3rd Cavalry
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Cavalry was a regular cavalry Regiment in the British Indian Army
formed from the 5th and 8th Cavalry regiments in 1922.
The which served on the North West Frontier and during World War I
and World War II
.
and the 17th Cavalry which was raised at Sultanpur
in 1846.
Often re-designated, by the turn of the century they were called 5th Cavalry
and 8th Lancers
. The two regiments serving in India and abroad, saw action in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Mesopotamia and Palestine earning Battle Honours Afghanistan 1879-80 and Mesopotamia 1916-18. they were amalgamated in 1922, to form the 5th/8th Cavalry, re-designated in 1923 as 3rd Cavalry, which was amongst the first Regiments to be Indianised.
for service on the North West Frontier until October 1917 when they left to take part in the Mesopotamian campaign
.
in 1857 and in the Second Afghan War. They were issued with lances in 1899 to become the 8th Bengal Lancers, this title was later changed to the 8th Lancers. Like all the regiments of the Indian Army, the 8th Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below.
was deployed to Malaya
to counter the Japanese advance. They were involved in the battles at Taiping, Perak
, Sungei Pattani, Penang Island
, Perak River
and the Battle of Slim River
where two Indian Brigades were annihilated by the Japanese. The Regiment was then captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore
and went into captivity until the end of the war.
For the Regiments service in Malaya it was awarded the Battle Honours "North Malaya" and "Central Malaya" and Theatre Honour "Malaya 1941-42".
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
formed from the 5th and 8th Cavalry regiments in 1922.
The which served on the North West Frontier and during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early history
The 3rd Cavalry was formed from two older Regiments the 7th Irregular Cavalry which was raised in 1841 at BareillyBareilly
Bareilly is a prominent city in Bareilly district in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Standing on the Ramganga river, it is the capital of the Bareilly division and the geographical region Rohilkhand...
and the 17th Cavalry which was raised at Sultanpur
Sultanpur
Sultanpur is a city and a municipal board in Sultanpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is located in the geographic center of and is the administrative headquarters of Sultanpur District. It is an ancient town situated on the right bank of Gomati River, to the south east of...
in 1846.
Often re-designated, by the turn of the century they were called 5th Cavalry
5th Cavalry (Indian Army)
5th Cavalry Regiment was a military unit of the Indian Army.The regiment was raised at Bareilly as the 7th Irregular Cavalry in 1841 as a result of the First Afghan War....
and 8th Lancers
8th Lancers
This regiment was one of the forty cavalry regiments of the British Indian Army. It had originally been part of the army of the East India Company before passing into the reorganised Bengal Army of the post-Mutiny period and ultimately into the unified Indian Army of 1904...
. The two regiments serving in India and abroad, saw action in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Mesopotamia and Palestine earning Battle Honours Afghanistan 1879-80 and Mesopotamia 1916-18. they were amalgamated in 1922, to form the 5th/8th Cavalry, re-designated in 1923 as 3rd Cavalry, which was amongst the first Regiments to be Indianised.
5th Cavalry
Raised at Bareilly in 1841 as a result of the First Afghan War the regiment also served in the Second Afghan War between 1878 - 1880. Like all the regiments of the Indian Army, the 5th Cavalry underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below:- 1841 7th Irregular Cavalry
- 1861 5th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
- 1901 5th Bengal Cavalry
- 1903 5th Cavalry.
World War I
At the start of World War I the 5th Cavalry was part of the 4th (Rawalpindi) Infantry Brigade in October 1916 they transferred to the 1st (Peshawar) Division1st (Peshawar) Division
The 1st Division was a Regular Division of the British Indian Army it was formed after the Kitchener reforms of the Indian Army in 1903. During World War I it remained in India for local defence but it was mobilised for action on the North West Frontier on several occasions during the period.The...
for service on the North West Frontier until October 1917 when they left to take part in the Mesopotamian campaign
Mesopotamian Campaign
The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...
.
8th Lancers
The 8th Lancers were the last regiment to be raised before the Indian Mutiny. They served in PeshawarPeshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
in 1857 and in the Second Afghan War. They were issued with lances in 1899 to become the 8th Bengal Lancers, this title was later changed to the 8th Lancers. Like all the regiments of the Indian Army, the 8th Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below.
- 1846 17th Irregular Cavalry
- 1847 18th Irregular Cavalry
- 1861 8th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
- 1900 8th Regiment of Bengal Lancers
- 1901 8th Bengal Lancers
- 1903 8th Lancers
World War I
During World War I the 8th Lancers were part of the Jhansi Brigade, at Mhow under the command of Major General Townshend the brigade consisted of the:- 8 Lancers
- 38th Central Indian Horse
- 2nd Royal Berkshire RegimentRoyal Berkshire RegimentThe Royal Berkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 49th Regiment of Foot and the 66th Regiment of Foot.The regiment was originally formed as The Princess Charlotte of Wales's , taking the...
- 10th JatsJat RegimentThe Jat Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army and is one of the longest serving and most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment has won 19 battle honours between 1839 to 1947 and post independence 5 battle honours, Two Ashok Chakras, eight Mahavir Chakras, eight Kirti...
- 99th Decan Infantry
- 107 Pioneers
- 116 Mahratta
- 60 Company RGA
World War II
In 1941, whilst still in the process of being equipped with armoured cars, 3rd Cavalry now part of the 11th Indian Infantry Division11th Indian Infantry Division
The 11th Indian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. It formed part of Indian III Corps in the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya.-History:...
was deployed to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
to counter the Japanese advance. They were involved in the battles at Taiping, Perak
Taiping, Perak
Taiping is a town located in northern Perak, Malaysia. With a population of 191,104 , it is the second largest town in Perak after Ipoh, the state capital. Taiping took over Kuala Kangsar's role as the state capital from 1876 to 1937, but was then replaced by Ipoh...
, Sungei Pattani, Penang Island
Penang Island
Penang Island is part of the state of Penang, on the west coat of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British East India Company on 12 August 1786, in honour of the birthday of the Prince of Wales, later King George IV...
, Perak River
Perak River
Perak River is the second longest river in Peninsular Malaysia after Pahang River in Pahang, Malaysia. A number of towns are on the banks of the river including the royal town of Kuala Kangsar...
and the Battle of Slim River
Battle of Slim River
The Battle of Slim River occurred during the Malayan campaign in January 1942 between the Imperial Japanese Army and the British Indian Army on the west coast of Malaya.-Background:...
where two Indian Brigades were annihilated by the Japanese. The Regiment was then captured by the Japanese after the fall of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
and went into captivity until the end of the war.
For the Regiments service in Malaya it was awarded the Battle Honours "North Malaya" and "Central Malaya" and Theatre Honour "Malaya 1941-42".
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 978-0-9530174-0-9
- Gaylor, J (1992). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1