Helmet badge, 6th Regiment of Infantry Punjab Frontier Force, 1865-1903

Silver plate badge in the form of a Maltese Cross with the regimental number, in Roman numerals, 'VI', on an enamelled blue ground, within a circlet inscribed with the unit title, 'Punjab Infantry'. The arms of the cross are patterned, have spherical terminals and are supported by four lions.

The Punjab Irregular Force was raised in 1851 as local irregulars for frontier defence and remained under the direct control of the local British Punjab administration, independent of the Presidency Armies. On 19 September 1865 it was reorganised and retitled as the Punjab Frontier Force (PFF), commonly nicknamed as 'The Piffers'.

As part of this reorganisation the 6th Regiment of Infantry, Punjab Irregular Force (previously the Scinde Camel Corps) was retitled as the 6th Regiment of Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force, which would remain the regiment's title until 1901.

Although primarily tasked with maintaining peace along the warring frontier - a task which involved near-constant skirmishing with bandits and tribal warlords, the regiment also participated in the 2nd Afghan War (1878-1880) and operations in Waziristan in 1894-1895.

From the Field Marshal Sir John Chapple Indian Army Collection.