Abhey Singh

Infobox Military Person
name=Abhey Singh
lived= 14 August 1922 – June 1981
placeofbirth= Kota, India
placeofdeath= Kota, India


caption= Abhey Singh as a Second Lieutenant, Age 18
nickname=
allegiance=flag|India
serviceyears=
rank= Major
branch=
commands=
unit=Indian Armoured Corps
battles= World War II, Indo-Pakistani War of 1947, Operation Polo, Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, Indo-Pakistani War of 1971
awards=
laterwork=

Major Abhey Singh, (14 August 1922 – June 1981) was a cavalry officer in the Indian Army.

Early life

Abhey Singh was born in the Thikana of Palaitha in the Princely state of Kotah on 14 August 1922, the youngest son of Major-General Sir Onkar Singh, CIE, a minister for the state of Kotah. He attended the Prince of Wales Royal Indian Military College (RIMC) from 20 January 1934 to October 1940. Afterwards he entered the Indian Military Academy.

Military career

Upon graduation he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the 18th King Edward’s Own Cavalry on 1 December 1941. [Defence Department. (1946, April). "The Half Yearly Indian Army List". New Delhi: Manager of Publications, Government of India.] His regiment was part of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade, which was fighting in the North African Campaign under General Ritchie’s British 8th Army. During the Battle of Gazala, his brigade formed the southernmost point of the Gazala Line near Bir Hacheim. On 27 May 1942, Italy’s Ariete Armoured Division augmented by Rommel’s 21st Panzer division overran the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade. [Mitcham, W. S., Mitcham Jr., W. S. (2007). "Rommel’s Desert War: The Life and Death of the Afrika Korps". Stackpole Books. ISBN 0811734137] Following this defeat, Abhey Singh was taken prisoner. He would escape once, but was re-captured and spent the remainder of the war in a POW camp.

After the Second World War ended, Abhey Singh was transferred to the 17th Queen Victoria’s Own Cavalry (The Poona Horse). In 1948, Major Abhey Singh participated in Operation Polo. On 6 September 1948, Abhey Singh led a tank squadron against the Nizam of Hyderabad’s troops who had been harassing the citizens of Mangala Enclave in south-western Hyderabad State. The engagement resulted in the capture of two officers, four JCOs, and 90 other ranks.of the Hyderabad Army. To show their gratitude, the citizens of Mangala Enclave presented a silver replica of the Ashoka Pillar to Major Abhey Singh. [Singh, Lt. Gen. H. (1993). "Fakhr-E-Hind: The Story of the Poona Horse". Agrim Publishers.]

Footnote

ee also

*Indian Army

External links

* [http://www.indianarmy.gov.in/ Indian Army]
* [http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/ Bharat Rakshak: The Consortium of Indian Military Websites]
* [http://indianarmy.nic.in/arimamain.htm Indian Military Academy]