Army raises new batallion of Brigade of the Guards

NEW DELHI: Indian Army today raised a new battalion of its elite Brigade of the Guards regiment, at Bhusawal in Gujarat.

On this occasion, Lt Gen Ashok Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Command and "The Colonel" of the Brigade, exhorted the soldiers of the newly-raised Battalion to put in their whole hearted efforts to live up to the glorious traditions of the elite regiment, an official release said.

The foundation of the unit was laid by Col S P S Chouhan, the first Commanding Officer, it added.

The function was witnessed by a number of dignitaries including Brig D V Singh, Commandant the Guards Regimental Centre under whom the raising is taking place and Commanding Officers of five Guards Battalion from all over the country, the release said.

Brigade of the Guards was conceived on the lines of the British Cold Stream Guards by late Field Marshal K M Cariappa.

Post-independence, this was the first regiment to be raised by selecting the four oldest battalions of the Indian Army.