The Central India Horse (formerly the 21st King George V's Own Horse, also known as Beatson's Horse) was a regular cavalry regiment of the

British Indian Army The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which cou ...

and is presently part of the Indian Army Armoured Corps.

Formation

The regiment was raised as two irregular cavalry regiments at the outset 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 ...

. The first regiment was formed by Captain Henry Otway Mayne on 15 December 1857 and was known initially as Mayne's Horse. Captain Mayne who was from the 6th Madras Light Cavalry and a

Brigade Major A brigade major was the chief of staff of a brigade in the British Army. They most commonly held the rank of major, although the appointment was also held by captains, and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section dire ...

of the

Hyderabad Contingent The Nizam's Contingent, later Hyderabad Contingent, was the army funded by the Nizam of Hyderabad, the ruler of a Princely state of India.http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/Site/FormTemplete/frmTemp12PLM8C.aspx?MnId=l7m6i4kBQ6GVWWXGRMx4Yg&ParentID=RSk ...

, raised his regiment with troops from Gwalior Contingent, Malwa Contingent Cavalry and Bhopal Contingent. The second regiment was known as Beatson's Horse. It was raised between February and September 1858 in

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern Indi ...

by Lieutenant Colonel (later Major-General) William Fergusson Beatson, originally of the Bengal Native Infantry. The troops were from Hyderabad. They were based at the towns of

Augur An augur was a priest and official in the classical Roman world. His main role was the practice of augury, the interpretation of the will of the gods by studying the flight of birds. Determinations were based upon whether they were flying ...

in Western

Malwa Malwa is a historical region of west-central India occupying a plateau of volcanic origin. Geologically, the Malwa Plateau generally refers to the volcanic upland north of the Vindhya Range. Politically and administratively, it is also sy ...

and Goona in the state of

Gwalior Gwalior() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...

in central India. In 1860, Mayne's Horse was renamed the 1st Regiment, Central India Horse, and Beatson's Horse was renamed the 2nd Regiment, Central India Horse. Mayne's Horse and Beatson's Horse joined to form the Central India Horse in 1860. They were joined by 200 men of the Meade's Horse in 1861. The Commandant of the Central India Horse then held political charge of the Western Malwa Agency, which included the States of Jaora,

Ratlam Ratlam, known historically as Ratnapuri (lit. ''gem city''), is a city in the northwestern part of the Malwa region in Madhya Pradesh state of India. The city of Ratlam lies above sea level. It is the administrative headquarters of Ratlam di ...

, Sitamau and Sailana, with the Malwa districts of

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is the only city to ...

Jhalawar Jhalawar () is a city, municipal council and headquarter in Jhalawar district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located in the southeastern part of the state. It was the capital of the former princely state of Jhalawar, and is the ad ...

Dewas Dewas is a city in the Malwa region of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The municipality was formerly the seat of two 15-Gun Salute state princely states during the British Raj, Dewas Junior state and Dewas Senior state, ruled by the Pu ...

, and Tonk. In December 1895, control of the Agency was transferred from the charge of the Commandant of the Central India Horse to that of an officer of the

Indian Political Department The Indian Political Department (IPD), formerly known as the Foreign and Political Department of the Government of India, was a government department in British India. It originated in a resolution passed on 13 September 1783 by the board of direc ...

, and the head-quarters of the Agency were removed from Agar to Neemuch. In 1860, the officer commanding the Central India Horse was made the British political officer for the small states of Raghugarh, Khaniadhana (after 1888), Paron,

Garha The Garha, Gaur, Gaud or Gour, Gauri are a Muslim community or caste found in the Indian states of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana,Manohar, K S Singh, ed. (2005) ''People of India Uttar Pradesh''. Vol. XXIII. p. 407 Punjab and Uttarakha ...

, Umri and Bhadaura, which were made a separate charge from that of the Resident of Gwalior. This arrangement was abolished in 1896, when these states were again placed under the resident, with the officer commanding at Guna continuing to act as ex-officio assistant to the Resident, with very limited powers.

Reorganisation

During the Kitchener reorganisation of the Indian Army of 1903, the 1st Regiment became the 38th Regiment Central India Horse, and the 2nd regiment became the 39th Regiment Central India Horse. In 1906, the regiments were renamed the 38th and 39th Prince of Wales's Own Central India Horse, and in 1910 the 38th and 39th King George's Own Central India Horse. The composition of the regiment was Punjabi Musalmans,

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

s and

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 su ...

Operations

; Indian Uprising of 1857 Both regiments which were raised as a consequence of the First War of Independence saw action in Central India in pursuit of

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 ...

after the recapture of Gwalior. ;

Second Anglo-Afghan War The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ps, د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the l ...

The two regiments were part of the Kabul-Kandahar Field Force under its Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Roberts. It was part of the Cavalry Brigade led by Brigadier-general Hugh Gough. The regiment was awarded the battle honours ‘Kandahar,1880’ and ‘Afghanistan, 1879-80’. ;Punjab Frontier In 1897, both regiments were involved in operations in the North West Indian Frontier with Afghanistan. The regiments were also deployed in Kurram Valley. ;

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

: In October 1911, the British Government sent a small force of troops to Persia consisting of three and half squadron of 39th King George's Own Central India Horse and sixty men of the 7th Rajputs to support and protect its trade in Bushire,

Shiraz Shiraz (; fa, شیراز, Širâz ) is the fifth-most-populous city of Iran and the capital of Fars Province, which has been historically known as Pars () and Persis. As of the 2016 national census, the population of the city was 1,565,572 p ...

and

Ispahan Isfahan ( fa, اصفهان, Esfahân ), from its ancient designation ''Aspadana'' and, later, ''Spahan'' in middle Persian, rendered in English as ''Ispahan'', is a major city in the Greater Isfahan Region, Isfahan Province, Iran. It is lo ...

. The regiment lost one officer and several men in the many brushes with Kashguli tribesmen. They left back for India in April 1913. ;

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

During the

Great War 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 ...

the 38th King George's Own Central India Horse was part of the

5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade The 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army that saw active service in the Indian Army during the First World War. Formed in November 1914, it served on the Western Front as part of the 2nd and 1st Indian Ca ...

in 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 ...

.The brigade consisted of the

6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons The 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689 as Sir Albert Cunningham's Regiment of Dragoons. One of the regiment's most notable battles was the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690. It became the ...

2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) The 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) is one of the oldest and a highly decorated armoured regiment of the Indian Army. The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of two of the oldest regiments of the Bengal Army – the 2nd Royal Lancers (Gardner' ...

, 38th King George's Own Central India Horse and Signal Troop. The regiment lost many men in the Battle of Cambrai, but were noted for their bravery in extricating the 2nd Lancers. Later in 1918 the 38th King George's Own Central India Horse joined the 10th Cavalry Brigade, in the 4th Cavalry Division for the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. They returned to India in February 1921. The 39th King George's Own Central India Horse remained in India during the war, stationed in

Poona 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 ...

Amalgamation

In 1921, the two regiments were amalgamated at

Quetta Quetta (; ur, ; ; ps, کوټه‎) is the tenth most populous city in Pakistan with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in south-west of the country close to the International border with Afghanistan. It is the capital of th ...

into the 38th/39th Cavalry, which was renamed the 38th/39th King George's Own Light Cavalry in 1922, The Central India Horse (21st King George's Own Horse) in 1923, and The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) in 1937. The horses were replaced by

armoured fighting vehicles An armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) is an armed combat vehicle protected by armour, generally combining operational mobility with offensive and defensive capabilities. AFVs can be wheeled or tracked. Examples of AFVs are tanks, armoured c ...

in 1939.

Second World War

Indian soldiers with swastika flag after re-occupation of Benghazi 1941

During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the Central India Horse (equipped with Light Tanks and Indian Pattern Carriers) was the divisional reconnaissance regiment for the

4th Indian Division The 4th Indian Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army. This division of the British Indian Army was formed in Egypt in 1939 during the Second World War. During the Second World War, i ...

. While attached to the 4th Indian Division they were involved in the Western Desert Campaign, the East African Campaign, the

Tunisia Campaign The Tunisian campaign (also known as the Battle of Tunisia) was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces from 17 November 1942 to 13 May 1943. Th ...

and the Italian Campaign. It was during the Italian Campaign that two members of the Regiment were posthumously awarded the

George Cross The George Cross (GC) is the highest award bestowed by the British government for non-operational Courage, gallantry or gallantry not in the presence of an enemy. In the British honours system, the George Cross, since its introduction in 1940, ...

Ditto Ram Sowar Ditto Ram of the Central India Horse (21st King George Vs. Own Horse), Indian Armoured Corps, in the Indian Army during World War II was posthumously awarded the George Cross for his gallantry in helping a wounded comrade on 23 July 1 ...

and St. John Graham Young attached from the

Royal Tank Regiment The Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) is the oldest tank unit in the world, being formed by the British Army in 1916 during the First World War. Today, it is the armoured regiment of the British Army's 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade. Formerly known as t ...

. Young had been leading a night patrol on 23 July 1944, when he and his men found themselves in any enemy minefield. He received the full force of a mine explosion, severely injuring both legs. Despite his wounds, his encouragement enabled the majority of his men to reach safety. One of them,

Sowar Sowar ( ur, سوار, also ''siwar'' meaning "the one who rides" or "rider", from Persian ) was originally a rank during the Mughal Empire and Maratha Empire. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-sol ...

, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.

Bombay 'mutiny'

In 1940, the Central India Horse was posted to Egypt. While awaiting embarkation the train carrying the regiment was kept in a siding for about twenty-four hours. During this delay four members of a radical political organization – the ''Kirti Lehar'' were able to persuade two-thirds of the

squadron of the regiment to refuse overseas service. The remainder of the regiment embarked for North Africa and Italy where it served with distinction. The 'mutineers' were court-martialed.

Cavalry charge at Toungoo

On March 20, 1942 Captain Arthur Sandeman of the Central India Horse was on secondment to the Burma Frontier Force - leading a

mounted infantry Mounted infantry were infantry who rode horses instead of marching. The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry. According to the 1911 ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', "Mounted rifles are half cavalry, mounted infantry merely speciall ...

column. Near Toungoo airfield in central

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

the 60-man mounted patrol mistook Japanese troops for Chinese ones and closed with them before realizing their mistake. Most of the patrol (including Sandeman) were killed in what was probably the last

cavalry charge A charge is an offensive maneuver in battle in which combatants advance towards their enemy at their best speed in an attempt to engage in a decisive close combat. The charge is the dominant shock attack and has been the key tactic and decis ...

by a force under the command of the British crown.

Independence

Upon India's independence, the Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) was allocated to India, although a Muslim

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a British Th ...

squadron was transferred to the 19th King George V's Own Lancers in exchange for its Jat squadron. When India became a republic in 1950, the regiment was renamed The Central India Horse, which is one of the decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The Central India Horse is now a

tank A tank is an armoured fighting vehicle intended as a primary offensive weapon in front-line ground combat. Tank designs are a balance of heavy firepower, strong armour, and good battlefield mobility provided by tracks and a powerful ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

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 ...

's XXI Corps ( Southern Command). ;

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948, or the First Kashmir War, was a war fought between India and Pakistan over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1947 to 1948. It was the first of four Indo-Pakistani wars that was fought between th ...

‘A’ Squadron of the Central India Horse took part in the March–April 1948 Indian offensive along with the three brigades ( 50th Parachute, 19th Infantry and 20th Infantry) and advanced along the Naoshera-

Rajauri Rajouri or Rajauri (; Pahari: 𑠤𑠬𑠑𑠶𑠤𑠮, راجوری; sa, राजपुर, ) is a city in Rajouri district in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is located about from Srinagar and from Jammu city on the ...

road and recaptured Janghar (March 17, 1948), then changed direction and occupied Rajauri (April 12, 1948). It also took part in the second attempt to capture Poonch in October–November 1948. A light tank squadron of Central India Horse along with the 5th and 19th Infantry Brigades carried out the main attack between November 8 and 19 1948 from the Rajauri area to capture Pooch. ;

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 was part of the 7 Infantry Division under

XI Corps 11 Corps, 11th Corps, Eleventh Corps, or XI Corps may refer to: * 11th Army Corps (France) * XI Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XI Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army * XI ...

. It was tasked to advance along the

Khalra Khalra village is located in Patti Tehsil of Tarn Taran district in Punjab, India. It is situated 27 km away from sub-district headquarter Patti and 35 km away from district headquarter Tarn Taran. According to Census 2011 informatio ...

- Burki axis and capture the adjacent bridge over the

Ichhogil canal __NOTOC__ Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian Canal (BRB Canal), also called Ichogil Canal, is a manmade waterway in Pakistan that takes off from the Upper Chenab Canal near the Bambanwala village (to the west of Daska), runs southeast until reaching close to ...

and

Bedian Bedian (), also spelled Badian, is a village in the Kasur District of Punjab, Pakistan, close to the India-Pakistan border. The village was founded by the Sikh preacher Baba Sahib Singh Bedi during the region of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. After th ...

. The attack was partially successful and following the

Battle of Burki The Battle of Burki (Barki) was a battle fought by Indian infantry and Pakistani armour in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Barki is a village that lies south-east of Lahore near the border with Punjab,Just 11 km from the Allama Iqbal Internat ...

, Burki and Jahman villages were captured. The regiment lost 6 tanks during this operation. Lt Col SC Joshi, commanding officer of the regiment was killed while negotiating an enemy minefield. ;

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 was part of 26 Infantry Division and equipped with T-55 tanks. A detachment of the regiment was part of 3 Independent Armoured Brigade. Both were under

XV Corps 15th Corps, Fifteenth Corps, or XV Corps may refer to: * XV Corps (British India) *XV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I *15th Army Corps (Russian Empire), a unit in World War I * XV Royal Bav ...

Awards and honours

Prominent winners of gallantry awards include: ;Early years * Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire : Major Francis Henry Rutherford Drummond, 2nd Regiment of Central India Horse; and Rissaldar Major Baha-ud-din Khan, Sardar Bahadur, 1st Regiment of Central India Horse *

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, o ...

: Colonel Lionel Herbert ; Imperial Visit to India, 1911 The following were honoured during the Imperial Visit of 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 ...

to India *

Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria on 1 January 1878. The Order includes members of three classes: #Knight Grand Commander (GCIE) #Knight Commander ( KCIE) #Companion ( CIE) No appoi ...

: Captain Rudolph Edward Trower Hogg * Order of British India, 1st Class, with the title of " Sardar Bahadur”: Risaldar Major Malik Ghulam Muhammad Khan ;Persia * Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George : Lieutenant-Colonel James Archibald Douglas * Order of the Lion and the Sun, 3rd Class : Captain Edward Thomas Ruscombe Wickham ; 1917 Birthday Honours *Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire : Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Hierom Ogilvy Spence ;World War I *

Battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

s :

Somme 1916 __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) The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France. The ...

, Cambrai 1917, Morval,

France 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 ...

and

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

1914-18, Megiddo, 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 = , ...

, and Palestine 1918. *

Commander 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 and Brevet Major Charles Offley Harvey, M.V.O., M.C., 38th King George's Own Central India Horse *Companion of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire : Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Huntingdon Stable *

Indian Order of Merit The Indian Order of Merit (IOM) was a military and civilian decoration of British India. It was established in 1837, (General Order of the Governor-General of India, No. 94 of 1 May 1837) although following the Partition of India in 1947 it was ...

: Risaldar Dilawar Khan, Ressaidar Jawand Singh, Lance Daffadar Faiz Muhammad Khan, Ressaidar Lihaz Gul Khan, Jemadar Mirzaman Khan, Ressaidar Dyal Singh, RessaidarKertar Singh, Sowar Dalip Singh, Sowar Indar Singh. *

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 ...

: Risaldar Kamaluddin Khan *

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 Amar Singh, Risaldar Dilawar Khan, Risaldar Kamaluddin Khan, Ressaidar Mohan Singh * Indian Distinguished Service Medal : 38th King George's Own Central India Horse – 29 medals, 39th King George's Own Central India Horse – 4 medals. * Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service : Dafadar Lohrasab Khan * Indian Meritorious Service Medals: 38th King George's Own Central India Horse – 58 medals, 39th King George's Own Central India Horse – 12 medals. * Order of Saint Anna, 3rd Class : Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Percy Browne * Medaille d'Honneur avec Glaives "en Argent" : Private Frederick Mason *

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 ...

: Kot Dafadar Shawali Khan. ; World War II *

s : Keren-Asmara Road, Keren, Abyssinia 1940-41, Relief of Tobruk 1941, North Africa 1940-43,

Gothic Line The Gothic Line (german: Gotenstellung; it, Linea Gotica) was a German defensive line of the Italian Campaign of World War II. It formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence along the summits of the northern part of ...

, Italy 1943-45, Greece 1944-45 *

: Sowar Ditto Ram and Lieutenant St. John Graham Young * The Indian Order of Merit (Second Class) : Risaldar Malik Mohammed Allahdad Khan, Lance-Daffadar Ram Bhaj *

: Captain D.H.G.M. Doyne Ditmas * Military Medal : Lance-Daffadar Ranbir Singh * Indian Distinguished Service Medal : Lance Daffadar Kapur Singh, Sowar Yad Ram, Risaldar Ali Musa Khan, Risaldar Sis Ram, Jemadar Mohammed Bahadur Khan, Daffadar Janak Singh, Lance-Daffadar Ram Bhaj, Lance-Daffadar Khuda Baksh, Lance-Daffadar Attar Singh * Medal of the Order of the British Empire for Meritorious Service : Sowar Chabbila Ram *

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 ...

: 19 ;Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948: *

s : Rajaori, Jammu and Kashmir 1947-48, *

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 ...

: Captain Arvind Nilkhanth Jatar *

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 ...

: Major Karam Singh, Lieutenant Satish Chandra Joshi, Jemadar Janak Singh, Lance Daffadar Waryam Singh, Sowar Roop Chand *

: 10 ;

: *

s : Burki, Punjab 1965 *

: Lt Col Satish Chandra Joshi, Naib Risaldar Jagdish 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 ...

: Dafadar Ishwar Singh, Lance Daffadar Uttam Singh *

: 2 ;Presentation of Guidon The regiment was presented the a guidon 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 Murm ...

Giani Zail Singh Giani Zail Singh (, born Jarnail Singh; 5 May 1916 – 25 December 1994) was an Indian politician from Punjab who served as the seventh president of India from 1982 to 1987. He was the first Sikh and the first person from a backward caste to bec ...

on 8 January 1983.

Notable personnel

* General James Travers : Commanded the regiment in 1860 and was recipient of

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 ...

. * General Sir Henry Dermot Daly : Commanded the regiment in 1861 and was the Governor General of India's Agent in Central India between 1870 and 1881. He also raised the Daly's Horse. * General Sir Dighton Macnaghten Probyn : Commanded the regiment between 1868 and 1870, recipient of

and after whom the

5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse The 5th Horse is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was previously known as the 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse, which was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of the 11th ...

and Probynabad are named. * General Sir John Watson : Commanded the regiment in 1871 and was recipient of

. * General Sir Samuel James Browne : Recipient of the Victoria Cross, commanded the regiment and raised

22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry The 12th Cavalry Sam Browne's Cavalry (Frontier Force) is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. It was formed in the British Indian army in 1922 by the amalgamation of 22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry (Frontier Force) and 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force) ...

*General Sir Montagu Gilbert Gerard * Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain : served in the regiment in 1876 and is credited with having invented the game of

snooker Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sport played on a rectangular table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six pockets, one at each corner and one in the middle of each long side. First played by British Army officers stationed in ...

while serving in Jubbulpore (

Jabalpur Jabalpur is a city situated on the banks of Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. According to the 2011 census, it is the third-largest urban agglomeration in Madhya Pradesh and the country's 38th-largest urban agglomeration. ...

), India, in 1875. *

Jaswant Singh Major Jaswant Singh (; 3 January 193827 September 2020) was an officer of the Indian Army and an Indian Cabinet Minister. He was one of the founding members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and was one of India's longest serving parliamen ...

: Former Cabinet Minister of External Affairs, Finance and Defence. *Lieutenant General Misbah Mayadas, : Deputy Director of Military Operations; Director General of Weapons and Equipment; and Director General of Military Training *Lieutenant General Surinder Kumar Jetley, : Deputy Chief of the Army Staff (Training and Coordination) *Lieutenant General Bhupinder Singh Thakur : Vice Chief of the Army Staff, January - September 2005 * Lieutenant General Dewan Rabindranath Soni, : General Officer-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Southern Command and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Army Training Command (ARTRAC). *Lieutenant General Paramjit Singh Minhas : General Officer-Commanding

XII Corps 12th Corps, Twelfth Corps, or XII Corps may refer to: * 12th Army Corps (France) * XII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps, a unit of the Imperial German Army * XII (Ro ...

* Major General K Zorawar Singh,

Uniforms and insignia

The original uniforms were modelled upon that of the Guides. The men wore

khaki The color khaki (, ) is a light shade of tan with a slight yellowish tinge. Khaki has been used by many armies around the world for uniforms and equipment, particularly in arid or desert regions, where it provides camouflage relative to sandy ...

, the

facings A facing colour is a common tailoring technique for European military uniforms where the visible inside lining of a standard military jacket, coat or tunic is of a different colour to that of the garment itself.René Chartrand, William Younghusb ...

being maroon, a blue Ludhiana pagri, white

breeches Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Western men's c ...

, scarlet lungi and black puttees. 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 s ...

s with

pennon A pennon, also known as a pennant or pendant, is a long narrow flag which is larger at the hoist than at the fly. It can have several shapes, such as triangular, tapering (square tail) or triangular swallowtail (forked tail), etc. In maritime u ...

s with the letters CIH inscribed between the crossing of the lances mounted with the

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

. The crown was replaced with the Ashoka Lion Capital.

References

External links

Uniforms of the late 19th Century

Central India Horse Association, UK
{{DEFAULTSORT:Central India Horse British Indian Army cavalry regiments Honourable East India Company regiments Indian World War I regiments Indian World War II regiments Military units and formations established in 1857 Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947 1857 establishments in India