16th Light Cavalry

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=16th Light Cavalry
abbreviation=


caption=
dates=1776 - 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=Second Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Mysore War
Fourth Anglo-Mysore War
Third Anglo-Burmese War
Third Afghan War
Great War
World War II
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle/Theatre_honours=Sholinghur-1781
Carnatic-1784
Mysore-1792
Seringapatam-1799
Burma-1885-1887
Afghanistan-1919
Meiktila-1945
Capture of Meiktila-1945
Defence of Meiktila-1945
Pegu-1945
Sittang-1945
Rangoon Road-1945
Burma-1945
Punjab-1965

The 16th Light Cavaly was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army the were formed in 1776 and saw service from the Second Anglo-Mysore War in 1781 to World War II, in 1947 they moved to the Indian Army on independence and partition.

Formation

The Regiment was raised prior to 1776 as the 3rd Regiment of Native Cavalry in the service of Nawab of Arcot. In 1780, while under service with the British East India Company, it formed part of the force that defeated Hyder Ali during the Second Anglo-Mysore War and was awarded battle honours for the "Battle of Sholinghur" , "Battle of Mysore" Battle of Carnatic and the "Battle of Seringapatam" for service during the Anglo-Mysore Wars. After the Anglo-Mysore Wars the Regiment was next in action during the Third Anglo-Burmese War and were awarded the Battle Honour "BURMA 1885-87". [cite web|title=cavora |url=http://16cavroa.com/]

20th Century

During the Great War (1914-1918) the regiment remained in India for the defence of the North West Frontier but they did sent drafts to other Indian Cavalry Regiments serving in France and the Middle East as they were left in India they did for part of the forces employed in the Third Afghan War and being awarded the Battle Honour "AFGHANISTAN 1919" [cite web|title=cavora |url=http://16cavroa.com/]

World War II

During World War II the regiment was employed in the defence of India having converted fron horses to armour at Quetta in 1941.In 1945 they were selected to undertake operations in Burma. Within three weeks the Regiment covered a distance of 3500 miles from Quetta to the banks of Irrawady River and was personally complimented by General Slim, the Fourteenth Army commander. [cite web|title=cavora |url=http://16cavroa.com/] In Burma the regiment was attached to the 255th Indian Tank Brigade, the brigade formation was; :116 Royal Armoured Corps (Shermans) , formed from the Gordon Highlanders:7th Light Cavalry (Stuarts):16th Light Cavalry (Armoured Cars). [cite web|title=wolftree|url=http://www.wolftree.freeserve.co.uk/Burma/Burma.html]

Titles

:1776 3rd Regiment of Cavalry (Stevenson's),Nawab of Arcot's Army : 1784 3rd Madras Native Cavalry,transferred to British service : 1784 1st Madras Native Cavalry : 1786 4th Madras Native Cavalry : 1788 2nd Madras Native Cavalry : 1819 2nd Madras Light Cavalry : 1886 2nd Regiment of Madras Lancers : 1901 2nd Madras Lancers : 1903 27th Light Cavalry : 1922 16th Light Cavalry : 1947 Allocated to India at independence and partition. [cite web|title=cavora |url=http://16cavroa.com/]

References

Further Reading

*Kempton, C (1996). "A Register of Titles of the Units of the H.E.I.C. & Indian Armies 1666-1947." Bristol: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum. ISBN 978-0953017409
*Gaylor, J (1992). "Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991." Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0946771981

External Site

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