40 Field Regiment (India)

40 Field Regiment (Asal Uttar), nicknamed the 'Roaring Forty' is an artillery regiment which is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

40 Field Regiment (Asal Uttar)
Active1943 – present
Country India
BranchRegiment of Artillery (India)
TypeArtillery
RoleField Regiment
Nickname(s)Roaring Forty
Motto(s)SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL “Everywhere With Honour and Glory”.
Colors"Red & Navy Blue"
Equipment105 mm Indian Field Gun
Battle honoursAsal Uttar
Insignia
Abbreviation40 Fd Regt (Asal Uttar)

Formation

The Regiment, India's oldest Medium Regiment was raised at Risalpur (presently in Pakistan) as 8 Indian Field Regiment on the 1st of February, 1943 with the troop nucleus being of South Indian classes.[1][2] The Regiment was then equipped with 25 Pounder guns.

History

The Regiment was later re-designated as 40 Medium Regiment and was re-equipped with 5.5" guns.[3] The Regiment was awarded with the prestigious "Asal Uttar" Battle Honour for its exemplary display in the Battle of Asal Uttar in the 1965 Indo-Pak War.[4][5] The Regiment acquired the status of Medium SP (self propelled) unit and was equipped with 130 mm Guns mounted on Vijayant chassis. The regiment has subsequently converted to a field artillery regiment and equipped with 105 mm Indian Field Gun.

The Regiment also had the honour of carrying Mahatma Gandhi's ashes for immersion in the Damodar River in Ramgarh on one of its guns in 1948.

Operations

Some of the major operations undertaken by the Regiment include:

Hyderabad Police Action (1948)
2nd Medium battery moved to Hyderabad in May 1948 in support of Smash Force / 1 Armoured Division to quell an armed insurrection aimed against the formal union of this princely state with the Union of India.[6] Two guns recovered during the action, are exhibited at the unit's Quarter Guard.
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948
1 Medium Battery participated in the J & K Operations to counter the armed incursion into the State. The 5.5" guns were dismantled and air-lifted in Dakotas to Kashmir. Exemplary courage and gallantry was displayed by Capt. Dara Dinshaw Mistri in the Naushera Sector on 15th December 1948. He was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) for display of bravery and gallant action.[7][8] (This was the first MVC in the Regiment of Artillery).

The official citation reads:

Captain DARA DINSHAW MISTRI (IC-1857), 1st Medium Battery—40 Medium Regiment Artillery. (Posthumous)

On 15 Dec 48, at Chhawa Ridge ia the Naushera Sector, Capt. D. D. MISTRI was the Observation Officer of the forwardmost picquet, when the hostiles relentlessly shelled his position using every type of artillery from 3.7 howitzer to 5.5" mortar guns.

In spite of this murderous fire, Capt. MISTRI stuck to his post, and it was due to his fearless conduct that the hostile guns were pinpointed in that sector. He was also able to confirm the presence of enemy Sherman Tanks in the Sandoa village area and remained at his post when these tanks engaged his picquet for more than two hours.

He would not listen to the entreaties of the platoon commander to seek safety but continued to observe and pass back the information to the guns.

On one occasion more than a dozen shells straddled his O.P. but still undaunted he remained there till a 75 m.m. shell hit his position killing him instantaneously.

By day and by night this gallant officer continued to be the watch dog; of the picquet. His personal courage, unparalleled gallantry and devotion to duty with utter disregard for personal safety was a source of inspiration to all ranks on the picquet and worthy of the highest praise.

— Gazette Notification: 5 Pres/43, 439-40.21-06-1950.[9]
Indo-Pak War (1965)
In September 1965, the Regiment was located in Meerut, when it received the mobilisation orders. The Regiment was part of Operation Riddle in the Khemkaran-Kasur Sector in which Pakistan's 1 Armoured Division advanced towards East of the Icchogil Canal. The Regiment with its 5.5" guns fired over 13,000 rounds at Kasur town, which halted the Pakistani advance for a day.[10] The regiment lost two officers (2nd Lt IK Gupta and 2nd Lt. LS Modi) in this operation.[11][12]
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Regiment's batteries were located at 3 different places when it received its mobilisation orders. One Battery (403 Medium Battery) stuck to their guns in Sikkim which could not be diverted to participate in the Operations. Without the 403 Medium Battery, 28 Medium Battery headed towards Dacca from Agartala RHQ and 29 Medium Battery entered the then East Pakistan (present day Bangladesh) from Bhajanpur.[13][14][15] The Regiment was the first Artillery Regiment to reach Dacca.
1973 Provincial Armed Constabulary revolt
On 22nd May 1973, the Regiment was deployed for internal security duties at Varanasi to aid the civil authorities to quell the armed insurrection by the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) at Ramnagar and Chunar. One officer (Major N. N. Jally) and 10 other ranks were killed, but the rebellion was successfully quelled. Four Sena Medals were awarded to the Regiment. 500 PAC personnel surrendered to the Commanding Officer during the operation.
Others
The Regiment has participated in counter insurgency operations in Punjab, in the Operation Parakram (2002), in the Siachen conflict in 2006 and Operation Rhino (Assam).

Equipment

The regiment has had the following guns in chronological order -

References
  1. Palit, DK (1971). History of the Regiment of Artillery – India. Palit & Dutt Publishers, Dehradun. p. 53. ISBN 978-0850521184.
  2. "The Cholas Some Enduring Issues of Statecraft, Military Matters and International Relations, P.K. Gautam, page 55". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  3. Adams, EG Phythian (1948). The Madras Soldier 1746-1946. The Superintendent Government Of Madras. p. 193.
  4. Lehl, LS (1997). Missed Opportunities : Indo-Pak War 1965. Natraj Publishers, New Delhi. p. 63–71. ISBN 978-8181585004.
  5. Singh, Jagjit (2006). Artillery: The Battle-Winning Arm. Lancer Publishers, New Delhi. ISBN 978-8176021807.
  6. "Operation Polo: The Liberation Of Hyderabad at Bharat Rakshak Volume 2-3, November-December 1999". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  7. "DD Mistri MVC at gallantryawards.gov.in". Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  8. "DD Mistri MVC at indianarmy.nic.in". Retrieved 2020-08-16.
  9. "Extraordinary Gazette dated 21-06-1950" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-09-11.
  10. "The Tribune Article on 06-09-2015". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  11. "Indo-Pak War (1965)". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  12. "2nd Lt IK Gupta in Times of India article 'His heroic move kept enemy on toes' dated 09-09-2015". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  13. "28 Medium Battery in Dacca". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  14. "No bed of roses in 'Salute' dated 07-06-2018". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  15. "Battle of Pachagarh in IDR 16 Nov, 2018". Retrieved 2020-09-06.
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