97 Field Regiment
Active1963 – present
CountryIndia India
AllegianceIndia
Branch Indian Army
Type Artillery
SizeRegiment
Nickname(s)Bunker busters
Motto(s)Sarvatra, Izzat-O-Iqbal (Everywhere with Honour and Glory)
ColorsRed & Navy Blue
Anniversaries1 August – Raising Day
Equipment105 mm Indian field gun
Insignia
Abbreviation97 Fd Regt

97 Field Regiment is part of the Regiment of Artillery of the Indian Army.

Formation and history

The regiment was raised as 97 Composite Regiment on 1 August 1963 at Namkum, Ranchi district. The first commanding officer was Lieutenant Colonel Jagjit Singh and the unit was equipped with 3.7 inch howitzers and 120 mm Brandt mortars.[1] The regiment was subsequently converted to a mountain regiment, a field regiment and a medium regiment. It is presently designated back as a field regiment.

It has used varied equipment including 3.7 inch howitzers, 120 mm mortars, 25-pounders, 75/24 Pack Howitzers, 105/37 mm Indian field guns, 105/37 mm light field guns and the 155/45 mm Soltam guns (which is a 155 mm upgraded version of M-46 Field Gun by Soltam Systems).[1]

Class composition

The regiment is a single class regiment with Ahir troops.[1]

Operations

The regiment has taken part in the following operations –

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

The regiment took part in Operation Ablaze.[1]

Nathu La and Cho La clashes
Nathu La Memorial, with list of killed in action

97 Field Regiment lost six soldiers in the Nathu La clashes in September 1967 with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).[1] Gunner Ram Kewal, Gunner Rangaraj Naidu, Lance Naik Nitya Nand, Gunner Satbir Singh and Gunner Jai Singh were killed on 13 September 1967 and Gunner Jagat Singh on 14 September 1967.[2]

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

97 Mountain Regiment equipped with 75/24 Pack Howitzers saw action during Operation Cactus Lily in the Eastern Sector. It saw action in the North Western sector of the Bangladesh liberation. It was part of the 340 Mountain Brigade Group (of 20 Mountain Division under XXXIII Corps).[3][4] The unit also took part in the Battle of Hilli (or Battle of Bogura).[5][6] During the operations, Gunner (ORA) Dudh Nath was awarded the Sena Medal. Gunner Jag Ram was killed in action.[7]

Internal security duties

The regiment was involved in providing support to the civil authorities during the 1979 riots in Jamshedpur. It was awarded one Shaurya Chakra and one Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card.[1]

Counterterrorism operations

The regiment was involved in counterterrorism operations in Assam as part of Operation Rhino and during Operation Rakshak between 2014-17.[1] Captain Pramod Raghavendra Jalwadi of the unit was killed in Awantipora in October 2006.[8][9]

Other operations

Gallantry awards

The regiment has won the following gallantry awards[1] –

  • Shaurya Chakra – 1 (Captain Subir Kumar Mookerjee)[10]
  • Sena Medal – 3
  • Mentioned in despatches – 1
  • Commendation cards – 4[1][11][12][13]
  • Chief of Army Staff Unit Citation in 2018 for Operation Rakshak during 2014-17.
  • Governor of Arunachal Pradesh Unit Citation in September 2022.[14][15]

See also

List of artillery regiments of Indian Army

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "97 Medium Regiment Golden Jubilee APO postal cover". 2015-09-03. Retrieved 2022-10-19.
  2. ↑ "Amar-Jawan - A database of Indian Armed Forces Martyrs 1947-1997". Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  3. ↑ Wahab, Major General ATM Abdul (2004). Mukti Bahini Wins Victory - Military Oligarchy Divides Pakistan in 1971. Pan Pacific Venture. p. 317. ISBN 978-9847130446.
  4. ↑ "Indian Army deployment in Bangladesh". Retrieved 2022-10-29.
  5. ↑ "Anjan Mukherjee in Evolution of Indian Artillery and its Impact on India's Comprehensive Military Power, chapter II" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-10-29.
  6. ↑ "My Memories of War – Battle of Hilli". 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  7. ↑ "1971 Martyrs" (PDF). Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  8. ↑ "Remembrance Of Heroes 2006". Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  9. ↑ "Martyrs". Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  10. ↑ "Gazette of India, No 21, page 397" (PDF). 1980-05-24. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  11. ↑ "COAS Commendation Card". 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  12. ↑ "COAS Commendation Card". 2017-08-15. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  13. ↑ "COAS Commendation Card". 2020-01-15. Retrieved 2022-10-31.
  14. ↑ "Arunachal Governor presents citations to Indian Army units guarding LAC". 2022-09-27. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
  15. ↑ "Presented Governor's Citation to 97 Field Regiment". 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2022-10-28.
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