The Fifth Gorkha Rifles The Regiment was raised under the authority of the Punjab Govt published

in Punjab Order No 413 dated 22MAY1858. In the Punjab Irregular Frontier Forces all the Gorkhas serving withn it as Indian (Viceroy) Commissioned Officer, Sepoys and bugl;ers were combined to form the Forces own Hazara Goorkha Regmient whch was raised in Abbotabad on 22MAY1858 & pronounced fit for active service by the end of that year. The official title of the Battalion was 25th Regiment of Punjab Infantry. Out of a total of 846 Gorkhas were only 364. The rest were recruited from Kumaon & Garhwal. The battalion was considered fit for action as of December 1858. 1861 The Regioment received its new designation as the 5th Goorkha Regiment & also as the Hazara Goorkha Regimentit got its new cap badge of crossed khukri with tips pointing upwards & the numeral 5 at the crossing. Source Maj Gen Ian Cardozos An Illustrated Histroy of First FIve Gorkha Rifles (FF) INDIAs FIRST ASHOK CHAKRA CLASS 1 AWARDEE Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa, 5/5 Gorkha Rifles. 1948. On 15th September 1948, No 2 platoon of A Company, 5th Battalion the 5th Gorkha Rifles was held up on left flank of the Tungabhadra Railway Bridge in Hyderabad by automatic fire from two enemy positions. No sooner the hostile positions were engaged by fire by his section, Naik Bahadur Thapa dashed across 100 yards of open ground under intense enemy fire. He silenced the machine gun post crew with his khukri. In doing so Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa acted with great courage, in complete disregard for his personal safety. By his gallant action, his platoon was able to advance and secure the vital Tungabhadra bridge. In Recognition of his iniative, persoanl bravery, superior leadership and outsatanding devotion to duty in the highest tradition of the Battalion, Naik Nar Bahadur Thapa was awarded INDIAs FIRST ASHOK CHAKRA CLASS Pg 38, The Gorkha 2000 2nd battalion 5GR raised on 02OCT1886 Abottabad 3rs bn raised on 28NOV1916 Ferozepur 4th Bn raised 15MAR1941 disbanded 1946. Re raised 01JAN1963 Dehradun 5th bn raised 15AUG1947. This was formed from the 3rd Bn 6GR 6th Bn raised 1948 from men of 6GR who opted to serve with the Indian Army