Indian Army - 8th Punjab Regiment Large Cast White Metal Piper's Badge

A theatre cast large and impressive badge, as worn as a baldrick badge by the bagpipers of the Regiment, with two original loops to the reverse. Circa 6.9cms tall. In the shape of a Chinthe seated facing left on a torse above the regimental number '8' and the scroll below "Punjab Regiment". Worn 1922 - 1956. Scarce.

'Chinthe' is the Burmese word for lion. Stylised chinthe are often depicted in pairs acting as guardians of Buddhist temples and pagodas.

The 8th Punjab Regiment was formed in 1922 from the amalgamation of the 1st Battalion, 89th Punjabis, the 90th Punjabis, the 91st Punjabis, the 92nd (Prince of Wales's Own) Punjabis, the 93rd Burma Infantry and the 2nd Battalion 89th Punjabis. With the Partition of India in 1947 the regiment became part of Pakistan's armed forces.

The regiment's predecessor units such as the 93rd Burma Infantry which formed its 5th Battalion, had fought in Burma and had been based there in the 1890s. This may explain why when it was formed the 8th Punjab Regiment adopted the Burmese Chinthe as its emblem.

NAM. 2013-10-20-34-148 refers.

Comm TeMo

Code: 68117