The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse)
abbreviation=


caption=
dates= 1857 - 1947
country=British India
allegiance=British Crown
branch= British Indian Army
type=Cavalry
role=
size= Regiment
command_structure=Indian Cavalry Corps
equipment=
Past Commanders=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_2=
nickname=
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=Indian Mutiny
Second Afghan War
World War I
World War II
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=

The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army they were formed at the start of the Mutiny of 1857they would serve in the Great War and World War II

Formation

The regiment was founded as two irregular cavalry regiments in 1857, at the outset of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by Henry Otway Mayne, and was known initially as Mayne's Horseand the 2nd regiment which was known as Beatson's Horse'They were based at the town of Guna, in the state of Gwaliorand Augar in central India. In 1860 Mayne's Horse was renamed the 1st Regiment Central India Horse, and Beatson's Horse was renamed the 2nd Regiment Central India Horse.

In 1860 the officer commanding the Central India Horse was made the British political officer for the small states of Raghugarh, Khaniadhana (after 1888), Paron, Garha, Umri, and Bhadaura, which were made a separate charge from that of the Resident of Gwalior. This arrangement was abolished in 1896, when these states were again placed under the resident, with the officer commanding at Guna continuing to act as ex-officio assistant to the Resident, with very limited powers.Both Regiments would serve together in the Second Afghan War.

20th Century

During the Kitchener reorganisation of the Indian Army of 1903, the 1st Regiment became the 38th Regiment Central India Horse, and the 2nd regiment became the 39th Regiment Central India Horse.In 1906, the regiments were renamed the 38th and 39th Prince of Wales's Own Central India Horse, and in 1910 the 38th and 39th King George's Own Central Indian Horse.

The Great War

During the Great War the 38th King George's Own Central India Horse was part of the 5th (Mhow Cavalry) Brigade in the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division the brigade consisted of the;

:6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons:2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) :38th King George's Own Central India Horse:Signal Troop [cite web|title=cwgc.org|url=http://www.cwgc.org/ypres/content.asp?id=33&menu=subsub]

and the 39th King George's Own Cenral India Horse remained in India stationed in Poona.

Amalgamation

In 1921, the two regiments were amalgamated into the 38th/39th Cavalry, which was renamed the 38th/39th King George's Own Light Cavalry (1922), The Central India Horse (21st King George's Own Horse) (1923), and The Central India Horse (21st King George V's Own Horse) (1937).

World War II

During World War II the Central India Horse was the divisional reconnaissance regiment for the 4th Indian Division there equipment consisted of Light Tanks and Indian Carriers. Attached to the 4th Indian they were involved in the Western Desert Campaign the East African Campaign theTunisia Campaign and the Italian Campaign.It was during the Italian Campaign that two members of the Regiment would be posthumously awarded the George Cross
Ditto Ram and St. John Graham Young attached from the Royal Tank Regiment

Notice of the award was published in the "London Gazette" on 20 July 1945. [LondonGazette|issue=37185|supp=yes|startpage=3765|date=17 July 1945|accessdate=2008-05-27] Young had been leading a night patrol on 23 July 1944, when he and his men found themselves in any enemy minefield. He received the full force of a mine explosion, severely injuring both legs. Despite his wounds, his encouragement enabled the majority of his men to reach safety. One of them, Sowar Ditto Ram, was also posthumously awarded the GC for his actions in the same incident.cite web|url=http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2098122|title=Commonwealth War Graves Commission—Casualty details—Young, St John Graham|publisher=Commonwealth War Graves Commission|accessdate=2008-05-27]

References

External links

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