4th Horse (Hodson's Horse) is a part of the Armoured Corps of the

Indian Army The Indian Army is the Land warfare, land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Arm ...

, which had its beginnings as an irregular

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

regiment during the time of the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the for ...

Formation

The regiment was raised during the turbulent times of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. During the siege of Delhi, on 19 May 1857, an order was issued by the Commander-in-Chief, Major General George Anson to appoint Lieutenant (later Brevet Major)

William Stephen Raikes Hodson William Stephen Raikes Hodson (19 March 182111 March 1858) was a British leader of irregular light cavalry during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, commonly referred to as the Indian Mutiny or the Sepoy Mutiny. He was known as "Hodson of Hodson's ...

as the Commandant of a corps of Irregular Horse, which he was directed to raise, while at Kurnaul. Hodson sought assistance from Robert Montgomery, Judicial Commissioner of the

Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi Language, Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also Romanization, romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the I ...

. Montgomery asked two Sirdars to raise a rissalah (troop) each, and he raised one himself. The three rissalahs left for

Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

on 23 June 1857 under the command of Man Singh, who was Risaldar-Major of the 1st Regiment from 1866 to 1877. Mr Montgomery sent two more rissalahs on 9 July 1857. The troops were mainly from the

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second List of cities in Pakistan by population, most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th List of largest cities, most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is th ...

and

Amritsar Amritsar (), historically also known as Rāmdāspur and colloquially as ''Ambarsar'', is the second largest city in the Indian state of Punjab, after Ludhiana. It is a major cultural, transportation and economic centre, located in the Majha ...

districts of the

History

;Indian Rebellion of 1857 The rissalahs sent to Delhi saw their first action on 14 and 18 July 1857 in the Delhi suburb of Sabzi Mandi. The regiment then fought against the rebels on 17 and 18 August at Khurkowdeh and

Rohtak Rohtak () is a city and the administrative headquarters of the Rohtak district in the Indian state of Haryana. It lies north-west of New Delhi and south of the state capital Chandigarh on NH 9(old NH 10). Rohtak forms a part of the National ...

. Following the

siege of Delhi The siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The rebellion against the authority of the East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass ...

, on 20 September 1857, Hodson took 50 men from the regiment, rode to

Humayun's Tomb Humayun's tomb ( Persian: ''Maqbara-i Humayun'') is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun in Delhi, India. The tomb was commissioned by Humayun's first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum under her patronage in 1558, and designed by Mir ...

, and captured the Mughal emperor

Bahadur Shah Zafar Bahadur Shah II, usually referred to by his poetic title Bahadur Shah ''Zafar'' (; ''Zafar'' Victory) was born Mirza Abu Zafar Siraj-ud-din Muhammad (24 October 1775 – 7 November 1862) and was the twentieth and last Mughal Emperor as well a ...

. Hodson returned there the next day and captured the Mughal princes, Bahadur Shah Zafar's sons Mirza Mughal and Mirza Khizr Sultan, and grandson

Mirza Abu Bakht Shahzada Mirza Abu Bakht (1835–1857) was a Mughal prince. Abu Bakht was the son of Mirza Fath-ul-Mulk Bahadur who was the last crown prince of the Mughal Empire and the eldest son of the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was the olde ...

. While escorting the princes, Hodson's force was threatened by a large hostile crowd. Rather than let the princes escape, Hodson shot them at the

Khooni Darwaza Khooni Darwaza ( hi, खूनी दरवाज़ा, ur, literally ''Bloody Gate''), also referred to as Lal Darwaza (Hindi:लाल दरवाज़ा, ''Red Gate'') was initially called as Kabuli Darwaza, The gate is located near ...

, near the Delhi Gate. A detachment from Hodson's Horse was sent out on 27 September 1857 to pursue rebels heading for

Rohilkhand Rohilkhand (previously Rampur State) is a region in the northwestern part of Uttar Pradesh, India, that is centered on the Rampur, Bareilly and Moradabad divisions. It is part of the upper Ganges Plain, and is named after the Rohilla tribe. ...

. The regiment also saw action against the rebels near

Agra Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra ...

on 10 October 1857, in

Cawnpore Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help·info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations ...

, at Alambagh on 12 November 1857, the Siege of Lucknow, against the Gwalior rebels under

Tantia Tope Tantia Tope (also spelled Tatya Tope, : ̪aːt̪ʲa ʈoːpe 6 January 1814 – 18 April 1859) was a general in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and one of its notable leaders. Despite lacking formal military training, Tantia Tope is widely consi ...

, at Gangiri in

Aligarh district Aligarh district is a district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. This district is a part of Aligarh Division. The districts which adjoin Aligarh are (clockwise from north) Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Sambhal, Badaun, Kasganj, Hathr ...

on 7 December 1857, at the battle at

Patiyali Patiyali is a town and a nagar panchayat in Kasganj District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located on the banks of River Ganga. It is the birthplace of Amir Khusrau (1253-1325 CE). Patiyali is a constituency of District Kasganj. Mem ...

, and at Mainpuri. On 25 January 1858, Hodson with 200 of his men and three other British officers were part of a column commanded by Brigadier Adrian Hope against an army of 5,000 rebels encamped at Shamshabad. In the fierce battle, Lieutenant CTM McDowell was killed and Hodson and Lieutenant Charles Gough were badly wounded. Lieutenant Hugh Henry Gough was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...

for his bravery at Alambagh on 12 November 1857 and at Jellalabad, Lucknow on 25 February 1858. A detachment of the regiment was sent with Colonel

Hope Grant General Sir James Hope Grant, GCB (22 July 1808 – 7 March 1875) was a British Army officer. He served in the First Opium War, First Anglo-Sikh War, Indian Rebellion of 1857, and Second Opium War. Early life Grant was the fifth and younge ...

’s column from

Kanpur Kanpur or Cawnpore ( /kɑːnˈpʊər/ pronunciation (help· info)) is an industrial city in the central-western part of the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Founded in 1207, Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations ...

to protect the road to Lucknow. They laid siege to a town called Mianganj and cleared the enemy, but lost an Indian officer, Naib-Risaldar Hukm Singh. On 25 February 1858, 374 men of Hodson's Horse were part of a cavalry force at Alambagh led by Colonel Campbell of the

Queen's Bays The 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was first raised in 1685 by the Earl of Peterborough as the Earl of Peterborough's Regiment of Horse by merging four existing troops of horse. Renamed several t ...

. They were under the command of Lieutenant General Sir James Outram against Begum Hazrat Mahal, the Begum of Oudh (Awadh). This was one of the first occasions where the Hodson's Horse saw fierce action as a complete regiment. While the regiment remained at Alamagh, Hodson went alone to Lucknow for a meeting with Sir Colin Campbell. Following lunch with him, he joined Brigadier-General Robert Napier who was inspecting a breach in the wall. They became separated and he went to look around the palace with a Captain Taylor. The enemy had been cleared from most parts of the city, but areas remained where rebels were hidden. The two men had a look inside one dark room. which turned out to contain rebels. One of them shot Hodson in the chest. He was conscious, but became weaker and died around 1.30 am that night. He was buried on the evening of 12 March 1858 in the grounds of La Martiniere School in Lucknow. Following Hodson's death, command of the regiment was given to

Henry Daly General Sir Henry Dermot Daly (25 October 1823 – 21 July 1895) was a senior British Indian Army officer, colonial administrator, Liberal Unionist politician and founder of Daly College. Biography Daly was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Franc ...

of the

Guides Cavalry The Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force) is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army which was raised in 1846 as The Corps of Guides. During more than a hundred and fifty years of military service, the regiment has earned the reputation of one of ...

. Daly played a major role in reorganising the regiment: more troops were recruited, including Pathans, muster rolls were created, and accounts were organised. The regiment was reorganized into three regiments: 1st and 2nd Regiment of Hodson's Horse on 26 August 1858, and 3rd Regiment on 9 September 1858. 3rd Regiment was disbanded on 5 January 1860. On 13 June 1858, the regiment was involved in a fierce battle at Nawabganj under Hope Grant. The regiment lost 3 men and 24 were wounded. The regiments of Hodson's Horse were involved in multiple smaller conflicts to suppress the mutiny – in Daudpur on 20 October 1858 against the Nasirabad brigade; at

Dholpur Dholpur is a city in the Dholpur district in Rajasthan state of India. It is situated on the left bank of the famous Chambal river. The city is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur District and was formerly seat of the Dholpur pri ...

on 27 October 1858; at Gonda on 25 November 1858 where they routed a large force led by the Rajah of Gonda; at Basantpur on 23 December 1858; at Jarwa Pass on 31 March 1859 and at Lalpur in May 1859.

Name changes

The two regiments of the Hodson's horse went through various changes in their designation before amalgamating into a single unit. ;1st Regiment *1857 Hodson's Horse *1858 1st Regiment of Hodson's Horse *1861 9th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry *1886 9th Regiment of Bengal Lancers *1901 9th Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse) *1903 9th Hodson's Horse *1921 Amalgamated with the 10th Hodson's Horse to form 9th/10th Hodson's Horse *1922 4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse *1927 Hodson's Horse (4th Duke of Cambridge's Own) *1947 Post-Partition (To India) - Hodson's Horse *1966 4th Horse ;2nd Regiment *1857 Hodson's Horse *1858 2nd Regiment of Hodson's Horse *1861 10th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry *1864 10th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry (Lancers) *1874 10th Regiment of Bengal Lancers *1878 10th Bengal (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers *1901 10th (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse) *1903 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) *1921 Amalgamated with the 9th Hodson's Horse to form 9th/10th Hodson's Horse

Pre World War

The 9th Bengal Cavalry was stationed at Faizabad, when on 8 April 1862, they were sent to

Bhutan Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainou ...

with the three squadrons were sent to different places - one squadron with the headquarters went to Jalpaigori, the second to Barhampur, and the third to Raniganj. The regiment returned to Benares in April 1863. The regiment moved on to

on 29 April 1863, then to

Peshawar Peshawar (; ps, پېښور ; hnd, ; ; ur, ) is the sixth most populous city in Pakistan, with a population of over 2.3 million. It is situated in the north-west of the country, close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is ...

from January 1864 till November 1866. The regiment then spent four years at Mian Mir and in 1868, were part of a punitive expedition to the Black mountains in Hazara, but they saw no action. They spent another four years at Deoli, with a detachment at Jhansi, then moved to Meerut on 8 March 1878. Indian Officers of the 9th Bengal Cavalry

Indian Officers of the 9th Bengal Cavalry

In 1871, the 10th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry fought in

Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire (), also formerly known by the exonym Abyssinia, or just simply known as Ethiopia (; Amharic and Tigrinya: ኢትዮጵያ , , Oromo: Itoophiyaa, Somali: Itoobiya, Afar: ''Itiyoophiyaa''), was an empire that historica ...

. A squadron of the 10th went to Malta with the 9th regiment in 1878 while the rest of the regiment went to Afghanistan. The 9th travelled from Meerut to

Bombay Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...

by train in April 1878. They were brought up to strength with a squadron from the 10th Bengal Cavalry, making them around 550 men. From Bombay, they embarked for

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

via

Aden Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 peopl ...

and Suez. They disembarked at Malta on 6 June 1878 and pitched camp at San Antonio. The 9th/10th were brigaded with the 1st Bombay Cavalry. Whilst in Malta, the force was inspected by the Duke of Cambridge, who bestowed his title on the 10th Bengal Cavalry, which was represented by one squadron. The eventual destination of the forces stationed in Malta was

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

, which had been ceded to Britain by

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

in exchange for their support against

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...

. But a day or so before departure for Cyprus, the regiment was prevented from embarking with the rest of the army, because 48 men were poisoned. Three men died in agony and the rest were permanently disabled. As a result, the regiment stayed in Malta until October, when they sailed back to Bombay. In February 1885, the 9th was ordered to convert to

lancer A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by Persia, India, Egypt, China, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the ...

s and move off to join the British Army in

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

. The regiment moved from Wazirabad to Kanpur, where they received lances and related equipment and reached Suakin in March 1885 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel AP Palmer. It saw action in Hashin, Tofrek, Tamai and T'Hakul. The regiment less one squadron left Sudan in June 1885 for Bombay, from where they travelled to

Ambala Ambala () is a city and a municipal corporation in Ambala district in the state of Haryana, India, located on the border with the Indian state of Punjab and in proximity to both states capital Chandigarh. Politically, Ambala has two sub-ar ...

. The 3rd squadron was required to stay in Suakin until 20 November 1885. The 9th stayed at Ambala until 1888, moved to Nowshera until 1891 – where it was part of the ''Buner Field Force'' to ensure the pacification of the Bunerwals. The regiment moved to

and took part in the durbar and review at

for the Viceroy,

Lord Elgin Earl of Elgin is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in 1633 for Thomas Bruce, 3rd Lord Kinloss. He was later created Baron Bruce, of Whorlton in the County of York, in the Peerage of England on 30 July 1641. The Earl of Elgin is the h ...

in November 1894. Following this, at Muridki, on the night of 20 December 1894, Daffadar Kartar Singh, bearing a grudge through loss of promotion, shot two officers, Risaldar Kesar Singh and the Commanding Officer, Colonel Ernle Money. He was overpowered, court martialled and publicly hanged on 31 January 1895. Two Sikh officers, who had encouraged the Daffadar were tried in a civil court and sentenced to life. The 9th were part of the Chitral Relief Force in April 1895 and received the battle honour 'Chitral'. They moved to

Rawalpindi Rawalpindi ( or ; Urdu, ) is a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad, and third largest in Punjab after Lahore and Faisalabad. Rawalpindi is next to Pakistan ...

in May 1895. Following the re-organisation of 1895, the regiment retained their name and came under Punjab Command. On 10 August 1897, the regiment was ordered to proceed by train from Rawalpindi to Peshawar and became part of the ‘Peshawar column’ of the

Tirah Expeditionary Force The Tirah campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah expedition, was an Indian frontier campaign from September 1897 to April 1898. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country in what was formally known as Federally ...

. Many men and a large number of horses were sent for remount duties to

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

and many British officers for active service for the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...

. Hodson's Horse was the first Indian regiment to appear and win medals at the Royal Tournament in 1902. The 9th regiment took part in the Rawalpindi Parade on 8 December 1905 to honour the

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. ...

and

Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (Welsh: ''Tywysoges Cymru'') is a courtesy title used since the 14th century by the wife of the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. The current title-holder is Catherine (née Middleton). The title was fi ...

World War I

A troop of Hodsons Horse, Bestanddeelnr 158-2441

On 31 August 1914, 9th Hodson's Horse, located at

, got the orders to prepare to move as part of the

3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade The Ambala Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1904 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 3rd (Ambala) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st Indian ...

for war in France. Its convoy reached

Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fra ...

on 7 November, moved to

Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and It became part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division (till it joined the

2nd Indian Cavalry Division The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army formed at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front, being renamed as 5th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the 5th Cavalry Divisi ...

on 15 September 1915). On 21 December, Hodson's Horse was inducted to La Bassée, where it fought in the trenches full of water and dirt. Thereafter, it moved near Norrent-Fontes for training with the division followed by another phase of trench battle in very adverse weather for which it was awarded the battle honour " Givenchy". In June 1916, it fought protracted actions earning more battle honours –

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

, Bazentin and Flers – Courcelette. The Battle of the Somme, July-november 1916 Q4105

It was in

Cambrai Cambrai (, ; pcd, Kimbré; nl, Kamerijk), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the ...

towards the end of November and early December, 1917, that the Regiment fought its toughest action. It came under heavy fire with the forward most troops facing the brunt of it. The heavy toll of fatal casualties included two brave officers, Majors A.I. Fraser and F.S.T. Atkinson. It was in this battle that the Regimental Medical Officer, Captain Som Dutt, MC, treated an enemy

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

officer, who was so overcome that he took off his

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia es ...

and presented it to him. The battle honour Cambrai awarded to the Regiment, became an important one celebrated every year on 30 November. The regiment was also awarded the theatre honour

France and Flanders France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. In March 1918, the

was broken up in France. The Canadian and British units remained in France and the Indian elements were sent to

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...

. The regiment briefly served as part of the

5th Mounted Brigade The 1st South Midland Mounted Brigade (later numbered as the 5th Mounted Brigade) was a yeomanry brigade of the British Army, formed as part of the Territorial Force in 1908. It served dismounted in the Gallipoli Campaign before being remo ...

, Australian Mounted Division before it became part of the 13th Cavalry Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division, where they saw service in General Edmund Allenby's final campaign against the Turks and

Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...

. They marched from Nazareth to

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 = , ...

, where Risaldar Nur Ahmed of Hodson's Horse made hundreds of Turks surrender to him. On 18 September the Division moved to El Jelil and next day early morning attacked the front line and right flank and captured lt. Thus, Infantry got its safe lane for further advance. At 0600 hours, 9th Hodson's Horse reached Nahr El Falik. ‘C’ and ‘D’ Squadrons of the Regiment captured 70 prisoners, guns and other war material while crossing Nahr El Falik and Murkhalid. Hodsons Horse France 1917 IWM Q 2061

On 30 September, in an action where 9th Hodson's Horse was leading, Major MD Vigors commanding ‘D’ Squadron got an input of 70 Turkish soldiers advancing to Kiswe. In a number of more actions that ensued, not only those 70 but a total of 900 Turkish soldiers with a lot of arms and equipment were captured. Turkish Army had lost most of its soldiers, but Gen Allenby decided to finish the rest of the Turkish Army. Around

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

, there were about 20,000 Germans and Turkish soldiers, of which 8000 had already lost hope. On 20 March the Division advanced towards Aleppo. On 26 October, 9 Hodson's Horse was inducted into Aleppo and by 31 October the Turkish Army surrendered. In these 38 days, the Regiment covered a total of 567 miles and made a major contribution to the Division's tally of 1100 prisoners of war and 58 canons. The battle honours awarded to 9th Hodson's Horse in the Middle Eastern theatre were Megiddo, Palestine, Sharon,

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 = , ...

, Khan-Baghdadi and

Mesopotamia Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...

. The regiment continued to stay in the Middle East after the war and returned to India in December 1920. The regiment's overseas tenure of five years was the longest for a cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. The 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) was stationed at

Loralai Loralai ( ps, لورلايي, ur, ), also known as Bori ( ps, ), is the division headquarter of Loralai Division and district headquarter of Loralai District. It is in the northeast of Balochistan province in Pakistan. It is above sea leve ...

in Balochistan under the 4th (Quetta) Division, when the First World War broke out in August 1914. It had arrived from

Jullundur Jalandhar is the third most-populous city in the Indian state of Punjab and the largest city in Doaba region. Jalandhar lies alongside the Grand Trunk Road and is a well-connected rail and road junction. Jalandhar is northwest of the state ...

on 18 November 1912 and had detachments at Gumbaz, Maratangi, Murgha and

Musa Khel Musakhel can refer to: *the Musakhel tribe of Afghanistan and Pakistan * Musakhel District, Afghanistan, part of the province of Khost, Afghanistan ** Musakhel, Khost, the administrative centre of the district of the same name in the province of Kho ...

. While the regiment did not proceed overseas until 1916, the Regiment supplied drafts of officers and men to other cavalry regiments. Over 350 officers and men of the Regiment were sent abroad, before the 10th Lancers received orders to mobilize for service in

in August 1916, the first two squadrons arriving in September and the other two squadrons and headquarters in October 1916. The 10th Lancers initially served as part of the Tigris Defences, guarding the lines of communication between Amara and Sheikh Sa’ad. From 1 January to 3 March 1917 a squadron of the regiment formed part of III (Tigris) Corps Cavalry Regiment in the advance to Capture Baghdad. The Regiment spent the next three years serving in Mesopotamia, but it would be during the

Iraqi revolt of 1920 The Iraqi revolt against the British, also known as the 1920 Iraqi Revolt or the Great Iraqi Revolution, started in Baghdad in the summer of 1920 with mass demonstrations by Iraqis, including protests by embittered officers from the old Ottoman ...

, that the 10th Lancers suffered its heaviest casualties. On 3 September 1920, an armoured train at

Samawa , nickname = Samawa , settlement_type = City , motto = , image_skyline = مدينة السماوة.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption = Samawah , image_flag = , fl ...

which was guarded by ‘D’ Squadron was overwhelmed and the 10th Lancers lost 28 men. The Regiment left Mesopotamia on 30 October 1920 and returned to India. Indian Lancers near Vraignes 1917

The two regiments won the following gallantry awards during the Great War – *

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

: Major Arthur Ion Fraser *

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

: Jemadar Hasan Shah, Risaldar Nur Ahmad Khan (9th Hodson Horse), Ressaidar Laurasib Khan (10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's 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 Bri ...

: Risaldar Major Malik Khan, Risaldar Muhammad Akram Khan, Risaldar Jai Ram, Risaldar Ram Singh (9th Hodson Horse),Risaldar Ajab Khan (9th Hodson Horse), Risaldar Nur Khan (10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse)) * Indian Order of Merit : Sowar Abdullah Khan, Dafadar Hakim Singh, Ressaidar Nur Ahmad Khan, Ressaidar Nur Ahmad Khan, IOM, Lance Daffadar Muhammad Azam, Jemadar Sardar Khan, Risaldar Dost Muhammed, Jemadar Nawab Ali Khan (9th Hodson Horse), Sowar Hayat Muhammad, Dafadar Sarfaraz Khan, Sowar Mansa Ram (10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse)) * Indian Distinguished Service Medal : 9th Hodson Horse – 25 medals, 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) – 13 medals. * Indian Meritorious Service Medal : 9th Hodson Horse – 38 medals, 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse) – 12 medals. *

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 ...

: Dafadar Nawab Ali Khan, Lance Dafadar Sorain Singh (9th Hodson Horse) * Order of the Nile, 4th Class : Ressaidar Hasan Singh (9th Hodson Horse) IWMQ12387Damascus

World War II

In 1921, the British decided to cut down on the number of cavalry regiments, and re-amalgamated the two as the 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse). At the time of the war, the regiment was part of the 2nd Indian Armoured Brigade, which was later designated as the 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade. The brigade was under

31st Indian Armoured Division The 31st Indian Armoured Division was an armoured division of the Indian Army during World War II, formed in 1940, originally as the 1st Indian Armoured Division; it consisted of units of the British Army and the British Indian Army. When it was ...

and served in the Middle East in Iraq and Palestine. It received the

M3 Stuart The M3 Stuart/Light Tank M3, was an American light tank of World War II. An improved version of the tank entered service as the M5 in 1942 to be supplied to British and other Commonwealth forces under lend-lease prior to the entry of the U.S. i ...

light tanks in November 1942. Major General FW Messervy of the regiment was awarded a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregiv ...

, a

and a mention, while Major MR Smeeton was awarded a

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

In the 1965 war, Hodson's Horse was equipped with the

Centurion tanks 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 seei ...

. It was part of the divisional reserve of the 1st Armoured Division, tasked for the massive attack at the Phillora sector against the Pakistani 6th Armoured Division. From Rurki Kalan, two regiments (4 Horse and 17 Horse) were to open out and encircle Phillora by a pincer movement from both flanks, while 16th Light Cavalry was to provide flank protection from the right. 43rd Lorried Brigade was tasked to capture Phillora. This armada of tanks destroyed the maximum number of enemy tanks (most of which were newly acquired and technologically superior Patton tanks) and recoilless guns. The Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) MMS Bakshi's tank got detached from the main body of the regiment owing to moving through the tall sugarcane crops. Reaching a stretch of open ground, he spotted four Pakistan's army Patton tanks. Immediately, he gave out fire orders for engaging them. Three of the Pattons were hit by his gunner one after another and it was only then that the fourth Patton had homed on to his tank. Both tanks fired simultaneously at each other and both were hit. With his tank catching fire, he ordered the crew to bail out. With him apart from the gunner and driver of the tank was his regimental signal cum intelligence officer, Lieutenant (later Brigadier) Ravi Malhotra, who was performing the duties of the radio operator-cum–loader. Having bailed out, they came under small arms fire from the Pakistani crew of the four destroyed Pattons, who had all bailed out too. Bakshi then fired back at them with his revolver and ordered his crew to get into the sugarcane crop, through which they moved on foot and after some time they were fortunate to be picked up by a squadron of the Poona Horse and eventually joined up with their own regiment. The regiment won the following gallantry awards – * Maha Vir Chakra : Lieutenant Colonel MMS Bakshi, Major Bhupinder Singh * Vir Chakra - Lance Dafadar Udham Singh * Sena Medal : Captain Arun Kumar Nehra, Dafadar Didar Singh, A/Lance Dafadar Onkar Datt, Naib Risaldar Piara Singh, Sowar Harbhajan Singh *

Mentioned in despatches 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 ...

- 11. * The Regiment was bestowed with the battle honour ‘Phillora’ and the theatre honour ‘Punjab 1965’.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

In the 1971 war, the regiment, equipped with

was part of the 54th Infantry Division, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel (later

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

) Raj Mohan Vohra 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 of the western front. His regiment spearheaded the advance capturing in its wake several Pakistan Army positions in villages namely Bhairo Nath, Thakurdwara, Bari Lagwal, Chamrola, Darman, Chakra and Dehlra and took in the famous

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 ha ...

. The regiment won the following gallantry awards – * Maha Vir Chakra : Lieutenant Colonel RM Vohra * Vir Chakra : Major Kamal Nanda, Major Suraj Jit Chaudhari, Major Govind Singh *8 mentioned in despatches *The regiment was awarded the Battle Honour ‘Basantar River’ and Theatre Honour ‘Punjab 1971’.

Other achievements

*The regiment was awarded with the ' Guidon' on 4 March 1976, at

Pathankot Pathankot is a city and the district headquarters of the Pathankot district in Punjab, India. Pathankot is the 6th most populous city of Punjab, after Ludhiana, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Patiala and Bathinda. Its local government is a municipal co ...

, Punjab. *Dafadar Harbhajan Singh was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously in 2006 for his act of gallantry in

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

, while serving with 8 Rashtriya Rifles. *The regiment has produced sportsmen of international repute like Pardumman Singh and Karnail Singh, who have represented India in the Olympics, Asian and Commonwealth Games.

Regimental insignia

The regimental badge consists of crossed lances with pennants; the Lions of Ashoka above the cross-over point and a scroll across the bottom with embossed inscription: HODSON'S HORSE. Prior to independence, the badge had a crown instead of the lion capital. The shoulder title is ‘4H’ in brass.

Regimental Composition

*In the time immediately after the mutiny, the 1st Regiment consisted of one 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 ter ...

, one squadron of Punjabi Musalmans, one

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...

of Pathans and border tribesmen, and one troop of Dogras. *In 1886, the class constitution was changed a little and an extra squadron was added, making 4 squadrons consisting of two troops each as follows: Sikhs – 3 troops, Dogras – 1 troop, Punjabi Muslims – 1 troop, Punjabi Musalmans – 2 troops, Pathans – 1 troop and

Hazaras The Hazaras ( fa, , Həzārə; haz, , Āzərə) are an ethnic group and the principal component of the population of Afghanistan, native to, and primarily residing in the Hazaristan (Hazarajat) region in central Afghanistan and generally scat ...

– 1 troop. *Prior to amalgamation, the 9th Horse had a composition of 1 ¼ squadron of Sikhs, 1 ¼ squadron of Dogras, 1 ¼ squadron of Punjabi Musalmans and ½ squadron of Pathans; whereas the 10th Horse had 1 ¼ squadron of Sikhs, 1 squadron of Dogras, 1 squadron of Punjabi Musalmans and ½ squadron of Pathans. *At present, the regiment is composed of two Sikh and one Dogra Squadrons.

Notable officers

*Major

- Commanding officer on formation. *General Sir Hugh Henry Gough – Was a Lieutenant in the Bengal European Light Cavalry, and serving in the Guides Cavalry - received the Victoria Cross for his acts of bravery during the mutiny, while serving in the Hodson's Horse. *General Sir

Charles John Stanley Gough General Sir Charles John Stanley Gough, ( ; 28 January 1832 – 6 September 1912) was a senior British Indian Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to Br ...

, – Brother of Hugh Gough, joined the 8th Bengal Cavalry, and served in the Guides Cavalry - received the Victoria Cross for his acts of bravery during the mutiny, while serving in the Hodson's Horse. *General Sir Henry Dermot Daly – Second Commandant of the Regiment *Risaldar-Major Man Singh - Raised the first troop (risallah), decorated with the Order of Merit 1st class and the Order of British India 1st class. On 9 March 1866, he was appointed as the first Risaldar Major of the 9th Bengal Cavalry, a post he held until his retirement in 1877. Having left military service, he was made Honorary Magistrate at

and then manager of the Golden Temple at Amritsar. * Colonel Osmond Barnes - Commanded the 10th Bengal (Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers and was Herald, who proclaimed

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

as the Empress of India at the Great Imperial Assemblage on 1 January 1877. *General Sir Arthur Power Palmer, -

Commander-in-Chief, India During the period of the Company rule in India and the British Raj, the Commander-in-Chief, India (often "Commander-in-Chief ''in'' or ''of'' India") was the supreme commander of the British Indian Army. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his ...

between March 1900 and December 1902. *Major General Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor - Quartermaster General for the British Army in India, the head of the Intelligence Department for the British Indian Army and founder of the United Service Institution of India. *Major General Sir Guy Archibald Hastings Beatty - Was Aide de Camp to King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother ...

, commander of the 4th Indian Cavalry Brigade in August 1925 and Military Adviser-in-Chief, Indian State Forces. *Major-General Austin Timeous Miller *Lieutenant General Thomas William Corbett, - General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1st Indian Armoured Division and commanded the IV Corps during the Second World War. *General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, - General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, India in 1946 and 1947 and the first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army. *Colonel George Lindsay Garstin - Joined the 9th Bengal Cavalry on 3 August 1877, and served in the Second Afghan War 1880 (Battle of Suakin) and led the regiment in the Chitral relief column. He possibly invented the wristwatch in the 1890s, getting a relative, Arthur Garstin (trading leather goods in Bloomsbury, London) to fashion him straps for his pocket watch. He commanded the Regiment between 1894 - 1901. * Brigadier Miles Richard Smeeton, - Traveller and author * Charles Chenevix Trench - Author and historian. *Risaldar-Major

Mir Dad Khan ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to& ...

, - Father of Pakistani general and president

Ayub Khan Ayub Khan is a compound masculine name; Ayub is the Arabic version of the name of the Biblical figure Job, while Khan or Khaan is taken from the title used first by the Mongol rulers and then, in particular, their Islamic and Persian-influenced s ...

. *Lieutenant General Raj Mohan Vohra, - GOC-in-C of Eastern Command from May 1988 to May 1990 *Lieutenant General Gurinder Singh, - GOC-in-C of Northern Command from June 1989 to September 1991 *Lieutenant General NS Malik, - Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Planning and Systems) September 1996 – February 1998 *Lieutenant General PPS Bhandari - Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Planning and Systems) January 2004 to January 2006 *Colonel Ajai Shukla - Journalist and defence writer *Major

Bikramjeet Kanwarpal Major Bikramjeet Kanwarpal (29 August 1968 1 May 2021) was an Indian film and television actor. A retired army officer, Kanwarpal had played supporting roles in many films and television serials. Kanwarpal shared screen space with actor Anil K ...

- Indian film and television actor

Notes

References

External links

Uniforms of the late 19th Century
{{DEFAULTSORT:4th Duke Of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse Military units and formations established in 1857 Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947 British Indian Army cavalry regiments 1857 establishments in India