Unit Name: | 8 Field Regiment |
Dates: | 1941 – present |
Country: | India |
Allegiance: | India |
Branch: | Indian Army |
Type: | Artillery |
Size: | Regiment |
Identification Symbol: | 8 Fd Regt |
Identification Symbol Label: | Abbreviation |
Motto: | SARVATRA, IZZAT-O-IQBAL “Everywhere With Honour and Glory”. |
Colors: | "Red & Navy Blue" |
Decorations: | Order of British India 1[1] Shaurya Chakra 2 Sena Medal 3 Mention in Despatches 17 COAS Commendation Card 5 VCOAS Commendation Card 1 GOC-in-C Commendation Card 14>.[2] |
8 Field Regiment is an artillery regiment which is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.
The regiment was raised on November 1, 1941 at Secunderabad as 3rd Anti Tank Regiment by Lt Col J.H.H. Willans, RA. The class composition was Ahirs and Punjabi Muslims.
In 1942, during World War II, the regiment was deployed in Colombo as part of the 34 Infantry Division in Ceylon Garrison.In 1945, the Regiment returned to India and was reorganised as the 8 Field Regiment with pure class composition of Ahirs.[3] The batteries composed of Punjabi Muslims moved to Pakistan.Lt Col KS Sandhu was the first Indian Commanding Officer. During the victory parade held in London in 1946, the Regiment was represented by its first Ahir Subedar Major Shib Sahai, Sardar Bahadur, OBI and three Other ranks.
Some of the major operations undertaken by the Regiment include: