15th (Punjab) Anti-Tank Regiment, I.A.

The 15th (Punjab) Anti-Tank Regiment, I.A. was raised on 1st August 1942, by the conversion of the Machine Gun Battalion, 15th Punjab Regiment.  It was listed as forming by 1st September 1942.  It remained in the G.H.Q. India General Reserve, listed as forming through May 1943, until 19th July 1943 when it is listed as Corp Troops, IV Corps. [1]

(Note: the war diary for the period 1943-1944 covers only September 1943.) 

In September 1943, the Regiment moved from Babina, near Jhansi, leaving on 20th September and travelling by road and rail to the Piska Road site, near Ranchi.  Upon arrival on 27th September 1943, the Regiment came under the command of 151 Lines of Communication Sub Area for administration.  At this time, the Regiment was organised as a four battery regiment, composed of the 28th, 29th, 30th and 31st Batteries.  The class composition (ethnicity) making up the batteries was:[2]

28th Anti-Tank Battery (Sikh and Jat)
29th Anti-Tank Battery (Punjabi Mussalman)
30th Anti-Tank Battery (Sikh and Jat)
31st Anti-Tank Battery (Punjabi Mussalman).

The Regiment remains listed as Corps Troops, IV Corps until October 1944 when it then appears as Corps Troops, XXXIII Corp.[3]

According to at least one secondary source (Hughes et al, Vol 10), the Regiment converted to become an A.A./Atk Regiment sometime between 1943 and 1944.  However, no primary source evidence has been found to confirm this.  It appears that the Regiment was allocated as corps troops for the latter half of its existence and as such, not being a divisional unit, would (most likely) not have been selected for conversion.

By November 1944, the Regiment is listed as disbanding and under the command of 101 Lines of Communication Area, and was probably located at Ranchi at this time.[4]  It was disbanded on 7th November 1944.[5]

The commanding Officer in 1943 was Lt. Colonel D.E. Murray.[6]

25 July 2019