15th Lancers
Encyclopedia
The 15th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army
. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 17th Cavalry and the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse).
Field Force, while in 1879-80, the regiment operated on lines of communication during the Second Afghan War as part of the Kabul Field Force
. During the First World War, it dispatched a squadron to Africa
where it took part in the East African Campaign
. In 1919, the regiment fought in the Third Afghan War. The regiment maintained a mounted pipe band from 1895 to 1902. The uniform of 17th Cavalry was blue with white facings. The regimental badge consisted of a silver star and crescent over "XVII" with a title scroll below.
in 1922 to form the 15th Lancers. Meanwhile, an existing 15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) joined the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers
to form the 20th Lancers
.
The uniform of the new 15th Lancers was dark blue with buff facings, while the badge consisted of crossed silver lances bearing pennons with "XV" at the crossing and a scroll below. The same uniform and badges are still in use by the regiment.
In 1937, the 15th Lancers became the training regiment of the 1st Indian Cavalry Group. It was converted into a training centre in 1940 by amalgamating it with the 12th Cavalry (Frontier Force)
. However, the next year, the Centre was disbanded. In 1955, the 15th Lancers was re-raised by the Pakistani Army as a Reconnaissance Regiment of the Pakistan Armoured Corps and equipped with M24 Chaffee
light tanks. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
, the regiment served with great distinction in the Kasur
Sector and was awarded the Battle Honour
'Khem Karan 1965.' In 1969, the 15th Lancers was affiliated with the Baluch Regiment (now called the Baloch Regiment
) due to the old link with the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse). It added the title of 'Baluch' to its designation in 1989.
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 17th Cavalry and the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse).
17th Cavalry
The 17th Cavalry was raised in 1857 at Muttra by Colonel CJ Robarts and was composed entirely of Afghans. Throughout its existence, the regiment remained an exclusively Muslim unit. In 1861, after several changes in nomenclature, it was designated the 17th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry. In 1865, it saw action as part of the BhutanBhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
Field Force, while in 1879-80, the regiment operated on lines of communication during the Second Afghan War as part of the Kabul Field Force
Kabul Field Force
The Kabul Field Force was a field force created in September 1879 during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, under the command of General Frederick Roberts...
. During the First World War, it dispatched a squadron to Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
where it took part in the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War I)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
. In 1919, the regiment fought in the Third Afghan War. The regiment maintained a mounted pipe band from 1895 to 1902. The uniform of 17th Cavalry was blue with white facings. The regimental badge consisted of a silver star and crescent over "XVII" with a title scroll below.
- 1857 Muttra Horse
- 1857 Muttra Police Corps
- 1858 Rohilkhand Auxiliary Police Levy
- 1859 Robarts’ Horse
- 1861 17th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
- 1882 Disbanded
- 1885 Re-raised
- 1900 17th Regiment of Bengal Lancers
- 1901 17th Bengal Lancers
- 1903 17th Cavalry
37th Lancers (Baluch Horse)
The 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse) was raised in 1885 as the 7th Bombay Cavalry (Jacob-ka-Risallah) from the manpower of the 3rd Scinde Horse (Belooch Horse), which had been disbanded in 1882. This regiment was also an all-Muslim unit made up of Pathans and Baluchis. Their first chance of active service came in 1919, when they served in the Third Afghan War, although one of their squadrons operated in Persia during the First World War. The regiment's uniform was dark blue (khaki serge when on parade), with buff facings. The badge consisted of crossed lances and pennons with "37" over crossed lances.- 1885 7th Bombay Cavalry (Jacob-ka-Risallah)
- 1886 7th Bombay Cavalry (Belooch Horse)
- 1890 7th Bombay Lancers (Belooch Horse)
- 1903 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse)
15th Lancers
After the First World War, the number of Indian cavalry regiments was reduced from thirty-nine to twenty-one. However, instead of disbanding the surplus units, it was decided to amalgamate them in pairs. This resulted in renumbering and renaming of the entire cavalry line. The 17th Cavalry and 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse) were amalgamated at LucknowLucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
in 1922 to form the 15th Lancers. Meanwhile, an existing 15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) joined the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers
14th Murray's Jat Lancers
The 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army.The regiment was first raised for the East India Company by Captain Murray. Like all regiments of the Indian Army the 14th Murray’s Jat Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are...
to form the 20th Lancers
20th Lancers
The 20th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 14th Murray's Jat Lancers and the 15th Lancers .-14th Murray's Jat Lancers:...
.
The uniform of the new 15th Lancers was dark blue with buff facings, while the badge consisted of crossed silver lances bearing pennons with "XV" at the crossing and a scroll below. The same uniform and badges are still in use by the regiment.
In 1937, the 15th Lancers became the training regiment of the 1st Indian Cavalry Group. It was converted into a training centre in 1940 by amalgamating it with the 12th Cavalry (Frontier Force)
12th Cavalry (Frontier Force)
The 12th Cavalry is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. It was formed in the British Indian army in 1922 by the amalgamation of 22nd Sam Browne's Cavalry and 25th Cavalry ....
. However, the next year, the Centre was disbanded. In 1955, the 15th Lancers was re-raised by the Pakistani Army as a Reconnaissance Regiment of the Pakistan Armoured Corps and equipped with M24 Chaffee
M24 Chaffee
The Light Tank M24 was an American light tank used during World War II and in postwar conflicts including the Korean War and with the French in the War in Algeria and First Indochina War. In British service it was given the service name Chaffee, after the United States Army General Adna R...
light tanks. During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
, the regiment served with great distinction in the Kasur
Kasur
Kasur , the capital of Kasur District in Pakistan. Kasur is located adjacent to the border of Ganda Singh Wala between Pakistan and India, and is a tourist attraction because of the daily occurring Flags lowering ceremony...
Sector and was awarded the Battle Honour
Battle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
'Khem Karan 1965.' In 1969, the 15th Lancers was affiliated with the Baluch Regiment (now called the Baloch Regiment
Baloch Regiment
The Baloch Regiment is an infantry regiment of Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in May 1956 by the merger of 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments with the Baluch Regiment. Since then, further raisings have brought the strength of the Regiment to more than fifty battalions...
) due to the old link with the 37th Lancers (Baluch Horse). It added the title of 'Baluch' to its designation in 1989.
- 1922 17th/37th Cavalry (amalgamation of 17th Cavalry and 37th Lancers)
- 1922 15th Lancers
- 1940 1st Indian Armoured Corps Centre (amalgamation of 15th Lancers and 12th Cavalry)
- 1941 Disbanded
- 1955 15th Lancers (re-raised)
- 1989 15th Lancers (Baluch)
- 1991 15th Lancers (Baloch)
Further Reading
- 15th Lancers (Baloch): Through the Ages 1858-1998. (1998). Lahore: 15th Lancers.
- Yeats-Brown, Major FCC. (1927). The Star and Crescent: Being the Story of the 17th Cavalry from 1858 To 1922. Allahabad: The Pioneer Press.
- Ahmad, Lieutenant Colonel Rifat Nadeem. (2010). Battle Honours of the Baloch Regiment. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre.
- Ahmed, Major General Rafiuddin. (2000). History of the Baloch Regiment 1939-1956. Abbottabad: The Baloch Regimental Centre. ISBN 1-84574-094-7
- Gaylor, J. (1992). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1
- Cadell, Sir Patrick. (1938). History of the Bombay Army. London: Longmans & Green.
- Cardew, FG. (1903). A Sketch of the Services of the Bengal Native Army to the Year 1895. Calcutta: Military Department.
- Harris, RG, and Warner, C. (1979). Bengal Cavalry Regiments 1857–1914. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-0-85045-308-9.
- Sandhu, Maj Gen GS. (1981). The Indian Cavalry: History of the Indian Armoured Corps till 1940. New Delhi: Vision Books.
- 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 978-0-9530174-0-9