4th Cavalry (India)

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4th Cavalry
Active1838-1922
Country India
AllegianceFlag of Awadh.svg Oudh State (1840-1858)
Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg East India Company (1840-1858)
British Raj Red Ensign.svg British India (1858-1922)
Branch Oudh State (1838-1840)
Bengal Army (1840-1895)
Ensign of the Royal Indian Army Service Corps.svg  British Indian Army (1895-1922)
Type Cavalry
SizeRegiment
British and Indian officers of the 4th Cavalry in Belgium in 1915 Officers of the 4th Cavalry Neuf Berguin, France (Photo 24-280).jpg
British and Indian officers of the 4th Cavalry in Belgium in 1915

The 4th Cavalry was a cavalry regiment of Awadh (1838-40), the Bengal Army (1838-1895) and the British Indian Army (1895-1922).

Contents

Origin

The 4th Cavalry was raised in 1838 in the service of the Nawab of Awadh and underwent numerous reorganisations and amalgamations as listed below.

History

In 1840, the regiment was converted to the service of the East India Company as the 6th Bengal Irregular Cavalry. The regiment was granted an Honorary Standard for its service in Sind in 1844, wearing the device of a lion 'passant regardant'.

As part of the 1861 reforms it was add to the regular establishment as the 4th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. The regiment earned its first battle honour "Afghanistan NWF 1879-80" for service during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.

The regiment went through four changes of title between 1900 and 1904, initially owing to the regiment being rearmed with the lance. The regiment was stationed at the Bareilly Cantonment when World War I broke out in 1914.

In August 1914, the regiment was mobilised as the divisional cavalry regiment of the 7th (Meerut) Division, and landed in France in October 1914

In November 1915 they left the front and entrained for Marseille, however they did not sail until the end of December. They were transferred to Mesopotamia, arriving in January 1916. They were transferred to serve with the 6th Indian Cavalry Brigade. They left Mesopotamia and returned to India in late 1917. In late 1920 the 4th Cavalry were sent to Palestine on occupation duties, not returning to Bombay, India until January 1922.

In April 1922, the 4th was amalgamated with the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) to form the 2nd–4th Cavalry. However this title was short-lived and the new unit was retitled 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) by October 1922.

Names

See also

References

  1. "4th Cavalry (Indian Army)". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007.

Bibliography