106th Hazara Pioneers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 106th Hazara Pioneersهزاره پائیز |
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British and Native officers of the 106th Hazara Pioneers, 1913 Photograph, India, Baluchistan,
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| Active | 1904–1933 |
| Country | British India |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Indian Infantry |
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| Infantry Insignia |  106th Hazara Pioneers A crown sitting on the top a King Crown, which is resting upon a wreath with the Regimental name written upon a garter belt |
The 106th Hazara Pioneers was a special group of soldiers in the British Indian Army. They were known as "pioneers" because they built things like roads and bridges, and also fought as infantry (foot soldiers).
This regiment was created in 1904 in a city called Quetta. Its soldiers were mainly from the Hazara people, a group from Afghanistan. The 106th Hazara Pioneers served for many years until they were officially closed down in 1933.
Contents
How the Hazara Pioneers Started
The British first met the Hazaras before a big war called the First Afghan War (around 1839–1840). Some Hazaras even worked with British soldiers back then.
Many Hazaras had moved to India to find work, especially in tough jobs like quarrying (digging for stone). Around 1903–1904, many Hazaras came to India as refugees. They were escaping difficult times in their homeland.
In 1904, Lord Kitchener was the top army leader in India. He asked Major C. W. Jacob to create a new group of Hazara soldiers. Before this, only a few Hazaras were in other Indian Army units.
The 106th Hazara Pioneers was officially formed in Quetta in 1904. It started with soldiers from two other groups, the 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan Infantry and the 126th Baluchistan Infantry. The new group had eight companies, all made up of Hazara soldiers. Their main base was in Quetta.
The Regiment's Story
In 1918, all the Hazara soldiers from the 124th Duchess of Connaught's Own Baluchistan and the 126th Baluchistan Infantry joined the 106th Hazara Pioneers. This group then went to fight in the Mesopotamian campaign (a war in what is now Iraq). After this, the 106th Hazara Pioneers was the only unit in the Indian Army that recruited Hazara people.
The regiment's name changed a couple of times after World War I (1914–1918). In 1922, they became the 1st Battalion 4th Pioneers. Then, in 1929, they were called "The Hazara Pioneers."
However, in 1933, there was a money problem. Because of this, all "Pioneer" regiments in the Indian Army, including the Hazara Pioneers, were closed down.
After World War I, it became harder to find new Hazara soldiers from their homeland. More recruits had to come from Hazara communities living near Mashhad (in Iran). These soldiers were not always as strong as those from the Afghan highlands.
Also, the Afghan government asked India to stop recruiting their citizens (the Hazaras) into the Indian Army. This made it even harder to find new soldiers.
Field Marshal Sir Claud Jacob was a very important leader for the regiment. He was their "colonel" from 1916 until they were disbanded in 1933.
Serving in Different Wars
In 1915, one company (a group of soldiers) from the Hazara Pioneers fought bravely in France. They were with another unit called the 107th Pioneers.
During 1915–1916, the whole regiment worked in different areas. They were part of the Kalat Column and served in Sistan under General Dyer. In 1917, they helped on the Mohmand Blockade Line. They also sent one company to join the 128th Pioneers in Mesopotamia.
In 1918, the whole regiment went to Mesopotamia. They worked with the 18th Indian Division near Baghdad. Later, they joined the 2nd Corps. They helped build a railway through the Jabal Hamrin mountains.
In 1919, they worked hard on the Shergat-Mosul railway lines. They also took part in the Kurdistan campaign. In 1920, they continued working on the Shergat-Mosul lines. They finished their work in 1921 by building a new road along the Tigris River. They returned to Quetta in August 1921.
During these operations, many Hazara soldiers showed great courage. They received special awards like the Indian Order of Merit, the Indian Distinguished Service Medal, and the Indian Meritorious Service Medal.
In the Waziristan campaign (1919–1920) (1923–1924), the Hazara Pioneers helped build roads through tough areas like the Baravi Tangi and the Shahur Tangi. After that, they helped build railways and roads in Zhob.
Changes in Recruitment
In 1917, it became hard to find enough Hazara soldiers from Afghanistan. So, they tried recruiting soldiers called Baltis for a short time. A group from the 106th Hazara Pioneers visited Baltistan in late 1917. About 100 Balti recruits joined in 1917–1918. They were brought to Quetta for training. But the war ended before they could join the regiment overseas. After the war, most of these Baltis went back home.
In 1922, the 106th Hazara Pioneers became the 1st Battalion 4th Hazara Pioneers. This was part of a new system in the British Indian Army. Under this system, larger regiments with multiple battalions replaced smaller, single-battalion groups. The 4th Hazara Pioneers was one of four main Pioneer units in this new setup.
See also
