5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) | |
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Active | 1858–present |
Country | India |
Branch | Indian Army |
Type | Rifle Regiment |
Role | Infantry |
Size | 6 Battalions |
Regimental Centre | 58 Gorkha Training Centre, Shillong, Meghalaya |
Nickname(s) | Frontier Force |
Motto(s) | शौर्य एवं निष्ठा Shaurya Evam Nistha (Courage and Determination) |
Regimental Colours | Rifle Green and Black |
March | War Cry: Ayo Gorkhali ("The Gorkhas are here") |
Anniversaries | 22 May |
Engagements | The Second Anglo-Afghan War 1878-1880 First World War 1914-1918 Indo-Pakistani war of 1971 |
Decorations | 7 Victoria Cross 64 Military Cross 1 Ashoka Chakra 8 Maha Vir Chakras 5 Kirti Chakras 23 Vir Chakras 9 Shaurya Chakras 1 Yudh Seva Medal 53 Sena Medals 27 Mentioned-in-Despatches |
Battle honours | Post Independence Zoji La Kargil Charwa Sylhet Sehjra Theatre honours Jammu and Kashmir-1947-48 Punjab-1965 East Pakistan-1971 Jammu and Kashmir-1971 Punjab-1971 |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Field Marshal Sir Arthur Arnold Barrett, GCB, GCSI, KCVO, ADC
Lt General Faridoon Noshir Billimoria PVSM, ADC; General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Army Command[1] General Dalbir Singh Suhag, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi, PVSM, MVC, VrC, VSM Lt Gen S. K. Sinha, PVSM (Ex Governor of J&K and Assam) Maj Gen Ian Cardozo, AVSM, SM Lt Gen Richard Khare, PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM Maj Gen S. K. Khajuria, AVSM, VSM |
Insignia | |
Regimental Insignia | A pair of Black crossed Khukris with the floriated numeral 5 in between |
Tartan | Government (pipes and drums) |
Abbreviations | 5 GR(FF) |
5th Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force), also abbreviated as 5 GR(FF) is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army comprising Gurkha soldiers of Nepalese origin. It was formed in 1858 as part of the British Indian Army. The regiment's battalions served in the First World War (Mesopotamia) and Second World War (Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran, Mediterranean, Italian campaign, and in Burma).
The regiment was known as the 5th Royal Gurkha Rifles (Frontier Force) when it was one of the Gurkha regiments that was transferred to the Indian Army following the independence of Indian and Pakistan in 1947 and given its current name in 1950.
Since 1947, the regiment has served in a number of conflicts, including the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It has also participated in peacekeeping operations in Sri Lanka.