indiscipline among its personnel. In 1970, when Babu Jagjivan Ram (himself, a chamar) became the defence minister, he attempted to raise the chamar regiment. However, COAS Sam Manekshaw (later, Field Marshal) resisted this move and was successful in killing this project (Kadian 1990: 39).
  6. दास, अशोक (2017-11-16). "चमार रेजीमेंट को लेकर चंद्रशेखर रावण का बड़ा बयान". दलित दस्तक. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  7. "RJD man Raghuvansh calls for reviving Chamar Regiment - Indian Express". archive.indianexpress.com. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
  8. "5. The Indian National Army", Women Against the Raj, ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute Singapore, 2008-12-31, pp. 44–59, doi:10.1355/9789812308108-009, ISBN 9789812308108
  9. "Reviving the 'Chamar Regiment' – Taking India Backwards? – Hill Post". 24 November 2017. Retrieved 2019-08-30.

the Chamar Regiment became part of [[23rd Infantry Division (India)|23rd Indian Infantry Division]]. In mid-1944, the regiment's 1st Battalion was committed to the [[Burma campaign 1944–45|Burma Campaign]] to fight against [[Imperial Japanese Army]] in [[Nagaland]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hindi.news18.com/news/delhi/story-of-chamar-regiment-army-day-british-army-ina-dlop-1654131.html|title=चमार रेजीमेंट ने क्यों किया था ब्रिटिश आर्मी और अंग्रेजों से विद्रोह...!|date=2019-01- On August 23, 1945, Tokyo Radio reported that Bose was arriving in Saigon on a large bomber plane when his plane crashed near Taihoku (Japanese language: 臺北帝國大學, Taihoku Teikoku Daigaku) airport on August 18. Japanese General Shodei, Pilot and some others were killed on board the plane. Netaji was seriously burnt. He was taken to Taihoku Sainik Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. According to Col. Habibur Rahman, his last rites were performed in Taihoku. In mid-September, their bones were stored and placed in the Rankoji Temple in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. According to a document received from the National Archives of India, Netaji died on August 18, 1945, at 21.00 pm at Sainik Hospital in Taihoku.

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