76th Punjabis, 1908 (c)

Photograph, 1908 (c).

The 76th Punjabis was originally raised as the 16th Carnatic Battalion by Captain Thomas Lane at Trichonopoly in 1776, part of the Madras Army of the British East India Company. It was renamed the 16th Madras Battalion in 1784 and became the 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry in 1796. The regiment served in the Mysore Wars and in Burma.

In 1824 the regiment became the 16th Regiment of Madras Native Infantry, with the term 'Native' dropped from the title in 1885. In 1903 the 16th Madras Infantry became the 76th Punjabis. During World War One (1914-1918) the regiment served in Mesopotamia, suffering heavy casualties at Kut and further losses in the period of captivity that followed the city's surrender to Turkish forces in 1916. The regiment was reformed in India with a second battalion, and served in the 3rd Afghan War (1919) and in Waziristan (1919-1920).

As part of further reform of the Indian Army, the regiment was amalgamated and redesignated the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Punjab Regiment in 1922. The unit served in North Africa and the Middle East during World War Two (1939-1945). It became part of the Pakistan Army after Partition in 1947.