Indian Army Uniforms Under the British From the 18th Century to 1947-Leonard Hill Books Ltd. (1961)

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INDIAN ARMY UNIFORMSUNDER THE BRITISH

from the 18th century to 1947

Cavalry

I ROKTUFBt i . I.nui -< lolonel William Mum ill'. 7th Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1801, after the oil-painting l>\ Sir I l<m\urn. Reproduced b) courtesy "I Mr. Bill) Row York. Blocks kindly lent 1>\ M Ueries.

W. Y. CARMANF.R.Hist.Soc, F.S.A., F.S.A. (Scot.)

INDIAN

ARMY UNIFORMSUNDER THE BRITISH

from the 18th century to 1947

Cavalry

1 96 1

LEONARD HILL [BOOKS] LIMITED9 EDEN STREET, LONDON, N . W . i

First Published in Great Britain ig6i

© Copyright W. T. Carman, ig6i

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY

W. &. J. MACKAY Sc CO LTD. CHATHAM

CONTENTS

1223956 pwIntroduction vii

Acknowledgments x

List of Illustrations xi

Chapter

I The Body Guards i

II The Bengal Light Cavalry 23

III The Bengal Irregular Cavalry (General) 32

IV The Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Regiments) 49

V Hyderabad Cavalry 106

VI Frontier Force Cavalry i i 5

VII Madras Cavalry 128

VIII Bombay Cavalry 149

IX The Central India Horse 169

X Cavalry 1922-1947 173

XI Various Cavalry 194

XII Volunteer and Auxiliary Force Cavalry 198

Appendix I: Badges and Devices 210

Appendix II: Irregular Cavalry Raised in Bengal

Prior to the Mutiny 223

Glossary 225

Sources and Bibliography 227

Index: General Index Followed by Regimental Index 229

INTRODUCTION

The partition of India in 1947 brought about the end of a notable period in the history

of that sub-continent, for it saw the end of direct guidance and control by the British,

a phase of the spreading of Western civilization begun in the trading days of the six-

teenth century. From those early days, through the years up to 1947, the few military

guardians gradually increased in numbers to vast armies with manifold origins and sources

having a great effect on the history and growth of what was known as India. Yet muchremains to be written and correlated regarding facts and on one special aspect, that of

uniform. Little has appeared in print, least of all a general and comprehensive workcovering all branches of the Presidential and other forces.

It was by request that the author attempted this task, not because he was specially

fitted to deal with the uniform of the sub-continent but in order that the subject would not

be neglected and gradually forgotten. Forgotten is the correct word for already serving

officers find their recollection of their own personal uniform rather hazy and as the

years slip by, less and less, is recollected. It may seem strange to put any emphasis onpersonal recollection but the fact remains that records are very scant, especially of the

1922 to 1947 period, and it is only by great efforts like those of Colonel F. Wilson, whopersonally sought out many brother officers, that the facts can be recorded and preserved.

As with most subjects in which one endeavours to specialize, the more one seeks the

facts the more one finds inexplicable gaps. One reason that emerges is that, in times of

war, like the Mutiny, troops are so busy fighting that little time remains to record the manychanges and simplification of uniform and dress. New units spring into being fully armedand uniformed, burn to a bright glory and then disappear or are transformed before

records are made—tantalizing scraps and pictures remain—but a complete story is

difficult to dig out. In times of peace, however, when the hours lie heavy the removal of a

button or twist of a lace can be considered in great detail and thus the regulations are

voluminous. These comments are in the nature of an apology—for omissions are obvious at

important times.

The methods of recording regulations are many and capricious. Volumes of early orders

preserved in the Royal United Service Institution are hand-written in date order

irrespective of subject and innocent of any index or method of finding one's way around.

At other periods, mission or foundling printing presses used their spare time to record

fully the orders and changes of all kinds, usually with full indices. Unfortunately this

useful custom was not kept up. Several officers at different times produced 'codes' of

regulations, by going through extant orders and selecting the current onrs. This fashion

was only of short duration in the early part of the nineteenth century.

• •

VII

INTRODUCTION

The three presidencies also printed their general orders. When the orders were few the

details were full but as time passed and administration grew, basic information dwindled,

eventually only officers' uniforms were regulated and even these became separate publica-

tions appearing at intervals. Gradually the clothing of the men appeared with less detail

until orders were mainly concerned with orders of dress. No doubt the efficiency of sealed

patterns and the controlled issue of clothing made published information unnecessary

then, but most elusive now. By the time of the Mutiny very little information appears for

the other ranks.

India also had another problem, well known to officers—how far the dress regulations

could be relied upon as being accurate, or rather how far they were obeyed. Although a

particular levelling uniform regulation might appear in print, tradition and distance awayfrom strict supervision saw many a practice being continued but not covered by a remark

in print. The local practice sometimes won and the later regulations concede the point but

serving officers have often spoken of the pitfalls in regulations. Regimental tailors also

might produce minor differences in the officers' dress. The theory of assigning the floral

engraving on the silver flaps of pouches to certain regiments falls to pieces when one

understands that a certain tradesman asked an officer which type he preferred.

It is reasonable to expect much information from the records of tailors and suppliers andalthough some is available it is by no means complete—for frequently the trade secrets

were passed from person to person or kept in a cutter's own note book to be abandoned or

lost with the changes of fashion. Some tailor's and lacemen's notes remain but generally

speaking these are of the distant past and not of the modern period. I have had the

co-operation, however, of certain military tailors, and the value of their material only

sharpens the need to find other regiments and units but which may now be lost forever.

Even researchists in India find frustration for not only have records disappeared but items

on exhibition have a magical sanctity and must not be touched or examined. For example

an open book in a showcase has to remain viewed through glass—a truly tantalizing

experience.

Thus the difficulties which beset one, show that no single individual could ever dream of

producing a complete work. It would take many people working in different spheres to

dig out the facts and thus it is that many friends have helped the author from their

specialized collections. Also much time has been spent in the Military Room of the old

India Office—a place where much more time could be spent but a limit must be set. So

this book has no pretensions to be complete but to be at least a grounding and an explora-

tion ofcertain sources, which may encourage others to concentrate on one aspect or enlarge

others.

The scope of this work is mainly to cover the forces directly under the control of the

British and not the ephemeral native forces, so frequently unorganized and not uniformly

clothed. Thus are included the military forces of the East India Company as they grow in

the three Presidencies of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, the European and Veteran units,

the irregular and local forces, those of Hyderabad, the Punjab and Nepal, the Auxiliary

Force, in fact, a vast complexity of units, some of which are known by little more than the

name.

The difficulty of correlating the informations—reducing the vast quantity of official

instructions at some periods, the expansion of clues and slender facts at others to make a

• • •vm

INTRODUCTION

balanced account—has taken longer than expected and thus the publishers have kindly

permitted the work to be made in two parts—cavalry in the first and the rest of the military

forces in the second.

Another problem which has arisen is the terminology. Articles of military clothing have

been spelt in different ways throughout the years and the spelling of Indian words has

varied widely in past centuries, in many dialects and in different districts. Thus it has been

found impossible to choose a single spelling for each word—one that would satisfy all

readers. In the main the prevailing usage is given but the vocabulary at the end of the book

gives some of the alternatives and also the meaning—not only of Indian and native words

but also of the less familiar military terms like pelisse and shako. These 'rulings' may not

satisfy' ardent purists but the author feels that offence might be given no matter whatmethod was chosen and craves indulgence on this knotty problem. Place names also have

the same problem—the 'Scinde' Horse preferring their spelling to the more commonSind or Sindh.

With all these points being explored and acknowledged the author hopes that at least

this task may record some of the more pleasant aspects of the co-existence of Briton andnative over the centuries—times which despite certain troubles brought forth gallantry,

friendship and rewards—perhaps now fading from memory but, in other cases, still con-

tinuing in the tradition and practice of the new armies, showing that although a phase of

history may be over, it is not empty and that results are durable and lasting.

IX

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Such a vast subject as that of Indian army uniform can not be covered completely by a

single person and I have only been able to attain the present incomplete result through

the kind co-operation of many. Among these whom I wish to thank especially are the

following

:

The Marquess of Cambridge, K.C.V.O., has permitted me to consult him on his wide

and valuable collection and he has supplied many notes and other information.

The vast collection in the War Office Library has been made available through the kind

offices of D. W. King Esq., O.B.E., F.L.A., the Librarian. Colonel F. Wilson, Q.M.,Colonel J. B. R. Nicholson and R. G. Harris have all helped me to draw on their specialized

collection, as did the late Brigadier H. Bullock.

Thanks are also given to the Royal United Service Institution and in particular to

Brigadier J. Stephenson, Director ; to Captain R. G. Hollies-Smith of the Parker Gallery

for his assistance with pictures and prints; to Colonel C. Appleby, D.S.O., of the Indian

Amy Museum, Sandhurst, and to W. A. Thorburn Esq., of the Scottish United Services

Museum. The use of the Military Room of the old India Office has been invaluable but

only slightly tapped. Acknowledgments are given for the permission to view pictures in

the Diploma Gallery of the Royal Academy.Miss A. M. Armstrong, secretary of the Royal Historical Society, kindly permitted me

to quote from a family diary, Major F. G. Harden gave me the opportunity to view his

unique collection of badges and prints; D. James of Sutton lent a collection of original

water-colours; R. Jones Esq., aided with various Indian items, the late Captain R. V.Steele with pictures and oil-paintings, and J. Steeple, Secretary of the Military Historical

Society, helped with the listing of the many Indian units.

The author is grateful for the permission to examine records and garments of well

known firms—in particular those of Morris Angel and the Army and Navy Stores.

Many others who have known of the work have helped in various ways and they are

thanked now.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

COLOUR PLATES

Lieut.-Colonel William Shirriff, 7th Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1801 Frontispiece

1

.

Two mounted trumpeters, Governor General's Body Guard, 1938 8

2. European officer, 7th Bengal Light Cavalry, 1845 28

3. Sowar, Skinner's Horse, 181

7

32Sowar, Bengal Light Cavalry, c. 1 825

4. European officer, Bundlecund Legion, 1847 (1847-57, 10th Bengal 70Irregular Cavalry)

5. Officers: 5th Cavalry, 23rd Cavalry, 17th Cavalry, 26th King George's 96Own Light Cavalry and 1 ith King Edward's Own Lancers (ProbynsHorse), Duffadar 4th Cavalry and Jemadar 16th Cavalry, 19 10

6. Risaldar-major, 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, 1909 97

7. Lance-duffadar, 30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse), Sowar, 20th Deccan 112

Horse and Risaldar, 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse), 19 10

8. Camel Sowar, 25th Cavalry, 1908 113Mounted Sowar, 19th Lancers, 1936

9. European officer, Madras Light Cavalry, 1848 160

European officer, Bombay Cavalry, 1844

10. Lance-duffadar, 38th King George's Own Central India Horse, c. 1910 161

1 1

.

Risaldar Ahmed Khan, 1 1 th Prince Albert Victor's Own Lancers, 1 76

Coronation, 1937

12. Kettledrummer, 1 3th Duke of Cornwall's Own Lancers, 1938 177

PLATESBETWEEN PAGES 48-49

i. Governor General's Body Guard, Bengal Cavalry and Java Volunteers, 1815

2. British officer, 6th Bengal Native Cavalry, c. 181

5

3. Sowar, 7th Bengal Light Cavalry, c. 1830

4. 'On piquet, Nizam's Cavalry', c. 1840

5. Officer, Madras Light Cavalry, 1845

6. Officer and sowar, Madras Body Guard, 1846

7. European officer, sergeant-major and private undress, 9th Bengal Light

Cavalry, 1848

8. Jacket, Madras Light Cavalry, 1848

9. 'Hodson's Horse at Rhotuck', 1858

10. Left: Group of native officers, including: 1. 2nd Gurkhas, 2. 14th Murray's J. its,

3. Sikh Officer^. Punjab Infantry, 5. Punjab Cavalry, 6. Sikh ( MBcer, Amballa,

1869Right: Colonel Hall, 3rd Bengal Cavalry, c. 1870

xi


ii. Group of officers in England for Jubilee, 1887. Front row: Viceroy's BodyGuard, 6th Bengal Cavalry, 18th Bengal Lancers, Viceroy's Body Guard,19th Bengal Lancers, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 4th Cavalry, 18th Bengal Cavalry.Back row: 4th Madras Light Cavalry, 3rd Bombay Cavalry, 2nd BengalLancers, 15th Bengal Cavalry, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, 2nd Central India Horse,14th Bengal Lancers.

12. British officers, 1 5th Bengal Cavalry, 1889

13. British and native officers, 1st Punjab Cavalry, 1890

14. British officers, 15th Bengal Lancers, 1890

1 5. 1 oth Bengal Lancers, field service kit, 1 890

16. 2nd Bombay Lancers, review order, 1890

1 7. The Corps of Guides, 1890

18. Escort to G.O.C., 9th Bengal Lancers

ig. Cavalry officers in England for the opening of the Imperial Institute, 1893.Front row: 1st Central India Horse, 1st Punjab Cavalry, Poona Horse, BengalCavalry, 1st Madras Lancers. Back row: British officer, 1 ith Bengal Cavalry,

gth Hodson's Horse, Corps of Guides, 4th Lancers Hyderabad Contingent

20. Officers. 1st Punjab Cavalry, Dera Ismail Khan, c. 1894

21. British officers. Front row: 6th Bengal Cavalry, Central India Horse, 13th

Bengal Lancers, 2nd Madras Lancers. Back row : 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry,

5th Punjab Cavalry, 18th Bengal Cavalry

22. Native officers in England for the Coronation, 191 1. Front row: 1st Skinner's

Horse, 21st Punjab Cavalry, 23rd Punjab Cavalry, Governor's Body Guard,Madras, nth Probyn's Horse, 27th Light Cavalry. Central row: 38th Central

India Horse, 7th Lancers, 13th Lancers, 35th Scinde Horse, 37th Lancers, 19th

Lancers, 36th Jacob's Horse, 4th Cavalry, 39th Central India Horse, 12th

Cavalry. Back row: 18th Lancers, 26th Light Cavalry, 31st Lancers, 9th

Hodson's Horse, Governor General's Body Guard, 10th Lancers, 7th Lancers,

3rd Bengal Cavalry, 1st Skinner's Horse

23. Above: Calcutta Militia Cavalry, 1802Below: 'A Volunteer Trooper of the Meerut Khakee Ressalah', 1858

24. Officer, Calcutta Volunteer Lancers, c. 1875

FIGURESPage

1

.

Captain W. Mercer, Governor-General's Body Buard, c. 1 784-96 2

2. Captain H. C. Montgomery, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1802 2

3. Major R. H. Sneyd, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1825 2

4. Officer's sabretache 2

5. Officer's pouch 2

6. Sowar, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1890 6

7. Officer, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 191

2

6

8. Native officer, Madras Body Guard, 1 846 10

9. Sowar, Madras Body Guard, c. 1875 IO

xii


Page

10. Sowar, Madras Body Guard, c. 1877 10

11. Native officer, Madras Body Guard, c. 1886 10

12. Duffadar, Bombay Body Guard, c. 1888 16

13. Sowar, Bombay Body Guard, c. 19 10 16

14. Sowar, Nepal Escort, 1 930 20

15. Officer, Nepal Escort, 1930 20

16. Infantry havildar, Nepal Escort, 1930 20

17. Officer in stable jacket, Bengal Light Cavalry, 1825 22

18. Officer, Bengal Light Cavalry, c. 1823 22

19. Officer, 1st Bengal Light Cavalry, Lieut. J. Irving, c. 1839 22

20. Sabretache, 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry 27

2 1

.

Sabretache, 6th Bengal Light Cavalry 2722. Sabretache, 9th Bengal Light Cavalry 27

23. Sabretache, 1 oth Bengal Light Cavalry 27

24. Skinner's Horse, Bhurtpore, 1826 4925. Lieut.-Colonel James Skinner, 1830 5026. Trumpeter, Skinner's Horse, 1 828 51

27. Native officer, Skinner's Horse 51

28. Skinner's Horse, c. 1830 51

29. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, 1 863 5330. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, c. 191

2

5331. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, 1902 5332. Lieut. C. W. Campbell, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, c. 1865 56

33. Duffadar Ali Muhamed Khan, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, 1882 56

34. Jemadar Kanchan Singh, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, 1887 56

35. Risaldar-major Ali Muhamed Khan, 2nd Bengal Lancers, 1891 56

36. Sabretache, 3rd Bengal Irregular Cavalry, c. 1845 5937. Native officer, William's Corps or 3rd Local Horse, c. 1838 5938. Sowar and officers, 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry, c. 1845 61

39. Colonel Hall, Commandant 3rd Bengal Cavalry, c. 1870 61

40. Express Camel Trooper, 6th Irregular Cavalry, c. 1850 65

41. European officer, 6th Bengal Irregular Cavalry, 1849 65

42. British officer, 4th Cavalry, c. 1867 66

43. Risaldar Kadam Khan, 4th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897 66

44. Native officer, 5th Bengal Cavalry, 1 86

1

68

45. Risaldar-major Sayyid Abdul Aziz, 5th Bengal Cavalry, 1897 68

46. British officer, 5th Cavalry 68

47. Sikh risaldar, review order, 6th Bengal Cavalry, 1897 70

48. 'Sawari' camel, 6th Bengal Cavalry, 1886 70

49. British captain, 6th Bengal Cavalry 70

50. Risaldar, 7th Bengal Cavalry, 1897 73

51. and 52. Back and front view of lancer tunic, Lieut.-Colonel 7th HarianaLancers 73

xiii


Page

53. Hodson's Horse at Rhotuck, 1 858 75

54. Risaldar Nadir Khan, gth Bengal Lancers, 1897 75

55. Captain, gth Bengal Lancers, 1897 7556. British officer, drill order, 1 oth Duke ofCambridge's Own Lancers, 1908 79

57. Sowar, 1 oth Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers, 1 908 7958. British officer, 1 oth Bengal Cavalry, c. 1 900 79

59. Risaldar-major, 1 oth Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers, c. 1908 7960. Captain L. B.Jones, commandant 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry, c. 1859 81

61. Sir D. M. Probyn, V.C., 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry 81

62. Officer's pouch and belt, c. 1859. 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry 81

63. Sir D. M. Probyn, V.C., 1 ith Bengal Cavalry, c. 1866 81

64. Major, 1 ith Bengal Lancers, c. 1897 85

65. British officer in native dress, c. 1900 85

66. Orderly, 1 2th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897 87

67. Officer's embroidered pouch, 12th Bengal Cavalry 87

68. Undress sabretache, 1 2th Cavalry, c. 1910 87

69. British officer, 1 2 th Cavalry, c. 1 910 87

70. Captain F. R. Aikman, V.C., 3rd Sikh Cavalry, c. i860 89

7 1

.

Native officer, 1 3th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1 862 89

72. Native officer, 13th Bengal Lancers, 1897 89

73. Native officer, 14th Murray's Jats,f. 1 86g 91

74. Sowar, 14th Bengal Lancers, 1897 91

75. British officer, 1 4th Bengal Lancers, c. 1 890 91

76. Native officer, 15th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1887 93

77. British officer, 15th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1889 93

78. British officer, 15th Bengal Lancers, f. 19 10 93

79. Officer Rohilcund Horse, c. 1875 9580. Sabretache, 1 6th Rohilcund Horse 9581. Native officer, 1 6th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897 9582. Native officer, 1 7th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1878 98

83. Native officer, 1 7th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897 98

84. Waistbelt plate, 17th Cavalry, c. 1910 98

85. Pouchbelt plate, 17th Cavalry, c. 191 o 98

86. European officer, 1 8th Bengal Lancers, c. 1896 101

87. Native N.CO., 18th Bengal Lancers, c. 1897 101

88. Pouchbelt ornaments, 18th Prince of Wales' Own Tiwana Lancers, c. 1908 101

89. Sowar, 1 8th Prince of Wales' Own Tiwana Lancers, c. 1909 101

90. Native officer, 19th Bengal Lancers, 1887 104

9 1 . Mounts from officer's sabretache, 1 9th Bengal Lancers, late Victorian 1 04

92. Officer's pouchbelt ornaments, 19th Bengal Lancers 104

93. Mess jacket, 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse), 1916 104

94. Mess waistcoat 104

95. British officer, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1845 ,0^

xiv


Page

96. Sowar, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, c. 1840 108

97. Native officer, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1 845 108

98. British officer's undress, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1846 no99. Silver pouch of officer, 20th Deccan Horse no[oo. Risaldar-major, 3rd Lancers Hyderabad Contingent, 1897 no[Oi. Native N.C.O., Corps of Guides, 1893 117

[02. British officer, Corps of Guides, c. 1 90

1

117

[03. Native officer, 1st Punjab Cavalry, 1897 120

104. Native N.C.O., 1st Punjab Cavalry, 1897 120

[05. Officer's pouch, 1 st Punjab Cavalry, c. 1 88

1

120

[06. Waist-belt clasp, 2 1st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry, c. 1904 120

107. Trooper, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1856 121

[08. Sikh N.CO., 2nd Punjab Cavalry 121

109. British officer's helmet, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1858 121

[ 10. Undress sabretache, 2nd Punjab Cavalry 1 2

1

III. Native officer, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1 856 1 2

1

12. Blouse, risaldar, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, 1887 124

13. Officer's pouch, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, c. 1881 124

14. Sabretache, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, c. 1 88

1

124

15. Kurta, risaldar, 23rd Cavalry, 1904 124

16. Risaldar-major, 5th Punjab Cavalry, 1897 126

1 7. Pouch and part of belt, 5th Punjab Cavalry, c. 1900 126

18. Sabretache, 5th Punjab Cavalry, c. 1900 126

1 9. Headdresses ofMadras Cavalry, beginning of nineteenth century 1 33[20. Belt fittings and sabretaches, Madras Cavalry, c. 1808 135

I2i. Helmet, Madras Light Cavalry, 1832 137

122. Officer of Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1839 139

[23. Sowar of Madras Light Cavalry, 1840 139

124. Officer, 1st Madras Light Cavalry, 1848 140

125. Sabretache, Madras Light Cavalry, period of George IV 142

126. Sabretache, 1st Madras Light Cavalry 142

127. Sabretache, 1st Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1880 142

128. Sabretache, 2nd Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1 830 142

129. Sabretache, 4th Light Cavalry, c. 1 840 142

[30. Sabretache, 4th Light Cavalry, c. 1840 142

131. Sabretache, 5th Light Cavalry, c. 1 860 1 42

132. Sabretache, 8th Light Cavalry, c. 1850 142

133. Cavalry officer in undress, Madras Light Cavalry, 1846 143

134. Rank markings for sergeant-major, havildar, naique, and lance-naique,

Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1 846 1 44

[35. Sowar, 5th Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1859 144

[36. Officer's undress jacket, 5th Madras Light Cavalry, c. i860 144

[37. Lieut.-Colonel, 4th Light Cavalry, c. 1876 144

xv

LIST OF ILLUSTRATION'S

Page

38. X.CO., 1st Madras Lancers, 1893 146

39. British officer, Madras Lancers 146

40. British officer, 27th Light Cavalry, 1 910 147

41. Native officer, 27th Light Cavalry, 1906 147

42. British officer, 1st Bombay Light Cavalry, 1844 152

43. British officer, Bombay Lancers, 1 846 152

44. Officer's helmet, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry 152

45. Sabretache, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, pre-Mutiny 152

46. Sabretache, 1 st Bombay Light Cavalry, post-Mutiny 1 52

47. Sabretache, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, post-Mutiny 152

48. Risaldar, 4th Bombay Cavalry, 1 888 161

49. Risaldar-major, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse, 191

2

161

50. Sowar, Scinde Irregular Horse, 1 849 163

51. British officer, Scinde Irregular Horse, 1849 163

52. British officer, 'in fighting dress', Scinde Irregular Horse, 1848 163

53. Naique, field service kit, 5th Bombay Cavalry, 1888 165

54. Captain, 2nd Scinde Horse, c. 1885 165

55. Native officer, 35th Scinde Horse, 191

2

167

56. British officer, 37th Baluch Horse, 191

2

167

57. N.C.O., Central India Horse, 1893 171

58. British officer, Central India Horse, c. 1896 171

59. British officer, Skinner's Horse, 1927 177

60. British officer, Skinner's Horse, c. 1938 177

61. British officer, 2nd Royal Lancers (Gardner's Horse), c. 1935 1 79

62. British officer, Hodson's Horse, c . 1934 1 79

63. British officer, Probyn's Horse, c. 1 936 182

64. Native officer, 7th Light Cavalry, 1939 r82

65. British officer, the Guides Cavalry, 1936 183

66. Native officer, Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry, c. 1937 183

67. British officer, Sam Browne's Cavalry, c. 1928 185

68. British officer. 35 36th Jacob's Horse, f. 1 92

1

185

69. Native officer, The Scinde Horse, r 939 187

70. British officer, The Poona Horse, r 938 187

71. British officer, 18th King Edward \TTs Own Cavalry, 1938 191

72. Indian officer, 19th King George V's Own Lancers, 1937 191

73. British State Trumpeter, Delhi Durbar, 191

1

195

74. Indian State Trumpeter, Delhi Durbar, 191

1

195

75. Major, Bihar Mounted Rifles, c. 1870 200

76. Officer, Bihar Light Horse Contingent, 1900, South Africa 200

77. Officer, Bihar Light Horse, c. 1 900 200

78. Calcutta Militia Cavalry, 1802 204

79. Officer, Calcutta Volunteer Guards, r 857 204

80. Embroidered pouch, Calcutta Light Horse, Edwardian period 204

xvi

CHAPTER I

THE BODY GUARDS

viceroy's body guard

The Body Guards were special troops formed for the purpose of accompanying andprotecting the Governor-General, the Viceroy or the Governor of a Presidency.

Before 1 762 there was no cavalry on the Bengal establishment but in the Septemberof that year, the European section of the army supplied two troops of dragoons and one

of hussars for special duties. The dragoons had one captain, two lieutenants, one cornet

and sixty rank and file. The hussars (light troops, not actually hussars in appearance)

who were to act as a bodyguard had one lieutenant, one cornet and thirty-six rank andfile. In 1763, a bodyguard to the Commander-in-Chief was established in addition to the

previously existing cavalry and George Hay, First Lieutenant of Captain Spelman's troops

was to be Captain-Lieutenant of the new unit. However the troops were weak and the

next year were disbanded except for the bodyguard which in August 1 765 was reduced to

one subaltern, two sergeants, two corporals, two trumpeters and twenty privates. In 1772

all cavalry were disbanded.

The next year, however, a native bodyguard was considered and in April 1773 a troop

of fifty men was raised at Benares by Warren Hastings and placed under the command of

Captain Sweeney Toone. Later in the year the troop was augmented by fifty men from

Rajah Cheyt Singh and the establishment consisted of one captain, one lieutenant, four

sergeants, six duffadars, a hundred rank and file, two trumpeters, one farrier and various

native servants. They were known as the Governor's Troop of Moguls, but when Hastings

became Governor-General the unofficial title became the Governor-General's Body

Guard. In 1782 there was an infantry section 600 strong; the number of cavalrymen

fluctuated. In 1801 an artillery section was added and in 1804 when an establishment

for mounted bands was permitted the opportunity was not neglected. In fact, the Asiatic

Annual Register in April 1804 mentions music from this band and, in June, the Calcutta

Gazette speaks of a full band with kettle-drums. The establishment varied from time to

time and in 1844 rose to the high number of 1,929 all ranks, when the Body Guard con-

sisted of 469 all ranks, and two attached rissalahs of Irregular Cavalry numbered 730

men each. After the Mutiny when the Company's forces came under the Crown and Lord

Canning became Viceroy, the Body Guard was known as His Excellency the Viceroy's

Body Guard. The Body Guard did not just consist of ceremonial troops but took an active

part in many campaigns from its earliest days (as the battle honours on their appointments

show) and in 1944 they became the 44th Divisional Reconnaissance Squadron (G.G.B.G.)

in the 2nd Indian Airborne Division. In 1946 it reverted to its normal title of the Governor-

General's Body Guard.

Information on dress in the early days is lacking. A portrait of Captain W. Mercer,

1 784-1 796 shows him wearing what appears to be an all-red coat, no collar, narrow

I.A.U.-B

INDIAN ARMY UNIFORMS

1. Captain W. Mercer. Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1784-96.2. Captain H. C. Montgomery, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1802, after miniature. Red coat, light blue collar,

silver lace, etc.

3. Major R. H. Sneyd, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1825, after oil painting. Red tunic and silver lace.

4. Officer's sabretache, modem—scarlet face, gold embroiders-.

5. Officer's pouch, modern—blue facing with gold embroidery.

lapels, large epaulettes and a saucily curled hat, no doubt much under French influence

and the costume is almost civil in appearance. Captain H. C. Montgomery who com-

manded the Body Guard from 1800 until 1802 is shown in a miniature (in the possession

of Lord Sidmouth) wearing a light dragoon dress. (It has been suggested that this uniform

is that of the Madras Body Guard and not the Governor-General's.) The 'Tarleton' head-

dress has a black bearskin over a black skull with a silver-edged peak. A leopardskin

turban is held in place by silver chains and a silver strip just above the peak gives the

word 'Governor's' ; the rest being hidden. The red jacket has a light blue collar with silver

braid, silver braid also goes across the chest and there are white metal overlapping scales

on the shoulders, all being a typical light dragoon dress.

The cloth ordered in 1802 (Historical Records of the Viceroy's Body Guard by Hodson)

gives a slight idea of the coat: subadars and jemadars were to have the best superfine

broad or town cloth, havildars fine scarlet cloth, and other ranks Aurora cloth. Trumpeters

and farriers had jackets the colour of the facings and faced with Aurora.

An original water-colour in the old India Office shows Lord W'ellesley reviewing his

Body Guard at Baloogunge near Calcutta in 1805. Unfortunately, the figures are rather

small and one can see only general features. The mounted white officers wear the light

dragoon helmet, a short red jacket heavily laced with white, white breeches, and hessian

boots. The native officers are conspicuous by their red turbans and the sowars wear white

turbans. One squadron is mounted on grey (or white) horses, while another has brownand mixed. An attached gun and limber is drawn by four horses and their riders wear

the dress already mentioned—white turbans, red jackets laced with white, white breeches

THE BODY GUARDS

and high black boots. Four pedestrians help push the cannon—they wear long red garments

and flat red turbans.

Items ordered in 1806 included a sabretache, a pouch with ornamental stars, a cloak,

a helmet for sergeants (no doubt, European sergeants), and a hussar cap with a feather

for trumpeters. The hussar cap follows the home practice but whether these items were

standard issue or only trial patterns is not clear. The General Order of 4 September 1806

regarding the half-mounting of the men indicates—a watering cap of blue broadcloth, white

pantaloons, Wellington boots, leather breeches and sashes or belts of English worsted.

A G.O.G.G. of 4 August 1809 confirms that the European non-commissioned officers hada helmet, a jacket, leather breeches, leather gloves, boots and spurs. A note regarding the

dress of the Body Guard (from Abstracts page 342) states that 'the uniform of the BodyGuard is the same as directed for the native cavalry, with blue instead of orange-coloured

facings'. This shows that we cannot expect any great difference from the appearance of

the Bengal Cavalry, and the dating appears to be after 1809 when the Bengal Cavalry

discontinued their different facings for a common one of orange.

Charles Hamilton Smith's print of 1 March 181 5 shows a sowar of the Body Guard of

the Governor-General mounted on a grey horse. He wears a short red jacket with a

fairly bright blue collar and cuffs. His chest is fully covered with white braid after the

light dragoon fashion. He wears the bulb-shaped turban covered with cloth of the blue

of the facing colour and trimmed and tufted with white. White breeches and high black

boots follow the customary style of heavy cavalry. Over the left shoulder is a carbine-belt

and swivel but the carbine is carried on the saddle. A waist-belt with yellow metal clasps

supports the sword.

When Francis, Marquess of Hastings, Governor-General of India, and Commander-in-Chief made a march in December 1814 he was accompanied by a wide variety of

troops. A very large oil-painting in the Indian Museum at Sandhurst shows different

uniforms, among them the Body Guard. The troopers wear red jackets and blue turbans.

The yellow lace on the turbans and the cream-coloured breeches might be white dis-

coloured by varnish. They ride on grey horses.

Among the items to be supplied by the native ranks in 1813 were two blue linen jackets

with the usual trimmings. These would have been part of the undress uniform worn

with the watering turban ofcossah and the linen pantaloons ofstrong dosooty, although the

Regimental History says without giving source that in 18 14 the undress was French grey

and dark blue with silver lace.

The light dragoon headdress seems to have continued in use for officers possibly until

after 18 16. In 18 18 it was ordered that men who were drawn from the various regiments of

the Bengal Native Cavalry to do two years duty with the Body Guard 'should retain the

number of their Regiments on their caps'. This seems to indicate that shakos were being

worn by the men, a change which would not have taken place without the officers doing

likewise. The officers' jacket had increased in richness if not in beauty. A portrait of Major

W. H. Rainey shows the chest practically covered with silver braid. A waist girdle with

two stripes running through it partly obscures the sword-belt. The pouchbclt is dark with

silver lace on the edges. The broad-topped shako has lace round the top and ;i large tult

in front which appears to be white over red. The ( ;ip tinei finish in two large tUKll on

the right chest. Short white gloves and dark trousers arc part of the dr<

3


The style of the coat altered gradually, the front of the jacket closing until the frill

disappeared leaving the collar with a V-shaped opening, and this too eventually disap-

peared but somewhat after the introduction in Europe no doubt due to distance and the

warm climate. The lace on the collar instead of being straight and simple, developed fancy

tracing patterns and the shako changed from the upright feather of white and red into a

flowing plume. A picture of the Body Guard at Baloogunge in 1826 shows an officer on a

white horse with a pointed shabraque. An original water-colour belonging to Lord Cam-bridge shows an officer in a black shako with silver lace, chin scales and a flowing black

plume. The cap lines loop on the chest which is covered with silver. The bright blue over-

alls have a silver lace stripe. The red cloth sabretache has a silver lace border. The shabra-

que has rounded ends after the light dragoon style with a crown over 'GGBG' embroidered

in the hind corner.

The Regimental History says that the undress uniform of the corps was changed to a

bluejacket with scarlet facings and silver lace about 1831. The dress of the British officers

during the forties is given in the Regimental History as—black varnished shakos with

black horsehair plume, scarlet jackets or coatees with blue facings and silver lace, blue

cloth overalls with scarlet stripes, Wellington boots, buckskin gauntlets or gloves. For

undress; forage caps, coat and white breeches or overalls were worn.

A painting of 1848 gives information of the native dress somewhat overlooked on most

occasions. A black shako without a peak has a flowing black plume and is ornamentedwith silver lace and a chin strap. The tight fitting red jacket has a blue collar and blue

cuffs trimmed with silver lace in fight dragoon style and there is a double row of buttons

down the front. A waist girdle is worn with a sword-belt from which is suspended a curved

sword and a plain black sabretache. The dark blue trousers have two red stripes down the

side. The horse furniture is well defined. There is a black sheepskin worn over holsters,

brown harness and a white surcingle. In 1851, twenty-four shakos were re-covered andvarnished and the overalls for the whole regiment were strapped and seated with leather.

This was part ofa campaign to improve the 'grossly inadequate equipment and poor appear-

ance of the Body Guard' which Lord Dalhousie had noted. In fact up to May 1850 the

sum of Rs. 27,000 had been spent on clothing and more was expended in the following

years. From the contingent bills it is learnt that the Body Guard had coatees, coarse cloth

overalls, blue cloth overalls, shell jackets, gauntlets, shakos and spurs. Silver ornaments

were on the pouches and valises. There were also ten uniforms of a better grade for

sergeants and native officers. The bare mention of 'pattern helmets' is tantalizing andunexplained.

Clothing issued to the regiment up to January 1852 included forage caps for the whole

regiment and pugris in lieu of cap covers for all. The issues of the next year included cap

lines and shakos with white covers for the whole regiment. Having got its house in order,

orders of scales were made in 1855 and give

—

European non-commissioned staff

—

cap complete, dress and undress jacket, blue overalls, leather gloves and boots.

Native ranks

—

coat, cloth overalls, cap, stable jacket and forage cap.

Other items included girdles for staff-sergeants, trumpet-major and havildars;

THE BODY GUARDS

cloaks for all ranks; spurs for staff-sergeants; coat scarlet with dark blue facings andsilver or white trimmings; overalls dark blue with scarlet stripe.

According to the Regimental History it was about 1859 that the shako was abolished

and instead a blue and gold twisted cord pugri with a black aigrette was adopted. This

headdress which had its counterpart in civilian dress was designed by Lady Canning, the

Vicereine. Shortly after the arrival of Lord Elgin, as Viceroy in 1862, Lieut.-Colonel

Seymour Blane the Military Secretary introduced a red chapkan and a blue kummerbund.The Regimental History also tells us that blue pantaloons were worn with this dress.

For badges of rank a Subadar wore two gold swords, a Jemadar a single gold sword, a

Havildar a gold Crown and three chevrons on each arm while a Naick had two chevrons

on each arm. Early in 1864 gold lace was substituted for the silver which had been used

so long.

A photograph of the Viceroy's Staff at Umballa in 1869 shows two sowars in their native

dress, much more suitable than the tight and unnatural European light dragoon dress.

The twisted cord pugri is worn like a flat disk with a stiff upright aigrette. The red

chapkan is girdled round the middle with four rows of two-coloured twisted cord.

The colour of the pantaloons was changed from blue to white in 1879 and the following

year patterns of the chapkan and pyjamas were sealed. The dress regulations of 1886 give

the dress of the Native officers as

—

Tunic—a chapkan of scarlet cloth with edging of gold lace, oak leaf pattern i^-inch

wide, round neck, breast and cuffs; gold tracing braid round skirt; Austrian knot of

three lines ofgold tracing braid on sleeve.

Aiguillette—gold thread.

Girdle—of gold lace, 2^-inches wide with two crimson stripes.

Turban—blue and gold with plume.

Pantaloons—blue cloth or white band cloth.

Boots—Napoleon, enamelled leather.

Spurs—swan neck with foot chains, silver plated.

Sword-belt—Gold lace girdle with gold lace slings.

Sword-knot—gold line with acorn.

Gloves—buckskin

.

Pouch and gold lace pouchbelt, horse furniture and throat ornament—as for British

officers.

In February 1892 the cord pugri was discontinued for a blue and gold lungi and in

1897 the scarlet chapkan gave place to a red frock-coat; at the same time the gauntlets

were adopted instead of gloves. The 1901 regulations for dress describe this new uniform.

The lungi of blue and gold was to have a red and gold kullah for the native officers. Thescarlet frock-coat with blue facings and lancer piping had gold embroider)' round tin-

neck and in front. The sleeves had gold lace of double lancer pattern raised. The plaited

shoulder-chains had badges of rank in gilt metal. The gold aiguillette was similar to that

worn by the Viceroy's Personal Staff in undress. The girdle of gold lace two and a half

inches wide had two crimson stripes. The dresa pantaloons were white cloth and tin-

undress blue cloth. The enamelled leather Napoleon boots were worn with suan-in i Iced

spurs as before. The horse furniture was as for Britilfa officen except tii.it the sliabraquc

was without embroidery and of blue cloth with oak-leaf pattern gold lace edging. The


6. Sowar, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 1890, after various pictures, uniform red and gold.

7. Officer, Governor-General's Body Guard, c. 191 2, after photograph, red coat, white gauntlets andjodhpurs.

THE BODY GUARDS

frock-coat was made with a wide front and buttoned after the lancer fashion and the

other ranks did, in fact, carry lances with red and white pennons. The men's dress wassimilar but without the aiguillette. The price list for clothing etc. of 1905 shows that the

chevrons of rank were also in the gold oak leaf lace.

Strangely enough, there is a gap in the information on the dress of the British officers

and it is not until the 1886 regulations that information is detailed. It will be seen that

changes have taken place. The scarlet tunic is cut as for hussars with a blue cloth collar

and cuffs trimmed as hussars with gold gimp. This type of garment was worn by somestaff officers at home. A riding tunic was worn also, scarlet with blue facings and worn with

the aiguillette and girdle. The white helmet had a simple white turban or pugri. Whitepantaloons and Napoleon boots were worn, as were, blue cloth overalls with double gold

leaf lace stripes. The sword-belt was gold oak leaf lace on scarlet morocco leather with

gilt buckles, and a silver waist-plate with gilt mountings. The sword and scabbard were

regulation Cavalry and the sword-knot gold with acorn. The pouchbelt was also gold

oak leaf lace on scarlet morocco leather with gilt buckle, tips, slide, prickets and chains.

The pouch was gold embroidery and gold braid on blue cloth and blue morocco leather

with gilt ends and buttons. The sabretache had gold embroidery and oak leaf lace of the

scarlet cloth face. The backing was scarlet morocco leather. The aiguillette was gold

thread and the gloves white leather. The shabraque was blue cloth with gold oak leaf

lace and gold embroidery. The leopardskin had gold fringe and scarlet edging. The horse

furniture was as for hussars and the throat ornament, red.

Pictures by R. Simkin show this uniform. The white helmet has a gilt spike and gilt

chin chain. The sabretache is embroidered with a cypher of 'VRBG' and a crown and has

several battle honours. From an actual sabretache it can be seen that these honours are

AVA and JAVA at the top, MAHARAJPORE and MOODKEE just below the crown,

then FEROZSHUHUR above the cypher and ALIWAL and SOBRAON below. Theshabraque also has a large Hanoverian crown and the letters 'VRBG' embroidered on the

round ends.

Major Turner in command of the Viceroy's Body Guard who came to England at the

time of the 1897 Jubilee was photographed in a distinctive tunic, that known as the

Riding tunic. This red tunic is made simply with round blue cuffs having a three-pointed

flap and no embroidery. On the front, were straight loops of scarlet mohair cord (looking

like lines of stitching) and on each side of the collar was one of these loops with a button

at the end. The collar, cuffs and fronts are edged with white. A gold lancer girdle is worn

fastened on the left hip and the sword slings come from a web belt below the tunic skirts.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations describe this tunic and show that the dress tunic has changed.

The patterns are very similar but the full dress version has embroidered lotus leaves on

the collar. The gold aiguillette hangs from the right shoulder and gold plaited strap

on the left shoulder. Silver badges of rank are mentioned for the left shoulder only. Other

dress items are similar to those in use previously and in fact many are repeated in succeed-

ing regulations even the dress and undress sabretache, an item long discontinued in the

home service but definitely continued in use and to be noted in a photograph .is late as

1947.

The British officers had a blue undress, the frock-coat of the 1886 regulations being

blue trimmed with black braid (an item being repeated in the regulation! up to i'i|-' and


there was also a patrol jacket of blue cloth trimmed with blue braid. The early regulations

give blue shoulder straps and no details of the collar but from 1901 the collar has a

single line loop of scarlet mohair cord with a small button on each side, a feature whichcontinues in use until the end. The forage cap was blue with gold oak leaf lace and lancer

quartering, another item still authorized after World War II.

Trumpeters of the Body Guards in modern times wore the same uniform as the sowars,

but were distinctive by reason of their long silver trumpets with the elaborate banners.

Although the banners appear light blue in coloured photographs an actual example onview in London was a shade of purple. The embroidered devices vary. Pre-war, one

example had the Star of India under the crown and seven battle honours ; another anelaborate coat-of-arms, while more recently an example had the letters 'VRBG' on crossed

lances under the Royal crown and a laurel wreath bearing battle honours, with the old

East India Company motto below on a long scroll.

The habit of stiffening the top loose fringe of the lungi, a habit which had begun pre-

1939, was widely used after the Second World War and the stiff erection made a striking

fan silhouette which impressed most beholders. The Body Guard continued in being

under the new nations, wearing the uniform developed under the British rule but with

minor differences made necessary to indicate the new duties.

THE GOVERNOR'S BODY GUARD, MADRAS

The first Body Guard raised in Madras October 1778, was a small escort of Europeantroopers including one sergeant, one corporal and twelve men. It was under the commandof Lieutenant P. Sullivan and was increased by a native troop in 178 1. In 1784, the

European element was dispersed but the native troop continued in service and fought in

the Third Mysore War. In 1799, the strength of the Indian troop was increased to 100 anda supernumerary troop was raised. It is interesting to learn that Lieutenant H. C.

Montgomery of the Madras Body Guard took command of the troop that was to act as

the Governor-General's escort and which was formed from men from four regiments of

the Madras Cavalry. These details served in Bengal until 1806 when they returned to

Madras (Wilson, Vol. III). Economy was always the watchword of the Directors of the

East India Company and the Body Guard had almost faded away previously. April 30

1808 was the date that the Madras Body Guard was to be discontinued and the men sent

to other cavalry units, but it seems to have continued as a body of details and practically

ignored in official orders. However, they performed battle service as their battle honour for

Seetabuldee, 181 7 proves, and in 1825 they distinguished themselves at Pagahur the old

capital of Burma. Not being mentioned in the East India Registers or the early ArmyLists, it is difficult to give a continuous story and reliance must be placed mainly onpictorial evidence. However, by 1897 (LA. Circular 36) they were re-formed as a separate

Body Guard for the Governor of Madras although there is ample evidence before this date.

The miniature of Captain Montgomery might show him in Madras Body Guarduniform, but, as this painting has a blue collar, this does not agree with later dress which

shows a self colour. Reliable information as to dress comes in four coloured prints produced

by William Hunsley in 1840. The British officer in full dress wears a large scarlet shako

with silver lace and a black feather plume. An Ackermann print of 1846 depicts a similar

8

I i k l'i mv i. I rated trumpeters, Govemoi General's Bod) Guard,

THE BODY GUARDS

dress, and indicates the greenish tinge to the drooping cock's feather. The peak of the shako

is black with silver binding and silver chin scales are worn. The short scarlet jacket is

heavily laced across the chest with silver braid to three rows of buttons. The silver lace is

also around the red collar and on the pointed cuffs. The side pocket slits and the back

seams also have silver tracing and ornamentation. The shoulder-belt in Hunsley's print

is silver with scarlet edging and a central silk stripe bearing only two silver scrolls for battle

honours but the Ackermann print shows silver chains and pickers instead of the central

stripe. Looped on the chest are two gold tassels, the ends of the shako lines, which go round

the headdress and drop down the back. The girdle is in hussar fashion, silver barrels on

crimson. The waist-belt for the sword is also silver and scarlet and the silver lace slings

support a scarlet-faced sabretache. The 'tache has an embroidered crown over a 'BG'

cypher with a silver star below and broad silver lace all round. The scarlet shabraque is

rounded in front but is pointed behind with broad silver lace all round the edges. Theembroidered device at the rear is a large crown over a cypher. An elaborate tigerskin is

shown in both prints going over the shabraque and the scarlet valise or cloak case, with the

animal's head to the rear.

A Hunsley print of 184 1 shows the British officer in undress. He wears a peakless sky-

blue forage cap with a silver lace band edged scarlet. His scarlet stable jacket has silver

tracing on the collar and down the front. There are four olivets closing the front and the

shoulder-cords are of silver. The sky-blue overalls have a scarlet stripe down each side.

The pouchbelt and the sword-belt are both white leather.

Hunsley also shows ajemadar in full dress, 1841. This print shows the Indian in the oval

headdress covered with red cloth as was the sign of an officer. No. 14 of the Ackermannseries (mentioned before), besides showing the British officer, also gives a native officer.

He wears the scarlet headdress with silver cords and tassels, a double ridge on top and a

white metal rosette in front, from which come the crimson cap lines that finish on the chest

in gold acorns. The scarlet jacket is like that of the British officer but with less silver braid

on the chest, collar and cuffs. White pouch and sword-belts are worn; once again the

Ackermann print shows chains and pickers. The sky-blue overalls have a broad silver lace

stripe of the Vandyke pattern. A blue cloak is rolled in front of the saddle with a scarlet

valise behind and no shabraque.

The private as depicted by Hunsley in a plate of 1840 shows the blue headdress for

these men, ornamented with white fittings and cap lines. The scarlet jacket has white cord

instead of the silver of the officer and the private or sowar has sky-blue overalls with double

red stripes. His belts are also white and he is shown with a plain black sabretache. He too

has a blue rolled cloak but his valise is square and of brown leather.

The Ackermann prints were many in number and continued on sale for many years.

Thus when examples of the above-mentioned prints appear with dark bluejackets instead

of red and with the light blue overalls replaced by dark blue, these may not be errors but

an attempt to keep up to date and to show the change of fashion without the expense of

producing a new plate. These new sombre colours were taken into use but the date of the

change is not known.Lord Cambridge has a water-colour signed and dated 'A.B. 1854' showing a trooper of

the Madras Body Guard. Here is to be seen the bluejacket which shows that the change

had taken place. This trooper wears a scarlet headdress with white tassels and yellow lii


9-

10.

11

Native officer, Madras Body Guard, 1846, after Ackerman print, red headdress and jacket, silver lace and orna-ments, white pouchbelt, light blue overalls with silver stripe, blue cloak rolled in front.

Sowar, Madras Body Guard, c. 1875, after photograph, showing badge of old pattern like Light Cavalry.

Sowar, Madras Body Guard, c. 1877, after photograph, showing Imperial crown and initials; blue tunic.

Native officer, Madras Body Guard, c. 1886, after photograph, scarlet alkalak, gold lace.

Martens in the Ackermann print had shown another rank in the red headgear so perhaps

the change of all to the red had taken place by 1846. The jacket as mentioned before is

dark blue, with scarlet collar and cuffs, white (or silver) lace is all round the collar, on the

cuffs, around the pockets and on the back seams. The black pouch is on a white belt. Darkblue overalls have double white stripes. The sword-belt has a red central line and from it

hangs a plain black sabretache. The horse has a leopardskin which goes over the blue

10

THE BODY GUARDS

valise (which bears 'BG' and piping in white). The armament is a sword and carbine, the

latter is carried in a short bucket in front of the saddle.

The next evidence for dress comes from photographs originally owned by Colonel

John M. Macgregor, who commanded the Body Guard in 1870, and are now owned byMr. R. G. Harris. As, however, the details in these links with later evidence it is perhaps

better to give first extracts from the Madras Regulations of 1885, Section VIII. Here the

British officers of the Body Guard of His Excellency the Governor wore

—

'Tunic, dark blue cloth cut as for Hussars, trimmed same as Hussars with silver-plated

gimp. Shoulder-strap of plated silver gimp. Badge of rank in gold on shoulder-straps.

Lace—Vandyke pattern, silver.

Helmet—full dress, scarlet, regimental pattern. Undress, white, regulation, cavalry.

Overalls—riding, blue cloth, booted, double silver vandyke lace stripe.

Boots—Wellington.

Spurs—silver plated and steel swan-necked box spurs.

Sword-belt—silver vandyke lace on scarlet morocco leather; silver-plated buckles, silver-

plated snake fastening.

Sword-belt—undress, bridle leather.

Sword and scabbard—regulation, cavalry.

Sword-knot—silver line, with acorn.

Pouch-belt—silver vandyke lace on scarlet Morocco leather; silver plated buckle tips.

Silver shield with slide, prickers (arrows) and chains.

Pouch—silver lid (VR silver gilt) on red Morocco box, same as Hussars.

Sabretache (full dress)—gold embroidery, silver embroidered.

"Seetabuldee" vandyke lace, on scarlet cloth and scarlet Morocco leather. Silver plated

rings and vandyke lace on scarlet Morocco slings.

Sabretache (undress) black japan bridle leather slings.

Busby Lines—silver wire line.

Gloves—white, buckskin.

Frock-coat—same as Hussars. Patrol jacket—same as Hussars.

Forage cap—scarlet and silver vandyke lace, same as Hussars.

Mess Jacket—dark blue cloth, same as Hussars, with silver trimming, braid and shoulder-

straps.

Mess waistcoat—scarlet cloth, trimmed regimental pattern, silver gimp and studs.

Shabraque—dark blue cloth, silver lace and embroidery, regimental pattern.

Leopardskin—scarlet scallop edging.

Cloak—regimental pattern. Badges of rank in gold on shoulder-straps.

Horse Furniture—as for Hussars. Throat Plume—red.

NATIVE OFFICERS

Tunic—dark blue cloth cut as for Hussars, trimmed same as (Hussars) with silver cord.

Puggree Full Dress—scarlet cylindrical helmet, regimental pattern.

Forage Cap—scarlet and silver vandyke lace, same as Hussars.

Overalls—riding, blue cloth, booted, double silver vandyke lace Itripe. Plain, blue cloth,

double silver vandyke lace stripe.

1

1

INDIAN" ARMY UNIFORMS

Boots—Wellington. Spurs—regulation, swan-neck spurs with boots.

Sword-belt—Staff Sergeant, British Cavalry.

Pouch-belt, Sword-knot—Staff Sergeant, British Cavalry.

Gloves—white leather.

Sword and Scabbard—Regulation, Madras Cavalry.

Cloak—regulation, cavalry. Pistol revolver—Regulation.

Horse Furniture—as for British Officers.

Leopard Skin—scarlet scallop edging.'

As British officers are not shown in the photographs previously mentioned several

points are left unexplained, for instance, that of the red helmet. However the native

officers and the sowars are shown in detail and in mass. The cylindrical helmet is wornwith a rayed plate in front, the type worn much earlier in the Madras Light Cavalry

but the addition of a spike and chin chain coupled with the cords give the pugri a ludi-

crous appearance. Later photographs show that the badge is changed to a crown over

'GBG' which seems to indicate that recognition has been made of the fact that QueenVictoria had become Empress of India, as she had in 1877. Little comment is needed onthe hussar tunic which has six rows of loops and an Austrian knot on the cuffs. Non-commissioned officers are apparently indicated by inverted chevrons of cord close to the

knot on the right forearm although full sergeants wear three chevrons and a badge onthe upper arm. Other items shown in the photographs follow the regulations. The leopard-

skin of the troopers covers the shabraque right down to the points at the rear, the edges

being scalloped. The carbine is worn under the right arm and under the forepart of the

saddlery. The men's sabretache is fairly large and plain black. The natives not only have

stable jackets with olivet but also undress tunics with dark frogging and even a frock-

coat with flat loops in guards style, the common undress headdress being the pillbox.

The foregoing regulations were 'expunged by S.G.O. 92/85' and the European dress

for the natives was discontinued. (8 April 1885 was the date of the change according to the

'Services of the Body Guard of His Excellency the Governor of Madras, 1886'.) The newregulations read

—

BRITISH OFFICERS

'Tunic—scarlet cloth, cut as for Hussars, blue cloth collar and cuffs trimmed same as

Hussars with gold gimp, shoulder-straps of plaited gold chain gimp lined with scarlet.

Badges of rank in silver on shoulder-strap. Lace, gold vandyke pattern.

Facings—blue. Helmet—British Cavalry.

Turban—regimental pattern. Pantaloons—white melton cloth.

Overalls—blue cloth with double gold vandyke lace stripes.

Boots—Napoleon enamelled leather with pantaloons, Wellington with overalls.

Spurs—silver plated, swan-neck, to buckle with strap and foot chains with Napoleon boots,

gilt and steel box spurs with Wellington boots.

Sword-belt—gold vandyke lace on blue Morocco leather, gilt buckles, snake fastening.

Sword and Scabbard—regulation, cavalry.

Sword-Knot—gold line with acorn.

Pouch-Belt—gold vandyke lace on blue Morocco leather with silver flap as for Hussars.

12

THE BODY GUARDS

Busby Lines—gold wire. Gloves—white leather.

Frock Coat and Patrol Jacket—Hussar pattern.

Forage Cap*—blue with gold vandyke lace, Hussar pattern.

Mess Jacket—scarlet cloth, blue cloth cuffs and collar trimmed with gold braid, regimen-

tal pattern, shoulder-straps and badges of rank as with tunic.

Mess Waistcoat—blue cloth trimmed, regimental pattern, with gold braid and gilt studs.

Shabraque—blue cloth, gold fringe, gold embroidery, regimental pattern.

Leopardskin—with scarlet scallop edging.

Cloak—Regimental pattern. Horse Furniture—as for Hussars.

Throat Ornament—red.

Sabretache—scarlet face on blue Morocco leather, gold vandyke lace. A monogram of

GBG surmounted by an Imperial Crown, underneath monogram the word "Seetabul-

dee" on a gold embroidered scroll. Blue morocco slings and gold vandyke lace.

NATIVE OFFICERS

Alkalak—scarlet cloth, gold vandyke lace edging one and a half inches wide round the

neck, breast and cuffs; gold tracing braid round skirt, embroidered sleeves and gold

shoulder-cords.

Kummerbund—scarlet of Cashmere work.

Loungi—blue and gold.

Pantaloons—white moleskin. Boots—Napoleon.

Spurs—swan-neck with foot chains and silver plated.

Sword-Beit—as for British officers.

Sword-Knot—gold line with acorn.

Gloves—buckskin. Cloak—regimental pattern.

Pouch-Belt—as for British officers.

Pouch—gold embroidery and braid on blue cloth and blue Morocco leather, gilt ends and

buttons.

Horse Furniture and Throat Plume—as for British officers.'

These new regulations appeared in the unified dress regulations of October 1886. Agroup photograph (also in the possession of Mr. R. G. Harris) shows this new dress. TwoBritish officers wear the full dress. The white helmet has a spike and a pleated turban

around it. The elaborate cuff lacing can be seen on one officer but in the case of the other

the cuffs are obscured by gauntlet gloves which are now worn by the Body Guard. Then-

are six rows of loops across the front of the tunic. The rest of the dress is regulation includ-

ing a large embroidered sabretache.

The native officers wear the alkalak and the kummerbund had a gold edging which

shows at the waist. Gauntlet gloves and sabretache are worn. The Indians including the

duffadar-major wear the blouse or kurta with shoulder-pieces, white breeches and

gauntlets, lances with red and white pennons and Napoleon boots.

A painting by Captain A. C. Lovett from the Graphic of 1893 shows a sowar of tin- Body

Guard with a blue, yellow and white lungi worn with a red kullah. He wears the alkalak

not the blouse), red with gold lace on the chest and neck. Steel shoulder-pie. < 9 are

mounted on red cloth. White gauntlet gloves, white breeches, shorter black boots and a

13


blue kummerbund with stripes complete the dress. The same group contains a duffadar

in a light khaki coat-shaped garment with a red kummerbund striped blue and gold.

The breeches of dark blue with double yellow stripes are nearly hidden by the high soft

boots.

A photograph of 1897 shows a jemadar who visited England for the Jubilee. He wears

a lungi and an alkalak. This latter garment has wide lace around the neck, the circular

front and the v-shaped cuffs. An Austrian knot is also traced on the cuff and gold braid

down the front and the side openings of the skirts. A fine aiguillette is worn on the right

chest. The pouchbelt has chains and pickers while the waist girdle is gold with two silk

stripes. High Napoleon boots nearly hide the white breeches.

The dress regulations from 1901 to 1942 all give similar information on the dress of

the Native officers. The lungi is blue and gold, the alkalak scarlet cloth with gold vandyke

lace edging 1^ inches wide around the neck, breast and cuffs, gold tracing braid roundskirts and embroidered sleeves. The 1901 regulations give gold shoulder-cords but the

others all quote steel shoulder-chains on blue cloth. The kummerbund is given as scarlet

Kashmir work but A. C. Lovett's picture of a naique shows a blue one with red and gold

work on the ends. White moleskin breeches, Napoleon boots, silver swan-neck spurs andbuckskin gloves are mentioned in all the regulations and the other details authorized are

as for British officers. The Lovett picture shows a blue lungi with red stripes on yellow or

gold, the whole being wrapped round a red kullah.

As to the British officers, the regulations up to the partition continue to give, more or

less, the dress as previously described, except that the Napoleon boots give way to butcher

boots and of course the white helmet follows the fashionable changes of shape. Thesabretache also disappears early in the century as does the leopardskin.

GOVERNOR'S BODY GUARD, BOMBAY

The Governor's Body Guard for Bombay was not raised until 1 865 when it was formed

in Poona from men of the disbanded Southern Mahratta Horse. The 1884 regulations

give—

BRITISH OFFICERS

'Tunic—scarlet cloth, old lancer pattern, trimmed with gold lace, blue lapel, blue piping

to back seams of body and sleeves, facings blue on collars and cuffs.

Shoulder-straps of plaited gold cord lined with scarlet, badges of rank in silver.

Lace—gold, cavalry pattern.

Facings—blue cloth.

Riding tunic—as above. Helmet—regimental pattern.

Turban—white and gold.

Pantaloons—white Bedford cord. Blue cloth with double gold lace stripe.

Overalls—blue cloth, with double gold lace stripe.

Boots—patent leather, cavalry regulations, with pantaloons. Wellingtons with overalls.

Spurs—steel, swan-necked, to buckle with strap and foot-chains with cavalry regulation

boot. Steel-box crane-necked with Wellingtons. Brass-box swan-neck for mess.

14

THE BODY GUARDS

Sword-belt—gold lace on blue morocco leather, gilt buckles, gilt waist-plate with silver

mountings.

Sword and scabbard—regulation cavalry.

Sword-knot—gold line with acorn.

Pouch-belt—gold lace on blue morocco with crimson stripe in centre, gilt buckles, slide

and tips.

Pouch—silver, six inches by two inches, on blue morocco, silver buckles, gilt mountings.

Sabretache—none.

Lines—Lancer, gold with acorns.

Girdle—gold lace two and a half inches wide, with two crimson stripes, on scarlet silk

showing at edges.

Gloves—white leather with gauntlets for full dress. White leather—undress.

Frock coat—old cavalry regulation, badges of rank in gold.

Patrol Jacket—cavalry regulation, badges of rank in gold, on shoulder-straps.

Forage Cap—blue cloth and gold lace with lancer quarterings.

Mess Jacket—scarlet cloth, lancer pattern, trimmed with gold lace and gold chain gimp,

blue piping to back seams ofbody and sleeves, facings blue on collar and cuffs. Shoulder-

cords and badges of rank as with tunic.

Mess Waistcoat—scarlet cloth with gold studs down the front, three-quarter inch gold

lace all round outside, and gold tracing braid inside, to hook up to throat, stand-up

collar three-quarter inch high.

Tracing braid round pocket.

Shabraque—blue cloth, with double stripe gold lace all round outside on scarlet cloth,

scalloped edge showing. The Royal cypher and crown in gold over the holsters. Regi-

mental badge and crown in gold on either side behind saddle.

Cloak—regulation cavalry. Horse furniture—as for Hussars.

Throat ornament—white.

NATIVE OFFICERS

Tunic and Girdle—as for British officers.

Turban—white and gold.

Pantaloons—white cord, full dress. Blue cloth and double gold stripe for undress.

Overalls—blue cloth and double gold stripe.

Patrol Coat—scarlet cloth buttoned down front, blue collar and cuffs (undress).

Boots—black leather Jackboots with pantaloons. Wellington with overalls.

Spurs—as for British officers with the exception of mess spurs.

Sword-belt—full dress, same as British officer. Undress, white leather.

Gloves—as for British officers.

Cloak—cavalry regulation.

Pouch and belt, Horse furniture, shabraque and throat ornament—as for British officers.'

An illustration by A. C. Lovett, 1888, shows a duffadar in full dress. It can be seen thai

the turban is a white flat affair with a plaited gold edge. The lancer tunic has a short blue

collar and the blue lapels open down to the waist. Shoulder-cords arc worn and .1 white

pouchbclt crosses the left shoulder. Although R. SimkiD shows the same uniform in an

'5


12. Duffadar, Bombay Body Guard, c. 1888, after picture by A. C. Lovett, white head-

dress with gold cord, red runic with blue facings, gold and crimson girdle, white

gloves, shoulder belt and breeches.

13. Sowar, Bombay Body Guard, c. 1910, after photograph.

16

THE BODY GUARDS

Army and Navy Gazette plate of 1901, it would appear that the headdress had beenchanged for Indians some years before. A photograph by Bremner of a risaldar in 1897shows the long native blouse with blue collar and pointed cuffs, the latter also having twobuttons at the rear. The turban with the long safa is worn over a red and gold kullah,

although another sowar appears to have a white pug. Native officers wear gold lace girdles

but the sowars have white waist-belts with plates bearing a crown.

The 1 90 1 regulations describe the British officers' full dress tunic in much the same wordsas the 1886 orders but now the lace is described as lancer pattern and a scarlet cloth blouse

is quoted. A blue merino kummerbund is now authorized and the gold lace girdle has twoblue stripes instead of the crimson ones previously borne. The stripes on the blue panta-

loons are now yellow instead of gold, but the overalls still retain the metal. No turban is

mentioned now. The stripes in other belts are now blue instead of crimson.

The dress for the native officers is quite different. It reads

—

'Lungi—red with gold and blue ends.

Frock coat—scarlet cloth, blue lapel, collar, cuffs and piping. Lacing and shoulder-

cords as for British officers' tunic.

Blouse—as described for Native officers, Bombay cavalry, but of red serge or cloth,

facings dark blue with tracing of gold lace on the front and back, regimental pattern.

Kummerbund, frock, pantaloons, spurs, gloves, pouch and pouch-belts, sword-belt—as

for British officers.

Boots and cloak—cavalry regulation.'

A water-colour by A. C. Lovett dated 19 10 shows a duffadar dressed similar to a native

officer but with steel shoulder-chains on blue cloth and an aiguillette on the left side.

The turned-down blue collar is edged with gold and collar badges are worn. The white

waist-belt goes over the blue kummerbund. Photographs confirm these details and also

show that the native officers wear a frock-coat with two widely-spaced rows of buttons

and the turned-down collar. Native officers wear a gold aiguillette on the right side,

shoulder-cords and the girdle. White pugs are noticeable in photographs, worn under the

turbans of both officers and men.

The 191 3 regulations for dress give much the same information for British officers but

the boots worn on mounted full dress duties are 'knee, cut with a V at the top'. Although

the lungi is not mentioned, it was worn, as photographs testify. The undress forage cap

was of the usual type with a scarlet band. Later regulations do not differ from those men-tioned.

The trumpet banners pre- 1939 were striking, bearing as they did the embroidered

devices of a crown over crossed lances, with scrolls below bearing 'Bombay Body Guard'.

To one side was the motto 'Sat Shri Akal' and Sikh weapons and on the other side the

Star and Crescent with the motto 'Allah Ho Akbar' the composition being Sikhs and

Mahrattas. The banners were edged with a foliated lace and a heavy fringe.

governor's body guard, bengal

Although Bengal had a Body Guard from the earliest times, it was rather in tin nature

of one for all India and for the Viceroy, in particular, and it was not until 1912 that 1

Body Guard to the Governor of Bengal was formed at ( il< utt.i by Captain R. B. Wbfgan

i.a.u.-c 1

7


from volunteers from Indian cavalry regiments. The capital of India had been transferred

to Delhi and Bengal had been raised to the status of a Presidency with a Governor thus

giving rise to the need.

The 191 3 regulations do not have any information on the dress of the new uniform

but from 1925 onwards the uniform is described as

—

BRITISH OFFICERS, FULL DRESS

'Aiguillette—regulation pattern as worn by all members of the Governor's staff, on right

shoulder.

Boots—mounted, Butcher. Dismounted, Wellington.

Cap lines—gold wire.

Cloak—Bodyguard pattern.


Helmet—"Wolseley", white—with brass chain, chin strap and ring behind for attach-

ment of cap lines. Gilt fittings will be worn.

Kurta—made of cloth, scarlet, lined to the waist, double-breasted, with plastron, collar

and cuffs of cloth, blue, sky. Cuffs, two and a half inches at the point, one and a half at

the back seam, with an Austrian knot of hussars' gold chain gimp eight and a half inches

from the bottom of the cuff with a line of gold tracing on either side. Collar two and a

quarter inches high, cut square with a line of three-quarter inch gold universal lace onthe outer edge, and a line of hussars' gold chain gimp along the bottom edge of collar.

Two rows of plain buttons in front, seven in each row, and one at neck point of plastron.

Front fastened with twelve gilt hooks and eyes. Skirts cut full and to cut the knee whendismounted, right skirt cut five inches wader than the fore part, top edge fastened with

hook and eye to prevent the fronts gaping when worn dismounted, skirt pleat sewn down,

and the centre of back opened from the waist seam downwards. Chain patches of bodycloth, chains fastened with five gilt hooks and small plain screw button. A small pearl

button beneath the right shoulder-chain to which the aiguillette is attached.

Lace—gold, vandyke pattern.

Lunghi—dark blue and gold.

Overalls—blue cloth with double gold vandyke lace stripes.

Pantaloons—white melton cloth.

Pouch-belt—gold vandyke lace on blue morocco leather, silver buckle, slide, tip, pickers

and chain.

Pouch box—lined blue morocco leather with silver flap.

Spurs—mounted, silver plated hunting to buckle with straps—dismounted—silver plated

box spurs.

Sword and scabbard—cavalry pattern.

Sword-belt—gold vandyke lace on blue morocco leather, gilt buckles, plate with mono-gram on buckle fastening.

Sword-Knot—gold fine with acorn.

Tunic—scarlet cloth hussar pattern, with cloth blue sky collar and cuffs trimmed as for

hussars with gold gimp. Shoulder-cords of plaited gold chain gimp fined with scarlet.

Badges of rank in silver embroidery.'

18

THE BODY GUARDS

UNDRESS

Forage cap—universal pattern, blue, scarlet band.

Frock-coat—blue cloth single breasted. The collar edged with three-quarter inch black

braid and with figuring in narrow braid ; a braided figure on each sleeve extending to

ten inches from the bottom of the cuff. Six loops of inch braid across the breast with rows

of olivets. The back and back skirts trimmed with inch braid, traced with narrow braid

and with olivets and tassels. The skirts lined with black braid, shoulder straps of the samematerial as the garment edged with halfinch black mohair braid except at the base ; black

netted button at the top, badges of rank in gilt or gilding metal.

Pantaloons—blue cloth with double yellow stripes.

Other articles as in full dress. Pouch-belt not worn.

MESS DRESS, REGIMENTAL PATTERNHORSE FURNITURE

As for Hussars.

Shabraque—blue cloth, gold embroidery, regimental pattern.

Throat ornament—red.

INDIAN OFFICERS

Alkalak—made of cloth scarlet No. 2 and unlined. Purdah, cuffs and shoulder chain

patches of sky blue cloth. One and a half inch stand collar of sky blue cloth with gold

braid Xo. 2 bordered a quarter inch from edge and cut tunic shape at back down to

waist skirts cut full and in two halves, opened at centre of back from waist downwards.

Fronts cut chapkan pattern, the bottom ofpurdah to be one and a quarter inches above the

kummerbund. Full length when dismounted to cut the knee cap. Right side of purdahcarried through to the bottom of the skirt cut large enough to prevent the fronts gaping

when worn. A line of lace, gold one inch with braid, gold no. 2 on either side round

foreparts and back of neck showing an eighth inch of body cloth between. Top of

purdah trimmed in the same fashion and piped at neck with body cloth sufficient to show

on either side of top tracing. Lace, gold, one inch on top edge of cuff six inches at point

and three inches at seams. An Austrian knot of cord, gold, universal with braid, gold no. 2

on either side twelve inches from bottom of cuff, the gold cord, carried up the hind-arm

seam of sleeve and down side body seams terminating at waist seam. A small fob pocket

on waist seam at right side. The left chain patch sewn completely down to the garment,

the right fastened at the neck with two brass hooks and eyes worked with scarlet silk.

The chains fastened by seven brass hooks one at either point over sleeve head and four

at top edge of patch. The brass hook in centre of purdah at neck and metal button

beneath right chain patch to which the aiguillette is attached. Purdah and fronts fastened

with thirteen brass hooks and (eyes worked with scarlet silk round purdah only), four

brass eyes down front to waist scam.

Boots—Napoleon.

( .ipe for cloak—a plain cape made of blue cloth, three buttons down front. Buckle and

'9


14. Sowar, Nepal Escort, 1930, after photograph.

15. Officer, Nepal Escort, 1930, after photograph.16. Infantry havildar, Nepal Escort, 1930, after photograph.

strap on collar. Pocket inside left breast fastened at top with button and buttonhole.

Buttonhole at centre of collar to fix on cloak. A seam over each shoulder and down centre

of back.

Cloak—same pattern as worn by the Viceroy's Body Guard. Made of blue cloth, four

buttons down front, lined to about nine inches from bottom with red serge. One pocket

with flap on right side. A gusset inserted at bottom of back to give room over saddle, etc.

Gaundets—buckskin.

Kummerbund—blue of Kashmir work.

Lungi—blue and gold.

Pantaloons—white cloth with small knee strappings of same material and machined 'Vshaped throughout, two cross pockets, etc. Blue—tartan cut to admit of a stripe lace

worsted yellow and black to be sewn on top sides, etc.

Spurs—hunting. Sword—regimental pattern.

Sword-belt and knot—buff.

HORSE FURNITURE

As for British officers except shabraque, made of blue cloth edged all round with two rows

of one inch gold lace with three-sixteenths inch scarlet cloth showing on either edge, mo-nogram B.G.B., gold embroidered on scarlet, on the back corners.'

20

THE BODY GUARDS

THE NEPAL ESCORT

Little known, but very old, is the Nepal Escort. A General Order from the Commander-in-Chief, Headquarters, Calcutta, on 5 April 18 16 declared

—

'The Right Honourable the Governor-General in Council having been pleased to

determine that an independent Escort of strength and establishment, as those attached to

the Resident at Nagpore and at the Court of Dowla Pao Scindiah, shall be appointed to

the Resident at Katmandu—.'

Two companies of light infantry were formed from volunteers from the 1/18, 2/18, 2/21

and 2/22 Regiments of Native Infantry and the Champaram Light Infantry. In 1863 the

Escort was reduced to one company and it was not until January 1908 that the Govern-

ment of India sanctioned one naique and two sowars as a mounted escort for the Resident,

which increment was found at the expense of eleven infantrymen. The mounted establish-

ment was gradually increased by small numbers until, in 1930, there were one duffadar

and six sowars. The infantry section now had one subadar, one jemadar, five havildars,

four naiques, two lance-naiques, two buglers and fifty-five sepoys. The cavalry acted as

escort to the Resident or Minister Plenipotentiary and the infantry performed mundanedudes like guards at the Legation, the Treasury, etc.

The full dress of the cavalry was a blue pugri with gold stripes, a scarlet kullah, pugor cap, a scarlet serge blouse or kurtha with dark blue facings and three buttons down the

chest, white cord pantaloons, black putties and boots, scarlet kummerbunds and shoulder-

chains and brown leather 'Sam Browne' belts. The N.C.O.s besides chevrons had braid

on the collar and cuffs. The infantry full dress included a similar headdress but tied differ-

ently, a scarlet serge tunic with dark blue knickerbockers, black putties, brown leather

waist-belts with snake hooks for officers and brass buckles for others. The Indian officers

and havildars had scarlet sashes over the shoulder as well as lace around the collar and on

the pointed cuffs of the officers. The buglers had drummers' lace on collar, shoulder-straps

and sleeve seams. Dark bugle cords were worn on the left chest. No badges were worn either

on the turban or collar.

Khaki clothing was also issued and the mufti included blue serge coats, white pugri

silk for Indian officers and N.C.O.s), white pyjamas and brown boots or shoes. Incident-

ally the life of the full dress uniform was to be twenty years—an indication of permanency!

21


17. Officer in stable jacket, Bengal Light Cavalry, 1825, after contemporary water-colour—French grey jacket, red

collar, cuffs and back piping, dark blue overalls, silver laced stripes edged red, strapped brown leather, white

gloves and belts.

18. Officer, Bengal Light Cavalry, c. 1823, after contemporary water-colour signed '\V. \\V—French grey jacket andwallet, white breeches and gloves.

19. Officer, 1st Bengal Light Cavalry, Lt. J. Irving, c. 1839, after oil-painting- -deep bluejacket, silver lace, orange-

scarlet facings, silver scales.

22

CHAPTER II

BENGAL LIGHT CAVALRY

The history of the Bengal cavalry is not a straightforward one of gradual increase in

units and strength but a complex growth of units, sometimes raised under one

system and at others on a different basis. Disbandments and amalgamations enter

the story at frequent intervals so it is perhaps best to deal with the subject in two parts at

least, one being the regular cavalry which existed up to the Mutiny and the second, the

irregular cavalry which also existed in early days and which eventually replaced the

first group.

Even the regular cavalry had a broken history. Troops of Mogul Horse had existed

in 1760 to 1772 but the definite origins are in 1776 when the Nawab Wazir ofOudh raised

three regiments of cavalry. It was proposed to raise six regiments but only two were raised

in 1776 and a third in the following year. The 1st and 2nd were disbanded in May 1783

but the 3rd, reduced to one troop in 1786, was expanded to a regiment on 14 December

1787 and became in July 1796 the 1st Bengal Regiment of Light Cavalry. The Nawab of

Oudh also raised a unit of Pathan cavalry known as the Kandahar Horse in 1778 and this

also became a regiment in 1787 and the 2nd Bengal Light Cavalry in 1796.

The 3rd Regiment of Light Cavalry was raised at Dinapore 3 October 1796, the 4th

at Moniah 15 March 1797, the 5th and 6th at Ghazipur 3 June 1800. Irregular regiments

were also being raised but they are dealt with elsewhere. The 7th and 8th Bengal Native

Cavalry were raised 5 April 1806 under Knox and Pepper respectively. Two extra regi-

ments of Light Cavalry were raised 21 May 1824 and these in 1826 became the 9th and10th Bengal Light Cavalry. Signs of growing troubles occurred in 1841 when the 2nd

Bengal Light Cavalry was disbanded. An nth Bengal Light Cavalry was raised in 1842

but it was not until after their gallantry at Mooltan in 1848 that they were appointed to

the place of 2nd cavalry. However the decline had set in, and the Mutiny of 1857 saw

the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th and 10th Regiments disbanded with the 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th

going in the following year, thus dispersing all the regular cavalry units in Bengal.

It is not until April 1793 that we find good evidence of the dress. Each native commis-

sioned and non-commissioned officer, trumpeter and trooper was to have a headdress,

not a helmet, which seems to indicate a turban or a watering-cap. A subadar's coat was

to be of the best scarlet town-cloth, trimmed with silver twisted cord, plated or white

metal buttons, and a loop on each shoulder of silver twisted cord. The jemadar's co.it wai

to be of the same cloth with silk twisted cord, buttons and loops as the subadar. The

havildar's coat was to be of superfine scarlet cloth with cotton twisted cord. The n.iiquc's

coat was of aurora with cotton twisted cord and a cotton epaulette on one shoulder and a

loop on the other of the same cord, the buttons being metal or tin. I In trumpeta alflO

wore aurora, the colour of the facings with the same cord and buttons, the latter also being

23


worn by the trooper who also had a cord on each shoulder. The facings for the ist Native

Cavalry were blue and for the 2nd, yellow. Each trooper was to have two pairs of nankeenpantaloons. Native horse furniture was not approved and the order stated that the use of

furniture or ornaments and trappings which seem only to encumber the horse and to heat

it, should be entirely discontinued.

The 3rd Regiment raised in 1 796 had white as the colour of their facings. The 4th

Regiment of Native Cavalry raised the next year had green facings. The 5th and 6th

Regiments, raised in May 1800 under Lieut.-Colonels Thomas Wharton and Pigot,

had buff and orange facings respectively. In July 1801 two six-pounder fieldpieces called

galloper guns were attached to each regiment of cavalry.

A General Order of 18 February 1802 stated that the Commander-in-Chief was 'pleased

to order the following uniform for the whole of the Native Cavalry, from which no devia-

tion is to be made . . ., Officers' helmets to have a bearskin crest, leopardskin band with

double chains, a King's regulation feather, viz., five inches red at bottom and the top

white, the length of the whole feather to be seventeen inches, a red bow and silver tassels,

the jacket of the officers is to be trimmed in every respect as the uniform jacket of H.M.27th Dragoons with the addition of scale wings. Hats and undress bluejackets are to be

discontinued. 'UTiite sword-belts to be worn over the jackets, with one cross belt for the

cartouch box. The sabre-dash to be laid aside. Long boots to be worn when mounted and

half boots with screw spurs when dismounted.' The caps of the whole native commissioned

and non-commissioned and privates of Native Cavalry were to be of one pattern with the

number of the regiment in front. The jackets were to be of the same pattern and trimmed

in the same way as those ofHis Majesty's 27th Light Dragoons ; the whole to wear long boots.

In 1803 most regiments of Native Cavalry were ordered to indent for complete sets of

stirrup-hilted swords. C. H. Smith in his sketch-books (preserved in the Victoria and.Albert Museum) shows the early dress of the Bengal Cavalry. The small figures do not

show much details but the blue bulbous headgear with white knob and tape can be seen,

as can the red jacket with white braid across the chest, the buff-coloured breeches and the

black boots. The artist also indicates the stirrup-hilted sword. In 1805 the 7th and 8th

Regiments raised at Ghazi both had facings of yellow. The 6th Regiment by this time had

changed to grey instead of orange (C. H. Smith's books\ no doubt to make a greater

contrast with the red jacket.

In December r8og the uniform of all regular Native Cavalry was ordered to be French

grey with red facings and white buttons and lace, but in March 1810 the facings of all

were changed to orange. The first-mentioned clothing does not appear to have been madeup as in 1 8 10 it was reported that no French grey cloth had arrived from England andthe new regulation uniforms were not issued complete until 181 1. At this time the half-

mountings of Native Cavalry were two blue linen jackets with the 'usual trimmings andtwo pairs of linen pantaloons made of strong dosooty'.

C. H. Smith's chart of Bengal Native Cavalry for January- 1814 shows all regiments

clad in French grey jackets with orange collars and cuffs, with silver lace for officers andwhite braiding across the chest of the men. His uniform plate of March 1813 shows a

sowar following these distinctions and wearing a blue turban with white knob and tape,

white breeches and high black boots. In 181 7 it was found necessary to repeat the order

that red facings were not allowed to cavalry.

24


Sabretaches were restored to Light Cavalry officers, if indeed they had been laid aside.

The face was covered with blue cloth and edged with a row of two inch lace. The initials

'BLC were embroidered in the centre with the regimental badge and scroll (1816-1830

Index to Orders). A miniature of a British officer shows him wearing a broad-topped

black shako with silver lace round the top, a central device with '6', a label below with

'Native Cavalry'. Although usually cavalry officers have the plume in front white over

red, in this case the red appears dark orange. The chest of the French grey jacket is covered

with silver cord with three rows of buttons. The jacket is worn open, exposing a large

white ruffle, a white waistcoat and a red and gold girdle (information from Brigadier

H. Bullock).

According to the cavalry dress regulations, officers were to wear dark blue trousers in

full dress with lace stripes up the side seams and in undress cloth stripes the colour of the

facings in lieu of lace (Index 181 6-1830). Officers' cavalry cloaks were dark blue with a

collar the colour of the facings. Officers of Light Cavalry were expected to provide them-

selves with hussar saddles, bridles, dress and undress shabraques. The two extra regiments

of Light Cavalry when raised in 1824 both had facings of orange. In May 1825 they were

re-numbered the 9th and 10th at which time the lace was noted as being of silver.

Several water-colours signed 'W.W.' depict officers and sepoys c. 1823. The general

shape of the officer's shako is, as mentioned before, but the short stiff plume is nowreplaced by a flowing white and red plume. The jacket is the same pattern and gold shako

lines are looped on the chest. White breeches are worn with high jackboots. The sabre-

tache of an officer of the 2nd Light Cavalry is shown as black with silver lace on the out-

side and '2' as the central device.

The dress of the 'sepoy' by this artist follows in the main that of the officer, but he has

the bulbous turban and a carbine belt. Instead of the officers' girdle a white waist-belt

is worn. A native in undress wears a French style of cap, French grey with the pointed

top falling on the left side. His short jacket lacks the rows of lace across the chest. A very

carefully executed native drawing of a sowar of the Bengal Native Cavalry shows the

bulbous headdress, blue with a white knob on top, a white tape diagonally across the front

and tassels falling on the right. White metal chin-scales are fastened across the front. Thewhite shoulder-belt has two hanging pieces, possibly used in connection with the cleaning

of the pistol, which is in a holster on the waist-belt on the left side just above the sword.

The white trousers are long and loose and the sword-knot appears to be buff leather.

A water-colour of 1825 shows officers of the 2nd Light Cavalry in bivouac wearing

undress uniform. They have dark blue broad-topped caps with black peaks and lace on

the edges. The short stable or undress jacket is French grey with red collar and pointed

cuffs, and the same colour goes up the back seams of the sleeves and jacket. It is an inter-

esting feature that the so-called orange facings are often shown as red. Silver lace is all

round the collar and cuffs, down the front and round the base of the jacket. Besides the

usual white trousers, examples are shown of dark blue ones strapped inside with brOWTJ

leather and with side seams covered with stripes, presumably silver edged with red on both

sides.

It must be about this time that the native cavalrymen adopted shakos instead ofnative

headgear for prints showing the capture of Bhuit|>orr published in March, 1 !!..••> show the

8th Light Cavalry with the new headdress, the broad-topped sh.iko, short plume* in front

25


and cords flying behind. Expediency played a large part in the provision of uniform andthe G.O.C.C. of 25 January 1833 reveals an unusual situation. It was reported that there

was an insufficient quantity of white cloth in store for the overalls of Light Cavalry andHis Excellency sanctioned orange broad cloth being used instead, in this instance. This,

no doubt, relates to a temporary measure regarding the stripes down the sides rather than

the overalls themselves.

In 1835 a G.O.C.C. of 18 February permitted the havildars and trumpet-majors,

crimson and yellow girdles as worn in the Horse Artillery. Another order a few days after

this one, discontinued the dark blue undress jackets worn by officers of Light Cavalry andsubstituted instead a jacket of the same pattern but of French grey cloth, the colour wornby the men. In April of the same year, the officers were again permitted a dark blue un-

dress jacket (when their men were dressed in dark blue cotton jackets during the hot

weather) but made of silk, camlet or other light material and of the pattern prescribed in

the regulations of December, 1827. There are portraits of officers (Irving, Vibart and Blair)

which show this dark blue jacket with broad bands of lace down the front and metal

scales on the shoulders.

The portrait of Lieutenant James Irving of the 1st Bengal Light Cavalry which must

be in the eighteen-thirties shows a broad-topped shako with an eight-pointed plate with

a T' inside a garter. The chin-scales were tied up at the rosette; a heavy festoon rested

on the metal-rimmed peak. The pattern must have changed soon after, for a sketch of the

'new Bengal shako' appeared on paper water-marked, 1835. This showed a similar broad-

topped shako eight inches deep with a broad silver oak leaf lace round the top. A cross

patee plate with a crown on top is shown (and called a Maltese cross). The peak is em-broidered and a rich gold festoon and tassels are added. An actual shako of the 8th Light

Cavalry preserved in the National Museum, Dublin, follows this pattern with silver

oak leaf lace, heavy festoon and 'Maltese' plate. The beautifully finished plate has a large

'8' in the centre, a circlet with 'Bhurtpore' and a circular laurel wreath.

As the regiments of Light Cavalry all wore the same orange facings, distinctions were

pointed out by the devices and patterns of the silver lace. The lace of the 2nd Regiment

in 1836 was 'rich Musqr wave' which must have been Austrian wave as this pattern was

described 'as supplied to Colonel Roberts of the 5th' and this regiment had Austrian wave.

(Bullmore & Patrick.) The 3rd had a wavy pattern—

'stand and fall'—as may be seen on

a sabretache. This item has a dark blue cloth face with the embroidered devices of '3'

over a label with 'Delhi', over a large 'BLC, with the honours 'Laswarree' and 'Bhurt-

pore' below.

The 4th had 'vellum' lace on the undress jacket and trousers but the dress jacket hadFrench braid. The 4th is shown in the East India Register from 1840 onwards as a Lancer

regiment but reliable pictorial evidence of this unusual fact is lacking although they are

said to have worn the schapka and lancer dress.

The 5th Bengal Light Cavalry were an exception to the rule for whereas all other regi-

ments had orange facings they had black facings, a fact recorded in the East India Registers

from 1818 onwards. The lace in this regiment, on pouchbelts, sword-belts, slings or sword

and sabretache was silver train bias with a black stripe in the middle. The sabretache was

deep blue cloth with two inch Austrian wave round the edges, embroidered devices in the

centre of 'V over 'BLC and a scroll below.

26


The 6th Light Cavalry also had Austrian wave on their sabretaches, as an exampleshows. This, as usual, has a dark blue face with silver devices—a large 'VI' over 'BLC,over 'Laswarree', 'Seetabuldee' and 'Bhurtpore'. The 7th had a variety of patterns. Thenotes in Bullmore & Patrick's lacebooks give the pouch and belt laces as 'train bias with

scallop edge and deep orange silk stripe. The regimental lace two inch silver Austrian wave

20. Sabretache, 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry, in private possession—dark blue face with silver lace and embroidery.2!. Sabretache, 6th Bengal Light Cavalry, at R.M.A. Sandhurst—dark blue face with silver embroidery.22. Sabretache, 9th Bengal Light Cavalry, R.U.S.I. Museum, dark blue with silver embroidery.23. Sabretache, 10th Bengal Light Cavalry, after sketch in tailor's book, dark blue with silver lace.

for the sabretache and shako, forage cap one and a half inch full oak leaf band with orange

piping edges and basket button, ornaments and cyphers as 8th Regiment.' The undress

appointments include a brown calf leather belt with plain plated rings, etc., a black patent

leather 'tache and pouch, and an oilskin undress shako with silver or plated two scallop

scales. The dress pouch is described as solid silver as are the pouchbelt ornaments. Asample of the facing cloth shows it to be a reddish orange.

The gth Light Cavalry had train bias lace on the sabretache with the silver devices of

'IX' over 'BLC, 'Bhurtpore' on a large scroll and two small scrolls below with 'Meeanee'

and 'Hyderabad'. The ioth Light Cavalry had a sabretache with scallop train bias lace

and the devices of 'X' over 'BLC and 'Bhurtpore'. The silver plate on the pouch had

engraved on it an 'X' over 'BLC and a floral spray. The pouch- and sword-belts had

deep orange silk centre stripes. The dark blue shabraque had devices as the sabretache

embroidered in the four corners, with a two inch lace of scallop train around the edges.

An extract from a diary gives useful evidence. A gentleman who had served in the i }th

Light Dragoons took his 18 year old son to Messrs. Xicholls ofjermyn Street, St. James', on

i February 1843 to acquire his uniform before departing to India as a cornet in the 1st

Bengal Light Cavalry. (Information kindly supplied b\ Mia A. M Armstrong, Secrets

of the Royal Historical Society whose great-grandfather wrote the diary.) The items in-

clude—

'undress; two jackets, one of light blur Preach grey) plain with huss.ii tMU ks and

lace collar, rtc. The other a dark blue (very dark blue the same as ours, i.e. i.jth Light

Dragoons) and the collar edged. The undress trowscrs arc the vrry dark blue with siK

27


lace at the sides with an edge of the colour of the facings (orange) between the two stripes

of lace— . The jacket is very- suberb [sic]—of light blue (French grey) hussar backs (very

richly wrought) , and the front almost covered with silver lace very richly wrought in the

Hussar style, and also the cuffs and collar. The facings are orange, and the ornament silver

lace. The Dress appointments are of silver, very rich and handsome. The commonappointments (pouch and pouchbelt, sabretache, etc.) are black and common leather

—

his foraging cap is grey and silver lace—the pouch-belt, pipeclayed.'

A large oil-painting of the battle of Hyderabad 1843 by George Jones, R.A., in the

Royal Academy, shows the gth Bengal Light Cavalry led by Major Storey. He wears a

black shako with silver lace, white over red plume, light blue jacket with red-orange

collar, dark blue overalls and a shabraque on his horse also dark blue with silver lace.

The officers' full dress was indeed magnificent and not only do pictures show it to ad-

vantage but several actual examples still exist at the Royal United Service Museum andSandhurst to show it in the best of condition. A fine coloured print dated March 1845 byHenry Martens in the Ackermann series shows an officer of the 7th Bengal Light Cavalry,

said to be Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Harington. From the shako float the magnificent

white and red swans-feathers, as do the heavy gold ends to the festoon. The uniform

follows the expected pattern, with two silver stripes on the dark blue overalls. The dark

blue sabretache has silver lace and the embroidered devices of 'VII' over 'BLC with

an honour below on red ground. These devices are repeated on the fore and hind ends of

the dark blue shabraque. The white horse has a fight brown bridle mounted on red andno throat plume is worn.

A full dress jacket belonging to Major S. B. Goad of the 1st Bengal Light Cavalry in

the Royal United Service Museum follows the usual basic pattern with silver oak leaf lace

on the collar and with the wavy looping on the chest between the three rows of plain

buttons. Another jacket of the 4th Bengal Light Cavalry has 'Laswaree' on the buttons

and vellum lace on the collar and cuffs. The loops on the front are also in the distinctive

wavy style and the loops instead of going over the central row of buttons, thread into the

one above and so on, making a complete chain to the neck. Another jacket once in the

R.U.S.I. belonged to Captain C. Y. Bazett of the 9th and has that number and 'Bhurt-

pore' on the buttons. A portrait of Colonel Thomas Shubrick who was in the 3rd and then

the 2nd Light Cavalry has a jacket with same elaborate lacing and wavy loops and also

displays the unusual plaiting of the loop ends as noted in the 4th Light Cavalry jacket.

A G.O.C.C. of 8 October 1847 gives the alteration in the dress of European officers of

Bengal Cavalry. The dress trousers were to be French grey with stripes of silver lace

one and three-quarter inches wide. White linen trousers could also be worn. The black

beaver shako was six and a half inches high with a lacquered top four and a half inches in

diameter, silver oak leaf lace band two and a quarter inches wide around the top and

silver cord rosette in front, also with the 'Maltese cross' plate with the title and number.

The cap line was to be silver cord, plaited on the front, suspended on the right side,

forty-five inches in length including bullion tassels. The sash was crimson with silver

barrels and large acorn at the end of the cord. This should have marked the end of the

striped girdle, but the girdle does appear in pictures later. As to the blue undress jacket

'hitherto sanctioned for hot weather' it was to be discontinued and a French grey pattern

was to be worn throughout the year. The field officers were to have one and a half inch

28

Chi 1,1 h Pi vn j. European ( Mficer, ;th li<


lace and the others one inch wide on these jackets. Undress trousers were to be similar to

the men's in French grey and with stripes of white cloth one and three quarter inches wide,

or white linen could be worn.

These alterations were followed by others in November. The headdress is now the focal

point.

'In future, when caps are required for regiments of light cavalry, they shall be made up in

accordance with the pattern in use with the nth Regiment, including the Europeanofficers.

Cap—busby of regimental form, nine inches deep, and the same size top and bottom;

scarlet fly and plaited top (sunk an inch and a half within the edge of the fur), silver

chain fastening to lions' heads at the sides ; silver lines with olives.

Plume—white egrette with scarlet bottom, ten inches high, silver socket and ring. Thecap lines and ornaments on the headdress of cavalry are to be white in assimilation with

the lace on the uniform.'

Number 27 of the Ackermann prints published 12 July 1847 showed this new headdress

—a tall fur cap with a gilt (in this case) festoon in the front. The rest of this uniform of

the 1 1 th Light Cavalry followed usual practices. A black sheepskin mounted on red wasworn over a dark blue shabraque with rounded ends. The dark blue sabretache has 'XI'

over 'BLC with a single scroll below, which devices are repeated on the shabraque. Thefur cap seems a most unlikely item of dress for such a warm climate but an advertisement

of 1856 in the Bengal Quarterly Army List mentions it. The list offered by the tailor in-

cludes

—

'Light Cavalry uniform—dress.

Jacket, French grey, richly trimmed with silver lace; trousers, French grey with silver

lace ; busby, with silver cap lines and feather complete ; sabre, best town-made with steel

scabbard; sword-knot, crimson and silver bullion tassel; sash, crimson and silver barrel;

waist-belt, crimson and silver lace; sabretache, blue cloth embroidered; pouch-belt,

solid silver plate, chain, prickers, buckle, tip, slide and silver lace; pouch box, solid silver

flap and gilt device; shabraque, blue cloth laced and embroidered.

Undress—jacket, French grey silver lace; frock coat, blue cloth, fully braided; trousers,

French grey with stripe; waistcoat, orange cloth with silver lace; waist-belt, brownleather with tache slings; sabretache, black patent leather; pouch, black patent leather;

pouch-belt, plain buff; forage cap, blue cloth with silver band, peak, etc. ; cloak, blue

cloth; shabraque, blue cloth, black lace.'

As will be noted the officers' undress uniform was also striking. No. 31 of the Ackermannprints shows a European officer of the 9th Bengal Light Cavalry drawn by Martens and based

on a sketch by Lieutenant Wyndham of that regiment. The light bluejacket has an orange

collar and pointed cuffs, edged all round with silver lace and studs down the front. Thedark blue forage cap has a peak, silver lace and elaborate tracing on the quarter seams.

The dark blue trousers have broad red stripes. A plain white pouchbelt is worn. An actual

undress jacket of Captain Bazett's of the 9th shows that the lace is 'diamond and point'

with a narrow orange edging around the jacket and on the back scams. A coloured print

of 'A Coffee Party at Xeemuch' drawn by Philip G. Trench and published 1850, shows

an officer in the undress cap just described, the full dress pouchbelt. tin striped crimson

and gold girdle (not the barrelled sash) and the grey trousers. An and voat of

29


the 6th Light Cavalry at Sandhurst is red with silver lace, six pairs of loops down the

front and a short standing collar.

The native cavalrymen also wore a somewhat similar uniform, one which came under

much comment from contemporary writers, one of whom wrote the following.

'To render the service truly popular with the native gentry, the men should be armedand clothed the same as the Irregulars, viz., a broad cloth alkaluck or long native dress,

a pair of loose trowsers, a turban and kummerbund, the Hindoostanee saddles and bridles,

etc., for the sake of uniformity—

.

An unfortunate trooper of the Regular Cavalry has his clothes fitted on him so very

closely, that he can neither mount, nor dismount without the danger of bursting both his

jacket and his trousers, and he certainly could not stop to pick up his sword, or pistol

should they fall, without actually experiencing that misfortune. Nothing can be morepreposterous than the dress of the Regular trooper of the present day in Bengal. He has a

Light Dragoon shako rendered top heavy by a large horsehair plume. It is no defence to

the head either against sword or sun, and only kept in its position by a strap under the

chin. The natives detest this headdress and sigh for their native turban. A stiff leathern

collar round their throat like a dog's collar (and often so called by the troopers in jest).

A very short waisted and very tight Hussar jacket buttoned up to the throat—a light

dragoon girdle. Heavy dragoon leather breeches and jackboots—a sword that is meant

to cut and thrust but which is not fit for either. Therefore when ordered on service, they

generally carry a sword of their own.'

These strictures may have been a trifle biased but there is no doubt that the serving

officer knew what he was writing about. Although shakos were shown in the Bhurtpore

print, the oil-painting by George Jones of the battle of Hyderabad shows the natives

wearing a dark blue forage cap during the charge, although the rest of the dress was the

short grey jacket and dark blue trousers. The Marten print after the sketch by Lieutenant

Wyndham of the gth Regiment shows the forage cap without a peak being worn by the

natives, the officer having quarter-welts and the men plain white bands. The native

N.C.O. has a stable jacket like the European officer with a crown over three silver chevrons

on the lower right sleeve. The men have their jackets edged round with white. All trousers

are shown dark blue with red stripes (although this might be a later or even wrong

coloration). An original water-colour dated 1846 by Lieutenant Wyndham in the posses-

sion of Lord Cambridge shows a guard of the 9th Regiment, all men wearing white covers

to their peakless shakos. Stable jackets and white belts are worn, as are white stripes on

the overalls. A water-colour of the 3rd Bengal Light Cavalry signed 'A.B. 1855' shows

native troopers in an undress uniform. Both jacket and trousers are French grey, the

former with orange collar and cuffs, piped white on the back seams and the latter with

broad white stripes. The dark blue valise at the rear under the black sheepskin has

'III LC on the round end, and the men carry plain black sabretaches. A dark blue round

cap like a 'kilmarnock' is worn with a white band, a tuft on top and chin strap. A sketch

in the Illustrated London News after Captain C. F. Atkinson, at the time of the Mutiny

shows a similar undress cap but with a slightly broader top. Another native water-colour

of a trooper of the 7th shows the full dress as being French grey for both jacket and trousers.

The black shako has white lace at the top and a long white and red plume. The white star

plate has a '7' on a red ground and the metal chin-scales are worn under the chin. The

30


jacket is laced across the front but not so profusely as the officer, and brass shoulder-scales

are worn, as is a red and yellow girdle. The overalls have broad white stripes and the

horse furniture is brown. Another picture by the same artist shows a horse being trained

under the careful attention of a native N.C.O. He wears a dark blue forage cap with white

band and piping. His dark blue stable jacket has the usual orange collar and pointed cuffs,

with white braid all round. He also wears brass shoulder-scales and the badge of a spur

over two white chevrons. His white trousers go into shortish jackboots.

3 1

CHAPTER III

THE BENGAL IRREGULAR CAVALRY (GENERAL)

The growth of the Bengal Irregular Cavalry is a complicated web to follow, especially

considering the losses due to the Mutiny. Perhaps the existence and evolution of the

various units can be best followed by consulting the table on page 223. Similarly,

the costume varied from the national or tribal, through the extempore up to the strictly

regimental. Thus instead of trying to deal with a broad stream, it may be best to trace the

evolution, regiment by regiment. However, to avoid repetition it is intended to give here

a general development of common rules and regulations, taking the exceptions later.

As early as 1 765 there had been six squadrons of Mogul Horse including some 1,200 men(Cardew, p. 28) which were reorganized into three brigades or rissalahs, each consisting

of one British officer, one sergeant-major, four sergeants (all British), four native officers,

two trumpeters, six duffadars and a hundred men. The first rissalah was under Lieutenant

James Skinner, the second under Lieutenant G. B. Eyres and the third under Lieutenant

J. Muir. In 1 772 the Mogul Horse were disbanded as inefficient and there was no cavalry

at all in the Bengal Presidency (Cardew, p. 51).

In 1796 General de Boigne, a Frenchman, brought from Sindhia's army, a Persian

bodyguard of six hundred men and four light guns, to enter the Company's service. By the

G.O.C.C. of 9 February 1796 this bodyguard became Lieut.-Colonel Bruce's Inde-

pendent Regiment of Cavalry. Now, at last, we receive some idea of the uniform of cavalry,

for these sowars were dressed in a light blue (or grey) angarkha edged with red, the red

turban was of Mogul type and other items of dress were the crimson kummerbunds,white pantaloons and boots. They carried swords as well as a lance or carbine (Cardew,

p. 79). What became of the unit is not clear. Possibly they may have become part of the

Hindoostan Independent Regiment of 31 July 1803 which was under the command of

Major Firth.

In 1805 Captain James Skinner brought his eight rissalahs, which had served in

Sindhia's army under Perron, to the British service. Having a continuous existence they

are dealt with in more detail later. Gardner's Horse appear in 1809, the Rohilla Horse

in 18 15, and several others before 1819 when on 14 July it was found necessary to issue

a G.O.C.C. to officers of Local Cavalry having scarlet uniforms prohibiting them from

ornamenting their jackets in such a manner as to resemble those of the Commander-in-Chief's Aides-de-Camp (Index, 1816-1830). In 1823 a G.O.C.C. of 6 May pointed out that

the five Regiments of Local Horse were neither armed nor clothed by the State (Cardew,

p. 140). In 1840 by G.G.O. 276 the Local Horse became known as Irregular Cavalry

(Cardew, p. 166).

The issue of the Illustrated London News, dated 28 March 1846, gave a sketch by Lieu-

tenant G. F. Atkinson, Bengal Engineers, of Sikh soldiers and the description of their

32

COLOI R Pi Ml |

Sowar, Skinner's Horse, 1817. After print b) Fitzclarence & Havell.

Sowai . Bengal Light Cavalry, c. 1825. After original water-col(

THE BENGAL IRREGULAR CAVALRY

costume gives many details common with the Irregular Cavalry of this time. It states that,

'the dress of the Sikh soldier is composed of a chupkan or coat, made of various stuffs, andof many colours, well quilted, so as to resist sword cuts ; and many have often withstood

the point of a lance. The pyjamas or pantaloons are almost always yellow, loose about the

hips, and from the knee downwards, perfecdy tight; the headdress is either a turban or

steel helmet, fitting close to the head, with chains, etc. The arms of each are a matchlock,

spear, daggers, pistols, sword and shield. The regiments under the instruction of French

officers have been drilled in every respect like our own.' Yellow pyjamas recall the

'multani mutti' pantaloons so popular with Indian Cavalry and the steel helmet has its

counterpart in Skinner's Horse.

About this time Lieut.-Colonel C. Carmichael Smyth published an anonymous andundated book named a Rough Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Irregular Horse of the

Bengal Army. He made many pertinent remarks. Regarding armament he writes that

'instead of sending short heavy ash staves from England, which cost ten times the amountof bamboo ones. . . . Bamboos are lighter, tougher and much cheaper than ash. I

recommend 1 2 feet because that is the usual length of the spears of the Mahrattas and

other natives in India.' As to clothing he suggests that 'the men should receive a long

broadcloth coat or alkalack and a pair of cloth trousers, once every second or third year.

To preserve the head from wounds and the sun, I would certainly recommend a metal

skull cap, fastened under the chin by scales, but by all means the turban ought to be

wrapped round it as the turban is the favourite head-dress of all natives, both Mahomudansand Hindoos. The hot weather dress or light clothing might be left for the men to supply

themselves with. White is what they chiefly prefer and well adapted to a hot climate

where washing is cheap.' Although some features might be considered innovations, muchhad already been in use in Carmichael Smyth's regiment, the 4th Bengal Irregular

Cavalry.

Cardew tells us that the Irregular Cavalry of this time wore alkalaks of yellow, green

or scarlet, that the tight pantaloons were coloured with multani mutti (an earthy dye or

stain) in imitation of the leather breeches of the regulars and jackboots, he also mentions

that the 1st and 4th Irregular Cavalry wore the tawah—polished steel helmet—the ori-

ginal word meaning frying pan, which the men quickly seized upon, saying that it fried

their brains. Other regiments apparently wore the turban without any metal pro-

tection.

The Mutiny which brought so many changes and so much action, also seems responsible

for the lack of time to record the appearance of the various troops. Indeed even the

Indian Registers and Lists are misleading for, from 1844 to 1857 all eighteen irregular

regiments are said to have had red uniforms with blue facings and white lace, statements

which do not carry much conviction when one thinks of Skinner's Horse alone.

By May 1861 the re-numbering of the cavalry regiments was regulated, only eight of

the old Irregular units survived and then became the first eight of the new army and these

were privileged to have a special dress as is pointed out when new dress regulations appcn

in 1863. As these are so detailed and form the basis of so much that wc find dfewhi

it is worth while giving them in full. (G.O.C.C. 14 October 1863.)

'The Commander-in-Chief directs the publication of the following regulatkmi for the

Dress and Equipment of Native Cavalry in Bengal in supersession of all previous orders

i.a.u.-d 33


on these subjects. The regiments to retain the lace, facings and colour of their present

uniform. The lace to be gold or silver of light dragoon pattern.

EUROPEAN OFFICERSDRESS

Distinctions of rank, as in the British Army.Coat—For the first eight regiments the Alkaluk, as for native Officers. For the other

eleven regiments a tunic with collar and cuffs of regimental facings, edged all roundwith gold or silver cord according to lace, with four quadruple rows of black cord hang-

ing loose as in the French staffjacket.

The Tunic to be, in cut, as for Light Dragoons, shoulder-cords of curb chain or chain

armour.

Helmet—For all mounted duties of gray felt, low and well shaped, with gilt bars, binding,

spike, chin chain and ornaments for regiments wearing gold lace; and silver for those

that have silver lace. The chin chain to be lined with patent leather, fastening on each

side to a lion's head.

Turban—Of colour of regimental facings.

Kummerbund—Cashmere shawl, with embroidered ends hanging on the right side.

Pantaloons—For cold weather of blue cloth with double strip of colour of facing three-

quarters inch wide of white twill or drill.

Boots—Hessian.

Spurs—Steel, with short swan-neck, to buckle with a strap and foot chain.

Overalls—Blue, with double gold or silver lace stripe, three-quarters inch wide.

(Note:—When the uniform is green, the overalls are to be of the same colour.)

Boots—Wellington.

Spurs—Dragoon pattern, of brass for regiments wearing gold lace ; steel for those with

silver lace.

Sword-belt—Gold or silver lace two inches wide, on Russia leather, fastening in front with

a regulation plate of same width as belt with frosted ground and burnished rim ; a

silver badge, in the centre V.R. surmounted by a crown, and encircled with oak leaves,

to be worn over the kummerbund. Slings one inch wide without sabretache.

(Note:—Undress belts are to be worn on all mounted duties, except in review order.)

Pouch belt—To be worn under the breast frogs in regiments having them. To correspond

with the sword-belt, brass or silver buckle, tip and slide according to lace; no chains or

pickers.

Pouch—Of black enamelled leather; a binocular case with a compass on the lid, and a

small pocket for a note book* on the back, a wreath with Royal Cvpher as on sword-

belt.

*No Officer to be without a small note book and pencil.

Sword "1 , . . „Sword knot/-

Llght DraS°°n Pattern -

Scabbard—Of wood, covered with black leather, steel mountings, protected from the

spurs by a steel shoe.

Gloves—White leather.

34


UNDRESS

Patrol jacket—Blue cloth, loose, reaching to the saddle, single-breasted, with low Prussian

collar rounded in front, to fasten with olivets, on each side the breast six loops of black

cord braid, edged all round with black lace. The sleeves of regulation size, ornamentedwith black lace. Austrian knot.

Breeches') ^ooontrBoots >—As in dress. l(C^UC;ObSpurs

Overalls—Blue cloth, with double three-quarter inch stripes, of the colour of facings.

Boots—Wellingtons.

Spurs—Steel, Light Dragoon pattern.

VVaistcoat—For winter, red cloth with gilt or silver studs down the front, and plain gold

or silver braid round the edges and pockets, to fasten to the throat with hooks; nocollar.

Forage cap—Colour of facing, Light Dragoon pattern, with gold or silver lace band,

black leather chin strap.

Stable jacket—Long waisted, as in the French Artillery, coming to a point behind, andcut round over the hips, fastening to the throat with hooks; lace according to rank. Tobe worn at mess with the waistcoat, or on duty hooked up, with pouch-belt over; collar

and pointed cuffs of the regimental facing as for Light Dragoons.

Xote:—The ist Bengal Cavalry permitted to wear a blue Stable Jacket.)

Sword-belt—Of Russia leather two and a half inches wide, worn over the kummerbundand fastening in front with double tongued buckle: double frog for the sword.

Pistol—Carried in a Russia leather holster, on the right side of the sword-belt.

Pouch for ammunition—Of black varnished leather, with Royal Cypher on the flap, to

be carried on the waist-belt.

Pouchbelt—Of Russia leather, with brass or silver buckle, tip and slide, according to

lace.

Pouch—As in dress.

Great coat—Choga, with the Neemcha; the Neemcha not to be used by corps serving

below Cawnpore.

Sword-knot—Russia leather.

NATIVE OFFICERSDRESS

Resaldars and Resaidars—Edging of gold or silver lace, one inch wide round the neck,

breast and cuffs.

Jemadars—Lace three-quarters inch wide.

Coat—Alkaluk for regiments for which this style of dress is prescribed, or loose frock of

regimental colour without collar. The frock to open to the waist and fastened with

round buttons; braided across the breast as the European Officer's Tunic; the skirts

of both Alkaluk and frock to reach to within three inches of the knee, the mil of regi-

mental facing and regulation size, similar to t h.it of the European ( )fh< en, edged with

lace, according to rank, metal shoulder-cords of curb chain or chain mail.

35


Head-dress—Cashmere shawl or loongee, of colour of regimental facings.

Kummerbund—As for European Officers.

Paijamas—For winter sky blue cloth with double stripe as for European officers, loose

above the knee, fitting close below; for summer wear, white twill or drill.

~ >—As for European Officers.Spurs J

r

Sword belt—As for European Officers undress, with a shoulder strap over the left shoulder.

Pouch for Ammunition—As for European Officers, on the waist-belt.

Holster—As for European Officers.

Cap Pouch—On the shoulder strap of black leather.

Sword—The native sword.

Scabbard » r t- /-\a?^ )—As for European Officers.Great coat J

r

UNDRESS

TurbanKummerbund

>—Of plain silk of colour of facings.

NON-COMMISSIOXED OFFICERS AND SOWARSDRESS

Kote Duffadars—Chevrons of gold or silver lace, four bars one and a half inches wide as

for Troop Sergeants Major of British Cavalry.

Duffadars—As Sergeants.

Lance Duffadars—As Corporals.

Trumpeters—Cross Trumpets.

Lance Duffadars and Sowars—in receipt of good conduct pay—to wear badges as in

British Cavalry, one for each rupee per month.

Farriers—Horseshoe.

Badges—To be worn on the right arm only.

Coat—For winter, of serge. For summer, of white American drill, made as for Native

Officers. The frock will not be braided across the breast. The neck, breast and cuffs

of the Alkaluk, and neck and cuffs of the frock edged with three-quarter inch, of

colour of facings. Shoulder-cords of curb chain or chain mail.

Head-dress—Turban or loongee of colour of facings.

Kummerbund—Cotton cloth, of colour of facings.

Pyjamas—Of Loodianah Dussootee loose above the knee, and fitting tight below, dyed

"Mooltanee Muttee"' colour.

~ > —The same for all ranks.Spurs

J

Sword-belt—Of brown leather, pattern as for Officers with stay straps for swords, and for

carbines in regiments armed with that weapon, a shoulder strap over the left shoulder

fastening with brass buckle, tip and slide, made broad behind to protect the coat from

being worn by the carbine.

Note:—Xon-commissioned Officers to carry only sword and pistol.)

36


Pouch—Of black leather, to contain ten rounds only, to slide on the waist-belt.

Cap pouch—Of brown leather, to be let into the coat.

Holster—For pistol, of brown leather, carried on the right side of the waist-belt.

Great coat—Choga and Xeemcha: the Neemcha being dispensed with by Corps serving

below Cawnpore.

HORSE APPOINTMENTSEUROPEAN OFFICERS

Saddle—Hunting, brass bound cantle; Crimean wallets, and numdah.Bridle—Cavalry regulations without throat ornaments, plain brass bosses on the brow-

band, and boss with Royal Cypher on the bit.

Picketing rein—Brown leather, attached to a ring on the head collar, and passing through

a ring in the heart of the breastplate to the pommel of the saddle.

Crupper—Regulation.

Surcingle 1 D . .

„. . ° >•—Brown leather.Shabraque strapj

Shabraques—Light Dragoon pattern, of cloth the colour of Regimental facings, trimmed

with cloth of regimental colour, two inches broad, leaving two inches from the outer

edge. Seat of leather, lined with moleskin.

To be worn only in review order and marching order hooked up in the latter according

to regulations.

NATIVE OFFICERS

Saddle—The Native Saddle.

Bridle—Single rein with native bit; brass bosses on the bit and brown band.

The rest of the appointments as for European Officers.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND SOWARS

R ... >—As for Native Officers.

Picketing rope and pegs—Carried on the corn bag, and strapped across the cantle with

the baggage straps.

Crupper—Brown leather, with brass boss.

Shabraque—Of serge, colour and pattern as for Officers.

c , . ^ ~ >—Of brown leather.Shabraque Strapj

Martingale—Of brown leather attached to the head collar as the Officer's picketing rein.

Shoe case—Brown leather.

Chaugue—Or water bag carried under the horse's belly, as in the Punjaub Cavalry

—

only for Corps serving west of the Jumma.In May 1864, the 10th, nth, 13th and 14th Regiments ofBengal Cavalry were named

Lancers and later in the year the 19th also became a Lancer regiment. Carbine! were

37


slung over the back by means of a strap from the left shoulder. The bamboo lances wereto be between ten and eleven and a half feet, not weighing over four pounds.

On 14 March 1868 the regulations for dress were altered, not by very much, but the

result was apparently confusing and on 2 April 1868, they had to be issued again in full.

The difference between the 1863 and the 1868 regulations was little and are as follows.

The kummerbund was to be the Kashmir shawl for the first eight regiments only, the

colour of the facings for the others. Instead of pantaloons, the European officers were to

have breeches of white melton cloth or drill for summer. For undress, regiments wearing

red were permitted to wear on mounted duties, in lieu of a bluejacket a red patrol jacket

of similar cut, the collar and cuffs of the facings of the regiment and quite plain with six

large ball buttons down the front, gilt for those regiments wearing gold lace and silver

for those wearing silver lace. The 15th Bengal Cavalry were permitted to wear patrol

jackets and overalls of pale green. Regarding undress overalls, officers of regiments whosefacings were blue or green were to wear red stripes down the sideseams. The native

officers in dress were to have pyjamas of dussootie or similar material dyed 'Mooltanee

muttee' colour, tight or loose according to the national custom. N.C.O.s and sowars hadsimilar pyjamas. The Xolan saddle was to be adopted instead of the native saddle.

An A.G.G.O. No. 120 of 5 May 1869 brought certain alterations to the 1868 orders,

mainly being, that the European officers of the 2nd Bengal Cavalry were permitted to

wear a green patrol jacket and green overalls, and that the horse appointments of the

2nd, 3rd and 13th Bengal Cavalry- were to have the tips, slides, buckles, bosses, etc. of

white plated metal instead of brass.

At home the old leather booted overalls had been discontinued for pantaloons and high

boots and so in August 1872 (A.G.G.O. 223) these were permitted for mounted officers

in India. Shabraques were also to be discontinued in this year. In 1874, new dress regu-

lations brought great changes to the Bengal Cavalry and the General Order of 30 Januarygives these.

REVIEW ORDER (a)

Distinctions of rank as follows :

—

Colonel:—crown and star fCollars laced all round with gold or silver

Lieut.-Colonel:—crown <lace three inches wide. Sleeve ornaments as

Major:—star [per pattern.

;Collars laced round the top with three-

quarter inch gold or silver lace, and on the

Lieutenants:—crown seam with one row of heavy Russia braid.

Sleeve ornaments as per pattern.

Collar ornaments to be in silver; gold for regiments wearing silver lace.

TUNIC (FOR THE FIRST EIGHT REGIMENTS)

Single breasted, with a stand collar one and a half inches high, rounded in front, edged

all round (except the collar) with heavy Russia braid (royal artillery pattern). Breast

38


ornamented with five loops of gold or silver round backed cord (staff pattern), made as

hereinafter described, and terminating with crow's feet, and olivets (hussar pattern).

Back ornamented with a single row ofgold or silver flat plait braid, terminating at the top of

each seam with a crow's foot and at the bottom on the skirt with a figure. . . . Cuffof regimental facing. Sleeves for all ranks, the Bengal cavalry knot, traced and figures

ten and a half inches high for field officers, nine and a half inches high for captains.

Skirts nine inches deep for an officer five feet nine inches high and with the usual varia-

tions. Lining drab silk or alpaca. Each breast loop will be formed of three cords plaited

together and finished at each end with a gold or silver olivet. Underneath will be sewna hook to pass through an eye, sewn on the breast of the tunic at the inner side of the

crow's foot. The olivet must be disposed as to hide the joining.

FOR THE FIVE LANCER REGIMENTS

Double breasted, two rows of buttons seven in each row (the bottom one flat to go under

the girdle), the distance between the rows eight inches at top, four at bottom. Lapels

of regimental facings to be sewn down, instead of being hooked at the corners. Skirts nine

inches deep for an officer five feet nine inches in height, with the usual variations, andfined with black. Collar one and a half inches deep, of regimental facing, and rounded in

front, lace on the collar as described under distinctions of rank. Cuff pointed, with two

rows of lace for field officer, showing the colour of facings between the rows, and one rowfor captains and subalterns. Cuffs to be ten and a half inches round, of regimental facings,

with two small Bengal lancer buttons on each shoulder, a double gold or silver cord with

a small Bengal lancer button, two Bengal lancer buttons at the hips; blue slash on each

skirt, with three Bengal lancer buttons and edged with gold cord. A welt of the regimental

facings in the sleeve and back seams, down the edge of the front and round the skirts.

for the remaining six regiments

The tunic described in G.O. 1 14 of 1868; collar and cuffs of regimental facings edged all

round, except the collar, with gold or silver cord, with five quadruple rows of black cord

hanging loose across the breast. The tunic to be, in cut, as for hussars; shoulder cords of

curb chain or chain armour.

Helmet—of cork, colour white; low and well shaped; gilt binding and spike; chin strap

of gilt or plated curb chain half an inch wide and light; fastening inside the rim of the

helmet on hooks.

Xote:—The spike is invariably to be worn by officers when on duty.

Turban (to be worn round helmet)—Of Regimental pattern.

Pantaloons—White melton cloth. For lancer regiments blue diagonal buckskin with

double gold or silver lace stripe, three-quarter inch wide, with welt of the colour of

regimental facings in the light between the stripes.

Boots—Xapoleon; for lancer regiments butcher boots.

Xote :—Xapoleon boots for all ranks, when new , should reach to some two or two and a

half inches above the knee cap, so as to allow for their nnlring after wear, and they

should be cut as high as possible behind. I be front of the boot is never to be allowed

to fall below the level of the upper edge of the knee cap.

39


Spurs—Steel, with short swan-neck to buckle with strap and foot chain.

Note :—In regiments in which the men wear brass spurs, the officers are to wear spurs

of the above pattern in the same material.

Swordbelt— (to be worn under tunic)—Gold or silver lace two inches wide, on leather

the colour of regimental facing, fastening in front with regimental pattern plate of

same width as belt; two rings from which hang two sword slings, one inch wide, of

gold or silver lace, fastening with buckles and leather straps.

(for Lancer Regiments)—White silk web waistbelt two inches wide, fastening

in front with snake ; with two gilt or plated rings from which hang two one and a quarter

inch gold or silver and silk lace slings for swords, fastening with buckles and leather

straps. Morocco lining and edging and silk stripe, colour of regimental facing.

Note :—Officers of lancer regiments to wear girdles of gold or silver lace, two and a

half inches wade with two crimson silk stripes.

Pouchbelt (to be passed under breast cords in regiments wearing them)—Gold or silver

lace to correspond with swordbelt, two and a half inches wide, buckle, tip and slide of

regimental pattern. No chains or pickers.

Note:—The officers of lancer regiments to wear a pouchbelt two and a half inches wide

and double gold or silver lace, with silk stripe up centre, and morocco lining andedging the colour of the regimental facing, silver plate, pickers and chains of regimental

pattern.

Pouch box—of cloth, colour of regimental facing, six and a half inches long, and two andthree-quarter inches broad, embroidered in gold or silver with device as per plate.

Note :—The officers of lancer regiments to wear a pouch box six and a half inches long

and two and three quarter inches broad, of scarlet leather, with plated flap, engraved

and with device as per plate.

Sword—Regimental pattern.

Scabbard—Steel.Sword-Knot—Gold line, with an acorn (as in Royal Artillery).

Gloves—White leather, for lancer regiments gauntlets.

Note:—White kid gloves are not to be worn on parade.

The officers of regiments wearing blouses on undress mounted duties with the regiment,

are permitted to wear the following dress on parade with the regiment only in lieu of

the above:

—

REVIEW ORDER (b)

Coat (in lieu of tunic)—A loose frock or blouse of regimental colour and pattern, opening

down the front sufficiently to admit the head, with low collar of regimental facing,

edged with three-quarter inch gold or silver lace. Cuffs, on which no facing is to be

worn, are not to exceed six inches in width, so as to admit of gauntlets being worn over

them ; and are to be edged with one inch gold or silver lace. Shoulder cords of curb

chain or chain mail.

Turban (in lieu of helmet)—A loongie of regimental pattern crossed with gold or silver

bars near the end.

Kummerbund—of cashmir or gold embroidered shawl of regimental pattern.

40


Pantaloons—White melton cloth.

Boots—As in Review Order (A), viz.: Napoleon; for lancer regiments butcher boots.

Gloves—Gauntlet.

The remainder of the dress and appointments as in Review Order (A), except that (he

swordbelt will be worn over the kummerbund. The officers of lancer regiments using this

dress will wear a waistbelt two inches wide, of double gold or silver lace, with silk stripe

up the centre, and morocco lining and edging, the colour of the regimental facing, fasten-

ing in front with regimental pattern plate, same width as belt.

DRESS

For all regiments ; to be worn on dismounted duties.

Same as in Review Order (A), with the following exceptions:

—

Overalls—Blue cloth, with double gold or silver lace stripe, three-quarter inch wide,

leaving a light between; lancer regiments to wear a welt of the colour of regimental

facings in the light between the stripes.

Note :—When the uniform is green, the overalls are to be the same colour.

Straps—Regimental pattern.

Boots—Wellington

.

Spurs—Yellow metal, crane necked, two inches long, for regiments wearing gold lace;

steel of similar pattern for those wearing silver lace.

MARCHING ORDER (a)

Distinction of Rank—To be worn by field officers only in gold on the collar as follows :

—

Colonel :

—

Crown and star

Lieut.-Colonel:

—

CrownMajor:

—

Star

Patrol Jacket—Blue cloth with stand collar rounded in front; edged all round (also up

the back seams and openings in the side), with seven-eighths inch French mohair braid;

traced behind, and on both sides of the back ornament, with a small Russia tracing

braid, forming eyes at the corners and a small figure at the top of each side slit and

back ornament. Breast ornaments consist of five quadruple hanging loops, of black

mohair cord terminating with crow's toes and olivets, to be fastened on the left breast

by means of a hook and eye, as described under the tunic for the first eight regiments.

No pockets to open outside. Lining black silk or alpaca. Sleeve ornaments for all ranks,

the Bengal cavalry knot in mohair, flat braid plait nine inches high and traced as

shown in plate.

Note:—Regiments wearing red are permitted to wear, on mounted duties in lieu of

a bluejacket, a red one of smaller cut; the collar and cuffs of tin- facing! ofthe regiment

and quite plain; with six large ball buttons down the front, gilt fix regiments wearing

gold lace, and silver for those wearing silver lace. Where the uniform is green the

patrol jacket will be green also.

Pantaloons—As in Review Order (A), viz.: white melton cloth, for lancer regiments, blue

4'


diagonal buckskin with double gold or silver lace stripe, three-quarter inch wide, with

welt of the colour of regimental facing, in the light between the stripes.

Note:—Officers of regiments on the line of march are permitted to wear buff Bedford

cord pantaloons of uniform pattern.

Boots—As in Review Order (A), viz.: Napoleon; for lancer regiments butcher boots.

Spurs—As in Review Order (A), viz.: steel, with short swan-necks, to buckle with strap

and foot chain.

(vide note under spurs in Review Order A.)

Helmets—As in Review Order (A) (except that a black patent leather chin strap will be

worn in lieu of the Chain) of cork, colour white, low and well shaped; gilt binding andspike, chin strap to fasten inside the rim of the helmet on hooks.

Note :—On the line of march a cover, the colour of the men's turbans, is to be wornon the helmet.

Turban (to be worn round helmet)—Of regimental pattern.

Swordbelt—A regimental pattern belt of bridle leather, two and a half inches wide.

Pouchbelt (to be passed under breast cords of patrol jacket)—Of bridal leather, buckle,

tip and slide of regimental pattern.

Pouchbox—Of black patent leather, six inches long, and three and a half inches wide,

with device as per plate.

Sabretache—Of black patent leather, fitted up to contain such drawing materials, instru-

ments, etc., as officers may individually determine, and with a pocket for paper, etc.

The extreme length of the sabretache is to be eleven inches, the extreme breadth eight

and a half inches. It is to be suspended from the waist belt of a regulation sling belt

by three slings, half an inch in width ; officers of regiments wearing the double sling

frog belt will carry the sabretache suspended by two additional slings, which should

pass through the sling rings on the waistbelt and buttoned on to studs on the outside

of the frog slings. The sabretache is to be suspended so that the top of it is level with the

wearer's knee when dismounted.

Note :—No officer is to be without a small note-book and pencil.

Great Coat (to be carried on the wallets)—Blue cloth or choga.

Note:—Poshteens or neemchas may be worn by the officers of regiments stationed

above Cawnpore if considered necessary.

Sword 1 ™ • i

Scabbard)-Regimental Pattem '

Swordknot—Brown leather, with acorn of the same.

Gloves—White leather.

Note:—All officers are to carry field glasses.

MARCHING ORDER (b)

Regiments are permitted to wear the following dress on mounted dudes with the regi-

ment, in lieu of Marching Order (A) :

—

Coat (in lieu of patrol jacket)—A loose frock or blouse of regimental colour and pattern.

Turban (in lieu of helmet)—A loongie of regimental pattern.

Kummerbund—Of regimental pattern.

42


Pantaloons—White melton cloth (or buff Bedford cord when on the line of march, as

laid down in note under Marching Order A).

Boots—Napoleon.

Gloves—Gauntlet.

Swordbelt—Of regimental pattern.

The remainder of the dress and appointments as in Marching Order (A), except that the

sword-belt is to be worn over the kummerbund.

FIELD DAY ORDER

Officers are to wear the same dress in this order as they wear in marching order; except

that no choga or cloak will be strapped on the wallets.

DRILL ORDER

Officers are to wear the same dress in this order as they wear in marching order, except

that no sabretache will be worn nor field glasses carried; neither is the choga or cloak

to be strapped on the wallets.

UNDRESS

For Dismounted Duties:—This dress is the same for all regiments as Marching Order (A), with the following excep-

tions:

—

Overalls—Same as in dress, viz. : blue cloth, with double gold or silver lace stripe, three-

quarter inch wide, leaving a light between. Lancer regiments to wear a welt of the

colour of regimental facings in the light between the stripes.

Note :—When the uniform is green the overalls are to be of the same colour.


Boots—Wellington

.

Spurs—Steel crane necked, two inches long.

Forage Cap—Blue, green for regiments wearing that colour, shaped as for hussars, with

gold or silver lace band one and three quarter inches wide. A gold or silver braided

ornament at the top with soft purl button; the seam round the top of the cap to be

marked with gold or silver tracing braid. Lancer regiments will wear no braided orna-

ment at the top, but a gold or silver netted purl button, with two lines of tracing braid

crossing the top of the cap at right angles, and terminating under the lace band.

Note:—The occasions on which forage caps are to be worn are to be laid down regi-

mentally from time to time.

Pouchbelt—The pouchbelt is never to be worn with the patrol jacket on dismounted

duties, except court martial duty and by the British officer of the Week.

MESS ORDER

Stable Jacket (to be worn open, fastened by a loop of tracing braid at the neck)—Ofregimental colour, long waisted, coming to a point behind, and cut round over the hipi,

43


fastening to the throat with hooks, gold or silver studs down the front, lace according

to regiment and rank; collar and pointed cuffs of the regimental facing; badges of rank

in silver on the collar for field officers only; (in gold for regiments wearing silver lace).

For lancer regiments a bluejacket as above, and with welts of the regimental facing upthe sleeves and down the back seams

;pointed cuffs four inches and a half at the point,

rounded off to an inch and three-quarters ; on each shoulder a plain gold or silver cord

with small Bengal lancer buttons. Distinctions of rank for field officers only as above.

Waistcoat—Of colour of facings and of regimental pattern, to have a low collar to showthrough the opening of collar of the jacket.

Overalls—Same as in dress, viz. : blue cloth with double gold or silver lace stripe three-

quarter inch wide, leaving a light between. Lancer regiments to wear a welt of the

colour of regimental facings on the light between the stripes.

Xote :—^"hen the uniform is green the overalls are to be of the same colour.


Boots—Wellington.

Spurs—Yellow metal, crane necked, two inches long.

Note :—When officers wear their swords with mess dress, they are to wear dress sword-

belts.

HORSE APPOINTMENTS

Saddle—Regimental pattern.

Xote :—Officers of regiments, the commanding officers of which have been notified

their wish to adopt the hussar saddle, are required to replace their present saddle bythat pattern when they need renewal.

Bridle—Universal pattern; bosses, etc., of regimental pattern.

Breastplate—Regimental pattern.

Wallets—Crimean.

Picketing rein or Chain—Regimental pattern.

BRITISH OFFICERS

Crupper "1

Surcingle >—Universal pattern.

XumbdaJ

NATIVE OFFICERSREVIEW ORDER

Distinctions of Rank—Ressaldars and Ressaidars—Edging of gold or silver lace one inch

wide, round neck, breast and cuffs.

Jemadars—The same three-quarter inch wide.

Coat—Alkhalak for the first eight regiments; for the remainder a loose frock of regimental

colour without collar; the frock to open to the waist and fasten with round buttons.

The skirts of both alkhalak and frock to reach to within three inches of the knee; the

44


cuff of regimental facing and regulation size, similar to that of the British officers, edgedwith lace according to rank; metal shoulder-cords of curb chain and chain mail. Thenative officers of regiments in which the British officers wear the dress described above

in Review Order B, are permitted to conform.

Turban—Of regimental pattern ; to be tied in accordance with the national custom of

the wearers.

Kummerbund—Of Kashmir or gold embroidered shawl of regimental pattern.

Paijamas—White.

Boots—Napoleon.

Spurs—Shape as ordered for British officers, viz. : short swan-neck to fasten with buckle

and foot chain.

Swordbelt

Pouchbelt >—As prescribed for British officers in Review Orders A and B.

PouchboxSword—The Native sword.

MARCHING ORDER

Coat—An undress alkhalak, frock, or blouse, of regimental pattern.

TurbanKummerbund }>—Of regimental pattern

Great Coat

Swordbelt

Pouchbelt >—Of regimental pattern, similar to those worn by British officers.

PouchboxJ

Note:—The great coat to be carried strapped on the wallets. Poshteens or neemchas

may be worn by the native officers of regiments stationed above Cawnpore if considered

necessary.

The remainder of the dress and appointments as in Review Order.

FIELD DAY ORDER AND DRILL ORDER

Native officers are to wear the same dress in these orders as they wear in marching order;

except that no great coat will be strapped on the wallets.

HORSE APPOINTMENTS

Native officers are to wear the same horse appointments as British Officers.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS AND SOWARSREVIEW ORDER

Distinctions of rank and badges—to be worn on the right arm only.

Kote Duffadars—Chevrons of gold or silver lace, four bars, each half an inch wide, sur-

mounted by a crown.

Duffadars—Chevrons of gold or silver lace, three bars, each half an inch wide, as for

sergeants of British cavalry.

45


Lance Duffadars—Chevrons of gold or silver lace, each half an inch wide, as for corporals

of British cavalry.

Trumpeters—Crossed trumpets embroidered in gold or silver.

Rough Riders—A spur embroidered in gold or silver.

Farriers—A horseshoe embroidered in gold or silver.

Lance Duffadars and Sowars in receipt ofgood conduct pay—A silver or gold embroidered

stripe for each rupee per mansem.Coat for non-commissioned Officers—Alkhalak, frock, or blouse, shape as for native

officers. The neck, breast and cuffs of alkhalaks to be edged with half-inch gold or

silver lace. For blouses a shalloon edging to neck and cuffs, colour of facings, metal

shoulder cords of curb chain or chain mail.

Coat for Sowars—Alkhalak, frock or blouse of regimental pattern, shape as for native

officers. For blouses shalloon edging to neck and cuffs, colour of regimental facing.

Metal shoulder-cords of curb chain or chain mail.

Head-dress—Turban or Loongie, to be tied in accordance with the national custom of

the wearer.

Xote :—Commanding officers must be careful that the head-dresses of the men are so

tied as to obviate the liability of their falling off, which may be effected by the issue

of orders prohibiting the turban tied in a careless and unsoldierlike manner.

Kummerbund—Cotton, of regimental pattern.

Paijamas to be tight or loose in accordance with the national custom of the wearer)—Ofcotton cloth, dyed 'mooltanee Muttee

?

colour.

Boots—Xapoleon.

Spurs—Shape as ordered for British officers, viz. : short swan neck, to fasten with buckle

and foot chain.

Swordbelt—Brown leather, of regimental pattern.

Pouchbelt—Brown leather; buckle, tip and slide, of regimental pattern.

Pouchbox—Black leather, of regimental pattern.

Cap Pouch—To slide on the waistbelt.

MARCHING ORDERS

Coat—An undress alkhalak, frock, or blouse, of regimental pattern: shape as for native

officers. Distinctions of rank and badges to be worn on the right arm only ; they are to

be made in shape and size as laid down in Review Order, of cloth, the colour of the

regimental facing, sewn on to cloth the colour of the uniform.

Great Coat—Inverness cape or choga.

Note :—The great coat is to be carried strapped on the wallet. Poshteens or neemchas

may be worn by regiments stationed above Cawnpore if considered necessary.

The remainder of the dress and appointments as in Review Order.

FIELD DAY ORDER AND DRILL ORDER

In these orders the undress coat is to be worn; the remainder of the dress and appoint-

ments as in Revira: Order.

46


HORSE APPOINTMENTS

-Regimental pattern.

Saddle

Bridle

Bit

BreastplateJ

To hold 20 rounds of Xo. IX Mark of Snider ammunition except Kote Duffadar whohave 20 rounds of pistol ditto.

CrupperXumbda >—Universal pattern.

ShoecaseJ

Martingale—To be used when necessary, of brown leather.

Cornbag—To be suspended to D fixed to off-side of saddle.

Wallets—Crimean.

Picketing Ropes and Pegs—To be carried in marching order only, wrapped in the blanket

and strapped on the horns of the saddle.

Xote:—Lancer regiments are to wear holsters on the near side and wallets on the off

side, as in the British service; the pistol should be carried in the holster except on service

near the enemy when it should be inserted in the kummerbund. A sling of cord dyedthe colour of the regimental uniform, and one and a quarter yards long, is to be attached

to the ring at the heel of the butt; at the other end of the sling a loop three inches long

should be tied or spliced. The sling is to be wrapped round the butt when the pistol

is carried in the holster; when it is inserted in the kummerbund, the sling is to be cast

loose and the loop slipped over the waistbelt on the right side of the buckle or clasp.

The consolidated Indian dress regulations of October 1886 deal with the Bengal

Cavalry under section XI. Much of the detail is as before for the Cavalry but the sword-

belt was to be worn under the tunic in full dress and the eight regiments whose officers

wore a blouse, lungi and kummerbund as the men were the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th,

1 2th and 15th; with of course the badges of rank on the shoulder-straps or chains. Thechange of position of the rank badges followed the home change of 1881. The Lancer

tunic basically was the same but the badges of rank were now on the gold or silver cord

shoulder-straps. The regiments where the officers' dress was as the men were the 9th, 10th,

1 ith, 13th, 1 8th and 19th Lancers. The alkalak is no longer quoted for the native officers

of the first eight regiments but the loose frock is given for all. The regimental differences

are given later under each regiment. The 1891 Dress Regulations gave much the same

information.

The 1901 Dress Regulations show only four regiments remaining as Cavalry, the 3rd,

5th, 6th and 12th, the others being all Lancers. Although re-written and using different

words for the same articles, there is still little difference in the basic item-. I he offii

of the 4th, 7th and 8th Lancers were still permitted to wear out their old Bengal Cavalry

uniform but the Lancer dress was to be adopted gradually. The officers of the 17th

Bengal Lancers were permitted to wear the Cavalry uniform without any proviso.

Late in 1902 amendments were made (G.O. 974) by which the cloth stripes on the

trousers were to be scarlet for the 4th, 5th and ;th Lancers and yellow for the [6th. The

47


forage cap of the 12 th Cavalry and the 16th Lancers was to have band and welts, the

colour of the stripes on the overalls.

The advent of King Edward VII brought certain simplifications like the use of stripes

of facing colour instead of gold or silver lace on the trousers. The 19 13 dress regulations

give the Bengal Cavalry and Lancers under the same two groups as above but the details

are much more consolidated, and the appendix gives the badges, buttons and other dis-

tinctions grouped under each regiment. The Great War put full dress out of use and after

1 918 little opportunity occurred for such colourful dress to be worn at levees etc. especially

as the amalgamations took place in 1 921-1922 thus creating many new regiments.

48

Plat, , Govemoi General'i Bod) Guard, Bengml Cavaln -'i" 1 F»« Volunteen, 1813.

\in r 1 >i 1 1 1 1 l.\ ( li.nl>-> ll.niiiliiiii Smith.

Pi \n 2. British Officer. 6th Bengal Native Cavalry, circa 1815. Alter miniature on ivory.

Block kindly lent by the Military Historical Society.

I'i mi ;. Sowar, :ili Bengal Light Cavali ni.il Mratrr-coloui

Plate 4. 'On piquet. Nizam's Cavalry', circa 1840. After original

water-colour by Captain T. J. Rwes.

Plati Madra I pht Ca ilry, 1845. After print by Ackermann.

Pi m 6. Officer and sowar, Madras Body Guard. 1 846. After print by Ackcrmann.

Pi mi 7. European ofl rant-major and private, undrra, « * 1 1 • Bengal I il-Iii Cavalry,

liriiil li\ \< k( mi. inn.

MADRAS UCHT CAVALRY

Plate 8. Jacket. Madras Light Cavalry, 1848. From Coxheath's Tailor Book.

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\ Volunteer I rr>ofvr <>\ thr Meerul fChako Remlah', 1838 Mtei eontcmporar) illuiti

Plate 24. Officer. Calcutta Volunteer Lancers, circa 1875. Alter photograph.

CHAPTER IV

THE BENGAL IRREGULAR CAVALRY (REGIMENTS)

1ST, LATER SKINNER S HORSE

The extraordinary debacle of the Bengal Regular Cavalry would have left this

Presidency sadly depleted of cavalry if it had not been for the fact that there were

many ancient regiments of Irregular Horse still

performing loyal service.

Of these the oldest and most colourful

was that raised by James Skinner. He as

a Captain in Perron's Horse, cavalry

Skinner's Horv, Bhurtpore, 1826, after engraving on stone by Hutchisson; note decorated trousers.

-E 4<i


commanded by a Frenchman in the service of Scindia, had achieved a fighting repu-

tation. He accepted an offer to change sides and to raise a corps of Irregular Horse in

1803 to fight for the British but made the proviso that he should not be engaged against

his old employers.

The uniform from the first was distinctive—red turbans and kummerbunds with yellow

jackets (Abstract, p. 366). For reasons of economy, it looked as though this corps might

disappear but in 1809 they were re-organized on a reduced scale at Hansi. On 6 May1823 they became the 1st Regiment of Local Horse. A coloured print by Fitz-Clarence and

Havell dated 181 7 shows them wearing a broad red turban held in place by a white cloth

wound over the top of the head and under the chin. The long yellow coat had buttons

down the front and tight-fitting trousers somewhat like jodhpurs at the ankles. Thehorsecloth or charjama was green with a red and yellow border, these colours also being

used elsewhere on the horse for ornamentation. The arms depicted were the long lance, the

curved tulwar and the matchlock on the back. An uncoloured print of the skirmish at

Bhurtpore 1826 shows Skinner's Horse in much the same costume but the trousers are

loose and with a small patterned design. Thematchlocks can be represented as a most elemen-

tary type. The lances at this time carry nopennons but had little* tufts of varying colours

just below the spearhead.

A water-colour, c. 1825, shows mounted menin yellow garments with yellow and red horse-

cloths. They wear iron head-pieces and round

shields.

Such pictures as appear of the officers show

an unusual feature—they wear the fight dragoon

uniform of the British Army as discontinued in

181 2. The army lists c. 1830 confirm this fact

when they state that the jackets were blue with

scarlet facings and silver lace. An oil-painting of

Lieut.-Colonel James Skinner shows him wear-

ing the heavily laced jacket with shoulder-scales

on red backing. A water-colour of the same

gentleman made by a native artist, and pre-

served in the British Museum, shows Colonel

Skinner in light dragoon dress complete with

the old bearskin crested headdress complete with

leopardskin turban and white plume. The shoul-

der-scales are of a late pattern, a most elaborate

type as worn in the Bengal Regular Cavalry.

A series of three fine paintings now preserved

at Sandhurst show Colonel Skinner and Major

Fraser, the Adjutant, at the head of several

risallahs and they too wear the light dragoon

uniform. A well-known print also depicts this

25

25. Lieut.-ColonelJames Skinner, 1830, alterna-

tive water-colour in British Museum—whiteplume, leopardskin turban, black crest to

helmet, dark bluejacket, scarlet facings andsilver lace; white pouchbelt, black pouchwith silver crescent.

50


26. Trumpeter, Skinner's Horse, 1828, from large picture by Persian artist, Sandhurst—steel helmet, long red garment,yellow jacket trimmed with fur, very dark trousers.

27. Native officer, from same source as Fig. 26.

28. Skinner's Horse, c. 1830, after lithograph by Captain J. Luard.

small group of officers which wears white overalls instead of the breeches and boots of the

earlier picture.

However, the native troops wore the yellow garments which caught the eyes of manyartists. Colonel John Luard who wrote the History of the Dress of the British Soldier, tells us

that 'the men wore yellow tunics, with the upper part scarlet, ornamented with somecuriously shaped pieces of black sheepskin'. Luard several years earlier produced a litho-

graph which appears hand-coloured in various ways, the most plausible being those in

dark buff jackets with dark fur, red horsecloths with a gold edge and red trousers. Theiron headdress has a movable nose-bar in front and a chin strap of metal. The fur on the

upper garment is placed on the short sleeves, the collar and on the shoulder, the latter

being in three-pointed sections. Luard shows a narrow pennon, coloured red, on the lance.

The large picture at Sandhurst showing James Skinner holding a regimental durbardepicts the sowars wearing the Persian type helmet with the movable bar, the long yellow

alkalak and over this the short jacket, almost orange in colour. These items of dress are

also shown in a companion picture of a review where the troop leaders have lances with

pennons but the majority of the sowars are armed with match- or flint-locks. The officers

51


have richly embroidered shabraques, but the men keep to their distinctive yellow andred checkered saddlecloths. There is a preference for green trousers strapped under the

instep—for long boots are not in evidence at this time. On the right flank of the regimentare four trumpeters and four kettle-drummers who wear the customary yellow and red

but reversed, i.e. red alkalaks and yellow jackets. An officer at the durbar wears native

dress, the yellow alkalak but with extra adornments like a feather spray in the helmet andgold embroidery on the alkalak and jacket.

An illustration from a book of the eighteen-forties by an ex-officer of Skinner's Horse,

A Rough Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Irregular Horse of the Bengal Army, by Charles

Carmichael Smyth, shows a mounted sowar. Pencil notes which appear to be contem-porary are added to one copy and give details of colour. A copper helmet like a skull

cap with chin-scales is kept on the head by a turban. The long yellow alkalak now has the

semi-circular opening on the chest with a row of small buttons or studs and silver lace.

The trousers indicated as red, fasten under the feet. The saddlecloth appears to be in

the old yellow and red geometric pattern. A long musket and a curved sword are the arms.

A duffadar of the 4th Irregular Cavalry (the other Skinner unit) is drawn by Lieutenant

F. P. Layard in a panorama (at Sandhurst) of about the same period. He carries a long

lance with a yellow pennon, has a yellow and red turban twisted round his metal helmet,

but under his yellow alkalak can now be seen white pyjamas and long Napoleon boots.

The saddlecloth is still red and yellow.

The 1863 and 1868 regulations mentioned before give the general dress but very little

specific information is given. A blue stable jacket is permitted for the 1st Bengal Cavalry

and they were also permitted to retain the 'charjammah' and the horse appointments

then in use. A photograph of 1 863 shows a native officer. He wears a twisted turban held

in place with a cord on a metal skull-cap. The long alkalak opens down the front but the

semi-circular front has fastenings on the left side of the chest only. A simple belt is wornover the left shoulder. The tulwar hangs on two slings from a waist-belt which goes over

a simple waist sash. White breeches and knee boots make the lower wear.

The 1874 regulations do give further details of permitted deviations. The officers wore a

patrol jacket of regimental (yellow) colour trimmed with black astrakhan fur but other-

wise plain, on all mounted duties with the regiment. The full dress pouchbelt was to be

of black velvet and all leather belts and pouches worn by all ranks were to be of black

patent or varnished leather, except in review order and dress. In review order, native

officers were to wear a gold double sling frog belt for sword. Non-commissioned officers

were permitted to wear in review order, a turban similar to the native officers, but with

narrower lace, and a network of gold cord over the turban, in all other orders of dress.

All the native ranks were permitted to wear girdles instead of kummerbunds, of gold lace

for officers and sowars in all orders of dress. All the native ranks wore pyjamas of white

cotton cloth. The officers were permitted to wear a black mess waistcoat and have a throat

ornament with a bridle for the horse in review order. The summer clothing for the

regiment was white.

The alkalak was going out of fashion and the 1886 dress regulations describe the new'coat' called a loose frock, and later known as a kurta. This had no collar, opened downthe front by means of three buttons to the waist, the skirts reaching to within three inches

of the knee. Photographs show fur which appears to be astrakhan on the collar and cuffs.

52


29. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, 1863, after photograph.

30. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, c. 1912, after photograph by J. M. Stevens.

31. Native officer, Skinner's Horse, 1902, after water-colour by Frank C. King in Royal Library, Windsor—light yellow

kurta with black collar and brass buttons; yellow and black lungi, black puttees.

The shoulder-pieces arc replaced in the modern dress by shoulder-chains which bear the

title V over 'BC. A 'Sam Browne' belt goes over the kummcrbund which has long ends

on the right side. Breeches and dark (blue?) puttees are now worn. It is interesting to

note that the turbans arc wound over a kullah both to the left and to the right. The

53


British officers in the photograph wear dark patrol jackets with five rows of black cord

loops across the front. Gold-laced pillboxes and field caps are the headgear and strapped

overalls with double stripes go over the boots. The 1886 dress regulations give the uniformas yellow with black facings and gold lace. The full dress was black velvet and the mess

waistcoat was also black. Native officers wore gold lace girdles instead of kummerbunds onall occasions. The British officers only had the throat ornament and white pyjamas wereworn in full dress.

By the end of the nineteenth century, many pictures mainly by R. Simkin appearedshowing men of this regiment and in particular, one by A. C. Lovett (from the Graphic,

1 890) gives a convincing portrayal of a sowar in full dress. The kurta is yellowish-khaki

and has a black central strip behind the chest buttons. A black lace edged with red goes

around the collar and on the cuff makes a simple loop. The red turban has bars of yellow

or khaki colour and the red kummerbund is beneath a brown leather belt having twoshoulder-straps which hold containers for cartridges and which suspend the curved swordin a frog from two slings. The shoulder-chains are backed with black cloth. White breeches

and brown boots complete the uniform.

Later Simkin shows a similar dress, not only for sowars but for the officers, the maindifference being black collar and cuffs laced with gold, gold embroidered ends to the

kummerbund and gold lace around the central black chest panel. Simkin also shows the

shoulder-chains on scarlet.

The Standing Orders of the 1st Bengal Cavalry, dated September 1892 (preserved in

the Royal United Service Institution Library) are like many other official documents

—

tantalizing in their lack of specific detail. For example, the winter Review Order clothing

of British officers when on duty with the men is 'lungi, kullah, kummerbund, full dress

yellow kurta, all of regimental pattern'—without any further information. True the regula-

tions do go on to mention other items—

'white Melton breeches, patent leather butcher

boots, steel spurs and chains, and patent leather straps, white gauntlets, full dress sword-

belt and frog, and pouch belt (gold with one black line). Full dress black velvet pouch, gold

sword-knot, sword in black scabbard.' In the summer a khaki serge kurta was substituted

for the yellow article. When not on duty with the men, a European dress was authorized

—

'white helmet, brass spike and chain, pugri of regimental pattern. Full dress yellow tunic,

white Melton breeches, patent leather butcher boots, steel spurs and chains, with black

patent leather straps, white gloves. Full dress sword-belt under tunic) with slings, sword

in steel scabbard, gold sword-knot, full dress pouch and pouch belt.' For dismounted

duties when not with the men, the same dress was worn with gold laced overalls, Welling-

ton boots and brass box spurs instead of breeches and butcher boots. In summer, a white

patrol jacket replaced the yellow tunic. Drill order for European officers also had four

variations—for summer and winter, on duty and not on duty with the men. There was an

undress yellow kurta worn with drab Bedford cord breeches and brown gauntlets. Thebrown Mackenzie sword-belts and frog had one strap over the right shoulder under the

shoulder-chain. The sword had a brown sword-knot and was in a black scabbard, while

the whistle had a red lanyard. In summer a khaki lungi and kurta was worn instead of the

red and yellow articles. Puttees could also be worn instead of the butcher boots. When not

with the men the winter clothing was a white helmet, blue patrol jacket and pantaloons

w ith black butcher boots and in summer, a white patrol jacket instead and no gloves.

54


The native officer had a full dress much the same as that worn by the British officers

when with the men. The kullah was noted as gold and the gold pouchbelt had distinctions

of rank, one black stripe for risaldars, two for resaidars and three for jemadars. Goldshoulder-cords were worn by all. White pyjamas were worn in hot weather and drab

Bedford cord breeches in cold weather. Native officers had the same horse furniture as

British officers excepting chains but black horsehair throat plume with ball, star andcrescent was carried. N.C.O.s and men had a somewhat similar uniform as the native

officers, the kullahs being gold for N.C.O.s and black for others. Black equipment wasworn with an ammunition pouch on the right side in front of the hip. Undress yellow or

khaki kurtas were worn according to the time of the year and khaki kullahs were worn in

field day and marching order.

In 1896 (India Army Circular 108) the 1st Bengal Cavalry officially became Lancers

and it is said that the red lungi and kummerbund were changed at this time to black. In

1899 the regiment was honoured by being made the 1st (The Duke of York's Own)Regiment of Bengal Lancers and the 1900 edition of Whitaker's Naval and Military

Directory gives a yellow uniform with black velvet facings, gold lace and a black pugri.

A water-colour in Windsor Castle dated 1902 shows a native officer in a simple yellow

kurta with a black collar, yellow metal buttons down the front, the lungi in black andyellow, the belt black, light khaki breeches and black puttees. The 1901 dress regulations

note a yellow uniform with black velvet facings and lancer pattern lace. The British

officers' full dress tunic is lancer pattern with a black cloth plastron. The girdle was gold

lace two and a half inches wide with two black silk stripes, lined with black moroccoleather. On the overalls and pantaloons were gold stripes with a blue light in between.

The fine series of water-colours by A. C. Lovett c. 1910 include a mounted sowar of

Skinner's Horse. He wears a red kullah, black and yellow safa and yellow kurta with black

pointed cuffs. There is red braid on the cuffs, around the collar and the black front opening

and around the skirts. The breeches are white and the puttees black as was the kummer-bund. Native officers wore the yellow kurta with gold lace and eyes on the cuffs, collar anddown the front. On each side of the chest were three elaborate gold loops set on black.

The mess dress for European officers as mentioned in the 1892 Standing Orders had a

yellow jacket, black velvet waistcoat, blue overalls, Wellington boots and brass box spurs.

In summer a white jacket was to be worn with a yellow Kashmir shawl kummerbund. Anactual mess kit of a later date which has been preserved shows the jacket to be almost

orange in colour. The high black collar at the neck and heavy gold lace goes round the

collar, down the front and around the bottom. The pointed cuff has the same gold lace

and two buttons at the back. Black piping on the back seams shows the lancer style. Theblack waistcoat has five olivets fastening with elaborate loopings on each side. The cap

frequently worn with this early kit was a black field cap with a yellow centre and the

badge of two crossed lances with a '1' above.

The native officers had a regimental lungi, blouse and kummerbund. Pantaloons wereworn for mounted duties but white pyjamas for dismounted duties. The 1913 dress

regulations give the same details for the native officers and also give the kurta as the full

dress for British officers uith the tunic as an optional dress. The black and gold girdle is

still authorized as is the black pourh with ;i silver flap, the device* being crossed lances,

in the centre V over *DYO', a silver rose below and the scroll "Skinner's Horse'. The

55


horse's throat plume was black. The additional tide of The Duke of York's Own having

been granted in 1901 it was now recorded on the buttons, the waist-belt plate and else-

where while the York rose was also given prominence. The pouchbelt besides having

chains, pickers and plate, had a regimental scroll, a crown, an elaborate star plate, andbattie honours. The drab words of the regulations can give no idea of the striking dress

of this regiment which presented an appearance unique in British forces.

2nd, or Gardner's horse

Major William Linnaeus Gardner raised 12 May 1809 a body of Horse to perform

police and revenue in the Dooab (C. Smyth, p. 3). They were armed with lance andshield, tulwar and long matchlock. They wore emerald green alkalaks with silver lace.

The netherwear was red pyjamas and the saddlery the native charjamas. The original

headdress was the Persian 'kizil-bash', later changed to a cloth cap. This headdress in

turn gave way to a red pugri and the colour of the pyjamas was also changed to multani

mutti.

The police aspect was dropped when they became a corps of Irregular Horse on 20

June 181 7. Later on 6 May 1823 the corps was re-named the 2nd Regiment of Local

32 33 3+

32. Lieutenant C. W. Campbell, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, c. 1865, after carte-de-visite photograph.

33. Duffadar Ali Muhamed Khan, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, 1882, after picture by Orlando Norie.

34. Jemadar Kanchan Singh, 2nd Bengal Cavalry, 1887, after photograph.

35. Risaldar-major Ali Muhamed Khan, 2nd Bengal Lancers, 1891, after photograph.

56


Horse, taking position after Skinner's Horse. The Bengal Army List quotes a green uni-

form faced with scarlet and silver lace for this regiment of Local Horse. In 1840 (by

G.G.O. 276) they were again re-named, this time the 2nd Bengal Irregular Cavalry and a

portrait of Lieut.-General Sir John Bennet Hearsey, Lieut.-Colonel at that period,

shows him wearing a long native garment presumably green and heavily laced

with silver. The broad sword-belt is kept close to the body by means of the kummerbund,the ends of which fall on the right side. A large curving scimitar is the imposing means of

defence. Loose trousers possibly of red are worn. Incidentally it was not until 1846 that

percussion carbines were issued.

The Mutiny which swept away so many regular Bengal units brought the Irregular

Cavalry into prominence. By CO. 494 of 31 May 1861 this regiment became the 2ndBengal Cavalry. The orders for dress in October 1863 ordered that the lace, facings andcolour of the present uniform should be retained. Boots were to be Hessian and the green

cloth pantaloons were to have double stripes of the colour of the facing, red. The alkalak

was a distinction of European officers in this regiment. A photograph (in the author's

collection) c. 1865 shows an officer in his alkalak, laced round the neck, the chest opening

and the cuffs. His trousers also have double rows of lace. The round forage cap has a lace

band and narrow braids crossing on the top in lancer fashion. His lace pouchbelt has

chains and pickers while his kummerbund of Kashmir pattern is tied narrow around the

waist under the sword-belt. The scabbard is steel.

The General Orders, numbers 18 and 1 14 of 1868 repeat most of the former regulations

but the breeches now become white melton cloth or drill for summer. The grey helmet

with silver bars and ornaments is still ordered and the turban is to be the colour of the

regimental facings. G.O. 120 of 5 May 1869 permitted the European officers of the 2ndBengal Cavalry to wear a green patrol jacket and green overalls, while the metal parts of

the horse appointments were to be white-plated instead of brass.

In August 1872 the jackboot was declared obsolete and knee boots finishing one inch

below the knee cap were authorized. In October of the same year shabraques were dis-

posed of and a couple of months later undress overalls were to be discontinued. A note of

187 1 in a tailor's book states that the stable jacket was green with scarlet collar and cuffs.

The pointed cuffs were six inches high with one inch silver lace all round. Studs were

down the front and the shoulder-cords were of silver gimp twisted. In A.G.G.O. 401,

18 December 1873, gold lace was to be substituted for silver. The permitted deviations of

the 1874 regulations were two for the 2nd Bengal Cavalry, that the boots of the European

officers were cut away on the inside of the knee and that the summer clothing of the

regiment was white.

The artist Orlando Xorie depicted a Duffadar Major in the green alkalak with yellow

lace on the cuff, neck and front. The cuffs are shown as red and the turban was also that

colour. A brown leather waist-belt went over the red kummerbund. In 1886 the uniform

was changed from green with red facings to one of dark blue with light blue facings

Whitworth, p. 13) and after an inspection by the Commander-in-Chief, Sir F. Roberts,

V.C., sanction was given in 1890 for the regiment to carry lances and by G.O. 67 18 June1890 they became known as the 2nd Bengal Lancers. In the 1903 re-organization, the namebecame the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse).

The Royal Diamond Jubilee of 1897 brought many colourful uniforms to the United

57


Kingdom including that of Risaldar-Major Ali Muhamed Khan of the 2nd BengalLancers. His turban of dark blue with grey stripes had gold threads to indicate a native

officer. His gold pouchbelt had a grey central stripe and the mounts were of white metal.

His crimson kummerbund had fancy Kashmir ends. White gauntlet gloves and breeches

were worn with black butcher boots, the old Napoleon type going out of fashion. Thebroad gold lace down the front was flanked eyelets of tracing, a pattern also continuedaround the cuffs. A distinctive feature of this regiment was the trefoil tracing at the

corners of the shoulder-chains.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations quote a blue uniform with light blue facings and the usual

lancer pattern lace. The full dress was given as the European lancer tunic with modifi-

cations (the general features have been mentioned before). The pouch was blue leather

and the throat plume was scarlet. The mountings on the horse furniture were white or

plated metal. Straight-necked spurs were worn in all orders of dress. The brass buttons

bore crossed lances, with '2L', a device repeated in white metal on the waist-belt. The191 3 dress regulations give the kurta for the British officers and quote the tunic as anoptional item. The girdle was gold lancer lace with two crimson stripes, fined with fight

blue morocco leather. The pouch was blue leather with an engraved plated flap. Thepouchbelt of gold lace had a fight blue centre stripe and the throat plume was still scarlet.

THE 3RD ROHILLA HORSE

In 1 81 5 at Bareilly Lieutenant H. J. Roberts raised a regiment of Rohilla Cavalry,

descendants of the Afghans. So successful was the recruiting that another two thousand

men were enlisted and the resulting body divided into two regiments, the 1st continuing

under Roberts and the 2nd under Captain George Cunningham. In 181 7 the 3rd Rohilla

Cavalry was raised (Carmichael Smyth, p. 5) under Captain W. C. Baddeley of Poona. Aprint by G. Fitz-Clarence and R. Havell shows the dress of the 'Rhohilla Horse' in 181 7.

A tall blue fez-like headdress bears a plaque in front and ornamentation around the narrow

top. The long cassock type of garment is red with blue edging and blue buttons on the

left side of the chest. The legs are decorously covered with white trousers. The tulwar

hangs from a sling over the right shoulder. A long lance was also carried, the head being

diamond-shaped. The horsecloth was green with rectangular shapes of yellow and red

round the border.

A very large oil-painting at Sandhurst shows Major George Cunningham in the dress

of this regiment and in the background appears a native horseman. This Indian wears

the long red coat and light blue trousers. The tall red headdress has a white turban and

the lance pennon is red and blue. Whether this was a special uniform for the 2nd Regiment

is not known. Major Cunningham's own uniform also is most striking. His helmet has a

black peak, and a fine white-metal crest from which flows a red hair crest. His short red

jacket is profusely covered with silver braid after hussar fashion. The collar and cuffs are

black. His overalls are very dark, almost black, with silver sideseams and embroidery on

the upper thighs. The 2nd Cavalry was disbanded 28 August 1819 and the 3rd Cavalry

also disappeared being transferred to the service of the King of Oudh.

In May 1823 the Rohilla Cavalry became the 3rd Local Horse, now under James

Blair. According to the 1830 Bengal Army List the jacket was scarlet faced with blue and

58


36. Sabretache, 3rd Bengal Irregular Cavalry, c. 1845, black velvet and gold embroidery.

37. Native officer, William's Corps or 3rd Local Horse, c. 1838, after contemporary water-colour by Captain Ryves,blue turban to black headdress, white plume, red alkalak, blue and red lance pennon, red and blue harness.

also ornamented with gold lace. While still the 3rd Local Horse they received a new com-mander and were known as 'William's Corps'. A water-colour of a native officer of this

corps shows a black fez-like headdress with a fine flowing white plume and a tight blur

turban rolled around the base.

59


The red alkalak had blue ornamentation on the chest and round the edges. The tradi-

tional red and blue is again repeated in the lance pennon. The shabraque and horse

harness are also red and blue. A sword and a shield on the back complete the armamentof this dashing native.

By the G.G.O. 276 of 1840 they became the 3rd Irregular Cavalry and serving two years

later at Cabool were awarded this honour to be borne on their appointments. An existing

sabretache shows this honour. The 'tache has a black velvet face, no doubt indicating the

officers' distinctions as noted in Cunningham's portrait. The gold lace border confines

two crossed lances, a '3' over TC the latter being in cursive letters. Unfortunately the

regiment partially mutinied at Saugor in 1857 and was disbanded in 1861.

A pencil sketch of a trooper of the 3rd Irregular Cavalry dated March 1 845 (from a

sketch book in the Scottish United Services Museum, Edinburgh) gives approximate

details, but lacks colour. The fez and turban headdress is worn, a long gun is strapped onthe back, a curved sword hangs at the left side and the white breeches and high black

boots can be observed. An oil-painting of a 'patrol during the Sikh Wars 1845-48'

(Cavalry Journal, 1926) shows that the costume has slightly changed. Although the kurta

is still red with gold lace and embroidery for the officers, the headdress is now a small

turban twisted in tight circles. White pyjamas in loose high black boots are worn by both

officers and men. The officer has a gold girdle and a black gilt-ornamented pouchbelt.

The men have white lace on their red kurtas but the black belts are plain. The waist

sashes are light blue, the same colour being shown for the horsecloths which also have

yellow ornamentation in the corners. One man carries a long lance and the others have

matchlocks and curved swords.

4TH LOCAL HORSE, LATER 3RD SKINNER S HORSE

The original Skinner's Horse was so successful that two more corps were raised (the

2nd at Hansi) but the 3rd raised at the same time, 6 December 181 4, and under the

command of Major W. Fraser, was disbanded 28 August 1819. The 2nd corps which was

left were known in 1821 as Baddeley's Frontier Horse. When these units of irregular horse

were made into Local Horse in May 1823, this body became the 4th Regiment still under

C. W. C. Baddeley. A Bengal list of 1830 informs us that they wore yellow faced with

yellow and trimmed with sable fur, the lace also being yellow—distinctions also of the

1 st Skinner's Horse and a very good reason for the nickname of the 'Yellow Boys'. By

1840 they were known as the 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry.

A water-colour described by Sir Patrick Cadell (Army Historical Research Journal, XXI,p. 1 89) gives a very good idea of the uniform of the 4th Irregular Cavalry c. 1 846. Thesowars wear polished steel tawahs; steel skull-caps with spikes on top. Cardew in his

History (p. 261) tells us that the 1st and 4th wore polished steel helmets (tawahs), these

apparently being the only regiments to be so distinguished. The yellow turban woundround the helmet had a blue and white cord to retain it. The yellow alkalak almost hid

the red pyjamas going into loose black boots. One sowar carried a lance with a red and

yellow pennon whereas another sowar carried a long musket on his back. But it is the two

mounted officers who are most interesting. One wears the native tawah with the turban,

60


38. Sowar and officers, 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry, c. 1845, after water-colour (details from Colonel F. Wilson).Sowar in yellow alkalak and red trousers, red and yellow pennon, turban yellow with blue and white cord. Nativeofficer with silver lace, black fur on shoulders. British officer with black plume to silver helmet, black line in silver

lace pouchbelt, light green cravat, and waist sash, fringed silver. Black shabraque with silver embroidery. Blacksabretache with silver embroidery.

39. Colonel Hall, commandant 3rd Bengal Cavalry, c. 1870, from photograph.

which is shown as yellow and might be gold, with a blue cord. His yellow kurta has black

fur on the shoulders, a profusion of silver lace on his chest which also holds several medals.

The silver pouchbelt has a central black line. The other mounted officer wears a silver

helmet of the Albert pattern with a large falling black plume. A large black beard whichrivals the helmet plume partly obscures the kurta but a cravat with red fringed ends ap-

pears to encircle the throat. Around the waist is a red fringed sash with loosely tied ends.

A round-ended shabraque of light dragoon pattern has a black ground with silver lace

edge. A black-faced sabretache hangs from his side. There is very little space betweenthe lower edge of the yellow alkalak and the high black boots but a glimpse of the white

breeches is possible. A portrait of Rowland Hill, an officer of the 4th Irregular Cavalry

shows a similar helmet with TV" in front. In this case the jabot and kummerbund are

black embroidered with silver or white*

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The ancient dress disappears at an unknown date, for a portrait of Risaldar MeerHeldayut Ali in the Illustrated London News of 4 September 1858 shows an elaborately

plaited turban with a curious flowerlike ornament on the left side. His upper garmenthas the semi-circular front with stud fastenings on the left and black fur on the shoulders.

Around his waist is a broad girdle, striped, and over his right shoulder is a broad sword-

belt, laced and ornamented with a floral pattern. A broad buckle is attached for adjusting

the length.

In 1 86 1 the 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry became the 3rd Regiment of Bengal Cavalry,

not only taking the position of the old 3rd Rohilla Horse, but it would appear also, their

distinctions of red, faced blue, with silver lace (instead of gold).

A photograph of the 1860's or 70's shows a large group of this regiment. The British

officers wear laced pillbox headdresses, braided patrol jackets and overalls with double

stripes. The native officers wear striped turbans (tied either on the left or right). Kurtas

with the front opening laced and many rows of braid across the chest. The shoulders nowappear to have gone over to chains, an early example of their use. The cuffs are elaborately

laced with a pointed pattern, white breeches or pyjamas go into high black boots. Theswords are now carried on a leather waist-belt and a pouchbelt goes over the left shoulder.

The sowars at the back of the picture have simple kurtas and their turbans are tied loosely

and untidily. The Army Lists from 1862 to 1878 give the uniform as scarlet faced with

blue and laced silver for this regiment and these may be the colours in the photograph.

The 1874 regulations note that all ranks wore a khaki serge blouse on mounted duties

during the cold weather. The native officers' full dress alkalak had sleeve and breast

ornamentation of regimental pattern. All the native ranks wore white cotton pyjamas and

the summer clothing of the regiment was khaki. The mountings, etc., of the horse appoint-

ments were white or plated metal but the CO. 228 of 1875 changed these to brass.

A later group photograph by Burke dated as 1878 shows the summer dress with the khaki

kurtas for the British officers and others. The striped turbans are neatly tied but still left

or right. Shoulder-chains (but no titles) are worn and the Sam Browne belt goes over a

kummerbund with Kashmir ends. High boots are worn but a sword with a triple-barred

hilt replaces the native tulwar. A dark lanyard is worn around the neck and goes to the

right hip apparently to a revolver in a leather holster.

A picture by A. C. Lovett dated 1890 shows a sowar in the light khaki kurta fastened

with three brass buttons. The steel shoulder-chains are on blue cloth. The kullah is red

with a light and dark blue safa. A blue kummerbund is partly covered by a brown waist-

belt which has two shoulder-straps with loops for rounds of ammunition. The sword

with a black scabbard hangs from a frog with two slings and the light khaki breeches go

into dark blue puttees. Simkin also depicted a mounted sowar in much the same dress

with his blue cloak rolled in front of his saddle.

The Bengal Army Regulations of January 1880 quote drab with facings of blue and

silver lace for the regiment but the dress regulations of 1886 give the lace as gold. By

1898 the blue uniform with yellow facings and gold lace was in use. This may be the

uniform depicted on Risaldar-Major Mangan Singh who was photographed at the time

of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. He wears gold lace pouch and waist-belts, large white

gauntlet gloves and a kurta with thin gold braid on the neck and down the front.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations give the basic dress of the 3rd Bengal Cavalry as blue with

62


yellow facings and gold lace of light dragoon pattern. The full dress of British officers

included a single-breasted tunic with five rows of gold round-back cord across the front.

The Bengal cavalry knot in gold tracing and figuring varying in size for the ranks, wason each cuff. The back seams had gold plait braids in the style of Hussar tunic, in fact

most of the distinction followed the Hussar pattern—forage cap, pouchbelt, etc. A blouse,

lungi and kummerbund exactly the same as those worn by the men was worn in review,

marching and drill order when with the men. There were no special badges authorized

and even after 1903 when the title became the 3rd Skinner's Horse no devices were re-

corded. The 191 3 regulations give the blue and yellow but the tunic is now optional.

The throat plume of the horse is scarlet.

A. C. Lovett's water-colour of 1910 shows a sowar in the dark blue kurta with shoulder-

chains. His dark blue lungi has light blue stripes and encircles a red kullah. The red

kummerbund is under a Sam Browne belt. White pyjamas, blue puttees and brown boots

are the lower wear. The lance pennon is blue over white, a late use of regimental rather

than national colours. This dress was worn up to the First World War.The British officer when with the native troops wore a dark blue kurta, called earlier a

blue serge blouse frock-coat, had a plain blue stand collar traced round with gold whichtracing was also on the front opening that had three buttons. There was a fourth button,

a flat one, but that was hidden under the kummerbund. The cuffs had a simple gold

tracing forming a single eye at the apex. Shoulder-chain pads were made with hooks for

the chains. The gold cross belt was fined with blue leather and the yellow cloth pouch wasembroidered with a crown over interlinked 'BC over TIF with a label 'Bengal Cavalry'

below, the lower edges being followed with laurel leaves. A later pattern of pouch had'3rd Skinner's Horse' embroidered on it. The kullah of a lieutenant-colonel in 191 1 wasgold. The dress gloves were white buck with patent leather white tops, the undress gloves

being without the gauntlet tops. The scarlet kummerbund had light blue Kashmir ends.

The mess dress was blue with yellow collar and cuffs, the jacket edged all round with

one inch gold lace (lancer lace according to a tailor's note and not light dragoon lace as

might have been expected), pointed cuffs laced, studs down the front and gold chain

gimp shoulder-cords with full size silver embroidered badges of rank. The mess waistcoat

was yellow cassimere gold laced and trimmed, with a stand up collar trimmed with gold

trimming. The blue overalls had one and a half inch yellow cloth stripes down the sides.

5TH LOCAL HORSE

The 5th Local Horse was raised for service in Malwa by Captain T. Gough in May1823. The 1830 Bengal Army List called this 5th Local Corps 'Civil', indicating that their

duties were more Police than military. The uniform was described as scarlet faced with

blue and ornamented with gold lace. By the G.G.O. 276 of 1840 it became the 5th

Irregular Cavalry.

A portrait of Lieut.-Colonel Rowland Hill before 1843 (mentioned in Army Historical

Research Journal, 24) shows his dress as a long red alkalak with dark blue facings and silver

lace. A white jabot encircled his neck, a white cross-belt went over the shoulder and a

crimson kummerbund around the waist. The dark blue pantaloons were strapped under

the boot. Three sowars in the background wore plain red alkalaks and small white turbans.

63


Further information on this unit is scarce for they were one body that mutinied in 1857and thus disappeared.

6TH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER 4.TH CAVALRY

The 6th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry was originally raised in 1838 under the

orders of the East India Company for service with the King of Oudh under the commandof Captain C. Newbury and was first called the Cavalry Regiment of the Oudh Auxiliary

Force. In 1840 it received a new number in the Bengal Army becoming the 6th Regimentof Bengal Irregular Cavalry and four years later was granted an Honorary squadronstandard for its services in Sind. The device borne on this, a lion passant gardant, continued

in use throughout the regiment's life. In the Army Lists the word 'Musketoons' is used in

conjunction with the title and shows that they were armed with these weapons.

Plate No. 39 by Ackermann shows the distinctive dress of the 6th Irregular Cavalry in

1849. The bearded officer wears a black helmet with a white plume. The story is that this

is an honour conferred by the King of Prussia in connection with the visit of Prince

Waldemar to Sind and that it is a copy of the helmet of the Prussian Guard. It has a

metal chin strap and a fine eagle in front. The long red alkalak has a blue collar and cuffs.

Gold lace is around the collar, on the cuffs and around the chest, which also has manybars of lace across it. The gold pouchbelt has a central blue fine and silver chain andpickers. White breeches and high black boots are the lower wear. The blue fronted

sabretache has a gold lace surround and the device of 'VI' over a crescent moon, with

'BIC below. The 'tache and sword slings are gold lace with blue central fines. The waist

sash has large gold fringed ends. The saddlecloth is geometrically divided into red andyellow segments with a blue edging. The woollen tufts on the horse harness are red,

yellow and blue.

A sowar in the same print has a plain blue turban and a red alkalak with yellow lace.

A slightly later picture of 'an express camel trooper 6th Irregular Cavalry' shows a similar

body garment but a yellow turban, multani mutti lower wear and high black soft boots.

The camel saddlecloth and the harness are in the traditional blue and red with yellow

decoration.

In 1 86 1 the regiment was re-numbered the 4th as the old 3rd and 5th had disappeared.

A photograph of a group ofBritish officers c. 1867 shows most ofthem in European clothing

but one wears the native blouse with a stand up collar laced with gold. Simple shoulder-

cords help to retain the pouchbelt. The cuff is decorated with an Austrian knot and the

stud-fasteners on the left side of the chest are clearly visible. The ends of the kummerbundare heavily embroidered in Kashmir style. He has white breeches, knee boots and a gold-

laced pillbox. Other officers wear patrol jackets adorned with black braid but the stable

jacket is also popular, this being worn open in mess fashion to reveal the waistcoat below,

edged with narrow gold tracing. The cuffs of the stable jacket are pointed and edged with

simple lace. The trousers have double lace stripes down the seams. The only headdress

shown is the soft pillbox. From other evidence it can be seen that the undress pouch and

the sabretache bear the device of lion over TV with the large letters 'BC in the centre, a

label below with 'Scinde', all being surrounded by a laurel wreath fastened at the base

by a scroll with '1844'.

64


40. Express Camel Trooper, 6th Irregular Cavalry, c. 1850, after native water-colour. Yellow turban, red alkalak withyellow lace, multani mutti breeches, black boots. Camel cloth blue with red and yellow patterns ; camel cords redand blue.

41. European officer, 6th Bengal Irregular Cavalry, 1849, after Ackermann print. Black helmet, white hair plume,gilt ornaments, red alkalak, blue collar and cuffs, gold lace, gold pouchbelt, gold waist sash with heavy tassels,

white gloves, black boots, charjama red and yellow with blue edge, horse cords yellow, red and blue. Sowar, blueturban, red alkalak laced yellow.

The 1874 regulations permit all ranks to wear black leather belts (except officers andN.C.O.s in review order and dress). The summer dress of the regiment was white. Twophotographs of Kadam Khan, I.O.M., who reached the rank of Risaldar-Major show himin the full dress of a native officer but it is striking to note that his turban is tied in twodifferent fashions; in both, the striped portion is on the right, but in the earlier picture

the hanging fringe is on the right and in the later picture, it is on the left, a fact whichseems to indicate considerable personal latitude in tying lungis and pugri. His red alkalak

has blue cuffs trimmed, the Bengal knot as authorized for the eight prc-Mutiny regiments,

plus eyes of tracing above and below. His kummerbund is heavily decorated not only onthe ends but on the encircling waist portions. The sword is the British type with three

barred hilt. The sword-knot and kullah are gold laced. Metal badges of rank are worn onthe steel shoulder-chains.

I.A.U.-P 65


42. British officer, 4th Cavalry, c. 1867, from photograph.

43. Risaldar Kadam Khan, 4th Bengal Cavalry-, c. 1897, from photograph. Note fringe on right side of lungi.

Another photograph of same man shows fringe on left side.

66


Clause 17 of the Indian Army Circular of 1 February 1900 made the regiment the 4th

Bengal Lancers and so permitted certain alterations of dress. The dark blue gold-embroi-

dered pouch was changed for one with a silver top and gilt mounts. The plain gold belts

now took dark blue central stripes and the girdle was adopted for the waist, being gold

with two blue stripes for the British officer who had a full dress Lancer kit. The 1901

regulations give the scarlet uniform with blue facings and gold lancer lace. Permission

was given to continue to wear the Bengal Cavalry uniform but the Lancer uniform was

to be adopted as necessary. The officers, British and native, were to wear the Mackenzie

equipment when parading with their men in orders of dress other than review order. Thelion badge was part of the devices on the field cap, dress and undress pouches.

In 1904 the regiment was again re-named—the 4th Cavalry but this made little dif-

ference to the Lancer distinctions which continued in use. In the 1913 dress regulations,

the regiment is grouped with other Lancer regiments but had the following differences,

silver pouch, scarlet cloth stripes on the blue overalls, the regimental devices as mentioned

before for the helmet, field cap, forage cap, and pouches. The button despite being

'cavalry regiment' was the universal 'Bengal Lancer' pattern.

7TH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER 5TH CAVALRY

The 7th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry was raised at Bareilly 28 April 1841

under Captain F. Wheler and are said (by Colonel J. B. R. Xicholson) to have worn a

collarless red coat, pyjamas and a hussar busby of green cloth with a red bag and yellow

fines. The 1852 half-yearly army list gives a red uniform with gold lace.

In 1 86 1 on the re-organization of the Bengal Army, the 7th became the 5th Regimentof Bengal Cavalry, a title changed in 1903 to the 5th Cavalry. The 1874 regulations tell us

little more than the fact that the 5th wore khaki summer clothing. The rest of the uniform

followed the pattern of the eight pre-Mutiny regiments. The 1886 regulations give the

uniform as scarlet-faced blue with gold lace. The full dress of native officers is clearly shownin a photograph of Risaldar-Major Sayyid Abdul Aziz {Navy and Army Illustrated, 1897).

His lungi is carefully twisted with the short fringed end erect beside the gold kullah and

the long end over his shoulder. The kurta has three small buttons down the front, broad

gold lace round the collar, down the front and round the cuffs. A continuous tracing of

eyes goes around all the wide lace and also around the patch pockets, a decorative feature

employed at a later date. The steel shoulder-chains also bear the abbreviated title '5B( !\

The short white gloves do not obscure the cuff lace and the white breeches go into hussar

type boots. The wide gold pouch and waist-belt have lace of the light dragoon pattern

(a zigzag design making small triangles). Thesteel-scabbarded sword has a triple barred hilt.

British officers also wore the kurta, red including the collar, gold lace as the native

officer including a narrow gold gimp on the pockets, but the curls on the collar and downthe front are more elaborate as may be seen from an actual garment at Sandhurst. Thelungi is dark blue, almost black, with blue, white and gold stripes. The shoulder-chains

are on dark blue backing and the unusual kummerbund of blue, white and gold has

vertical stripes on the waist portion as well as on the ends. The rectangular gilt waist-belt

plate has silver mounts of the crown, '-,C and three battle honours. White breeches and

butcher boots were worn when the men wore white pyjamas. The snipes on the trotu

67


had been gold lace but when metal stripes were forbidden, scarlet cloth one and a half

inches wide was adopted.

44. Native officer, 5th Bengal Cavalry, 1861, after woodcut.

45. Risaldar-Major Sayyid Abdul Aziz, 5th Bengal Cavalry, 1897, after photograph.46. British officer, 5th Cavalry, after actual uniform and water-colour at Sandhurst. Blue lungi with white and gold

bars, red kurta with gold lace and tracing, blue white and gold kummerbund, gold lace belts.

8th irregular cavalry, later 6th king edward's own cavalry

The 8th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry was raised at Fategarh in 1842 under

Lieutenant \V. H. Ryves. There is little information about the early uniform apart from

the 1852 half-yearly Army List which gives a red uniform with gold lace. In 1861 the

regiment was re-numbered the 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry and at some time the uni-

form becomes blue faced with red, the lace still remaining gold. The 1874 regulations

give the distinctions permitted to the pre-Mutiny regiments and also note that all the

native ranks wear pyjamas of white cotton cloth and that the summer clothing of the

regiment was blue. Officers were permitted to wear a throat ornament on the bridle in

review order (presumably red and white as quoted later).

The Illustrated London Aims of 18 November 1882 shows an engraving of Risaldar-Major

Tahwar Khan. His turban is wound around a tall kullah. Over his dark kurta he wears a

gold pouchbelt the light dragoon pattern lace showing him as an officer. Gold also

68


goes around his front opening and his cuffs. In 1883 the regiment was honoured by being

named the 6th (Prince of Wales' Own) Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. O. Norie depicted

a native officer which must be about this period. The dark blue lungi has yellow (or

possibly gold) blue and white stripes. The blue kurta has the semicircular front opening

with fastenings on the left side. Yellow or gold lace is around the collar, on the chest andround the pointed cuffs. A gold belt goes over the shoulder and the gold waist-belt into

an all-red kummerbund. The shoulder-chains are on red cloth. Khaki breeches go into

black Napoleon boots.

The 1886 regulations give the uniform as blue, faced scarlet, with gold lace. The British

and native officers wore the Prince of Wales' plume in frosted silver on the badge on full

and undress pouch and service forage cap; also throat ornament. White pyjamas were

worn in full dress. Risaldar-Major Nurul Hussun was at the 1887 Jubilee in England.

His plain blouse has gold lace round the collar and on the pointed cuffs, which also have

eyes top and bottom. There is no lace down the front. His gold lace pouchbelt has zigzag

pattern and the gold waist-belt goes over the end of the kummerbund which is on top of

the waist piece. The shoulder-chain as well as bearing the badges of rank has the title

'VI B.C.' with the Prince of Wales' feather in the centre.

A photograph by Bremner in his album of 1897 shows a risaldar of this regiment in

review order. He wears the blouse with three buttons on the front opening. The standing

collar is laced top and front as are the cuffs. The kummerbund is the full Kashmir type.

The legs are covered by puttees which have a distinctive band (possibly leather) at the

top, which fastens with three straps. Ankle boots and spur leathers are also shown.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations give the same blue and scarlet with gold light dragoon lace.

The red and white throat ornament is pointed out as a distinction and this was one of the

four cavalry regiments who wore a blouse, lungi and kummerbund like the men when onduty with them in orders other than review order. In 1903 the title became the 6th

Prince of Wales' Cavalry and in 1906, 6th King Edward's Own Cavalry.

The British officers had a tunic of blue with red collar and cuffs, laced all round with

gold, with the Bengal knot and with five heavy swags of gold cord across the front.

Photographs c. 1897 show the white helmet with gilt fittings and the turban wound around

it, flat so as to show mainly gold or yellow in front and blue and white stripes at the sides.

The dark blue overalls had double gold stripes but these were altered to scarlet cloth in

Kind Edward's reign. This tunic shown in a photograph of 1906 was an optional item in

the 1913 dress regulations. The native dress was also worn by the British officers. The blue

kurta had gold lace around the red collar and gold tracing down the three-buttoned front.

The badges of the Prince of Wales' plumes were on the collar. The red kummerbund had

the end come on the outside and held down by the gold waist-belt. White gauntlet gloves

and white breeches were worn. Lovett in a water-colour of 1908 shows a sowar in a dark

blue kurta with red piping on the cuff, around the collar and down each side of the front.

The dark and light blue lungi was wound round a red kullah.

The mess kit was in the same colours as the tunic, the red collar being laced with gold

which went all round the jacket. The pointed cuffs had lace with two buttons at the back.

The collar was looped at the neck and small studs went down the left side of the front.

The gimp shoulder-knots carried embroidered badges of rank as may be seen from an

example in the Royal United Service Museum.

69


47. Sikh risaldar, review order, 6th Bengal Cavalry, 1897, after Bremner photograph.48. 'Sawari' camel, 6th Bengal Cavalry, 1886, after contemporary photograph.

49. British captain, 6th Bengal Cavalry, after photograph.

9TH IRREGULAR HORSE

In 1838 certain regiments of Horse were raised for service with Shah Shujah. Of these,

the 2nd Christie's Horse was disbanded in June 1842 but the 1st Regiment of Christie's

Horse continued in being until 1844 when it became the nucleus of the 9th Irregular

Horse under the command of Lieut.-Colonel J. Christie. Several water-colours (there

are at least three sets of these pictures in different hands) c. 1847 depict the 9th Bengal

Irregular Cavalry, one in particular showing a detachment fording a stream. The menwear yellow turbans striped with blue. The red alkalaks have yellow lace and the kummer-bunds are blue. The pouchbelts are black with brass buckles and tips. The breeches or

pyjamas are light yellow, probably multani mutti and high jackboots are worn. The horse

clothes are red and yellow rectangles and the tufted and corded harness is also red andyellow. A duffadar carries a lance with a red and blue pennon with two red cords flying

from the top. He also has a carbine over his right thigh and into the saddlery in front of

him. Three yellow chevrons can be observed on the right upper arm.

70

idlri und II

prim publishi ! I.


The Illustrated London News of 26 September 1857 shows a wood-engraving of Irregular

Cavalry after a sketch by Captain G. F. Atkinson and the text tells of the story of how the

9th, after escorting treasures and ammunition to the camp and doing good service,

suddenly deserted to the enemy. The costume depicted is the usual type, the loose alkalak,

kummerbund, pyjama high boots, checkered charjama but an officer is shown with braid

across the chest and the turbans are the small tight variety which seems to be the fashion

of this period, perhaps to make a difference from the loosely wound varieties used by the

rebels. The 1852 Army List gave the uniform as red with gold, a common combination.

The regiment was disbanded in 1861.

THE BUNDELKHAND LEGION,LATER IOTH BENGAL IRREGULAR CAVALRY

In 1838 the Bundelkhand Legion was formed with a cavalry section which performed

such good service that in 1847 they were made into Bengal Irregular Cavalry, taking the

place of the existing 10th, and thus pushing the 10th to 17th Regiments up (or down) to

the nth to 1 8th places.

While still part of the Legion, the cavalry had such a striking appearance that it wasdeemed worthy of record and appears as plate No. 29 in the Ackermann series, published

August 1847. The officers wear a black fur busby with a red bag, gold cords and gilt

chin strap. The blue alkalak is profusely laced with gold, the whole of the chest being

filled in, and the ornamentations on the shoulders coming almost down to the elbows,

while the cuff lace rises high in the other direction. The split sides are laced and traced

with gold embroidery—the gold pouchbelt has a red central line and chains and pickers.

White gauntlet gloves are worn and the loose red overalls have double gold stripes downthe sides. The sabretache had a scarlet face, broad gold lace around the edges and an

embroidered 'BL' in the centre. A gold-fringed leopardskin goes over a dark blue shab-

raque of light dragoon pattern, which has broad gold lace on the edge and the initial 'BL'

embroidered in gold both fore and aft. The brown leather bridle is mounted on red and a

gilt crescent hanging below the horse neck could be used for picketing.

The native men have a simple blue alkalak with red cuffs and short white gloves. A red

sash goes over the left shoulder as does the strap for the musket strapped on the back. Afairly loose white turban is worn and the pyjamas are white being worn with high black

boots. The saddlecloth is shown as plain red. Xo lances appear in the print. The half-

yearly Army List for 1852 gives 'blue uniforms with scarlet facings and gold lace' which

agrees with the foregoing information. The cover of a piece of sheet music inscribed the

'Bengal Irregular Cavalry Polka' (in the possession of Lord Cambridge) shows a manwho may belong to this unit, after adoption in the army. He wears a small turban of

closely-twisted yellow and red fabric. His blue alkalak has yellow lace on the chest opening.

What may be the pouchbelt is yellow with red stripes. Around his waist is a yellow belt

or girdle with two red stripes. The breeches are light yellow and the high boots black. His

curved sword is in a black scabbard. The square-shaped shabiaque is blue with a broad

red edge and a large red X' in the rear corner. In 1857 the 10th mutinied and so were

lost to history after such an auspicious beginning.

7i


IOTH TO l8TH BENGAL IRREGULAR CAVALRY

Next comes the remainder of the Irregular Cavalry regiments who were raised in

January 1846, of which all but two mutinied and were disbanded.

The 10th became the nth in September 1847 when the cavalry of the BundelkhandLegion took their place. The 1852 list gives a scarlet uniform with gold lace. The Illustrated

London News of 26 February 1853 shows a number of the 'XI Bengal Irregular Cavalry'

with captured standards. The white officers wear sun helmets. Alkalaks with lace across

the chest are worn, as are the customary high black boots. The shabraque is shown laced

round the edge, round in front and pointed behind. In 1859 the regiment was disbanded.

The 1 ith Regiment raised at the same time became the 12th in 1847. The 1852 list gives

green and silver and this green is confirmed by the water-colours c. 1847 mentioned above,

two of which show sowars in green alkalaks but with yellow lace around the cuffs and on

the lower edge of the alkalak itself. One native wears a pinkish-red turban wound on the

head, the tying making two distinct halves leaving a point on the forehead. The other

wears a yellow turban -with red stripes and cord wound round and round the head. Thepouchbelt is plain black as is the scabbard and high soft boots. The breeches are shown

loose and yellow. The saddlecloth is yellow and red rectangles and the cords on the horse

harness are also red and yellow. This regiment partly mutinied and was finally disbanded

in 1861.

The 1 2th to the 17th Irregular Cavalry regiments were all raised in 1846 and all

gained a digit in 1847 making them the 13th to the 18th. Unfortunately very little is

known of their dress. The 1852 list gives the 13th as blue with silver lace, the 14th lacks

details, the 15th and 16th both have red and gold. All these units were disbanded because

of the Mutiny. The 17th who had scarlet and gold and the 18th who had blue and scarlet

escaped the debacle and emerged in the new re-organization as the 7th and 8th Bengal

Cavalry.

I7TH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER 7TH HARIANA LANCERS

The new 7th Regiment of the 1861 re-organization continued to wear the scarlet and

gold dress with dark blue facings. The 1874 regulations note white as the summer clothing.

Whitaker's list for 1900 adds to the information with a red kullah and a 'blue loongee

puggri'. An example of this lungi is shown on Risaldar Neb Ram who came to England

for the Diamond Jubilee. A photograph plus the coloured representation byJohn Charlton

gives details and it can be seen that the kullah is red and gold as may be expected for an

officer, the blue lungi has gold stripes and the red kurta has a standing blue collar. Gold

lace goes round the collar and down the front, while the pocket flaps have narrow gold

tracing. Steel shoulder-chains carry the badges of rank and the blue kummerbund has

gold and other stripes on the ends. White gauntlet gloves, white breeches and black knee

boots are worn.

On 7 February 1900 the regiment became the 7th Regiment of Bengal Lancers, thus

permitting it to change the style of dress for the British officers and to adopt lancer pattern

lace. The 1903 dress regulation permitted the old cavalry dress to be worn out but de-

scribed the new distinctions. In 1904 the title became the 7th Hariana Lancers. A uniform

72


>s

51 5150. Risaldar, 7th Bengal Cavalry, 1 897, after photograph. Gold edging to pocket flaps and strap over right shoulder,

also worn thus in later reigns.

51. and 52. Back and front view of lancer tunic, Lieutenant-Colonel, 7th Mariana Lancers, from actual garments in

R.U.S.I. Scarlet with dark blue half-lapels, collar, cuffs, and piping. Gold lace. Silver mounts on pouchbelt.Gilt mounts on silver flap of pouch.

seen in the Royal United Service Museum shows that the scarlet tunic had a blue collar,

pointed cuffs, turned-down lapels and pipings down the seams, etc. The gold pouchbelt

had a blue central line and chains and pickers. The cap lines encircled the body, going

over the right shoulder and looping on the left. The girdle was in lancer fashion with blue

stripes. The pouch had a silver flap with a gilt crown over 'HL' intertwined. The mess

jacket from a tailor's description was scarlet with blue facings and pipings, piping to showabove the lace on collar and cuffs, gold dummies at bottom of back. The mess vest (not

mentioned in the 191 3 regulations) is blue edged with three-quarter inch lancer lace andwith seven loops of gold gimp. The dark blue overalls had on each sideseam two three-

quarter inch scarlet stripes a quarter inch apart. The tunic was optional and a photo-

graph of 191 1 shows a young officer in the native dress. The kurta has the lace on the top

of the collar and down the front finishing in a 'V shape. There is thin tracing on the pocket

flap just as had been worn in 1897. Another feature repeated is the sword sling over the

right shoulder which connected with the gold waist-belt. The rectangular plate carried a

crown, crossed lances and VII over a scroll. Shoulder-chains are also worn.

I 7TH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER 8TH CAVALRY

The original 17th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry was raised in January 1846

at Sultanpore under Captain W. H. Ryves and in 1 H47 it became the 18th as explained

73


before. A water-colour about this period shows a mounted sowar. He wears a blue alkalak

with the chest in scarlet, edged with yellow braid. A black pouchbelt and waist-belt are

worn. The turban is shown as pinkish-red and the alkalak skirts are slit at the side nearly

to the waist showing the strong yellow of the pyjamas. The 1852 list gives blue and scarlet

as the uniform, and these colours were continued after 1861 when the regiment becamethe 8th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. An Illustrated London News engraving of 14 August1869 shows men of the 8th Bengal Cavalry at Kurtab exercising with the lance. Theshort alkalak appears to have red cuffs. The loosely wound turban is shown as white andthe horsecloth is plain with a broad edging and VIII in the corner. The British officer

also wears an alkalak with a girdle, no doubt gold ; in fact he appears very like the natives

except for a full black beard and a helmet with a spike and a narrow turban.

The 1874 regulations give permitted variations for the 8th Bengal Cavalry—

'Officer

and native officers wear a light dragoon pouch box with silver flap in review order anddress. The native officers are permitted to wear lancer girdles also in the same order,

two and three-quarter inches deep, with two crimson silk stripes. The N.C.O.s wear a

gold lace band or "paimak" twisted over the turban. The summer clothing of the regiment

is blue.' The 1886 dress regulations give the uniform as blue, scarlet and gold with per-

mission for the British and native officers to wear a light dragoon pattern pouch box with

a silver flap and for native officers to have the crimson and gold lancer girdle in full dress.

Risaldar Makbul Khan who appeared at the Diamond Jubilee wore a dark blue kurta

with two upper pocket flaps. The collar was red as was the lining to the shoulder-chains.

Gold lace went round the collar and the cuffs, the latter being comparatively small and

tight. The pouchbelt and waist-belt were plain gold lace. The red kummerbund hadelaborate Kashmir ends and Khan wore short white gloves. His dark blue lungi had gold

and light blue stripes, a pattern confirmed in Whitaker's 1900 list.

On 18 February 1900 the title was changed to 8th Regiment of Bengal Lancers and

once again the 1901 dress regulations permitted the old cavalry uniform to be worn out

although the new dress was to be lancer type for British officers in full dress. The light

dragoon pouch with the silver flap was also permitted. A water-colour by A. C. Lovett

shows a sowar in a dark blue kurta with a red stand up collar and a red backing to the

shoulder-chains. Narrow red piping outlined the front opening, the cuffs and also went

up the back seams. The light and dark blue lungi was worn over a red kullah. In 1904they were again re-named the 8th Cavalry but continued to be grouped with lancers for

dress. The 191 3 dress regulations repeat the distinction of the light dragoon pouch and

give the optional lancer tunic for British officers. However an officer at a wedding in 1909

wore the 'cavalry' tunic with the five heavy gold braidings across the chest, plus a white

'wolseley' helmet with gilt fittings, but this may have been his early uniform as he had

been in the regiment for many years.

HODSON's HORSE, LATER 9TH BENGAL LANCERS

After the Mutiny new cavalry regiments were needed to replace those troops disbanded.

The most senior of the new intake was Hodson's Horse, a body which had originated as

separate risalahs in the Punjab, but in 1857 were embodied at Delhi under Lieutenant

W. S. R. Hodson. A description in a letter to Sir Hugh Gough of the newly raised regiment

74


53. Hodson's Horse at Rhotuck, 1858, after print by Captain Atkinson.

54. Risaldar Nadir Khan, gth Bengal Lancers, 1897, after photograph.

55. Captain, 9th Bengal Lancers, 1897, after photograph.

at the siege of Delhi tells us that 'the men were armed simply with tulwar and matchlock,

and an occasional long spear, according to each man's taste and they brought their ownhorses . . . The uniform was khaki picked out with red, i.e. red pugris and kummerbundsand sashes which were worn obliquely over the shoulder, and was meant to distinguish

them from the "catch-em-alive-oh" which abounded both in our forces and the enemy-.From these they earned the name of Flamingoes.' This letter was written in October 1898

and the writer might have forgotten that the men later wore salmon-coloured alkalaks

which could give them a better reason for the nickname of 'Flamingoes'.

A print showing Hodson's Horse in action against the rebels at Rhotuck near Delhi

shows the gallant commander slashing his way forward. He wears a sun helmet with a

Roman crest and wrapped around it a light yellow turban with flowing ends. This typical

helmet is also shown on a statuette and in an oil-painting of Hodson ;it Sandhurst, but the

turban is shown as red in the picture. His single-breasted jacket is white as are his breeches.

His pouchbelt, waist-belt and high boots arc black. The K>wan also wear white clothing

but with red turbans the ends of which hang free. A photograph of the native offii

taken about this time shows them in very nondescript clothing. They wear the red turban

tied in a nonchalant fashion over white pags while the beards hang well down the chest

—

the careful Sikh fashion of curling up the beard not being in evidence. The body garments

75


fastened down the centre like coats. One has loose sleeves, another tight sleeves. Loosepyjamas cover the lower limbs and the feet go into native slippers.

Towards the end of the year, however, clothing more suitable for camp work in northern

India during the cold season was made up at Ambala and was served out to the men. This

consisted of dark blue quilted coats, worn with a red kummerbund, a red pugri andkullah, khaki pyjamas and Punjabi shoes. The saddlery was of brown leather with brass

mountings. The next year when the heat during the campaign in Oudh made the waddedcoats too warm to be serviceable, khaki coats were again substituted with red facings

covering the whole breast. New saddlery for some of the corps was procured at the sametime from Cawnpore, the saddles being of rough leather without flaps or panels. (History

of Hodson's Horse, pp. 101-2.) It is Captain Sampson (the Adjutant) writing in 1868 whostates that c. 1 860-1 861 that the men previously wore alkalaks ofsalmon colour and turbans

of red saloo, dark blue facings and silver lace were worn up to 1864 according to the samehistory. Early lances of this regiment with red tassels instead of pennons are at Hodson's

cenotaph in Lichfield Cathedral.

The 1863 General Orders for the native cavalry state that regiments were to retain the

lace, facings and colour of their 'present uniform', a statement repeated in 1868 but as

the details were not given it is a sad omission. This was the first of the cavalry regiments in

which the European officers were to wear a tunic instead of an alkalak, the details of

which have been mentioned earlier in the section dealing with Bengal uniforms in general.

An original photograph, a little after this period (in the possession of R. G. Harris), shows

a major in this uniform. On his shoulders are short thick straps of curb-chain, as mentioned

in the orders of 1863 and 1868. Around his waist is a red kummerbund of Kashmir shawl

pattern, the ends of which hang loose on his right side. Above his high boots can be seen

dark blue pantaloons with double stripes. The helmet has a turban twisted round it andboth the regulations quote the helmet as being grey felt with gilt fittings and a turban of

regimental facings. No sabretache is mentioned in these regulations but the Regimental

History says that it was introduced in 1869 and was in use up to 1883 (it is not mentioned

in the 1874 regulations either). The patrol jacket was blue with six loops of black braid

across the chest.

The native officers were to wear the collarless frock according to the 1863 and 1868

regulations and also blue cloth pyjamas with dark stripes but these were changed to mul-

tani mutti colour in the 1868 regulations. The headdress was to be scarlet. According to

Captain Sampson the men had blue frocks or blouses with red facings. The turban was of

red saloo as before. The new regulation of 1874 brought a plain kurta for Indian officers

instead of the frogged coat (History, p. in). A blue lungi was substituted for the red turban.

The British officers also adopted the native dress for marching order. The summer clothing

for the 9th Bengal Cavalry was blue according to the 1874 regulations but khaki was

introduced for summer dress in 1880 (History, p. 112). In June 1883 a regimental badge

was sanctioned—an eight-pointed star with the Royal crown above, a garter bearing

'Bengal Cavalry' and in the centre 'IX' with 'Delhi' and 'Lucknow' below.

In February 1885 the regiment received lances and lance equipment before moving to

Egypt in the summer. On becoming a Lancer regiment the facings were changed from red

to white as noted in the 1886 dress regulations. The full dress of the British officers (except

when on duty with the men) was entirely altered and the braided tunic gave place to the

76


lancer tunic with turned-down white lapels. This was the dress worn by the lieutenants

who came to England late in Queen Victoria's reign. The white helmet with a white

pugri and gilt fittings, in one case has the gold cap lines around under the pugri and in the

other case the cords are around the neck. The dark blue tunic had white collar, cuffs andlapels and also white for the stripe in the pouchbelt. The tunic followed the normal fashion

and the girdle was gold with two crimson stripes. The gold lace stripes on the breeches andoveralls had white piping between them. There was no special device on the pouchbelt

but on the helmet was a silver badge, with '9' on crossed lances with 'Bengal Lancers'

below. The silver flap of the pouch-box had a similar device.

Photographs in a regimental album show the British officers in 1890 wearing a kurta

with a standing white collar, gold-laced, with a brown pouchbelt with ornaments.

Kummerbund and high boots were also worn, not only by the British officers but by the

native officers. The latter's short standing collar appears to be dark blue laced round andthe pointed cuff is marked by a narrow gold braid. Risaldar Nadir Khan, who came to

the 1897 Jubilee, had a full dress kurta with white collar edged around with gold and downthe front as the British officer. Shoulder-chains bore badges of rank only. Both pouchbelt

and waist-belt had a white central line and the waist-belt plate bore the regimental de-

vices. Although the regiment became the 9th Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse) in 1901

and the 9th Hodson's Horse in 1903, the 1901 and 191 3 dress regulations give no unusual

changes and a photograph of a native officer in 191 1 shows the same blue lungi, the samekurta with gold lace and white collar, gold pouchbelt with white line and chains andpickers and same kummerbund.

In 1 92 1 the regiment was amalgamated with the 10th Duke of Cambridge's OwnLancers and in 1922 they became the 4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse.

2ND HODSON'S HORSE, LATER IOTH BENGAL LANCERS

The 2nd Regiment of Hodson's Horse was authorized 26 August 1858 from the risalahs

raised for the Punjab in 1857. The early clothing was an ad hoc affair but in 1859 a com-plete outfit was provided for the men—dark blue alkalak with scarlet facings and pipings

(obtained from England), brown leather sword-belts, black leather pouches and pouch-

belts, Napoleon boots, swan-necked brass spurs and cloaks of country blanketry {History,

p. 216). In the summer of i860 khaki cotton blouses were worn instead of the blue alkalaks.

The equipment improved and sixteen men were issued with Victoria carbines although

the remainder had lances with red over blue pennons.

In 1861 the regiment became the 10th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. At this time white

blouses were worn by the orderlies in the hot weather and in the same year saddles of a

uniform pattern were adopted—the Nolan, with a high brass bound cantlc. The head-

stalls, rein, breastplates and cruppers were all of black leather with steel mounts. Theshabraques for all ranks were blue cloth edged with scarlet. The brass spurs also gave

place to steel ones (History, p. 236). During winter service in the Peshawar 1863- 1864

poshteens were taken into use.

By the G.O.C.C. 3 May 1864 the 10th, 1 ith, 13th and 14th Bengal Cavalry were to be

lancers and bamboo lances ten feet long were issued, which with the sword and pistol

were their arms. According to the Regimental History (p. 238) there were at this time two

77


types of lungis, one red for full dress and another dark blue for undress. The 1863 orders

say the colour of the regimental facing (i.e. scarlet) for both dress and undress, but of a

Kashmir material for the full dress and plain silk for the undress. In 1865 new mamelukebits were made at Sialkot and issued to all ranks; they continued in use up to 1888.

When in Abyssinia, dark blue serge frocks were worn. Red braid was worn round the

neck, the cuffs and down the front. Lancer piping was on the back seams. Four round

buttons closed the opening down to the waist in front. Although pyjamas of multani mutti

drill were worn, so were dark blue cloth pantaloons (Regimental History).

The 1868 regulations give the general details to be amplified around the basic uniform

of blue with scarlet facings and gold lace. The undress forage cap worn since the formation

of the regiment was covered with scarlet cloth. A gold lace band one and three-quarter

inches broad encircled the body and two lines of tracing crossed the top in lancer fashion,

the centre having a gold netted button. The regulations of 1874 confirmed the lancer full

dress for British officers. Para. 566 noted that the officers were permitted to wear in

Review Order A and in dress, a cork helmet covered with French grey cloth. The permitted

summer wear was white. The Regimental History says that the new uniforms were in use

in 1876. The Regimental Standing Orders of April 1878 compiled by the Captain and

Adjutant H. C. Greenaway give details of the uniform. The lancer tunic was blue with

scarlet lapels, scarlet cuffs, scarlet piping down the seams and gold cords on the shoulders.

The gold lace girdle had two crimson stripes ; the pouchbelt, also gold lace, had a central

stripe ofcrimson silk while the pouch had a solid silver flap in lancer fashion. The dark blue

pantaloons had double gold stripes (with a central light of scarlet) down the outward

seams. The helmet, now white with a white folded pugri, had gold cord cap lines. Thesword slings were gold and scarlet and the sword-knot was the gold acorn type, while

gauntlets followed the lancer fashion.

The Indian full dress for British officers was given as a loose blouse or kurta of blue

serge, scarlet facing on the collar but none on the cuffs which were trimmed with one inch

gold lace. The back seams were piped in lancer fashion and the shoulder-chains were on

scarlet cloth. The red kummerbund was of the Kashmir shawl pattern with the ends

hanging on the right side. The gold sword-belt with central crimson stripe was worn

over the kummerbund. The blue lungi was distinguished by gold threads as befitted an

officer, and the kullah was also gold. The white melton breeches went into Napoleon

boots and the white gauntlets were also worn. The horse furniture was brown and the

throat plume was scarlet in a brass ball socket.

This latter dress was also that of the native officers with a few differences—the cuffs

of the kurta were more heavily laced with gold and of course the Sikh officers did not have

the gold kullah but a white pag instead. The dress of the sowars was similar but not so

elaborate. The scarlet turbans which had previously been worn with full dress were nowdiscontinued and all ranks wore none but the blue lungi ; with scarlet kullahs for Mohame-dans and Dogras (Regimental History, p. 261). The use of white summer clothing (instead

of khaki) is confirmed in these standing orders.

In 1882 ankle boots and black puttees were introduced for all ranks in field day order.

The scarlet facing on the collar of the officers' blouse was decorated at this time and about

eight years later the Napoleon boots were discontinued by British officers for knee boots

(Regimental History, p. 273). The 1886 dress regulations point out that the 10th Bengal

78


^Q56.

57-

58.

59-

British officer, drill order, 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers, 1908, after water-colour by A. C. Lovett.Blue kurta with red piping, brown leather gloves and belt.

Sowar, same source as Fig. 56. Blue kurta with red piping. Pennon red over white, light khaki jodhpurs.British officer, 10th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1900, after photograph.Risaldar-Major, 10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers, c. 1908, after photograph. Note tracing braid on

shoulder straps not chains.

Lancers were one of the six lancer regiments where the British officers wore blouse, lungi

and kummerbund with the men in review, drill and marching orders. The special

differences permitted the British officers a scarlet forage cap and active service cap.

British and native officers also had a half-basket steel hilt to swords and a throat ornamentfor the horse. White pyjamas were worn in full dress.

About 1895 the full dress shawl kummerbund of the British officers was discontinued

for a plain scarlet kummerbund, which had previously been in use for full dress. Soon after

this time the rank and file wore ankle boots and puttees in every mounted dress. Photo-

graphs of native officers show that the front opening of the blouse was edged and 'eyed'

with gold tracing, as was the collar, while the cuffs had a more elaborate pattern. Shoulder-

chains are not depicted but cloth pieces with badges of rank, tracing and 'XBL' appear.

Simkin shows the men wearing blue blouses with the central chest portion in red but

Lovett later shows the red reduced to a mere edging. The red over blue lance pennons

continued in use. Light khaki breeches were being worn and by the turn of the century

the use of khaki for field days or marching order had extended to include the lungi, kurta,

kummerbund and puttees.

In 1 90 1 the regimental title was changed to the 10th (Duke of Cambridge's Own

79


Bengal Lancers (Hodson's Horse). The 1901 regulations mention few differences, only

the use of the scarlet forage cap and field cap. In 1906 the undress, pouchbelts and sword-

slings worn for dismounted duties since 1886 were abolished. The simple sword-belt with

frog fitting was considered sufficient. The exposed steel scabbard was also discontinued

except for full dress, and a leather-covered version was worn. The 191 3 dress regulations

emphasize the native dress for the British officers and give the lancer tunic as optional.

The pantaloons of the 10th Lancers were made of white velvet cord, the pouch had a silver

flap and the throat ornament was scarlet. The photograph of a lieutenant in 19 10 shows

him in native dress, lungi with longitudinal stripes as well as the customary short stripes,

blue kurta with gold edging around the collar and front with a pouchbelt bearing chains

and pickers. The metal shoulder-chains bear badges of rank and the white gauntlet gloves

obscure most of the knot on the cuff. In 1921 the 9th and 10th amalgamated and in 1922

were named the 4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse.

wale's horse, later iith king edward's own lancers(probyn's horse)

A body of Horse was raised at Lahore in 1857 under the command of Captain Frederick

Wale and known as Wale's Horse. In September of that year it became the 1st Regiment

of Sikh Irregular Cavalry. Wale unfortunately was killed at the head of his regiment whenit was in action and little evidence remains of his uniform. One picture shows him in a

dark single-breasted coat with shoulder-scales and buttons bearing a crown, the whole

seeming to represent a staff rather than a regimental dress. An actual pouch and belt

shows the fashion of this period. The belt has 'herring bone' lace with a central silk stripe.

The chains are attached to a Maltese cross with a foliated T' in the centre. Below is an

ornate plate carrying the letters 'SIC standing for 'Sikh Irregular Cavalry'. The silver

topped pouch has the mounted device of a crown on a 'V between reversed 'R's.

In these early formative years the improvements in the regiment seem to have been

practical rather than decorative. The horse equipment was of importance as the following

letter to the Adjutant-General shows

—

'20 August 1859

... I have the honour to state that the khatee or Sikh saddle is in use in the Regiment

under my command and I have never found it after hard work detrimental to the horse's

back, or produce sore back provided the sowar does not place an extra pad or blanket

under the permanent padding or Koorjeen. This they are liable to do unless well looked

after and thus rub the withers, the blame of course being laid to the saddle. I consider

Nolan's saddle well adapted for Irregular regiments with a few modifications ; at present

it is too much the shape of the old Hussar saddle and does not give the rider a free seat on

the horse's back. I consider the charjamah or pad quite unsuited for an Irregular Cavalry

sowar; it invariably galls, and has an unnecessary quantity of material in it, thus en-

cumbering horse and rider. During the late campaign I may safely say I have not had

30 sore backs and my men on many occasions have been in the saddle 18 or 20 hours. . . .

L. B. Jones, Captain O.C

The arms mentioned at this time were carbines, pistols, spears and swords {Maxwell,

80


^t>^>

60. Captain L. B. Jones, commandant ut Sikh Irregular Cavalry, c. 1859, after photograph.61. Sir D. M. Probyn, V.C., 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry, in chupkan with studded waistcoat below.6a. Officer's pouch and belt, c. 18^0, 1st Sikh Irrri^ular Cavalry.63. Sir D. If. Probwi, V.CL, 1 lib llrngal Cavalry, c. 1866, after oil-painting, Sandhurst.

I.A.U.-C 8l


p. 162). Captain Jones was the officiating Commandant after Wale's death and a photo-graph shows him wearing the tunic with hussar loops. He has a dark pouchbelt withmetal edges and the pickers come from a rounded holder.

In i860 (11 September, G.G.O. Xo. 903) the four regiments of Sikh Irregular Cavalrywere transferred from the Punjab Government to the control of the Commander-in-Chiefwith effect from 15 February 1859 (Cardew, p. 299). The 1st Sikh Cavalry were now re-

numbered nth Bengal Cavalry, the 2nd became the 12th, the 3rd disappeared and the

4th became the 13th. Major Dighton Probynwas the Commander in January i860 andwas with the regiment in China the following April. A picture of the charge by Probyn's

Horse at the Battle of Chang-Tsai-Wan, 18 September i860, shows Major Probyn riding

his 'Clear-the-line'. All are armed with the lance. The Major's turban is wound loosely

round a kullah and a fringe flows from the top but he does not have a safa as shown onsome of his followers. The blouse is plain with what appears to be cords on the shoulders

and the black pouchbelt has several mounts, not clearly distinguishable. His shabraque

appears to be a leopardskin and high Napoleon boots are worn by him and his men.Briscoe says that the pennons were dark blue and red.

A group photograph taken at Peshawar 1 862 shows the Indian turbans tied in different

fashions. A typical jemadar wears a long, loose garment with a pouchbelt (with pickers)

over the left shoulder, kummerbund round the waist with ends on the right side and over

this a belt with a pouch on the right side, sword hanging on the right side and long boots.

In this photograph Lieut.-Colonel Probyn has an edged pouchbelt with a crown fastening

for chains while two lieutenants have no edging. Kullahs can be observed on the British

officers. No shoulder-chains are worn and the robe is so loose that the skirts are knotted

up at the waist. Curved tulwars, white trousers and high black boots were worn.

Probyn had been in the 2nd Punjab Cavalry and so was a seasoned warrior. An early

photograph shows him wearing a striped and twisted turban tied loosely with a fringe on

top. He wears a fancy dress waistcoat with a row of studs, under his poshteen. His dark

leather pouchbelt has metal edging and the chains come from a large crown. As a

central device the cross-belt bears a badge very much like the Victoria Cross, which

decoration he had won. A photograph of Captain A. A. Dick also shows the cross on his

pouchbelt. A famous oil-painting of Sir Dighton Probyn is reproduced in prints and

shows the dress of the period after becoming 1 1 th Bengal Cavalry and before conversion

into lancers. The turban in the painting at Sandhurst appears to be black and gold with a

red kullah. The blue alkalak has elaborate gold lace and embroidery on the forearms, the

shoulders and around the front, and is girded round the middle by a red kummerbundwith a dagger stuck in it. He wears white breeches and black boots. Preserved below this

picture is his actual sabretache which is like the one in the picture. This has a crimson

face, a crown over TI', a cypher in the middle and three battle honours 'Lucknow, Pekin

and Taku Forts' on the lower part. All embroidery and the wide lace on the edge are gold.

The actual cross-belt pouch has a crown and 'BC on the flap. Although the portrait

depicts genteel white gloves, also preserved are a pair of sinister gauntlet gloves, made in

black leather with rows of chain mail on the backs of the hands, as a protection against

sword-cuts. Shoulder-pieces for this regiment are known—rows of chain on blue leather

and the regimental number in a circle at the point of the shoulder (information from

Colonel J. B. R. Nicholson)

.

82


The i ith was one of the five regiments to be converted to lancers in May 1864 and to

have the word 'lancers' added after their title. They still had swords and pistols but

carbines were to be the weapons of 'cavalry' only. A history of the 1 1 th Bengal Lancers

locally printed in 1870 gives very good information on the dress

—

'The uniform of the regiment at present (1870) worn by the officers is the same as has

been worn for the past six years, and consists of, for mounted parades, a blue serge blouse,

tied in at the waist by a red kummerbund of Kashmir shawl work, a Peshawar lungi for

a headdress, white Melton cloth breeches, Napoleon enamelled leather boots, with steel

swan-neck spurs and steel foot-chains, with sword and pouchbelt of brown leather. Thedifference made in the above for full dress mounted parades is that a full dress lungi is

substituted for the plain one and full dress sword and pouchbelt for the undress. Formess the officers wear a blue cloth stable jacket with gold lace, regimental pattern, a red

cloth waistcoat with small braid lace on the front, blue cloth overalls with double gold

stripes. A patrol coat of blue cloth is worn at committees and undress foot parades. Theforage cap is red cloth with lace band of regimental pattern. A helmet is worn on all

duties requiring protection from the sun.

The native officers are dressed like sowars with the exception that when in full dress

for mounted parades, they wear a blouse with gold lace round the cuffs and down the

opening in front, with full dress sword and pouchbelts and a full dress lungi. The men wearthe loose blouse tied in the waist by a kummerbund of red saloo, American drill pyjamas

dyed with multani mutti reaching to the ankle where they are fairly tight so as to admit

of their being worn with or without their boots, Napoleon boots with crane spurs and foot

chains. Sword-belts and shoulder-straps of English brown leather, with a black patent

leather cartridge pouch attached to the right side of the pouchbelt. This uniform is wornsummer and winter.

The officers ride in hunting saddles with low cantles, Crimean wallets, heads and reins

of regimental pattern. The men ride in the Hussar saddle which for the most part are those

served out to them when en route to China in i860; some however have been made up to

the same pattern in the regimental workshop or have been bought at government auctions.'

In 1874 the complete change to lancers was made and the title became the nthRegiment of Bengal Lancers. The 1874 dress regulations now give the dress for British

officers complete with lancer distinctions. The permitted deviations were—'the officers

and native officers wear in Review Order (B) a gold tracing beyond the edge of gold lace

round collar, breast and cuffs of blouse; also a plated flap pouch box, of regimental pat-

tern. Native officers wear no pouch box except in review order. All the native ranks wear

brass spurs. The officers' patrol jacket has a regimental pattern knot under the olivets;

it is worn open with a kummerbund in warm, and a dress waistcoat in cold weather.

Officers' saddlery has plated mountings, the bridle adapted, Nolan's. Native officers

saddlery universal pattern (officers') with (Nolan's) hussar saddle. All ranks wear steel

picketing chain. The summer clothing of the regiment is blue.'

When in Delhi early in 1876 the regiment had the opportunity of manoeuvring before

the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII). He conferred an honour on the

regiment and by G.G.O. No. 266 of 1876 it became known as the 1 ith (Prince of Wales'

Own) Regiment of Bengal Lancers. This brought the device of the l'rince of Wales'

plumes to the appointments, most strikingly on the pouchbelt where it replaced the

83


Maltese cross. At this time there was a band of at least fourteen men including a ketde-

drummer. A photograph in the possession of R. G. Harris shows that the ketde-drumsbore the Queen's cypher and 'XI'.

A photograph of Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. R. E. Boyle {Maxwell's History) shows himin the lancer full dress. He wears the tunic with the broad lancer plastron and the collar

bears the badges of rank as well as gold lace. The pouchbelt shows the Prince of Wales'

plumes between the chain and the pickers. Gold lines encircle the neck and the body, the

ends finishing in a loop high on the right chest. A later portrait by Stuart shows the samedress but being that of a major and full length one can see the rest of the uniform. Thewhite helmet has a gilt spike and chin chain. The turban is coloured in vertical stripes.

The chain shoulder-pieces are both ornamental and useful. The pattern of the lace on the

girdle, down the trouser seams and on the pointed cuffs is based on three inter-plaited

stands. The spurs are swan-necked. The 1886 dress regulations give the lancer tunic in

detail and quote a scarlet plastron. Other distinctions are a full dress sword and scabbard

of regimental pattern, pouchbelt and pouch, scales for tunic and a full dress blouse.

Brass spurs were worn by all ranks and the Prince ofWales' plume was on bits and horse

furniture and on the pouches and belts of British and native officers in full dress.

About 1894 a water-colour was commissioned by the father of Lord Birdwood. Captain

A. C. Lovett as he was then, painted Lord Birdwood—using the latter's words—'at the

head of a detachment of XI Bengal Lancers in the blue uniform I wore daily from 1886

onwards, as we were one of the last regiments to adopt khaki—wearing blue through the

Hazarq Operations of 189 1 and only adopting the more usual use of khaki about 1895'.

The picture shows the British officer wearing a dark blue blouse with a red collar edged

gold, chains on the shoulder and white gauntlet gloves hiding the cuffs. The kummerbundhas cords with Kashmir patterns of red and yellow. The blue and white lungi is wrappedaround a red kullah. White breeches and black hunting type of boots are depicted. Thenatives all wear blue blouses. One sowar has a blue and light blue turban with a red pagshowing. A duffadar has three yellow (presumably gold) stripes in his turban. This

N.C.O. has silver Prince of Wales' plumes over the three chevrons on his right arm. His

pouch which hangs low on the right side also has the same princely device. The kummer-bund is plain red and his trousers still appear to be the old multani mutti as they are indi-

cated yellow. The pennons on the lances are blue and red.

A photograph c. 1897 of Risaldar-Major Nizam-ud-din Khan who was A.D.C. to the

Prince of Wales shows him wearing a kurta with an A.D.C.'s aiguillette. The plain pointed

cuffs are traced with 'eyes' above and below the broad lace and the same decoration goes

down the front. There is no ornamentation at all on the shoulders which are plain. Thewaist and pouchbelts are 'herring bone' in pattern and bear the Prince of Wales' plumes.

The special sword is to be seen here; it is a slightly curved type with a mameluke hilt.

Simkin twice shows a sowar of this regiment in a plain blue kurta. The turban is depicted

as white with blue stripes and a red pag is shown.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations give the lace as lancer pattern and re-affirm the scarlet

plastron on the lancer tunic and point out that scales are worn instead of shoulder-cords.

The special full dress sword and scabbard are noted as is the special full dress pouchbelt,

and the use of the Prince of Wales' plumes. This honourable device was permitted to be

worn on both shoulder-straps instead of the regimental number. The special full dress

84


64. Major. 1 ith Bengal Lancers, c. 1897, after photograph. Notr gilt chain rigid epaulettes.

65. British officer in native dress, c. 1900, based on photographs. Note wide lace on collar.

85


blouse is mentioned but not described. Pictures that exist show it to have a high collar

with much gold and red top and bottom edges. The shoulders also have elaborate em-broidery coming down almost to the elbow and above this is worn the chain epaulettes

with badges of rank and plumes. The cuffs of this special garment are also heavily em-broidered and a native officer of 191 1 wears short white gloves which permit all the

details to be noted. The previous distinctions are continued not only in the illustrations

of the time but in the 1913 dress regulations. British officers in photographs of 191 1 wearthe kullah as do some native officers but a Sikh officer wears a pugri.

In 1921 the nth amalgamated with the 12th Cavalry and in 1922 became the 5th

King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse.

2ND SIKH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER I2TH CAVALRY

The 2nd Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry were raised in 1857 at Lahore under Cap-tain P. R. Hoskins and in 1861 became the 12th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. Very Utile

is known of the early dress. Even the 1874 regulations have little more than to say that

the summer clothing is khaki. The uniform was blue faced with blue and laced with gold.

An early photograph of an officer C. Egan shows the blouse being worn with a short

stand up collar, laced on the top and front, the front is exceedingly simple and nothing

can be observed on the cuffs as the white gloves have stiff gauntlet tops. The kummerbundhas Kashmir embroidered ends on the right side. The gold pouchbelt and waist-belt are

without stripes or ornaments. A tight turban is worn over a kullah and the lower wear is

white breeches and Napoleon boots. An undress sabretache at Sandhurst has the gilt

devices of a crown over large curling 'BC with 'XII' below and the battle honour

'Abyssinia' on a scroll. The 1886 dress regulations are just as reticent over information

but repeat the blue faced blue uniform with gold lace and state that the 12th Bengal

Cavalry were one of the eight 'cavalry' regiments who wore a lungi, blouse and kummer-bund as the men. The blue lungi pugri was also worn.

A photograph of a native officer in 1897 shows that the blouse not only had gold lace

on the collar but on the pointed cuffs and that narrow gold braid went down the front.

On the shoulder were small mesh narrow chains, square at the ends, a feature of this regi-

ment. The plain gold pouchbelt had the zigzag pattern, called light dragoon in the

1901 dress regulations. White gauntlets, white breeches and high jackboots were part of

the officer's equipment. A sowar in the same picture had a plain blue kurta without

any buttons on the chest, a feature also to be noted on the khaki kurta. The other ranks

wore shoulder-pieces but in the nature of brass rings in rows, sometimes mounted onstiff brown leather and bearing the brass numeral 'XII'. Notes on the dress of the 12th

Cavalry about the turn of the century give the men's dress as including a blue cotton

pugri with white stripes, red cotton kummerbund and Patterson equipment. In review

order the blue kurta with a yellow band round the collar and down the front, white

breeches and blue puttees. The native officers appear to have had lungis with white and

gold in the blue. The British officers pictured by Simkin and Lovett show most of these

features when the native dress is worn. For the levee dress the British officers had the old

white helmet with a white pugri and the tunic of Hussar pattern with the Bengal knot on

the cuffs. The heavy swags of gold were worn across the chest and the dark blue trousers

86


66. Orderly, lath Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897, aftrr photograph.67. Officer's embroidered pouch, 12th Bengal Cavalry, after ir 1u.1l emBple.68. Undress sabretache, latfa Bengal Cavalry, c. 1910, after example in KM \ . s.indhunt.69. British officer, lath Cavalry, c. kjio, after photograph. Tunic dark blue with gold lace and cords.

87


double yellow hussar stripes, a distinction noted in the 191 3 dress regulations. Theembroidered pouch was covered with elaborate detail on the flap, having a crown, 'BC,'XII', five battle honours and a wreath of laurel leaves. In service dress the British officers

had an all khaki dress, turban and kullah, kurta without buttons down the front, andkummerbund. Brown leather gauntlets were worn as were gaiters. Butcher boots wereonly worn on manoeuvres.

A. C. Lovett in a water-colour of 1909 shows a mounted jemadar, with details as

before but a gold and blue lungi, a red kummerbund, the ends of which had groups of

fringe coloured white, blue, red and yellow. The white breeches are worn with blue

puttees and the cuff is indicated by an inverted gold chevron of lace which joins at the

back. Short white gloves are worn but a photograph of 191 1 shows a native officer with

white gauntlets and patch pockets on the blue kurta. The narrow shoulder-pieces are still

a feature, also shown on a British officer of the same date. In 1921 the 12th were amalga-

mated with the nth and became in 1922 the 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse.

4.TH SIKH IRREGULAR CAVALRY, LATER I3TH DUKE OF

connaught's LANCERS

The 4th Regiment of Sikh Irregular Cavalry was raised in 1858 at Lahore under Lieu-

tenant H. C. Cattley and Lieutenant J. Watson. In 1861 the unit became the 13th

Regiment of Bengal Cavalry (the 3rd Sikh Irregular Cavalry being disbanded). A photo-

graph of this unit identified by Major J. Watson, Y.C., who is in the group as Comman-dant, shows the dress with elements as worn by other Sikh Irregular Cavalry. The British

officers wear sun helmets with dark pugri. The dark tunics have black braid arranged in

hussar looping across the front, on the collar and in Austrian knots on the cuffs. The pouch-

belt is dark leather with metal on the edges and chains and pickers as mentioned before.

Breeches, knee boots and curved swords with mameluke hilts follow the tradition. Anofficer in undress wears a laced pillbox with narrow chin strap, stable jacket with pointed

cuffs and cords on the shoulders, open to reveal shirt and waistcoat while the overalls

have double stripes down the seams and are fixed under the boots with chains. Thenative officers in this group have loosely tied turbans and four Sikhs have white pags.

Incidentally two have their beards rolled and two have them free. The alkalaks appear to

have silver lace around the neck, the circular opening and on the pointed cuffs. SamBrowne belts with a single shoulder-strap are worn over the Kashmir type ofkummerbund.Both blue and white breeches are worn and the native officers have various types of

European swords. They wear Napoleon boots.

In 1864 the regiment took the word 'Lancers' into their name, and in 1874 was knownas the 13th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. The 1874 regulations note that the X.C.O.s

and men wore gaiters with shoes of 'ammunition' pattern in lieu of boots, etc. Themounting, etc., of horse appointments was to be white or plated metal. The summer cloth-

ing of the regiment was blue. The facings were scarlet and the lace silver about this time.

A wood-block engraving in the Illustrated London Xeus of 1 8 November 1 882 shows Risaldar-

Major Urbel Khan and Risaldar Hussein AH Khan who visited England at that time. Theformer wears light breeches with dark puttees, the latter white breeches and high jack-

boots. Both wear the blouse and kummerbund while the waist-belt plate and the plate

88


70. Captain F. R. Aikman, V.C., 3rd Sikh Cavalry1

, ft i860, after oil-painlin^. Blur alkalak with silverlace.

71. Native officer, 13th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1862, after group photograph.72. Native officer, 13th Bengal Lancers, 1897, based on photograph. Note '13' on belts formed as a 'B'.

89


on the pouchbelt bear the distinctive regimental device. This is officially described as '13'

on crossed lances but it is so designed that it gives the appearance of a large 'B'. O. Norieshows troops of this time in Egypt and includes a British officer. He wears a dark blue

lungi with gold stripes and fringe, a dark blue blouse with stand-up collar laced on the

top and front edge with gold. The pouchbelt and the waist-belt are gold with central

silk stripes. A sowar wears a light and dark blue lungi and the lance pennons are shown as

red over blue. In 1 884 the regiment became the Duke of Connaught's ; this brought nochange to the regimental devices and the 1886 dress regulations repeat the white or plated

metal mountings of the horse appointments. Risaldar-Major Sher Singh who came to

England for the Diamond Jubilee wore the dark blue kurta with silver lace on the collar

and steel chains on the shoulders. His silver belts have the red centre line and the device

of the '13' on crossed lances. White breeches and gauntlet gloves were part of the full

dress. Whitaker's Directory for 1900 mentions the blue and gold pugri. The 1901 dress

regulations show that silver was also used for the full dress cap line.

The British officer wore a Lancer tunic ; the lapels had been sewn down and R. Simkin

made a picture showing a dark blue tunic with red collar and small turned down lapels

with red edging and welting. Silver lace went on the collar and cuffs, on the shoulder-

cords and down the trouser seams. The buttons and belts were also silver. The white sun

helmet has white metal fittings and a close turban showing mainly yellow (or gold) with

white and blue stripes. The 1901 dress regulations give the complete scarlet plastron

and a photograph of 191 1 shows this still in use. The girdle is also silver with two crimson

stripes. Silver lines encircle the body and are looped up on the left chest. This dress, nowoptional, appears in the 191 3 dress regulations where the mess jacket follows the accepted

rules for lancers, blue with red facings and red pipings on the sleeve and back seams but

the 13th wore the tunic shoulder-cords on the mess jacket.

The native dress pre- 19 14 had the same distinctions as before, lace on top and front of

collar only, large '13' as a device, gauntlet gloves, ornamental top edge to kummerbundbut the lungi varies even at this late date. Two photographs of 191 1 show the stripes on the

right side of the head but a King's Indian Orderly Officer had his stripes on the left side,

everything else being regulation. In 1904 the regiment was known as the 13th Duke of

Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse) and in 1921 was amalgamated with the 16th

Cavalry to become in 1922 the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, the additional

title of Watson's Horse not being added until 1924.

JAT HORSE YEOMANRY, LATER I 4TH MURRAY'S JAT LANCERS

The Jat Horse Yeomanry were raised in 1857 at Aligarh by Captain J. I. Murray and

in 1859 were known as Murray's Jat Horse. Two years later they became the 14th Regi-

ment of Bengal Cavalry and in 1864 were classed as Lancers changing their title in 1874

to the 14th Regiment of Bengal Lancers.

The 1874 regulations permit the native officers to wear a regimental pattern full dress

frock and pouch box, with shoulder-straps of cloth embroidered with gold. The summerclothing was blue. The 1886 dress regulations repeat the native officers' distinctions.

Photographs show the native officers wearing the dark blue blouse with broad gold lace

around the front opening and an elaborate tracing mainly in circles outside this. The knot

90


itivr officrr, 14th Murray's Jats, c. 1869, after photograph. Note rich golden lungi and dull trousers.

74. Sowar, 14th Bengal Lancers, 1897, after photograph.

75. British officer, 14th Bengal Lancers, c. 1890, after photograph. White turban to white hrlmct, red lapels to lancer

tunic; cap-lines were looped to various buttons.

9'


on the cuff is also similarly outlined with curling tracery and the distinctive shoulder-

pieces are embroidered like inverted Christmas trees and come well down the arm. Risal-

dar Lall Singh who came to England for the 1887 Jubilee Procession wears a blouse of this

type with gold embroidery on the edge of skirts. The pouchbelt is without chains or

ornaments on the front. His waist-belt has a plate and is worn over a Kashmir kummer-bund. His turban appears all gold and this feature is shown in a large group photograph,

which clearly shows that no kullah is worn and that the turban is wound in two halves with

the fringe appearing high up on the left side. This officers' dress continues into the next

century; both R. Simkin and A. C. Lovett show it, the latter giving a red central patch

to the opening of the kurta and a red and gold lungi to a Risaldar-Major. The customaryvariation in lower wear takes place in the passing years. The 1901 and 1913 dress regula-

tions give no special dress distinctions. The other ranks wore a blue blouse or kurta anda red pugri and carried red and white pennons on the lances.

The British officers wore the lancer uniform of blue with scarlet facings and gold lace.

The lapels were turned down and gold plaited shoulder-cords were worn. The pouchbelt

had a scarlet central stripe and silver ornaments. The waist girdle also had two red stripes.

The dark blue nether wear had two gold stripes down the seams before 1902 and scarlet

stripes afterwards. The white helmet had a white pugri and gilt fittings, taking a badge of

crossed lances and 'XIV later. The British officers never wore the kurta. Gold lancer

lines were worn around the body and looped on the left side.

The 14th Lancers were amalgamated with the 15th Lancers in 1921 and named the

20th Lancers in 1922.

THE MULTANI REGIMENT, LATER I 5TH LANCERS (CURETON's MULTANIS)

Ghulam Hasan Khan raised six risalahs of Multani Pathans known as the Multani

Regiment of Cavalry in 1857 and these in January of the following year were formed into

a regiment in Lahore under Captain C. Cureton. In i860 they were known as Cureton's

Multani Regiment of Cavalry and in 1861 became the 15th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry.

The uniform was pale green but it is not until the 1874 regulations that details appear.

The native officers were permitted to wear gold thread embroidery beyond the edging

of gold lace, round the neck, breast and cuffs of the loose frock worn in review order. For

risalders and ressaiders the gold was five inches deep on the cuff and two and a quarter

inches deep on the neck and breast. For jemadars the gold was four inches and two inches

respectively and for kote-duffadars three inches and one and a half. In undress orders a

pouch box ornamented with a horse in the centre, and the words 'Cureton's Mooltani

Cavalry' above and below it in brass was worn.

The uniform which had been rifle-green with scarlet facings and gold had changed to

blue by the 1886 dress regulations which repeat the extra gold thread embroidery of

the native officers. The decoration is seen to effect on the garment of Risaldar Hafiz

Muhammud Xawar Khan who took part in the 1887 celebrations. There is so muchembroidery around the front opening that it occupies the space of the front on the old

alkalak, there is also much on the shoulders coming down the arm, much on the cuffs,

an elaborate figure on the stomach, and an edging all around the skirts. The pouchbelt

was gold lace of the zigzag pattern without any ornaments in front. The gold lace waist-

92


76. Native officer, 15th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1887, after photograph.

77. British officer, 15th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1889, after photograph.78. British officer, 15th Bengal Lancers, c. 1910, after photograph.

93


belt had two gold slings for the curved sword. The striped turban had a loose end falling

on the right side. Although the waist-belt plate had a circular device in the centre this waschanged to a badge with crossed lances when the regiment in 1890 became the 15th

(Cureton's Multani) Regiment of Bengal Lancers although the same uniform continued

in use. A photograph of 1889 shows the British officers in native dress. They wear simple

blouses with a short standing collar, edged all round with gold cord which also goes around

the front opening of three buttons. The cuffs have cord with a single eye at the top.

Shoulder-chains with badges of rank are worn. The pouchbelt and waist-belt are plain

gold and the sword with three-barred hilt goes into a steel scabbard. White breeches andNapoleon boots are the lower wear while a red kullah with gold decoration and a lungi

with a long end are at the other end. A photograph (belonging to A. F. Flatow) show-

ing the British officers in their new Lancer uniform shows them looking similar to any

British unit, the white helmets with the coloured pugri pointing the difference. The blue

tunic has red facings, taking the form of half lapels turned down. Gold lace goes around

the collar and cuff (two rows on the cuffs of field officers.) A waist girdle is worn and the

pouchbelt has a central silk stripe. The photograph is not clear but the devices may be the

star holder with chains going to the crossed lances and crescent moon below. The dark

blue breeches have double stripes down the side seams. The men in undress have pillbox

caps with quarter-weltings in approved lancer fashion, and wear short patrol jackets with

black braid loops across the front. The 1901 dress regulations give the same uniform and

note that the British officers wear black knee boots when khaki clothing is worn. Straight

necked spurs were also worn in mounted order.

The British officers also wore the native kurta, dark blue with a small standing collar,

gold lace around it and down the front opening, and red piping on the seams in lancer

fashion. The full dress pouchbelt with the special ornaments (mentioned in the 191

3

dress regulations) was worn with a waist-belt which suspended the sword in a frog. Theblue and white lungi had gold stripes and gold decoration was on the red kullah. The red

kummerbund has special Kashmir ends. The steel shoulder-chains bore the rank badges

and '15L'. The native officers wore a similar dress but had loose white pyjamas tucked into

their boots.

In 1 92 1 the 15th amalgamated with the 14th Lancers to become in 1922 the 20th

Lancers.

1 6th bengal cavalry, later i 6th cavalry

Three Bengal cavalry regiments had the number 16. The first has already been men-

tioned and the second unit was the Rohilcund Horse raised in September 1857 at

Haldwani under Captain F. G. Crossman. In 1861 (G.G.O. 494 of 31 May) they were

renumbered the 16th Bengal Cavalry.

The original uniform may have been blue as the 1863 regulations make no exception

but the G.O.C.C. 85 of 14 March 1868 permits the 16th Bengal Cavalry to wear patrol

jackets and overalls of rifle green. But the G.O.C.C. No. 257 of 8 August 1868 (repeated in

the Standing Orders for Bengal Cavalry) quotes pale green. The facings were also said to

have been changed from black to red and it is this latter colour which is on a sabretache

(in the collection of Rear-Admiral W. J. Whiteside, USN). This item has embroidered

94


79. Officer, Rohilcund Horse, c. 1875, after group photograph.80. Sabretache, 16th Rohilcund Horse, after original example. Scarlet face with gold embroidery.81. Native officer, 16th Bengal Cavalry, c. 1897, after photograph.

95


on it a crown of Imperial shape, over '16' in a three-part scroll the upper and lower parts

bearing 'Rohilcund Horse'. Two other black scrolls bear the words 'Bengal Cavalry' andthe lower space is filled with laurel leaves. The outside is edged with 'diamond and point'

lace.

G.O. 29 of 30 January 1874 (repeated in the Standing Orders of 1875) note tnat the

British officers wore five quadruple rows of gold cord across the breast of the tunic (the

1863 and 1868 regulations had given four rows of black cords and the 1874 regulations

five rows of black cord for the later cavalry regiments) . This special distinction of officers

is to be noted in a photograph once in the possession of G. Brennan. Here is to be seen anofficer with white helmet with gilt fittings and a narrow turban; tunic with hangingrows of gold cord, shoulder-cords but the badges of rank on the narrow collar, elaborate

Austrian cuff knot traced around with embroidery; the plain gold pouchbelt passing

under the gold loops, short white gloves, loose white breeches and high black boots.

The British officers according to these photographs also wore the native dress, whichincluded a tall kullah, a striped lungi tied both left and right with safa hanging down behind

or over the shoulder, a kurta laced round the collar, the front and the sleeves, Kashmirshawl kummerbund, gold pouchbelt and waist-belt, white breeches, shoulder-chains,

white gauntlet gloves and Napoleon boots. The sabretache worn by the British officers

has the devices as described above, the senior officer having lace all round and the spelling

'Rohilcund' but the junior officers have lace on three sides only and the spelling 'Rohil-

kund' (the latter appear to be Indian made).

The native officers wore a full dress blouse with gold lace around the collar and front

and with an Austrian knot on the cuff like that on the British officer's tunic, plus a row of

embroidery on the edge of the sleeve. Distinctive features of this blouse were the shoulders

which had plain straps. The rest of the dress was much the same as that of the British

officer but the kummerbund was not quite so elaborate. There was also a more workman-like blouse worn by the British officers, native officers and other ranks. This was plain

with steel shoulder-chains and a leather belt was worn with it. The men had pistols (some

at least muzzle-loading) in leather holsters on the right hip and with a small pouch for

percussion caps just in front. White pyjamas and Napoleon boots were worn by the other

ranks. The British officers wore a patrol jacket frogged and braided, dark breeches and a

white helmet with a white pugri. The summer clothing was white according to the 1874

orders. This regiment and others was disbanded in 1882 (Cardew, p. 403).

The last 16th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was raised at Ambala in September 1885

under Lieut.-Colonel G. C. Ross [Cardew, p. 403). The 1886 dress regulations tell us

that both uniform and facings were blue with gold lace and that Mackenzie equipment

was worn by all ranks. A photograph of 1897 shows a Risaldar-Major wearing a blouse

with gold lace outlined with tracing eyes, around the collar, the cuffs and around the front

opening. A plain pouchbelt of light dragoon pattern and a gold-edged Kashmir

kummerbund adorn the body. White breeches and gauntlets plus highly polished Hessian

boots are also shown. The 1901 regulations give the regimental device as a crown over a

double monogram of 'BC with the number below but in the same year the regiment

became lancers taking on changes in dress. The lace became the lancer pattern and the

full dress pouch and belt was permitted in undress. Again in 1903 the regiment was re-

named—the 1 6th Cavalry, although the dress is still given in the 191 3 regulations as

96

•i k I'i \rK 5. Officers: 5th Cavalry, 23rd Cavalry, 171I1 Cavalry, 26th Kim; George's Own Light Cavalry and

1 1 th King Edward's Own Lancen Probyns Hone , dufiadar, |ili Cavalry and jemadar, 16th Cavalry, 1910.

Coloi-r Plate 6. Risaldar-major. 14th Murray's Jat Lancers. 1909.


lancers. The 1913 regulations give the new device as a Tudor crown over crossed lances

with "X\T below and a 'C on the crossing point. The dress was that oflancers, the main

exception being the yellow welts on the optional tunic, the undress frock and the mess

jacket. The forage cap was to be blue with yellow band and welts. A photograph of 191

1

shows an officer of the regiment in native dress: his lungi is tied with stripes on the right,

his kurta has narrow piping around the front and upright collar, there are shoulder-

chains, white gauntlets and the crossbelt has chains and pickers. In 1921 the regiment was

amalgamated with the 13th Lancers and in 1922 they became the 6th Duke of Con-

naught's Own Lancers.

I7TH REGIMENT OF BENGAL CAVALRY, LATER iyTH CAVALRY

The pre-Mutiny 1 7th Regiment has been mentioned before and there were two of the

same number raised later. In Muttra in 1857 a police force was raised known as the Muttra

Horse, and also as de Kantzow's Horse. At this time they wore white uniforms, red sashes

and turbans Regimental History, p. 3) but the uniform was changed to khaki. In 1858

it was re-named the Rohilkund Auxiliary- Police Levy and later in the year Robart's

Horse. An orderly from Brigade Command in 1859 was described as wearing a red turban,

a blue 'double-breasted' alkalak with a red kummerbund of Kashmir shawl. Also around

the waist was a belt from which was suspended a tulwar, this being his only weapon (as

at this time only the front rank carried lances and the others sabres). His loose khaki

pyjamas were tucked into black jackboots, adorned with big brass spurs. His shaggy

Belooch mare had a long mane and a swish tail. The saddle was a charjama composed of

pads secured to a wooden framework. The saddlecloth was blue edged with red [Regi-

mental History, p. 13).

When the regiment became the 17th Bengal Cavalry in 1861, the dress was moreformal. The 1863 and 1868 regulations note nothing exceptional but the 1874 regulations

permit the X.C.O.s to wear gold threads in the turbans. The Regimental History (p. 15)

stated that among the changes introduced by Colonel Graham c. 1875 blue lungis were

to be worn by all ranks instead of the red which had been in use for so long, with the

addition of gold bars to indicate rank. The X.C.O.s also had chevrons. The British

officers took into wear at this time white gauntlet gloves. They also wore blue forage caps

and sling sword-belts were introduced. The pouchbelt ornaments were changed from

silver to gilt History, p. 15).

The 1878 Army List gives a blue uniform faced with red and with gold lace. A photo-

graph taken pre- 1 881 shows a group of British and native officers. The full dress tunic is

dark blue with gold lace around the collar (where the rank badges are placed) down the

front and around the skirt edges, on the cuffs but the five groups of heavy cord across the

chest are black. The lace pouchbelt with its central silk line is worn over the left shoulder

but under the upper two groups of black cord. The undress tunic has black braid and cord

and the knot on the cuff is the special Bengal knot originally allowed to the eight senior

regiments only. The dark blue overalls have two lace stripes down each side. The officers

in native dress wear kurtas in blouse fashion with straight chest opening and no buttons

visible, even on the breast pockets. White gauntlets are worn as are the white breet

'

and black Xapolcon boots. The turban is untidily wound round the kullah and the nath<

I.A.f -H 97




84. Waistbelt plate, 17th Cavalry, c. 19 10.

85. Pouchbelt plate, 17th Cavalry, c. 1910.

98


officers exhibit a wide variety of styles, some being wound to the left and others with the

stripes to the right ; short upright fringes and long safas can be seen. The kurta is like that

worn by British officers but as gauntlet gloves are not worn, the wide gold lace on the cuff,

just above the sleeve edge, is clearly visible in the photograph. The Kashmir kummerbundnot only has embroidered ends but in two examples, ornamentation on the waist piece

itself. The waist-belt has a central silk stripe and a rectangular plate. The sword is the

tulwar in a frog fitting.

In 1882 it was decided to break up four Indian Cavalry Regiments in order to increase

the number of squadrons per regiment from three to four (History, p. 16) and on 13 June,

the 1 7th Bengal Cavalry was disbanded.

This loss of cavalry regiments was made up a few years later when on 8 September1 885 the 1 7th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was re-raised at Mian Mir under Colonel

E. H. E. Kauntze. The uniform was to be blue with blue facings, in fact the same as that

of the 1 2th Bengal Cavalry (History, p. 18) and the weapons were the sabre and carbine

with the Mackenzie equipment modified. The facings were almost immediately changed to

white.

The 1886 dress regulations give the usual regulations the only exceptions being that the

uniform was blue, faced white with gold lace and that the Mackenzie equipment was

worn by all ranks. Khaki kurtas were in general use in Ambala c. 1886 and several years

later the short khaki coat was adopted (History, p. 23). A photograph of a Risaldar-Major

(Navy and Army Illustrated, 1897) shows the blue kurta laced around the standing collar

and traced around the small-buttoned chest opening. Each side of the chest were five

groups of ornamental tracing shaped somewhat like Christmas trees. The shoulder-

chains carried the abbreviated regimental title. The plain gold pouchbelt went over the

left shoulder and the waist-belt had two normal sword slings for the steel sword and scab-

bard. The kummerbund was blue with like stripes the lungi. The 1900 edition of Whitaker's

Naval and Military Directory states that the pugri was dark blue worn with a white kullah.

On 17 May 1900 (I.A.C. no. 58) the regiment became Lancers but no change took place

in the officer's uniform until a few years later. The pennons on the lances were blue andwhite, colours which were retained until the end of the regiment's existence. The lancer

dress for British officers was reminiscent of the British 17th Lancers but the plastron was

not worn, only the turned-down lapels. The pouchbelt had a special plate to hold the

pickers; this had the devices of the crescent and star over 'XVII'. The normal lancer lines

and girdle were worn and the blue overalls had double white stripes. The full dress pouch

and pouchbelt were worn in undress and the horse's throat-plume was white. Another

distinction in the 1901 dress regulations was that the 17th had a blouse, lungi and kum-merbund as for Bengal Cavalry. From photographs this would appear to be as that de-

scribed for the Risaldar-Major of 1897 but with a standing white collar and only three

pairs of 'tree' ornaments on the chest. The device of the star and crescent with the regi-

mental number was worn on the waist-belt plate and on the pouch.

A unique feature of this regiment was the mounted pipe band which was in being from

about 1895 to 1902. There was a kettle-drummer and six pipers all mounted on white

horses. Photographs do not show any unusual details of dress but the drum banner is \'

striking with its devices of a large crescent and star between the horns with 'BC1.it .111

angle.

99


In 1903 the unit was again re-named, this time the 17th Cavalry—with the same dis-

tinctions. The 1 91 3 dress regulations place the 17th Cavalry with the Lancer uniforms

and single out variations like the light dragoon pouch with silver flap, the straight-necked

spurs for levee dress and the white throat ornament for the horse. The badges and devices

no longer cany lances, only the star and crescent, the 'XVII' and 'Cavalry'. The kurta

is usually shown in pictures, not only the full dress one mentioned before but a simpler

version. In this the gold tracing is around the collar and the three-buttoned front opening.

The dark blue lungi with light blue and gold was worn as was the kummerbund whichwas a lighter blue than the kurta but striped gold and blue like the lungi. The chains andpickers continued on the pouchbelt as did the white silk centre stripes on the belts and the

white horse ornament.

In 1922 the 17th Cavalry- amalgamated with the 37th Lancers as the 15th Lancers.

2ND REGIMENT OF MAHRATTA HORSE, LATER l8TH KING GEORGE'SOWN LANCERS

The post-Mutiny 18th Regiment was raised 26 August 1858 in Gwalior as the 2ndRegiment of Mahratta Horse under Captain F. H. Smith, and in 1861 became the 18th

Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. The 1874 regulations permitted British officers to wear'five loops of gold cord on their tunics (instead of black), the tunic being red', butcher

boots, and drab melton breeches for marching order. The X.C.O.s' frocks were edged with

half an inch gold lace round the neck after the fashion of the native officers. The summerclothing was white. It is to be noted that the uniform was red faced with blue and with

gold lace.

In 1885 the regiment became the 18th Regiment ofBengal Lancers, gold, blue and scar-

let continued to be used. The 1886 dress regulations give the lancer dress with the addi-

tional information that the pyjamas were worn in full dress. A photograph of this period

shows an officer wearing a field cap, dark with light edging, no doubt, the gold, as the

white, facings, were not introduced until later.

Risaldar-Major Xadir Ah Khan who came to England in 1887 was photographed in

a kurta with the front opening laced with a 'V'-shaped end. The pointed angle of lace on

the cuffs is practically obscured by the gauntlet gloves. The pouchbelt had chains and

pickers and the kummerbund Kashmir ends while the shoulder-chains appeared slightly

larger mesh than usual. White pyjamas and high black boots were worn. Lieut.

-

Colonel Richardson, Commandant of the 18th Bengal Lancers was in charge of the Indian

contingent which came to England to open the Imperial Institute in 1893. He was

frequently photographed in his native uniform. He is shown wearing the blue and gold

iungi. The scarlet blouse had a low blue collar with a broad gold lace around it and downthe front. Shoulder-chains bearing the badges of rank were worn. The gold pouchbelt

had a blue silk central stripe and silver fittings. An interesting feature of his dress was the

blue kummerbund, a colour chosen to make a contrast with the scarlet of the blouse. In

the photograph it can be seen that the embroidered Kashmir ends are very wide and short.

Although the British officers may have worn white breeches and butcher boots, Simkin

shows native officers in white pyjamas and Xapoleon boots. The same picture shows the

native officer wearing a light and dark blue lungi with a gold fringe whereas the sowars

100


iropcan officer, 18th Bengal I.ancen, c. 1896, after photograph. Note girdle without plate instead of sword-belt.87. Native N.C.O., 18th hVngal I-anrrr* ittrr Brmmer photograph.88. Pouchbelt ornaments, 18th l'rmr»- of Wal<V Own I iwana I^ancerv c 1908.

Sowrar, tfith Princr at Wales' Own Tiwana l.ancen, c. 1 909. Note white collar and cuffs.

IOI


have a blue and white lungi. The native officer wore the same dress as the aforementioned

colonel ; the uniform of the sowar being on the same lines but with a plain red kullah, a

red kurta with blue edging around the neck, etc., and a blue trefoil knot on the sleeves.

The sowars wore blue puttees but the native officers had the same lower wear as the

British officer before the end of the century.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations give the uniform of the 18th Lancers as scarlet with white

facings and lancer lace, the reason for the change to white not being clear, unless it wasdeemed that blue was for Royal regiments only, not a very strong reason in India. Thelancer tunic is described with the turned-down lapels as appear in the photograph of

Colonel G. A. Money. In 1903 they became the 18th Tiwana Lancers, and in 1906, the

Prince of Wales' Own Tiwana Lancers. The red kurta as worn by regiment when lancers

looked very similar to that worn previously as the white facings were not adopted. In

fact, the 1913 dress regulations show that the girdle, instead of being lined with the facing

colour, was red, that the pouch was of blue leather and that the sword-belt and slings hadblue lining, edging and silk stripe (although normally these were the colour of the facing).

When they became the Prince of Wales' Own and even a little later, the plumes were

worn on the pouchbelt. Photographs of 191 1 show both British officers and native officers

wearing this but on becoming King George's Own there was no reason for the plumes

and the regimental devices and badges included 'GRI'. Uniform items made by a tailor

in 1914 for a Major included a red patrol jacket of which the back and hind seams of

the sleeves were piped white. The scarlet stand collar was piped on the bottom edge

with white and the shoulders had blue pieces for the shoulder-chains. The pointed scarlet

cuffs were piped white and the blue overalls had double white cloth stripes down the

sides. The scarlet forage cap was piped white with a gold embroidered peak. In 1921

the regiment amalgamated with the 19th Lancers and became in 1922 the 19th KingGeorge's Own Lancers.

igTH BENGAL CAVALRY, LATER igTH LANCERS (FANE'S HORSE)

A famous irregular cavalry regiment raised after the Mutiny was 'Fane's Horse'. AtCawnpore, 14 January i860, Lieutenant Fane raised his new regiment from volunteers

from the seasoned Hodson's Horse. The new unit soon saw service in an unusual field

—

against the Tartars in China. Colonel Crealock made a sketch of the celebrated charge of

a troop of Fane's Horse, routing the enemy, Captain Fane in the lead. Although dressed

as a European officer, he expertly wields a long lance. His sun helmet, pugri, tunic and

breeches are all indicated as the same shade, possibly khaki or grey. He wears dark cord

loops across the chest, a pouchbelt and fairly high black boots. The sowars following

closely behind wear loose flowing kurtas and high boots. Most are armed with lances

although tulwars are in evidence. An original water-colour in the possession of the

Marquis of Cambridge entitled 'Sergeant, Fane's Horse' shows an Indian who wears an

all-red turban with the ends flying loose. He wears also a greyish-white upper garment with

blue breeches, a red kummerbund and a brown leather bandolier over the left shoulder.

The blue saddlecloth has a red edge.

His lance pennon is blue over red; dark colours also are indicated in Colonel Crealock's

sketch, although an officer of the regiment, Briscoe, writing a little later says that they

102


carried dark blue and white pennons. This same officer writing to G. Brennan early in

this century, said that he remembered 'the old-time uniform of Fane's Horse, as it wasentirely changed when the Regiment came back to India, where I joined it. It was madefrom old French grey of the old Bengal Cavalry before the Mutiny which the Governmenthappened to have in stock. The wearing of this is still kept up by the French grey of the

present facings.' A picture of a British officer shows him wearing a grey helmet with red

pugri and gilt fittings. His tunic is grey with gold cords on the shoulders and gold edgingon the collar, down the front and on the trefoil knot of the cuff. A red kummerbund is

worn round the waist under the dark leather sword-belt. White breeches go into high,

black Napoleon boots. An engraving in the Illustrated London News of 15 December i860

shows a similar dress for two officers but the four other officers in the group being natives

wear their own costume. Details from a coloured picture plus this wood-engraving indi-

cate that the native officers wore scarlet turbans with gold fringes. The French grey

alkalaks have gold lace round the chest opening; a red Kashmir kummerbund is wornand the equipment is brown leather although the scabbard to the tulwar is black leather.

In 1 86 1 Fane's Horse became the 19th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry and five years later

had 'Lancers' added to the title. A crossbelt of this period is preserved at Sandhurst. It is

silver lace with a French grey stripe.

The 1874 regulations give as special features for the 19th Bengal Lancers—black patent

or varnished leather belts for the officers and native officers, black leather belts for the

N.C.O.s and men, silver plated chains and pickers in undress for officers and native officers,

steel picketing chains for all ranks and white summer clothing. Officers were also allowed

to wear six (instead of the normal five) hanging cords on the patrol jacket. An 1875 ust

gives the uniform as blue-faced light blue with silver lace. The mounts on an undress

sabretache were large crossed lances with 'XIX' in the centre and 'Fane's Horse' below.

A large oil-painting with the setting in Afghanistan shows sowars of the regiment in blue

lungis with red kullahs or pags. The blue blouse is worn with a red kummerbund and white

pyjamas. The black boots are high and soft. The lance pennons are definitely blue andwhite.

The 1886 dress regulations give the blue, faced blue with silver lace for the 19th Bengal

Lancers. The British and native officers wore silver-plated chains and pickers on the

undress pouchbelt. There was a Risaldar-Major in the Jubilee 1887 escort and photographs

show the distinctive alkalak. It is dark blue with a small grey chest piece outlined in silver

embroidery and fastened down the centre. The wide cuffs have broad silver lace on the

edge with extra pieces on the back. The cloth shoulder-straps bore the badges of rank.

The black patent leather pouchbelt had silver fittings of chains and pickers, crown, star

and labels. The blue lungi had gold bars. The red kummerbund had Kashmir ends and

short white gloves were worn.

In 1 90 1 the regiment was named the 19th Bengal Lancers (Fane's Horse) and this

distinction is noted in the 1901 dress regulations, where the initials 'FH' are on the waist-

plate and the words 'Fane's Horse' on the pouchbelt. The star plate on this belt has a

Garter inscribed 'Bengal Cavalry' and in the centre 'XIX'. On the lower scroll were the

battle honours 'Taku Forts' and 'Pckin'. The silver lace of this regiment was a rare dis-

tinction shared with the 13th Bengal Lancers. A water-colour by A. C. Lovett of 1909

shows a sowar in a plain blue kurta with three buttons down the front, steel shouldn-

103


90. Native officer, 19th Bengal Lancers, 1887, after photographs.91. Mounts from officer's sabretache, 19th Bengal Lancers, late Victorian.

92. Officer's pouchbelt ornaments, 19th Bengal Lancers, late Victorian but also worn later with the same crown.

93. Mess jacket, 19th Lancers (Fane's Horse), 191 6, after actual garment—dark blue, light grey and silver lace.

94. Mess waistcoat, worn with above item, warm grey, silver tracing, etc.

IO4

J


chains, black shoulder-belt and waist-belt, the latter with a white-metal plate, red kum-merbund, blue and grey lungi, red kullah, white pyjamas, blue puttees and black boots

while the lance pennon appears to be French grey and dark blue. Both British and native

officers wore a somewhat similar dress, with the gold stripes in the lungi, the special pouch-

belt, gauntlet gloves and high boots. Photographs of 191 1 show native officers in this

dress although one officer has a full dress kurta with gold lace on the centre opening andsilver cords on the shoulder instead of chains.

The 19 13 dress regulations quote many items in silver—the cap lines, the lancer pattern

lace and the girdle with two French grey stripes, as well as the pouch being in black leather.

Xo distinctions are mentioned in the optional tunic which was worn in this regiment. Aphotograph of 191 1 shows a lieutenant wearing the lancer tunic with grey turned-down

lapels, the collar also being the same colour. The rest of the dress conformed to lancer

practice (less the lancer cap, of course) and an interesting feature is, that even at this late

date the pouchbelt carries the old Queen's crown, and it is again repeated on the pouch-

belt of a native officer in the same picture.

In 1 92 1 the 19th amalgamated with the 18th Lancers and in 1922 became the 19th

King George's Own Lancers.

105

CHAPTER V

HYDERABAD CAVALRY

The Nizam of Hyderabad had a large native army officered by the British, not only

of cavalry but artillery and infantry. On re-organization many of these troops con-

tinued in formations which lasted up to the partition of 1947. The original rissalahs

of the Nizam's Horse were re-organized in 1816 into three regiments under Nawab Jalal-

ud-Daula, Nawab Mustafa Yar Jung and Rai Barchi Mull, aided by British officers. In

1825 the native chiefs retired leaving the rissalahs under the command of the British

officers. In 1826 there were five regiments of Nizam's Cavalry. The local horse had been

numbered the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Regiments, Nizam's Cavalry and a 4th and 5th had been

added. The 4th was a newly raised body under Captain Sir John Gordon, from the 13th

Light Dragoons but the 5th Regiment, the Ellichpur Horse, had come from Salabat

Khan's Rissalah which had its origins in 1803. In 1854 the regiments were re-named the

1 st to 4th Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent, the 5th Regiment having been disbanded.

In 1890 they were re-named Lancers instead of Cavalry and in 1903 were entirely re-

numbered in the uniformed Indian Army. The 1st Lancers became the 20th DeccanHorse; the 2nd became the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) ; the 3rd was disbanded and the

men dispersed to the three remaining regiments ; while the 4th became the 30th Lancers

(Gordon's Horse). The orders of 17 July 1921 saw the 20th and 29th linked as the 9th

Royal Deccan Horse and the 30th was finked with the 26th as the 8th King George's OwnLight Cavalry. Such was the development of the Hyderabad Horse up to the partition

of 1947.

The dress as worn in the Nizam's army must have been variegated as most native cos-

tume, and there is no record of a special uniform. The reforming that took place in 1826,

however, gave the opportunity for dress regulations and in a general order of May 1827

details appear.

The full dress for European officers of the Nizam's Cavalry was—'jacket, dark green,

rounded shell to fit close, and to fasten down the front with hooks and eyes, the cuffs

and collar white, the collar straight in front, three inches deep, and fastened with hooks

and eyes; the body to be edged with white binding. Three rows of regimental buttons. Thejacket to be trimmed with flat gold lace or braid.

Trousers, white linen or calico, made loose, cut below to fit the boot with strap under-

neath it.

Overalls, dark green, with a row of gold lace down the outer seam, two inches broad,

cut to fit the boot, with strap underneath it.

Boots, "Wellington.

Spurs, steel with necks two inches long, screwed to the boot.

Helmet.

106

HYDERABAD CAVALRY

Girdle, crimson and gold, three inches broad.

Sabre, Madras Cavalry regulation, with half basket hilt and steel scabbard.

Sword-knot, crimson and gold.

Cravat, black silk.

Gloves, white leather.

Pouch, metal gilt, with ornamental wreath round the border, as in Madras Cavalry,

a silver star in the centre, with "His Highness the Nizam's Cavalry" on a scroll in the

centre.

Pouchbelt, plain gold, two and a half inches broad;gilt plate in front, with chain and

prickers attached to a gilt button.

Waist-belt and slings for sabretache, plain gold lace, the former one and a half inches

and the latter three-quarters of an inch broad, fastened in front with plain gold hooks,

plain gilt buckles, slides and swivels to the slings.

Sabretache, dark green broad cloth, with a border of plain gold lace two and a half

inches broad around it, a gilt star in the centre, with "His Highness the Nizam's Cavalry"

in a scroll in the centre.'

The undress uniform is also described

—

'Jacket, dark green, facings of the same colour, trimmed with black silk lace and buttons.

Trousers, dark green, made loose and cut below to fit the boot, with strap underneath,

a row of black silk lace on the outer seams two inches wide.

Forage cap, dark blue cap with gold band two inch broad peak in front and oil skin

cover.

Boots, Wellington; spurs, steel as in full dress.

Sabre, in black leather scabbard, lacquered iron shoe at the end.

Swordknot, black leather.

Waistbelt, black patent leather, one and a half inches broad, plain gilt ornaments, with

frog and strap for the sword.

Pouch and belt, black patent leather belt three inches broad, plain gilt plate, chain and

prickers, and buckle and slide behind. Pouch to contain twelve rounds with gilt star on the

back of it.

Cravat, black silk. Gloves, white leather.

Cloak, blue lined with scarlet.

Saddle, plain Gibson's Cavalry regulation saddle and bridle with dark green cloth

valise.'

The gaps in the descriptions are filled out in the thirties from information in a 1 u <•-

maker's book (Bullmore & Patrick) where we learn that the helmet had 'gilt mountings

on black japan steel similar to Madras Horse Artillery, with scrolls "Nizam's Cavalry",

red curled horsehair crest. Jacket; braided with large mock Royal cord made as basket,

and middling Russia, gold. Trousers, two rows one inch gold oak leaf lace. Sash, gold

barrel and crimson silk crape with two red and gold loose bullion tassels—worked with

vellum and gold gimp, gold barrels six rows by three inches round waist with slides on

cords and front barrel to fasten as Hussars. Pouch, black leather front and box, gold em-

broidered with gilt oakleaf rims. HUM surmounted with (a crescent), belt ornaments

gilt chased borders three inches wide. Pouchbelt, gold two and three-quarter inehes full

scallop wave bias with white silk stripe and white edge of leather from the belt lining.

107


95. British officer, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1 845, after Ackermann print. Green uniform with gold lace, black helmet withred crest. Green shabraque, crimson throat plume.

96. Sowar, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, c. 1840, after original water-colour by Captain J. Ryves. Red turban, green alkalak,

black belts and round shield.

97. Native officer, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1845, after Ackermann print. Gold turban, dark green alkalak profusely

ornamented with gold ; black belt, red and green horsecloth with blue fringe. Red cords on horse.

Sabretache, embroidered with gold. (Crescent over scroll letters, HHNC, in bright

bullion letters ornamented with rough purl.) Tache lace, full two inch scallop wave bias

as B.H. Artillery, no silk stripe with cloth of rifle-green as regimental cloth, lined with

white leather for pocket with black tache cover. Belt laces, wave bias and silk stripe,

white, made on white morocco. Waist, one and seven-eighths inches scallop. Sword slings

one and one-eighth inch tache slings three-quarter inch, not scallop. Sword-knot, Mame-luke gold and crimson with cord and eggs.'

A print of 1845, No. 6 of the Ackermann series, shows an officer of the Third Nizam's

Cavalry in full dress. Here we see that the uniform is similar to that of the Madras Light

Cavalry of the period but with different colourings. The black Roman helmet has gilt

fittings and an imposing scarlet crest and the dark green uniform is decorated with gold

lace and braid. The crimson and gold waist sash has two cords looped on the right side;

the green shabraque has a gold lace edge with an embroidered crescent and cypher in the

corners. The throat plume for the horse is of red hair springing from a metal crescent.

Whereas the Madras Light Cavalry gave up this striking headdress about this time, the

Xizam's Cavalry continued it in use until after the Mutiny. A photograph of Major

Macleod of the First Regiment (at Sandhurst) shows the same headdress and uniform as

108

HYDERABAD CAVALRY

in the earlier print. The gold pouchbelt has a white metal (possibly silver) crescent

ornament above the chain holder.

Number n in the Ackermann series dated 1846 shows a mounted officer of the Third

Native Cavalry- in undress. The dark green forage cap has gold embroidery on the black

peak, a gold lace band and weltings in lancer fashion. The short green jacket has white

collar and cuffs with a certain amount of gold lace. The shoulders adorned with gilt scales

and the black pouchbelt has gilt ornaments. The dark green overalls have double white

stripes. The undress shabraque is plain dark green with a white line next to the wide black

fur edging. The red throat plume is hung from a crescent fitting.

The native dress is shown in several water-colours made by Captain T. J. Ryves of the

Madras European Regiment about 1840 and these compare well with the Martin andHarris engravings of 1 845-1846. A native officer of the Third Cavalry is on Print 7 in this

Ackermann publication. The gold and red twisted turban has a portion used as a chin

strap, a feature which continued in use for many years in the Hyderabad Cavalry. Thedark green alkalak is heavily decorated with gold around the edges, on the cuffs, the

shoulders and around the plastron-like chest piece. The pouchbelt is black with gilt

fittings as is the sword-belt. White trousers go into high jackboots with large pointed flaps.

The shabraque is red with a green border and blue fluted edge. The bridle and other horse

harness is made of red and blue twisted cord. The use of red and blue is an unusual

feature in this cavalry. Captain Ryves shows a native N.C.O. with a red turban, slightly

decorated with gold but with a red strip going under the chin. Gold ornamentation is on

the chest and cuffs but there is a red edging around the chest and around the skirts of the

alkalak which matches the red of the pointed cuffs. The man wears a plain black pouch-

belt and he carries a long lance with a red and blue pennon. Both artists depict a sowar in

much the same dress as the N.C.O. but with all red decoration, red shabraques (fluted

blue in the case of the Ackermann print) and in the case of Ryves' sketches, a small round

shield is carried on the back.

There were four camel gunners attached to each regiment and these men appear in

Plate 16 of the Ackermann print. The heavy gun is shown firing over the nonchalant,

kneeling camel who is resplendent in red saddlecloth and headpiece, both ornamented

with blue fluted cloth. The cord harness is depicted as all blue and a small brass bell

hangs from the animal's throat. Conservatism and tradition must have been strong in

this contingent for a photograph of seven Indian officers dated 1884 (in the Cavalry

Journal) shows them wearing practically the same dress as in 1846. Even one officer has

the chin fastening on his twisted headdress. Only the shoulder scales have disappeared

but the pouchbelt is now a gold one with a central silk stripe.

But modernization was on the way. The 1886 regulations for dress give what is practi-

cally the modern dress. The full dress for European Officers of the Hyderabad Contingent

Cavalry had distinctions ofrank for field officers—collar laced all round with gold lace three-

quarter inch wide, a figured braiding within the lace. Sleeve ornament, knot of

gold chain lace, with figured braiding eleven inches deep. For Captains—collar laced

round the top with gold lace, figured braid; sleeve ornament, knot of gold chain lace and

figured braiding eight inches deep. For Lieutenants—collar laced round the top with gold

lace, with a plain edging of gold braid within the lace; sleeve ornamrnt, knot of gold

chain lace, edged with braid, seven inches deep.

109


iOO

98. British officer's undress, 3rd Nizam's Cavalry, 1846, after Ackermann print. Dark green uniform with whitefacings and gold lace. Gold band and piping on cap, black belts and two white stripes on trousers.

99. Silver pouch of officer, 20th Deccan Horse. It has the hallmark of 1892; badge evidendy changed in 1903.100. Risaldar-Major, 3rd Lancers Hyderabad Contingent, 1897, after photograph.

The tunic was—rifle-green cloth, single-breasted, the collar not more than two inches

high, rounded in front. On each side of the breast six loops of gold chain lace, with caps

and drops fastening with six gold worked olivets, the top loop eight inches long, the

bottom one four inches. The jacket edged all round (except the collar) with gold chain

lace. On the back seams a double chain of the same lace edged with braid forming three

eyes at top, passing under a netted cap at the waist, and terminating in a knot at the bottom

of the skirt. Waist long, the skirt nine inches deep for an officer of 5 feet 9 inches in height,

with the usual variation and lined with black. Cuffs ten and a half inches round; shoulder-

straps of hussar pattern, plaited gold chain gimp lined with green, badges of rank in silver

on shoulder-straps.

The cork helmet had a brass spike and a brass curb chain. As a turban, a dark blue andgold lungi, small and of regimental pattern was to be worn around the helmet. Whitemelton breeches and knee boots were worn for mounted duties. Rifle-green overalls with

double gold lace stripes three-quarter inch wide were worn with Wellington boots

no

HYDERABAD CAVALRY

and brass swan-necked spurs. The sword-belt and the pouchbelt were gold lace one anda quarter and two inches wide respectively, with red silk central stripe. The sword-belt

plate was gilt having the letters HCC in monogram in silver. The scarlet leather pouchbox had a bright gilt flap with a figured border and the HCC double cypher in silver

surmounted by a crown.

The slightly curved sword had a half basket hilt and was in a steel scabbard. The dark

green sabretache was laced with 'gold point' one and three-quarter inches wide, and em-broidered in the centre was the HCC monogram under the crown.

The undress patrol coat was rifle-green, single-breasted with a low Prussian collar

rounded in front, made to fasten with hooks and eyes with four flat braided loops andfour olivets. Black mohair braiding was around the edges and on the seams, making a

sombre effect except for the gold rank badges on the shoulder-straps. A loose frock or

blouse was also worn in undress, this also being rifle-green with gold lace on the low

collar. The cuffs were narrow to permit gauntlet gloves to be worn but they had inch wide

gold lace round them. A kummerbund of Kashmir pattern and a lungi were worn onmounted parades by British officers under a special regimental arrangement. Other items

of clothing followed the same styling.

Native officers wore blouses like the British officers with inch wide lace for the risaldars

and three-quarters of an inch for the jemadars. Blue lungis and brown pyjamas, as well

as boots and spurs were worn.

In 1890 the four regiments became Lancers. A Lancer tunic of rifle-green with white

facings was introduced for the British officers. The pouchbelt was gold 'train' lace with

a white silk stripe, chains and prickers being fixed to a crown-shaped fastening. Thesilver top to the pouch had crossed lances behind the letters 'HCL' with the crown over

all.

The native dress in the early nineties is shown as blue and the blue serge blouse is

mentioned in the history of the 8th King George V's Own Light Cavalry by Rawlinson.

A jemadar drawn by Captain A. C. Lovett wears a short blue blouse with three buttons

on the front opening, a short white stand up collar and shoulder-chains. There are four

patch pockets and the blue cuffs are pointed. The red kummerbund has Kashmir ends

hanging on the right. Light khaki breeches are worn and the blue puttees are worn with

special crossings at the top. The blue lungi has white and (presumably) gold stripes. Aduffadar wears a plain blue blouse without collar or pockets, with three white chevrons

on his upper arm and his red kullah shows above his blue lungi. A camel orderly of the

Third Cavalry wears a plain blue blouse and being a Sikh his red pag shows below the

blue and fight blue lungi. He wears khaki breeches and blue puttees. The large saddle-

cloth on the camel is divided geometrically after the old style into rectangles of blue and

off-white.

The 1886 regulations state that native officers wear a blouse as for British officers with

lace one inch wide for risaldars and three-quarters of an inch wide for jemadars. The

headdress is merely quoted as a 'blue longie' any mention of gold or other stripes being

overlooked. The pyjamas are quoted as brown. Be that as it may, the native officers who

visited this country soon after wore white breeches. In 1893 a 'sergeant-major' of the 4th

Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent, came to England for the opening of the Imperial

Institute. He is depicted as wearing a very plain blouse without any collar, shoulder-

iii


chains and a 'Sam Browne' belt with a pouch on the right side bearing an elaborate

regimental badge. The kummerbund worn below the belt is red with blue decoration onthe hanging ends. White breeches go into Hessian boots.

The native officers who visited this country for the Jubilee of 1897 wore white breeches

also. Photographs show them wearing the frock or blouse with two chest pockets and gold

lace around the front opening and on the upright collar. High gauntlet gloves obscure the

cuffs but the pouchbelt and waist-belt show the white central stripes following the facing

colour. The gold swordknot hangs long and free. The kummerbund has a gold edging

which shows at the top of the waist.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations state that native officers of the Hyderabad Contingent

Lancers wear a 'lungi of regimental pattern' which gives no clue to the colour. Therifle-green frock is to be made loose and without a collar, opening to the waist and fasten-

ing with three small round gilt buttons, gold lace edging around the neck, breast and cuffs

with the differing widths, one inch for senior and three-quarters for the jemadars. Theskirts were to reach to within three inches of the knee and the steel shoulder-chains bore

badges ofrank in silver. The pantaloons are now mentioned as ofwhite material. Although

a summer and field service uniform had been worn previously, the 1901 regulations nowgive details which had not appeared before. The kummerbund of the 1st Lancers was a

red shawl with a green border, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Lancers had red shawls of regimental

pattern. The pantaloons of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd were khaki and the 4th had yellow.

Although in field service order, ankle boots with puttees were worn by all regiments, the

1st and 2nd were permitted brown leather knee boots, the 3rd black leather knee boots

and the 4th ankle boots with brown leather gaiters.

One aspect not to be overlooked is the fact that having been made Lancers, the British

officers now had the opportunity to wear that distinctive dress. The tunic (according to

the 1 90 1 regulations) was to be Lancer pattern, double-breasted of rifle-green cloth with

front, collar and cuffs of corps facings (which were laid down as white). The cuffs were

pointed with two rows of one inch gold lace (Lancer pattern) for Field Officers and one

row for Captains and below, all having two small buttons on the cuffs. The collar was to

be cut square, fastened with two hooks and eyes and edged all round with gold lace for

Field Officers but only around the top for others. Two rows of seven buttons tapered downthe front from eight inches at the top to four at the waist. The back had two buttons at the

waist and two slashes each with three buttons. White welting was on the back seams of

the sleeves and down the back, down the front and around the skirts. The shoulder-cords

were of gold cord lined with white and bearing badges of rank in silver embroider)-. Thegirdle was of gold lace two and a half inches wide with two white silk stripes, all lined with

dark green morocco leather. The white helmet was bound with brass instead of leather

and with a hog spear spike on top. Around the helmet was a pugri 'of corps pattern', and

gold cap lines were also worn, the cords looping on the left breast. White leather panta-

loons were to be worn on duty with the men but on other occasions rifle-green with double

gold lace stripes. The overalls were also of rifle-green cloth.

For undress a rifle-green patrol jacket with five loops of mohair braid across the front

was worn. This was an optional item and the frock as prescribed for the Bengal Cavalry-

could be worn instead. On this latter garment welts ofwhite cloth were worn on the sleeves

and round the collar and cuffs in Lancer fashion. On the shoulder-straps were regimental

112

Coixnni Pi m> 7. Lance-dufladar, 30th Lancen Gordon'i HoneDeccan Hone uid rinldar, 29th Lancen Deccan 1 1 "is. .,>>.

s.^n.ii. BOth

Js cCO CS <*

rd > J< wT=d. - -

«..DO

c<

n! oOS"5

U o-o

~ cE -

HYDERABAD CAVALRY

numbers with the letters HCL. A forage cap or field cap could be worn, the former being

rifle-green with a gold lace band, a gold purl button on top and gold braid crossing the

crown at right angles and ending under the band. The folding field cap was also rifle-

green with white welts on the seams and a metal badge (crossed lances with variations)

was worn on the left side. Brown leather gloves were also worn in undress.

For mess dress a rifle-green jacket was worn open, fastening at the neck with a loop of

gold tracing braid, studs down the front, white welts on the back seams, two small buttons

under each cuff and shoulder-cords with badges of rank as the tunic. The waistcoat was

white cloth with a collar and gilt studs down the front. In hot weather a white mess dress

was worn with a silk kummerbund of rifle-green with white silk stripes two inches wide

running lengthwise.

In 1903 the Hyderabad Contingent became part of the Indian Army and were re-named,

the 1st Lancers became the 20th Deccan Horse, the 2nd the 29th Lancers (The DeccanHorse), the 3rd were dispersed and the 4th became the 30th Lancers (Gordon's

Horse).

The dress continued with much the same distinctions suitably adapted. The 20th

Deccan Horse made changes ; they discontinued the Lancer distinctions and adopted the

badge of a horse. The British officers of the 20th Deccan Horse continued to wear the white

helmet (now the Wolseley pattern) with the hog spear spike on a bright leaf base, with

a pugri. An annexure to I.A.O. No. 650 of 1907 gives details of an altered uniform. Theblouse of green cloth had a white collar with three-quarter inch Hussar lace around it,

down the front and round the cuffs. The shoulder-chains were on white cloth. It will

be noticed that the tunic was discontinued and although the lungi is not mentioned in the

annexure, a blue lungi is given in the 191 3 regulations. The pouchbelt was also changed to

gold Hussar lace with the white silk stripe and silver mounts. The pouch was dark green

morocco leather with a gilt flap having the regimental devices in silver.

A group photograph taken at Saugor in 191 1 shows a British officer wearing the kurta

with a high white collar laced with gold. The pouchbelt has the white central stripe

while the fastener for the chains is the wide crown. The blue and gold lungi was appar-

ently worn with the green kurta.

The officers of the 29th and 30th continued to wear Lancer distinctions. The 191

3

dress regulations now call the blouse a kurta. It is dark green and the regulations seemto indicate that the 29th have a collar the colour of the kurta and not white. The cuffs

are edged at the wrist with gold lace following the old style. White melton pantaloons were

worn with the kurta but dark green trousers with double white stripes were also worn onother occasions. The white-metal helmet and cap lines were the authorized headdress

but some artists like Simkin show a green and gold lungi.

The full Lancer tunic was optional but seems to have been popular for it appears in

photographs. In the case of the 29th the complete white plastron was worn. The gold

pouchbelt had the white central stripe and the distinctive Crown fastener. Lancer cords

it over the right shoulder and around the body with the ends looping on the hit tide.

The gold and white waist girdle was on green leather.

The 30th Lancers were linked with the 29th in the 1913 regulations but different a are

pointed out. For example the 30th Lancers had a dark green kurta opening down the

whole of the front with a white stand-up collar and pointed culls with gold lace. The

1 1 u.-i 11

3


other items were as the sister regiment, except that the optional Lancer tunic had turned-

down lapels instead of the plastron. A photograph of 191 1 shows an officer in the Lancer

dress, his pouchbelt having the white central stripe and Crown fastening as used by the

other two regiments. Gordon's Horse used the Roman ;XXX" on badges and fittings.

Such were the uniforms in the last period of general use of full dress before the amalgama-tions of 1922.

114

CHAPTER VI

FRONTIER FORCE CAVALRY

The frontier between the Punjab and Waziristan was much disturbed in the early

mid-nineteenth century and forces were gradually raised which eventually made the

Punjab Irregular Force. The Corps of Guides was raised in December 1846 as a

mixed body of cavalry and infantry. In 1849 five regiments of Punjab Cavalry were raised

and in 1851 became the 1st to 5th Regiments of Cavalry, Punjab Irregular Force. Theabbreviated letters of this force brought the nick-name of 'Piffers'. In 1865 the force was re-

named the Punjab Frontier Force. In 1876 the Corps of Guides received the additional

honour of 'Queen's Own'. The 4th Regiment of Cavalry was disbanded in 1881 and the

1 st received in 1890 the new title of Prince Albert Victor's Own Punjab Cavalry. The titles

were slightly altered in 1901 but in 1903 the four cavalry regiments were re-numbered the

2 1 st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (F.F.), the 22nd Cavalry (F.F.), the 23rd

Cavalry (F.F.), and 25th Cavalry (F.F.). The Queen's Own Corps of Guides had 'Lums-

den' added to their title in 1904 and in 191 1 became Queen Victoria's Own Corps of

Guides (F.F.) (Lumsden's) Cavalry. In 1904 the 22nd became the 22nd Sam Browne's

Cavalry (F.F.) and at the same time the 21st had 'Daly's Horse' added to the title. In

the re-organization of 1922 the Guides became the 10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of

Guides Cavalry (F.F.), the 21st linked with the 23rd as the nth Prince Albert Victor's

Own Cavalry (F.F.) and the 22nd with the 25th as the 12th Cavalry (F.F.).

THE CORPS OF GUIDES

The Corps of Guides was raised 14 December 1846 as a mixed body of one troop of

cavalry and two companies of infantry. They were raised at Peshawar under the com-mand of Lieutenant H. B. Lumsden, whose name was later given to the regiment. Tofight border tribes on a more equal footing he encouraged his men to wear native clothing

—loosely wound turbans and body garments to match. It is to Lumsden that credit is

given for the introduction of khaki or drab to the armed forces. He had 'the making of

this new regiment' all to himself, including the arming and dressing. In October 1849Lumsden wrote to Hodson, his second in command, saying that he had made up his mindto have all the cavalry and infantry in mud-colour and wanted enough cloth from England

to make each man a coat, pantaloons and greatcoat. However in December 1849 they

went into action and as the men are referred to as the Mudlarks and as this was the first

time the mud-colour was noted in action by British troops, the clothing must have been

made up locally (Journal, Army Historical Research, Vol. 26, pp. 132-3). It has been stated

that the local dye gave the white cloth a drabbish grey colour. When the use of 'khaki'

the I'rdu word 'khak' means 'dust') became more widespread, the local bazaars used

various dyes producing different shades.

115


Being such an unorthodox unit, regulations were less prevalent than usual. The brief

dress regulations for the Punjab Irregular Force 1865 noted that the cavalry of the Corps

of Guides were to retain their 'present uniform' and that 'the British Officer of that branch

of the Regiment to be dressed the same as the Infantry with the necessary modifications

for cavalry officers'.

After the Corps of Guides became the Queen's Own in 1876 they were permitted the

badge of the Royal Cypher in the Garter. A list of 1878 points out that the drab uniform

had red piping and drab lace. The Dress Regulations of 1886 give many details of the

dress. The British officers were to have red velvet facings on their drab uniform and the

lace was to be drab silk. The tunic was Hussar pattern with five quadruple rows of drab

silk cord hanging loosely across the chest. The shoulder-straps were plaited drab silk with

silver badges of rank. The pantaloons of drab Bedford cord were worn with high boots

;

the sword-belt, pouchbelt, pouch box and sword-knot were of brown leather, the boxhaving a silver flap cover. In dress the overalls had a welt of red between the double

drab lace stripes. Illustrations by R. Simkin show British officers mounted wearing the

white helmet with a blue and gold pugri. The drab tunic was single-breasted with pointed

red cuffs and a plain collar. Other items of dress were as already mentioned. The black

sheepskin had a red vandyked edge.

On 1 August 1896 the Governor-General in Council was pleased to sanction the

Queen's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry being equipped as a Lancer regiment but this does

not appear to have brought any drastic change in dress, the pickers and chains on the

pouchbelt being the most obvious indication of any innovation.

The native officer had a special full dress blouse or kurta. This garment was of the dis-

tinctive drab hue with a turn-down red collar and pointed cuffs. The drab braid went

round the collar and also made an elaborate cuff knot while down to the waist were two

close rows of the braid with three pairs of pointed loops with olivets at the ends. The blouse

was slit at the sides and shoulder-chains were worn. The equipment was brown leather

as in the case of the British officers, but the high boots were black. The blue and gold

turban was wound over a red kullah and the kummerbund was also red. The N.C.O.s

wore a dress similar to that of the native officers with a scarlet cloth turned-down collar

but khaki puttees are shown in pictures. These other ranks wore the pouchbelt and pickers

with the collarless khaki blouse. Their blue and white lungis were tied according to dif-

ferent castes.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations repeated most of the foregoing notes for British officers;

the full dress tunic was the hussar pattern as previously ordered with drab braid replacing

a metal variety. On the undress frock which was cut as for British officers ofBengal Cavalry,

the collar and cuffs were red velvet, the buttons silver and shoulder-chains instead of

straps.

When the armies were grouped together in 1903 there was little change in the status

of the Corps of Guides as they were still un-numbered. The 191 3 dress regulations gives

practically the same uniform as before. The white helmet was of course changed, to the

Wolseley type with white-metal fittings but still with a close-fitting pugri of blue white

and gold. The drab tunic continued the scarlet velvet facings with drab silk trimmings

and the five quadruple rows of cord across the body. The cuff knot although described

officially as 'Austrian' appears on an actual tunic as the special Bengal pattern. The

116


101. Native N.C.O., Corps of Guide*, iHtf], after photograph.102. British officer, Corps ofGuides, c. 1901 , after photograph.

"7

J


tunic of Colonel Younghusband shows that the khaki has a tendency towards pink andshows to advantage the elaborate drop knots at the ends of the 'swags'. The brownleather pouchbelt has silver chain edging and the pickers fit into an elaborate plate. Theoveralls and pantaloons were also drab with the scarlet fine between the drab silk lace

stripes. The brown sword-slings went under the skirts of the tunic. The jacket of the mess

kit was drab and the waistcoat scarlet fastened to the throat with gilt studs and gold

braid. The British officers of this corps never wore the kurta or the lungi.

Lovett shows a duffadar in the khaki kurta with red collar and cuffs, patch pockets onthe chest and no braid. He also has the fight and dark blue lungi, steel chains on red cloth,

brown pouchbelt with white-metal ornaments, a Sam Browne belt, the waist part having

a white-metal plate, a red kummerbund, khaki breeches and dark blue puttees. A photo-

graph of 191 1 shows a native officer in the old full dress kurta—red turned-down collar,

red pointed cuffs, braid all round these and the bars of braid across the chest. He also

wears the brown leather pouchbelt with pickers and the strap of his Sam Browne belt

has a whistle. The small-mesh shoulder-chains bear the badges of rank and the regimental

title. Brown leather leggings are worn with the drab breeches. In 1922 the unit became the

10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force).

1ST PUNJAB CAVALRY, LATER 2 I ST P.A.V.O. CAVALRY

The ist Regiment of Punjab Cavalry- was raised at Peshawar in 1849 and wore the

native dress. An account in the Illustrated London jXews of September 1857 says 'the Punjab

Irregular Cavalry wear the native dress with the sole addition of long boots of European

horsemen. They are armed with English carbines and native sabres which they keep as

sharp as razors.' The text also said that the ist wore dark blue and silver, while the wood-

cuts had loosely wound turbans and loose-fitting alkalaks. It was also pointed out that 'in

hot weather instead of cloth coats they wear white or grey cotton clothing as the Sikh

trooper—

'. A scarlet turban and waist-band completed the costume. It was in November

1857 that Lieutenant Watson won his Victoria Cross and in the hand-to-hand fighting

on this occasion, we learn that one blow from a tulwar severed his chain gauntlet glove

and another cut through the sleeve of his jacket. A tailor's book perhaps a year after this

date describes the jacket of the British officers as dark blue with a buff collar and buff

pointed cuffs. Silver tracing eyes went round the collar, the cuff had eyes and a crowsfoot

and the jacket was edged all round with lace. Large silver plaited cords went on the

shoulders.

The Dress Regulations for the Punjab Irregular Force 1865 states that the 1863 regula-

tions for the Bengal Cavalry numbered from 9 to 19 would be considered the dress

regulations for the five cavalry corps of the P.I.F. There were modifications like the option

of dyeing the summer dress drab or blue, that the initial letters 'P.I.F.' could be worked

in with the devices worn on the accoutrements and that jackboots be worn instead of

'hessians'. In 1868 the lace was changed from silver to gold and it may have been about

this time that the red facings were adopted, for they are mentioned in an 1873 list.

The 1886 dress regulations quoted the rst Punjab Cavalry as wearing a dark blue

uniform faced red with gold lace. The Review Order (A) tunic for British officers was of

hussar pattern with collar and cuffs of red edged all round, except the collar, with gold

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cord, with five quadruple rows of black cord hanging loose across the front. The shoulder-

straps were of plaited gold chain gimp lined with blue and fastened with a button at the

top. White pantaloons and a helmet were worn. The sword-belt (worn under the tunic)

and the pouchbelt were gold lace. Review Order (B) included the loose blue blouse with

low red collar edged with three-quarter inch gold lace, lungi with gold bars to indi-

cate rank, red kummerbund, white melton pantaloons, Napoleon boots and gauntlet

gloves. For dress the British officers wore a patrol jacket of blue cloth ornamented with

black mohair and cord. The regulations give an Austrian knot but photographs a little

later show the Bengal knot. The pouchbelt worn with this dress appears to have been black

patent leather without any ornaments. The 1901 dress regulations give the full dress of

British officers as before—dark blue hussar tunic with red facings and gold lace of regi-

mental pattern. For undress the frock was as for British officers of Bengal Cavalry but

without the narrow Russia gimp edging round the collar and with shoulder-chains and

drab cord pantaloons.

The native officers at the end of Queen Victoria's reign wore a blue blouse with three

rows of black cords hanging across the chest. Gold lace went round the collarless neck,

down the front (closed by six round buttons), and on the pointed red cuffs. The plain

black patent leather pouchbelt was worn under both the shoulder-chains and the black

cords. The striped lungis were tied in a variety of styles, sometimes over a white pug.

This white pug appears in several photographs as a diagonal piece on the left side of the

forehead. The broad waist-belt with a large rectangular plate was worn over the kummer-bund. White breeches were worn with high black boots, but not so high as the Napoleonboots of the British officers. The native officers wore khaki summer uniform according to

the 1886 regulations although the British officers wore white. There was also a gaiter boot

for native officers according to these regulations. The duffadar who came to England in

1893 wore boots and puttees with a leather strap around the top.

The sowars also wore a blue blouse with red pointed cuffs, red edging round the collar,

down the front and under the shoulder-chains. The blue lungi had red stripes and the

pouchbelt of the sowar was also black patent leather. The Indian Cavalryman also wore a

plain blue blouse with only four buttons down the front opening and with this the SamBrowne belt was over the red waist sash. Drab breeches and blue puttees appear in

photographs.

On becoming the 21st Cavalry (F.F.) in 1903 the dress remained very similar except

for minor details. The plain blue kurta was more frequently worn by the British officers,

the Hussar tunic now being optional (191 3 dress regulations). The gold pouchbelt wasof light cavalry pattern to correspond with the sword-belt and plain with red leather

backing. Photographs show short white gloves but white gauntlet gloves are said to have

been supplied in 1910. The lungi was a blue Peshawar type with gold and white bars with

a single red stripe near the end. The kummerbund was red with gold and white bars,

with a few blue lines. The British officers according to the 191 3 dress regulations worekhaki for the hot weather uniform, not white as previously.

The native officer who came over for the 191 1 Coronation celebrations wore a gold

embroidered kulla, dark blue kurta with gold lace around the low collar, short white

gloves, white breeches and round-topped boots. His gold pouchbelt shows the zigzag

pattern clearly in a photograph. Lovctt shows a duffadar in a long blue kurta with steel

'19


104-

103. Native officer, 1st Punjab Cavalry, 1897, after photograph.

104. Native N.C.O., 1st Punjab Cavalry, 1897, after photograph.

105. Officer's pouch, 1st Punjab Cavalry, c. 1881. Red cloth face, gold ornaments.106. Waist-belt clasp, 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry, c. 1904. Gilt with white metal mounts.

shoulder-chains, khaki breeches, blue puttees and black boots. He wears a blue and white

lungi over a red kulla. In 1921, the 21st amalgamated with the 23rd and in 1922 becamethe nth Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force).

2ND PUNJAB CAVALRY, LATER 22ND SAM BROWNE'S CAVALRY

The 2nd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry was raised in April 1849 at Lahore and the second-

in-command was Lieutenant S.J. Browne, an officer later to give his name to the regiment.

A print of 1856 after a drawing by W. Fane shows a native officer, a non-commissioned

officer and a trooper. Here their distinctive red alkalak is to be seen worn with a buff-

coloured poshteen. The officer has a dark blue pugri with gold additions and his loose

red alkalak has gold around the curved front opening and up the cuff. The pouchbelt

is black and his high black boots meet his alkalak hiding his pyjamas or breeches. Thehorsecloth, pointed at the rear, is dark blue with a broad red edge. The N.C.O., a Sikh,

has a waist-belt which keeps the poshteen closed. His horsecloth is similar to that of the

officer. The trooper, a 'Hindoostanee', wears a dress similar to the N.C.O. He also has a

plain blue pugri and his black pouch has a brass device, perhaps the 'PC cypher. Theoff-white breeches or pyjamas can be seen at the rear cut-away portion of the high boots.

Photographs of officers and others taken just after the Mutiny give a very good idea of

the uniform. One of Major D. M. Probyn, V.C., C.B., shows him in the native alkalak, red

with gold lace on collar, chest and cuffs with elaborate embroidery up the sleeves to the

elbow. The leather pouchbelt has chain edging, chains and pickers fixing in a large flori-

ated plate. Around the neck is tied an elaborate scarf, the fringed ends on the chest,

reminiscent of the cravat worn in the 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry. From the photographs

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107. Trooper, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1856, after print by Ackermann; dark blue turban, fur lined poshteen, redundergarment, black belts.

108. Sikh N.C.O., 2nd Punjab Cavalry, print as above by Fane.

109. British officer's helmet, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1858, after photograph.no. Undress sabretache, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, from same photograph as Fig. 109.

111. Native officer, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, 1856, from Ackermann print. Gold and blue turban, red alkalak with goldlace, dark blue horsecloth with red border, black pouchbelt.

the helmet appears to be felt with gilt binding and plume socket—the plume being white

flowing hair. The turban twisted round the crown is parti-coloured. A curved mameluke-hilted sword is worn, as is a plain leather sabretache with a small metal cypher and a

narrow lace edging. White breeches and high black boots completed this dress. A photo-

graph of Captain F. J. Cragie shows a similar dress, without the neckcloth but with the

k.ishmir kummerbund being much in evidence and in this case the helmet appears

black, and with a spike instead of a plume. He wears a similar alkalak, pouchbelt, pyjamasand boots.

Sir Dighton Probyn is said to have told an interesting story to Lord Roberts which goes

as follows

—

'During the Mutiny an officer of tin- Punjab ( av.ilry had told S.un Browne th.u he hadtaken to wearing a chain on his shoulders as a means of warding of I iword I utl and he had

121


strongly advised Sam Browne to do the same and gave the latter two curb chains which heinsisted on him having sewn on his coat. Some time after the officer was killed and a dayor two after his death when Sam Browne and his friends were talking together, one mansaid that at the sale of the officer's effects he had bought some saddlery which had belonged

to him and he said that it was a curious thing that neither of the bridles he had boughthad curb chains on them. "I know where they are" said Sam Browne and went to his tent

and took off the two curb chains and gave them to the purchaser of the bridles. Some time

afterwards in the hand-to-hand fighting in which Sam Browne gained his Victoria Cross,

he received two sword cuts, one on the knee from which he nearly bled to death and the

other on the left shoulder which cut off his arm. My impression is that the officer whogave him the curb chains was Lieutenant G. Younghusband of the 2nd Punjab Cavalry

who was killed at Khudahgange in January 1858, but of this I am not certain.'

The oil-painting by Desanges in the Victoria Cross Gallery at Wantage showed Captain

Dighton Probyn cutting down a mutineer. His alkalak appears to have a narrow row of

chain links on the shoulder but this does not constitute contemporary evidence as the

picture was painted a long while after the event.

Photographs of the native officers c. 1859 show the long alkalak trimmed with gold lace

and embroidery, pouchbelts without chain on the edge. The turbans are striped and the

tulwars have varying patterns of hilts. The small pouch on the right side of the waist-belt

seems to indicate the use of pistols.

The 1865 dress regulations permitted the British officers of the five Cavalry regiments

of the Punjab Irregular Force to wear Bengal Cavalry dress and thus a photograph

c. 1870 shows these officers wearing tunics with four groups of gold cords across the

body. The gold trimming goes around the collar, down the front and round the skirts.

The gold pouchbelt is worn under the cords and the waist-belt is worn over the tunic.

Although white breeches are still worn the boots are a little shorter and stiffer than

before.

The 1886 dress regulations confirm the fact that the 2nd Regiment was an exception

in the case of the gold gimp chain on the chest of the hussar tunic. A photograph of

Colonel F. Lance shows him in this dress, the waist-belt now being worn under the tunic.

Whereas the photograph of 1870 showed a very dark helmet with pugri, the Colonel has

one of the same type with the spike in the large socket fitting but with the body lighter in

tone, perhaps the special blue one permitted in the 1886 regulations. The 2nd Punjab

Cavalry were also permitted to wear instead of the bluejacket for mounted duties, a red

one with blue collar and cuffs quite plain with six large gilt ball buttons down the front.

Hessian boots are also mentioned. The special tunic was again noted in the 1901 dress

regulations and also blue cloth overalls with gold stripes. The British officers of the 2nd

had frocks for undress without gimp edging on the collar and as in the case of the 1st,

shoulder-chains instead of shoulder-straps.

The native officers continued to wear the alkalak for full dress, even after 1882 whenserge blouses were introduced, a special distinction confirmed in the 1886 dress regula-

tions where drab cord pantaloons for marching order are also given. Risaldar Sher

Singh who came for the 1887 Jubilee Procession wore his white pag squarely across his

forehead and the pugri twisted with equal patterns on each side. He wears a plain gold

pouchbelt over his red alkalak and his short white gloves give an opportunity to see the

122


gold knots on the cuffs. His boots finishing just below the knees are in front with deep

notches. His breeches are white. The fringed ends of the kummerbund appear to have a

large quantity of gold. The 1901 dress regulations give a frock for the native officers in

full dress but the alkalak, frock or blouse was permitted for undress.

As for the 22nd Cavalry the kurta is the garment specified in the 191 3 dress regulations

for the full dress of British officers. This red garment had a blue collar and pointed cuffs

edged with gold lace. Narrow gold lace went down each side of the chest opening and the

plain gold pouchbelt matched the waist-belt worn on the blue silk kummerbund. Thedark blue lungi had broad gold sections and red lines as did the kummerbund. White

gauntlet gloves and breeches were worn and the native officers more or less followed the

dress of the British officers. A picture of a naique by Lovett shows an all-red kurta with

narrow yellow edging around the collar, down the chest and round the edges of the

sleeves. Also were worn white breeches, blue puttees, a blue and yellow lungi and a blue

waist sash. In 1921 the 22nd amalgamated with the 25th and in 1922 became the 12th

Cavalry (Frontier Force).

3RD PUNJAB CAVALRY, LATER 23RD CAVALRY (f.F.)

The 3rd Regiment of Punjab Cavalry was also raised at Lahore in 1846 but few details

of dress are available for the early years of its existence. An account by Major Ashe states

that the sowar's uniform consisted of a dark blue lungi or turban wound deftly round a

red wadded skull-cap ; his frock or kurta of coarse blue serge, shaped something like a

Norfolk shirt and bound into the waist by a red kummerbund; wide yellow pyjamas tucked

into long boots of brown untanned leather; brown leather pouch and sword-belt, a very

long bamboo lance with bright steel point and blue and white pennon, a choga or cloak

carried strapped over the wallet and a lance-socket at each stirrup. No doubt the 1865

regulations also applied and in 1868 the lace which had been silver was changed to gold.

The uniform was blue with red facings as the 1st Regiment. In 1873 the regiment was

permitted to retain its black leather appointments. An existing pouchbelt of this regiment

is black morocco leather with gilt buckle, slide and tip (in the possession of the late

Brigadier H. Bullock). The pouch has a dark blue cloth flap with a gold embroidered

crown over the 'PC cypher with '3' below, in the centre of three scrolls and laurel; the

edge being bordered with gold hussar gimp. There is also a similar pouch in being but

on a gold lace belt of the zigzag pattern. An actual sabretache is also dark blue with the

same gold lace but the central devices are a crown over a '3' between two crossed swords;

a wreath of laurel encircles the centre and on the scrolls are 'Punjab Cavalry' and 'Af-

ghanistan 1879-80'.

Details of a British officer come from a tailor's book. The blue tunic faced scarlet hadthe collar and sleeves trimmed as Hussars, but across the front were black quadrupleloops, 'three cords sewn together and a crows-toe at each end'. Chain mail shoulder-

straps were worn. The blue mess jacket had scarlet collar and cuffs with twisted pimpshoulder-cords. Tin sc arid men vest had studs as well as hooks and eyes up the front,

with gold russia braid on the edge. The 1887 dress reflations group the 3rd with the

1st and 2nd, the distinctions being the blue cloth pouch flap mentioned above, a blue

serge Norfolk jacket for marching order to be worn with buff Bedford cord pantaloons and

123


112. Blouse, risaldax, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, 1887, after photograph.1 13. Officer's pouch, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, c. 1881 ; dark blue cloth, gold embroidery.1 14. Sabretache, 3rd Punjab Cavalry, c. 1881 ; dark blue face, gold embroidery.115. Kurta, risaldar, 23rd Cavalry, 1 904; black cords.

a red cloth cap. The 1901 dress regulations group the 3rd as before but now give blue

forage and field caps.

Risaldar-Major Zafar Ali Khan Sirdar Bahadur who came to England in mid- 1887wore a uniform with distinctive features. His kurta opened all the way down but had studs

only to the waist. There was a low red collar traced all round with gold. The three groups

of braid across the chest were gold not black. The cuffs had large gold knots and the

shoulder-chains were on red. His gold pouchbelt apparently had a red central fine but

his waist-belt was plain gold. A red Kashmir kummerbund went with white breeches

and high black boots. His blue turban was tied distinctively with the gold and blue bars

on the left, an unusual feature which appears in Simkin's pictures of 190 1 and which lead

one to think that this artist's rendering might be based on an earlier uniform. The native

officer according to the 1886 dress regulations wore a loose blue frock opening to the

waist, with metal shoulder-chains and no mention of gold cords for the native officers

of the 3rd Punjab Cavalry. Puttees with ankle boots were worn in marching order. Blue

coats and white pyjamas were worn in summer, following the fashion of the British

officers. The 1901 dress regulations give no special distinction apart from knee boots.

On becoming the 23rd Cavalry (F.F.) in 1903 much of the former dress was retained.

The British officers did not wear the kurta but the blue hussar tunic with red collar and

cuffs, gold cord and lace with five quadruple rows of black cord hanging loose across the

breast. The gold gimp shoulder-straps were laid on red, bearing silver badges of rank. Thegold pouchbelt was on blue velvet. The pouch followed the previous fashion but with

124


changes of crown, number and honours. A blue web belt with gold lace sword-slings was

worn under the tunic according to a tailor's book although the 19 13 dress regulations

still quoted a two-inch wide gold lace belt. The trousers or breeches were blue with two red

stripes down each side. The throat plume for the horse was scarlet and the hot weather

uniform, khaki at all times.

The 191 3 dress regulations give no special distinction for native officers of the 23rd

and it would appear as though the ordinary kurta opening to the waist was to be wornbut photographs of 1904 and 191 1 show a type opened all the way down with studs to the

waist as previously worn. The cuffs and backing to the shoulder-chains were red. Narrowgold tracing went down the front and round the skirts, the cuff knots were gold cord but

the three rows of hanging cords were black, which was consistent with those of British

officers. An additional feature was the wide curve of gold lace, tracing the opening of the

ancient alkalak. The pouch and waist-belts appear to have a central stripe, possibly of

gold. Short white gloves and white breeches were worn. In 1921 the 23rd amalgamatedwith the 2 1 st and became in 1922 the nth Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier

Force).

4TH PUNJAB CAVALRY, LATER DISBANDED

The 4th Punjab Cavalry was also raised in 1846 but very little remains about this unit.

They wore dark green faced with scarlet and with gold lace but in the reduction of the

Indian .Army in 1881 were disbanded. When the armies were amalgamated in 1903 the

number '24' was left blank, presumably in case they were re-raised but as no such step

was taken, the number 24 was never adopted by a cavalry unit.

5TH PUNJAB CAVALRY, LATER 25TH CAVALRY (F.F.)

The 5th Punjab Cavalry was raised in 1849 at Mooltan and was said to have wornoriginally a dark green alkalak with scarlet facings and a scarlet pugri (Colonel F. Wilson).

The 5th Punjab Irregular Cavalry are mentioned with the 1st in the Illustrated London

.\ews of 16 June 1857 where the dress is described as olive green and gold with a scarlet

turban and waist-band. An early photograph of a British officer shows a felt helmet (shaped

like the metal variety) worn with a large horsehair plume and a metal front plate. Thehussar tunic with black cords hanging loosely across the chest is shown in photographs,

the fixed ends being elaborate drop-loops. The early chest cords were four separate pieces

and later were changed to gold. The pouchbelt is shown plain and without pickers in the

early photographs. The 1886 dress regulations note that the British officers in review

order had a rifle-green helmet with gilt fittings and a horsehair plume of green and red,

a distinction not shared with any other Punjab Cavalry. The dark green tunic which hada paragraph to itself was single-breasted with a stand up collar and trimmed with gold

braid and cord. The six breast loops were now made of gold, each consisting of three

cords plaited together and finishing at each end with a gold olivet. Instead of white

pantaloons, rifle-green ones with double green stripes were worn. The boots were Hessian

and the sword-knot was gold and red lined with a gold acorn. The gold pouchbelt wasnow noted with a gold and red pistol cord, a feature also to be seen in photographs. On

125


1 1 6. Risaldar-Major, 5th Punjab Cavalry, 1897, after photograph.117. Pouch and part of belt, 5th Punjab Cavalry, c. 1900. Note gold and crimson cord in belt.

1 18. Sabretache, 5th Punjab Cavalry, c. 1900, scarlet face and gold embroidery like pouch.

the front portion two small Maltese-cross fittings can be seen holding the cord secure in

the centre of the belt. The ends of the cords finished in gold and red olives, under the

embroidered pouch. The scarlet flap of the pouch was edged with gold lace and em-broidered with a crown, a cypher of'PC reversed, 'V and battle honours. The sabretache

was embroidered with similar devices, the honours being on blue scrolls. The wearing of

a sabretache was discontinued in June 1898.

In Marching Order (A) the patrol jacket had six loops of black mohair cord, the

Austrian knot on the sleeves being in the same braid. The sword-knot, sword-belt and

pouchbelt in this order were in black patent leather, the latter also having the pistol cord.

Both the forage cap and the active service (field) cap were of scarlet cloth. The 1901 dress

regulations continued these distinctions except that the field cap changed colour to green

cloth and the horse furniture was of a brown leather regimental pattern with a throat

126


ornament, the change from black having taken place in November 1894. R. Simkin

shows the throat ornament as scarlet hair coming from a brass fitting. The white helmet

is also at this time being worn with a regimental pugri of scarlet and gold.

According to the 1886 dress regulations the native officers wore grey fustian pyjamas

in Review Order and the 1901 dress regulations repeat this exception for the 5th Punjab

Cavalry but Risaldar-Major Kesur Singh who came to England in 1897 wore white

breeches, perhaps a special change for a distinguished occasion. His dark green frock

opened all the way down but was laced and traced with eyes only to the waist. His standing

red collar and red cuffs were laced and ornamented with gold tracing. The shoulder-

straps were also edged with gold braid and bore the badges of rank. His gold pouchbelt

carried the crimson and gold pistol cord. The red kummerbund had ends striped with

gold instead of a Kashmir pattern. The red turban with gold bars and dark stripes was

worn over a white pag. He also had the full-dress sabretache described for British officers,

with the mameluke-hilted curved sword in a black scabbard. The 1901 dress regulations

distinguish the 5th Punjab Cavalry as having twisted gold cords on the shoulders of the

frock. For marching order the 1886 dress regulations quote ankle boots and puttees for

the native officers and the summer uniform was khaki although the British officers worewhite.

On becoming the 25th Cavalry (F.F.) in 1903 the same colour distinctions were kept

in use. The native dress was popular for British officers. The very dark green kurta hadthe red collar edged on the top and front with gold as well as gold lace and eyes with

buttons down the front to the waist. The shoulder-chains were on red cloth. White gaunt-

let gloves obscured the cuffs only permitting a small quantity of gold embroidery to be

noted. The 191 3 dress regulations do not quote the pistol cord for the pouchbelt. Whitemelton pantaloons were worn in full dress with the kurta but rifle-green trousers andpantaloons with red stripes were permitted on other occasions. The ivory mameluke-hilted sword in a black scabbard was permitted as was the gold and red knot. Embossedbrass spurs of Life Guards pattern were worn in this regiment on certain occasions and the

scarlet throat ornament was still permitted. The kullah had much gold ornamentation

for British officers and the red lungi had gold and dark-coloured bars.

The native officer wore the kurta somewhat similar to that of the British officer andthe 191 3 regulations note the twisted gold cord on the shoulders. The native officer hada tulwar with a black scabbard as did the men. Lovett shows a native cavalryman c.

1909, all in khaki including lungi. He carries a sword and has his carbine slung on the

nearside of the horse. In 1921 the 26th linked with the 22nd and became in 1922 the

1 2th Cavalry (Frontier Force).

127

CHAPTER VII

MADRAS CAVALRY

Bycomparison with the Bengal Cavalry, the history and lineage of the Madras Cavalry

is simple and straightforward. Although there were disbandments and occasional re-

' numberings, several regiments of the Madras Cavalry had a continuous existence

right up to 1947.

In January 1 748 a troop of British Cavalry was raised in Madras Presidency by Lieu-

tenant James Kilpatrick but in 1 752 it was reduced and disappeared. In August 1 758 a

new troop of British Cavalry, only two officers and 36 other ranks, was raised at Fort

St. George and in the November following, 500 Indian horsemen were to be enlisted

under Mohamed Yusef Khan. They were taken into E.I.C. service but soon returned to

the Nawab's service. By January 1 760 there were only 80 European cavalry, including

45 of de Beck's troop of foreign deserters. These were re-organized the following year into

two troops of British Horse and one troop of Foreign Hussars, each of five officers and60 other ranks but by 1772 all cavalry had been disbanded except for 100 all ranks of

European cavalry.

In July 1767 an appeal was made for a strong body of cavalry and the Nawab of Arcot

placed 2,000 of his horse under European officers. This number varied from time to time,

there being from three to eight regiments, some under Company officers. During a mutiny,

many went over to Hyder Ah and the cavalry was reduced to four regiments, each of

300 men.

It was not until 1784 that it was decided to make a regular establishment of cavalry in

the Company's service. So the four regiments belonging to the Nawab, having been paid

by the Company in the recent war, were taken over. But there was some misunder-

standing, most of the cavalry revolted and the 1st, 2nd and 4th Regiments were disbanded,

thus leaving the 3rd to be the new 1st. Another 2nd was raised from the remaining loyal

remnants of the other regiments. A new 3rd and 4th were raised at Arcot in May and

June 1785 respectively and a 5th Regiment appeared in 1787. Unfortunately at that time

the cavalry regiments took their seniority from the eldest commandant and thus the

numbering changes continually until a fixed numbering was made in 1788 by which time

the old 1st had become the 2nd, the 2nd the 3rd, the 3rd the 4th, the 4th the 5th and the

5th the 1st. The new 5th was disbanded in July 1796 but the number was replaced in

September 1799 at which time a 6th was raised. The 7th Regiment was raised in 1800 and

four years later came the 8th.

Reductions were the next stage, the 8th going in 1857 and the 5th, 6th and 7th being

reduced in December i860. In March 1876 the 4th Regiment was honoured by being madethe Prince of Wales' Own Madras Light Cavalry but suffered reduction in 1891 in order

to supply a fourth squadron to the other three regiments. The title of Light Cavalry was

128

MADRAS CAVALRY

discontinued in 1886 for the 1st and 2nd Regiments who now became known as Lancers

but it was not until 1891 that the 3rd became Lancers. In the 1903 re-organization they

were re-numbered 26th, 27th and 28th Light Cavalry respectively, which numbers were

kept until 1922 when the 26th became the 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry (it

had received the honour of 'Prince of Wales' Own' in 1906), the 27th becoming the 16th

Light Cavalry and the 28th the 7th Light Cavalry.

Information on the early uniform of the Madras Cavalry is scarce. Probably because the

officers were in the service of a native nawab it was not thought important but on coming

directly into the Company's service in 1784, a new aspect opened up. On 10 May 1785,

the new uniform of cavalry was ordered to be faced with blue (M.M. 106, p. 11). This

suggests a common dress for all regiments, a useful step as the precedence was constantly

changing. The portrait of Sir Thomas Dallas painted by Alexander Nasmyth about 1 787

in the possession of the Duchess of Portland shows what might be the dress of this time.

The blue turban suggests the colour of the facings although the lapels and cuffs appear

very dark and have been called black. The black helmet has a fine peak jutting out in

front, a brass or gilt comb with a red hair crest and on the front of the blue turban is a

large crescent, a device used extensively by Madras Cavalry, even later. The red coat

with narrow blue lapels is fastened at the chest and has narrow gold loops on the lapels

and short collar. The gold epaulettes are very flat and without devices and the loops are

in pairs on the lapels and up the sleeves. The waistcoat is double-breasted and is white

as is the coat lining as well as the breeches. High soft close-fitting boots are worn and the

sword is very curved.

The fixing of seniority between regiments and the use of permanent numbers gave the

opportunity to distinguish between regiments. A portrait of H. Mackay as an officer in

the 4th Madras Cavalry shows a distinctive dress c. 1 790. The red coat has yellow facings

showing that blue was no longer the general colour and the silver lace has a red line in

the centre. The headdress although not completely shown in the portrait has several

features in common with that worn by Sir Thomas Dallas. It is black with a gilt comb, a

red hair crest and a turban the colour of the facings (in this case being yellow). Whetherthe helmet has a peak or not is not shown but there is a large up-standing front with the

devices of '4' over a skull and crossed bones with the motto of 'Vaincre ou mourir', an

obviously flattering imitation of the 1 7th Lancers' badge.

When the 4th and 5th Madras Cavalry were in Arcot c. 1790, Miss Rebecca Chasewrote at length about these dashing men. 'Their dress alone would be sufficient to capti-

vate many a fair (lady) ... a white capanore cloth jacket with a belt round the waist

buckled in front, on the side of which hangs a large sword and pouch bag, handsomelyornamented with a silver fringe. I should tell you that the jacket cuffs and collars are green,

trimmed with silver, and silver buttons. This is their undress; their dress is short scarlet

jackets, very handsome, trimmed with silver. They have three kinds of hats with their

dresses, one with a plaited crown, with a plume of black feathers and another with a

black foxtail across the crown and red and white feathers. Besides these, when they go onexercise, they wear helmets ornamented in a very handsome manner with silk and silver,

and crimson sashes round their waists over their belts.' As we know already that the 4th

Cavalry had yellow facings, it would appear that the 5th Madras Cavalry (disbanded in

1796) is referred to in the lady's notes.

I.A.U.-K 129


A miniature of Thomas Xuthall (he died in 1 793) shows him wearing a red coat with

white facings. As he was a Cornet in the 1st Madras Cavalry, this is the correct colour for

them, as is borne out by later evidence. The picture by Robert Home of the Death of

Colonel Moorhouse at Bangalore in 1791 shows an officer and a native of the MadrasLight Cavalry but the work may have been painted at a somewhat later date and not

show the contemporary uniform. The European officer wears a light dragoon helmet

with the black fur crest as well known in the United Kingdom. A tall feather is on the left

side and a turban with chains is worn. The sabretache worn high on the left hip is dis-

tinctive, a very early example of its use in British service. It has only two straps and the

leopardskin face bears an embroidered device of an eight-pointed star with 'LD' in the

middle. Gold or silver lace goes around the edges and the extreme edge is a fringe as

mentioned by Miss Chase. The coat has many loops on the chest and it is not clear

whether wings or epaulettes are on the shoulders. He carries a curved sword and pistols

in the holsters of the white horse. Previously it is the dress of the European officers which

has been to the fore but we now have a good representation of the dress of a native

cavalryman. He wears a short jacket looped as the officer, open at the top but fastened at

the waist. There are wings on the shoulder and the cuff is a simple pointed one. Theengraving of this picture indicates the same tone for the bulbous turban as for the coat, so

it may be intended for red and to indicate a native officer, especially as he seems to also

wear a sabretache.

An order of 17 November 1794 stated that 'the full uniform of Officers of Native

Cavalry to continue the same as now worn, viz., a close jacket, scarlet, with white collar

and cuffs, trimmed with silver cord, and chain epaulettes. For common duties, a dark blue

jacket in the same form with white cuffs and collar, edged with silver cord, and shoulder-

straps of same in lieu of epaulettes. Off-duty, uniform coats, embroidered or plain, are

permitted to be worn both by cavalry and infantry officers ; those of cavalry scarlet with

white lapels, eight buttonholes placed 2 and 2 on the lapels and 4 on the sleeves andskirts, connected by a bar in the centre. The epaulettes the colour of the facings, em-broidery silver and black. The number of the corps on the button.' It has been suggested

that all regiments wore white facings but for all to have silver and black embroidery is

unusual and it may be that the order referred in detail only to the senior regiment, a

practice repeated in later British dress regulations. In support of this theory the order of

7 July 1 80 1 repeats these colours and lace for the 1st Cavalry only but gives different

distinctions to the other seven regiments.

An order from Fort St. George, 28 March 1798, stated that the 'swords of the Native

Cavalry shall in future be suspended by a shoulder-belt and that the cartridge belt shall

be worn on the belly, the strap of the belly box to be connected with the sword-belt',

which seems to be an early attempt to create a Sam Browne belt. The sword scabbards

were to have 'brass chapes and sockets according to pattern'.

On 7 July 1801 the 'Clothing of the Honourable Company's Forces under the Presi-

dency of Fort St. George' was established as follows. The 1st Regiment had white collar

and cuffs with white lace with a black edge and 'yellow' buttons for officers. The 2ndhad dark green facings, white lace with a yellow stripe and yellow buttons for officers.

The 3rd had buff facings, white lace with a green stripe and white (i.e. silver) buttons

for officers. The 4th had deep yellow facings, white lace with a green stripe. The 5U1 had

130

MADRAS CAVALRY

black facings, and white lace with a black stripe. The 6th had French grey facings andwhite lace with a red stripe. The 7th had bright yellow and white lace with a bright

yellow stripe. All the last four regiments had silver buttons for the officers. The clothing

of the trumpeters and the farriers was the colour of the facing with collar and cuffs of

red, the sole exception being the 5th Regiment which had red clothing with blue collar

and cuffs, an unusual change. Also unusual was the 'reversed' clothing of the farriers,

which in home service was frequently plain blue, so as not to show the dirt and toil.

The general orders of the same date give further details—European officers, sergeants

and trumpeters were to wear helmets, black leather stocks, with white false collars, short

round white waistcoats and white breeches. The jacket without lapels was to fit close andbutton down before, with three rows of buttons set at equal distances down the front

and sides ; one upon the collar but none upon the sleeve ; the lace or twist, or both, uponthe sleeve to be close and put on lengthwise, up the arm; buttons with the number of the

regiment. European officers were to wear an epaulette on each shoulder and those in

regiments using gold mountings were to have the jackets trimmed with flat twist, but

those with silver to have lace. The swords and sword pouches (i.e. sabretaches) were to be

uniform. The sword-knots and sword-belts were to be white, with a crimson and gold

tassel on the former. European and native officers were to wear the sword-belt round the

waist, the buckles or clasps for officers to be gilt or silver according to the buttons. Thecartouch box was to be slung under the right arm.

Several portraits of officers in the uniform of this period are still in existence. There is

one of Lieut.-Colonel John Murray who commanded the 1st Regiment from 1791 until

he died in 1799. He is shown wearing a short closed jacket, red with white facings, silver-

laced and with scaled wings on the shoulders. His headdress is the normal light dragoon

pattern with a black fur crest, turban and chains with the white top of a plume showing.

A white shoulder-belt over the left shoulder supports a small black pouch over the right

hip. A crimson sash goes around his waist, his breeches are white and his boots black.

His white horse has a leopardskin saddlecloth and light red rosettes at the ears. Anotherportrait of Lieut.-Colonel Shir-riff by Sir Henry Raeburn shows a somewhat similar dress.

This officer was in the 7th raised in 1800. The headdress is the light dragoon type with a

leopardskin turban and a plume which appears to be yellow over crimson, but it might

be an artistic rendering of the usual white over red. The short red jacket is worn open re-

vealing the white shirt below with the red sash around the waist. The collar and cuffs

are a full yellow with silver lace and tracing. Above the cuffs are four inverted chevrons

of silver lace also shown in Murray's portrait. The rows of buttons on the jacket are con-

nected with rows of flat silver and around the whole is a frame of the same flat lace. Therest of the uniform is like that of the previously described person, except that the shoulder

wings appear as interlocking rings. A third portrait—of Francis Daniell, shows a some-

what similar dress but possibly a little later. The light dragoon headdress has the leo-

pardskin turban, the jacket is worn closed with the sash on the outside but the same frame

of lace is around the buttons. Other items of dress are the same but the cuff has four

double loops of lace, not inverted and making a small indented cuff.

The native cavalrymen do appear in the background of pictures but usually obscured

and difficult to decipher. Hamilton Smith in his notebooks shows an unnamed unit which

might be a native officer, because of the crimson sash round the waist and the ample

131


crimson turban. The short scarlet jacket has white collar and cuffs, the latter having three

inverted chevrons of white braid or silver lace. The loose and wrinkled 'pyjamas' go into

short boots and the pouchbelt has an elaborate diamond pattern reminiscent of the

undress pattern some fifty years later. The mounted sowar in Murray's portrait wears a

black bulbous headdress with a white band and his scarlet jacket has white braid. Thenative following Daniell has what looks like a red turban loosely tied but encircled by a

white or silver band as in the case of the Hamilton Smith picture.

Light dragoon helmets are recorded in the ancient pattern books brought to the

R.U.S.I, by Sir George McMunn. The helmet of the 2nd Light Cavalry has a green turban

and silver edging to the peak. The 3rd has a pattern very like that worn by Sir ThomasDallas. It has a high comb and a crest ofcrimson hair falling on the right side. The pointed

peak has a white-metal edging and the large crescent on the front of the leopardskin

turban is also white. The helmet of the 4th Regiment had a leopardskin turban, a crimson

crest and the crescent moon in front. The 5th had a helmet with a light yellow turban

and a crimson mane while the 6th had a 'tigerskin' turban and 'VI' over their crescent.

The Code of Military Regulations published in Madras 1806 co-ordinated the various

details of dress. The table of distinctions (as in 1801) repeated the same details (the East

India Register continues the same up to 1812), plus those for the 8th, raised in 1804. Thenew regiment had pale yellow collar and cuffs and white lace with a red and green stripe.

The trumpeters' clothing was pale yellow with red and the officers' buttons 'white' andtheir lace silver. Many of the paragraphs of the 1801 orders were repeated but the jacket

had altered. It now reads—

'Jackets without lapels, to fit close and button down before;

collar and cuffs of established colours; the sleeve to button underneath the cuff; the bodyand pockets to be edged with cloth of the facing colour. Three rows of buttons at equal

distances, one of large down the front, two of small down sides. Buttons raised with

number of regiment. Full dress, the body and the collar are to be trimmed with flat

twist ; upon the sleeves two rows of lace and three of twist, to be alternate and close ; one

row of lace on the cuff and one on the sleeve with a row of twist between and round the

cuff and one row of twist below.' The undress jacket was to have one row of buttons downthe front and two buttons behind at the waist with one row of twist round the collar and

cuffs. Details of the native dress are meagre but 'the turbands of the Horse Artillery andNative Cavalry officers are to be red and trimmed in exact conformity to those worn bythe rank and file of regiments respectively'.

Paragraph 52 stated that 'a cap, to be previously approved by the Commander-in-Chief may, at the option of the Commandant of a Corps, be substituted for the round

black hat, ordered to be worn by officers of native cavalry with the undress jacket'. These

may be the ones for which designs are in the McMunn collection which show considerable

originality. The 1st Regiment is shown with a stove-pipe shako with a short, white over

red, plume in front, yellow and black cords which make two complete turns of the head-

dress and finish on the right side in large tassels and flounders. In the front is a badgewith the number T. The 2nd Light Cavalry also had a stove-pipe shako with a big peak

and a white plume in front. The sole decoration is a white crescent in front. The 3rd

also had a stove-pipe shako with a white plume and white cords circling it but no devices.

The undress cap of the 4th Regiment of Cavalry was somewhat like a stove-pipe shako

but with the top sloped from the left to the right and the white over crimson plume on the

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MADRAS CAVALRY

119. Headdresses of Madras Cavalry, beginning of nineteenth century, from contemporary drawings in R.U.S.I.undress cap 1st Regiment of Cavalry; (A), undress cap 2nd Regiment of Cavalry; (c), undress cap 3rd

Regiment of Cavalry; (</), undress cap 4th Regiment of Cavalry; («), undress cap, all black, 5th Regiment ofCavalry; '/), undress cap, silver lace, 6th Regiment of Cavalry; (g), undress cap, yellow turban, silver lace,

8th Regiment of Cavalry ; (h), helmet with leopardskin turban, 3rd Regiment of Cavalry; (i), helmet with yellowsilk turban, 3rd Regiment of Cavalry; (jj, three views of helmet of 5th Regiment of Cavalry, black body,crimson hair, silver fittings, 1808.

'33


left hand side. The 5th had a stove-pipe with a very deep peak and the narrow black

braided cord looped the cap once, formed a figure eight on the right side and finished in

two small tassels. The 6th had a stove-pipe with plume in front and a silver lace encircling

it. The 8th had a tapering shako set back at a rakish angle, with a yellow turban pleated

around the lower part, a crimson and white feather in front, silver cord with a rosette andtassels hanging on the left side and in front the separate mounts of '8' over 'XC. A most

interesting collection which serves to point out that one can never guess at what might be

worn.

The pattern book also shows various types of cloth \\-ings to be worn on the red jackets

but a complete figure of a man of the 5th Cavalry c. 1808 omits them. Bars of braid on the

back of the jackets are shown in some patterns, showing that there were regimental

variations.

A general order ofJuly 181 1 stated that 'in future sabrepouches ofNative commissioned,

non-commissioned and privates of several regiments of Native Cavalry may be found

unserviceable—authority may be given for new pouches from the public stores'.

Among the 'alterations in the dress of the Army of this Establishment' printed 12

October 1810 from the H.Q. Choultry Plain is a note that 'scale epaulettes are to be wornexclusively by officers of the Horse Artillery and Cavalry as well as the scale loop for the

hat by those Corps and the Staff.' The jackets were to reach below the hip bone and in

the dress jackets of the officers the rows of twist were not to be less than half an inch from

each other, the sleeves, collar and back to be ornamented at the option of the CommandingOfficer of the corps.

An actual jacket of the 2nd N.C. which appeared in Chelsea some years ago was red

with dark green collar and cuffs, gold lace loops across the front and going over the shoul-

ders at the top. The central portion at the back was pleated between two buttons and the

cuffs each had a button to fasten the slit. Above the pointed cuffs were but single inverted

chevrons of gold lace. The facings of the 1st Regiment of Native Cavalry were ordered

29 March 181 1 to be altered from white to saxon blue and this is the colour which C.

Hamilton Smith showed in his chart of 18 14, the gold lace remaining as before. Incident-

ally this chart shows the eight cavalry regiments with the facings and details as given

before but they were, in fact, obsolete as a General Order by the Commander in Chief,

17 February 181 3, ordered that 'the Light Cavalry on this Establishment shall be clothed

in dark blue from January 1814 and the following alteration be made in the facings etc.

of the different regiments'. The 1st Regiment now had dark blue with pale yellow collar

and cuffs; the 2nd had orange collar and cuffs; the 3rd had buff; the 4th deep yellow:

the 5th pale yellow; the 6th orange; the 7th buff and the 8th deep yellow. All officers nowhad silver lace and buttons and the men white lace or braid. The clothing of trumpeters

and farriers was to be that of the facing colour with blue collar and cuffs. The buttons,

lace and trimmings were to be put on as before.

This change to dark blue brought the jacket into line with the regular fight dragoons,

whereas before it had been more like that of the Fencible Cavalry. The Madras pattern

books show the 2nd Native Cavalry had an undress jacket like the full dress one but no

lace across the front. The cuff also had but two chevrons and a small trefoil knot at the

apex. The full dress jacket was cut fairly long with the lower angles overlapping. Thecollar was curved away at the opening and was edged round with two rows of braid. A

134

MADRAS CAVALRY

<?=*. ^ ^

120

120. Belt fittings and sabretaches from contemporary drawings in R.U.S.I., Madras Cavalry, c. 1808.

(a), sword-belt clasp, 4th Regiment of Cavalry, silver; (b), full dress sabretache, 4th Regiment of Cavalry,silver mounts; (c), undress sabretache, 4th Regiment of Cavalry; (d), sword-belt plate, 6th Regiment of Cavalry,

silver, letters and edging in gilt.

narrow loop was on the shoulders and side slit pockets were traced around with the white

braid and also orange-yellow piping. The orange-yellow piping also went around the

edge of the jacket and up the back seams. The buttons had a '2' over 'LC. A portrait of

Morgan Charles Chase as Cornet, possibly painted when on leave between 1815-1818,

shows him wearing the bluejacket. Around his waist he wears a broad gold girdle with

two red stripes. The white pouchbelt goes over the left shoulder and his waist-belt fastens

with a snake hook (a feature shown in the Madras patterns). His helmet is black with a

white-metal comb, edging to peak and label below the leopardskin turban. The red hair

mane falls on the right side of the helmet which is very similar to earlier patterns. His

breeches are white and the sword has a stirrup hilt.

The bluejacket was due to disappear as the Court of Directors ordered 5 March 181

7

'we cannot give sanction to the proposed measure of clothing the Native Cavalry in blue

and we direct that you will in receipt of this despatch issue orders for that corps to be

dressed in grey, conformably with the instructions conveyed to you in our general letter

of the 3rd September 181 3'. One wonders whether this may not be another attempt to

use up surplus cloth in the Company's warehouses. There appears to have been somehitch, possibly a reluctance for the officers to surrender the dress of regular cavalry andit needed a General Order of 1 June 1820 to restate 'with reference to the CO. by the

Governor of 24 April 1813, the C. in C. directs, that all officers of Light Cavalry will on

the issue of clothing to the Army for the year 1819-20, substitute French Grey jackets for

Blue, with the facings, lace, etc., as at present worn. The officers of Light Cavalry will,

in future, wear a light shacko of an established pattern corresponding with those in use in

Regiments of Light Dragoons in His Majesty's service with appropriate devices in lieu

of the helmet which is abolished.' (General Orders, p. 5992.) Whether a shako did

replace the helmet is not clear for the next regulation again quotes a helmet.

The headdress of the natives should not have been in any doubt for an order of April

1818 from the Director stated that 'it is our positive order that the whole of the native

135


troops, cavalry as well as infantry shall wear turbans, and that no alterations shall be

made in this part of their dress'. A General Order of 21 December 1822 notified the Armythat 'the subedar majors of the Horse Artillery and Light Cavalry will be distinguished bva gold and crimson sash . . . The other Xative Commissioned officers of the HorseArtillery and Light Cavalry will wear plain crimson girdles. The Horse Artillery and the

Light Cavalry. . . . shall in future wear Wellington boots with spurs attached to the

heel instead of long boots and that the same be worn with loose white trousers in full,

and blue or grey overalls in undress. The full dress of officers of Horse Artillery and Light

Cavalry" will in future be leather or web pantaloons with half boots and spurs attached to

the heel.'

On 8 December 1823 a General Order was issued which was practically the dress

regulation for Cavalry officers. It gave 'Full dress and dress. Jacket; cavalry grey; roundedshell to fit close and button down in front, cuffs and collar of established facings, the collar

straight in front three inches deep, and to be united in front, top and bottom, with hooks

and eyes. The body and pockets to be edged with cloth the colour of the facings. Threerows of established Regimental buttons. The jacket to be trimmed with flat silver twist

which with the collar and cuffs, is to be finished agreeably to a pattern lodged in the

Adjutant-General's office. Overalls or trousers—sky blue with two stripes of silver lace,

each three-quarter inch wide on the outward seams, having outward edges scalloped

up each side seam. Boots—Wellington. Spurs—steel with necks two inches long exclusive

of rowels. Helmet—agreeable to regulation. Girdle—gold and crimson. Sabre—steel

mounted, half basket hilt (etc.). Scabbard—steel (etc.). Knot—crimson and gold with

bullion tassels. Belts, sabretache and pouch—agreeable to the Pattern established by

G.O. of 1 June 1820. Cravat—black silk. Gloves—white leather. Memorandum. White

tight pantaloons ofweb or leather with Hessian Boots and fixed silver spurs, are to be wornon dismounted occasions of particular ceremony with the above jacket, belts and girdle

such as Levee and public evening parties. Undress. Jacket—a plain shell with the estab-

lished cuffs and collar edged all round with the colour of the facings, united in front with

hooks and eyes, no lace or twist except one small loop of the latter on each shoulder. Thepeak of the cuffs, of Dress or Undress jackets, to lay on the inward seam to correspond with

the men's clothing. Schako—a plain light schako covered with oilskin with silver scales.

Overalls or trowsers—sky blue cloth with two stripes, each three-quarter inch wide

of cloth (leaving a fight between) colour of facings on each outward seam.'

Other items are mentioned like the white overalls permitted when the climate rendered

it convenient. The shako was also defined to be worn with the undress jacket on ordinary

occasions, the fine of march or marching from one station to another, but the helmet is

invariably to be worn in the field on actual service.

Unfortunately, the coy remark 'helmet according to regulation' gives no idea as to howit may have looked. The heavy cavalry at home had received a new pattern in 1822

called the Roman pattern and it may have been a version of this that was intended. There

is an actual helmet of this pattern for the Madras Light Cavalry with solid silver fittings

all hall-marked 1832. The metal body was black japanned and the metal comb had a

flowing red horsehair mane falling on the right side. The fluted front plate had the arms

of the East India Company. The groups of laurel leaves at the back of the scull and the

lion-head bosses to the elaborate chin-scales were similar to those used at home. Bullmore

136

MADRAS CAVALRY

Helmet, Madras Light Ca-valry, silver fittings hall-

marked 1832, red horsehair

mane (possibly changed la-

ter . East India Company'sarms on front plate.

& Patrick's lace books say that the helmet of the 4th Ma-dras Light Cavalry was japanned and with silver orna-

ments and a red curled plume as the 3rd.

From these lacemen's and tailors' books of the thirties,

one can learn of the regimental differences. The 3rd Ma-dras Light Cavalry had silver 'scallop and point' lace onthe jacket and overalls. The pouchbelt had silver 'bias andstand' lace with a buff central stripe and silver ornaments.

The pouch had a solid silver flap plate with the central

device of the E.I.C. lion in gilt on a silver star with a crown

on top. Two gilt scrolls with 'Seringapatam' and 'Mahid-

poor' were on either side of the lower part. The full dress

sabretache carries the same devices but in embroidery on

bright blue cloth, the lace on the edge being 'bias andstand' silver with a buff stripe.

The 4th Cavalry had a helmet similar to the 3rd. Thepouchbelt was silver 'bias and stand' lace with a pale

yellow stripe, sword-belts and slings being the same pattern.

The pouch flap was solid silver with all the ornaments

(except the star) silver-gilt, the Company's lion was on a

star, the Elephant of Assaye above and over all the crown. On each side was an honour,

'Seringapatam' on one side and 'Mahidpoor' on the other. The sabretache was light

sky blue cloth with embroidered devices of a gold crown over the elephant. In the centre

was a large silver plate star with a garter bearing the words TVth Regiment Light

Cavalry'. The battle honours were on foliated scrolls. The shabraque was of French

grey cloth with round ends, edged all round with a silver lace of 'Austrian wave with

vellum' having on the inside a vandyke edging of yellow cloth. The regimental devices

were embroidered in silver, except for the elephant's saddle and ground of scrolls which

were gold.

The 5th and 7th Regiments had pale yellow and buff distinctions respectively. Thesilver lace pouchbelt had 'train bias' and the sabretache for the 5th had solid cast silver

and gilt ornaments, these being the elephant and star plus a scroll. The 6th at one period

had silver herring bone lace with an orange stripe for the belts, but at another had a

variety of 'train' lace. The 7th had silver lace with a central buff (almost white) stripe.

The patterns mainly used had diagonal stripes but with various edges. The silver pouchplate had a zigzag engraved border with the devices of a crown over the elephant inside a

garter bearing the regimental title, all set on a star with the Company's motto on a long

scroll below. The 8th Madras Light Cavalry had a sulphur yellow silk stripe in the centre

of their lace and the sabretache was ornamented with the crown, star, garter and the

honour 'Mahidpoor' on a scroll.

I he Standing Orders for Light Cavalry printed in 1833 &ive three orders of dress,

namely review, marching and stable. 'The marching order is particularized as "undress".

It is to be worn with the covered shaco at exercise, both regimental and brigade, picquets,

committees and regimental duties. On field service the covered helmet is to be substituted

for the shaco.' This indicates that both helmet and 'shaco' were worn a( the same period.

137


The stable order consisted of the stable jacket, white trousers (unless when cloth may be

ordered ), forage cap and sword. The girdle was to be worn only with the dress belts.

Some light is thrown on the dress of native ranks in these orders. In review order, the

turban|or for farriers and trumpeters, helmet) uncovered, cloth trousers, or if ordered

for dismounted duties, white trousers. The headdresses were worn covered in marchingorder. Scales were to be worn down on all mounted and up on all dismounted duties. Thegirdle was to be worn in review order only and all ranks were to wear the hair cut close

behind so as not to touch the collar of the jacket. Careful details are given as to the wearing

of the turban and the tassels and rosettes were to be worn on the right side, the scales

fixed half an inch above the rim. The native officers' turbans were to correspond in fashion

with those of the men but to be made of scarlet cloth and with a red cover, the mountings

silver.

From the old India Office Library comes the 1838 regulations for dress where the Light

Cavalry officers' dress is described in detail. The French grey jacket had collar and cuffs of

facing colour, which colour also edged the jacket. The three inch high Prussian collar

had an edging of narrow silver braid and a border of figuring at top and bottom. Thepointed cuffs were ornamented to match the collar. The three rows of ball buttons were

trimmed with narrow silver braid set on in straight lines. The Roman helmet had a glazed

skull and peak, red horsehair mane and plated devices. The trousers were sky blue with

silver lace stripes or white linen according to the season. The pouch, belts, girdle and sabre-

tache are more or less as described previously.

Portraits of officers show this uniform, one of the most charming dresses devised in the

military world. William Hunsley in his series of coloured prints c. 1839 shows a mounted

officer. He wears the black helmet as before but with a thick crest like the bearskin type

introduced at home in 1834, but in bright red, the colour of the previous mane. Thesmall oil-painting given to the R.U.S.I. by Brigadier Peter Young has the same type of

helmet and crest. The jacket is a profusion of silver and the pouchbelt besides being on

red morocco leather, has little silver labels as well as the chains and pickers. The pictures

show only a small portion of the collar in facing colour, the rest being silver. The horse

furniture is shown to effect, the square bright blue shabraque having a broad silver lace

around the edge but no embroidery. To a casual observer the jacket is almost the same

colour as the trousers but most artists are careful to point out the subtle difference. Plate

Xo. 3 in the Ackermann series of prints shows a mounted officer (1845) in much the same

dress, the shabraque also agreeing but the chief difference is that the red crest now has a

long tail or mane flowing behind. The home service helmet had changed in 1843, and

possibly to keep up to date, the red crest was changed although the helmet remained the

same. Captain Ryves made water-colours about the same period and he too shows this

new style but as he depicts a special regiment he gives more information. This picture of

the 3rd Regiment of Cavalry shows a slight change in the shabraque which is rounded at

the front end and with a longer point at the rear where there is also the embroidered

device of a gold crown inside a spray of leaves. The blue face of the sabretache has the

embroidered devices of a crown over a silver star, the centre of which is red, presumably

with the number and a long silver scroll below.

The native troops were represented in prints and drawings although little appears in

text. A print of the Madras troops in Ava c. 1825 shows a native cavalryman in a red turban

138

MADRAS CAVALRY

122. Officer of Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1839, after prints by William Hunsley. French grey jacket, light yellow facings,

silver lace, black helmet silver fittings and red crest, light blue trousers, silver stripes.

123. Sowar of Madras Light Cavalry, 1840, after print by William Hunsley. Colouring of uniform much as officer's

but blue turban with white trimmings, plain black sabretache and blue cloak in front.

shaped like a large olive with white cords and tassels. In front is a badge like a star. Actual

badges in the possession of Major F. G. Harden show the white-metal device to have eight

groups of rays with a central disc bearing battle honours, the regimental number in

Roman characters and a curling 'LC below. The red of the headdress indicated, of course,

a native officer and the other ranks are shown with a dark blue or black affair with white

cords and tassels, badge, and white-metal chin-scales.

The French grey jacket in pictures has a high collar and pointed cuffs of the facing

colour. White braid goes all round the collar, on the cuffs, on the chest connecting the

three rows of buttons, and on the back as bars in hussar fashion. A white pouchbclt goes

over the left shoulder and the white waist-belt has a rectangular plate in front. The cavalry-

man in Ava was shown with white trousers and a vignette from a book of 1830 shows a

sowar in white breeches and high boots, but most pictures show the blue trousers with

double stripes of the facing colour. One native officer has an embroidered sabretache with

a blue face but plain black leather is used in other cases. The steel-hilted swords are ofthe

139


Officer, ist Madras Light Cavalry, 1848, after Ackermann print, black shako, white plume, grey jacket, bright

blue overalls, silver lace.

140

MADRAS CAVALRY

European cavalry type. One picture shows a sowar with a dark blue shabraque, rounded

in front and pointed at the rear, with a white braid running round the edge.

In September 1846 the facings of all the regiments of Madras Cavalry were ordered to

be one uniform colour—pale buff. The same General Order of 1 September 1846 gave

extensive details of the officers' dress and careful engravings of the same date in the

R. U.S.I, show the parts of the uniforms. The 'cavalry grey' jacket now had five rows of

buttons, the centre row being ball buttons, the others half-ball. The headdress was nowchanged to a shako, after the type worn by the light dragoons at home. The body wasblack beaver with a broad silver lace of oak leaf pattern round the top. The large plate of

gilt and silver was in the shape of a Maltese cross with a crown above and 'M.L.C in

the centre. The gold cap fines which went round the shako and formed a large plait across

the peak had tassels and flounders on the right. The plume of white swan-feathers rose upand dropped fourteen inches. The girdle was replaced by a hussar sash of crimson with

gold barrels. The sky blue trousers were now with a single stripe of one and three-quarter

inch silver lace. The sabretaches although basically the same pattern had regimental

variations. They now all were to bear the crown, the 'V.R.' cypher, the regimental

number, honours and special badges, if granted. The dress shabraque was sky blue with

deep points at the rear and a two and a half inch silver lace on the edge. The four corners

were embroidered with 'MLC encircled in laurel and with regimental devices. Overthis article was to be worn a cheetahskin, which animal was also used for the undress

shabraque.

Plate Xo. 32 of the Ackermann prints, published May 1848, showed this glorious dress

which agreed with the foregoing notes. Plate No. 12 also of 1846 showed the undress uni-

forms, one officer being in a dark blue frock-coat with big roll collar and eight pairs of

black braid loops across the front. The black braid was also on the backskirts in two groups

of three. The other officer wore the short jacket of cavalry grey with buff collar and cuffs,

silver studs down the front, and silver lace on the pointed cuffs, collar and front. Silver

shoulder-scales were worn. The undress cap was blue with a silver lace band, a black peak

and a chin strap.

The lithographed patterns also showed certain details of other ranks, the dress jackets,

in particular. The trimming across the chest was in imitation of the officers' but with

only three rows of buttons. The shoulder-straps were edged with white braid and the side

pockets were traced with trefoil patterns, which design was also used on the cuffs. Thesergeant-major had the Company lion above his chevrons, the staff-sergeant and havildar

three chevrons, the naique two chevrons and the lance-naique a single chevron. The dress

jacket for the farrier and trumpeter was made even more simple with the trimming going

from button to button but no loops at all on the chest. The arm seams were piped and the

only difference between them being the badge on the upper arm, a horseshoe in the case

of the farrier.

The 1 85 1 Madras dress regulations more or less give the same information as in 1846.

Although the shako lace is given as oak leaf pattern, that on the jackets and trousers is

vandyke pattern. The dress of the Riding Master was practically that of the officers, but

with a plain peak to the shako, a yellow silk cap line and a white horsehair (instead of

swan's feathers) plume; the sash being crimson and yellow. The 4th, 5th and 7th Light

Cavalry were noted as carrying the badge of the Elephant.

141


125 126 127 128

129 130 131 132

125. Sabretache,

126. Sabretache,

127. Sabretache,

128. Sabretache,

129. Sabretache,

130. Sabretache,

131. Sabretache,

132. Sabretache,

Madras Light Cavalry, period of George IV.1st Madras Light Cavalry, scarlet face, silver lace and embroidery.1st Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1880. Purple velvet face, silver lace and embroidery.2nd Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1830. Blue velvet face, silver lace with yellow stripe.

4th Light Cavalry, c. 1840.

1840.

i860 metal mounts and silver lace.

1850.

4th Light Cavalry, c.



The Mutiny seems to have driven away such frivolous material as full dress uniform and

few records exist even of fighting dress. A photograph of an officer c. 1865 shows that the

old full dress was still in use;perhaps many of the garments still preserved may have been

preserved because the conflict drove them out of use before they were worn out. A photo-

graph ofmen of the 5th Light Cavalry (they were disbanded in i860) shows native cavalry-

men, two in tunics of a modern cut. These grey tunics have a fight buff collar and braiding

in hussar fashion. The pouchbelt is worn over the left shoulder but the sword slings comefrom under the tunic skirts. The blue trousers have broad buff stripes. The headdress is

the stiff affair covered with black oilskin and with white cords and chin chain. A sowar

in undress wears a similar turban (the badge is seen clearly in his case) but without

the cords. He also wears a grey stable jacket with buff collar and studs down the front,

and also narrow shoulder-cords. The cuffs in his case are traced with braid finishing in a

142

MADRAS CAVALRY

Cavalry officer in undress, Madras Light Cavalry 1846, after Ackermann print. Blue forage cap,

bright blue jacket with light yellow facings and silver lace, blue overalls, very dark frock coat.

143


134. Rank markings for sergeant-major, havildar, naique, and lance-naique, Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1846, after

original sketches in R.U.S.I.

135. Sowar, 5th Madras Light Cavalry, c. 1859, after photograph.

136. Officer's undress jacket, 5th Madras Light Cavalry, c. i860, after photograph.

137. Lieutenant-colonel, 4th Light Cavalry, c. 1876, after photograph. Appears to have Prince of Wales' Plumes on

belt.

144

MADRAS CAVALRY

trefoil knot. Soon after this period native cavalrymen are said to have adopted the loose

native dress, but precise evidence is lacking.

Most of the post-Mutiny photographs show officers in undress or civilian clothes. Theheaddress usually worn is the round forage cap with a silver band and button on top,

occasionally seen with a white cover. The grey shell or stable jacket was also popular with

shoulder-cords to retain the russia leather pouchbelt with its chain and pickers. The blue

trousers with leather booting and inner strapping were worn soon after the Mutiny but

probably soon went out of fashion. The very dark blue frock-coats with the black braid

loops were also shown in photographs.

As mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, extensive reductions were made in the

Madras Cavalry after the Mutiny but as a slight compensation, the 4th became the

Prince of Wales' Own in 1876 and were distinguished by scarlet facings instead of the

customary buff ones. The dress regulations of 1885 (and the consolidated regulations of

1886) give this distinction and a photograph of Colonel E. M. Lawford shows him in this

last dress. A colonel's tunic at Sandhurst shows that only a small quantity ofscarlet appears

in the centre of the collar and on the lower part of the cuff, the silver lace and tracing

taking up a large share of the space. The tunic looped in hussar fashion was fastened in

front with six olivets. The broad silver pouchbelt had a red central stripe and the top

fastener to the pickers was a silver elephant. The regulations give a helmet with silver

fittings and a small regimental turban although a lungi was also worn in lieu of a helmet

in marching order with the men. The 4th also had a red throat plume for the horse (in-

stead of the white of the other regiments).

In 1886 the two senior regiments were converted into lancers and the regulations of

that year give the new dress. The cavalry grey tunic had lapels of the facing colour sewndown, the collar and pointed cuff laced with silver, welts of regimental facing on the sleeve

and back seams, down the front and round the skirts, slashes on the skirts with three

buttons each and silver shoulder-cords. The silver lace pouchbelt with solid silver labels

was worn over the left shoulder while the gold cap lines crossed the other. The white helmet

was worn with white-metal fittings and a close-fitting pugri of dark blue, French grey andgold. The overalls were dark blue with double silver stripes and white gauntlet gloves

were worn. Although the girdle is given in the dress regulations from 1886 to 1901 as

gold and crimson, illustrations show it as silver with two French grey stripes. The 1901

regulations give substantially the same lancer distinctions for the three remaining regi-

ments (the 4th having been disbanded in 1891, when the 3rd became lancers), but in 1903they were re-numbered as the 26th, 27th and 28th Light Cavalry. In point of fact the

dress including the lancer distinctions continued in use. The normal changes of style in

headdress and the use of a white pugri on the helmet and the discontinuance of lace for

stripes of the facing colour on breeches and pantaloons took place. The British officers

did not wear a native dress and a photograph of 191 1 reveals little difference between

officers of the three regiments in full dress. For undress the British officers wore an 'undress

frock' with piping or khaki blouses, Mackenzie equipment and breeches with cloth stripes.

The Light Cavalry carried embroidered sabretaches but the lancer regiments carried their

honours and distinctions on the pouchbelts and only had a black leather sabretache for

full dress occasions.

The native officers according to the 1885 regulations wore grey serge alkalaks. The silver

i.a.u.-l 145


138. N.C.O., 1st Madras Lancers, 1893, based on photographs.

139. British officer, Madras Lancers, based on photograph.

146

MADRAS CAVALRY

140. British officer, 27th Light Cavalry, 1910, based on V ( I.ovcll picture and actual uniform.

141. Native officer, 27th Light Cavalry, i<jo6, based on photograph.

147


lace on the cuffs, neck and semi-circular opening was ornamented with braid in varying

degrees of quantity for the subadar-major, subadar and jemadar. The pugri was of blue,

French grey and white with gold stripes to indicate the ranks; the kummerbund following

the same colours. The sky blue pantaloons with two cloth stripes were worn with regimental

knee boots, or with ankle boots and puttees for dismounted duties. The risaldar-major

of the 4th Light Cavalryr who came over for the 1887 celebrations wore the dress de-

scribed with a waist-belt with two shoulder-braces and the sword in a frog. The cuffs of

his alkalak were point, laced and traced with silver. The shoulder-chains bore the Prince

of \Vales' plumes and crossed swords. The 1901 regulations permitted native officers a

khaki blouse as worn by British officers and the sword was a tulwar with a scroll hilt.

In 1 903 the change of numbers took place and about the same time the alkalak was dis-

continued for the kurta. Whereas some regiments had the alkalak which opened only to the

waist, that of the Madras Lancers, opened all the way and had the right skirt cut six

inches wider to make a greater overlap. The chest opening had rows of silver braid, the

collar was laced round and the pointed cuff had an elaborate flowered knot at the top and

a crow's foot below. The blue breeches and white stripes continued in use and shoulder-

chains were worn. A photograph of 191 1 shows a native officer of the 26th Light Cavalry

with braid and eyes also around his breastpockets. He also had the Prince of Wales'

plumes on his shoulder-chains, his waist-belt plate and on the pouch-belt. Another native

officer has crossed lances and '27' on his waist-belt plate.

The havildar who attended the opening of the Imperial Institute in 1893 had a dress

similar to that of a native officer but without the silver braid. Three white chevrons

were worn on the right upper arm and on the left arm were embroidered lances on a

rectangular patch. He was unusual in wearing only a single shoulder-brace to his waist-

belt. This passes under the shoulder-chain which bore the regimental device. Whitaker's

List for 1900 describes the pugri as dark blue with a khaki kullah for the 1st MadrasLancers, dark and light blue pugri with white kullah for the 2nd and dark blue and red

pugri with grey kullah for the 3rd. The dress regulations say no more than 'regimental

patterns' and it is difficult to reconcile these notes with sketches such as by Simkin and

Lovett. There are lungis of these colours but the kullahs vary considerably ; Simkin shows

the 3rd with both yellow and red kullahs. Later Lovett shows the 26th with a lungi of

dark and light blue with red bars (no doubt to indicate the Royal honour) and gold to

indicate a N.C.O.

148

CHAPTER VIII

BOMBAY CAVALRY

The usefulness of cavalry in Bombay was recognized early in the history of this

settlement and in 1672 fifty horsemen, all English, were ordered to be raised to

defend the island. The life of this troop was precarious and when in 1677 its strength

was only twenty-five, the Surat Council ordered the number to be increased to forty, it being

said that 'beside the extraordinary fame ofhorse in these countries, one horse being equiva-

lent to 50 foot, they are such an ubiquitary force that on half an hour's time, by taking upforty soldiers behind them, we can have eighty men in any part of the island, completely

armed and ready to impede an enemy's landing' {History of Bombay Army, p. 25). This

cavalry had several successful engagements against native troops but was reduced in 1678.

The next attempt at cavalry was c. 1720 when a troop of Dragoons was raised from the

European Regiment. It took part in an expedition against Angria in 1 720 but they too, in

1727, were dispersed and incorporated into the company of grenadiers.

Many years passed before the next (and this time successful) effort was made to create

cavalry in Bombay. Colonel John Murray in November 1 803 had asked for permission

to form a troop of cavalry and permission was granted the following month. The forma-

tion of a second troop was approved by the Court of Directors in 1805. Actually the second

troop was not raised until 18 16, not before it was needed as the single troop had borne

the brunt of much action. In the following year the troops were increased to two regiments

of Light Cavalry, receiving drafts from the Madras Cavalry. In 1820, drafts from these

two regiments and from the Poona Auxiliary Horse (raised in 181 7) helped to create a

3rd Regiment of Light Cavalry. In 1842, the 1st Regiment became Lancers and after the

Mutiny (1862) all three became Silladar Light Cavalry (that is, finding their own horses).

In 1880 the 1 st again became Lancers, the 2nd following suit in 1883 but the 3rd remained

Cavalry. In the combined Army of 1903 the three regiments became respectively—31st

Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, 32nd Lancers, and the 33rd (Q.V.O.) Light Cavalry.

After the First World War, the 31st and 32nd were linked in 1922 as the 13th (Duke of

Connaught's Own) Bombay Lancers and the 33rd became part of the 17th QueenVictoria's Own Poona Horse.

The above cavalry regiments may be considered as regular cavalry but there were also

several irregular units in Bombay Presidency, the earliest being the Poona Auxiliary

Horse raised in 181 7. This Poona unit became Irregular Horse in 1847 and in i860

formed a 2nd Poona Horse. In 1861 they were taken into the numbered cavalry as the 4th

and 5th Poona Silladar Horse. In 1862 they went back to the 1st and 2nd Poona Horse

but the 2nd being disbanded, left the original unit as the Poona Horse. It was not until

1885 that it was again numbered becoming the 4th Bombay Lancers (Poona Horse). In

the re-organization of 1903 it became the 34th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Poona Horse

and in 1922 amalgamated with the 33rd Cavalry as the 17th Q.V.O. Poona Horse.

'49


The Gujarat Irregular Horse was raised in 1839 and had a 2nd Regiment in i860. In

1 86 1 they became the 6th and 7th Gujarat Silladar Horse but the 2nd was disbanded in

1 86 1 and the 1st in 1865.

The Scinde Irregular Horse was raised in 1839 from the Kutch Levy of the PoonaAuxiliary Horse, the 2nd Regiment being formed in 1846 from the parent body, the 3rd

in 1 857 from the Baluch tribesmen and the 4th in 1 860. The 2nd was known also as Macauley's

Horse in 1858 but in 186 1 all four regiments were numbered the 8th, 9th, 10th and nthScinde Silladar Horse. Like the other regiments they almost at once were numbered from1 to 4, while the 4th was disbanded in 1862 and the 3rd in 1882. In 1885 they were num-bered with the other cavalry as the 5th Bombay Cavalry (Scinde Horse), and the 6th

Bombay Cavalry (Jacob's Horse). In 1903 the two regiments became the 35th Scinde

Horse and the 36th Jacob's Horse, both amalgamating in 1922 as the 14th Prince of

Wales' Own Scinde Horse.

The South Mahratta Horse were raised in 1850, a 2nd Regiment appearing in 1858

and a 3rd in i860. In 1861 they became the 12th, 13th and 14th South Mahratta Silladar

Horse but in 1862 the 3rd and 2nd were disbanded leaving the original South MahrattaHorse alone to be disbanded in 1865.

A 7th Bombay Cavalry was raised at Shikarpur, Scinde, in 1885 and known as 'Jacob-

ka-Risallah', it became in 1886 the 7th Bombay Cavalry (Baluch Horse). In 1890 it be-

came the 7th Lancers and in 1903 took the number of 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse). In

1922 it amalgamated with the 17th Cavalry as the 15th Lancers.

The Aden troop was formed in 1 855 from men of the Scinde Horse and reconstituted

in 1867 with men from the Scinde Horse and the Poona Horse. Although performing

useful service in the First World War, the troop was disbanded in 1929.

'When Colonel Murray was seeking permission to raise a cavalry troop in Bombay, a

letter from Arthur Wellesley in November 1803 said 'clothe them in the red jacket, cut

according to the Hindustani pattern', and this may have been done, for when the two

Bombay Cavalry regiments eventually appear in the East India Register (1820) they are

said to be clad in red with white facings, the 1st having gold lace and the 2nd, silver. Veryfew orders give information; a G.G.O. of September 1807 states that the mounted officers'

sash was to have the tassel on the right side and one ofJuly 18 16 that the jackets of cavalry

officers were to reach below the hipbone. Another of November 181 7 said that officers

were to wear helmet caps with red horsehair. This headdress may have been like that of

the Madras Cavalry but evidence is lacking.

A G.G.O. of 18 September 1819 stated that the uniform of the native cavalry should be

French grey, facings orange, lace and embroidery silver (The East India Register of 1820

appears to have been publishing obsolete information but that was a common happening

in those days). The use of French grey shows that the Directors of the Company had

succeeded in clothing the regular cavalry of three Presidencies in a uniform colour. Anorder of December 1823 speaks of the leather breeches and pantaloons of the European

X.C.O.s but these items may have been on the way out, as were other items mentioned

in this order, like the helmets. A G.G.O. of 18 July 1824 stated that 'the cavalry feather is

a red and white hackle drooping with an elastic stem of twelve inches'. This type of feather

could only have been worn with a shako and therefore the helmet was obsolete, as might

be expected by this date. The veterinary surgeons wore a cocked hat as a G.O.C. of

150

BOMBAY CAVALRY

21 May 1827 established the uniform of a plain French grey shell jacket with collar and

cuffs the same as the other officers but without lace. The plain cocked hat had a black silk

cockade and no feather. Other items were as worn by the other officers, except the girdle

which was 'not worn by any description of M.O.'

The date of the change of the facings from orange to white is obscure but it must have

been about this time (1826 is the date given without any authority in the History of the

33rd Light Cavalry, published in Poona, c. 1914). Details in lace books (Bullmore &Patrick) give some information on the items of dress but not all. The cap, or shako, hadsilver oak leaf lace around the top and 'a bullion rosette and loop as made for Bengal'

is ordered as late as June 1836. This pattern was obsolete at home but by December 1836

the dress shako is described with the Maltese plate and shows that the new pattern hadcome in use. The centre of this plate had the regimental number with 'Bombay Light

Cavalry' around it and the crown over the top. The heavy festoon and flounders of gold

line was worn with the new pattern and instead of a short upright plume a swan-feather

plume came into use. The new undress shako was made of oilskin with a red horsehair

plume. The pouchbelts in these notes were silver 'wave and stand' with a white silk stripe,

showing that the facings were white. The pouch-plate was silver with gilt mounts of a

star and 'B.L.C for the 1st and 2nd Light Cavalry.

A picture ofColonel C.J. Dunn, 1st Bombay Light Cavalry shows him with a mameluke-hilted sword and the lace book describes a mameluke belt of silver cord and grey with

twelve sliders. The hussar sash of crimson silk and gold barrels was worn by the two senior

regiments; the lace girdle being permitted for undress. The 3rd Light Cavalry had a morenormal sword-belt of silver lace and white. The sabretache of the 3rd had been noted as

crimson in these notes but was altered to grey cloth as in the case of the other two. Theshabraques in the lace books are described as dark blue, pointed at the rear ends with, in

the case of the 3rd Cavalry, embroidery with the crown over '3', over 'BLC in a laurel

wreath with a large silver star below. On the front corners the embroidered devices did

not include the star or number. The 1st and 2nd Regiments had the laurel and star on the

rear parts but no star in front.

The picture of Colonel Dunn showed his light blue grey jacket laced with three rows

of buttons and the loops of the central row threaded through one another in chain fashion.

His white collar was laced all round with flat silver lace. Print No. 1 in the Ackermannseries of the Indian Army shows the Bombay Light Cavalry in 1844 and the uniform de-

picted is more or less as just described. The red base to the white swan-feather plume can

be seen and the jacket now has five rows of buttons. The light grey and blue uniform has

silver lace, the shabraque and sabretache are as described and the horse has a white

throat plume. As the waist-belt in this print is 'lace' the 3rd Regiment might be indicated

although the fashions may have changed.

Number 17 in the Ackermann prints is the Bombay Lancers of 1846 and shows a

mounted officer in the attractive Lancer dress similar to that worn at home, and more or

less as described in the 1850 regulations, but differs by having a dark cock's-feather

plume. The sabretache in the print has crossed lances embroidered behind the central

devices. The shabraque is dark blue with the ornaments on the rear end including crossed

lances. The horse's throat ornament was a white hair plume in a white-metal socket.

The regulations of 1 May 1850 give the following details:

—

'5 1


142. British officer. 1st Bombay Light Cavalry, 1844, after Ackermann print. White plume (over red), black shako,

bright blue jacket, silver lace.

143. British officer, Bombay Lancers, 1846, after Ackermann print, black plumes to red lancer cap; bright blue

jacket with silver epaulettes, lace and buttons; dark blue shabraque laced and embroidered silver.

145 146 W144. Officer's helmet, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, silver with black horsehair plume.

145. Sabretache, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, pre-Mutiny.

146. Sabretache, 1st Bombay Light Cavalry, post-Mutiny.

147. Sabretache, 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry, post-Mutiny; French grey face with silver lace and embroidery.

152

BOMBAY CAVALRY

DRESS

'Jacket—cavalry grey, double-breasted ; two rows of buttons, nine in each row, placed at

equal distances; white kerseymere Prussian collar three inches deep, two silver embroi-

dered button-holes, five inches long at each end; white cuff one and three-quarter inches

deep, straight cavalry flap on sleeve, four inches deep and five small buttons; an edging

of embroidery three-quarter inch wide round the cuff and ditto of half inch round the

flap ; skirt seven inches in length, three and a half inches wide at bottom with plaits andslashed flap with three buttons, two buttons on the hip; white kerseymere turnbacks

commencing in front and white skirt fining.

Epaulettes—cloth, strap of the colour of the facings, richly embroidered with silver;

bright silver bullion two and a half inches deep.

Cap—scarlet cloth, trencher top, ten inches square, front angle in line with the centre of

peak; fluted sides, five and a half inches each at waist; gold cord running up the four

corners transversely over the crown ; on left side a large gold bullion rosette in the centre

;

round the waist a gold band two inches wide terminating under a large gilt plate, with

''B.L.C." in the centre, surrounded by a garter decorated with the Rose, Thistle andShamrock, the whole on black velvet ground; a black patent leather peak in front,

another constandy turned up behind, laced with a broad and two narrow braids, a gilt

chain and lions' heads; space between the front plate and back peak occupied by two stripes

of three-quarter inch gold braid on the black leather ground; the depth of the cap from

the side to the top, nine inches.

Cap line—plain gold cord, with two bullion tassels, two inches deep to pass round the

body and to be secured to the back of the cap by a loop.

Plume—black horse hair, drooping fifteen and a half inches from an upright stem of

eight inches.

Trowsers—white linen or sky-blue cloth, with one stripe of silver lace, one and a half

inches wide up each outward seam.

Boots—ankle. Spurs—steel two inches long with dumb rowels.

Sabre—steel-mounted, half basket hilt with two fluted bars on the outside; black fish skin

gripe, bound with silver wire, the blade very curved, thirty-five and a half inches long andone and a quarter wide with a round back, terminating within eleven inches of the point.

Scabbard—steel, with large shoe at the bottom, solid bands and rings, a trumpet-formed

mouth.

Sword-knot—crimson and gold, with bullion tassels.

Girdle—gold lace, two and a half inches wide with two crimson silk stripes and fastening

with hooks and eyes.

Waist-belt—silver lace, one and a quarter inches wide with a quarter inch silk stripe upcentre; white morocco lining and edging, fastening in front with a snake ornament; two

large and two smaller silver rings, through which hang three slings of one inch silk andsilver vellum lace, with buckles and straps by which the tache is suspended and two

slings silver and silk one and a quarter inch wide lace with swivels for rings of scabbard;

silk stripes and morocco lining, and edging of the colour of the facings.

Sabretache—white morocco leather pocket ten and a half inches deep, ten and a h;ili

inches wide at bottom, eight inches at top, cavalry grey cloth face, fourteen and a half

'53


inches deep, twelve inches wide at bottom, eight and a half inches at top, edged all roundwith two and a quarter inch silver lace leaving a grey edge; embroidered "B.L.C." in the

centre, surmounted by a star; vacancy at bottom for regimental badges; three rings at top

for slings of belt ; a morocco case.

Pouchbelt—silver lace two and a quarter inches wide, with half inch silk stripe ; moroccolining and edging to correspond with waist-belt; silver engraved plate, with chains andpickers; buckle, tip and slide, attached to pouch box with silver buckles and rings.

Pouch box—black leather, a silver embroidered edging round the top, solid silver flap

seven and a half inches wide, two and three-quarter inches deep, engraving round the

edges; gilt raised "B.L.C." surmounted by a star in the centre; on each side silver staple

ornaments for rings of belt.

Stock—black silk. Gloves—white leather gauntlets.'

UNDRESS

'Jacket—cavalry grey rounded shell, single-breasted with small studs quite close down the

front, fastening with hooks and eyes ; white kerseymere Prussian collar, three inches deep

;

white cuff one and three-quarter inches deep ; cavalry grey sleeve flap with five buttons

;

an edging of silver lace entirely round the jacket, cuff and flap on sleeve. Field officers

to wear one and a half inch lace, other officers lace one inch wide.

Shoulder-strap—silver cord.

Cap—oiled silk, shape and dimensions as dress cap; silver chains lined with black velvet.

Trousers—sky blue cloth, with one stripe one and a half inches wide of cloth the colour

of the facings, up each outward seam.

Spurs—steel two and a quarter inches long including sharp rowels.

Waist-belt—black patent leather, one and three-quarter inches wide with silver lion's headmounting, fastening in front with a snake ornament, two large and one smaller silver

rings through which hang three tache slings, half inch wide, fastening with buckles andstraps to rings of sabretache and two (amended to one) niches wide sword slings with

swivels for rings of scabbard.

Sabretache—black patent leather, pocket nine and a half inches deep, eight and a half

inches wide at top, seven and a half at bottom ; face eleven and a half inches deep, ten

and a half inches wide at bottom, seven at top; three silver rings at top.

Boots, sabre, scabbard, sword-knot, stock—as in dress.

Pouch-belt—plain white buffalo leather, two inches wide attached to pouch box.

Pouch-box—black patent leather, rounded top, flap six and a half inches wide, four anda half deep.


Forage cap—blue cloth, encircled with a silver lace band, one and three-quarter inches

wide, a silver netted purl button at top, with silver braid crossing the top of the cap

twice and terminating under the lace band; silver embroidered peak; oilskin cover.

Greatcoat—blue with braided loops.

Cloak—blue cloth, lined with scarlet, collar of regimental facings.'

The dress of the other two regiments was covered by the same regulations, which

gave :

—

154

BOMBAY CAVALRY

DRESS

'Jacket—cavalry grey cloth rounded shell ; white kerseymore Prussian collar three inches

deep, laced entirely round the edges with one inch wide silver lace, ornamented with an

edging of narrow Russia braid, and on the collar with a border of small Russia figuring;

single-breasted with five rows of regimental buttons, the centre row balls, the other half

balls ; richly trimmed with thick silver square braid loops, extending the full width of the

jacket across the breast and about three inches wide at the bottom, pointed cuff, three

inches deep at the point, ornamented in the same way as the collar, with silver Russia

braid and rounded off to form a cuff; the back to be also ornamented up the seams with

one inch wide silver lace, with an edging of narrow Russia braid, which also passes over

the knobs behind, white silk lining.

Trowsers—white linen or sky blue cloth, with two stripes down each outward seam, of

silver lace three-quarter inch wide leaving a light between.

Boots—half boots. Spurs—steel with two and a quarter inch necks including

rowels.

Cap—busby of regimental fur, nine inches deep and the same size at top and bottom

;

scarlet fly and plaited top (sunk one and a half inches within the edge of the fur) ; silver

chain fastening to lions' heads at the sides, silver lines with olives.

Plume—white egrette with scarlet bottom, ten inches high, silver socket and ring.

Sash—gold and crimson barrelled ; large acorns at end of cord.

Sabre—steel mounted ; half basket hilt, with two fluted bars on the outside, black fish

skin gripe, bound with silver wire; the blade very little curved, thirty-five and a half

inches long and one and a quarter inches wide with a round back terminating within

eleven inches of the point.

Scabbard—steel with large shoe at the bottom, solid band and rings, a trumpet shaped

mouth.

Knot—gold with bullion tassel.

Waist-belt—silver lace one and a quarter inch wide with a quarter inch silk stripe up the

centre; white morocco lining and edging fastening in front with a snake ornament; (etc.

as before).

Sabretache—white morocco leather; pocket twelve and a half inches deep, ten and a half

wide at bottom, eight at top; cavalry grey cloth face, fourteen inches deep, twelve inches

wide at bottom, eight and a half inches at top, edging round with two and a quarter inch

lace leaving a grey edge; embroidered "B.L.C." in the centre, surmounted by a

star; vacancy at the bottom for regimental badges; three rings at top for slings of

belts.

Pouch belt—silver lace two and a quarter inches wide with half inch silk stripe, lining

and edging to correspond with waist-belt; silver engraved plates with chains and pickers;

buckle, tip and slide, attached to pouch-box with silver buckles and rings.

Pouch-box—black leather, a silver embroidered edging round the top; solid silver flap

seven and a half inches wide, two and three-quarter inches deep, engraving round the

edges, gilt raised "B.L.C", surmounted by a star, in the centre; on each side silver staple

ornaments for rings of belt.

Cravat—black silk. Gloves—white leather.

155


UNDRESS

'Jacket—cavalry grey rounded shell with an inch wide scalloped lace entirely round the

edges ; Prussian collar three inches deep laced round outward edge ; single-breasted closing

with hooks and eyes, and showing a row of studs close together; pointed cuff, four inches

deep at point, lace round the top, and rounded off to form a cuff; sleeve and side seams

welted ; collar, cuffs, edging and lining the colour of the regimental facings.

Shoulder-straps—a pair of scaled straps, solid crescent without bullion.

Frock coat—blue cloth, with loops, olivets and braiding according to regimental pattern.

Trowsers—white linen of sky blue cloth, with one stripe, one and a half inches wide of

cloth the colour of the facings, up each outwards seam.

Boots, spurs, sabre, scabbard, knot—as in Dress.

Waist-belt—brown Russia leather, an inch wide with silver lion's head mountings fasten-

ing in front with a snake ornament; (etc. as before).

Sabretache—plain black patent leather, etc.

Pouch-belt—white buffalo leather two and a half inches wide attached to pouch-box.

Pouch-box—plain black patent leather, etc.

Forage cap—blue cloth encircled with a silver laced band of oakleaf pattern, one and a

half inches wide, a button at top, black patent leather peak, embroidered.

Cloak—blue cloth, lining of colour of regimental facings.'

Pictures are lacking of the fur busby in the Bombay Army although it is known in the

Bengal Cavalry but a metal helmet is known to have been in use about this time, and

possibly after the Mutiny, as a photograph of an officer wearing a helmet exists. Theactual helmet of C. F.Jackson of the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry is white metal and of the

pattern introduced at home in 1847. It bears the number '2' inside a garter inscribed

'Bombay Light Cavalry' and there is a crown above and laurel leaves around. There is a

black horsehair plume which can be replaced by a feather plume for full dress or a spike

to be worn on active service. A helmet, once in the possession ofJ. P. Grafton, belonged

to the 3rd Bombay Light Cavalry and followed the same pattern as the one mentioned,

having a silver-plated body with gilt plate and fittings, the number '3' in the centre and

a scarlet horsehair plume.

The jacket of C. F. Jackson is French grey with white collar and cuffs and the silver

braid across the front is so close as to hide the cloth. The braid between the five rows of

buttons is straight between the outer rows but wavy in the inner. Broad lace is on the cuffs,

collar and up the back seams of the coat. The pouchbelt silver with the white central line

and the fittings are silver hall-marked 1836-7. The pouch has a silver flap with a gilt

mount of a crown over the regimental number inside a garter bearing 'Bombay Light

Cavalry' in a laurel wreath. The Hussar sash is crimson and gold and the sword-belt also

silver with slings for sword and sabretache. The 'trowsers' are blue with a single silver lace

stripe (they were double stripes in the 1850 regulations). In the Scottish United Services

Museum is the sabretache, pouch and pouchbelt of an officer of the 2nd Bombay Light

Cavalry. The last two items are as those of C. F. Jackson but the sabretache demandsattention. There are no regimental distinctions and it consists of a French grey face with

an embroidered star over large curling 'BLC, all framed by a wide silver lace. It is said

that the crown replaced the star after the Mutiny and this indeed seems to be the case

156

BOMBAY CAVALRY

in the sabretache of C. F. Jackson, also of the 2nd Bombay Light Cavalry. This example

has the embroidered crown over the large 'BLC with laurel leaves below. Another

sabretache has the same basic design with the devices of the crown over 'BLC and

laurel leaves but with two scrolls under the crown bearing 'Punjaub' and 'Mooltan'.

Despite the fact that there are no lances, it would appear that this article belonged to the

ist Bombay Light Cavalry. Although no devices are given in the regulations for the undress

sabretaches, there is a large metal badge with '2' on a shield inside a garter with 'BombayLight Cavalry' set on crossed swords and all surrounded by laurel and a crown on top,

which seems to be the badge.

Pictures of the Bombay Cavalry during the Mutiny and the Persian War show themwearing the undress uniform, with the peaked cap and white cover, undress jackets with

shoulder-scales, and trousers with cloth stripes down the seams. The tunic was adopted bythe British officers and was after the Hussar fashion as may be seen by the example at

Sandhurst. This is powder blue in colour with white collar and cuffs and the embroidery

and lace in silver. The buttons bore 'B.L.C and held narrow cords on the shoulders.

The five rows of cord across the chest had olivets as fastening in the centre. The 3rd

Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry became the 'Queen's Own' in 1876 and thus took

scarlet facings instead of white, and the Royal cypher in a garter as a badge on colours

and appointments. On 1 January 1880 the regiment paraded for the first time in their

new uniform (History of the 33rd Light Cavalry, p. 169).

The dress of the natives is almost unrecorded in the early days. In October 1878 the

Adjutant-General sent a circular ordering alterations in the dress of the native cavalry bywhich a loose blouse of the regimental colours was adopted for universal use by native

officers, N.C.O. and sowars. The lungi was to be adopted as the headdress and a

kummerbund of a similar pattern was to be worn under the sword-belt. Changes were nowtaking place. In 1 880 the 1 st became Lancers again and in 1 883 the 2nd also became Lancers

and about this period, the old grey uniform was discontinued for the green so popular in

the other Bombay Irregular Cavalry. The ist had dark green with scarlet facings, the

2nd, dark green with white and the 3rd dark green, with scarlet.

The 1884 dress regulations gave the British officers' ordinary parade blouse as dark

green serge with a one and a half inch high collar with a row ofgold zigzag lace around it.

The gold badges of rank were worn on the steel shoulder-chains which were to be fastened

on leather. The cuffs had Austrian knots and no facings were on this garment. The full

dress blouses were to be identical in shape and ornamentation but with gilt chain shoulder-

straps and distinguishing braiding for the ranks. There was to be an ornament on the back

extending from the collar, the same as that formerly worn on the alkalak of native officers,

2nd Lancers. The Lancer regiments were to have scarlet piping and lancer buttons, the

others no piping. The headdress in ordinary dress was to be the white helmet with spike

when not parading with the regiment, but when with the men it was to be entirely covered

with a native officer's regimental lungi. For full dress it was optional for officers to have

the pugri and 'kazlbash' cap or the helmet with the lungi around it. The kummerbundwas red merino and the breeches buckskin in full dress and Bedford cord on ordinary

parades. Knee boots were worn in full dress but dark green serge puttees and black boots

were also worn on other duties. The full dress waist-belt was gold with a silk central stripe

but black in undress. There was no sabretache now either for full dress or undress. There

157


was also an undress patrol jacket of dark green cloth, trimmed with black mohair braid

and with five double rows of black cord hanging across the front. Dark green overalls

with double gold lace stripes were worn with this. There was also a green stable jacket

and also a khaki blouse—quite a variety of dress for a poor officer.

The native officers had a dark green blouse like the British officers but with gold tracing

braid on the sleeves varying for the three grades of native officers. The overalls were linen

pyjamas of Multani muttee colour. The kummerbund was red merino and dark green

puttees were worn. The sword-belt, pouch and pouchbelt were black leather as was the

sword-knot. The lungi had gold or silver stripes. The horse of both British and native

officers had a coloured throat plume—red for the ist Lancers, black for the 2nd Lancers,

red and black mixed for the 3rd Cavalry, green for the Poona Horse, white for the 5th

Cavalry, black and white mixed for the 6th Cavalry, crimson for the 7th Cavalry andyellow for the Aden troop. The common grey dress now having been discontinued, it

may be best now to deal separately with each regiment up to the period of amalgamation.

In the ist Bombay Lancers the British officers' full dress when not with the men was a

white helmet with a regimental pugri, a dark green lancer tunic with scarlet collar, cuffs,

plastron and piping and laced with gold zigzag pattern, gold girdle with two crimson

silk stripes, dark green cloth overalls with double gold stripes on the seams; pouchbelt

and sword-slings of the gold zigzag lace, silver-topped pouch and knee boots whenmounted. A photograph of an officer shows a whistle and chain on the pouchbelt, a

feature of the Bombay Cavalry. When on parade with the men a dark green serge blouse

was worn. This had a scarlet collar and cuff with gold lace. It was worn loose and open

down the front through the skirt and was fastened with four brass buttons. The steel

shoulder-chains should have been fastened on leather straps and below the badges of

rank were crossed lances, and the word 'Bombay'. Other items of dress were a red

kummerbund, drab Bedford cord breeches and white buckskin gauntlets. There was also

an undress green patrol jacket with black braid and loops. The forage cap and the field

cap were both red for the ist Bombay Lancers, with gold tracing braid. On becoming the

31st Lancers in 1903 the uniform changed to blue instead of green and the native dress

was the full dress for British officers. The pouchbelt is now noted with the device of the

elephant. White moleskin pantaloons were worn with the kurta, but blue trousers or panta-

loons with scarlet stripes were also permitted. The throat plume for horses was still scarlet.

The native officers also at first wore the green kurta, the gold pouchbelt, gold waist-

belt, white gauntlets and breeches, and knee boots as the British officers. Whitaker's List

for 1900 says that the pugri was dark blue, black and yellow for this regiment. The khaki

dress was also frequently worn, at first with coloured lungi and dark puttees but later

these articles also became khaki. At the end of the nineteenth century the regiment had

a mounted band of some twenty-four musicians including a kettledrummer.

According to the 1901 dress regulations, the British officers of 2nd Lancers wore the

same dress as described for the ist Bombay Lancers but with white facings. The forage

cap was green with gold lace and tracing braid and the field cap was white with dark green

side-flaps. As for the 32nd Lancers the dress was now blue instead of green and the lancer

tunic was still authorized (the only Bombay regiment to retain it).

The native officers wore the green kurta with white facings and piping. Pictures show

them wearing a simple black pouchbelt with narrow edging, dark sword-belt and white

158

BOMBAY CAVALRY

breeches. The lungi according to Whitaker's was white, dark and light blue and pictures

show these colours with much gold for the native officers. The men did not wear gauntlets

and some pictures show them with white collars and pointed cuffs on the green kurta but

others, as the 32nd, give only white piping to relieve the blue kurta.

The British officers of the 3rd Bombay Cavalry in full dress wore a cavalry tunic, dark

green with scarlet collar and cuffs, ornamented with gold zigzag lace on the collar. Thewhite helmet had gilt fittings and tight turban of regimental pattern with gold bars to

indicate rank. The gold pouchbelt and waist-belt had scarlet silk stripes. Dark green

pantaloons or breeches were worn with double gold lace stripes. The whistle was worn on

the pouchbelt instead of chain and pickers and the white gloves were the short type. Theforage cap was green with gold band and tracing while the field cap was scarlet with green

side-flaps. The dark green blouse was also worn and on the removable chain and leather

shoulder-straps were the badges of rank, crossed gilt tulwars and the name 'Bombay'.

On becoming the 33rd Light Cavalry the scarlet facings were retained on the blue kurta,

with the gold zigzag lace. White gauntlets were worn but a photograph of 191 1 shows a

British officer with short gloves revealing a pointed cuff outlined with narrow gold braid.

He still wears the whistle on the pouchbelt. The throat plume of the horse was still scarlet.

The native officers had the same dark green kurta which opened all the way down. This

is shown on Risaldar Mohamed Buksh who came to England in 1887. He wore the thick

shoulder-straps and the plain leather pouchbelt with the lace edges. Over his red kummer-bund he wore a brown leather sword-belt. Short gloves permitted the pointed cuff to

be seen. The History of the 33rd Light Cavalry (p. 213) says that when the full dress blouse

changed to blue, the yellow breeches were changed to white. An Edwardian photograph

shows puttees being worn with strapped leather top pieces. Whitaker gave the pugri as

dark blue, red and white and a Lovett water-colour of 1910 shows a lungi mainly red andblue. He also shows the blue kurta with a pointed red cuff and a standing red collar;

the wearer being a duffadar, narrow gold braid outlines these items.

The raising of some 5,000 men in a Corps of Auxiliary Horse was no light task as the

orders for that body in Poona, 15 July 181 7 indicate. Most of the men came from the

Poona Subsidiary Force, really the Peishwa's troops, and 'no regular dress' was 'to be

enforced; but if the men after they have been entertained will consent to wear cloth

angrikas, or turbans and kummerbunds of a uniform colour, they ought to be encouraged

to do so; if not, they must be required to wear some distinguishing mark in war, which

must be often changed to prevent the enemy from taking it up'. {The Poona Horse, Vol. I,

p. 180.) A painting in the Officers' Mess of 'Corygaum' Swanton shows him wearing a

long native coat below the knees and open in front to reveal long white trousers. The cuffs

are wide-ended and edged with lace, the chest has bars across it, but at the neck a Byronic

collar rises above all. A pistol is thrust through the waist sash and an embroidered baldric

carries a mameluke-hilted sword. The hero holds a long lance in his left hand while his

right copes with a restive steed. His head is bare and the object on the ground which might

be his headdress is indescribable.

Unfortunately, the next information on dress does not appear until the Battle of Hydera-

bad, 1843, when the artist George Jones, R.A., depicted the Poona Horse supporting Leslie's

Troop of Bombay Horse Artillery crossing the nullah. The oil-painting was exhibited at

the Royal Academy in 1854 (it is with kind permission that I was able to examine the

'59


original painting in its present setting on the restaurant staircase at the Royal Academy).The cavalrymen slash at the enemy with curved swords, conspicuous in their all-red

loosely-tied turbans, dark green kurtas, light pyjamas and high black boots. The Regi-

mental History(The Poona Horse, Vol. I, p. 220) states that c. 1848 the regimental uniform

was 'a dark green jacket with red facings and gold lace', and these details are repeated in

the Indian Army List ( 1 865} . It was in the Persian War at the Battle of Khushab that the

Poona Horse captured the standard surmounted by a silver hand, a device which later

became part of the regimental badge.

In 1869 the alkalak was shortened by one foot to suit the change in horse equipment

—

the old native type having been changed for saddles, bridles and numdahs obtained from

England. A uniform pattern of pugri was also adopted. The 1884 dress regulations gave

the customary dress and have little deviation for the Poona Horse except the green horse-

hair throat plume. In 1885 the Poona Horse became the 4th Bombay Cavalry. A picture

by A. C. Lovett in 1888 shows a risaldar and a sowar in dark green blouses open all the

way down the front as was the fashion for Bombay Cavalry. The short standing collar

and pointed cuffs are green and the breeches are coloured yellow. The native officer

wears white gloves, a black pouchbelt and a gold-embroidered kullah. The turban is

dark blue with green and yellow stripes but that of the sowar is dark blue with red and

yellow bars. \Vhitaker's List of 1900 gives 'green, red, blue and yellow pugri and lungi'.

Simkin depicts a sowar in much the same dress but with a light grey collar. The duffadar

who came to England in 1893 wore the green kurta with four small buttons down the

front and with a grey collar and pointed cuffs. On the chain shoulder-straps he wore the

regimental badge with the silver hand. A Sam Browne belt went over the red kummerbund(worn without any ends . He wore yellow breeches and had knee boots notched at the

top. His lungi is shown as red with yellow bars.

The dress of the British officers was as cavalry and the tunic made for Lieutenant

Cooper in 1895 was a very dark green tunic made as for Dragoons with 'nine holes' and

French grey cloth was used for the collar, cuffs and piping on the fronts while three-

quarter inch gold lace was on the top of the collar, gold cord on the collar seam, sleeves

and back slashes. The metal chain straps had silver-plated badges. The dress regulations

of 1 90 1 gave the same dress for the 4th Bombay Cavalry as for the 3rd already described,

the only striking difference being in the throat plume which was grey, a change that had

taken place on the introduction of the new facings.

In 1 90 1 the uniform became blue instead of green although the French grey facings

and gold zigzag lace continued in use. [The Poona Horse, Vol. I, p. 262.) The tunic, nowoptional, is shown in a photograph of 191 1, with gold lace around the top of the grey

collar and with eight buttons down the front. The gold lace pouchbelt carried the whistle

and chain. The stiff rectangular shoulder-chains with badges of rank were worn. Thedark blue trousers had a one and a halfinch wide French grey stripe down each side seam.

Other items of dress noted in the 191 3 dress regulations were as the 33rd Light Cavalry

with regimental differences of facings and lace. A photograph of Lieutenant F. A. de Pass,

V.C., shows him in native dress. The dark blue kurta has four buttons down the front

and the grey collar is laced all round with gold lace. The cuffs are not seen because of the

high white gauntlet gloves but a gold Austrian knot appears above the top. The gold lace

pouchbelt has a whistle and chain with an ornamental fastener. The waist-belt had a plate

160

Colour Pi.a i ij

i

I iropearj ( MBccr, Madras Light Cavalry, 1848. After print published !)\ Ackermann.European Officer, Bombay Cavalrs . 1844. After print published by Ackermann.

Colour Plate io. Lance-duffadar, 38th King George's Own Central India Horse, c. 191 o.

Plates 5, 6. 7, and 10 arc after the water-colours by A. C. Lovctt which arc pre-

served at Sandhurst and reproduced from blocks kindly lent by the National ArmyMuseum.

BOMBAY CAVALRY

148. Risaldar, 4th Bombay Cavalry, 1888, after A. C. Lovctt. Green jacket with shoulder-chains, red kummerbund,light yellow trousers, red kullah, green lungi with yellow and green stripes.

149. Risaldar- Major, 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse, 1912. Dark blue coat with gold braid, redkummerbund with gold top edging and embroidery, white breeches, blue lungi with gold and red stripes; goldbelts.

I.A.U.-.M l6l


with the Imperial cypher in a wreath. The kummerbund is ornamented on the ends in

Kashmir fashion and the top edge round the waist had a gold pattern. The shoulder-

chains are the normal loose pattern and not the leather backed ones.

The native officers wore the blue kurta with the grey collar laced all round with gold

lace. The gold pouchbelt and waist-belt were as those worn by the British officers. Thered kummerbund had the same gold edge on the top and also embroidered ends. Gaunt-

lets are also shown in a 191 1 photograph. Lovett shows another rank in 1910 with a

yellow and blue lungi, white breeches and blue puttees.

The Scinde Horse had its origins in the Kutch Lew. The border between Kutch and

Sind had been disturbed for some years and men from the Poona Horse formed the Kutch

Levy which then performed duty in that troubled area. In 1839 tne men of the Kutch

Lew were transferred to Sind and became the Scinde Irregular Horse. Captain Wardoriginally commanded the unit but early in 1842 John Jacob became the Commandant.An escort from the regiment accompanied Sir Charles Napier in that year and described

the troopers as 'wild picturesque fellows, very like stage banditti' (Maunsell, p. 5). Thesowars wore dark green alkalaks following the parent unit. For the native officers this

garment was laced with silver around the semi-circular front opening and on the collar.

A fairly tight turban of red was worn and the waist sash was the same colour. Dark green

pyjamas and high black boots were worn with short white gloves. The charjama was red

and green in large rectangles. In fighting order the Indian cavalrymen wore a fur-lined

poshteen, cut fairly short.

Number 33 in the Ackermann prints shows a British Officer of the Scinde Irregular Horse

in 1849. His uniform is most striking and not really one that would be expected in India.

He wears a silver helmet with a black plume. ^Tien this shape of helmet was introduced

at home, all regiments wore black plumes, and only changed later to plumes of special

colours. This may have also been the fashion in the Scinde Horse, for later the 1st Regi-

ment was said to have had white plumes and the 2nd primrose. When the 3rd Scinde

Horse was raised late in 1857, they had red plumes (Colonel E. B. Maunsell, Cavalry

Journal, January 1933). Several of these silver helmets have been preserved, some in the

Officers" Mess. One example bought in Charing Cross had a label above the peak bearing

'Scinde Irregular Horse' which would place it before i860. This helmet had a scaled

chin strap, a floriated pattern on the peak and an ornamental spike on top—an undress

variation. Another example presented to the Indian Museum, Sandhurst, has the title

'Scinde Horse' and a curb chin chain, making it after i860 and possibly worn up to 1885

(Maunsell, p. 12).

To return to the officer in the print, he wears a dark green jacket heavily corded with

silver on the chest in Hussar fashion. There are five rows of buttons and the collar is laced

all around. The hussar sash is green with silver barrels. The overalls are dark green with

double silver lace stripes. The pouchbelt is black with silver ornamentation and the

sword-belt, silver with silver slings. The green-faced sabretache has a wide silver border

and silver embroidered devices which include 'SIH' and laurel leaves. The dark

shabraque is rounded in Light Dragoon fashion and besides the broad silver lace edge the

ends were embroidered with 'SIH', a label and other decorations. Instead of a throat

plume the horse has a silver crescent at its neck, useful for picketing purposes. A print

showing an officer in undress or fighting costume, 1 848, shows him in a yellowish poshteen

162

BOMBAY CAVALRY

(» V

150. Sowar, Scinde Irregular Horse, 1849, after Ackermann print. Red turban, dark green alkalak with white or silver

lace.

151. British officer, Scinde Irregular Horse, 1849, after Ackermann print. Dark green uniform with silver lace etc.,

black helmet with silver fittings.

152. British officer, 'in fighting dress', 1848, after sketch by W. A. Sitwell. Red headdress with black peak showing.Yellow poshteen, green breeches with double red stripes, dark green horsecloth with silver edge.

with dark green sleeves appearing below the short sleeves of the upper garment. His

headdress appears to be the silver helmet without a spike and closely wound with a red

pugri. His hands and wrists are protected by heavy gloves which appear to be armouredupon the back parts. The dark green trousers have double red stripes and go into high

jackboots. The dark green shabraque is plain with a simple silver edging and the black

undress sabretache is also without devices.

The clothing for a British officer c. 1870 (from a tailor's book) included a dark green

patrol jacket braided all round with Austrian knots on the pointed cuffs and side slits.

But this was changed soon after to the Hussar type with six flat braid loops and olivets.

The tunic was green also as for Hussars. The stable jacket was green with gold cord on the

edges, back and sleeves, an Austrian knot on the cuffs and twisted gimp on the shoulders.

The mess vest was dark green, without collar and with tracing braid.

Pictures of 1879 show the blouse or kurta being worn slit at the sides and the sleeves

widened at the wrist. The turban is now tied in a loose fashion with a short end hanging

down the back. The British officers wore a pugri on their spiked helmets, which has been

named the silver type although it looks similar to the tropical helmet usually worn.

Kummerbunds and dark belts appear in the pictures. The sowars are shown with their

carbines in buckets slung on the offside of the horse. Jacob saw to it that all his men were

163


well-armed having double-barrelled carbines made in London, at a time when other irre-

gular cavalry still carried matchlocks.

The 1884 dress regulations give the uniform as described for other Bombay cavalry,

the only difference being pointed out is the white throat plume for the horse. The 1886

dress regulations report the same information but give the new title of 5th BombayCavalry. Lovett in a picture of 1888 depicts a naique in a khaki blouse, slit at the sides,

with yellow chevrons edged red, a red turban striped yellow and a dark colour. Thelight khaki breeches or pyjamas are worn with dark blue puttees which go inside brownankle boots. A photograph of Risaldar-Major Mohamed Unar Khan in 1897 shows himwearing the dark green blouse with three buttons down the front, and a standing white

collar edged all round with gold lace. His shoulder-chains are on white cloth but his cuffs

are obscured by high gauntlet gloves, which only allow a point of gold lace to appear.

The pouchbelt has a whistle and chain coming from a regimental device. The gold

waist-belt has a large rectangular plate and a steel-hilted European sword slung from it.

The turban has a short upstanding fringe but the colours cannot be guessed from the

photograph. Wkitaker's List of 1900 says that the headdress is a 'blue grey and white

pugri with a red Kazlback'.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations merely state that the pugri is 'of regimental lungi pattern'

and the dress is that of the 3rd and 4th Bombay Cavalry being dark green with white

facings and gold zigzag lace. Gauntlet gloves were to be for lancers only but the 191

3

dress regulations give them for this regiment and others. On the change to the blue kurta,

etc., the 35th Scinde Horse was still linked in style with the 33rd and 34th Regiments. Adistinction of the 35th was that the shoulder-chains instead of being on leather as in other

Bombay cavalry were on red cloth. A water-colour by A. C. Lovett of 19 10 shows this

type on a kot-duffadar who wears a plain blue kurta. His lungi is dark blue with grey,

blue and gold stripes. Details of a pugri sent by General Dening to Colonel Frank Wilson

showed these colours for an officer, with narrow white stripes and rather more gold bars

as befitted an officer. Lovett's N.C.O. has a brown waist-belt with a curved sword wornwith a red kummerbund and his breeches are white with dark blue puttees. The photo-

graph of an officer, 191 1, shows that although the white collar is worn, red is under the

shoulder-chains and in the centre of the belts. This remained the uniform up to 1921

when the regiment amalgamated with the 36th and they became in 1922 the 14th Prince

of Wales' Own Scinde Horse.

When the 2nd Regiment of Scinde Irregular Horse was raised in January 1846 there is

little doubt that they were dressed similarly to the 1st Regiment. The difference of helmet

plumes, white for the 1st and primrose for the 2nd has been mentioned earlier. Little

special appears in evidence; a list of 1878 merely gives a 'dark green jacket' without anyfurther distinction. In fact photographs c. 1884 show a simple garb, the blouse all green,

tracing round the collar, a very small knot on the cuff, a dark leather pouchbelt laced onthe edges, breeches and cavalry boots. The photograph of Captain D. G. Mackenzie in

the Scottish United Services Museum shows him wearing a turban not only with bars in

front but striped longitudinally, a feature to be observed in other photographs about this

time. The throat plume of the horse appears dark in the photograph and may be the black

and white one authorized in the 1884 and 1886 regulations. The shoulder-chains are like

those of the 1st Regiment and not the rings on leather of the earlier Bombay cavalry.

164

BOMBAY CAVALRY

153. Naiqur, field KlVMJC kit. -,ih Bombay Cavalry, 1888, after illustration by A. C. Lovctt. Lungi red with yellow anddark stripes, khaki-brown kurta, gold chevrons on red, red kummerbund, yellow breeches, very dark puttees,

brown boots.

154. Captain, and Scinde Horse, c. 1885, after photograph in S.U.S.M.

165


Another photograph shows a cavalry band for this regiment of at least thirteen men and

with a kettledrummer, the fine drum banners possibly green with a large 'S' in a wreath on

them. Four camel-riders are in the rear of the parade and a large number of white horses

is to be observed for men as well as for officers.

After the 2nd Scinde Horse had become the 6th Bombay Cavalry (Jacob's Horse) they

adopted primrose facings and the throat plume also became this colour. The lungi was

dark blue and white with a red kullah. Risaldar-Major Faiz Khan who came to England

in 1897 wore a blouse with three buttons on the chest opening. His standing collar showed

only a strip of primrose yellow between the gold lace which edged it. The shoulder-chains

were on yellow but the cuffs were hidden by the gauntlet cuffs. The gold lace belts had

red central stripes. The breeches were white and the knee boots notched at the tops. Thered kummerbund had decoration on the ends and a narrow gold top edging round the

waist. The men wore the dark green blouse, sometimes of great length, a red waist sash

and on the left side of the Sam Browne belt was a pouch. Puttees and boots were worn.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations noted the dark green uniform with primrose facings and gold

zigzag lace. The 6th were grouped with the 3rd, 4th and 5th Bombay Cavalry. Theprimrose throat plume is the main distinction.

The 1 91 3 dress regulations grouped the 36th Jacob's Horse with the 33rd, 34th and

35th and now contained startling innovations. The special badge for the forage cap was the

device of a native horseman bearing a lance. Lovett's water-colour of a native N.C.O.

showed the new dark blue kurta with the blue and white lungi with gold bars. The steel

shoulder-chains come well over the point of the shoulder, a feature of the Scinde horsemen.

He also wears white breeches, blue puttees and black boots. A photograph of 191 1 shows a

British officer in native dress. His kurta has breast pockets, and his yellow collar is laced

all round but the overhanging shoulder-chains appear to be on blue cloth. The pouchbelt

and waist-belt have red central stripes. The whistle is attached to a badge with 'JH' in

laurels and under a Tudor crown. His red kummerbund has the gold decoration on the

top edge as noted in the 1897 risaldar-major. In 1921 the 36th was amalgamated with the

35th and in 1922 became the 14th Prince of Wales' Own Scinde Horse.

The 7th Bombay Cavalry was raised in 1885 at Shikarpur, Scinde, and in the 1886

dress regulations were noted as dressed as the other six regiments, the only distinction

being the crimson horsehair throat plume. They received the additional title of Baluch

Horse and wore dark green with buff facings. In 1890 the unit was made Lancers and took

that title. The regiment adopted a distinctive khaki dress instead of the usual green of

Bombay. Risaldar Mir Haider Shah Khan at the Diamond Jubilee celebrations wore this

uniform. His khaki blouse had four buttons on the chest and opened all the way downto the bottom of the skirt as did others in the Bombay cavalry. The buff collar was laced

all round with gold and the long shoulder-chains were on the distinctive buff cloth. Thecuffs were the colour of the blouse but distinguished by the pointed edging of gold, visible

on the occasions when short brown gloves were worn. At the same period however he also

wore brown gauntlet gloves, as the photographs show. The simple red kummerbund hadno ends and the brown leather sword-belt supported the sword without a shoulder-brace.

His brown leather pouchbelt had silver chain edging as well as a whistle and chain. Thebreeches were also khaki and the high brown boots were notched at the top. The pugri

was khaki, blue and gold.

166

BOMBAY CAVALRY

155. Native officer, 35th Scinde Horse, 191 2, after photograph.156. British officer, 37th Baluch Horse, 191a, after photograph.

167


The 1 90 1 dress regulations confirmed the use of the khaki serge with buff facings and

gold zigzag lace, and, of course, group the 7th with the other two Lancer regiments. Thethroat plume which had been quoted as red in Whitaker's 1900 List is now given as buff

to match the facings.

The change of the number to the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse) brought little change to

the khaki dress but the blue tunic was now permitted for use of British officers when not

with their men. A photograph of Captain E. F. Orton in the lancer dress appears in a

photograph of 1906. The dark blue lancer tunic has the full plastron in the distinctive

salmon buff colour, the collar and cuff being the same hue. Chains are worn on the

shoulder of the lancer tunic, an unusual feature. The lancer fines are looped on the left

chest. Another source, a letter written in 1910 says that this British officers' levee dress

had a white helmet with leaf spike and brass chain. A pugri is said to have gone round the

helmet, a late example of this practice. The dark blue overalls had salmon buff stripes

and the spurs were steel. The full dress mounted uniform was the khaki blouse with steel

chains resting on dark blue cloth. Xo facing colour was used on this garment but gold lace

went round the collar and cuffs. A blue and gold lungi was worn over a khaki kullah. TheSam Browne belt was worn over the red kummerbund, the embroidered ends according

to one photograph of a British officer, hanging on the left side. Dark Bedford cord breeches

went into brown top boots and the gauntlet gloves were also brown leather. The brownleather pouchbelt had overlapping silver chain around the edges and the slide, buckle

and tip were also silver. The whistle rested on a six-sided plate and the upper end of the

chain fastened to a plate bearing roses, thistles and shamrocks. The silver flap to the pouch

bore gilt devices of crossed lances with '37' and a label of 'Baluch Horse'. The 1913 dress

regulations note that the gold lace was now of Dragoon pattern.

A. C. Lovett's water-colour of 1910 shows a sowar with a khaki blouse, chains on

dark blue, Sam Browne belt over a red waist sash, khaki lungi with blue stripes and khaki

puttees, although native officers at one period wore brown gaiters instead of high boots.

The 37th amalgamated with the 17th Cavalry and were known in 1922 as the 15th

Lancers.

The Aden troop although dated as originating 23 October 1867 in the Indian ArmyLists, actually goes back much earlier—to 1855 when a troop was formed from the Scinde

Horse. This body was in the Persian War and the Mutiny P. Cadell, p. 198, etc.) but

they were re-formed later under Lieutenant C. B. Myers with volunteers from the PoonaHorse, the 1st and 2nd Scinde Horse. There were about a hundred of all ranks and they

wore a dark green uniform with gold lace. The 1886 dress regulations give a yellow

throat plume as the only indication of colour but by 1900 the green uniform definitely

had white facings. The pugri according to Whitaker was khaki, black and white and the

throat plume still yellow. The troop was grouped with the Lancers in the 1901 dress

regulations and the throat plume was now given as white to match the facings. Thelater Army Lists merely give a khaki uniform with a khaki pugri.

The 1913 dress regulations stated that the British officers in full dress when not

parading with the men were to wear the dress of the corps to which they permanently

belonged but when parading with the men, khaki drill. During World War I the estab-

lishment was increased to a complete squadron and in 1921 a troop of camels was added.

But on 15 January 1929 the Aden troop was finally disbanded.

168

CHAPTER IX

THE CENTRAL INDIA HORSE

another group of native cavalry having a comparatively independent existence wasZA that of the Central India Horse raised from the Gwalior, Bhopal and Malwa

2. \. Contingents. First called in 1858 Mayne's Horse after the commander, Captain

H. O. Mayne, this body was so successful that in i860 it was increased to a second regiment

but at the expense of the existing 1st Beatson's Horse. Later in i860 the cavalry was re-

organized into three regiments of Central India Horse, the first regiment being the original

Mayne's Horse, the 2nd from the 1st Beatson's Horse (which was later 2nd Mayne's

Horse) and the 3rd from the 2nd Beatson's Horse (but this latter did not survive later than

July 1 861). Their various duties being frequently of a policing nature led to the cavalry-

men being considered as a local corps. As the regiment has no number and was not

attached to any presidency they were given the nickname of 'be number risala'—

'the

no numbered cavalry'. But this omission was rectified in 1903 when they were numberedthe 38th and 39th Central India Horse. In 1906 they were honoured by the addition to

the title of 'Prince of Wales' Own' which later changed to 'King George's Own'. In 1922

the combined regiments took the title of 21st King George's Own Central India Horse,

which title they kept until the partition.

As usual, little is available on the early uniform. Meade's Horse which was incorporated

into the regiment in February 1861 based their organization on the Corps of Guides andso may have worn drab or khaki {History of King George's Own, Central India Horse, Vol. I,

p. 45). Beatson's Horse which was absorbed into the 2nd and 3rd Central India Horse

wore green with red turbans and kummerbunds (Vol. I, p. 48). Beatson had once served

in the Nizam of Hyderabad's Cavalry and they had worn red turbans and green alkalaks.

In 1868 it was written that 'it would be well too if the Brigade of Irregular Cavalry adopted

the Punjab Guide Corps colour'. The new tunic of the British officers was of hussar pattern

in drab cloth, collar and cuffs of maroon velvet. On the chest were four lines of thin gold

cord but in 1872 this was changed to five rows of thicker gold. The full dress breeches were

white according to the Regimental History and the full dress helmet was covered with

maroon velvet, had a gilt monogram and rim and a scarlet horsehair plume. A minor

tragedy occurred when officers in full dress were caught in a sudden rainstorm. The colour

of the maroon facings ran into the drab and officers had to buy new tunics.

The 1886 dress regulations give the dress for British officers for full dress mounted as

'tunic of drab cloth with maroon velvet cuffs and collar, and braided with gold round-

back cord. The tunic to be single-breasted, lined throughout with drab silk and edged all

round with gold round-back cord. On the back scams the same cord forming three eyes

at the top, passing under a netted cap button at the waist, below which it is doubled and

terminating in an Austrian knot three-quarter inch from the bottom of the skirt.

169


Shoulder-straps hussar pattern, plaited gold chain gimp lined with drab. Badges of rank

in silver on the shoulder-straps. Waist long, skirt 9 inches deep for an officer 5 feet nine

inches high . ..' The collar was laced round the top with gold light dragoon lace as well

as edged with gold cord. The breast-knots were five drop loops with single eyes in centre

and with olivets. Gold Austrian knot for all ranks. The buttons were half-ball gilt, two oneach sleeve and one on each shoulder. The helmet was drab with a small pugri of blue andgold. The pouchbelt was gold light dragoon lace with a quarter inch light of maroonvelvet in the middle. The pouch was a binocular case of maroon velvet with a gilt Central

India Horse monogram and crown on the flap. The breeches were white doeskin and the

boots Napoleon. For undress the overalls were drab cloth with Wellington boots.

For mounted undress the Hungarian Hussar jacket was worn, being drab with gold

tracing braid around the collar and down the front. The outside breast pockets were edged

with gold tracing. The breeches were brown Bedford cord, and white gauntlet gloves

were worn, although doeskin ones were suggested for warm weather. The pouch must

have changed soon after these regulations for a hall-marked example of 1887 had the usual

large silver flap with the gilt crown, Central India Horse and crossed lances.

The native officers were not forgotten in the 1886 regulations and for full dress they

wore a large blouse of khaki serge with gold tracing down the front and fastening with

large gilt buttons and braided sleeves. The lungi was varied according to rank and the

belts and boots were the same as for British officers. The kummerbund was scarlet Kashmirwork and the pyjamas yellow. In summer dress a khaki blouse was worn with yellow

pyjamas, a blue and white cotton lungi, red kummerbund and puttees.

The representative from the Central India Horse at the opening of the Imperial

Institute in 1893 was a duffadar. He wore a blue turban with white and yellow stripes

and a white pag showing below. His dust-coloured blouse had narrow red edging all round

the collar, on the pointed cuffs, and round the three buttons of the front opening. Overhis red kummerbund was a type of Sam Browne belt with a row of leather cartridge

holders in traditional Cossack style. His loose khaki drill pyjamas went into high boots

but a photograph taken by Bremner of Quetta shows a kot-duffadar with boots andputtees. Shoulder-chains were also worn. The Bremner picture shows a mounted native

officer, his turban tied in a most elegant fashion and his kurta seems to have the addition

of gold tracing on the collar and cuffs. Rows of eyes go round the cuff knot and down the

front. His three-barred sword comes from a scabbard hanging from a frog. His pouchbelt

and waist-belt were gold lace with central stripes. He wears loose white pyjamas with

black high boots.

The 1 90 1 dress regulations give the usual white helmet for British officers without anydistinction. A photograph of Major Townshend shows a white pugri wound round, but

Simkin in his sketches gives the colours as yellow with white and blue stripes, perhaps

having the earlier type in mind. The drab cloth tunic had maroon velvet collar and cuff

with gold cord and followed the hussar style. The gold pouchbelt had light dragoon lace

with maroon stripe but no chains or pickers. The silver flap of the pouch had devices as

mentioned. Drab overalls were worn, a quarter inch light of maroon velvet between

the double gold stripes. White doeskin breeches were also worn with Napoleon boots for

the 1st Regiment and black leather knee boots for the 2nd. For undress the British officer

had a maroon forage cap with a band of gold light dragoon lace and gold tracing. The

170

THE CENTRAL INDIA HORSE

157 \5S

157. N.C.O., Centra] India Hone, 1893, after photograph.158. British officer, Central India Horse, c. 1896, aftrr photograph.

171


undress jacket was khaki and still the Hungarian hussar pattern edged with gold tracing

on the collar. Nickel plated shoulder-chains were worn. A drab patrol jacket was optional.

^Tiite gloves were worn in full dress but brown in undress.

The native officers wore a blue lungi, the ends striped with white and shades of blue.

The drab serge blouse had gold tracing round the collar, down the front and on the

sleeves. Shoulder-chains as the British officer were worn with silver badges of rank. Thescarlet kummerbund was of Kashmir work and the pyjamas white, but in undress, yellow

pyjamas were worn.

In 1903 the two units were re-numbered the 38th and 39th; the British officers continu-

ing to wear the European dress. On being honoured by the Prince of Wales, the badge

of his ostrich plumes was permitted to be worn, in the case of the 38th on the helmet,

pouchbelt and waist-belt while the 39th had it on the shoulder. The shape of the helmet

was now the Wolseley with a white pugri. The pouchbelt now took on chains and pickets.

The drab tunic became optional with a regimental kurta also being worn, possibly the

'shirt blouse tunic' of a tailor's book of 19 13, which had four patch pockets and a roll step

collar. The drab cloth trousers now had double stripes of maroon with a quarter inch of

drab showing in between. The Hungarian jacket was still being worn according to the

1 91 3 dress regulations for the hot weather uniform, with light Bedford cord pantaloons

or khaki drill trousers with foot chains. As the Prince of Wales had now become KingGeorge V the regimental titles changed accordingly and the 39th King George's OwnCentral India Horse wore the Royal and Imperial Cypher on the helmet, the forage cap

and the pouch.

The native officer in the 191 3 dress regulations had the blue and white lungi, drab

kurta with gold tracing as before, white pyjamas (khaki for undress), scarlet kummerbund,belts as for British officers but a frog instead of slings. The hot weather uniform was a

blue and white cotton lungi, khaki kurta, red kummerbund, yellow pyjamas, puttees and

boots. The native officers who came to the 191 1 Coronation had a drab kurta with marooncuffs and gold embroidery, the chest having distinctive pleats. The gold pouchbelts also

had the central maroon stripe.

A. C. Lovett made a water-colour of a lance-duffadar of the 38th C.I.H. showing himin the drab kurta with pleated front and red piping round the cuffs and front opening.

The blue Ludhiana lungi was worn with a red kulla and blue puttees with white breeches.

The lungi had the ends laced with gold for officers and X.C.O.s and the Regimental

History states that in July 1879 tnev were tied according to the custom of the race. This

racial custom became firmly established and when steel helmets were introduced in 19 16

during the First World War, the Sikhs were permitted to wear the lungi instead, the

Pathans also asking for exemption.

There were mounted bands for both regiments and each band had a kettledrummer.

The drum banners were drab with gold lace and fringe. The embroidered devices were

crossed lances with the regimental number on an oval of maroon where the weaponscrossed, plus the regimental title in gold letters. In 1921 the two regiments amalgamatedand in 1922 became the 21st King George's Own Central India Horse.

17a

CHAPTER X

CAVALRY 1922 - 1947

The First World War brought about many changes, one result being the re-organiza-

tion of the Indian Army. The reduction of the forty Indian Cavalry regiments to

twenty-one re-numbered units took place over the period from 1921 to 1923. Undernumbers, each consecutive three regiments formed a group, making seven such groups.

The new system was

—

1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse

from 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse)

3rd Skinner's Horse

2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)

from 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)

4th Cavalry

3rd Cavalry

from 5th Cavalry

8th Cavalry

4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse

from 9th Hodson's Horse

10th Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse)

5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse

from nth King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)

1 2th Cavalry

6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers

from 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse)

1 6th Cavalry

7th Light Cavalry

from 28th Light Cavalry

8th King George's Own Light Cavalry

from 26th King George's Own Light Cavalry

30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse)

9th Royal Deccan Horse

from 20th Royal Deccan Horse

29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)

10th Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (F.F.)

from Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (F.F.) (Lumsden's Cavalry)

nth Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (F.F.)

from 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (F.F.) (Daly's Horse)

23rd Cavalry (F.F.)

'73


1 2th Cavalry (F.F.)

from 22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry (F.F.)

25th Cavalry (F.F.)

13th Duke of Connaught's Own Bombay Lancers

from 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers

32nd Lancers

14th Prince of Wales's Own Scinde Horse

from 35th Scinde Horse

36th Jacob's Horse

15th Lancers

from 17th Cavalry

37th Lancers (Baluch Horse)

1 6th Cavalry

from 27th Light Cavalry

1 7th Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse

from 33rd Q.V.O. Light Cavalry

34th P.A.V.O. Poona Horse

1 8th King Edward's Own Cavalry

from 6th K.E.O. Cavalry

7th Hariana Lancers

19th King George's Own Lancers

from 1 8th K.G.O. Lancers

19th Lancers (Fane's Horse)

20th Lancers

from 14th Murray's Jat Lancers

15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis)

2 1 st King George's Own Central India Horse

from 38th K.G.O. C.I.H.

39th K.G.O. C.I.H.

Slight changes of names and additional honours occurred before the partition, but no

major re-organization took place. The use of horses was gradually discontinued as mech-anization increased but the use of armour in the Second World War was limited and a

variety of duties occupied the cavalrymen. In 1940 the 12th and the 16th Cavalry were

linked as the Indian Cavalry Training Centre and the 20th were also scheduled to

join them. The many changes of role from motorized to light armoured and even to

without armour are too complicated to give in detail.

The general use of full dress was abandoned after the First World War and thus the

newly linked regiments had little need for it, except for the occasional use by officers at

levees and on special occasions, by the bands or for certain ceremonial duties, and of

course, mess dress was deemed necessary. It was apparently intended that if any newitem of uniform was to be adopted that it was to fit in with a new system. The 1923

Indian Army List showed that blue uniforms were given to all cavalry of the line with the

facings varying according to the group, the three cavalry regiments in Group I having

primrose yellow facings, those in Group II scarlet facings, those in Group III French grey,

174

CAVALRY 1922-1947

in Group IV blue, in Group V scarlet, Group VI French grey and Group VII blue.

Most of these colourings did find realization in the mess dress but as regards to full dress

when it did appear, the persistence of regimental tradition in many cases proved stronger

than regulations, and the old uniform of the senior regiment frequently appeared. Whendress regulations were published in 1925, full dress was practically ignored but the details

on mess dress and forage caps made up in some small measure. The forage cap was the

universal pattern, of blue cloth with band and welts of the colour of the facings, four of

the groups being specified: Group I having yellow; Group II scarlet; Group IV yellow,

and the 20th and 21st Regiments of Group VII French grey. In other cases the band andwelts were the colour of the facings.

The basic mess jacket was blue cloth with a roll collar and pointed cuffs, six inches

deep at the points, and two and three-quarter inches behind, a one inch slit at the seam.

The blue shoulder-straps one and a half inches wide at the base tapered to about one

inch at the point, the round ends fastening with a small button. Metal badges of rank were

worn and no buttons on the front of the jacket or gold braid were authorized; collar badges

(where permitted) were on the lapels. The mess vest had a French front, collar and fastened

with four small buttons. The blue cloth overalls had two cloth stripes each three-quarter

inch wide and one-eighth inch apart down the side seams. Wellington boots and box spurs

were worn.

The distinctions as laid down for the groups were as follows

:

Group I, blue cloth 'step' collar with primrose silk facing on the lapel, blue cloth cuffs,

white washing vest and yellow overall stripes.

Group II, blue cloth 'step' collar with blue silk facing on the lapel, blue cloth cuffs, white

vest and scarlet overall stripes.

Group III, French grey cloth collar, blue cloth cuffs, French grey cloth vest and French

grey stripes on the overalls.

Group IV, blue cloth 'step' collar with blue silk facing on the lapel, blue cloth cuffs, white

vest and yellow overall stripes.

Group V, blue cloth 'step' collar with scarlet ribbed silk facing on the lapel, scarlet cloth

cuffs, scarlet cloth vest and scarlet stripes on the overalls.

Group VI, blue cloth 'step' collar with French grey silk facing on the lapel, blue cloth

cuffs, white vest and French grey stripes on the overalls.

Group VII, blue silk collar, blue cloth cuffs, white vest and French grey stripes on the

overalls.

If all these types were worn or even for how long is not clear, for the 1931 dress regu-

lations Tndia) show that the Indian cavalry had abandoned the roll collar and had gone

back to the old Cavalry mess kit with the high collar and studs down the front.

An intimation of the return to the old regimental distinctions rather than the new groups

is given in the Indian Army List ofJuly 1928 which gives note of certain changes. Skinner's

Horse now are given a yellow uniform with black facings, the Royal Deccan Horse have

rifle-green with white facings, Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry have blue faced with

scarlet, the 15th Lancers have blue faced buff, the 19th King George V's Own Lancers

have a scarlet uniform with white facings and the Central India Horse have drab with

maroon facings— all of which are reversals to old uniforms. Further changes were made in

175


the official Army List in April 1931 and show that the 2nd Lancers had blue faced with

light blue, the Guides Cavalry had drab faced with red, Sam Browne's Cavalry had scarlet

faced blue and the 20th Lancers had blue faced with scarlet.

The 1925 dress regulations (India) state that details of full dress were not embodiedin those regulations but the full dress of the pattern authorized for wear before August

1 914 may be worn by officers who may be in possession of it, when not on duty with troops.

This meant that only uniforms of past regiments could be seen and this permission wasrepeated as late as the 1942 reprint of the dress regulations. Actually the last regulation

is a little stronger saying that 'full dress is not now a recognized order of dress except as

specially provided in these regulations, but officers in possession of full dress uniform of

their rank will wear it when attending courts, levees and investitures. Officers for whom full

dress is not now authorized may, if in possession, wear when not on duty with troops, the

full dress of the pattern authorized for their rank prior to August 191 4'.

It now remains to go through the regiments one by one, seeing where they adhered to

regulations, where old uniforms were used and indeed where new uniforms were used for

full dress. The new Skinner's Horse who had been 'Canaries' or 'Yellow Boys' from the

earliest days were expected to have a blue uniform with yellow facings, thus losing the old

yellow with black velvet facings. Photographs of officers at the Levees of St. James's

Palace and an actual uniform show that a blue dress was adopted and worn. The dark blue

kurta opened all the way down and was closed on the chest with four gilt buttons. Thestanding collar was yellow cloth with gold lace of zigzag pattern around the edge. Aroundthe gold-laced chest opening was distinctive patterning of gold tracing—groups of small

circles making a shamrock pattern which is also repeated on the pointed cuffs. Steel

shoulder-chains were worn and the red kummerbund had embroidered ends of light blue

and other colours. The gold shoulder-belt is also of the zigzag pattern and the waist-belt

had the rectangular gilt plate (sometimes of the obsolete pattern). The blue lungi had gold

and white bars added. White gauntlet gloves and white breeches were worn with black

boots.

The mess kit of the early period had a dark blue jacket with yellow stand collar and

pointed cuffs, the cuffs were outlined in gold braid as was the front and edges of the

jacket. The collar was fastened at the neck by a narrow loop of gold braid and a row of

'studs' went down the left front. The waistcoat or vest was also heavily embroidered as maybe seen from an example at Sandhurst and not plain white as the 1925 regulations lead one

to expect. The dark blue trousers had double yellow stripes and the field cap had a blue

band or flap, a yellow top with a dark blue dent above all.

The old yellow dress eventually made a come-back and it is suggested that Lieut.-

Colonel C. R. D. Gray was possibly the last person to wear the full dress kit when acting

as an A.D.C. to the Governor of Burma. A set of uniforms from each parent regiment

was kept in store for the use of officers. An actual uniform also preserved in the Indian

Museum, Sandhurst, shows that the yellow (almost mustard) kurta has black velvet collar,

cuffs and front strip edged with scarlet as well as gold. The 1931 dress regulations (India)

show that the mess dress had returned to the famous yellow. Closed to the neck, it had black

velvet piping on the back seams and all round the jacket; the collar and cuffs were also

velvet. One inch gold lancer lace also edged the jacket. The gold wire shoulder-cords

were on black velvet. The black velvet waistcoat also fastened to the throat and was

176

our I'imi ii. RisaUlar Ahmed Khan, i nh Prince Albert Victor's Own Lancers, Coronation, i

Colour Plate 12. Ketiledrummer. 13th Duke of Cornwall's Own Lancers. 1938.

CAVALRY 1922-1947

159. British officer. Skinner's Horse, 1927, after photographs and uniform at Sandhurst. Dark blue with primrosecollar; scarlet kummerbund.

160. British officer. Skinner's Horse, c. 1938, after photograph etc. Yellow with black velvet facings, black and gold

kummerbund.

I.A.U.-N 177


ornamented with gold gimp and figures, as well as having runic olivets in front. The blue

overalls had two yellow cloth stripes down each side.

The 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) were given a blue uniform with primrose facing in

the 1923 Indian Army List, but in 193 1 was quoted as being blue faced with light blue.

The British officers wore the blue kurta with a stand collar of light blue laced with gold.

Two strips of gold enclosed the buttons of the front opening and a tracing of eyes went

along this gold lace as also the Bengal Cavalry knot on the cuffs. The shoulder-chains

carried '2L' as well as the badges of rank. The gold lace pouchbelt and waist-belt had blue

central lines. Chains and pickers were carried and the waist-belt plate had the devices of

crossed lances and '2L\ The red kulla had gold decoration and the dark blue lungi hadwhite and gold stripes. The red kummerbund had a gold embroidered edge. White gaunt-

lets, white breeches and high black boots were as generally worn.

Major-General Turner of the 2nd Lancers who attended the levee in 1933 wore a kurta

open all the way down, with a high collar bearing badges, shoulder-chains, 'Sam Browne'

belt and brown leather gauntlets. The lungi and kummerbund were both striped. He wore

khaki breeches with high brown boots.

The mess jacket was blue with a light blue stand collar and pointed cuffs. The back

seams of the sleeve and the back of the jacket were piped with light blue. Broad lace of

'broken bias' or lancer pattern went around the collar and the edges of the jacket. Thefront was open but the jacket was held at the neck by a narrow loop. The cuffs were slit at

the back and had two small buttons on the back seam. Another regimental button wasfixed on the plaited gold shoulder-cords, which were lined with blue grey cloth.The

waistcoat was light blue cloth with gilt studs and the blue overalls had double primrose

stripes down the sides. Special clothing permitted to the regiment included dark blue

lungis and kummerbunds. In 1935 the 2nd Lancers were made Royal and the May 1936issue of 'The Lion', the regimental Journal, noted a new badge ofthe Lion within a crownedGarter and on four crossed lances; the change of the numeral from '2L' to '2RL' sur-

mounted by a crown ; and the use of a special blue lanyard on the right shoulder.

The 3rd Cavalry were listed in 1923 as with a blue uniform faced primrose and this wasnot changed in the lists. A yellow cloth pouch has the flap embroidered with a crown over

'III' and the word 'Cavalry' on a label, the edges of the flap being bound with silver

lace. There seems to be a possibility that the red dress of the old 5th Cavalry was worn onsome occasions as a photograph of the Quarter Guard of the 3rd Cavalry shows the sowars

in what seems to be a red kurta, dark blue kummerbund, dark lungi, white gauntlets andwhite jodhpurs. A coloured illustration of an officer also shows the old dress with striped

lungi and kummerbund. The blue and gold striped lungi and kummerbund were also wornwith the plain khaki kurta. Officers were also permitted as an optional issue a primrose

slip at the top of the pugri of the helmet as well as gold crossbelts, pouches, sword-belts

and slings.

The mess dress according to the 1931 dress regulations (India) was a bluejacket with

a yellow stand collar edged with gold dragoon lace. It was edged all round with the samelace and had two barrels at the back. The pointed yellow cuffs were also edged with gold.

There was a row of gilt studs down the front, as there was on the waistcoat. The jacket

hung open to reveal the yellow cloth waistcoat also with a stand collar and had gold lace

as well as tracing. The blue overalls had double yellow stripes.

178

CAVALRY 1922-1947

161. British officer, and Royal Lancers ("Gardner's Horse), c. 1935, based on information from Colonel P. Wilson.

Dark blue Icurla, light blue facings and gold lace. Scarlet kummerbund. Note old 'Bengal' knot on cuff".

162. British officer, Hodson's Hone, t. 1934, based on photographs. Blue kurta faced red, gold lace; red kummerbund,red shoulder-straps edged with gold tracing.

•79


The 4th, Hodson's Horse, were authorized a blue uniform with scarlet facings and the

dress adopted was practically that of the 10th Bengal Lancers. The dress worn byColonel R. T. Lawrence as for levees included the gold striped lungi over a gold kulla.

The dark blue kurta had a red stand collar, front panel and shoulder-straps. The kurta

was edged all round the skirts, the collar, front and shoulder-straps with gold tracing

eyes. The red Kashmir shawl was worn with gold belts. For Review Order the British

officers wore the 'Kitchener' helmet, khaki serge coat, cord breeches, field boots, steel

spurs and gauntlets; in drill order as above but gloves and no medals. The Indian officers

in Review Order wore a khaki pugri and coat, cord breeches, brown boots and gaiters with

gauntlets while the Indian other ranks in review and drill order wore the blue lungi,

khaki kulla, khaki kurta, scarlet kummerbund, cord breeches, khaki puttees and black

boots. The regimental crest in silver was worn by British officers as a hat and collar badge

but the Indian officer had no badge. 'HH' was worn on the shoulder-straps of all (Short

History of the Hodson's Horse, 1 857-1 940).

The blue mess jacket had a scarlet collar and pointed cuffs with one inch gold braid all

round. As became a Lancer regiment the jacket was piped in scarlet on the back seams and

fastened at the neck. The scarlet waistcoat also fastened at the neck and had studs like the

jacket. The blue overalls had double red stripes.

The 5th, Probyn's Horse, were authorized to have a blue uniform with scarlet facings

and these colours were worn at levees. The dress actually used by British officers was that of

the old 1 ith Probyn's Horse. Gold and blue lungis with short fringed ends on the left side

and a long safa behind were worn on a red and gold embroidered kulla. The blue kurta

had a red stand collar, gold lace all round the collar and front, while special ornamentation

in gold went over the shoulders, down the front and round the skirts. The gold lace pouch

and waist-belts had red central fines. Other items included the red kummerbund with blue

ornamentation on the ends, white gauntlets and curved sword. The mess dress had a blue

jacket with scarlet collar, cuffs and piping, trimmed with gold lace and studs down the

front ; the scarlet waistcoat also fastened to the throat, had a row of gilt studs and was

trimmed with gold lace. The blue overalls had double stripes of yellow and not scarlet as

originally ordered.

The Risaldar-Major who was a King's Indian Orderly Officer at the Coronation Proces-

sion of 1937 wore a dress similar to the full dress of the British officer. Although he also

wore the solid chain shoulder-straps, distinctive of this regiment, he did not wear the gold

embroidery over the shoulders of the kurta, or at least it does not appear in a photograph.

The striking embroidery of his cuffs appears well above the top of the gauntlet gloves which

he wears. A red kummerbund and a red lungi were permitted articles for this regiment andthe lances bore red and blue pennons.

The 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers also had a blue uniform with scarlet facings

and gold lace. Blue lungis and red kummerbunds were articles specially mentioned in the

1939 clothing regulations. The mess jacket was blue with scarlet collar, cuffs and piping.

The one inch gold lancer lace edged the collar and cuffs and went round the jacket includ-

ing the two dummies at the back. The gold shoulder-cords had the badges of rank

embroidered in silver. The waistcoat of scarlet refine was braided and traced with gold

and the overalls followed the rule by having double stripes of scarlet cloth.

The 7th Light Cavalry had a blue uniform also but being derived from a Madras unit

180

CAVALRY 1922-1947

had the old French grey as a facing colour. The full dress worn by the King's Indian

Orderly Officer in 1935 and 1939 included the French grey kurta. The stand collar hadsilver lace round the top and down the front. There were two pockets on the chest of the

kurta and the shoulder-chains were mounted on cloth. The cuffs were braided and traced

in distinctive fashion. The lungi was tied with the short end on the left and the long end

hanging down the back. The red kummerbund had a silver edging and embroidered

Kashmir ends. White gauntlets were worn but the breeches were the old Madras blue

with two white stripes. The gold aiguillettes of the Orderly Officer passed under the steel

shoulder-chains. The silver flap of the pouch-box had the gilt device of crossed lances.

Officers' horses had French grey throat plumes. The mess jacket also changed from the

roll collar type to the old cavalry style. It was dark blue with French grey collar, cuffs andpiping, silver lace and studs being a distinction. The shoulder-cords were silver cords with

silver embroidered rank badges. The French grey waistcoat was trimmed with silver lace

and tracing. The blue overalls had double stripes of French grey.

The 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry also being derived partly from MadrasCavalry had French grey facings to their blue uniform—the old 26th had grey faced blue.

When King George died in 1936 the title was amended to include the 'V. The mess kit

as laid down in the 1931 dress regulations was that of the old Cavalry style, blue faced

with French grey with gold lace, the waistcoat being white trimmed with three-quarter

inch gold lancer lace and trimming. The dark blue overalls had double stripes of grey

cloth. The 1939 clothing regulations give as optional articles, green puttees, a red

kummerbund three yards in length and a rifle-green lungi with white stripes at both ends.

Much active service on the North West Frontier was the lot of this regiment and although

mechanized in 1940 it was constantly being drained to find elements for other units.

Although the 9th, Royal Deccan Horse, were noted in 1923 to wear blue faced with

French grey, the Indian Army List ofJuly 1928 showed that rifle-green faced with white

was permitted, thus marking a return to the uniform of the old 20th Deccan Horse, one of

the parent units (if indeed any change had ever been made at all). The British officers on

special occasions wore the same dress as the 20th Deccan Horse and the native officers

also wore a similar dress, with green kurta, white collar, gold lace around the collar, downeach side of the buttons of the front opening and round the pointed cuffs. The gold lace

pouchbelt with pickers and white central line matched the waist-belt which went over a

red Kashmir kummerbund. Other items were white gauntlets, white breeches, a straight

sword and black boots.

The Indian other ranks wore a plain green kurta with shoulder-chains, Sam Browne belt

over a scarlet kummerbund, gold stripes for N.C.O.s, white breeches worn with puttees

and boots. The turbans were dark and light blue with gold bars for rank distinctions. Nooptional items are listed in the 1939 clothing regulations although those allocated to the

8th would have applied very well. The trumpeters of this regiment had special green

trumpet-banners bearing a large embroidered regimental badge with six battle honours oneach side. The blue and grey mess kit of the 1925 regulations was changed to rifle-green,

white and gold in the 1931 dress regulations, the waistcoat being white with gilt studs andlace. The rifle-green overalls had double stripes of white down the seams.

The 10th Corps of Guides Cavalry was quoted in 1923 as having a blue uniform with

blue facings but by April 1931 the Indian Army List gave it as drab with red facings, the

181


163. British officer, Probyn's Horse, c. 1936, after photograph. Blue kurta, scarlet facings and gold lace. Red kummer-bund. Note wide lace on collar and also stiff curb-chain shoulder straps as well as mameluke hilted sword.

164. Native officer, 7th Light Cavalry, 1939, after photographs. French grey kurta, silver lace and blue pantaloons.

l82

CAVALRY 1922-1947

165. British officer, the Guides Cavalry, 1936, based on photographs and tunic. Warm khaki uniform with red facings,

drab cord and braid, white gloves and helmet.

166. Native officer, Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry, c. 1937, after photograph. Blue kurta, scarlet kummerbund.Gold stripes in lungi; '21' still carried on waist-belt plate.

183


old dress, and it was this dress that appeared in photographs of British officers. The white

Wolseley helmet had a gold and blue pugri, plated spike and chin chain. The drab

(tending towards pink) tunic had scarlet velvet collar and cuffs, ornamented with drab

braid on the cuffs and collar, with five groups of braid looped across the front. The brownleather pouchbelt had silver chain on the edges and the silver pickers went into a foliated

plate. The pouch had a silver flap with the regimental badge in the centre. The sword

slings were attached to a web-belt under the tunic. The two drab lace stripes on the

overalls had a scarlet line between them, and the spurs were plated, while the gloves were

white. The officer's collar normally had a line of straight tracing below the wide lace but

the example in the Indian Museum at Sandhurst, once belonging to Colonel T. H.Younghusband, has a row of tracing eyes which also go around the Bengal knot on the

cuff. A red horsehair throat plume hanging from a silver ball was introduced c. 1921 for

ceremonial use only.

The all-blue mess kit of the 1925 regulations was changed in the 1931 regulations to the

accepted drab and red velvet. Although the collar was fastened up to the throat there were

no gilt studs. The shoulder-straps of drab silk had silver embroidered badges of rank. Thescarlet cloth waistcoat also fastened to the throat, had gilt studs and was trimmed with

gold braid. The drab overalls had double drab stripes with red in between.

The British officers never wore the kurta but that of the native officer was of a distinctive

greenish-purple tinge, not the expected hue of khaki and they on occasion carried the old

tulwars in black scabbards as did the sowars. N.C.O.s had red chevrons.

The 1 1 th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry were first noted as having a blue uniform

with blue facings but byJuly 1928 the Indian Army List was giving blue faced scarlet. Therisaldar-major who came to England in 1937 wore a dark blue kurta with high collar and

chest pockets. Steel shoulder-chains kept his plain gold shoulder-belt in place. His red

kummerbund had gold stripes or bars to indicate rank and the number '21' on the waist-

belt plate shows that the uniform was based on the old dress of the 21st. White gauntlet

gloves, white breeches and high cavalry boots were worn. The lungi authorized was blue

with gold ends in the case of Indian officers and with white stripes at both ends for the

Indian other ranks.

The 1 93 1 dress regulations give the mess kit in the new colours, blue and scarlet. Thecollar, cuffs and shoulder-straps were scarlet and edged with half inch gold lace. Thescarlet waistcoat fastened to the throat with gilt studs and the blue overalls had double

scarlet cloth stripes.

The 1 2th Cavalry (F.F.) were noted in the Indian Army Lists up to April 1931 as

authorized to wear a blue uniform faced with blue, but after that time with scarlet faced

blue, the old colours ofSam Browne's Cavalry. Risaldar Muzaffar Khan who was a King's

Indian Orderly Officer at the 1937 Coronation ceremonies wore this dress. His red kurta

had a blue collar laced with gold. The front opening on the chest was also edged with gold

lace. Steel shoulder-chains were worn. Brigadier Lance Thwaytes speaks of this officer

(information from Colonel F. Wilson) as being fitted with the old Sam Browne's full dress

with the new 12th Cavalry (F.F.) pugri and kummerbund as the old pattern of these wasno longer available. They were now blue with red stripes and gold bars to indicate the ranks

for British officer and Indian officer; for Indian other ranks the ends were red and blue.

About 1927 the amalgamated regiment adopted a khaki kurta for full dress with the pugri

184

CAVALRY 1922-1947

Mil

167. British oflicrr, Sam Browne's (Cavalry, c. 1928, based on photographs and infijfUUttioa from Oolonel P. Wilson.

Khaki rlrill uniform, lungi and kummerbund dark blur with gold, red and blur stri|>< v Brown boots, sword-

knot and gloves.

168. British officer, \; l&b Jacob's Horse, c. 1921, based on photographs of thr I'mur of Wales (now the Duk.

Windsor . Khaki drill with full dress appointments.

185


and kummerbund described above. This tunic had a high collar, opened all the way downlike a tunic and had two breast pockets. Shoulder-chains were not worn, although SamBrowne belts, brown gloves and black boots were.

The scarlet mess jacket of the old 22nd Cavalry with the blue waistcoat was adopted with

minor alterations. All three regiments in this group were to have blue jackets with blue

collar and cuffs and yellow stripes on the overalls but it was this minor detail of overalls

stripes that was obeyed, a concession, for scarlet had been worn previously. Black puttees

were worn by the sowars. In 1940 the 12th were linked with the 15th as the Indian Cavalry

Training Centre.

The 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Bombay Lancers were to have a blue uniform faced

with scarlet according to the Army Lists and this continued without change. MajorHoward in charge of the Indian orderlies in 1927 wore the full Lancer dress. His white

helmet had gilt chains and spike with a short black plume on the left side. This stiff hair

plume was also worn later by other British officers. The dark blue tunic had a full plastron

in the scarlet facings, as had been worn in the 31st Lancers. The overall stripes were scarlet.

The British officer also wore the kurta as may be seen from the uniform preserved at

Sandhurst. This blue kurta has a red collar, red piping down each side of the chest open-

ing, gold lace around the collar and on the cuffs, and steel chains on the shoulders. Thedark blue lungi had light blue and gold stripes but the red kummerbund was ofthe Kashmirstyle. Gold lancer cords were worn round the neck, round the body and looped on the

left chest. The gold pouch and waist-belts had red central lines. White breeches were wornwith black boots. The sowars wore blue puttees and the X.C.O.s had black chevrons on

red.

It was the proud claim of the regiment in 1938 that they were the only Indian Cavalry

regiment to maintain a mounted band but the oncoming of mechanization marked the

disappearance of this pleasant feature. The sixteen bandsmen rode white horses but the

kettledrummer had a skewbald. The dark blue kurta with red standing collar and pointed

cuffs, also had red piping on the back seams. Lancer lines were worn with the front portion

being plaited. The kettledrum horse had a red throat plume and a leopardskin worn over

the dark blue shabraque. This pointed shabraque had the embroidered device of a crownbetween two crossed lances, the number '13', the regimental title on a scroll, another crownover a cypher in a laurel wreath, silver being the principal wire employed. The silver lace

edge had a red stripe and the two tassels hanging from the points were mixed silver andred. The drum-banners had the same lace all round the edge and the central embroidered

device was a crown over the lances and '13'. Battle honours and the regimental title

embroidered in silver were on a large laurel wreath. The 13th were one of the first two

Indian Cavalry regiments to be mechanized as notified 15 March 1938, the last mountedparade being on 9 April 1938 when the regiment paraded with the band playing and lance

pennons flying.

The blue mess jacket had the collar and cuffs of scarlet refine, one inch gold lace andgold shoulder-cords. The scarlet waistcoat had gilt studs and half inch gold lace while the

blue overalls had double scarlet stripes.

The 1 4th Prince of Wales' Own Scinde Horse was formed from the 35th Scinde Horse

and the 36th Jacob's Horse who were joined together in 1921. The Prince of Wales visited

India in 1921-1922 and as Colonel-in-Chief of the linked regiment (they had not yet been

186

CAVALRY 1922-1947

169. Native officer. The Scindc Horse, 1939, based on Lance Cattermole picture. Dark blur kurta. red rollar and stripes

in gold lace belts. Red and gold kummcrbund.170. British officer, The Poona Horse, 1938, based on photographs etc. Dark blue kurta, light grey facings, gold lace,

red kummerbund.

187


given the new title or uniform) appeared in photographs wearing the Indian dress. Thelack of a distinctive uniform may account for the fact that the Prince appeared in khaki.

His kurta had a standing collar bearing the regimental badges of the native horseman, his

pointed cuffs had two plain buttons, and the pocket flaps on the chest had plain buttons as

did those on the front opening. Steel shoulder-chains were worn. A whistle and chain was

carried on the gold lace pouchbelt which had a red central stripe as did the waist-belt.

The kummerbund was of Kashmir pattern and khaki breeches were worn with rhe high

boots.

However, the authorized uniform as it appeared in the 1923 Indian Army List was blue

faced with scarlet which facings neither agreed with the white of the 35th nor the primrose

of the 36th. The Scinde Horse were apparently proud of their new full dress uniform for

several references to it can be found. The dark blue kurta had a red collar and low cuffs.

Broad gold lace went around the collar top and bottom, down each side of the chest open-

ing and around the top of the cuff in a large single loop. Further tracings of golden trefoils

went around the base of the collar and the cuff while the latter also had a large branching

group of tracing on top. The gold belts with red silk central stripes were worn, the pouch-

belt continuing the whistle and the waist-belt the large rectangular plate. The red

kummerbund was of Kashmir pattern and the blue lungi had gold and white bars. Whitegauntlet gloves, white breeches and black high boots followed the usual habit. The blue

mess jacket had scarlet cloth collar and pointed cuffs and although of the old cavalry cut

with gold lace it was distinctive by having double gold tracing braid on the back seams

terminating at the sleeves with treble eyes and at the waist with two embroidered frogs.

The waistcoat and overalls were the same as those of the 13th D.C.O. Lancers being in the

same group.

On Meeanee Day (17 February) the standard ceremony and musical ride took place.

Trumpeters on grey horses wore full dress and the horse furniture for the ride included red

throat plumes and dark blue saddlecloths edged in yellow with the letters 'SH' em-broidered in the corners. The Indian other ranks had blue and white lungis. The Indian

full dress kurta was dark blue with two breast pockets and shoulder-chains. The SamBrowne belt was worn by the native officers over the red kummerbund. White breeches

and black puttees were worn with ankle boots. The N.C.O.s had gold lace chevrons andblack puttees were worn by the other ranks. The 14th was the other of the first two Indian

Cavalry units to be mechanized and their last mounted parade was 14 April 1938 but

khaki seems to have been their dress on this occasion as far as can be seen from photographs.

The 15th Lancers were authorized blue uniforms faced scarlet until July 1928 when the

Indian Army List noted the facings as changed to buff. An officer of the regiment has

stated that there was no proper full dress not even a lungi. However, the clothing regula-

tions of 1939 describe the lungi to be worn by Indian officers only, as, khaki with blue,

white and gold stripes at both ends and with gold fringes. A full dress uniform had to be

found for Risaldar-Major Bahadur Sher Khan when he came to England in 1937 for the

Coronation. His dress is described as a mounted full dress uniform similar to that of the

old 1 7th Cavalry but with buff to replace the white in the crossbelt, sword slings, etc. Aphotograph of this smart officer with the other three King's Indian Orderly Officers shows

him wearing a dark blue kurta with a laced high collar of the pattern worn by the 1 7th

Lancers including the distinctive groups of tracing either side of the chest opening. His

188

CAVALRY 1922-1947

lungi and kummerbund were striped and appear to be as those worn by the old 1 7th. Thecuff knot may be simplified and modernized but the gauntlet glove hides most of it. Aphotograph of a trumpeter shows another version of full dress, the dark blue kurta opening

all the way down, with white or buff collar and pointed cuffs. Two pleated pockets on the

chest and shoulder-chains are on this garment. The Sam Browne belt had a rectangular

plate bearing crossed lances. The white breeches or pyjamas went into high boots.

The mess jacket of the 15th Lancers according to the 1931 dress regulations (India)

was dark blue with buff collar and pointed cuffs edged with one inch gold lancer lace. Thebuff cloth waistcoat had five ball buttons and gimp scroll lace. The blue overalls haddouble buff stripes. Officers were permitted to wear two buttons on the cuffs of the service

jackets, both drill and serge varieties. In 1937 the unit became a training unit and waslinked with the 12th as the Indian Cavalry Training Centre.

The 1 6th Light Cavalry were listed as with a blue uniform faced with French grey andit appears that full dress was rarely if ever worn by British officers, for an album of photo-

graphs specially compiled to show orders of dress (in the Royal United Service Institution

Library) does not give it. However when a Risaldar came to England in 1934 as a King's

Indian Orderly Officer he appeared in a full dress uniform. He wore the French grey

tunic of the old Madras Cavalry with waist girdle and breeches with double white stripes.

The abovementioned album of photographs shows a British officer in blue patrols,

shoulder-chains, blue cap with French grey crown, blue overalls with two light blue stripes.

For mess the British officer had a dark blue peaked forage cap with French grey band andwelts. The dark blue mess jacket hung open being secured at the neck by a narrow loop of

gold braid. The collar was fight blue and the light blue cuffs were pointed and edged with

gold lace. The dress regulations give the lace as silver lancer pattern, studs and tracing

also being silver. The waistcoat was also French grey with studs and silver lace and tracing.

The hot weather mess dress was a white jacket piped with blue and around the waist wasa yellow and blue kummerbund.The Review Order for mounted officers in hot weather included a khaki helmet with two

blue stripes on the upper part of the pugri—the horse had a red throat plume. Viceroy's

Commissioned Officers (the later title for native officers) in review order had a dark blue

and gold lungi, a khaki blouse and a blue kummerbund with gold ends. Black gaiters andankle boots were also worn in the same order according to the 1939 clothing regulations.

The sowars in the same order had a blue and white lungi, a khaki drill blouse, blue

kummerbund and dark blue puttees. King George VI became Colonel-in-Chiefon Corona-

tion Day 1937. In December 1940 the unit was mechanized as a Motor Regiment and in

1942 as a Frontier Armoured Regiment. In 1946 it was made entirely Madrassi.

The 17th Poona Horse from 1923 onwards were authorized to wear blue faced with

French grey as the other two regiments in the Vlth Group which colours they kept. On22 October 1927, the regimental title was re-arranged as 'The Poona Horse (17th QueenVictoria's Own Cavalry)' and in the same year permission was given for the wearing of full

dress providing no expense was caused to the State. That chosen for the Indian other

ranks was a blue and grey lungi, a khaki kurta, shoulder-chains, blue kummerbund,white gauntlets, white breeches and blue puttees. British and Indian officers had a

similar dress but with gold in the lungi and black jackboots instead of puttees {Regimental

History, Vol. II, p. 179).

189


The officers also wore a dark blue kurta for full dress and this was seen at levees at St.

James's Palace. The lungi was dark blue with gold and white stripes (as the 34th Prince

Albert Victor *s Outt . the dark blue kurta had a French grey collar laced all round with

gold, the plain front buttoned on the chest but open all the way down. The red Kashmirkummerbund was worn under the gold sword-belt which had a red central stripe (as did

the gold pouchbelt . Shoulder-chains were worn and the cuffs had gold Austrian knots.

\Vhite gauntlet gloves, white breeches and black boots were worn with the cavalry sword.

The mess kit followed the Group colouring and was blue faced French grey with gold lace ; the

waistcoat being French grey as were the overall stripes. The X.C.O.s had blue chevrons

and blue kummerbunds and lungis were given in the clothing regulations of 1939.

The 1 8th King Edward's Own Cavalry was also in the YIth Group and allocated blue

and French grey. British officers wore a full dress based on these colours which were

not connected with either of the parent regiments. Senior British officers at levees wore the

dark blue kurta with stand up collars of French grey laced all round with gold. These

garments opened all the way down but were fastened on the chest with four long rolls or

olivets, instead of buttons. The back seams were piped with French grey and the shoulder-

chains were lined with the grey cloth. The pouchbelt was gold lace with a dark blue central

stripe and with silver chains and pickers. The gold girdle which also held the sword

slings had two dark blue stripes. The French grey kummerbund had gold stripes and the

lungi was dark blue and gold. The latter also had a short gold fringe standing up on the

left side. "White gauntlet gloves hid most of the elaborate cuff embroidery. White breeches

went into black boots onwhich the British officers wore hunting spurs with no rowels. The 18th

also adopted the French grey facing of the Vlth Group for mess dress and so appeared

dressed somewhat similarly to the other two regiments of the Group but in their case the

waistcoat fastened with olivet buttons and had chain gimp straps instead of studs or hooks

and eyes.

The Indian other ranks also wore a full dress on certain occasions. The blue kurta had a

French grey collar and pointed sleeves with piping on the back seams. The lungis were

dark blue and French grey, the breeches white and the boots black. The horse furniture

included scarlet throat plumes and blue shabraques even for the sowars. A photograph

of a group shows some thirty-six men mounted, most carrying lances with red and white

pennons, even the front row who wear white gauntlets and have gold bars in their lungis

(possibly X.C.O.s although it looks as though gold pouchbelts are also being worn).

The 1 8th took an active part in the Middle East in the Second World War but their

uniform suffered the general levelling as might be expected. The officers' dress was similar

to that of any British unit including the thick-soled desert boots. The men had khaki drill

bush shirts or ordinary shirts, shorts or slacks, the headgear being the main distinction.

The British officers wore the coloured field cap of blue, grey and gold for the first years

and also the plain topee, but the khaki peaked forage cap was the general wear. Otherranks had the safa or lungi tied in racial fashion. When the British officers wore the barathea

khaki tunic for walking out they had the distinction of solid brass toggles or olivets down the

front instead of buttons, thus perpetuating the feature of the full dress kurta and mess

jacket. The officers wore a whisde on the strap of the Sam Browne belt and only a plain

khaki lanyard was worn on the right shoulder (information from Colonel J. B. R.

Nicholson).

190

CAVALRY 1922-1947

172

171. British officer, 18th King Edward VII's Own Cavalry, 1938, based on photographs. Dark blue kurta, lightgrey facings, gold 'billets' down front. Dark blue and gold lungi and kummerbund

;gold pouchbelt with blue

itripc.

172. Indian officer, 19th King George V's Own Lancers, 1937, based on photographs etc. Red kurta, white facings,gold lace. Cold and blue kummerbund and lungi; gold girdle with two crimson lines.

191


The 19th King George's Own Lancers were to have the blue uniform faced blue of the

\TIth Group but in July 1928 it was noted as scarlet faced white, the colours of the old

1 8th Lancers. The native dress was worn for full dress by British officers, an example

occurring in 1931 when Lieut-Colonel R. Dening was in charge of the King's Indian

Orderly Officers. He wore the red kurta opened all the way down, with gold lace on the

collar and on the chest. There were also two breast pockets and shoulder-chains. Thesimple point of lace on the cuffjust showed above the white gauntlet gloves. The gold lace

pouchbelt had a blue central line but instead of a normal sword-belt a gold girdle with two

scarlet lines was worn over the blue kummerbund. The loose ends of the kummerbundwere gold-embroidered in Kashmir style and the edges of the portion around the waist

were also gold. The blue lungi had gold bars and was worn over a red kulla. Whitebreeches and black hunting boots finished off the lower portion.

The lancer tunic was also worn by British officers, for the actual garment worn by

Major W. R. B. Peel is dated 3 January 1936 on the label, and is practically the same as

that worn in the old 18th Lancers. This red tunic had white half-lapels turned down, and

the collar and cuffs were also white as was the piping down the front and on the back

skirts. Gold lace went round the top of the collar, round the pointed cuffs and around the

flaps on the back skirts. There were three buttons on each flap, two on each cuff andfourteen on the front, all bearing the silver Prince of Wales' crest on gilt. The plaited

gold shoulder-cords were on red cloth. The British officer's mess jacket was scarlet with

white cloth collar, cuffs and piping trimmed with half inch gold chain gimp. The white

waistcoat had gilt studs and chain gimp, the blue overalls double stripes of white cloth.

The native officer who came to England in 1937 wore a dress similar to that of the

British officer in the kurta, but appears to have a narrow strip of white on the chest

opening between the gold lace edges. The 1939 clothing regulations give gold and blue

lungis for the X.C.O.s and blue and white for the other ranks. During the hot weather the

sowars had an all-white guard dress; kurta and loose pyjamas. The blue and white lungi

was tied according to caste and lances were carried by day and rifles by night (information

from Colonel F. Wilson).

The 20th Lancers were expected to take a blue uniform faced with blue but by April

1 93 1 blue faced with scarlet was permitted, no doubt with the Murray's Jats in mind.

It has been said that the 20th Lancers adopted the 14th Lancers full dress complete but

the kurta and lungi were not exactly the same. The dark blue kurta opened all the waydown, had a standing red collar and gold lace around the collar, down each side of the

front strip and round the pointed cuffs. The striped lungi worn by the King's Indian

Orderly Officer in 1937 had a short standing fringe on the left side. The red kummerbundhad a gold edge around the waist and Kashmir ends. The gold belts had red central stripes,

the waist-belt plate had crossed lances and the regimental title.

The blue mess jacket had a scarlet collar, cuff and back pipings, with one inch gold lace.

The scarlet waistcoat had four buttons down the front and was trimmed with narrow gold

lace. The overalls had double stripes of scarlet cloth. In 1940 the regiment was selected to

join those in the Indian Cavalry Training Centre.

The 2 1 st King George's Own Central India Horse were also allocated a blue uniform

faced with blue, possibly used for mess dress but in July 1928 noted in the Indian ArmyList as the previously-worn drab uniform faced with maroon. British officers at levees and

192

CAVALRY 1922-1947

weddings wore the full dress as it appeared pre- 192 2—the drab tunic with hussar braiding

on the chest, Austrian knots on the cuffs, plaited shoulder-cords and ornamental bars onthe back. The pouchbelt had a central line and chains with pickers. The drab overalls

were strapped under the boot and had double stripes down the sides. The drab cloth mess

jacket quoted in the 1931 dress regulations (India) had maroon velvet collar, cuffs andpiping round the collar, lower edge and cuffs but no piping on the front. The collar hadgold braid loops and one inch gold dragoon lace on the cuffs. The gold chain gimpshoulder-straps had silver-embroidered badges of rank. The drab waistcoat had gold

studs down the front and maroon piping all round and on the pockets, gold tracing also

making eyes around the three-quarter inch gold lace. The drab overalls had double stripes

of maroon cloth.

The Indian other ranks continued to wear a khaki kurta with pleats on the chest andred piping round the collar, down the front and on the cuffs. The steel shoulder-chains were

lined with red. The lungi was dark and light blue; in fact the dress was practically that

worn before 1922 but with white breeches and black puttees. On becoming mechanized

and fighting in World War II, the common M.E.F. dress was worn with regimental

badge on the black Armoured Corps beret and the regimental initials on the 'slip-on' for

the shoulder-straps.

i.a.u.-o 193

CHAPTER XI

VARIOUS CAVALRY

DURBAR TRUMPETERS

The State uniform as worn by State Trumpeters and the Household Cavalry Band has

been seen in Great Britain since the days of Charles II. It made its first appearance

on the Indian sub-continent in Delhi when Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress

of India on i January 1877. The painting by Val. G. Prinsep in the Royal Collection shows

one trumpeter standing in front of two rows, each with four trumpeters. They wear the

velvet jockey caps, the gold-laced State coat, white breeches, high boots and spurs while

their trumpet-banners bear the Royal Coat of Arms.

\STien the Imperial Proclamation was made in January 1903 at the Delhi Durbar,

State Trumpeters again appeared and this time native cavalry were among them. Colonel

D. Jackson shows one in his work on 'India's Army' wearing a white turban with gold

decoration; and the cypher on the coat is, instead of 'ER', 'ERI' to denote the Empire.

Other items of dress were worn by other State trumpeters.

For the Coronation of King George V a large body of musicians was gathered at Delhi

in 191 1. Besides a kettledrummer there were twelve British and twelve Indian trumpeters,

all mounted on white horses except the kettledrum horse which belonged to the 13th

Hussars. These musicians had been drawn specially from British and Indian Cavalry

regiments for this task and were issued with special clothing which apparently remained

in the possession of some individuals, for examples have appeared in recent years. Theunits which supplied the State trumpeters were— 10th Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery,

King's Dragoon Guards, 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, 8th Royal Irish Hussars, 10th Royal

Hussars, 13th Hussars, 17th Lancers, 3rd Skinner's Horse, 7th Hariana Lancers, 8th

Cavalry, 9th Hodson's Horse, 10th Hodson's Horse, nth King Edward's Own Lancers,

16th Cavalry, 17th Cavalry, 18th King George's Own Lancers, 22nd Cavalry, 30th

Lancers and 36th Jacob's Horse.

The dress of the British trumpeters was the gold-laced State coat with 'GRI' on the front

and back, no waist-belts (thus differing from home practice), short white gloves, white

breeches and high black boots. The clothing of Trumpeter A. F. Thewles, 6th Inniskilling

Dragoons, preserved in the Castle Museum, York, includes both the velvetjockey cap and a

white topee with brass or gilt fittings. The Indian trumpeters wore a similar dress and in

photographs the turbans, tied in different fashions, appear to be white but to quote a

history of the Imperial Yisit to India—

'the Indian trumpeters wore puggaries that had

been specially woven ofpure gold at Xowanagar by the best artificers India could produce'.

From photographs, the British trumpeters also appear to have special pugri on their white

helmets but the one remaining in York is khaki and may not be the original. The sterling

silver herald trumpets all had fully embroidered banners with the Royal Arms and the two

194

VARIOUS CAVALRY

\-\. Bnmh State Trumpeter, Delhi Durbar, 1911, after photographs.174. Indian State Trumpeter, Delhi Durbar, igil, after photographs.

'95


cherubs holding the Royal Crown. When all were mounted the practice was to alternate

British and Indian rather than segregate. A white sheepskin was worn over a rectangular

white shabraque which had a narrow blue edging. The scarlet throat plume hung from a

brass socket. The steel-scabbarded sword hung from a frog on the near side of the saddle.

The kettledrummer as mentioned before was from the 13th Hussars and his drum-banners were the new regimental ones, white with the 'GR' cyphers. His horse was either a

piebald or skewbald as far as one can see from the photographs. In his case a white throat

plume was worn as well as a white brow band. The regimental shabraque with deep rear

point and embroidered regimental badges appears to have been carried.

JAVA VOLUNTEERS OR JAVA HUSSARS

When the British successfully occupiedJava a cavalry unit was formed for service on that

island. This was the Java Volunteers or Hussars of 181 2 commanded by Captain L. H.O'Brien of the Madras Cavalry. The establishment was only two troops and when Javawas given back to the Dutch in 1816 this unit was disbanded.

Charles Hamilton Smith in a chart ofJanuary 1814 gives the uniform as a bluejacket

braided on the chest, yellow collar and cuffs and light buff breeches. In a print of 1 March1 8

15 the same artist illustrates a trooper who surprisingly wears a red turban with white

braid and ornaments. The short bluejacket is without tails and is braided across the chest

with three rows of buttons. The side pockets and back seams are also trimmed with white.

His pointed yellow cuffs and high collar are edged round with white braid and a twisted

loop on the left shoulder helps to keep the carbine and pouchbelt in place. A light dragoon

sword in a steel scabbard is suspended by slings from a waist-belt. His white overalls are

strapped under the instep.

BENGAL EUROPEAN LIGHT CAVALRY

The Mutiny sadly depleted the cavalry forces, in particular in Bengal where seven of the

ten regular regiments had mutinied and two also had been disarmed. In November 1857it was decided to form four new regiments for the East India Company from men recruited

in England, the actual authorization being G.G.O. No. 736 of 1858. The age group was to

be from 20 to 30 years of age and the standard of height was reduced below that of the

Regular Army to between five feet and five feet four inches, a fact which brought the nick-

name of 'Dumpies' to the men in later years. A recruiting depot was opened at Warley,

Essex, and so successful was the campaign that within three weeks the place was crowded.

It was during training at this Depot that the new uniform was noted. A valuable series

of sketches in the possession of the Marquess of Cambridge, possibly drawn by Ebsworth,

shows five men at Warley. One sketch shows the front view of a trooper and another the

back view of the same dress. The headdress is a black helmet with a brass crest, a long

black horsehair plume down the back and a badge placed in the front over the peak, with

chin-scales under the chin. The short dark blue jacket has a plain white collar and four

bars of white braid across the chest with braid down the back. The cuffs also have white

braid in the form ofa trefoil knot and the shoulder-cords are white. A white leather carbine-

belt is worn over the left shoulder. The dark blue overalls have a single white stripe down

196

VARIOUS CAVALRY

the sides. A third sketch shows the undress rig which differs mainly by having a pillbox

(blue with a white band) and a swaggerstick.

Two other men are dressed as hussars or Horse artillery and may be training staff,

rather than wearing a uniform destined for the hot East. One described as a Staff R.S.M.wears a hussar busby with red and yellow cords, while a white 'shaving-brush' plumeis placed in front. His blue tunic has six bars of yellow braid and wears a badge above his

gold chevrons. His overalls are dark blue with a red stripe and he wears a sabretache.

The other man is a trumpeter and musician wearing a similar dress but he has no loops

across his chest and the lace on the cuffs rises to a point. He does not have a pouchbelt andthe plume in his fur cap is red and on the left side as worn in the Royal Field Artillery.

When a draft of a thousand men was disembarked at Calcutta in the summer of 1858,

they were described as 'smart looking, of medium stature and well set up. Their undress

uniform is dark blue and white.'

The four new regiments were given officers from the Bengal Light Cavalry; the 1st

Bengal European Light Cavalry taking theirs from the 1st and 3rd, the 2nd from the 2ndand 7th, the 3rd from the 4th and 6th, while the 4th took theirs from the 9th and 10th.

On 1 November 1858, the Crown assumed the government of India and the control of the

troops passed from the East India Company. About the same time a 5th Regiment wasraised at Peshawar from volunteers from Royal regiments who had formed a temporary

cavalry corps during the Mutiny. An Army List of 186 1 states that the 1st European Light

Cavalry wore dark blue with gold lace but these are all the details we have. Early in the

year it was decided to discontinue European forces in local service in India. Thus on

10 April 1 86 1 it was ordered that the Bengal European Cavalry 'will be formed into three

regiments ofLight Dragoons ofHer Majesty's General Army to consist of the men who maynow volunteer . . . with the . . . option of joining any one of the three regiments of

Light Dragoons' which were at first called the 19th, 20th and 21st Regiments of Light

Dragoons, but later were known as the 19th Hussars, the 20th Hussars and the 21st

Lancers.

'97

CHAPTER XII

VOLUNTEER AND AUXILIARY FORCE CAVALRY

ya part from the forces permanently recruited from the natives and other sources, in

l\ times ofemergency volunteers were needed. Here the European settlers played a real

J. Xpart, forming themselves into fighting bodies at the shortest notice, frequently with

the minimum of official support and financial backing, and undertaking onerous duties

against vastly superior numbers of opponents.

One of the first was the small troop of Calcutta Volunteer Cavalry raised in 1 759 to

counter Dutch aggression after the Black Hole of Calcutta tragedy. The surprise employ-

ment of cavalry- in the engagement at Bederrah led to the complete defeat in half an hour

of a large force of Europeans and Malays. But cavalry were too expensive according to

local thought and these volunteers disappeared as did the regular cavalry within a few

years.

Calcutta was also the place of the next volunteer cavalry for although it was the Calcutta

Militia which was re-established in October 1798, the cavalry element is considered as

volunteers because they served without pay and in the main found their own clothing.

It was, however, the Mutiny that brought the larger number of units into being.

Besides the constant Calcutta Volunteer Guards, there were such volunteers as the Bengal

Yeomanry Cavalry, the Lahore Light Horse and others. .Although the end of the Mutinysaw a diminution in the numbers, new units appeared from time to time, raised among the

planters and other Europeans. Although acting as a satisfactory club, the units were

frequently called on to serve in some local crisis, so common in the land of India. Thecomplicated changes and amalgamations are dealt with later under the individual name.

In 1917 volunteer corps were suspended under the Indian Defence Force Act and the

existing cavalry volunteers were numbered on 1 April, the 1st being the Bihar Light Horse,

the 2nd the Surma Valley Light Horse, the 3rd the Calcutta Light Horse, the 4th the

Bombay Light Horse, the 5th the Punjab Light Horse, the 6th the Assam Valley Light

Horse, the 7th the (Southern) United Provinces Light Horse, the 8th the (Northern)

United Provinces Light Horse, the 9th the North Bengal Mounted Rifles, and the roth

the Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles which with the Bombay Light Patrol all becamepart of the Indian Defence Force.

In 1920 the force was re-organized as the Auxiliary Force (India) but the process of

mechanization gradually overtook the cavalry units. In the Second 'World War many of

the personnel being officers designate were able to use their military knowledge to better-

effect in other fighting forces and so the Auxiliary Force was employed principally for

Internal Security—a not-too-simple task. Thus the units had little contact with the actual

enemy although in many cases they were ready to do so. The 12 August ^47 was the

date that marked the end of the volunteers as well as the other ancient forces.

198


Before going on to a detailed account of the units, it may be best to give an overall

picture of the uniform, which in later times was theoretically governed by laws. During

the Mutiny there was a preference for a light cavalry uniform—a blue tunic with white

braid and occasionally white collar or cuffs as a dress uniform. Khaki was also popular

because of its cheapness and availability, but few rules have been found and it is not until

1885 when clause 79 of Indian Army Circulars states that the volunteer uniform is to be

scarlet. This apparently was not popular and the I.A.C. 14 of 1886 cancelled the scarlet,

and the mounted volunteer corps were permitted to choose their uniform and were to be

recompensed where they had changed.

Clause 195 of Indian Army Circulars issued in December 1888 re-organized the mountedvolunteers into Light Horse and Mounted Rifles. In the first group were the Bihar Light

Horse, Central Bengal Light Horse, Allahabad troop Light Horse, Cawnpore Light

Horse, Surma Valley Light Horse, Ghazipur Light Horse, Gorakhpur Light Horse, OudhLight Horse and Calcutta Mounted Rifles, all classified as Cavalry to be denominated

Light Horse. The other group included the mounted companies of the North Bengal

Volunteer Rifle Corps, Dehra Dun Mounted Rifles, Sibsagar Mounted Infantry, DarrangMounted Infantry, Lakhimpur Mounted Rifles and Nowgong Mounted Rifles all classified

as Mounted Infantry to be denominated Mounted Rifles. Light Horse units were mountedon horses and armed with carbines carried in buckets and with swords suspended from

the saddles. All leather articles were to be brown and it was optional to retain the existing

uniforms. But if a change of uniform was desired, a khaki one was to be adopted with addi-

tions like red or blue piping. An abbreviated title was to be worn on the shoulder-straps

e.g. 'BEHAR L.H.' [sic] Mounted rifles were to be mounted on ponies and to have

artillery carbines and sword-bayonets, for those corps that preferred them, other corps were

to be armed with rifles and bayonets, the rifles to be in buckets or slings on the body.

All leather articles were to be brown and companies of mounted rifles were to wear the

uniform of the corps to which they were attached, such uniform being modified for riding

purposes. The ammunition was to be in bandoliers holding fifty rounds or in ordinary

pouches. All these changes were to be brought in gradually after 1 January 1889.

Indian Army Circular 109 of 1 August 1893 stated that the working dress of Light

Horse volunteer corps would be khaki and the full dress uniform (if any) blue. The full and

mess dress was approved in I.A.C. 127 of 15 September 1894 and read as follows:

—

Light Horse, Officers, full dress,

Tunic—Hussar pattern, blue cloth with white collar and cuffs, edged all round and downthe front with inch mohair braid, fastened with hooks and eyes: on each side of the breast

five drop loops of silver round back cord, back seams traced with silver cord terminating

in a crow's foot. Collar two inches deep, edged with inch mohair braid and silver tracing.

On the cuffs an Austrian knot of silver round back cord traced with silver Russia braid

according to rank.

Pantaloons—blue cloth with two white cloth stripes as on trousers. Trousers—blue cloth

with two stripes of three-quarter inch silver lace, Hussar pattern, or white doth (to be

worn when parading with the men) quarter inch apart down each side seam. Hoots

—

black hessian for mounted duties and Wellington for dismounted duties. Helmet and

puggrie—white with white metal chin chain and ornaments; helmet lines of silver or

white cord may DC worn in such corps as wish to adopt them. Gloves—white.

'99


175. Major, Bihar Mounted Rifles, c. 1870, after group photograph.

1 76. Officer, Bihar Light Horse Contingent, 1 900, South Africa, after group photograph.

177. Officer, Bihar Light Horse, c . 1 900, after photograph and text. Khaki drill, brown belt and gloves, black sabretache

and boots, steel scabbard.

200


Mess Dress—mess jacket and waistcoat of the pattern worn by the Hussars of the Regular

Forces, substituting silver for gold. The outer edge of the Austrian or other knot will have

a tracing of braid of the colour of the facings.

The full dress for N.C.O.s and men was also given in this circular. The blue serge tunic

was to have two pockets on the breast, fastening down the front with five white ball

buttons. The collar was white edged with mohair braid and the white cloth cuffs were to

have Austrian knots of tubular braid. The shoulder-straps were to be edged with half inch

mohair braid fastening with a small white-metal button but corps could wear shoulder-

straps of steel chain if desired. The other ranks' trousers were blue serge with two stripes of

three-quarter inch white worsted lace, showing quarter inch blue light in the centre.

Pantaloons had the same distinctions and knee boots were worn for mounted and Welling-

ton or ankle for dismounted dudes. The helmet and pugri were as for officers and the gloves

were white.

The 1902 changes of dress in the Regular Army were noted in the G.O.C.C. 486 of

22 June 1903 as applying to the volunteers. Silver lace was no longer to be worn on the

trousers and the trouser stripes were to be sewn on and not let in. Rank was no longer to be

indicated by the ornamentation on the collar and cuffs of tunics. The mess jacket was to be

of the new roll collar type with pointed cuffs. The badges special for volunteer corps men-tioned in the 1906 vocabulary included an embroidered white hollow diamond for

efficiency, an embroidered star for five years' efficiency and others embroidered white onblue. In 1903 the Wolseley helmet had been approved for use in the volunteers. Theregulations for the A.F. (I) of 1920 and 1930 give little detail apart from mess dress. TheLight Horse had a blue jacket with white facings and regimental badges on the lapels,

the waistcoat was white washing material with corps buttons and the overalls blue with

two stripes of three-quarter inch white cloth quarter inch apart. With such scant informa-

tion we now turn to the individual units.

The Allahabad Light Horse was formed in 1890 from the Allahabad Volunteer Rifle

Corps (originally raised 21 September 1881). As Light Horse they wore blue serge or

khaki drill but as their strength was put at sixty men, it is little wonder that 1 April 1901

they became part of the United Provinces Light Horse.

The Assam Valley Mounted Rifles was formed 6 November 1891 from five units— (i)

the Lakhimpur Volunteer Rifle Corps raised 3 November 1882 and converted to MountedRifles 27 July 1888, (ii) the Sibsagar Mounted Rifles raised 29 February 1884, converted to

Mounted Infantry 30 April 1886 and Mounted Rifles again 15 February 1889, (iii) the

Darrang Mounted Infantry raised 3 June 1887, became Mounted Rifles 15 February 1889,

iv the Nowgong Mounted Rifles raised 27 July 1888 and (v) the Gauhati Rifles raised

13 November 1885. The Assam Valley Mounted Rifles became Light Horse 25 September

1896. During the Boer War this body of tea planters formed a contingent to fight in South

Africa. The Shillong Volunteer Rifles raised 11 August 1882 were absorbed into the

Light Horse, 1 May 1906 CCO. 100) as a dismounted detachment. A simple uniform oi

khaki drill made little distinction for this unit but they also had a mess dress of blue with

white facings. In March 191 7 when the auxiliary units ceased to be voluntary under the

Indian Defence Force Act they were known as the 6th Assam Valley Light Horse. At tin-

end of World War II the uniform was given in the Army List as blue fai <d white. Thrwhite-

mctal badge had the initials AV.L.H. as a monogram with the motto 'Semper Paratus'.

201


The Bihar Mounted Rifle Corps was formed 8 December 1862 with a strength of four

officers and seventy-one other ranks. A photograph of Major J. Furlong, the first Com-mandant shows him in a light coloured uniform, also worn by Major F. Collingridge whodid so much to form this unit. The grey fabric helmet worn by officers had a long red

plume hanging from the top. The tunic had four pairs of curving loops on the chest and a

knot above the white cuff. Napoleon boots were worn as was a black leather sabretache

bearing the white-metal initials 'BMR'. A black pouchbelt with chains was worn over the

left shoulder. An application in 1870 to be made into Lancers was not granted but the

change of title to the Bihar Light Horse was sanctioned in G.G.O. 120 of 20 February

1884. A maxim gun was acquired in 1896 and in 1899 volunteers formed 'A' Company of

Lumsden's Horse which fought so well in South Africa. The working dress was khaki drill

and the full dress for officers only was of blue cloth. In 191 7 they ceased to be a volunteer

unit and they became the 1st Bihar Light Horse, regaining their volunteer status in 1920.

The khaki uniform is noted in Army Lists as with white facings. The badge was the wild

boar while the motto was 'Nee Aspera Terrent' the old motto of the Hanoverian Kings.

The Bengal Yeomanry Cavalry was formed 23 July 1857 and although it consisted

mainly of Europeans, some of whom lost much in the Mutiny, there were also manyEurasians. Undress was their most popular uniform. Grey felt helmets with huge white

turbans were the headdress, loose blue flannel blouses with corduroy breeches and jack-

boots above the knees made a workmanlike dress. The less popular full dress which was

rarely worn had a 'helmet covered with black cloth, surmounted by a lion couchant'. TheBengal Yeomanry were permitted to purchase felt helmets from England at the price of

ten rupees each. These helmets were not received until the end of March 1859, when the

expense brought critical remarks from Sir Colin Campbell.

The full dress tunic was French grey with dark blue facings and black lace and the

overalls were also French grey. The black leather belt and pouch had silver mountings with

the cypher 'BYC in silver, for officers. The blue shabraque was edged with two rows of

braid and the device in the corners was 'BYC embroidered in black on a large oval. Anengraving and a memorial in Calcutta show a pugri flowing from the helmet and also the

fact that the men wear high boots. Although it was suggested that the corps would not be

maintained longer than one year from the date of establishment, it continued, in being,

until 1859 when they were disbanded in February.

The Bombay Mounted Rifles were formed 28 May 1885 as 'A' Troop of the BombayVolunteer Rifles, numbering forty-one men. About a year later they were re-organized as

theBombay Light Horse when they were permitted tocarry swords. In 1891 theywere separ-

ated from the infantry volunteers. A picture by A. C. Lovett shows a khaki drill uniform

and a helmet which had a spike as well as lines. By 191 3 the blue full dress for officers hada hussar tunic with white collar and cuffs, the braiding and lace being silver. The blue

pantaloons had two white stripes and black butcher boots were worn. A white Kitchener

topee with white-metal fittings or a blue cap with white band and piping could be worn.

White tunics were also worn on escort duties.

In the re-organization they were numbered the 4th Bombay Light Horse. Early in 1933the Bombay Light Motor Patrol was constituted and later the unit and the Light Horse

joined together. The uniform was now noted as khaki with white facings. The badge wasan eight-pointed star bearing the Bombay coat of arms. The motto 'URBS PRIMA IN

202


IXDIS' encircled the central device. A crown was placed above and below on a scroll was

written 'BOMBAY LIGHT PATROL'.Volunteer cavalry units have been raised in Calcutta at different periods. As early as

1 759 a volunteer troop of Calcutta cavalry was raised under the orders of Clive and the

fifty or so men of this body are said to be the first volunteer mounted men in British India.

In October 1 798 when the Calcutta Militia was re-established, they had a cavalry element.

The gazette of 21 November 1798 tells us that the men wore a short scarlet jacket with

yellow facings and yellow buttons bearing the E.I.C.'s crest. The waistcoat and pantaloons

were white, worn with half boots. The headdress apparently had a 'fox tail and a black

feather'. An illustration of the 'uniform dresses' in the Gentlemen's Magazine of June 1802

shows a mounted man wearing the usual Light Dragoon helmet of the period, with a peak

and a crest over the top. The short jacket has wings and braid on the chest. A broad waist-

belt is worn instead of a shoulder-belt. The holster-covers to the pistols appear to be spotted

like leopardskin. Two dismounted men show an officer's dress, a long coat with epaulettes

and a cocked hat while the other man wears an undress jacket and a black round hat with

a plume on the left side. White breeches are the common wear. The corps was abolished

by a Government order of 17 December 1805.

The next cavalry in Calcutta were not raised until the Mutiny when on 13 June 1857

the Calcutta Volunteer Guards were created and four troops of cavalry were formed as

well as artillery and infantry. The Illustrated London News of 22 August 1857 shows a

picture of these Cavalry Guards and the text to this modestly points out that the cavalry

portion consisting of about 200 men were from the elite of Calcutta society. The issue of a

uniform had been sanctioned and the contract made over to efficient tailors—

'and further

the measure of each individual taken, that a more respectable and proper appearance

should be produced and such as would afford satisfaction to the body of gentlemen of

which the corps consists. The uniform is dark blue and silver, with red facings; and al-

together, with our hunting boots and "cords" proves a most simple and serviceable dress

for a light cavalry corps of volunteers.' The woodcut shows a plain round-topped sun-

helmet without crest or pugri although a later issue of the same paper (December 1857)

shows the cavalry wearing a crested helmet with a pugri. Long blue coats, white breeches

and long black boots make a dashing dress. G. Brennan has given red collars and pipings

to this coat. An actual helmet which exists made of crimson felt is said to be the full dress

headgear of this unit. A cypher of gilt 'VCG' is worn in front and the fittings and chains

are also gilt. A fine white horsehair plume rises from a socket in the top. The Volunteer

Guards were disbanded 1 May 1859.

The Calcutta Volunteer Lancers formed 22 August 1872 were to have numbered be-

tween 120 and 130 officers and volunteers, but the force lacked serious application and

gradually faded away until its last mention in the Army List ofJanuary 1877. Whatever it

may have lacked in efficiency it more than made up in sartorial splendour, for the lancer

uniform was most complete and striking in that part of the world. A lance cap presa \ ed in

the Calcutta Light Horse Club follows the home service pattern very closely, the rayed

plate in front having the crown, crossed lances and the initials 'CVL*. Photographs of

officers show them wearing lancer tunics buttoned over but with the top of the white

lapels turned down. The white collar and cuffs appear to be laced with silver, heightened

by black edging. The girdle, the undress cap, the tap lines and the overalls arc all of

203


178. Calcutta Militia Cavalry, 1802, after contemporary engraving.

1 79. Officer, Calcutta Volunteer Guards, 1 857, after woodcut in Illustrated London ffaae. White helmet, dark blue coat,

white collar and breeches, black belt and boots.

180. Embroidered pouch, Calcutta Light Horse, Edwardian period. Blue cloth silver embroidery. Motto: 'Defence,not Defiance'.

204


lancer fashion, but a white helmet was also worn with a metal spike, as were white breeches

and knee boots. The black patent leather sabretache had metal devices of a crown over

crossed lances on which was the initials 'CVL'.

The Lancers having disappeared, there was a break in the line of Calcutta mounted units

until in September 1881 a mounted company was added to the Calcutta Volunteer Rifle

Corps. This was a much more serious body of volunteers and they were soon constituted as

the Calcutta Mounted Volunteer Rifles.

A workmanlike dress of khaki drill was worn. The tunic had white braid on the collar

and Austrian knots on the cuffs. Cords were looped at the neck although the headdress

was only a white helmet ornamented with a spike and a coloured pugri. A leather pouch-

belt with white-metal ornaments was worn over the left shoulders by officers. On conversion

to Light Horse, little variation is apparent in the dress but the helmet now took on a white

pugri, and plain leather pouchbelts were worn. A full dress pouch exists—this is blue

cloth with silver embroidery and has King's Crown over 'CLH' amid laurel leaves and the

motto 'Defence not defiance' on pale blue.

November 1, 1901 saw the Central Bengal Light Horse absorbed into the Calcutta

Light Horse but the uniform continued to be khaki drill following the current fashion. In

191 7 the unit was numbered the 3rd Calcutta Light Horse (LD.F.) and in 1920 reverted

to a voluntary status under the Auxiliary Forces Act; 1940 saw the first squadron

mechanized. The Army List noted that the khaki uniform had white facings and that the

badge was a crown over an eight-pointed star with the motto 'Defence not defiance' andthe letters 'C.L.H.'; 14 August 1947 saw the official end of this ancient lineage.

The Cawnpore Light Horse had their origins in the Cawnpore Volunteer Rifle Corps

when they were formed 5 February 1886. The numbers were about threescore and the

uniform either khaki drill or serge. When the United Provinces Light Horse was formed

in 1904 they became part of that force although the Cawnpore Volunteer Rifles continued

to have a half troop of Mounted Rifles many years later.

The Central Bengal Light Horse was raised 27 June 1884. They wore khaki drill and on1 November 1901 became part of the Calcutta Light Horse.

The Chota-Xagpur Mounted Rifles received permission to recruit, 7 August 1891, but

it was not until the next year that they managed to form thirty-five men of all ranks into a

troop dressed in khaki and armed with Martini-Henry carbines and sword-bayonets. Thenumber increased steadily and on 2 March 1910 became the Chota-Nagpur Light Horse,

swords being issued to mark the progress to cavalry.

As in the case of other Indian Light Horse regiments the full dress uniform was made of

blue cloth with white facings, to be worn at levees and on State occasions. In 191 1 a newregimental badge was authorized—a cobra and a horseshoe with the motto 'I strike to

kill'. The full dress pouch had a white flap with silver embroidered devices, crossed carbines

with the regimental initials under a Hanoverian crown and a spray of laurel surrounding

all. The pouchbelt had chains and pickers, with a white line down the centre of the belt.

There was also a peaked cap of staff pattern with a white band. The working dress was

khaki with bronze shoulder-chains, brown Stohwasser leggings, bandolier and sword-brlt.

A blue mess dress was worn by all ranks, this being distinguished by white facings.

In April 191 7 the unit became the Chota-Nagpur Regiment and later had one-and-a-

half squadrons of cavalry and four companies of infantry. The khaki uniform was

205


authorized to have white facings in the 1945 Army List but the regiment was disbanded

15 August 1946.

The Darrang Mounted Rifles were formed 15 February 1889 from the Darrang MountedInfantry originally raised 3 June 1887. After two years they lost their identity in the newly

formed Assam Valley Mounted Rifles (q.v.).

The Dehra Dun Mounted Rifles although originating from July 1885 were not classified

as Mounted Rifles until 23 May 1890. At first, khaki drill sufficed as a uniform but in 1887

the new commandant added blue facings to the khaki. The establishment gradually

increased to five troops but in 1909 they were absorbed into the (Northern) United

Provinces Horse (q.v.).

The Ghazipur Light Horse were formed 7 January 1887. Their uniform was noted as

either blue cloth or khaki serge. There were, however, only a couple of score of cavalrymen

and in 1901 the unit became part of United Provinces Light Horse.

The Gorakhpur Light Horse followed much the same lines as the Ghazipur unit but

was raised 20 May 1887; although the numbers were somewhat higher, it too became part

of the United Provinces Light Horse.

The Lahore Light Horse was raised at the time of the Mutiny and saw service at this

time. An old photograph of an officer in this unit shows a simplified Hussar uniform but

the loops on the front were reduced to three pairs. The pouchbelt had chains and pickers

and also a white cord after the fashion of a flask-cord. The full dress sabretache was laced

all round and bore in the centre a crown over 'L.L.H.' presumably silver on dark blue.

Although this unit continued for some years as the only volunteer cavalry on the Bengal

establishment it disappears about 1865.

The Lakhimpur Mounted Rifles were converted 27 July 1888 from the Volunteer

Rifle Corps of the same district raised originally in 1882. The original rifle corps uniform,

rifle-green with scarlet facings, was continued in use with a white helmet. In 1891 they

became part of the Assam Valley Mounted Rifles.

The Meerut Volunteer Horse was raised during the Indian Mutiny and wore a uniform

which gave them the nickname of the 'Khakee Ressalah'. The description of the dress in a

contemporary book by R. H. W. Dunlop gives it as 'a complete dust coloured suit whichgave them a most sombre but workmanlike appearance'. The author states that the uniform

was copied from that worn by the Guides. A coloured frontispiece shows the tunic to be a

simple affair with deep skirts and pointed cuffs. The dark headdress is somewhat Romanin shape with a crest rising on top and a khaki piece of cloth wound loosely around it.

The loose trousers, also of the light khaki colour, are tucked into high black boots. Thearmament was pistols and sword and the only concession to fancifulness is the horse's

throat plume, the colour of which, unfortunately, is uncertain.

The Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles owe their origin to the North Bengal Volunteer

Rifle Corps formed 6 August 1873 in which they acted as mounted companies. On 15February 1889 these companies were re-organized as the Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles.

Khaki drill is given as the dress in the early period but in Edwardian times it is noted as

red with white facings. The field officer's forage cap had a blue crown, a red band and silver

on the peak and as a welting. The white-metal badge of the bugle and crown with the

title on a scroll was worn in front. The red full dress continued after 191 7 when they werenumbered the 9th Northern Bengal Mounted Rifles. The postwar lists continue to mention

206


the distinctive red uniform with white facings but the modern badge was the Bengal Tiger

with the motto 'Fideliter'. Other ranks wore mess dress as may be seen from a corporal's

jacket which is scarlet with a white roll collar and shoulder-strap. Silver chevrons on the

upper arms match the white metal-lapel badges. The full dress pouch had a silver flap with

crown and 'X.B.M.R.' in gilt. The gold lace pouchbelt had a distinctive centre piece

consisting of the white of the facings flanked by green, no doubt indicating the rifle origin.

The partition of 1947 saw the end of these volunteers.

The Xowgong Mounted Rifles were raised 27 July 1888, wore a plain khaki uniform

and in 1891 became part of the Assam Valley Mounted Rifles.

The Oudh Light Horse were formed 10 June 1887 from the Oudh Volunteer Rifle

Corps. A khaki serge uniform seems to have sufficed for its hundred-odd men who in 1901

became part of the United Provinces Light Horse.

The Punjab Light Horse was raised 12 May 1893 (G.G.O. 460) and had both a full

dress of blue with white facings and a working dress of khaki drill. In 191 7 they were

numbered the 5th Punjab Light Horse, and according to the lists still wore their white

facings. At Sandhurst, however, is a tunic, said to be of the 1922-1939 period, which is

the hussar pattern, all dark blue including collar and cuffs. The front has six rows of loop-

ing in silver which is also used for the back decoration in the usual hussar style. The collar

is laced with silver in the pattern known as 'diamond and point'. The cuff knot is small

and compact. The Indian Army Lists as late as 1945 still quote white facings. Theregimental badge was an eight-pointed star under a crown with the motto 'De Bon Voulir

Servir Le Roy'.

The Sibsagar Mounted Rifles were raised 29 February 1884 and although converted to

Mounted Infantry 30 April 1886, were converted back to Mounted Rifles 15 February

1889. The uniform was scarlet with yellow facing and a white helmet. In 1891 they becamepart of the Assam Valley Mounted Rifles.

The Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles were formed 12 February 1904 (G.G.O. 157),

wore the practical khaki uniform and in 19 17 became the 10th Southern Provinces MountedRifles. Later in 1 349 the Governor of Madras became their Honorary Colonel. The full

dress uniform in the later part of their life was blue with white facings and the badge of the

bugle was worn with 'SPMR' below it. The partition terminated the unit's existence.

The Surma Valley Light Horse was raised in 1880 as the Sylhet Volunteer Rifle Corps

and became the Cachar and Sylhet Mounted Rifles when the two corps amalgamated

4 July 1884. (The Cachar Mounted Volunteers were originally raised 6 April 1883). Thepresent title was adopted in August 1886 on the authorization of a Military department

notification. Composed mainly of tea planters the Light Horse provided a strong contingent

for the South African War. The uniform of the old Cachar volunteers was to be a 'sola

helmet' with chain, spike and lines, khaki tunic, pants, ankle boots and spurs. On the

amalgamation the dress was still khaki. The armament had been Martini-Henry carbines

alone but on becoming Light Horse swords were issued as well. A full dress uniform nowappears, blue with white facings following the general rule. Photographs of 1888 show that

the officers wore a white helmet with a white pugri and a metal spike. The blue tunic had a

white collar edged round with black braid. Silver shoulder-knots carried the badges of

rank and an elaborate aiguillctte worn on the left side was a distinction of these volunteers.

The pouchbelt had chains and pickers. The blue cuffs were outlined with a broad lace.

207


The black patent leather sabretache had the metal devices of a crown over 'SVLH'.

The men had a similar tunic with narrow shoulder-cords and they too wore a plaited

aiguillette on the left side but a much simpler version. The pouch and waist-belts were dark

leather. White breeches went into jackboots. Men had the white helmet but there was also

a blue 'pillbox' with a white band. Later photographs show blue patrol jackets with pockets

and with white cuffs as well as the black-braided white collar. Initials may have been wornon the shoulder-straps. Dark blue overalls with a single wide white stripe were worn in

undress and drab breeches were used on service with the blue patrol. An all-khaki drill

dress was also worn with a Sam Browne belt instead of the pouchbelt. By 1897 double

white stripes were being worn on the dark blue overalls. The full hussar dress with silver

cords had also come in for officers and the degrees of ornamentation on the cuffs, etc.,

indicated the rank to some extent. Aiguillettes were no longer a necessary distinction for

officers in full dress but they were retained in undress. The cuffs had black mohair braid,

at first, but later changed to silver according to the book Through 50 Tears, by the Rev.

W. H. S. Wood. The officers alone possessed this full dress, the men now having plain blue

serge tunics with collars and cuffs of the same colour, with white helmets and white riding

breeches.

The service dress c. 1908 had a close collar and shoulder-chains but by the next reign

had an open collar showing a white shirt and a black tie. Khaki helmets were also wornand after World War I a distinctive flash with a zigzag line was worn on the left side.

A blue mess dress was worn with a white roll collar and white cuffs, white waistcoat and

blue overalls with white stripes. The silver badge on the cap and mess dress was a crown

over S.V.L.H. with the motto 'Non sibi sed Patria'. The same devices were worn on a light

brown pouch.

The United Provinces Horse (Southern Regiment) was formed 1 April 1904 from the

following ( 1) the Allahabad Light Horse (converted in 1 890 from the Allahabad troop of

Light Horse), (2) the Cawnpore Light Horse formed 5 February 1886 from the CawnporeVolunteer Rifle Corps, (3) the Ghazipur Light Horse, formed from the Ghazipur Volunteer

Rifle Corps 7 July 1887, (4) the Gorakhpur Light Horse formed 20 May 1887 and (5) the

Oudh Light Horse formed 10June 1887 from the Oudh Volunteer Rifle Corps. Plain khaki

is the official intimation of uniform in the Army Lists but the servicejacket was ofa greenish

khaki twill with pointed cuffs and silver gilt collar badges. The unit was numbered the

1st United Provinces Horse in April 1909 and in 191 7 became the 7th (Southern Regiment)

United Provinces Horse. The badge of a swordsman with a drawn sword on a prancing

charger also had the label 'Relief of Lucknow 1857' although it is difficult to trace any of

the 'parents' back so far.

The United Provinces Horse (2nd Northern Regiment) was formed 1 April 1909 from

the Dehra Dun Mounted Rifles (q.v.) and the mounted company of the Naini Tal

Volunteer Rifles. In 191 7 it became the 8th (Northern) United Provinces Horse with a full

dress of blue faced white with a working dress of khaki drill. Unfortunately, in 1925 and

1926 it was broken up into detachments which joined the Dehra Dun Contingent, the

Bareilly Contingent and the Agra Contingent.

An interesting development of the First World War was that of the machine gun, of

which there were thirteen companies formed in the Auxiliary Force (India). These wereorganized on 1 October 1920 as No. 1 (Coorg and Mysore), formed from the Bangalore,

208


Coorg and Mysore Battalion, No. 2 (Karachi) from the 2nd (Karachi) Brigade, Mobile

Artillery, No 3 (Ahmedabad) from the Bombay Volunteer Artillery and the Light Patrol,

No. 4 (Delhi) from the Delhi Contingent, No. 5 (Agra) from the Agra Auxiliary Force,

No. 6 (Bareilly) from the force of that name, No. 7 (Lucknow) from the Lucknow Groupof Garrison Artillery, No. 8 (Bombay) again from the volunteers, Nos. 9 and 10 (Cossipore),

No. 11 (Allahabad), No. 12 (Cawnpore) and No. 13 (Yercaud) companies, all the latter

coming from brigades or contingents etc. of the same name. But their life was short and by

1933 most had faded away, been converted or absorbed. For example, No. 5 (Agra)

company was part of the Agra Contingent, No. 7 had become the Lucknow Rifles and the

Yercaud company had become infantry.

I.A.U.-P 209

APPENDIX I

BADGES AND DEVICES

EXTRACT, APPENDIX I, ARMY REGULATIONS INDIA, DRESS igOI

Viceroy's Bodyguard. British Officers. Buttons: Gilt, burnished, with the Royal andImperial Cypher in a Garter, bearing the motto of the Garter, and a Crown above. OnField Cap: A Royal Crown in gold embroidery. Pouch: In gold embroidery, the mono-gram surmounted by a Crown. Pouch Belt : Gilt, burnished, side prickers and chains.

Viceroy's Bodyguard. Native Officers. Buttons: Brass, with crossed lances; Crown in

upper angle, and G.G.B.G. across the lower angle.

ist Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: Gilt metal, crossed lances with pennons

and T in the upper angle. Rim and device in relief. On Waist Plate: Within a Garter of

frosted silver the number 'i'. On the Garter the words 'Bengal Lancers' in burnished

letters. The whole surrounded by a wreath and surmounted by a crown, both in silver. OnField Cap: Number and initials ofregiment in monogram embroidered in gold. Pouch: In

gilt metal, crossed lances with letters B.L. in monogram surmounted by V over the cross-

ing. A scroll below inscribed 'Skinners Horse'. Pouch Belt: On a silver star within which is

the monogram of the regiment. On the Garter the words 'The help of God and bravery of

man'. Above the star a Crown. Above the Crown a silver scroll inscribed 'Skinners Horse'.

Below the star, three silver scrolls bearing the battles of the regiment ; lettering on scrolls

in relief.

2nd Reglment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons : Brass double crossed lances with pennons.'2' in upper angle and the letters B.L. in side angles. Waist Plate: In white metal, crossed

lances with pennons. '2' in upper angle and B.L. in side angles. Field Cap: In silver,

crossed lances with pennons. '2' in upper angle, and the letters B.L. in side angles. Pouchand Pouch Belt: Crossed lances with pennons. '2' in upper angle, and B.L. in side angles.

4.TH Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Waist Plate: The Royal Crown, Cypher and motto;

the whole enclosed in a laurel wreath, and in raised silver on a frosted gilt ground. Field

Cap: In gilt metal, the monogram B.C. surmounted by TV which is again surmounted bya lion passant regardant. Below the monogram scrolls inscribed 'Scinde 1844'. The wholeenclosed in a laurel weath. Dress Pouch : As for field cap, embroidered in gold, on Garter

blue velvet. Undress Pouch : As above, in gilt metal.

5TH Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. Waist Plate: In silver, the letters B.C. intertwined

with the number 'V and laurel leaves. Crown above; scrolls at sides and below inscribed

'Punjab', 'Mooltan', 'Afghanistan' 1879-80. On Field Cap: As for waist plate, but smaller,

and in gilt metal. Dress Pouch: In gold embroidery on blue cloth, the monogram B.C.

surmounted by a Crown. Below the monogram 'V and a scroll of gilt metal inscribed

210

APPENDIX I

'Bengal Cavalry'. A wreath of laurel leaves in gold embroidery round edge of pouch.

Undress Pouch : As on waist plate, but in gilt metal.

6th (The Prince of Wales') Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. Waist Plate: Dress:

—

In silver, the Royal Cypher surmounted by a Crown, the whole within a wreath of acorn

leaves. Undress: In silver, the monogram B.C. surmounted by 'VI'. Field Cap: Crown of

gold gimp raised on red background over a circle. The words 'Bengal Cavalry' in gold

embroidery round circle on a red ground raised. In the centre of the circle the Prince of

Wales' Plumes and motto. Below the circle 'VI' with scroll inscribed Teh Dien' in gold

raised letters on a red background. Dress Pouch: In centre the monogram B.C. in gilt

letters. Over the monogram the Prince of Wales' Plumes in silver and gilt. Below this the

number 'VI' in gilt. Below the number on a scarlet ground edged with silver, the words

'Bengal Cavalry' in silver. Above the monogram B.C. a raised gilt and silver Crown. Thewhole surrounded by a gilt wreath, on which are silver scrolls bearing the words 'Punniar',

'Sobraon', on the left and 'Moodkee', 'Ferozeshuhur', on the right in gilt letters. Undress

Pouch: B.C. in brass, over which is the Prince of Wales' Plumes in silver. The whole

surmounted by a brass Crown. Below 'VI' in brass, under which is a brass scroll inscribed

'Bengal Cavalry'.

7th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Waist Plate: In brass 'VII' surmounted by a

Crown. Below the number a scroll bearing the words 'Bengal Cavalry'. Field Cap: In gilt,

the number 'VII' surmounted by a Crown in the centre of crossed sabres, hilts downwards.Above the Crown a scroll joining the points of the sabres inscribed 'Punjab'. Below the

number a scroll inscribed 'Bengal Cavalry'. Dress and Undress Pouch: the number 'VII'

surmounted by the monogram B.C. surmounted by a Crown. A scroll below the VIIinscribed 'Bengal Cavalry'. Full Dress Pouch: the device is worked in gold, the words

'Bengal Cavalry' on a gilt scroll, the whole surrounded by a wreath of laurel leaves. OnUndress Pouch : the device is of gilt metal and the laurel wreath is omitted.

8th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Field Cap : in brass, 'S' surmounted by a Crown,and B.C. below the number. Dress Pouch: in silver. The Royal and Imperial Cyphersurmounted by a Crown.

gTH Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: in brass, crossed lances with pennons;'9' in upper angle and B.L. over the crossing of the lances. Helmet: in silver crossed lances

with pennons; '9' over crossing, and a scroll below joining handles of lances inscribed

'Bengal Lancers'. Waist Plate: in silver crossed lances, with pennons. Between lance points

a Crown; over the crossing '9'; a scroll below inscribed 'Bengal Lancers'. Field Cap: in

silver crossed lances with pennons; '9' over crossing and scroll below inscribed 'Bengal'.

Dress Pouch: in gold as for the waist plate. Undress Pouch: as on dress pouch, but in

silver. Pouch Belts: silver side prickers in sheath, with chains.

ioth Regiment of Bengal (The Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers. Buttons:

crossed lances with pennons and the monogram B.L. in lower angle. Field Cap: 'X' in

silver. Dress Pouch: in silver, monogram B.L. Undress Pouch: in brass 'X' over the mono-gram B.L.

iith (Prince of Wales' Own) Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: in gilt,

crossed lances with pennons, Crown in upper angle and B.L. over crossing. Helmet:

211


crossed lances with pennons, over crossing B.L. and 'XI'. Over the monogram the Prince

of Wales' Plumes, and motto. Plumes, motto, and 'XI' in silver; lances and B.L. in gilt.

Waist Plate: in silver. Plumes of Prince of Wales in upper angle and B.L. in gilt. Waist

Plate: in silver. Plumes of Prince of Wales in upper angle of crossed lances. B.L. over the

crossing and 'XI' in lower angle of the crossing below the centre of the monogram. Field

Cap: in silver, crossed lances with Prince of Wales' Plumes over crossing. The monogramB.L. below in lower angle with a gilt 'XI' in centre. Pouch: in silver, the Plumes of the

Prince of Wales and motto above the gilt monogram B.L. Pouch belt: in silver the Plumes

of Prince of Wales and motto. Silver plate, side prickers and chains.

12th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. Waist Plate: in gilt, Crown over the Roya*Cypher. Wreath on each side and scroll below inscribed 'Dieu et mon Droit'. Field Cap:

in brass, XII B.C. Pouch: in gilt, B.C. surmounted by a Crown. 'XII' below monogram,on each side scrolls inscribed 'Abyssinia', 'Charasia', 'Peiwar Kotal', 'Kabul 1879'.

Below the 'XII' a scroll inscribed 'Afghanistan 1878-80'. The whole surrounded by a

wreath. Remarks: in undress the Native officers wear a brass waist plate with monogramB.C. surmounted by 'XII'.

13TH (The Duke of Connaught's) Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: white

metal, crossed lances with pennons with '13' over the crossing. Waist Plate: in silver, on a

brass plate a device as on the buttons. Field Cap: in silver as on buttons. Dress Pouch:

same device as in silver.

14.TH Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Helmet: in full dress. Nil. In khaki uniform. In

silver, crossed lances with pennons. In centre over the crossing a Garter inscribed 'Bengal'.

Within the Garter '14'. Waist Plate: British Officers. Silver badge as on helmet. Native

Officers. In brass, B.L. surmounted by '14'. Field Cap: silver badge as on helmet. Dress

Pouch : device B.L. in silver gilt. Native Officers. Silver badge of crossed lances with

pennons. Crown in upper angle, B.L. in side angles, 'XIV in lower angle of crossing.

Remarks : British officers only.

15TH (Cureton's Multani) Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons : gilt, universal

pattern Bengal Lancer buttons. Waist Plate: in gilt, crossed lances with pennons and '15'

over the crossing. Field Cap: in gilt, crossed lances with pennons and '15' over crossing.

Pouch: in silver, Crown on B.L. Pouch Belt: in silver, crossed lances and pennons. Overcrossing a star '15' on the star. Below the crescent inscribed 'Cureton's Mooltanees'.

Remarks: In undress a brass plate with '15' is worn.

1 6th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: in brass, double monogram B.C.

surmounted by a Crown. Below the monogram '16'. Waist Plate: in brass, 'XVI' sur-

mounted by a Crown. Field Cap: B.C.B.C. reversed and crossed, in brass, 'XVI' in centre

in silver. Pouch: as on buttons, but in gold thread, and 'XVI' in centre in silver.

i~th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Waist Plate: in silver, a star and crescent over

XVII. Below a scroll inscribed 'Bengal Cavalry'. Field Cap: Silver star and crescent with

"X\ II' beneath. Pouch: B.C. surmounted by a Crown in brass. Over the monogram a

silver crescent, star, and 'XVII'.

1 8th Regiment of Bengal Lancers. Buttons: in brass, crossed lances with pennons,'18' in upper angle, and B.L. over the crossing of the lances. Waist Plate: in silver, as on

212

APPENDIX I

buttons, but with scroll below inscribed 'Afghanistan 1879-80'. Field Cap: in silver as on

buttons. Dress Pouch : in silver gilt, a device as on waist plate. Undress Pouch : as above,

but in silver.

1 9TH Regiment of Bengal Lancers. On Tunic and Mess Dress : German silver crossed

lances with pennons. Monogram of regiment over crossing of lances ; Crown in upper

angle. Waist Plate: in silver, the monogram 'F.H.' surmounted by a Crown. Field Cap: in

silver, crossed lances with pennons, '19' in side angles of crossing. Dress Pouch: in silver,

the regimental monogram surmounted by a Crown. Undress Pouch: as on the waist

plate Pouch Belts: in silver, in centre a star, on the star a Garter, inscribed 'Bengal

Cavalry'. Within the Garter 'XIX'. Above this a Crown, and above the Crown a scroll

inscribed 'Fane's Horse' i860. Above this scroll a silver ornament from which hangs two

silver chains. Below the centre ornament a scroll inscribed 'Taku Forts', 'Pekin'. Below

this silver side prickers.

ist (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Waist Plate:

British Officers Nil. Native Officers, in silver T in a Garter inscribed 'Punjab Cavalry',

surmounted by a Crown and surrounded by a wreath. Scrolls below inscribed 'Delhi',

'Lucknow', 'Afghanistan 1878-80', 'Ahmed Khel'. Field Cap: in gilt, crossed sabres,

hilts downwards, T' over crossing of points and scroll below inscribed 'Punjab Cavalry'.

Pouch : in gilt metal as on waist plate.

2ND Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Field Cap : on a red ground, in gold embroidery a

Crown over '2', encircled over by a wreath. 'Punjab Cavalry' below on blue ground. The'2' is also on blue ground. Dress Pouch: in gold, P.C. surmounted by a Crown. 'II' below

monogram. The whole surrounded by a gold laurel wreath having scarlet scrolls entwined

bearing in gold letters the words 'Delhi', 'Afghanistan 1878-80', 'Punjab Cavalry',

'Ahmed Khel', 'Lucknow'. Undress Pouch: in brass, the Royal Cypher in a Garter in-

scribed 'Second Cavalry', surmounted by Crown, and below a scroll 'Punjab Frontier

Force'. The whole surrounded by a wreath entwined with scrolls bearing the distinctions as

on dress pouch. Remarks : This badge is worn on the dress pouch by the Native Officers.

3RD Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Waist Belt: British Officers. Nil. Native Officers.

In silver, the Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Crown, and an oak wreath oneither side. Field Cap: in silver gilt, '3' and crossed swords with scroll below 'Punjab

Cavalry'. Dress Pouch: in gold embroidery. P.C. surmounted by Crown. Below monogram'3' with scroll 'Kandahar 1880', 'Punjab Cavalry', 'Afghanistan 1879-80'. Undress Pouch:

British Officers. In brass P.C. surmounted by a Crown. Below monogram '3'. Native

Officers. In brass, the figure of a mounted sowar with scroll below 'Third Punjab Cavalry'.

5TH Regiment of Punjab Cavalry. Waist Plate: in white metal, the monogram P.C.

with 'V below in centre. Field Cap: in brass, 'V with scroll below 'Punjab Cavalry'.

Pouches: in gilt, monogram P.C. with 'V below. Underneath number scrolls 'Delhi' and'Lucknow'.

(The Queen's Own) Corps of Guides. Waist Plate: regimental monogram surmounted

by the word 'GUIDES'. Field Cap: 'GUIDES' in silver. British Officers. Dress Pouch: in

gold, on silver ground, the Royal Cypher within a Garter inscribed 'Honi soit qui mal-y-

pense', and surmounted by a Crown. The whole surrounded by a scroll bearing the words

213


'Queen's Own Corps of Guides'. Pouch Belt: silver chains, side pickers and sheath.

Undress Pouch: as on waist plate. Undress Pouch Belt: as on dress belt, without chain on

edge of belt. Native Officers. Pouch—Dress and Undress: in silver, the Royal Cypher in a

circle bearing the words 'Honi soit qui mal-y-pense', and surmounted by a crown. Abovethe Crown the word 'GUIDES'. Pouch Belt: as for British Officers' undress belt.g

Governor's Bodyguard, Madras. Field Cap: G.B.G. in gold embroidery on a dark

blue ground. Pouch and Pouch Belt: British Officers. Brass Royal and Imperial Cypher

surmounted by a Crown. Native Officers. NIL.

ist Regiment of Madras Lancers. Buttons: silver crossed lances with pennons. ACrown in the upper angle, M.L. in side angles, and V in the lower angle of the crossing.

Field Cap: in silver, crossed lances with pennons with 'i' over the crossing. Pouch: gilt

raised double Royal Cypher surmounted by a Crown. Pouch Belt: four silver scrolls

inscribed 'Seringapatam', 'Ava', 'Afghanistan 1879-80', 'Burma 1885-87'.

2ND Regiment of Madras Lancers. Buttons: silver crossed lances with pennons and2.M.L. Field Cap: crossed lances and the number '2'. Pouch Belt: silver scrolls inscribed

'Carnatic', 'Sholinghur', 'Mysore', 'Seringapatam', 'Burma 1885-87'. Side pickers andchains. Pouch: gilt raised double Royal Cypher surmounted by a Crown.

3RD Regiment of Madras Lancers. Buttons: silver crossed lances with pennons.

Crown in upper angle. 'Ill in lower angle. M.L. in side angles. Field Cap: silver crossed

lances with pennons with 'III M.L.' over the crossings. Pouch: gilt raised double RoyalCypher surmounted by a Crown. Pouch Belt: silver side pickers and chains, and scrolls

inscribed 'Mysore', 'Seringapatam', 'Mahidpore'.

Governor's Bodyguard, Bombay. Buttons: in brass B.B.G. in monogram, surmounted

by a Crown. Waist Plate: a crown in white metal on a brass plate. Pouch and Pouch Belt:

gilt, Royal and Imperial Cypher.

ist (The Duke of Connaught's Own) Regiment of Bombay Lancers. Buttons: in

brass, crossed lances with pennons, with monogram D.C.O. covering the crossing of the

lances. The whole surmounted by a Crown. Field Cap: in gold embroider)' crossed lances

with pennons, worked to coloured silk. A gold embroidered '1' over the crossing of the

lances. Pouch: gilt, Royal and Imperial Cypher and Crown. Pouch Belt: silver Elephant

with chains.

2nd Regiment of Bombay Lancers. Buttons: in brass, crossed lances with pennons '2'

over crossing of lances. 'B.L.' below, Crown above. Field Cap: embroidered in gold andcoloured silks, crossed lances, with '2' over the crossing. A scroll below inscribed 'BombayLancers'. The whole surmounted by a Crown. Lance heads and butts in silver. Pouch: in

gilt, within a Garter which is inscribed '2nd Regiment Bombay Lancers'. The Royal andImperial Cypher. Above the Garter a Crown. Round the sides of the Garter a wreath.

Below a fancy scroll inscribed 'Central India', 'Afghanistan'. Pouch Belt: silver buckles,

tips, slides, pickers and chains.

3RD (Queens Own) Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry. Waist Plate: in silver the

Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Crown, and encircled with oak-leaves.

Field Cap: in brass, crossed swords with '3' over the crossing. Scrolls below inscribed

214

APPENDIX I

'Queen's Own Bombay Light Cavalry'. Pouch: the Royal and Imperial Cypher andCrown. Pouch Belt: no badge.

4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Regiment of Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse)

(nil).

5TH Regiment of Bombay Cavalry (Sindh Horse) (nil).

6th Regiment of Bombay Cavalry (Jacob's Horse) . Waist Plate : in silver Royal andImperial Cypher and Crown. Field Cap : silver crossed swords, hilts downwards, within a

laurel wreath surmounted by a Crown. Three scrolls on each side of wreath inscribed

'Cutchee', 'Meeanee', 'Hyderabad' on the left and 'Punjab', 'Mooltan', 'Goojerat', on the

right. Between the hilts of swords 'VI'. Below this, two scrolls inscribed 'Afghanistan

1879-80'. 'Bombay Cavalry'. Wreath, Crown and number in gilt metal. Swords, honours,

and name in silver. Pouch: the Royal and Imperial Cypher and Crown. Pouch Belt: the

monogram J.H. within a laurel wreath surmounted by a Crown. The whole in silver.

7TH Regiment of Bombay Lancers (Belooch Horse). Field Cap: embroidered crossed

lances and pennons with '7' over the crossing. British Officers Pouch: gilt, Royal andImperial Cypher surmounted by a Crown. Pouch Belt: whistle and chain. Native Officers

Pouch: crossed lances with pennons '7' over crossing; a scroll below inscribed 'Bombay'.

The whole in white metal.

Aden Troops. Pouch Belt : whistle and chain.

ist Regiment of Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent. British Officers Buttons: gilt

metal, crossed lances with pennons, Crown in upper angle and monogram H.C.L. below.

Field Cap: gilt metal crossed lances with pennons T over the crossing; scrolls below in-

scribed 'Hyderabad Contingent'.

Buttons: Native Officers plain brass.

2nd Regiment of Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent. Buttons: as above. Field Cap: in

brass, crossed lances with pennons; H.C.L. interwoven over crossing; '2' in lower angle.

Pouch: gilt metal crossed lances with pennons, and monogram H.C.L. Pouch Belt: silver

engraved buckle, tip and slide with prickers and chains. Remarks : Plain round gilt buttons

on full dress blouse, and with khaki. Half ball gilt buttons with device of '2' surmounted

by a Crown and H.C.L., on undress blouse.

3RD Regiment of Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent. Buttons: gilt crossed lances with

H.C.L. over the crossing; Crown in upper angle. Field Cap: silver crossed lances with

pennons. Pouch : crossed lances with pennons. H.C.L. over crossing; Crown in upper angle.

Pouch Belt: Crown with silver chains and arrows, fixed into silver shield. Remarks: Brass

ball buttons are worn on khaki and white.

4.TH Regiment of Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent. Buttons: gilt, raised crossed lances

with pennons, H.C.L. over crossing; Crown in upper angle. Field Cap: silver crossed lances

with pennons: H.C.C. (the C's back to back and under the H.) over the crossing of the

lances. 'IV in lower angle of crossing. Pouch: as on buttons, in brass on silver. PouchBelt: silver Crown, chains, pickers in sheath fixed on a shield surrounded by scroll work

and oak-leaves.

ist Regiment, Central India Horse. Buttons: gilt crossed lances with pennons;

215


monogram C.I.H. across lances. The whole surmounted by a Crown. Waist Plate: gilt

frosted plate. The monogram C.I.H. surmounted by a Crown within a wreath. Device in

silver. Field Cap : silver gilt monogram C.I.H. over crossed lances with pennons. The whole

surmounted by a Crown. Pouch: as on field cap. Pouch Belt: no badge.

2nd Regiment, Central India Horse. Buttons: as above. Waist Plate: as above.

Field Cap : as above. Pouch : as above.

UNIFORM: FACINGS: BADGES AND DEVICES

EXTRACT, APPENDIX I, ARMY REGULATIONS INDIA, DRESS I9I3

Viceroy's Bodyguard. Uniform red ; facings blue. Badges and devices.—On buttons.

—

British officers.—Gilt, burnished, with the Royal and Imperial Cypher in a Garter, bearing

the motto of the Order of the Garter, and a Tudor Crown above. Indian Officers.—Brass,

with crossed lances; Tudor crown in upper angle, and 'G.G.B.G.' across the lower angle.

On field cap.—A Tudor crown in gold embroidery. On forage cap.—Tudor crown sur-

mounted by a lion, passant, regardant, in gold embroidery. On pouch.—-In gold embroi-

dery the monogram 'G.G.B.G.' surmounted by a Tudor crown. On pouch belt.—Gilt

burnished, side prickers and chains.

Governor's Bodyguard, Madras. Uniform scarlet ; facings blue. Badges and Devices.

—On field cap—'G.B.G' in gold embroidery on a dark blue ground. On pouch and pouch

belt.— (British officers only)—Brass Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Tudorcrown.

Governor's Bodyguard, Bombay. Uniform scarlet; facings blue.—Badges andDevices.—On buttons.—In brass 'B.B.G.' in monogram, surmounted by a Tudor crown.

On waist plate.—A Tudor crown in white metal on a brass plate. On pouch and pouchbelt.—In gilt the Royal and Imperial Cypher.

ist Duke of York's Own Lancers (Skinner's Horse). Uniform yellow; facings black

velvet. Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—In gilt, crossed lances bearing pennons; in

upper angle V; in lower the York rose; round the edge the words 'Duke of York's OwnLancers'. Without inscription for undress. On waist plate.—A gilt frosted square plate

with raised silver crossed lances bearing pennons. Monogram 'D.Y.O.' in centre, with Vabove and York rose below. On forage cap.—In gilt, crossed lances bearing pennons with

V in upper angle, and silver York rose in lower. On field cap.—As on forage cap. Onpouch.—In gilt, crossed lances bearing pennons. In centre, monogram 'D.Y.O.' with Vabove, and silver York rose below. Below a gilt scroll inscribed 'Skinner's Horse'. Pouchbelt.—On a silver star the monogram 'S.Y.O.' and a scroll inscribed 'The help ofGod andbravery of man'. Over the monogram a mounted lancer and a scroll bearing in Urducharacters the same motto. Above the star a Tudor crown. Above the crown, a scroll

inscribed 'Skinner's Horse'. Below the star, scrolls bearing the honorary distinctions of the

regiment, all in silver.

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APPENDIX I

2ND Lancers (Gardner's Horse). Uniform blue; facings light blue. Badges and Devices.

—On buttons.—In brass, double crossed lances bearing pennons; in upper angle '2'; in

lower angle, the letter 'L'. On waist plate.—In white metal, as on buttons. On field cap.

—

In silver, as on buttons. On pouch and pouch belt.—In gilt as on buttons.

3RD Skinner's Horse. Uniform blue; facings yellow. No devices.

4.TH Cavalry. Uniform scarlet; facings blue. Badges and Devices.—The universal

'Bengal Lancer' button. On helmet, field cap and forage cap.—Silver crossed lances,

bearing pennons, surmounted by a Tudor crown. Above the crown a lion passant

regardant. The numeral TV in lower angle. Below a frosted scroll inscribed 'Scinde,

1844'. On pouch and pouch belt.—As on forage cap, on a silver background.

5TH Cavalry. Uniform scarlet; facings blue. Badges and Devices.—On waist plate.

—

In silver, the figure '5' intertwined with the letter 'C, with scroll at sides and below in-

scribed 'Punjab', 'Mooltan', 'Afghanistan, 1879-80'. The whole surmounted by a Tudorcrown. On forage cap.

—'5' surmounted by a Tudor crown. Below a scroll inscribed

'Cavalry'. On the pouch.—In gold embroidery on blue cloth, the monogram '5 Csurmounted by a Tudor crown. Scroll at sides and below inscribed 'Punjab', 'Mooltan',

'Afghanistan 1879-80'. A wreath of laurel leaves in gold embroidery round edge of pouch.

6th King Edward's Own Cavalry. Uniform blue ; facings scarlet. Badges and Devices

—On buttons.—Gilt metal charged with the plume of the Prince of Wales in silver, sur-

mounted with the Imperial Crown; the Roman numerals 'V and T on left and right

plume, the monogram 'K.E.O.C at base. On collar of tunic, and kurta.—The plume of

the Prince of Wales; plume silver, coronet gilt. On waist plate.—Gilt, surcharged with the

Royal and Imperial Cypher of King Edward VII, wreathed with oak leaves; the badgesilver. On forage and field caps.—The Royal and Imperial Cypher of King Edward VII,

the crown gilt, the Cypher blue enamelled and a scroll below, red enamelled, '6th K.E.O.Cavalry'. On pouch—Scarlet cloth charged with the Royal and Imperial Cypher of KingEdward VII, the Crown gilt, the monogram silver with 'VI Cavalry' at the base, the wholeenwTeathed with gold embroidery bearing silver embroidered scrolls containing the

honorary distinctions of the regiment.

7TH Hariana Lancers. Uniform scarlet; facings blue. Badges and Devices.—On field

and forage caps.—In gilt, 'VII' surmounted by a Tudor crown in the centre of crossed

lances. Silver pouch.—In gilt, as on field cap, but below number, a scroll inscribed

'Hariana Lancers'.

8th Cavalry. Uniform blue; facings scarlet. On forage and field caps.—In gilt, crossed

lances and pennons with '8' over crossing. The whole surmounted by a Tudor crown. Onpouch and pouch belt.—In silver, the Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Tudorcrown.

9TH Hodson's Horse. Uniform blue; facings white.—Badges and Devices.—On buttons.

—In brass, crossed lances with pennons; '9' in upper angle and the letters 'H.H.' over

crossing of lances. On helmet and field cap.—In silver, crossed lances and pennons. '9'

over crossing and scroll below joining handles of lances, inscribed 'Hodson's Horse'. Onwaist plate.— In silver (brass for Indian officers), crossed lances with pennons. Between

lance points a Tudor crown; '9' over the crossing. A scroll below inscribed 'Hodson's

217


Horse'. On forage cap.—-As on waist plate. On the pouch.—In gold, as on waist plate. Onpouch belt.—Silver side prickers in sheath with chains.

ioth Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers (Hodson's Horse). Uniform blue; facings

scarlet. Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—Crossed lances with '10' in relief, surmounted

by a Tudor crown. The whole in brass. On waist plate and pouch.—Crossed lances in

brass with '10' in white metal in relief. The whole surmounted by a Tudor crown. Onfield cap.

—'X' in silver.

iith King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse). Uniform blue; facings scarlet.

Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—In gilt, crossed lances with pennons. The Prince of

Wales' plume and motto over crossing, 'XT in lower angle. On helmet.—Crossed lances

with 'XT in lower angle (in brass). Prince of Wales' plume covering brass angles (in

silver). On waistplate.—Monogram 'K.E.O.' over crossed lances, Prince of Wales' plumein upper angle; 'XI' in lower angle (in silver on brass plate). On forage and field caps.

—

As on helmet (all in silver). On pouch.—As on waistplate, in silver on silver pouch. Onpouch belt.—In silver, the Prince of Wales' plume and motto between the silver plates for

the prickers and chains. On the shoulder straps.—The Prince of Wales' Plume, instead of

numerals.

1 2TH Cavalry. Uniform blue ; facings blue. Badges and Devices.—On waist plate.—In

gilt, the Royal and Imperial Cypher and Tudor crown. Oak wreaths on each side andscroll below inscribed Dieu et mon droit. On field cap.—Tudor crown over two crossed

swords and 'XII' beneath. On pouch and pouch belt.—In gilt, Tudor crown over twocrossed swords and 'XII' beneath. Side scrolls inscribed 'Abyssinia', 'Charasia', 'Peiwar

Kotal', 'Kabul 1879' ; below the 'XII' a scroll inscribed 'Afghanistan, 1878-80'. The whole

surrounded by a laurel wreath.

13TH Duke of Connaught's Lancers (Watson's Horse). Uniform blue; facings

scarlet. Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—In white metal crossed lances with pennons

with '13' over the crossing. On waist plate.—In silver, on a brass plate, a device as on the

buttons. On field cap.—In silver as on buttons. On the pouch.—In gilt, as on buttons.

14.TH Murray's Jat Lancers. Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges and Devices.—Onbuttons.—Full dress.—In brass, crossed lances bearing pennons; in upper angle a Tudorcrown; in side angles the numerals '1' and '4'. Below, a scroll inscribed 'Murray's JatLancers'. Undress.—Crossed lances bearing pennons; a Tudor crown in the upper angle

and 'XIV in the lower. On a helmet, forage cap and field cap.—In silver, crossed lances

bearing pennons; 'XIV across the crossing of the lances. On waist plate.—British officers.

—As on helmet; Indian officers.—In brass the letters 'M.J.L.' with 'XIV above.

15TH Lancers (Cureton's Multanis). Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges andDevices.—On waist plate.—Full dress.—In silver, crossed lances with pennons and '15'

over the crossing. On forage cap.—In gilt, crossed lances and pennons. Over crossing a

star. On the star '15', below a crescent inscribed 'Cureton's Multanis'. On field cap.—In

gilt, as on waist plate. On pouch and pouch belt.—In silver, as on forage cap.

1 6th Cavalry. Uniform blue; facings blue. Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—Twocrossed lances enclosing a Tudor crown between pennons and 'XVI' between butts. Atcrossing of lances the letter 'C\ On waist plate, field cap, and pouch.—As on buttons.

218

APPENDIX I

i/TH Cavalry. Uniform blue; facings white. Badges and Devices.—On buttons.

—

'XVII' over a star and crescent; below 'Cavalry'. On waist plate.—Star and crescent over

'XVII'. Below a scroll inscribed 'Cavalry'. On field cap.—A silver star and crescent over

'XVII'. On pouch.—Star and crescent over 'XVII'. On pouch belt.—As on pouch, silver

plate, side prickers and chains.

i 8th King George's Own Lancers. Uniform scarlet; facings white. Badges andDevices.—On buttons.—In brass, crossed lances with pennons, '18' surmounted bycrown in upper angle, 'G.R.I. ' in centre, 'King George's Own Lancers' on scroll below.

On forage and field cap.—In silver gilt as on buttons. On pouch and pouch belt.—In silver

gilt, as on buttons.

1 9TH Lancers (Fane's Horse). Uniform blue; facings French grey. Badges and Devices.

—On buttons.—Tunic and mess jacket.—German silver crossed lances with pennons.

Other garments.—German silver crossed lances with pennons '19' inside angles of crossing.

On waist plate and pouch.—Silver monogram 'F.H.' surmounted by a Tudor crown. Onfield cap.—In silver as on buttons of 'other garments'. On pouch belt.—In silver, in centre

on an ornamental eight-pointed star, fastened on which is a plain oval band, inscribed

'Lancers-Fane's Horse' and 'XIX' in centre. Above this a Tudor crown, and above the

crown a scroll inscribed 'Fane's Horse— 1860'. Above this scroll a silver ornament, from

which hang two chains. Below the centre ornament a scroll inscribed 'Taku Forts', 'Pekin'.

Below this, silver side pickers.

20th Deccan Horse. Uniform rifle-green; facings white. On buttons.—British officers.

—Gilt metal with 'D.H.' in monogram. Plain round gilt buttons on full dress Kurta andwith khaki. Indian officers. Plain brass. On forage cap—A silver horse rampant, with a

scroll below inscribed 'Deccan'. On pouch and pouch belt.—

'D.H.' in gilt mono-gram.

2 ist Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) (Daly's Horse).—Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges and Devices.—On waist plate.—In silver, on a brass

plate '21' with a scroll below inscribed 'Daly's Horse' and one above inscribed 'P.A.V.O.

Cavalry, Frontier Force', and surmounted by a Tudor crown. On forage cap and field cap.

—In gilt '21' over crossed swords, hilt downwards, surmounted by a Tudor crown. Below,

a scroll inscribed 'P.A.V.O. Cavalry, F.F.'. On pouch.—British officer.—As on waist plate.

Indian officers.—As on waist plate but surrounded by laurel leaves and scrolls inscribed

'Delhi', 'Lucknow', 'Afghanistan 1878-80', Ahmed Khel.'

22ND Sam Browne's Cavalry (Frontier Force). Uniform scarlet; facings blue.

Badges and Devices.—On field cap.—On a red ground, in brass, a Tudor crown over'22' encircled by a wreath; below the number a scroll inscribed 'Sam Browne's Cavaln '.

On the pouch.—In gold, 'S.B.C surmounted by a Tudor crown, below 'XXII'. Thewhole surrounded by a gold laurel wreath, having a scroll entwined with the words in

gold letters, 'Delhi', 'Afghanistan', '1878-80', 'Frontier Force', 'Ahmed Khel', 'Lucknow'.

23RD Cavalry (Frontier Force). Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges and Devices.

—

On waist plate (Indian officers only). In silver the Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted

by a Tudor crown with an oak wreath on either side. On field cap.—The Kandahar star in

bronze; in the centre 'XXIII'. On the pouch.—In gold embroidery, the monogram T.I .

219


surmounted by a Tudor crown. Below, monogram '23' with scrolls 'Kandahar 1880',

'F.F. Cavalry', 'Afghanistan, 1879-80'.

25TH Cavalry (Frontier Force). Uniform dark green; facings scarlet. Badges andDevices.—On waist plate.—British officers

—'25' surmounted by a Tudor crown; below a

scroll inscribed 'Cavalry Frontier Force'. Indian officers.—As above in white metal. Onfield cap.—In brass 'XXV, below, scroll inscribed 'Cavalry Frontier Force'. On pouch.

—

In gilt, as on waist plate, but with the addition of a gold laurel wreath crossed by scrolls

inscribed 'Delhi', 'Lucknow', 'Charasia', 'Afghanistan, 1878-80', 'Kabul 1879'.

26th King George's Own Light Cavalry. Uniform French grey; facings buff. Badges

and Devices.—On buttons.—Silver crossed lances behind Prince of Wales' plume with

'L' and 'C in side angles and '26' in lower angle. On collar of tunic.—Crossed lances

bearing pennons, in the upper angle the Prince of Wales' plume, in the lower angle the

Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Tudor crown ; at crossing a scroll inscribed

'26 K.G.O. Light Cavalry'. The whole in silver. On shoulder.—The figures and letters

'26 L.C with smaller letters 'K.G.O. ' between them below the Prince of Wales' plume.

The Prince of Wales' plume and the letters 'K.G.O.' in silver and the rest in brass for

British officers; the whole in brass for other ranks. On forage and field cap.—As for

collar badge. On pouch and pouch belt.—Royal and Imperial Cypher.

27TH Light Cavalry. Uniform French grey; facings buff. Badges and Devices.—Onbuttons.

—'27' on crossed lances, surmounted by a Tudor crown; below, the letters 'L.C.

On field cap.—Monogram 'L.C with '27' across it. On pouch.—Gilt raised double Royal

and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Tudor crown. On pouch belt.—Silver scrolls

'Carnatic', 'Sholinghur', 'Mysore', 'Seringapatam', 'Burma', '1855-87', side prickers andchains.

28th Light Cavalry. Uniform French grey; facings buff. Badges and Devices.—Onbuttons, forage cap, and field cap.—Crossed swords with '28' in lower angle in silver. Onpouch.—Gilt raised double Royal and Imperial Cypher surmounted by a Tudor crown.

On pouch belt.—Silver side prickers and chains and scrolls inscribed 'Mysore',

'Seringapatam', 'Mahidpore'.

29TH Lancers (Deccan Horse). Uniform rifle-green; facings white. Badges and Devices.

—On field cap.—In brass, crossed lances with pennons; '29' in side angles; 'D.H.' in

lower angle. On pouch.—Gilt metal crossed with pennons. On pouch belt.—Silver en-

graved buckle tip and slide with prickers and chains.

30TH Lancers (Gordon's Horse). Uniform rifle-green; facings white. Badges andDevices.—On buttons.—Gilt raised crossed lances with pennons; 'XXX' over crossing.

On forage cap and field cap.—In silver, as on buttons. On pouch.—In gilt raised crossed

lances with pennons; 'XXX' over crossing encircled by oak leaves; scroll below inscribed

'Gordon's Horse'; the whole surmounted by a Tudor crown.

3 1 st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers. Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges andDevices.—On buttons.—In brass, crossed lances with pennons, with monogram 'D.C.O.'

covering the crossing of the lances. The whole surmounted by a Tudor crown. On forage

cap.—In gold embroidery, crossed lances with pennons, worked in coloured silk. A gold

220

APPENDIX I

embroidered '31' over the crossing of the lances. On pouch.—In gilt the Royal andImperial Cypher and Tudor crown. On pouch belt.—Silver elephant with chains.

32ND Lancers. Uniform blue; facings white. Badges and Devices.—On buttons. In

brass, crossed lances with pennons, cutting through '32' at point of crossing; Tudor crownabove. On forage cap.—In gilt as on buttons. On pouch.—In gilt, the Royal and Imperial

Cypher and Tudor crown. On pouch belt.—Silver buckles, tips, slides, prickers and chains.

33RD Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry. Uniform blue; facings scarlet. Badges

and Devices.—On waist plate.—In silver the Royal and Imperial Cypher of QueenVictoria within the Garter surmounted by a Tudor crown and encircled with oak leaves.

On forage cap.—In brass, crossed swords with '33' over the crossing. Below a scroll

inscribed 'Queen's Own Light Cavalry'. On pouch.—The Royal and Imperial Cypher of

Queen Victoria within the Garter and Tudor crown.

34.TH Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. Uniform dark blue ; facings French

grey. Badges and Devices.—On waist plate.—In silver, the Royal and Imperial Cyphersurmounted by a Tudor crown, and encircled with oak leaves. On forage cap.—In silver

inscribed with the honorary distinctions of the regiment.

35TH Scinde Horse. Uniform blue; facings white. Badges and Devices.—On waist

plate.—In silver, the Royal and Imperial Cypher, surmounted by a Tudor crown, andencircled with oak leaves. On field cap.—The letters 'S.H.' surrounded by a Tudor crown.

On pouch.—The Royal and Imperial Cypher, surmounted by a Tudor crown. On pouch

belt.—Monogram 'S.H.' surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a Tudorcrown. Chain and whistle.

36TH Jacob's Horse. Uniform blue; facings primrose. Badges and Devices.—On waist

plate.—In silver, the Royal and Imperial Cypher and Tudor crown. On forage cap.—In

silver, a device of a native horseman bearing a lance. Below, in silver 'XXXVI. Jacob's

Horse'. On pouch.—As on waist plate. On pouch belt.—The monogram 'J.H.' within a

laurel wreath surmounted by a Tudor crown. The whole in silver.

37TH Lancers (Baluch Horse). Uniform dark blue (khaki serge when on parade with

their men) ; facings buff. Badges and Devices.—On forage cap.—Embroidered crossed

lances and pennons, with '37' over the crossing. On field cap.—As on forage cap. Onpouch.—British officers.—In gilt, the Royal and Imperial Cypher, surmounted by a Tudorcrown. Indian officers.—In silver, as on forage cap. On pouch belt.—Whistle and chain.

38TH King George's Own Central India Horse. Uniform drab; facings maroon.

Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—In gilt, crossed lances bearing pennons, surmounted

by the monogram 'C.I.H.'; above, a Tudor crown. On helmet.—Plume of the Prince of

Wales. On waist plate.—In silver on a gilt frosted plate the Prince of Wales's plume over

crossed lances bearing pennons with 'C.I.H.' inscribed beneath. On forage cap.—Crossed

lances bearing pennons surmounted by the Royal and Imperial Cypher; above, an

Imperial crown; below, a scroll inscribed 'Central India Horse'. On pouch.—Design as for

forage cap. On pouch belt.—The Prince of Wales' plume and silver prickers.

39TH King George's Own Central India Horse. Uniform drab; facings maroon.

Badges and Devices.—On buttons.—Crossed lances bearing pennons surmounted by the

monogram 'C.I.H.'; above, an Imperial crown. On shoulder.—Metal plume. On helmet

221


and forage cap.—Crossed lances bearing pennons surmounted by the Royal and Imperial

Cypher; above, an Imperial crown; below, a scroll inscribed 'Central India Horse'. Onpouch.—As for helmet. On pouch belt.—Plume above 'Central India Horse' between

lances.

Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden's). Uniform drab; facings red

velvet. Badges and Devices.—On waist plate.—Regimental monogram surmounted by

'Guides'. On field cap.—

'Guides' in silver. On pouch.—British officers.—The Cypher of

Queen Victoria within a Garter inscribed Honi Soit qui mal y pense, and surmounted by a

Tudor crown. The whole surrounded by a scroll bearing the words 'Queen's Own Corps

of Guides'. Indian officers, Infantry.—As for British officers, but smaller. Indian officers,

Cavalry.—The Cypher of Queen Victoria in a circle inscribed Honi soit qui mal y pense,

and surmounted by a Tudor crown; above the crown the word 'Guides'. On pouch belt.

—

Silver chains, side prickers and sheath.

Aden Troop. Uniform khaki.—On pouch belt.—Whistle and chain.

222

APPENDIX II

IRREGULAR CAVALRY RAISED IN BENGAL PRIOR TO THE MUTINY

1803 Skinner's Horse

1809 Gardner's Horse1 8

15 1 st Rohilla Cavalry

1 815 2nd Skinner's Horse

181 5 3rd Skinner's Horse-

1815 2nd Rohilla Cavalry-

1815 3rd Rohilla Cavalry-

1823 1st Local Horse1823 2nd Local Horse1823 3rd Local Horse1 823 4th Local Horse-1819-1819-1819

1823 5th Local Horse1823 6th Local Horse-1823 7th Local Horse-1823 8th Local Horse-

1833 Oudh Irregular

Cavalry

1840 1st Irregular Horse1840 2nd Irregular Horse1840 3rd Irregular Horse1840 4th Irregular Horse

1 86

1

1 st Bengal Cavalry1 86

1

2nd Bengal Cavalry1 86

1

disbanded1 86

1

3rd Bengal Cavalry

•1829

18291829

1840 5th Irregular Horse 1857 mutinied

1840 6th Irregular Horse 1861 4th Bengal Cavalry

1838 1st Shah SujahCavalry

1838 2nd Shah SujahCavalry— 1842

1838 BundelkhandLegion

1846 1 oth Irregular

Cavalry1 846 1 1 th Irregular

Cavalry1846 1 2 th Irregular

Cavalry1846 13th Irregular

Cavalry1 846 1 4th Irregular

Cavalry1846 1 5th Irregular



Cavalry

1 84 1 7th Irregular Horse8th Irregular Horse

1844 9th Irregular Horse

1 86 1 5th Bengal Cavalry1 86 1 6th Bengal Cavalry1 86 1 disbanded

1847 1 oth Irregular Horse 1857 mutinied

1847 1 1 th Irregular Horse 1859 disbanded

1 2th Irregular Horse 1861 disbanded

13th Irregular Horse 1857 mutinied

14th Irregular Horse 1857 mutinied

1 5th Irregular Horse 1857 mutinied

1 6th Irregular Horse 1861 disbanded



There are other units which were raised before the Mutinybut they were not numbered with the Local Horse or

Irregular Cavalry. The units later numbered from 9onwards in the Bengal Cavalry are dealt with in the maintext.

223

GLOSSARY

Below is a selection of Indian and other words, with alternative spelling or an explanation.

See also introduction.

Alkalak—or alkhalak. Long coat worn by horsemen, fastens on the chest.

Angreka—or angreeka, type ofjacket.

Bahadur—a champion, hero.

Bargir—man who rode horse, not being assami.

Chapkan—or chupkan. A coat.

Chapplis—native sandals.

Charjama—native saddlecloth.

Choga—greatcoat of camelhair, part covering head.

Cummerbund—cummerband, kamarband, kummerband, kummerbund. Waist sash.

Duffadar—daffadar. Cavalry N.C.O. equal to sergeant.

Havildar—Infantry N.C.O. equal to sergeant.

Hessian—type of boot finishing below knee.

Janghees—or janghers. Short drawers.

Jemadar—Junior Indian officer equal to lieutenant.

Jodhpurs—cavalry breeches, loose in upper part but tight in leg.

Khogur—native saddlery.

Kot-duffadar—or kote-duffadar. Senior cavalry N.C.O. equal to Troop-sergeant-major.

Khaki—or kharkee, from Persian word meaning dust or ashes.

Kulla—or kullah. A small close-fitting cap, generally pointed, round which is worn a

pugri etc.

Kurta—or kurtah. Loose frock or blouse, reaching to the knees with an opening in front

to the waist.

Kuzzlebash—Persian type of headdress.

Lance-naique—or lance-naik. Native lance-corporal.

Lascar—camp-follower, tent-pitcher, etc.

Lungi—or lunghi, loonghi. Originally a waistcloth, but now synonymous with pugri.

Lungi is tied more loosely and bigger than turban.

Mogul—or Moghul.Multani mutti—ochre dye.

Xagarchi—kettledrum.

Naib—deputy as naib-risaldar—deputy-risaldar.

Xaique—naik, naick. Corporal.

Pag—or pug. Cloth tied over head by Hindus under the turban.

Pelisse—an upper garment, usually worn loose on the shoulders by Hussars.

Poshteen—coat of sheepskin, worn with hair inside.

Pugri—or pagri, puggari, puggree. Cloth worn round head or headdress.

Puttee—or putties. Cloths wound round legs.

Pyjamas—paijames. Loose trousers worn by cavalrymen.

Rcssaider—troop commander, lower than risaldar.

i.a.u.-q 225

GLOSSARY

Risala—rissalah. Any formed body of horse, single troop or whole regiment.

Risaldar-major—Senior risaldar of regiment, rank created 1866.

Sabretache—embroidered or plain leather pocket attached by slings to sword-belt.

Safa—or safah. Cavalry headdress.

Saloo—thin muslin cloth.

Shabraque—horsecloth popularized by hussars and light cavalry.

Shako—or chaco. A stiff cap of various shapes of felt, leather etc.

Silladar—a man who owned horse, or had special arrangement.

Sind—Scinde, Scindh, a district.

Sowar—horseman or trooper.

Subadar—native officer equal to captain.

Tulwar—curved native sword.

Turban—turband, tightly-tied close-fitting headdress.

Wordi-major—Indian assistant to adjutant.

226

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

GENERAL

G.O.C.C. General Orders of Commander-in-Chief.

A.G.G.O. Adjutant-General's General Orders.

G.O. General Order—for Bengal, Bombay or Madras Presidency.

I.A.O. Indian Army Order, for united armies.

Dress Regulations

Bombay 1850 and 1884.

Madras 1851 and 1885.

All India, 1886, 1901, 1913, 1925, 1931, 1942.

Clothing Regulations

1904, 1909, 1914, 1939Price List of Clothing, necessaries and badges (in I.A.O., 1905).

Indian Army Lists ; also Bengal A.L., etc.

East India Register, 1800 onwards.

Whitaker's Naval and Military Directory 1898- 1900.

Bullmore and Patrick-tailor's books.

Various tailors' books.

Costume of the British Empire, Charles Hamilton Smith, 18 12-15.

Navy and Army Illustrated Magazine, 1897 onwards.

Army and Navy Gazette, 1900 onwards.

Armies of India, by Major (later General Sir) G. F. MacMunn, 191 1.

India's Army, by Major D. Jackson, 1942.

Journals of Society for Army Historical Research.

Cavalry Journal.

Royal United Service Institute Journal.

Illustrated London News, 1857 onwards.

Graphic, 1878, etc.

Modern newspapers and journals.

60 Years a Queen, by Sir H. Maxwell.

Historical Record of the Imperial Visit to India igir, 1914.

Photographic Album, Bremner, 1897.

Sketch of Services of Bengal Army to i8g§, by Lieutenant F. G. Cardew, 1903.

Bengal Military Records, Grace, 1 799.

Code of Bengal Military Regulations, Carroll, 18 17.

Abstract of G.O. s and regulations, Bengal, 18 19.

Illustrations of the Siege and Capture of Bhurtpore, 1826.

Postscript to the Records of the Indian Army, G. L. Gimblett.

History of the Madras Army, Lieut.-Colonel W. J. Wilson, 1882.

History of the Bombay Army, by Sir P. R. Cadell, 1938.

History of the Hyderabad Contingent by Major R. Burton, 1905.

i.a.u.-q* 227

SOURCES AND BIBLIOGRAPHY

REGIMENTALHistorical Records of the Viceroys Body Guard, V. C. P. Hodson, 1910.

Services of the Madras Body Guard and its officers, 1866.

History of the Nepal Escort, Captain H. M. McLeod, 1931.

A Rough Sketch of the Rise and Progress of the Irregular Horse of the Bengal, C. Carmichael, 1847.

Standing Orders for the Native Cavalry (Bengal), Cochrane.

Standing Orders for the Bengal Cavalry, 1875.

History of 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse), by D. E. Whitworth, 1924.

Hodson's Horse 1857-1922, by Major F. G. Cardew, 1928.

History of Probyn's Horse (5 K.E.O.L.), by Major C. A. Boyles, 1929.

History of Xlth Lancers, by Captain E. L. Maxwell, 19 14.

Historical Record of nth Bengal Cavalry, by Govt. Central Press (c. 1870).

Probyn's Horse Nevus Letter, 1937 etc.

Star and Crescent (iyth Cavalry 1858-1922), by Major F. C. C. Yeats-Brown.

History of igth King George's Own Lancers 1858-1921, by Sir Havelock Hudson, 1937.

History of 30th Lancers, by Stothard, 191 1.

Punjab Frontier Force 1846-1924, by R. North, 1934.

Historical Records of the Corps of Guides, Lahore, 1877.

Historical Records of the Queen's Own Corps of Guides, 1886 etc.

History of the 1st Punjab Cavalry, Lahore, 1887.

History of 2nd Punjab Cavalry 1849-1 886, Kegan Paul, 1888.

History of the 3rd Regiment Punjab Cavalry, Lahore, 1887.

History of 23rd Cavalry (Frontier Force) , 1910.

Historical Record of 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force) 1886-1912, Calcutta, 191 2.

Historical Records of 2nd Madras Lancers (now 27th Light Cavalry), 1909.

Historical Records of 4th Prince of Wales' Own Regiment of Madras Light Cavalry, by Lieut-

Colonel W.J. Wilson, 1877.

8th King George V's Own Light Cavalry, by H. G. Rawlinson, 1 948.

Bombay Mil. Regns, by J. Aitchison (c. 1824).

Short Sketches of 31st D.C.O. Lancers and 32nd Lancers, (W.O.L.).

Historical Records of 33rd Light Cavalry, (c. 19 14).

Poona Horse, 1817-1931, by H. C. Wylly, M. H. Anderson, etc.

Record Book of Scinde Irregular Horse, 1856.

King George's Own Central India Horse, 1858-1921, 1930, 1921-1946, 1950.

228

GENERAL INDEX

Abyssinia, 78, 86Ackermann, 8, 9, 10, 28, 29, 64, 65,

71, 108, 109, no, i2i, 138, 140,

'4'. '43. '52 . 162, 163A.D.C., 84Aden, 150Afghanistan, 103, 123Afghans, 58Aikman, F. R.,89Albert Victor, Prince, 115, 161

Ali, Meer Heldayat, 62Aligarh, 90Aliwal, 7Ambala, 76, 96Angria, 149Arcot, 129Arcot, Nawab of, 1 28Armstrong, Miss A. M., 27Army and Navy Gazette, 17Army List, Bengal, 28Aske, Major, 1 29Assaye, 137Atkinson, C. F., 30, 32, 71, 75Ava, 7, 138, 139Aziz, Sayyid Abdul, 67, 68

Baddeley, W. C, 58, 60Bahadur, Zafir Ali Khan, 124Baksh, Mohamed, 159Baloogunge, 24Baluch, 150, 168

Band, mounted, 186Bangalore, 130Bareilly, 58, 67Battle Honours, see in Appendix I

as well as separately in generalindex

Bazett, Capt. C. V., 28Bederrah, 198Bhopal, 169Bhurtpore, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 49, 50Birdwood, Lord, 84Blair, 26, 58Blane, Seymour, 5Bombay, 202Boyle, Hon. R. E., 84Bremner, 69, 70, ioi

Brennan, G., 96, 102, 103, 170,203Briscoe, 82.10^British Museum, 50British Regiments, listed indivi-

dually in General Index

Browne, S.J. , 120, 121, 122

Bruce, Lieut.-Colonel, 32Bullmore and Patrick, 26, 27, 107,

I36> '5«

Bullock, Brig. H., 25, 123Bundelkhand Cavalry, 7

1

Burke, 62Burma, 8, 1 76

Cabool, 60Cadell, Sir P., 60, 168Calcutta, 1,2, 1 7, 2 1 , 1 98, 202Cambridge, Duke of, 77, 79, 80, 196Cambridge, Lord, 4, 9, 30, 71, 102Camel Gunners, 109Campbell, Sir Colin, 202Campbell, C. W., 56Canning, Lord, 1

Canning, Lady, 5Carbines, Victoria, 77Cardew, 32, 60, 82, 96Cattermole, Lance, 187Cattley, H. C, 88Cavalry Journal, 60, 109, 162

Cawnpore, 27, 76, 102

Chang-Tsai-VVan, 82Charleton, J., 72Chase, M. C., 135Chase, Miss Rebecca, 129, 130Cheyt, Singh, 1

China, 82, 83Choultry Plain, 134Christie, J., 70Clive, 203Collingridge, Major F., 202Connaught, Duke of, 90Coronation, 191 1, 119Coronation, 1937, 180, 188

Corygaum, 159Cossah, 3Cragie, Capt. F. J., 121

Crelock, Col., 102

Crossman, Capt. F. G. u\

Cunningham, George, 58, 60Cureton, Capt. C, 92

Dalhousie, Lord, 4Dallas, Thomas, 129, 132Daly, 1 15Darnell. F., 131, 132de Beck, 128

de Boignc, 32

Delhi, 1 8, 26, 73, 76, 83, 194, 196Dening, General, 164Dening, Lieut.-Colonel R., 192Desanges, Chevalier, 122

Dick, Captain A. A., 82Dinapore, 23Dogra, 78Dosooty, dusootee, 3, 24, 36Dragoons, 6th, 194Dublin Museum, 26Duke of York, 55, 56Dumpies, 196Dunn, Colonel C. J., 151

Durbar, 194, 196

East India Company, 8East India Register, 26Ebsworth, 196Edward VII, King, 6gEgan, C, 86Egypt, 76, 90Elgin, Lord, 5England, 7Eyres, Lieut. G. B., 32

Fane, Lieut., 102

Fane, W., 120, 121

Fategarh, 68Fcrozshahur, 7Fitzclarencc, 50, 58Flamingoes, 75Flatow, A. F., 94Foreign Hussars, 128

Fort St. George, 128, 139Fraser, Major \V., 50, 60Frith, Major, 32Furlong, Major F., 202

Galloper Guns, 24Gardner, W. L., 32, 56George V, King, 102, 169, 181, 194(iha/i, 24( .hazipur, 23Gibson Saddle, 107Goad, S. B., 28Gordon, Sir John, 106

h. Sir 11

1 I'., 63ton, J. P., 156

Graham, ( Soland, 97Graphic, 13, 54

229

INDEX

Gray Lieut.-Colonel, C. R. D., 176Greenaway, Captain H. C, 78Grenadiers, 149Guides, Corps of, 115Gwalior, 100, 169

Haldwani, 94Hall, Colonel, 61

Hansi, 50, 60Harden, Major F. G, 137Hariana, 72Harington, Lieut.-Colonel T., 28Harris, R. G, n, 13, 76,84Hastings, Marquis of, 3Hastings, Warren, 1

Havell, 50, 58Hay, George, 1

Hazark, 84Hearsey, Sir John, 57Hill, Colonel R., 63Hindoostan Independent Regi-

ment, 32Hodson, 2

Hodson, W. S. R., 74, 77, 115Home, 130Hoskins, Captain P. R., 86Howard. Major, 186Hunsley, W., 8, 9, 138, 139Hussars, 8th, 194Hussars, 10th, 194Hussars, 13th, 194, 196Hussars, 19th, 197Hussars. 20th, 197Hussars, Java, 1 96Hussun Nurul, 69Hutchisson, 49Hyder Ali, 128Hyderabad, 27, 28, 30, 106, 159, 160

Illustrated London News, 30, 32, 62,

68, 71, 72, 74, 88, 103, 118, 125,

204Imperial Institute, Opening of,

1893, 100, in, 148, 170India Army Museum, Sandhurst, 3,

27, 30, 50, 5". 52. 58, 67, 75, 81,

82,86.87, 103, 108, 145, 157, 162,

176, 177, 184, 186, 207India Office Library, 138Indian Army Regiments, see Regi-

mental IndexIndian Cavalry Training Centre,

186, 189, 192Indian Orderly Officer, 90, 180, 181,

188, 189, 192Irving, Lieut. J., 22, 26

Jackson, C. F., 156, 157Jackson, Colonel D., 194Jacob, John, 150, 162, 163, 166Jalal-ud-Daula, 106Jat Horse, 90Java Hussars, 1 96Jones, G, 28, 30, 159Jones, Captain L. B., 80, 81, 82Jubilee, 1887, 69, 92, 100, 103, 122,

'24. "59

Jubilee, 1897, 7, 14, 57, 62, 72, 74,

77,90, 112, 127, 166

Jumma, 37Jung, Mustafa Yar, 106

Kandahar, 23Katmandu, 2

1

Kauntze, Colonel E. H. E., 99Kazlbash, 157, 164Kettledrums, 1 , 99Khaki, 115Khan, Ali Muhamed, 56, 58Khan, Bahadur Sher, 188Khan, Faiz, 165Khan, Ghulam Hasan, 92Khan, Hafiz M. N., 92Khan, Hussein Ali, 88Khan, Kadam, 65, 66Khan, Makbul, 74Khan, Mir Haider Shah, 166Khan, Mohamed Unar, 1 64Khan, Mohamed Yasef, 128Khan, Muzaffar, 184Khan, Nadir, 75, 77Khan, Nadir Ali, 100Khan, Nizam-ud-din, 84Khan, Tahwar, 68Kilpatrick, Lieut. J., 128King, F. C, 53King's Dragoon Guards, 1 94Knox, 23Kurtab, 74

Lahore, 80, 86, 88, 92, 120, 123Lance, Colonel F., 122

Lancers, 21st, 197Laswarree, 26, 27, 28Law-ford, Colonel E. M., 145Layard, F. P., 52Leslie. 159Levee, 176, 190, 192Lhudiana, 172Lichfield Cathedral, 76Life Guards, 127Light Dragoons, 14th, 27Light Dragoons, 27th, 24Local Horse, 32Lovett, A. C, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 54,

55, 62, 63, 69, 74, 79, 84, 86, 88,

92, 103, in, 118, 119, 123, 127,

147, 148, 159, 160, 161, 162, 164,

165, 166, 168, 172. 202Luard. Captain J., 51Lucknow, 76, 82Lumsden, H. B., 1 15, 202

Macauley, 150Macgregor, Colonel J. M., 1

1

Mackay, H., 129Mackenzie, 96, 99Mackenzie, Captain D. G, 164Maclcod, Major, 108Maharajpore, 7Mahidpore, 137Mahratta, 17Malay, 198Malwa, 63, 169

Martens, H., 10, 28, 29, 30Maunsell, Colonel E. B., 162Maxwell, 80, 84Mayne, Captain H., 169McSlunn, Sir George, 132Meeanee Day, 1 88Mercer, Captain \\'., I, 2

Mian Mir, 99Mogul horse, 1, 23, 32Mohammedans, 78Money, Colonel G. A., 102

Moniah, 23Montgomery, H. C, 2, 8Moodkee, 7Mooltan, 23, 125, 157Moorhouse, Colonel, 130Mudlarks, 115Muir, Lieut. J., 32Mull. Rai Barchi, 106

Multani mutti, 33, 36, 38, 78Multani Pathans, 92Murray, Captain J. I., 90Murray, Lieut.-Colonel J., 131, 132Musketoons, 64Muttra, 97Myers, Lieut. C. B., 168

Nagpore, 2

1

Napier, Sir Charles, 1 62Nasmyth, A., 129Navy and Army Illustrated, 67, 99Neemuch, 29Newbury, Captain C, 64Nicholls, Messrs., 27Nicholson, Colonel J. B. R., 67,

82, 190Nizam ofHyderabad, 106, 107Nolan, 38, 77, 80, 83Norie. Orlando, 56, 57, 69, 90Nowanagar, 194Nuthall, Thos., 130

O'Brien, Captain L. N., 146Orton, Captain E. F., 168Oudh, 23, 58, 64, 76

Pagahur, 8

Pass, Lieut. F. A. de, 160

Pathan, 172Pathan Cavalry, 23Patterson, 86Peel, Major W. R. B., 192Peishwa, 159Pekin,82, 103Pepper, 23Perron, 32, 49Persian War, 157Peshawar, 77, 82, 115, 118, 197Pigot, Lieut. G, 24Pipe band, mounted, ggPoona, 14, 58Portland, Duchess of, I2g

Prince of Wales (later Edward VII),

83Prince of Wales (later George V),

172

230

INDEX

Prince of Wales (later Edward VIIIand Duke of Windsor), 185, 186

Prince of Wales, plumes, 69, 83, 84,

102, 148, 172, 192Princep, V. G., 194Probyn, Sir D. M., 81, 82, 120, 121

Prussia, King of, 64Punjab, 74, 77, 115,157,169

Queen's Own, 157Quetta, 170

Raeburn, Sir H., 131

Rainey, W. H., 3Ram, Nab, 72Rawlinson, 1 1

1

Rhotuck, 75Richardson, Lieut.-Colonel, 100

Roberts, Colonel, 26Roberts, Sir F., 57Roberts, Lieut. H. J., 58Rohilla, 32, 58Ross, Lieut.-Colonel G. C, 96Royal Academy, 159, 160

Royal Horse Artillery, 1 94Royal Library, Windsor, 53Royal United Service Institution,

27, 28, 54, 69, 73, 132, 133, 135,

138, 141, 144, 189Ryves, Captain, 59, 108, 109, 138Ryves, Lieut. W. H., 68, 73

St. James' Palace, 176, 190Sampson, Captain, 76Saugor, 60, 1

1

3

Scindia, Sindhai, 32, 50Scottish United Services Museum,

60, 156, 164, 165Seetabultee, 8, 27Seringapatam, 137Shah Sujah, 70Shikarpur, 150, 166

Shirriff, Lieut.-Colonel, 131Shubrick, Colonel T., 28Sialkot, 78Sidmouth, Lord, 2

Sikh, 17,33,80,86,88, 172Silladar Cavalry, 1 49Simkin, R., 7, 15, 54, 79, 84, 86, 92,

113, 116, 127, 148Sind, 64Sindhai, Scindia, 32, 50Singh, Kesar, 127Singh, Lall, 92Singh, Mangan, 62Singh, Ram Chan, 56Singh, Sher, 90, 122

SitweU.W.A., 163Skinner, James, 32Smith, C. H., 3, 34, 131, 132, 134,

196Smith, Captain F. H., 100Smyth, C. C, 33, 52, 56, 58Sneyd, R. H., 2

Snider, 47Sobraon, 8Spelman, Captain, 1

Star and Crescent, 1

7

State trumpeters, 1 94Stor, Major, 28Sullivan, P., 8Surat, 149Swanton, 189

Taku Forts, 82, 103Tarleton headdress, 2

Thewles, A. F., 194Thwaytes, Brigadier L., 184Tiwana, 101, 102

Toone, Sweeney, 1

Townshend, Major, 1 70Trench, P. G., 29Turner, Major-General , 178Turner, Major, 7

Umballa, 5

Vibart, 26Viceroy, I

Viceroy's Commissioned officer, 1 89Victoria, Queen, 12, 77, 1 15, 194Victoria and Albert Museum, 24Victoria Cross Gallery, 1 22

Waldemar, Prince, 64Wale, Captain F., 80Wantage, 122

Warley, 196Watson, Lieut. J., 88, 90, 1 18

Waziristan, 1 15Wellesley, Lord, 2, 150Wharton, Thos., 24Wheler, Captain F., 67Whitaker Naval & Military Directory,

55. 72, 74. 90, 99. «58 > '59. l64.168

Whiteside, Rear-Admiral W. J., 94Whitworth, 57Williams, 59Wilson, Colonel F., 61, 125, 164,

179, 184, 185, 192Wilson, 8Windsor, 53, 55Wolseley helmet, 172,200Wood. Rev. W. H. S., 208Worgan, Captain R. B., 17W.W., 22, 25\\ yndham, Lieut., 29, 30, 90

York, Castle Museum, 194Young, Brigadier Peter, 1 38Younghusband, Colonel, 1 18

Younghusband, Lieut. G., 122

Younghusband, Colonel T. H., 184

231

INDEX

REGIMENTAL, UNIT, CAVALRY AMALGAMATIONS AND CAVALRY TITLES

A.F.I. <Sf Volunteers

Agra Contingent, 208, 209Ahmedabad, 209Allahabad L.H., V.R.C., 199, 201,

208,209Assam Valley L.H., 198Assam Valley M.R., 201, 206, 207Bangalore, 209Bareilly, 208, 209Bengal Veo. Cav., 198, 202

Bihar (Behar), M.R., L.H., 198,

200, 201, 202Bombay Light Patrol, 198, 202, 209Bombay, V.R., M.R., L.H., 198,

202Bombav Vol. Arty., 209Cachar & Sylhet M.R., 207Calcutta Light Horse, 199, 204, 205Calcutta Militia, 198, 203, 204Calcutta Vol. Guard, 203Calcutta Vol. Lancers, 203, 204Cawnpore Light Horse, 199, 205,

208, 209Central Bengal L.H., 198, 205Chota-Nagpur M.R.. 205Coorg & Mysore, 209Cossipore, 209Darrang M.R., 199, 201, 206Dehra Dun M.R., 199, 206, 208Delhi Contingent, 209Ghazipur L.H., 199, 206, 208Gauhati Rifles, 201Gorakhpur L.H., 199, 206, 208Karachi, 209Lahore L.H.. 198, 206Lakhimpur M.R., 199, 201, 206Lucknow, 209Meerut Vol. Horse, 206Mysore, 209Naini Tal M.R., 208Northern Bengal M.R., 198, 199,

206Nowgong M.R., 199, 201, 207Oudh L.H., 199, 207, 208Punjab L.H., 198, 207Shillong V.R., 201Sibsagar M.R., 199.201,207Southern Provinces M.R., 198, 207Surma Valley L.H., 198, 199,207Sylhet Vol. Rifle Corps, 207United Provinces L.H., 201, 205,

206. 207, 208U.P.H. (Southern Regt.), 198. 208U.P.H. (Northern Regt.), 198, 206,

208Yercaud, 209

Bodyguards

Viceroy or GGBG, 1-8,210,216Madras, 8-14, 214, 216Bombay, 1

4-1 7, 2

1 4, 2 1

6

Bengal, 17-20Nepal Escort, 20-2

1

Bengal Cavalry

General. 3Light Cavalry, 23, 156, 1971st L.C., 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 1972nd L.C., 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 1973rd L.C., 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 1974th L.C., 23, 24, 26, 28, 1975th L.C., 23, 24, 266th L.C., 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 1977th L.C., 23, 27, 28, 30, 1978th L.C., 23, 25, 279th L.C., 23, 27, 28, 29, 30, 197iothL.C.,23, 27, 1971 ith L.C., 23, 29

Bengal Irregular Cavalry

1 st Skinner's, 33, 47, 49-56, 173,210, 216

2nd, 38, 47, 56-58, 173,210,2173rd Rohilla, 58-60, 1 734th (later 3rd Skinner's), 33, 38, 47,

52,60-63, 120, 194.2175th, 63-646th (later 4th) , 64-67, 1 73, 2 1 o, 2

1

7

7th (later 5th), 47, 67, 173, 178,

210, 2178th (later 6th), 47, 68-70, 174, 211,

2179th. 70Bundelkhand. later 10th, 71

10th, later nth, 72nth, later 12th, 721 2th, later 13th, 7213th, later 14th, 7214th. later 15th, 7215th. later 16th, 721 6th, later 17th (later 7th), 47, 72,

73, 174, 194,211,21717th, later 18th (later 8th), 47, 72,

73. '73, 194.211,2179th Horse, 47, 74-77, 173, 194, 211,

21710th Lancers, 37, 47, 77-80, 173,

180, 194, 211, 218nth, 37, 47, 48, 80-86, 173, 180,

194,211,21812th. 47. 48, 86-88, 173,212,218•3th, 37, 38, 47, 88-90, 173, 212,218

14th, 37, 90-92, 174, 192, 212, 218

1 5th, 38, 47, 92-94. 1 74, 2 1 2, 2 1

8

1 6th, 47. 48, 94-97, 173, 189, 194,212, 218

'7th, 47, 97-100. 174, 188, 194,212, 219

18th, 47, 100-2, 174, 192, 194, 212,

21919th, 37,47. «o2-5, 174,213,219

Hyderabad Cavalry

1st, later 20th (1903), 106-12, 113,

114, 173, 181,215,219

232

2nd, later 29th (1903), 106-12, 114,

173,215,2203rd, 106-12, 2154th, later 30th (1903), 106-12, 114,

'73. 194,215.2205th, 106-12

Frontier Force

Corps of Guides, 1 15-18, 169, 173,

213, 216, 2201st P.C., later 21st (1903), 115,

1 18-20,173, 184, 213, 2202nd P.C., later 22nd (1903), 115,

120-3,174, 186, 190,213,2193rd P.C., later 23rd (1903), 115,

•23-5, «73,2i3, 2194th P.C., 115. 1255th P.C., later 25th (1903), 115,

125-7, 174,213,220

Madras Cavalry

General, 12, 107, 108, 128, 149, 1961st, later 26th (1903), 128, 129, 130,

132, 134, 135. 140, 142, 145, 147,

148, 174,214, 2202nd, later 27th (1903), 128, 129,

130, 132, 134, 142, 145, 147, 148,

174. 214, 2203rd, later 28th (1903I, 128, 129,

130, 132, 134, 137, 138, 145, 148,

173, 214, 2204th, 128, 129. 130, 132, 134, 137,

141, 142, 144, 145. 148

5th, 128, 129, 130, 132, 134, 137,

141, 142, 1446th. 128. 131, 132, 134, 137;th. 128, 131, 134, 137, 141

8th, 128, 132, 134, 137, 142

Bombay Cavalry

1st, later 31st,

158. 164, 174.

2nd. later 32nd,

157, i58,l64>

3rd, later 33rd,

159. 160, 166,

4th. later 34th,

164. 166. 174.

5th, later 35th,

166, 167, 174.

215. 2206th. later 36th,

174.185.186,7th, later 37th,

168, 174,215-Aden troop, 150

149, 150, 152, 157,186, 214, 220

'49. 'SO. 152, 156,1-4. 214,220

'49, '50, '57, '58,

174.214.220149, 158, 160, 161,

190, 214. 220150. 158. 164, 165,

185, 186, 188, 194.

150, 158, 164, 166,

215,220150, 158, 166, 167,

220

, 158, 168, 215, 220

Central India Horse

General, 169, 21538th, 169, 170. 172. 174.22039th, 169, 170, 172, 174,220

INDEX

Cavalry As Amalgamated 1922-47

1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse, later Skinner's

Horse (1st Duke of York's Own Cavalry), 173, 175,

176, 177 (see also 1st and 4th, later 3rd, Bengal Irre-

gular Cavalry)

2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) , later 2nd Royal Lancers(Gardner's Horse), 173, 176, 178, 179 (see also 2ndand 6th, later 4th Bengal Irregular Cavalry)

3rd Cavalry, 173, 178 (see also 7th, later 5th and 17th,

later 18th and 8th, Bengal Irregular Cavalry)

4th Duke of Cambridge's Own Hodson's Horse, later

Hodson's Horse (4th Duke of Cambridge's OwnLancers), 173, 179, 180 (see also Bengal Cavalry, 9th

Horse and 1 oth Lancers)

5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse, later Probyn'sHorse (5th King Edwards Own Lancers), later

Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward VII's OwnLancers), 173, 180, 182 (see also 1 ith and 12th BengalCavalry)

6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, later 6th Duke of

Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse), 173,180 (see also 13th and 16th Bengal Cavalry)

7th Light Cavalry, 173, 180, 182, (see also MadrasCavalry, 3rd, later 28th)

8th King George's Own Light Cavalry, later 8th KingGeorge V's Own Light Cavalry, 173, 181, (see also

Madras Cavalry, 1st, later 26th, and HyderabadCavalry 4th, later 30th)

9th Royal Deccan Horse, later The Royal Deccan Horse,

173, 175, 181, (see also Hyderabad Cavalry, 1st, later

20th, and 2nd, later 29th)

1 oth Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry(Frontier Force), later The Guides Cavalry (10thQueen Victoria's Own Frontier Force), 173, 175, 181,

183, (see also Frontier Force, Corps of Guides)

nth Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier

Force), later Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry(nth Frontier Force), 173, 175, 183, 184, (see also

Frontier Force, 1st Cavalry, later 21st, and 3rd, later

23rd)

12th Cavalry (Frontier Force), later Sam Browne'sCavalry (12th Frontier Force), 174, 176, 184, 185,

189, (see also Frontier Force, 2nd Cavalry, later 22nd,and 5th Cavalry, later 25th)

1 3th Duke of Connaught's Own Bombay Lancers, later

13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, 174, 186,

188, (see also Bombay Cavalry, 1st, later 31st, and2nd, later 32nd)

14th Prince of Wales's Own Scinde Horse, later TheScinde Horse (14th Prince of Wales's Own Cavalry),

174, 186, 187, 188. (see also Bombay Cavalry, 5th,

later 35th, and 6th, later 36th)

15th Lancers, 174, 175, 186, 188, 189, (see also 17th

Bengal Cavalry and 7th Bombay Cavalry, later 37th)

16th Light Cavalry, 174, 189, (see also Madras Cavalry,2nd, later 27th)

17th Queen Victoria's Own Poona Horse, later ThePoona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry),

174, 184, 189, (see also Bombay Cavalry, 3rd, later

33rd, and 4th, later 34th)

1 8th King Edward's Own Cavalry, later 18th King,Edward VII's Own Cavalry, 174, 190, 191, (see also

Bengal Irregular Cavalry, 8th, later 6th, and 16th,

later 17th and 7th)

19th King George's Own Lancers, later 19th KingGeorge V's Own Lancers, 174, 175, 191, 192, (see also

Bengal Irregular Cavalry, 18th and 19th)

20th Lancers, 174, 176, 192, (see also Bengal Irregular

Cavalry, 1 4th and 1 5th)

2 1 st King George's Own Central India Horse, later

Central India Horse (21st King George's Own Horse),later The Central India Horse (21st King GeorgeV's Own Horse), 174, 175, 192, (see also Central IndiaHorse, 38th and 39th)

Cavalry Titles

Albert Victor, see Prince Albert Victor

Baddeley's Frontier Horse, see 4th Bengal Irregular

CavalryBaluch Horse, see 7th Bombay Cavalry, later 37th

Lancers, later 15th LancersBeatson's Horse, 169, see 38th and 39th Central India

HorseBengal European Light Cavalry, 1 69Bengal Lancers, see Bengal Irregular Cavalry, 7, 8, 9, 10,

11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19Bombay Lancers, see 1st Bombay CavalryBombay Silladar Light Cavalry, see Bombay CavalryBundelkhand Cavalry, 71

Central India Horse, see 38th and 39th Regiments,2 1 st King George V's Own Horse

Cureton's Multanis, see 1 5th Bengal Cavalry

Daly's Horse, see Frontier Force, 1st CavalryDeccan Horse, see 1st and 2nd Hyderabad Cavalry, 20thand 29th, later 9th Royal Deccan Horse

Duke of Cambridge's Own Lancers, see 10th BengalLancers and Hodson's Horse

Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, see 13th BengalCavalry and 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers(Watson's Horse)

Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers, see 31st BombayCavalry and 13th Duke of Connaught's Own BombayLancers

Duke of York's Own Bengal Lancers, see 1st BengalIrregular Cavalry

Ellichpur Horse, 106

Fane's Horse, see 19th Bengal CavalryForeign Hussars, 1 28

Gardner's Corps of Irregular Horse, see 2nd Bengal

Irregular CavalryGordon's Horse, see 4th Hyderabad Cavalry, 30th

Lancers, and 8th King George V's Own Light

CavalryGuides Cavalry, see Corps of Guides and I oth Queen

Victoria's Own Corps ofGuidesGujarat Irregular Horse, 150Gujarat Silladar Horse, 150

Hariana Lancers, see 16th Bengal Irregular Cavalry,

later 7th and :8th King Edward's Own CavalryI lindoostan Independent Regiment, 32Hodson's Horse, see 4th Duke of Cambridge's Own

HorseHyderabad Cavalry, also Hyderabad Contingent, see

also 9th Royal Deccan Horse and 8th King George's

Own Light CavalryHyderabad Lancers, see 1st, 2nd, and 4th Hyderabad

Cavalry

233

INDEX

Jacob's Horse, see 6th Bombay Cavalry and 7th BombayCavalry

Jat Horse, see 14th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

Jat Horse Yeomanry, 90Java Hussars, 1 96

Kantzow's Horse, 97King Edward VI I

's Own Cavalry, see 6th Bengal

Irregular Cavalry and 18th King Edward's OwnCavalry

King Edward VII 's Own Lancers, see nth BengalIrregular Cavalry and 5th King Edward's OwnProbyn's Horse

King George V's Own Horse, see 38th and 39th Central

India HorseKing George V's Own Lancers, see 18th Bengal Lancers

and 19th King George V's Own Lancers

Light Cavalry, 7th, see also 3rd Madras Cavalry, and28th Light Cavalry

Light Cavalry, 16th, see 1st Madras Cavalry and 27th

Light CavalryLumsden's, see Corps of Guides

Madras Lancers, see 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Madras CavalryMahratta Horse, 1 00Mahratta Horse, 2nd, see 18th Bengal CavalryMayne's Horse, 169Meade's Horse, 169Multani Regiment of Cavalry, see 15th Bengal Irregular

CavalryMultani Regiment, 92Murray's Jat Horse, see 14th Bengal Irregular Cavalryand 20th Lancers

Muttra Horse, 97, see 1 7th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

Nizam's Cavalry, see Hyderabad Cavalry

Oudh Auxiliary Horse, see 6th, later 4th, Bengal Irre-

gular Cavalry

Poona Auxiliary Horse, 1 49Poona Horse, 150, 151, 160, see also 4th Bombay Light

Cavalry, and 17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry(Poona Horse)

Poona Silladar Horse, 149Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry, see 1 1 th

P.A.V.O.C.(F.F.)Prince of Wales's Own Cavalry, see 8th, later 6th,

Bengal Cavalry and 18th King Edward's OwnCavalry

Prince of Wales's Own Bengal Lancers, see 1 1 th BengalCavalry and 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse

Probyn's Horse, see 1 1 th Bengal Cavalry and 5thK.E.O.P.H.

Punjab Cavalry, see Frontier Force CavalryPunjab Frontier Force, see Frontier ForcePunjab Irregular Force, see Frontier Force

Queen's Own Bombay Light Cavalry, see 3rd BombayLight Cavalry and 17th Queen Victoria's OwnCavalry

Queen Victoria's Own Frontier Force, see 10th QueenVictoria's Own Corps of Guides Cavalry (Frontier

Force)

Robart's Horse, 97Rohilcund Horse, 94Rohilkhand Horse, see 16th Bengal CavalryRohilkund Auxiliary Police Levy, 97

Sam Browne's Cavalry, see 2nd Punjab Cavalry, Fron-tier Force and 12 th Cavalry, Frontier Force

Scinde Horse, 150, 162, see also 5th and 6th BombayCavalry, and 14th Prince of Wales's Own ScindeHorse

Sikh Irregular Cavalry

;

1st, 82, see also Wales's Horse, nth Bengal Irregular

Cavalry and 5th King Edward's Own Probyn'sHorse

2nd, 82, 86, see also 12th Bengal Irregular Cavalryand 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse

3rd, 82, 88, 894th, 82, 88, see also 13th Bengal Irregular Cavalry and

6th Duke of Connaught's Own LancersSkinner's Horse, see 1st Bengal Irregular CavalrySkinner's Horse, 2nd Regt., see 4th, later 3rd, Bengal

Irregular CavalrySouth Mahratta Horse, 14, 150South Mahratta Silladar Horse, 150

Tiwana Horse, see 18th Bengal Cavalry and 19th KingGeorge's Own Lancers

Wales's Horse, see nth Bengal Irregular Cavalry and5th King Edward's Probyn's Horse

Watson's Horse, see 13th Bengal Irregular Cavalry and6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers

Other Units

2nd Indian Airborne Division, 1

44th Divisional Reece Squadron, 1

Bengal Horse Artillery, 26Bombay Horse Artillery, 159Madras Horse Artillery, 107

Bengal Native Infantry

1/18, 2/18, 2/21, 2/22 Regiments, 21

Champaram Light Infantry, 2

1

234

Indian Army Uniforms Under the British From the 18th Century to 1947-Leonard Hill Books Ltd. (1961)

Documents

Transcript of Indian Army Uniforms Under the British From the 18th Century to 1947-Leonard Hill Books Ltd. (1961)