1 Para (Commando)

Defence India

October 17, 1986

A commemorative postage stamp on the 225^th Anniversary of the 8^th Battalion of Coast Sepoys (now 1^st Battalion of Parachute Regiment Commando) :

Issued by India

Issued on Oct 17, 1986

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multi colour

Denomination : 300 Paise

Printed at : India Security Press

About :

The First Battalion the Parachute Regiment, the eldest Battalion of our Army, was raised as 8^th Battalion of Coast Sepoys by Capt. Cooke in Trichinopoly in 1761. From these early roots, it rose to give a glorious account of itself, straddling three centuries of Indian Military history and emerging through incessant campaigning as an epitome of valour, loyalty and military tradition.
After continuous active service in India, it was one of the first units to leave its shores and saw action in Trincomalee, Ceylon in 1795. In a span of 140 years, it was thrice called out to fight in Burma and also served in Penang, Malacca and Singapore. By 1902, 7 Madras Infantry, as it then came to be known, established itself as one of the finest fighting outfits in the country.
In 1903, 7 Madras Infantry was reorganised as the 67^th Punjabis. After the outbreak of World War I, the Battalion found itself in the valley of Tigris in Mesopotamia in 1915. It gave a spirited account of itself in the siege of Kut Al Amara and fought fierce battles with the Turks earning 98 decorations and the battle honour of ‘Kut Al Amara‘ and the theatre honour of ‘Mesopotamia 1915-1918‘ and returned to India in 1920.
The Battalion was re-designated as ½nd PUNJAB in 1922 and after a long but deserved respite it went on to spend another three years (1936-39) in Malaya. The Battalion’s participation in World War II was a saga of memorable battles and sacrifices through a bloody pageant of historic names in Indian Military history. The indomitable spirit of the Battalion showed best during the battle for the Idice Bridgehead in Italy.
At the onset of partition in 1947, the Muslim companies of the Battalion went to Pakistan and the Sikh and Dogra companies from 1^st Frontier Force Rifles replaced them. The Battalion was flown to Srinagar and onwards to Baramula in October 1947 for the operations in Jammu and Kashmir. It saw action in Jhangar, Naushera, Gurund Galli, Pir Badesar and earned its first post Independence battle honour “Punch” for its role in the recapture of that town.