8th King George's Own Light Cavalry

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry
abbreviation= 8th Cavalry


caption=
dates= 1787 - 1946
country=India
allegiance=British Crown
branch=British Indian Army
type= Cavalry
role=
size= Regiment
command_structure=Indian Cavalry Corps
equipment= Horse

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battle_honours=Third Mysore War
Fourth Mysore War
Indian Mutiny
Second Burmese War
World War I
Battle of Givenchy 1914
France and Flanders 1914-1916
Afghanistan 1919
Iraq-1920
World War II
Burma Campaign

The 8th King George's Own Light Cavalry was raised on October 23, 1787 as the 5th Regiment Madras Native Cavalry, part of the Madras Presidency Army. It was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army, and as such the regiment has seen action on the North West Frontier ,in the Middle East and in South East Asia in both world wars.

26th King George’s Own Light Cavalry

The 5th Regiment Madras Native Cavalry was re-designated as the 1st Madras Native Cavalry in 1788 and in 1816 its name was changed to 1 Madras Light Cavalry. The Regiment was yet again re-named as the 1st Regiment of Madras Lancers in 1886, and was known by that title till the turn of the century, when it was changed to 1st Madras Lancers. In 1903 it was re-named as the 26th Light Cavalry and three years later it became the Prince of Wales Own Light Cavalry and then in 1910, it became the 26th King George’s Own Light Cavalry. During this time it participated in the the Third Mysore War, 1789-1792 , the Fourth Mysore War, 1793-1798. Campaigns against Dhoondia Wagh and the Polygars, 1799-1830. Campaigns in Afghanistan and Burma, between, 1880-1914.

World War I

The 26th King George’s Own Light Cavalry served in the South Yemen during World War I as part of the Aden Field Force, I: [cite web|title=ornat.com|url=http://orbat.com/site/cimh/regiments/8CAVALRY/8th%20Cavalry.html]

30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse)

The 30th Lancers (Gordon's Horse) was formed in 1826 and participated in the Indian Mutiny, 1857-1859 and the Second Burmese War, 1860-1889.From the Second Burmese War to World War I, 1889-1914. Chap V - World War I to the Amalgamation, 1914-1922. Givenchy 1914; France and Flanders 1914-1916; Afghanistan 1919; Iraq 1920.

World War I

During the first world war the Regiment was part of the Ambala Cavalry Brigade , 1st Indian Cavalry Division they were brigaded with the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars and the 9th Hodson's Horse [cite web|title=cwgc.org|url=http://www.cwgc.org/ypres/content.asp?id=33&menu=subsub] They were sent to France for service on the Western Front where they at times would serve in the trenches as infantry due to the difference on troop levels each Cavalry Brigade once dismounted formed a dismounted regiment. The high number of officer casualties suffered early on had an effect on its later performance. British officers that understood the language, customs, and psychology of their men could not be quickly replaced, and the alien enviroment of the Western Front had some effect on the soldiers. [Haythornthwaite P.J. (1992). "The World War One Sourcebook", Arms and Armour Press.] The Regiment stayed in France as part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division until March 1918 when the division was broken up and reformed in Egypt. [cite web|title=warpath|url=http://www.warpath.orbat.com/indian_cav/1_ind_cav_div.htm]

Amalgamation

In 1922, the two regiments were amalgamated to form the 8th King George’s Own Light Cavalry, inheriting in the process, the traditions of both Regiments. [cite web|title=orbat.com|url=http://orbat.com/site/cimh/regiments/8CAVALRY/8th%20Cavalry.html]

World War II

World War II 1939-1945; Waziristan 1939-1943; Vizagapatam 1944; Burma 1945, 19th Indian Division, 1946.

In 1940, the Regiment started to become mechanised and convert to an Armoured Car Regiment which was not completed until 1943.It went onto serve in Burma with the 19th Indian Division. [cite web|title=orbat.com|url=http://orbat.com/site/cimh/regiments/8CAVALRY/8th%20Cavalry.html]

In April 1941 the Jat squadron was detached from the Regiment renamed as the 100th Light Tank Squadron and assigned to the new 44th Cavalry Regiment beng formed at Risalpur. The squadron was sent to Malaya early in 1942. On January 29 1942, they arrived in Singapore with 16 tanks and were attached to the British 18th Infantry Division. The entire squadron was lost when the British forces surrrendered on February 15 1942. [cite web|title=dutcheastindies|url=http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/indian_tank.html]

References

Further Reading

:The History of 8th King George V's Own Light Cavalry by H G.Rawlinson, Gale & Polden Ltd. 1948,

External Site

Follow this link to view the uniforms of the late 19th Centuryhttp://www.members.tripod.com/~Glosters/IAcavalry1.htm