CHENNAI: The Madras Regiment, one of the country’s oldest armed units, traces its roots back to 1704. It was known as the Nair Brigade and were the bodyguards of the Maharaja of Travancore. Despite being untrained soldiers, they defeated the Dutch at the battle of Colachel in 1741. Since then, the Madras Regiment has been a force to reckon with and was the go-to Regiment for the British upto 1947.
Even after Independence, the regiment has served our country in conflict zones such as Kargil, Sri Lanka and Congo. Captain (retired) DP Ramachandran traced the evolution of the Madras Regiment from a bodyguards to well trained, elite soldiers at the CP Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation as part of Madras Day celebrations on Tuesday.
The talk titled ‘The Madras Soldier — A Military History 1704-2017’, also featured animated video clips of battles and was presided over by SS Sundaram, HoD history, University of Madras. Captain Ramachandran picked some of the most defining battles which are feathers in the cap of the Madras Regiment. Here are the top five battles, which brought a formidable reputation to the armed forces from Madras before Independence.
The Battle of Wandiwash — January 22, 1760 This was one of the battles that established British supremacy in India. The French unsuccessfully tried to take the Fort at Vandavasi and were run down by Sir Eyre Coote’s men. Coote’s army which had more than 2,000 Indian sepoys captured the French general, Marquis De Bussy and the French were sent back to Pondicherry. Battle for Madurai — 1764 This battle was a game of endurance for the Madras Regiment. They were up against a former commandant of sepoys, Yusuf Khan, who had taken control of Madurai.
The Madras regiment unable to penetrate the fort had to play a waiting game by cutting food supplies to Yusuf, who lasted for almost nine months and was handed over to the British by his own men. Battle of Assaye — September 23, 1803 The two elephants posing with crossed swords insignia of the Madras Regiment is from the Battle of Assaye. Outnumbered by the Marathas three men to one, the Madras Regiment still managed to chase the Marathas from the battlefield.
The regiment was led by Arthur Wellesley, who later went on to become the hero of Waterloo, defeated a 20,000-strong Maratha army with just 6,000 men. Assaye is a classic example of using battle tactics to counter lack of manpower. A bayonet charge followed by a surprise cavalry charge brought the Marathas to their knees. First Opium War (1839 - 1842) The First Opium War which paved the way for British trade in China was won with the help of the Madras Regiment which travelled all the way to China along with the British army.
Heavily outnumbered and taking on a whole county to alter trade policies, the Madras Regiment managed to outsmart the Chinese who relented only to go back on their agreements which launched the Second Opium war. Again, the Madras regiment was called to serve. This time Malaria caused more damage than the opposition. Battle of Monte Cassino — January 17 to May 18, 1944 Queen Victoria’s Own Madras Sappers unit served in this allied offensive in World War two. One of it’s members, Subedar Subramaniyam, won the George Cross for throwing himself on a landmine (which was about to explode) to save his fellow soldiers. He was posthumously awarded the Indian Service Medal for his gallantry.