The state of Uttrakhand is famous for the contribution and sacrfices its citizens have made for the safety and security of our Country. The state has the famous Garhwal Regiment and Kumaon Regiment manned by its brave sons. However till the First World War ,the Kumaon Regiment did not exist. The brave Kumaonis changed their names and got enrolled as Gurkhas or as Garhwalis in GR units or Burma Police.

In 1917 due to the mounting casualties the Britishers felt the urgent need to recruitmore manpower. Having witnessed the fighting prowess of Kumaoni troops as part of Gurkha units, they decided to raise a unit of troops belonging to the Kumaon region. The unit was to be raised only for the duration of the Great War. 

The unit was named 1/50 Kumaon Rifles and after training and kitting ws shipped of to Palestine within 9 months of Raising. The unit took part in the battle of Sharon and played a pivtol role in penetration of three lines of Turkish Defences, through which later the cavalry crossed and cut the communications of the Turkish Seventh and Eighth Armies, thereby trapping them.

1/50 Kumaon Rifles  remarkably captured all its objectives five minutes before the scheduled time, much to the surprise of the British General as the other units were still struggling with their first objectives.  

By all standards, it was a highly successful outcome of the young Battalions’ first major action. Even though no more than 20 percent of the officers and men had been in action earlier, they had stormed three lines of Turkish trenches in an exceedingly short period, well under the scheduled time, capturing large number of prisoners and an extremely large amount of military booty. It was a remarkable victory for this new battalion of Kumaoni troops, and it was  justly awarded the Battle Honour – SHARON.

After the end of First World War , when  large scale disbandment of units was taking place, Maj Gen W L Loyad ,the officer in charge of the disbandment commented that he had seen the young unit in action at Palestine and he was amazed at the achievement of the unit and he recommended the retention of the unit.

I /50 Kumaon Rifles remained the only Kumaoni unit in the British Indian Army and later after Independence when the reorganisation of units and Regiments took place in the Indian Army, a number of units were moved  with the unit thereby giving raise to  the Kumaon Regiment.