5th Horse (Probyn's Horse)
| 5 Probyn's Horse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1857–present |
| Country |  British India Pakistan |
| Branch |  British Indian Army Pakistan Army |
| Type | Armoured Regiment |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | Probyn's Horse |
| Motto(s) | Allah O Akbar |
| Engagements | Indian Rebellion of 1857 Second Opium War1860-61 Abyssinian Campaign 1868 Second Afghan War1878-80 First World War1914-18 (Mesopotamia) Second World War1939-45 (Burma) Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 |
| Commanders | |
| Colonels-in-Chief | King Edward VII King George V |
| Colonel of the Regiment | Field MarshalThe Lord Birdwood |
| Notable commanders | General SirDighton Probyn,VC General SirHugh Gough,VC General SirAlan Hartley Lieutenant GeneralGul Hassan |
The5th Horseis an armouredregimentof thePakistan Army.It was previously known as the5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse,which was a regular cavalry regiment of theBritish Indian Army.It was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of the11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)and the12th Cavalry.[1]
11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)
[edit]The regiment known as 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse) was originally raised on 1 August 1857 by Captain Frederick Wale as Wale's Horse during theIndian Rebellion of 1857and served atLucknow.Captain Wale was killed in action on 1 March 1858, while leading the regiment in the pursuit of rebels, and was replaced by MajorDighton Probyn,VC. In 1860 the regiment was dispatched toChinato take part in theSecond Opium War.It participated in the advance onPekingand returned to India in 1861 with a good reputation. The regiment saw service in theSecond Afghan Warof 1878-80 and then took part in theBlack Mountain Expedition;it went to Chitral and formed part of theMalakand Field Force.During theFirst World War,the regiment served inMesopotamia.[1][2]
- 1857 Wale's Horse
- 1857 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry
- 1858 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry (Probyn's Horse)
- 1861 11th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
- 1864 11th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry (Lancers)
- 1874 11th Regiment of Bengal Lancers
- 1876 11th (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of Bengal Lancers
- 1901 11th (Prince of Wales's Own) Bengal Lancers
- 1903 11th Prince of Wales's Own Lancers
- 1904 11th Prince of Wales's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)
- 1906 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse)
Uniform
[edit]The Lancer's uniform of Probyn's Horse was topped by cap-line worn unattached. Shoulder epaulettes were covered with gilt curb-chains, and plus the Mameluke scimitar.
Mussullmen were unique in wearing akulla,a pointed cap under the puggaree. Made of heavy khaki cloth it gave good protection against the sun, and became popular, even with British officers, who's adopted the puggaree as part of their dress.
12th Cavalry
[edit]The 12th Cavalry was also raised during theIndian Rebellion of 1857,by Captain PR Hockin in October 1857. It formed part of the1868 Expedition to Abyssinia(Ethiopia) and served in theSecond Afghan Warof 1878-80. During the First World War, the regiment fought in theMesopotamian Campaign.[1][2]
- 1857 2nd Sikh Irregular Cavalry
- 1861 12th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
- 1901 12th Bengal Cavalry
- 1903 12th Cavalry
Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward VII's Own Lancers)
[edit]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 the entire cavalry line. The 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse) and the 12th Cavalry were amalgamated at Meerut on 28 August 1921 to form 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse. The uniform of Probyn's Horse was blue with scarlet facings. The new regiment's badge consisted of thePrince of Wales's plumes. Its class composition was one squadron each ofPunjabiMuslims,SikhsandDogras.
Mechanisation
[edit]The regiment was converted to a mechanised unit in 1940 while based atRisalpur.Initially this simply involved the substitution of trucks for horses but by mid-1942 re-equipment with three squadrons ofStuart tanksandLee tankshad been concluded. In 1944 Probyn's was assigned to 225 Indian Tank Brigade, to serve with distinction in theBurma CampaignusingM4 Sherman tanks.
Independence
[edit]On thePartition of Indiain 1947, Probyn's Horse was allotted to Pakistan.[1]In 1956, Pakistan became a republic and all titles pertaining to British royalty were dropped. The regiment's new designation was5 Horse,although informally, it continues to be known as theProbyn's Horse.During theIndo-Pakistani War of 1965,5 Horse fought in the Battle of Khem Karan.[3]
- 1921 11th/12th Probyn's Horse (amalgamation)
- 1922 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse
- 1927 Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward's Own Lancers)
- 1937 Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward VII's Own Lancers)
- 1956 5 Horse
Battle honours
[edit]
Lucknow,Taku Forts,Pekin 1860,Abyssinia, Ali Masjid, Peiwar Kotal, Charasiah, Kabul 1879, Afghanistan 1878–80, Chitral, Malakand, Punjab Frontier, Mesopotamia 1915-18, Meiktila, Capture of Meiktila, Defence of Meiktila, Taungtha, Rangoon Road, Pyawbwe, Pyinmana, Toungoo, Pegu 1945, Burma 1942–45, Khem Karan 1965.[4]
References
[edit]- ^abcdGaylor, John (1991).Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–91.Stroud: Spellmount.
- ^abBoyle, Maj CA. (1929).The History of Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward's Own Lancers).Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- ^The Sabre & Lance: Journal of the Pakistan Armoured Corps.(1997). Nowshera: The School of Armour & Mechanised Warfare.
- ^Rodger, Alexander. (2003).Battle Honours of the British Empire and Commonwealth Land Forces 1662-1991.Ramsbury: The Crowood Press.
Further reading
[edit]- Boyle, Maj CA. (1929).The History of Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward's Own Lancers).Aldershot: Gale & Polden.
- Maxwell, Capt EL. (1941).A History of the XI King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse).Guilford: AC Curtis Ltd.
- Mylne, Maj MH. (1945).An Account of the Operations in Burma carried out by Probyn’s Horse during February, March & April 1945.
- 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.ISBN978-0-9530174-0-9
- Gaylor, John. (1991).Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991.Stroud: Spellmount Publishers Ltd.ISBN978-0-946771-98-1
- 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.ISBN978-0-85045-308-9.
- Elliott, Maj Gen JG. (1968).The Frontier 1839-1947: The Story of the North-West Frontier of India.London: Cassell.
- Kirby, Maj Gen S Woodburn. (1965).The War against Japan,volume 4(The Reconquest of Burma).London: HMSO.
- Lucas, Sir Charles. (1926).The Empire at War,volume 5. London: Oxford University Press.
- Trench, CC. (1988).The Indian Army and the King’s Enemies, 1900-1947.London: Thames and Hudson.
External links
[edit]- Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward VII's Own Lancers) by John Gaylor at The Defence Journal
- 11th Bengal Lancers (Probyn's Horse) at The British Empire
