ers ▁were ▁a ▁regiment ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Indian ▁Army . ▁They ▁could ▁trace ▁their ▁orig ins ▁to ▁ 1 8 5 7 , ▁when ▁they ▁were ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁( P ione er ) ▁Regiment ▁of ▁P un j ab ▁Infantry . ▁The ▁regiment ▁rec ru ited ▁exclus ively ▁from ▁the ▁Maz hab i ▁S ikh ▁community ▁of ▁P un j ab ▁province . ▁Despite ▁being ▁" p ione ers " ▁by ▁name , ▁the ▁regiment ▁function ed ▁as ▁a ▁S ikh ▁inf antry ▁regiment ▁spe cially ▁trained ▁as ▁assault ▁pione ers . ▁ ▁Br ief ▁History ▁They ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Tak u ▁Fort s ▁( 1 8 5 8 ), ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Tak u ▁Fort s ▁( 1 8 6 0 ) ▁and ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pal ika o ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁O pi um ▁War . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁Ex ped ition ▁to ▁A by ss in ia ▁a ▁pun itive ▁expedition ▁carried ▁out ▁by ▁the ▁armed ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Empire ▁against ▁the ▁Eth iop ian ▁Empire ▁and ▁Emperor ▁T ew od ros ▁II ▁of ▁Eth iop ia . ▁They ▁next ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Pe i war ▁K otal , ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Char asi ab ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁Afghan ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 3 , ▁they ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁expedition ▁to ▁Tib et ▁an ▁invasion ▁of ▁Tib et ▁by ▁British