71st Coorg Rifles

71st Coorg Rifles
Active 1767 – 1904
Country Indian Empire
Branch Army
Type Infantry
Part of Madras Army (1757 – 1895)
Madras Command (1895 – 1908)
Uniform Red; faced, 1853 dark green, 1882 green, 1891 emerald green
1903 green; faced scarlet
Engagements Third Anglo-Mysore War

The 71st Coorg Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army. Until 1901 it was designated as the 11th Madras Infantry. In 1902 the regiment was reorganised and the basis of recruitment changed from Tamil and Telagu[1] to Coorg soldiers. The Coorgs had not previously been recruited into the Indian Army and this conversion was seen as a test of both their availability and suitability for military service. The regiment could trace their origins to 1767, when they were raised as the 15th Battalion Coast Sepoys. The regiment served in the Third Anglo-Mysore War but saw no more active service during the nineteenth century.

The restructured regiment was renamed the 71st Coorg Rifles in 1903, and given dark green uniforms with scarlet facings. Red fezs, which were an unusual item of uniform in the Indian Army, are reported to have been worn by the sepoys. Subsequently described as "an-out-of-the-run unit"[2] and "an experiment that failed", they were disbanded in 1904 because of insufficient recruits.[3] The mess funds and silver were bequeathed to the newly raised 2/9th Gurkha Rifles.[4]

In 1942 Coorgs were again recruited into the newly raised 1st Coorg Battalion. Like the 71st Coorg Rifles, the new battalion had a badge incorporating crossed Coorg knives. In 1946 it was converted to the 37 (Coorg) Anti-Tank Regiment Unit of the Royal Indian Artillery. Now it is a part of the Indian Regiment of Artillery.

Predecessor names

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mason, Philip. A Matter of Honour. p. 346. ISBN 0-333-41837-9.
  2. ↑ W.Y. Carman, page 226 "Indian Army Uniforms - Infantry"
  3. ↑ John Gaylor, page 9 "Sons of John Company", ISBN 0-946771-98-7
  4. ↑ W.Y. Carman, page 226 "Indian Army Uniforms - Infantry"

Bibliography


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