20th Lancers

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=20th Lancers
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=Second Afghan War
Great War
World War II
anniversaries=
decorations=
battle_honours=Afghanistan 1878 - 80
Chrashiah
Kabul 1879

The 20th Lancers was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army it was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers and the 15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) who can trace there history back to the Indian Mutiny and were involved in the Second Afghan War the Great War and World War II.

14th Murrays Jat Lancers

Raised at Aligarth in 1857 by Captain J I Murray as the Jat Horse Yeomanry for the British East India Company. Like all regiments of the British Indian Army the 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below.

:1857 The Jat Horse Yeomanry :1859 Murray’s Jat Horse :1861 14th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry :1864 14th Bengal Cavalry ( Lancers) :1874 14th Bengal Lancers :1901 14th Bengal Lancers ( Murray’s Jat Horse) :1903 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers

They were part of the force deployed for the Second Afghan War and were involved in the Battle of Charasiah and the Battle of Kabul 1879 gaining the battle honoures "Afghanistan 1878 - 80" ,"Chrashiah" and "Kabul 1879" [Bengal Cavalry Regiments 1857-1914 By R. G. Harris, Christopher Warner]

During the Great War they were attached to the 7th Indian Cavalry Brigade in the Mesopotamia Campaign. In 1918 it fought at the Battle of Sharqat and was present at the occupation of Mosul at the end of the campaign, shortly after the armistice.

15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis)

Formed at Lahore in 1858 by Captain C Cureton from six risallahs of Multani Pathans raised in 1857 by Ghulam Hasan Khan originally called The Multani Regiment of Cavalry they also under went many name changes listed below:

:1860 Curton's Multani Regiment:1861 15th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry:1871 15th (Cureton's Multani) Regiment of Bengal Cavalry:1890 15th (Curton's Multani) Regiment of Bengal Lancers:1901 15th (Curton's Multani) Bengal Lancers:1903 15th Lancers (Curton's Multanis)

They were also in the Second Afghan war gaining the battle honour "Afghanistan 1878 - 80" [Bengal Cavalry Regiments 1857-1914 By R. G. Harris, Christopher Warner]

During the Great War they were part of 3rd (Lahore) Division that was sent to France in 1914 for service on the Western Front they took part in the following actions: : Winter Operations 1914-1915 : The Battle of Neuve Chapelle : The Battle of Aubers including the attack on Fromelles and the attack at Rue du Bois.: The Battle of Festubert : The Loos subsidiary attack at Pietre : The Battle of La Bassee: The Battle of Messines: The Battle of Givenchy: The Battle of St. Julien [cite web|title=warpath|url=http://warpath.orbat.com/indian_divs/3_ind_div.htm]

In December 1915 they moved to Mesopotamia, and took part in the attempt to relieve the besieged garrison of Kut al Amara and in January 1918 they moved to Palestine [cite web|title=1914-18|url=http://www.1914-1918.net/Lahore_div.htm] , they were also part of the misssion lead by Brigadier-General Sir Percy Molesworth Sykes to Persia.. [Harvnb|Sykes|1921|]

In Mesopotamia they were involved in the following actions; :First action on the Hanna :Battle of Dujaila Redoubt:Action of Bait ‘Isa:Advance to the Hai and capture of the Khudaira Bend:Capture of the Dahra Bend:Occupation of Fallujah:First action of Jabal Hamrin:Action of Istabulat:Battle of Ramadi:Action of Daur

World War II

At the start of World War II in 1939 they were in Lucknow attached to the 6th (Lucknow) Infantry Brigadethe brigade units were:

:20th Lancers:2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers :2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment:3/2nd Punjab Regiment:1/8th Punjab Regiment:2/10th Baluch Regiment:1/3rd Gurkha Rifles:8th Field Regiment, RA ('AA', 'W' Batteries):'V' Field Battery, RA. [cite web|title=adelphia|url=http://home.adelphia.net/~dryan67/orders/ia.html]

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