The 130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles) was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in June 1858 as the 1st Belooch Rifles; re-designated as 1st Regiment Jacob's Rifles in September.[1] It was designated as 130th Jacob's Baluchis in 1903 becoming 5th Battalion (King George's Own) 10th Baluch Regiment (Jacob's Rifles) in 1922. In 1947, it was allotted to Pakistan Army, where it continues to exist as 12th Battalion of The Baloch Regiment.[2]
Early history
In 1858, Major John Jacob raised two local 'silladar' infantry battalions known as Belooch Rifles (re-designated as Jacob's Rifles soon after); the only silladar infantry to have existed in the Indian Army. These battalions soon earned a formidable reputation in and around Jacobabad for keeping the peace on the Sindh frontier as part of the Sind Frontier Field Force. In 1861, the first of these was accorded regular status, becoming the 30th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry or Jacob's Rifles, while the second was disbanded. The regiment fought in the Second Afghan War of 1878–80 and suffered heavy casualties at the Battle of Maiwand. In 1881, it was reconstituted as a Baluch battalion and re-designated as the 30th Regiment (Jacob's) Bombay Native Infantry or 3rd Belooch Regiment. In 1900, it was sent to China to suppress the Boxer Rebellion.[3][4][5]
130th King George's Own Baluchis (Jacob's Rifles)
Subsequent to the reforms brought about in the Indian Army by Lord Kitchener in 1903, all former Bombay Army units had 100 added to their numbers, and the regiment's designation was changed to 130th Jacob's Baluchis. In 1906, the Prince of Wales (later George V) was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment.[4] The regimental full dress uniform in 1914 included a rifle green turban and kurta (knee length tunic) piped in red, worn with red trousers and white gaiters. The red trousers were a distinctive feature of all five Baluch infantry regiments then serving in the Indian Army.[6] During the First World War the regiment served in German East Africa and Palestine. In 1918 it raised a second battalion, which was disbanded in 1920.[4]