20th Lancers is an armoured regiment in the
Armoured Corps
An armoured corps (also mechanized corps or tank corps) is a specialized military organization whose role is to conduct armoured warfare. The units belonging to an armoured corps include military staff, and are equipped with tanks and other armou ...
of the
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...
.
The regiment distinguished itself in operations with its defence of Chhamb in
Jammu and Kashmir during the
1965 Indo-Pakistan War and won one
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...
.
It has provided one Chief of Army Staff and two Army Commanders.
Origin
The regiment was formed in 1921 by amalgamating
14th Murray's Jat Lancers (raised 1857) with
15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) (raised 1858). The regiment served till 1937, when it was removed from the order of battle and deactivated. It was converted into a training regiment of the 3rd Indian Cavalry group with a permanent station at
Lucknow
Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
. This eventually evolved into the Indian Armoured Corps Training Centre at Lucknow. Following the
partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, the regiment was allotted to India. The centre moved in 1948 to
Ahmednagar
Ahmednagar (), is a city located in the Ahmednagar district in the state of Maharashtra, India, about 120 km northeast of Pune and 114 km from Aurangabad. Ahmednagar takes its name from Ahmad Nizam Shah I, who founded the town in 1494 ...
and merged with other establishments to become the Armoured Corps Centre and School.
The regiment was re-raised by the Indian Army on 10 July 1956 at
Jodhpur
Jodhpur (; ) is the second-largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of the princely state of Jodhpur State. Jodhpur was historically the capital of the Ki ...
,
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern si ...
.
The first Commanding Officer of the re-raised regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Umrao Singh.
The regiment was equipped with
AMX-13
The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1952 to 1987. It served with the French Army, as the Char 13t-75 Modèle 51, and was exported to more than 26 other nations. Named after its initial weight of 13 tonnes, and featuring a tough and re ...
tanks.
When the regiment was re-raised, the Officer's Mess Silver of the old 20th Lancers was handed over to it. The troops on raising were from the Sikhs of the
6th DCO Lancers which were transferred to
8th Light Cavalry and half of the squadron of the
Jodhpur Lancers which were transferred to the
7th Light Cavalry
The 7th Light Cavalry previously the 28th Light Cavalry, was a regular army cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was raised in 1784 under the East India Company. The regiment later saw service on the North West Frontier and in World Wa ...
.
The present class composition is
Jats
The Jat people ((), ()) are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in late medieval times, and subse ...
and
Rajput
Rajput (from Sanskrit ''raja-putra'' 'son of a king') is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the Indian subcontinent. The term Ra ...
s.
The Pakistan Army raised an armoured regiment called
20th Lancers on 20 June 1956, which it considers to be the successor of the old
20th Lancers of the British Indian Army.
[Nath (2009), pp. 731–732.]
Regimental Insignia
The Regimental insignia consists of crossed
lance
A lance is a spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior or cavalry soldier ( lancer). In ancient and medieval warfare, it evolved into the leading weapon in cavalry charges, and was unsuited for throwing or for repeated thrusting, unlike si ...
s with
pennons in red and white, overlaid with the
Ashoka Lion Capital above and the Roman numeral "XX" below and a scroll at the base with the words ‘Lancers’.
Operations
;
Sino-Indian War:
To counter the Chinese offensive against Indian forces in the western sector, it was decided to send six AMX-13 tanks (two troops) of the 20 Lancers to
Chushul
Chushul is a village in the Leh district of Ladakh, India. It is located in the Durbuk tehsil, in the area known as "Chushul Valley", south of the Pangong Lake and west of the Spanggur Lake. The Line of Actual Control with China runs about 5 m ...
in south-eastern
Ladakh
Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu and ...
using
Antonov An-12
The Antonov An-12 (Russian: Антонов Ан-12; NATO reporting name: Cub) is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10 and has many variants. For more than thr ...
transport aircraft. The first batch of tanks were loaded on to An-12 aircraft in
Chandigarh
Chandigarh () is a planned city in India. Chandigarh is bordered by the state of Punjab to the west and the south, and by the state of Haryana to the east. It constitutes the bulk of the Chandigarh Capital Region or Greater Chandigarh, which al ...
on the intervening night of 24 and 25 October 1962 and landed in Chushul – 15,000 feet above the sea level – on the morning of 25 October 1962. The second batch was loaded the following night and airlifted to Chushul on 26 October. The troops were part of the 114 Infantry Brigade.
The army deployed tanks at the base of
Gurung Hill
Gurung Hill is a mountain near the Line of Actual Control between the Indian- and Chinese-administered portions of Ladakh near the village of Chushul and the Spanggur Lake. As of 2020, the Line of Actual Control runs on the north–south ridgeli ...
, a towering feature on one side of the
Spanggur Gap
The Spanggur Gap () is a mountain pass on the Line of Actual Control between the Ladakh union territory of India and the Rutog County, Ngari Prefecture in the Tibet region of China. It is a gap in the mountains to the south of the Pangong Lake. T ...
to deny the approach of the advancing Chinese Army and secure the crucial approaches leading to Chushul and
Leh
Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former res ...
. The effectiveness of the Indian tanks prevented the Chinese advance towards the Chushul airfield, located between Chushul village and Gurung Hill.
;
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...
:
The regiment saw action in Chhamb-
Jourian
Jourian is a town and a notified area committee in Jammu district in the Indian administered union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Geography
Jourian is located at . It has an average elevation of 274 metres (899 feet).
Demographics
...
in Jammu & Kashmir. 20 Lancers was under command of the
10th Infantry Division during the 1965 operations. Pakistan's surprise attack on 1 September, 1965 (
Operation Grand Slam
Operation Grand Slam was a key military operation of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It refers to a plan drawn up by the Pakistan Army in May 1965 that consisted of an attack on the vital Akhnoor Bridge in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashm ...
) fell on 191 Infantry Brigade, which was supported by 'C' Squadron of the regiment under Maj Bhaskar Roy. The armoured attack comprised two regiments of medium tanks,
M-48 Pattons and
M-36 Sherman B-2 tank destroyers.
The attack began at 0805 hours and was strongly resisted. During the initial phases of the attack, Roy destroyed 6 Pattons, 3 recoil-less guns and captured a jeep. A second attack was launched by Pakistani armour at 1100 hours and contested by the AMX-13s of 20 Lancers, which despite being outgunned and outnumbered, destroyed a total 13 tanks that day and prevented the encirclement of 191 Infantry Brigade.
The regiment later fought in the defence of Jaurian under 41 Infantry Brigade.
For the defense of Chhamb-Jaurian, the regiment was awarded a theatre honour and Maj Bhaskar Roy was awarded
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...
for his leadership in this action.
;
Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a military confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred during the Bangladesh Liberation War in East Pakistan from 3 December 1971 until the
Pakistani capitulation in Dhaka on 16 Decem ...
:
The regiment had moved from
Akhnoor
Akhnoor is a city and municipal committee, near city of Jammu in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies 28 km away from Jammu city. Akhnoor is on the bank of the Chenab River, just before it enters the Pak ...
to
Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer , nicknamed "The Golden city", is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, located west of the state capital Jaipur. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone and is crowned by the ancient Jaisalmer Fort. This fort contains a ...
in 1967. It was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bawa Guruvachan Singh and was under
12 Infantry Division of
Southern Command and equipped with AMX -13 tanks.
The regiment took part in the
Battle of Longewala
The Battle of Longewala (4–7 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewa ...
, which began on night of 4th December 1971, halting the Pakistani attack and then advancing into Pakistani territory.
Battle honours
The battle honours of the regiment are:
;Pre-World War I
Charasiah - Kabul 1879 - Afghanistan 1878-80
;
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
Neuve Chapelle - France and Flanders 1914-15 - Kut al Amara 1917 - Sharqat - Mesopotamia 1916-18 - Persia 1916-19 - NW Frontier India - 1915
;Indo-Pak Conflict 1965
''Jammu and Kashmir 1965''
Other awards and honours
;
President’s Standards
The regiment was presented the President’s Standards on at Sangrur, Punjab 1978 by the then
President of India
The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...
,
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (; 19 May 1913 – 1 June 1996) was an Indian politician who served as the sixth President of India, serving from 1977 to 1982. Beginning a long political career with the Indian National Congress Party in the independence ...
.
;
Maha Vir Chakra
The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...
: Major Bhaskar Roy
;
Vir Chakra
Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋ iː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy on the battlefield and is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards a ...
: Captain Ashwani Kumar Dewan, Daffedar Harbir Singh
;
Sena Medal
The Sena Medal is awarded to members of the Indian army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made posthumously and a bar is authorized for s ...
: Acting Lance Daffadar Pritam Singh, Naib Risaldar Richhapal Singh
;
Mentioned in dispatches : Lieutenant Kuldeep Singh, Lance Daffadar Bhanwar Singh, Sowar Kushal Singh, Sowar Mohan Singh
;
Republic Day parade : The regiment with its T-72 tanks took part in the parade in 1990.
Notable personnel
* Lieutenant General Gurbachan Singh, PVSM – Commanding Officer during the 1962 war,
GOC-in-C Northern Command between 1 August 1978 and 31 December 1979.
*Major General A K Dewan, AVSM, VrC
*General
Shankar Roychowdhury
General Shankar Roychowdhury is a former Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, and a former member of the Indian Parliament.
Early life
General Roychowdhury was born in Kolkata, West Bengal, India into the Zamindar family of Taki (India), ...
,
PVSM
Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) (IAST: ) is a military award of India. It was constituted in 1960 and since then it is awarded in recognition to peace-time service of the most exceptional order and may be awarded posthumously. All ranks of the ...
,
ADC
ADC may refer to:
Science and medicine
* ADC (gene), a human gene
* AIDS dementia complex, neurological disorder associated with HIV and AIDS
* Allyl diglycol carbonate or CR-39, a polymer
* Antibody-drug conjugate, a type of anticancer treatm ...
- Commanding Officer of the Regiment between 1974-1976,
GOC-in-C,
Army Training Command
The Army Training Command, abbreviated as ARTRAC, is one of the seven commands of the Indian Army. It is currently based at Shimla. It was established in 1991.
Lieutenant General SS Mahal is the current commander.
History
The Army Training Comm ...
,
Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army, and a former
member of the Indian Parliament.
*Lieutenant General Pradeep Khanna PVSM, AVSM, ADC - GOC-in-C
Southern Command
External links
''Evolution and timeline of the 20 Lancers''''Battle of Chushul : 20 Lancers''''1965 : 20 Lancers Battle of Chhamb''''20 Lancers Battle of Laungewala 1971'';Notes
References
{{Indian Army Armoured Corps
Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947
Military units and formations established in 1956