This article is about the short-lived 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis and will help you to research the Battalion and the soldiers who served with it during the First World War. I’ve written a separate article for the 1st Battalion 22nd Punjabis and a series of guides to help you research soldiers who served in the Indian Army. To view the guides click on the blue links below:
The 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis in the First World War
Lineage: The 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was formed at Makina Masus near Basra on 7 June 1916 to replace the 1st Battalion which was captured when Kut-al-Amara fell in April 1916. The 2nd Battalion was changed to the 22nd Punjabis while serving in Bushire, Persia (Iraq). Another 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was formed at Rawalpindi on 30 January 1918 and disbanded on 15 June 1922. For a history of the Regiment’s lineage see my page on the 1st Battalion 22nd Punjabis.
Class Composition of Battalion in 1919: 1 Company of Sikhs, 2 1/2 Companies Punjabi Muslims, 1/2 a Company of Pathans and 1 Special Company of Hindu Aroras.
The 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was formed at Makina Masus near Basra on 7 June 1916 to replace the 1st Battalion which had been captured by the Turks when Kut-al-Amara fell on 29 April 1916. The Battalion contained the remnants of the 1st Battalion as well as drafts from the 19th Punjabis, 24th Punjabis, 84th Punjabis, 127th Baluchis and Guides Infantry. By the 1 July 1916, the strength of the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was 8 British officers, 6 Indian officers, 706 other ranks and 34 followers.
The Battalion embarked on board the Hired Transport Baroda at Magill on 6 July 1916 for Bushire (in present-day Iran) and arrived on the 8 July. The Battalion remained at Bushire on outpost duty and very little occurred between July 1916 and June 1917. While serving in Bushire the Battalion was redesignated as the 1st Battalion 22nd Punjabis. Unfortunately, the war diary stops in June 1917 so I’m not sure exactly where the Battalion was after this date.
On the 30 January 1918, another 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was formed at Rawalpindi (Punjab, Pakistan). The Battalion’s first commanding officer was Acting Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Clifford appointed from the 1st Battalion 22nd Punjabis on 19 January 1918. Like other war raised Indian infantry battalions its British officers were chiefly from the Indian Army Reserve of Officers (IARO) or were Indian Army officers on probation. The Battalion moved to Hong Kong in late 1919 leaving its Depot at Rawalpindi. The 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis was still serving at Hong Kong in the January 1922 Indian Army List though its Depot was now at Lahore (Punjab, Pakistan). The 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis returned to India in 1922 and was disbanded on 15 June 1922. The extract below was taken from the April 1919 Indian Army List which recorded the British officers serving with the Battalion.
War Diary of the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis
There is only a single war diary for the Battalion which has been digitized by the National Archives. To download this war diary for a small fee click on the blue link below which will take you to the National Archives’ website. I have transcribed some entries at the bottom of the page.
- Date: 01 June 1916 – 30 June 1917
- Bushire Force
- Reference: WO 95/5010/5
- Notes: A very good war diary, though there are many days when nothing happened. There is a good account of the creation of the Battalion and an account of the exchange of prisoners with the Tangistani Khans on the 10th August 1916, in which 20 rifles of the Battalion provided an escort. British and Indian officers mentioned throughout. A handful of Indian rank and file appear with their regimental number numbers and there are a number of court martials which are recorded in the diary.
Further Sources for the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis
For information regarding the British and Indian officers who served with the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis, the Indian Army List should be consulted. A confidential report for the Battalion is held at the British Library: Confidential review reports on Indian Army units, depots, British officers, etc. for 1919-1920: IOR/L/MIL/7/17031. This report also contains the annual reports of the British officers serving with the Battalion.
Extracts from War Diaries of the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis
01 June 1916 – 30 June 1917, Bushire, WO 95/5010/5
07th June 1916 – Drafts to form the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis from the following units were concentrated at Makina Masus (near Basra) in accordance with telegraphic instruction from the Chief of the General Staff Simla to General Officer Commanding Indian Expeditionary Force D, to replace the 22nd Punjabis captured at Kut.
19th Punjabis, 22nd Punjabis, 24th Punjabis, 84th Punjabis, 127th Punjabis, Guides Infantry.
The strength on the 7th June was: British officers 3, Indian officers 3, Indian Other Ranks 512, Followers 24.
Presumably drafts from regiments other than the 22nd Punjabis and its link battalions 19th and 24th Punjabis should not have joined the 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis as the telegram referred to mentioned the three link regiments, the 19th, 22nd and 24th Punjabis only. The men of the 84th Punjabis have been withdrawn and presumably those of the 127th Baluchis and Guides Infantry will be withdrawn in due course.
24th July 1916 – Present strength: British Officers 7, Indian Officers 4, Indian Other Ranks 608, Followers 29, Horses 4. Sickness -prevalent, mostly fever and dysentery cases. Now in hospital: British Officer 1, I.O.Rs 70, Followers 3.
02nd July 1916 – Orders to move to Bushire held in abeyance for a few days. Draft 77 I.O.Ranks and 5 followers arrived from Indian Base Depot.
At a summary court martial held by CO three sepoys were awarded corporal punishment as under [?] for (1) neglecting to obey a Regimental order. (2) Gambling. Sepoy Fakir 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis 12 lashes, Sepoy Akbar Shah 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis 12 lashes, Sepoy Sher Afzal 2nd Battalion 22nd Punjabis 6 lashes.
The charges, finding and sentences were promulgated in parade and the punishment carried out at the detention barracks under the orders of the provost marshal. The Yusafzai Company of the Regiment being paraded to witness the execution of the sentence.
22nd July 1916 – Bushire – No.127 Naik Nand Singh 19th Punjabis died in hospital of Jaundice.
9th December 1916 – Designation of unit changed to 22nd Punjabis.