J T Gray Posted 30 November , 2006 Share Posted 30 November , 2006 I've just passed a war memorial with someone on it (no pencil, so I couldn't note the name) and their regiment is recorded as "DOGRAS". A forum search suggests that they were part of the Indian Army, but I'm thoroughly bemused, given that they seem to be spoken of in the same breath as Pathans and the like, by them being named as if his regiment. Any ideas? Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 30 November , 2006 Share Posted 30 November , 2006 Indian Army units... 37th Dogras 38th Dogras 41st Dogras etc etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 30 November , 2006 Share Posted 30 November , 2006 See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogra_Regiment and http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-regim...ndian-army-1903 My old Indian Army friend John says they were hard characters who didn't seem to mind harsh conditions. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J T Gray Posted 1 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2006 Thank you both very much - I learn something new every day! Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Most Indian Army regiments (other than the Gurkhas and Garwhalis) were mixed-class, i.e. Sikhs in one company, Punjabi Muslims in another. The Dogra regiments enlisted only Dogras. The 41st served in France, then Middle East, where the 37th were already serving. The 38th supplied re-inforcements to the other two, and also served in Aden if I recall correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 5 December , 2006 Share Posted 5 December , 2006 Dogras are hill men, from the foothills of the Himalaya, and are said to make valuable soldiers. They are a courtly race, and have great powers of endurance, so were very popular with the Raj as soldiers. Althjough unliley to convert, they were good allies to the Mughal emperors, but also served the Sikh nation well when it replaced Islam in the Punjab. Interestingly, they are (according to some sources) prone to despair when things are bad. The Dogra regiments were not formed until the late 19th century, although they served in the Punjab regiments (both infantry and cavalry) beforehand. The 37th Dogras were formed in 1887, the 38th Bengal Infantry became a Dogra unit in 1890; and the 41st were formed in 1900, with a 2nd Battalion in 1917. In 1922 they became the 17th Dogras. The 41st were in France early on, by the end of October. They served in France until the Indian Corps removed to the Middle East in 1915. The 37th went to Mesopotamia in December 1915, where they were joined by the 41st. The 38th ended up in Aden. Lance Naik Lala of the 41st won a VC on 21st January 1916 for rescuing two wounded British officers under fire. The 2/41st took part in the 1920 Afghan War. Like most Hindu races, Dogras observe caste distinctions, but were, apparently, happy to serve in units of mixed castes. Some of the 'lower' castes were even marked upon for allowing widows to re-marry. One of the lesser-known martial races, the Dogra was a good, loyal and dependable servant of the Raj - true to their salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Dogras were at one time sometimes referred to as "hill Rajputs", relating them to the princely/warrior caste They formed the back bone of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and todays J & K Rifles in the Indian Army Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Here is a member of the Dogra Regiment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 Here is a Jammu and Kashmir Rifleman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 6 December , 2006 Share Posted 6 December , 2006 The fringe on the turban is characteristic of the Dogra. The JAK Rifleman does not wear the white gaiters as he is in a Rifle Regiment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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