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The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)
Encyclopedia
The Central India Horse was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army
. They were formed at the start of the Mutiny of 1857 and served in the Great War and World War II
.
They were based at the town of Guna
, in the state of Gwalior and Augar 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.
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
, 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. Both Regiments would serve together in the Second Afghan War.
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 Indian Horse.
the brigade consisted of the;
and the 39th King George's Own Cenral India Horse remained in India stationed in Poona.
the Central India Horse was the divisional reconnaissance regiment for the 4th Indian Division there equipment consisted of Light Tanks and Indian Carriers. Attached to the 4th Indian they were involved in the Western Desert Campaign
the East African Campaign
the Tunisia Campaign
and the Italian Campaign
.
It was during the Italian Campaign that two members of the Regiment would be posthumously awarded the George Cross
Ditto Ram
and St. John Graham Young
attached from the Royal Tank Regiment
Notice of the award was published in the London Gazette
on 20 July 1945. 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
Ditto Ram
, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.
regiment
of the Indian Army
.
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
. They were formed at the start of the Mutiny of 1857 and served in the Great War and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Formation
The regiment was founded as two irregular cavalry regiments in 1857, at the outset of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by Henry Otway Mayne, and was known initially as Mayne's Horse and the 2nd regiment which was known as Beatson's HorseThey were based at the town of Guna
Guna
' means 'string' or 'a single thread or strand of a cord or twine'. In more abstract uses, it may mean 'a subdivision, species, kind, quality', or an operational principle or tendency....
, in the state of Gwalior and Augar 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.
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
Paron
Paron is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France....
, Garha
Garha
The Garha or sometimes pronounced Gara and occasionally Gada are a Muslim community or caste found in the states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, India.-History and origin:...
, Umri
Umri
Umri is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jalaun district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Umri had a population of 8816. Males constitute 54% of the population and females 46%. Umri has an average literacy rate of 60%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...
, 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. Both Regiments would serve together in the Second Afghan War.
Twentieth century
During the Kitchener reorganisationKitchener Reforms
The Kitchener Reforms of the Indian Army began in 1903 when Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief, India, completed the unification of the three armies of the former Presidencies , and also the Punjab Frontier Force, the Hyderabad Contingent and other local forces, into one...
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 Indian Horse.
The Great War
During the Great War the 38th King George's Own Central India Horse was part of the 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade in the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division2nd Indian Cavalry Division
The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a regular division of the British Indian Army during World War I.-History:The division sailed for France from Bombay on October 16, 1914, under the command of Major General G A Cookson. During the war the division would serve in the trenches as infantry...
the brigade consisted of the;
- 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons6th (Inniskilling) DragoonsThe 6th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922.The 'Skins' are one of the four ancestor regiments of the Royal Dragoon...
- 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)The 2nd Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1809. It served in the Nepal and First World Wars. During the reconstruction of the British Indian Army in 1922 it was amalgamated with the 4th Cavalry....
- 38th King George's Own Central India Horse
- Signal Troop
and the 39th King George's Own Cenral India Horse remained in India stationed in Poona.
Amalgamation
In 1921, the two regiments were amalgamated into the 38th/39th Cavalry, which was renamed the 38th/39th King George's Own Light Cavalry (1922), The Central India Horse (21st King George's Own Horse) (1923), and The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) (1937).World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the Central India Horse was the divisional reconnaissance regiment for the 4th Indian Division there equipment consisted of Light Tanks and Indian Carriers. Attached to the 4th Indian they were involved in the Western Desert Campaign
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
the Tunisia Campaign
Tunisia Campaign
The Tunisia Campaign 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. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
and the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
.
It was during the Italian Campaign that two members of the Regiment would be posthumously awarded the George Cross
George Cross
The George Cross is the highest civil decoration of the United Kingdom, and also holds, or has held, that status in many of the other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations...
Ditto Ram
Ditto Ram
Sowar Ditto Ram of the Central India 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 1944 at Monte Cassino in Italy. His name is remembered on the Cassino Memorial . Notice of...
and St. John Graham Young
St. John Graham Young
Lieutenant St. John Graham Young GC was posthumously awarded the George Cross, the highest British award for bravery out of combat, for his heroism in rescuing his comrades from a minefield in Italy on 23 July 1944...
attached from the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
Notice of the award was published in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 20 July 1945. 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
Sowar , meaning 'The one who rides' in Persian, was originally a rank during the Mughal period. Later during the British Raj it was the name in Anglo-Indian usage for a horse-soldier belonging to the cavalry troops of the native armies of British India and the feudal states...
Ditto Ram
Ditto Ram
Sowar Ditto Ram of the Central India 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 1944 at Monte Cassino in Italy. His name is remembered on the Cassino Memorial . Notice of...
, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.
Independence
Upon India's independence, the Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) was allocated to India, although a Muslim Punjabi 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 regiment of Indian Army. The Central India Horse is now a tankTank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
.
External links
Follow this link to view the uniforms of the late 19th Century- http://www.members.tripod.com/~Glosters/IAcavalry1.htm