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 and is presently part of the Indian Army Armoured Corps.
The regiment was raised as two irregular cavalry regiments at the outset of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The first regiment was formed by Captain Henry Otway Mayne on 15 December 1857 and was known initially as Mayne's Horse.[2][3] Captain Mayne who was from the 6th Madras Light Cavalry and a Brigade Major of the Hyderabad Contingent, raised his regiment with troops from Gwalior Contingent, Malwa Contingent Cavalry and Bhopal Contingent.[4][5]
The second regiment was known as Beatson's Horse. It was raised between February and September 1858 in Hyderabad by Lieutenant Colonel (later Major-General) William Fergusson Beatson, originally of the Bengal Native Infantry. The troops were from Hyderabad.[6]
They were based at the towns of Augur in Western Malwa and Goona in the state of Gwalior in central India.[7] 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.[8] 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.[6][9][10]
The Commandant of the Central India Horse then held political charge of the Western Malwa Agency, which included the States of Jaora, Ratlam, Sitamau and Sailana, with the Malwa districts of Gwalior, Indore, Jhalawar, Dewas, and Tonk.[11] 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, and the head-quarters of the Agency were removed from Agar to Neemuch.[12]
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.[13]
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.[14] The composition of the regiment was Punjabi Musalmans, Sikhs and Jats.[15]
Both regiments which were raised as a consequence of the First War of Independence saw action in Central India in pursuit of Tantia Tope after the recapture of Gwalior.[5]
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’.[5][16][17][18]
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.[19]
Graffito at the Gate of all Nations, Persepolis: "1911-1912, 39th K[ing] G[eorge's] O[wn] Central India Horse"
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 and Ispahan. The regiment lost one officer and several men in the many brushes with Kashguli tribesmen.[5] They left back for India in April 1913.[20][21]
The 39th King George's Own Central India Horse remained in India during the war, stationed in Poona.
Amalgamation
In 1921, the two regiments were amalgamated at Quetta 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 in 1939.[5]
Second World War
Central India Horse with captured German flag after re-occupation of Benghazi, December 1941.Indian Pattern Carrier Mk IIA named 'Dhar IV' of the type used by the Central India Horse, North Africa, April 1942.
It was during the Italian Campaign that two members of the Regiment were posthumously awarded the George Cross: Ditto Ram and St. John Graham Young attached from the Royal Tank Regiment.[30] 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, SowarDitto Ram, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.[31]
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 Sikh 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.[32][33][pageneeded][34]
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 column. Near Toungoo airfield in central Burma 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 by a force under the command of the British crown.[35][36]
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.[37] 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 tankregiment of the Indian Army's XXI Corps (Southern Command).
‘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 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.[38]
The regiment was part of the 7 Infantry Division under XI Corps. It was tasked to advance along the Khalra-Burki axis and capture the adjacent bridge over the Ichhogil canal and Bedian. The attack was partially successful and following the Battle of Burki, 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.[39][40]
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.[41]
Painting of Risaldar-Major Baha-Ud-Din Khan, Sirdar Bahadur, 1st Central India Horse by Rudolf Swoboda. Baha-Ud-Din Khan served on the North-West Frontier, in the Indian Rebellion and in the China and Afghan Wars. In 1884, he was appointed Risaldar-Major, the senior Indian officer and adviser to the British commander of his regiment. He was made Aide-de-Camp to the Viceroy in 1895.
Companion of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Huntingdon Stable[50]
Indian Order of Merit: 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.[51]
Indian Distinguished Service Medal: Lance Daffadar Kapur Singh, Sowar Yad Ram,[62] 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[59]
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.[79]
Shoulder badge of the Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) before 1947: shoulder title letters CIH below the Welsh Ich Dien symbol with feathers and coronet
Jaswant Singh: Former Cabinet Minister of External Affairs, Finance and Defence.[83]
Lieutenant General Misbah Mayadas, PVSM: Deputy Director of Military Operations; Director General of Weapons and Equipment; and Director General of Military Training
The Regimental insignia consists of crossed lances with pennons with the letters CIH inscribed between the crossing of the lances mounted with the crown. The crown was replaced with the Ashoka Lion Capital.
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↑ Thornton, Thomas Henry (1898). General Sir Richard Meade and the Feudatory States of Central and Southern India. Longmans, Greene and Co, London. p.46.
↑ Thornton, Thomas Henry (1898). General Sir Richard Meade and the Feudatory States of Central and Southern India. Longmans, Greene and Co, London. p.368.
↑ Daly, Major Hugh (1905). Memoirs of General Sir Henry Dermot Daly. John Murray (London). p.256.
↑ Aithcoson, C.U. (1909). A Collection of Treaties Engagements and Sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries, Vol-4. Superintendent Government Printing, India. p.373.
↑ Aithcoson, C.U. (1909). A Collection of Treaties Engagements and Sanads relating to India and neighbouring countries, Vol-4. Superintendent Government Printing, India. p.32.
↑ Gill, JH (2003). An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War - Creation of Bangladesh. National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. p.85.
↑ India, Government of (1914). The Historical Record of the Imperial Visit to India 1911; compiled from the Official Records under the orders of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India. John Murray (London).
↑ Gerard, Montagu Gilbert (1903). Leaves from the Diaries of a Soldier and Sportsman During Twenty Years' Service in India, Afganistan, Egypt and Other Countries, 1865-1885. John Murray (London). ISBN978-1151457004.
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