The Poona Horse is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment, known before independence as The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry), was raised as a regular cavalry regiment in the

Bombay Presidency The Bombay Presidency or Bombay Province, also called Bombay and Sind (1843–1936), was an administrative subdivision (province) of British India, with its capital in the city that came up over the seven islands of Bombay. The first mainl ...

army of the East India Company. It was formed from the 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry, raised in 1820, and the

Poona Auxiliary Horse Pune (; ; also known as Poona, ( the official name from 1818 until 1978) is one of the most important industrial and educational hubs of India, with an estimated population of 7.4 million As of 2021, Pune Metropolitan Region is the largest i ...

, raised about 1817–18. The latter unit was absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and the two regiments later became the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. These were amalgamated in 1921 into the present regiment, the battle honours of which tell of service in three Afghan wars, in Persia, Abyssinia and China, as well as in the Great War. The regiment has fought with distinction in the

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

and

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

Indo-Pakistani wars, with an officer winning India's highest gallantry award, the Param Vir Chakra, in each war. Stamp of India - 2017 - Colnect 696266 - The Poona Horse Regiment

Stamp of India - 2017 - Colnect 696266 - The Poona Horse Regiment

History

In accordance with article VI of The

Treaty of Poona The Treaty of Poona was signed on 1 June 1817 between the East India Company and the Peshwa (ruler) of Pune, Baji Rao II. The treaty resulted in the British gaining control of the territory north of the Narmada River and south of the Tungabhadr ...

between the British Governor-General of India Lord Hastings and Baji Rao II (The Peshwa of the Maratha Empire), a force known as the Poona Auxiliary Force was to be recruited, which was raised on 15 June 1817. As per the treaty, the force would be maintained by the Maratha Peshwa, but commanded by British Officers and was supposed to be permanently stationed in the territory of Peshwas. The treaty provided authority for the British to use the force against the Peshwa when necessary. The regiment was raised under the order of Mountstuart Elphinstone, the

Governor of Bombay Until the 18th century, Bombay consisted of seven islands separated by shallow sea. These seven islands were part of a larger archipelago in the Arabian sea, off the western coast of India. The date of city's founding is unclear—historians tr ...

. Lt. Col J Cunnigham was the first Commandant of the regiment. The two regiments that would go on to form the Poona Horse were the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse.

33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry

Raised at Sirur on 4 May 1820 by Major Peter Delamotte. It had 3 squadrons on its establishment, of which one was provided by 1st Regiment of Cavalry and one squadron from the 2nd Regiment of the Cavalry. The rest were inducted from suitable Indian Officers. and NCOs from 1st and 3rd Battalions of Poona Auxiliary Infantry, which were disbanded in 1820. * 1820 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry * 1861 3rd Regiment of Bombay Silladar Light Cavalry * 1861 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry * 1876 3rd (The Queen's Own) Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry * 1903 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry * 1911 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry * 1921 33rd/34th Cavalry * 1922 17th Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse * 1927 The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) * 1947 To Indian Army * 1950 The Poona Horse (17 Horse)

34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse

Raised at Poona (now Pune) on 15 July 1817 as a result of the treaty between the HEIC and the Peshwa Bajee Rao II. * 1817 The Auxiliary Horse * 1818 The Poona Auxiliary Horse * 1847 The Poona Irregular Horse * 1861 4th Regiment of Poona Silladar Horse * 1861 1st Regiment of Poona Horse * 1862 The Poona Horse * 1885 4th Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) * 1890 4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse) * 1903 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse * 1921 33rd/34th Cavalry * 1922 17th Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse * 1927 The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) * 1947 To Indian Army * 1950 The Poona Horse (17 Horse)

World War I

In August 1914, the Poona Horse was stationed at

Secunderabad Secunderabad, also spelled as Sikandarabad (, ), is a twin cities, twin city of Hyderabad and one of the six zones of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Telangana. It ...

, as part of the

9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade The Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1907 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War and departed fo ...

. They were brigaded with the 7th Dragoon Guards and the

20th Deccan Horse The Deccan Horse or 9 Horse is one of the oldest and most decorated armoured regiments of the Indian Army. The Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse), which was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army was formed from the amalgamation of tw ...

. The Brigade was dispatched to France and fought on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

their first action being the First Battle of Ypres.

France

On 2 November 1914 the regiment was sent to reinforce the 2nd Gurkhas in the

Neuve Chapelle Neuve-Chapelle ( vls, Nieuwkappel) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. It was the site of a First World War battle in 1915. Geography Neuve-Chapelle is situated some northeast of Béthune and ...

sector on arrival they discovered that the Gurkhas defences had been breached and overrun. The Poona Horse was asked to recapture the position. The Regiment launched a counterattack in daylight and without any artillery support. The Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Swanston, who was leading the attack, was killed. In France the regiment would be involved in the Battle of Givenchy, Battle of La Basse, Battle of Armentiers,

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...

(1916), Battle of Flers–Courcelette and Battle of Cambrai (1917). In February 1918, the Poona Horse and all the other Indian cavalry regiments in France were deployed to

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

to join General Allenby's forces.

Palestine

The Poona Horse arrived in Egypt in April 1918; they now formed the 14th Cavalry Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division with the Deccan Horse and the

Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) was a British Yeomanry regiment. In 1967 it was amalgamated with other units to form the Royal Yeomanry (RY), a light cavalry regiment of the Army Reserve. Originally raised as the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Cav ...

. The force also consisted of the 4th Cavalry Division, the Australian Mounted Division and the ANZAC Mounted Division. On 19 September 1918, the allied offensive began. The Infantry broke through the Turkish defences and the Desert Mounted Corps followed up. When they reached the Gates of

Damascus )), is an adjective which means "spacious". , motto = , image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg , image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg , seal_type = Seal , map_caption = , ...

, the Poona Horse, along with rest of the 14th Cavalry Brigade, were tasked with patrolling the road from Homs to Damascus Road. When they charged a party of Arabs who ran off leaving a large car behind with a European seated inside the Risaldar Major Hamir Singh, believing him to be a spy, demanded his surrender. The European turned out to be Colonel

T. E. Lawrence Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 – 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, army officer, diplomat, and writer who became renowned for his role in the Arab Revolt (1916–1918) and the Sinai and Palestine Campaign (1915–1918 ...

. "El Aurens" was not amused. At 10:15 on the morning of 1 October 1918, the Regiment entered Damascus and after the rest of the Brigade. The Regiment was ordered to take

Rayak Rayaq - Haouch Hala ( ar, رياق), also romanized Rayak, is a Lebanese town in the Beqaa Governorate near the city of Zahlé. In the early 20th century and up to 1975 and the outbreak of the civil war, it was Lebanon's most important railway ...

and then march onto

Aleppo )), is an adjective which means "white-colored mixed with black". , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = , map_caption = , image_map1 = ...

, which they reached on 25 October just before the Armistice was signed on 30 October in Mudros Harbour, abroad the battleship .

Mesopotamia

The 33rd Queen Victoria's Own were sent to Mesopotamia as part of the 6th (Poona) Division to counter Turkish advances and to protect the oil fields. They were involved in the

Battle of Shaiba The Battle of Shaiba (12–14 April 1915) was a battle of World War I fought between British and Ottoman forces, the latter trying to retake the city of Basra from the British. Background By capturing Basra, the British had taken an important ...

and the Battle of Ctesiphon.

Between the wars

In 1919, the 33rd Light Cavalry, now part of the

1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade The 1st (Risalpur) Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1906 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It remained in India during the First World War but took an active part in the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1 ...

, was posted to

Risalpur Risalpur (Pashto/ ur, رسالپور) is a city in Nowshera District, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on the Nowshera-Mardan Road. It is nearly 45 km from Peshawar and 18 km from Mardan and is located at 34°4'52N 71°58'21E. In a basin so ...

where they were brigaded with the 1st Lancers and M Battery, RHA. On 6 May 1919, they received the information that the Afghan Army had attacked the outpost at Landi Khanna, north of the

Khyber Pass The Khyber Pass (خیبر درہ) is a mountain pass in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, on the border with the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan. It connects the town of Landi Kotal to the Valley of Peshawar at Jamrud by traversing pa ...

, and was advancing into India. The infantry attacked the Khyber Pass to push the Afghans back. Once the pass had been cleared the cavalry advanced and after some skirmishing, and two set piece battles, the Afghan Army was dispersed.

Amalgamation

In 1920, the decision was made to reduce the number of Indian Cavalry Regiments from 39 to 21. This would leave the army with 18 amalgamated regiments, plus the

27th Light Cavalry The 16th Light Cavalry is a regiment of the Armoured Corps, a primary combat arm of the Indian Army. Prior to India gaining independence from the British in 1947, it was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1776 ...

, the

28th 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 ...

and the Guides Cavalry. This change was promulgated under Indian Army Order No 1257 22 November 1921. Based on this decision, the 33rd Light Cavalry and 34th Poona Horse were amalgamated as the 33rd/34th Cavalry, which was changed in 1922 to the 17th Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse. The regiment's new organisation was now three sabre squadrons and a headquarters squadron, which would contain all the specialists, i.e., machine gunners, signallers etc., in one squadron.

World War II

The Poona Horse was one of two Indian Army cavalry regiments selected to remain horsed while the rest of the cavalry was mechanised. This situation did not last long and just after the start of the war the regiment was mechanised. The Headquarters Squadron now had a mortar troop, signals troop, 'B' echelon administrative troop and light Aid Detachment for forward vehicle recovery and repair. The sabre Squadrons each now comprised a Squadron Headquarters, four armoured carrier troops and one rifle troop. Each troop had four Bren carriers and the rifle troop was mounted in four 15 cwt Chevrolet trucks now mechanised they become the Divisional reconnaissance regiment for the

6th Indian Division The 6th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II, created on 1 March 1941 in Secunderabad. On 11 September 1941 it was shipped to the Iraq and later Iran. During 1942 and 1943 it was part of the Tenth Army ...

and deployed to Iraq. In 1942, the regiment was ordered to the Middle East to join the

British Eighth Army The Eighth Army was an Allied field army formation of the British Army during the Second World War, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns. Units came from Australia, British India, Canada, Czechoslovakia, Free French Forces, ...

. In the closing stages of the First Battle of El Alamein, the Poona Horse was the guard force for General Claude Auchinleck, the commander of the 8th Army at the tactical headquarters sited on the

Ruweisat Ridge Ruweisat Ridge is a geographical feature in the Western Egyptian desert, midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Qattara Depression. During World War II was a prominent part of the defence line in the First and Second Battle of El Alamein ...

, the most prominent tactical feature of the Alamein position. This was the highlight of the Regiment's war for they were then ordered back to Iraq as part of the British Tenth Army. In September 1944 the Regiment was sent to Cyprus on garrison duties and were still there in May 1945 when Germany surrendered. The Regiment returned to India in October 1945 and were issued their first tanks, the Stuart MK IV.

Post Independence

;

Annexation of Hyderabad Operation Polo was the code name of the Hyderabad "police action" in September 1948, by the then newly independent Dominion of India against Hyderabad State. It was a military operation in which the Indian Armed Forces invaded the Nizam-ruled ...

The Regiment with its Sherman tanks was part of the 1 Armoured Division and participated in Operation Polo leading to the integration of Hyderabad to the Union of India. ;

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 Poona Horse was part of the 1 Armoured Brigade, which also consisted of the

16th Cavalry The 6th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. Previously, it was known as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse), and was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1921 by amalgama ...

and

Hodson's Horse 4th Horse (Hodson's Horse) is a part of the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army, which had its beginnings as an irregular cavalry regiment during the time of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Formation The regiment was raised during the turbulent tim ...

. The brigade was equipped with upgunned

Sherman tank } The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It w ...

s and

Centurion tank The Centurion was the primary British Army main battle tank of the post-World War II period. Introduced in 1945, it is widely considered to be one of the most successful post-war tank designs, remaining in production into the 1960s, and seeing ...

s. 1 Armoured Brigade was part of the 1 Armoured Division (of 1 Corps) along with the 43rd Lorried Infantry Brigade. Captured Indian Centurion Mk

It participated in Operation Ablaze and Operation Nepal (Indian 1 Corps Offensive in Sialkot Sector). The regiment brought home decisive victories in the

Battle of Phillora The Battle of Phillora was a large tank battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It commenced on 10 September when the Indian 1st Armoured Division, with four armoured regiments and supporting forces under command, attacked positio ...

on 11 September 1965 by sheer gallantry of legendary Lieutenant Colonel A B Tarapore. The regiment spearheaded the Indian advance into Pakistan and cleared the stronghold of Phillora after a gruelling close range tank battle against Patton tanks, in which 23 enemy tanks were destroyed. The regiment captured Wazirwali on 13 September 1965 and Jassoran and Butur-Dograndi on 16 September 1965. ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 (

Battle of Basantar The Battle of Basantar also known as the Battle of Shakargarh or Battle of Barapind (December 4–16, 1971) was one of the vital battles fought as part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in the western sector of India. The Indian troops won a har ...

) The Poona Horse under the command of 47 Infantry Brigade was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the Basantar river in the

Shakargarh Shakargarh ( ur, ), the capital of Shakargarh Tehsil, is a city in the north-eastern part of Narowal District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It borders Jammu, India to the north and Sialkot to the west Its literacy rate is more than 85% wh ...

sector. The brigade's engineers were in the process of breaching the enemy minefields and create a safe lane that would allow the induction of the tanks. In view of the alarming activity of Pakistani artillery, the Poona Horse with its Centurion tanks decided to push through the minefield despite it being only partially cleared by that time. En route, while crossing the Basantar River, the tank troops came under fire from Pakistani tanks as well as recoil gun nests that were still holding out. They retaliated fiercely — destroying tanks, capturing gun nests and over-running enemy defences. 2nd Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal, who were posthumously awarded the prestigious Param Vir Chakra was responsible for the destruction of 7 Pakistani tanks. The following days saw Indian troops making massive gains and conducting successive military thrusts deep inside enemy territory, coming threateningly close to the Pakistan Army base at Sialkot. India's resounding victory in the Battle of Basantar resulted in the capture of a significant area ( including nearly 500 villages) under the control of Pakistan in Chhamb sector, apart from cutting off the line of retreat for Pakistani troops. ;Other operations / achievements - *The regiment had the honour to participate in the

Republic Day Parade The Delhi Republic Day parade is the largest and most important of the parades marking the Republic Day celebrations in India. The parade takes place every year on 26 January at Rajpath, New Delhi. It is the main attraction of India's Republic ...

in 1981 with its Vijayanta tanks. *The regiment was part of the

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission tasked with maintaining the ceasefire between Israel and Syria in the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The mission was established by United ...

(UNDOF) in Golan Heights from January 2006 to December 2008. *The regiment was awarded the GOC-in-C (Western Command) unit citation in July 2014 for its role in counter-insurgency duties. *The regiment was affiliated with the Indian Navy frigate,

INS Sahyadri INS ''Sahyadri'' (F49) is a stealth multi-role frigate built for the Indian Navy. This class features improved stealth and land attack capabilities over the preceding s. Construction INS ''Sahyadri'' was built at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MD ...

in December 2016. *A Centurion tank of The Poona Horse was showcased during the Republic Day Parade, 2022.

List of battle and theatre honours

The list of battle honours and theatre honours of the Poona Horse are as follows: ;Pre World War I Corygaum; Ghuznee 1839; Candahar 1842; Ghuznee 1842; Cabool 1842; Afghanistan 1839; Meeanee; Hyderabad; Reshire; Bushire; Koosh-Ab; Persia; Central India; Abyssinia; Kandahar 1880; Afghanistan 1879–80; China 1900; Afghanistan 1919. ;The First World War La Bassee 1914; Armentieres 1914; Somme 1916; Bazentin; Flers-Courcelette; Cambrai 1917; France and Flanders 1914–18; Megiddo;Sharon; Damascus; Palestine 1918; Shaiba; Ctesiphon; Tigris 1916; Mesopotamia 1914–16. ;The Second World War North Africa 1940–43. ;Indo-Pak Conflict 1965 Phillora; Buttur Dograndi; Punjab 1965. ;Indo-Pak Conflict 1971 Basantar River; Punjab 1971. Centurion tank Indian army

Victoria Cross

Members of the Regiment awarded the Victoria Cross. * Lieutenant

Arthur Thomas Moore Major General Arthur Thomas Moore, (20 September 1830 – 25 April 1913) was a Bombay Army officer and an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonw ...

3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. On 18 February 1857. * Lieutenant

Frank Alexander de Pass Frank Alexander de Pass Victoria Cross, VC (26 April 1887 – 25 November 1914) was an England, English recipient of the Victoria Cross, Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can b ...

34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. On 24 November 1914. * Lieutenant

John Grant Malcolmson John Grant Malcolmson, (9 February 1835 – 14 August 1902) was a Bengal Army officer and a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth force ...

3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. On 18 February 1857. * Lieutenant (later Field Marshal) Sir Henry Evelyn Wood whilst on attachment with the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry. On 19 October 1858.

Param Vir Chakra

Since independence two members of the regiment have been awarded the Param Vir Chakra. * Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Tarapore (Posthumous),

, Battle of Butur-Dograndi * 2nd Lieutenant

Arun Khetarpal Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal PVC (14 October 1950 – 16 December 1971) born in Pune, Maharashtra, was an officer of the Indian Army and a posthumous recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military decoration for valour in fa ...

(Posthumous), Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Battle of Jarpal

List of gallantry awards

; World War I * Victoria Cross : Lieutenant Frank Alexander de Pass, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. *

Order of British India The Order of British India was an order of merit established in 1837 by the East India Company for "long, faithful and honourable service". The company's powers were removed after the Indian Mutiny, and the Order was incorporated into the Brit ...

: Risaldar Taj Muhammad Khan (33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry), Risaldar Major Hussain Bakhsh Khan, Risaldar Hamir Singh (34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse) * Indian Order of Merit : Jemadar Ram Karan, Dafadar Arjan Singh, Risaldar Major Santa Singh, Dafadar Bishan Singh, Sowar Buda Singh, Sowar Mazhar Khan, Dafadar Nihal Singh (33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry), Sowar Madho, Jemadar Prem Singh, Lance Dafadar Abdul Karim (34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse) * Indian Distinguished Service Medal : 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry – 14 medals, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse – 29 medals * Indian Meritorious Service Medal : 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry – 13 medals, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse – 43 medals *

Croix de Guerre The ''Croix de Guerre'' (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awa ...

(French) : Dafadar Ahmed Khan (34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse) *

Croix de guerre (Belgium) The ''Croix de guerre'' ( French) or ''Oorlogskruis'' (Dutch), both literally translating as "Cross of War", is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium established by royal decree on 25 October 1915. It was primarily awarded for bravery o ...

: Dafadar Nadir Ali Khan, Dafadar Nasir Muhammad Khan (34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse) ; World War II * Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire : Lieutenant Colonel D.S.E. McNeill, The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) *

Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

: Captain Sardar Makhan Singh, The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) ; Civil disturbances during the Partition of India: * Ashoka Chakra, Class III Lance Dafadar Sultan Singh ;

* Param Vir Chakra : Lieutenant Colonel Ardeshir Tarapore * Vir Chakra : Lieutenant HIS Dhaliwal, Risaldar Kartar Singh * Sena Medal : Dafadar Harnand Singh, Dafadar Hamir Singh, Risaldar Harbans Singh, Risaldar Sohan Singh, Lance Dafadar Dilip Singh *

Mentioned in dispatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...

: 12 *Commendation Cards : 6 ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 *Param Vir Chakra : 2nd Lieutenant

* Maha Vir Chakra : Lieutenant Colonel Hanut Singh, Major Amarjith Singh Bal *Vir Chakra : 2nd Lieutenant Avtar Singh Ahlawat, Naib Risaldar Mohan Singh, Sowar Mohan Singh *Sena Medal : Captain Rabinder Singh Deol, Dafadar Khushal Singh * Mentioned-in-Despatches : 10

Notable personnel

*Major General Jang Shamsher Singh: First Indian Commanding Officer of the regiment in 1947. *Major General K Ranjit Singh:

Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College The Commandant of the Defence Services Staff College is the head and overall in-charge of the Defence Services Staff College. The Commandant of the Academy is a Three-star rank officer from the Indian Army. He is supported by the chief instructor ...

, Wellington between 1968 and 1972. *Lieutenant General Hanut Singh, : Commanded the regiment during the 1971 Indo Pak War and was popularly known as 'the Doyen of Mechanised Warfare in India' and 'Soldier Saint'. He commanded

II Corps 2nd Corps, Second Corps, or II Corps may refer to: France * 2nd Army Corps (France) * II Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * II Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French ...

during Operation Brasstacks. *Lieutenant General Niranjan Singh Cheema: Squadron Commander in the regiment during the 1965 war, raised 67 Armoured Regiment and retired as Chief of Staff, Northern Command. *Lieutenant General Neville Foley: Director-General, Mechanised Forces and Member of Parliament. *Lieutenant General Moti Dar, : Commissioned into the Poona Horse in June 1958. On promotion to the rank of the Lieutenant Colonel, he raised and commanded 82 Armoured Regiment. He was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command between January 1994 and July 1995 and Vice Chief of the Army Staff between July 1995 and July 1996. *Lieutenant General Surrinder Singh, : General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command from September 1993 to August 1996. *Lieutenant General Balraj Takhar, : General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command. *Lieutenant General Ajai Singh, : Director General, Mechanised Forces; GOC of 4 Corps and Governor of Assam between 2003 and 2008. *Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Sidhu, : Director General, Mechanised Forces. *Lieutenant General Rajan Bakshi, : General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Central Command. *Lieutenant General Rajeev Vasant Kanitkar, : General Officer Commanding XXI Corps and Quarter Master General *Major General Vikram Dev Dogra, : First serving Indian Army Officer and only general in the world to do

Ironman Triathlon An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), consisting of a swim, a bicycle ride and a marathon run completed in that order, a total of . It is widely consider ...

twice.

Regimental Class Composition

Prior to amalgamation, the class composition of the two Regiments was as follows :- *33rd Light Cavalry : A Squadron –

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 ...

, B Squadron – Kaimkhanis, C Squadron – Mussalman Rajputs, D Squadron –

Jat Sikh Jat Sikh (also known by the more conventional endonym Jatt Sikh) is a sub-group of the Jat people and the Sikh religious group from the Indian subcontinent. They are one of the dominant communities in the Punjab owing to their large land holdin ...

s. *34th Poona Horse : A Squadron – Rathore Rajputs from Jodhpur, B Squadron - Rathore Rajputs from Jodhpur, C squadron - Punjabi Mussalmans from

Jhelum Jhelum ( Punjabi and ur, ) is a city on the east bank of the Jhelum River, which is located in the district of Jhelum in the north of Punjab province, Pakistan. It is the 44th largest city of Pakistan by population. Jhelum is known for p ...

, D Squadron - Kaimkhanis from

Shekhawati Shekhawati is a semi-arid historical region located in the northeast part of Rajasthan, India. The region was ruled by Shekhawat Rajputs. Shekhawati is located in North Rajasthan, comprising the districts of Jhunjhunu district, Jhunjhunu, part ...

(Jaipur). The class composition of the new amalgamated Regiment was to be as follows : (a) Headquarters Wing or Squadron; (b) A Squadron of Rathore Rajputs - purely from 34th Poona Horse; (c) B Squadron of Kaimkhanis - half squadron each from both the Regiments; (d) C Squadron of Jats - purely from 33rd Light Cavalry. Following the partition of India, the Kaimkhanis moved to Pakistan and were replaced by a squadron of

Sikhs Sikhs ( or ; pa, ਸਿੱਖ, ' ) are people who adhere to Sikhism (Sikhi), a monotheistic religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ...

, which came from the

13th Lancers The 13th Lancers is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1923 as 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers by the amalgamation of 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers and 32nd Lancers. On Partition of India in 1947, the regiment w ...

Regimental insignia

;Badge Following amalgamation, the sanction for the crest and badge of Poona Horse came on 29 December 1928 vide Gazette of India No 1759. It consisted of the Royal and Imperial

Cypher Cypher is an alternative spelling for cipher. Cypher may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * Cypher (French Group), a Goa trance music group * Cypher (band), an Australian instrumental band * Cypher (film), ''Cypher'' (film), a 2002 film * C ...

of Queen Victoria within the Garter with the words Honi soit qui mal y pense, surmounted by a Tudor Crown and having below a scroll with the words ''Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse''. The present badge consists of an oval belt containing the motto of the regiment in Devanagari script ‘रण वीर जय सदा’ within the oval is the ‘hand of God’; the oval is surmounted by the lions of Ashoka; below oval, and curling up towards its sides, a scroll within which is embossed ‘THE POONA HORSE’. The ‘hand of God’ comes from 8 February 1857, when the regiment wrote history at the famous '

Battle of Kooshab The Battle of Khushab ( fa, جنگ خوشاب) took place in Khushab on 7 February 1857 and was the largest single engagement of the Anglo-Persian War. Having taken Borazjan without a fight, the British expeditionary army under Sir James Outram ...

' against the Shah of Persia and captured the Standard of the 1st Khusgai Regiment of the Fars, acclaimed with courageous and fearless soldiers and Shah's personal bodyguards. The Standard of Persian Army now surmounts the Regiment's Standard, and it is etched in Persian with the words 'Yaad Ullal Fauk Idaheem' (the hand of God is above all things). ;Motto The motto of the regiment is ‘रण वीर जय सदा’ (Ran Vir Jai Sada); which translates to ‘the gallant warrior, ever victorious’. ;Shoulder title The shoulder title is in brass and consists two crossed swords overlayed by the ‘hand of God’ and a scroll with the words 'Poona Horse'. When combat fatigues are worn, the shoulder title consists of the numeral and letter ‘17H’.

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External links

Uniforms of the late 19th century
{{Indian Army Armoured Corps Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947 British Indian Army cavalry regiments 1817 establishments in British India