18th King Edward's Own Cavalry

The 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922 by the amalagamation of the 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry and the 7th Hariana Lancers. These regiments served the British Crown from before the Indian Mutiny to World War II.

6th King Edward's Own Cavalry

The 6th King Edward' Own Cavalry was raised at Fatehgarh in 1842 by Lt W H Ryves as the 8th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry,

In 1861 became the 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry

In 1883 became the 6th (the Prince of Wales) Regiment of Bengal Cavalry

In 1901 became the 6th (Prince of Wales) Bengal Cavalry

In 1906 became the 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry

Ther first action was in 1843 during the Gwalior Campaign in central India for which they earned the battle honour Punniar. In 1845 they were involved in the First Anglo-Sikh War and participated in the Battle of Moodkee the Battle of Ferozeshah and the Battle of Sobraon They were next in action in Egypt during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War where they were awarded the battle honours Egypt 1882 as a theatre honour and also honours for the Battle of Tel-El-Kebir. It was while on service in Egypt that Karki was worn by all ranks for the first time.^[1]

During World War I they were part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division, 2nd (Sailkot) Cavalry Brigade which arrived in France in November 1914. They were involved in the First Battle of Ypres and other actions on the Western Front but notably in, the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Cambrai^[2]

The brigade formation was;

17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own)

6th King Edward's Own Cavalry

19th Lancers (Fane's Horse)

Brigade Signal Troop

7th Hariana Lancers

The 7th Hariana Lancers was formed in 1846 as a regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry raised in Meerut and Cawnpore by Captain Liptrott. The Regiment was raised after the First Sikh War in anticipation of the Second War starting. When the Second Sikh War broke out, they did not become involved in any engagements but found themselves in the reserve force. In 1857 when the Indian Mutiny broke out they were stationed on the North West Frontier the regiment remained loyal and did not mutiny. As a result of the mutiny and the reconstruction of the Bengal army, the irregular cavalry regiments 8th to 16th were disbanded and the 17th became the 7th Bengal Cavalry. They went to Burma in 1886 during the 3rd Burmese War which would be their last action until the Great War. In 1915 during World War I they were part of the forces sent to Mesopotamia and fought in the Battle of Shaiba where on 13 Apr Major Wheeler received a posthumous VC. They would lose a squadron in the actions at Kut-Al-Amara, they returned to Bolarum in October 1916. Like all regiments of the Indian Army, the 7th Cavalry underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below. There seems to be no reason for the name chosen in the 1904 reorganisation other than a large number of the men came from that district.

In 1846 16th Irregular Cavalry

In 1847 became the 17th Irregular Cavalry

In 1861 became the 7th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry

In 1900 became the 7th Regiment of Bengal Lancers

In 1901 became the 7th Bengal Lancers

In 1903 became the 7th Lancers

In 1904 became the 7th Hariana Lancers.

Victoria Cross

One member of the 7th Hariana Lancers was awarded the Victoria Cross, Major George Godfrey Massy Wheeler. On 12 April 1915 at Shaiba, Mesopotamia, Major Wheeler led his squadron in an attempt to capture a flag which was the centre-point of a group of the enemy who were firing on one of his troop's picquets. He advanced, attacked the enemy's infantry with the lance, and then retired while the enemy swarmed out of hidden ground where Royal Artillery guns could attack them. On 13 April Major Wheeler led his squadron to the attack of the North Mound. He was seen far ahead of his men, riding straight for the enemy's standards, but was killed in the attack.

World War II

In World War II the regiment was mechanised in December 1940 and attached to the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade which as initially part of the 31st Indian Armoured Division.^[3] The brigade was sent to Egypt and the Western Desert Campaign and was attached to a number of different formations including the 2nd Armoured Division, 7th Armoured Division and the 9th Australian Division who they were with at the Siege of Tobruk.^[3] It also supplied men for the Indian Long Range Squadron. The brigade was later overrun by the Italians during the Battle of Gazala and took some days to reform. In 1942 the brigade returned to the 31st Armoured and was stationed in Iraq as part of Paiforce.

The Brigade formation was:

2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse), equipment Cavalry Carrier – 2 x Recon Sqn, 1 x AT Sqn.^[4]

11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) equipment Cavalry Carrier - 2 x Recon Sqn, 1 x AT Sqn.^[4]

18th King Edward's Own Cavalry, equipment Cavalry Carrier - 2 x Recon Sqn, 1 x AT Sqn.^[4][5][6]

References

Further reading

• Kempton, C (1996). A Register of Titles of the Units of the H.E.I.C. & Indian Armies 1666-1947. Bristol: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum. ISBN 978-0-9530174-0-9
• Gaylor, J (1992). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1
• Bengal Cavalry Regiments 1857-1914 By R. G. Harris, Christopher Warner. ISBN 978-0-85045-308-9
• Gurcharn Singh Sandhu, I serve ("Ich dien"): saga of the Eighteenth Cavalry, Lancer International, 1991 (Original from the University of California) Digitized 4 Sep 2008, ISBN 8170621046, 9788170621041

External links

Follow this link to view the uniforms of the late 19th Century

• http://www.members.tripod.com/~Glosters/IAcavalry1.htm