The Deccan Horse or 9 Horse is one of the oldest and most decorated armoured regiments of the

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

. The Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse), which was a regular cavalry regiment of the

British Indian Army The Indian Army was the force of British Raj, British India, until Indian Independence Act 1947, national independence in 1947. Formed in 1895 by uniting the three Presidency armies, it was responsible for the defence of both British India and ...

was formed from the amalgamation of two regiments after World War I. They saw service from the Mutiny of 1857 up to and including

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

Formation

The 9th Royal Deccan Horse can trace its formation to 1790 when it was called Asif Sah's Irregular Cavalry. Two regiments were raised for service under the

Nizam of Hyderabad Nizam of Hyderabad was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad State ( part of the Indian state of Telangana, and the Kalyana-Karnataka region of Karnataka). ''Nizam'' is a shortened form of (; ), and was the title bestowed upon Asaf Jah I wh ...

Berar Berar may refer to: *Vidarbha, the eastern region of Maharashtra, India, historically known as Berar * Berar Sultanate (1490–1596), one of the Deccan sultanates *Berar Subah (1596–1724), a subah (province) of the Mughal Empire *Berar Province ( ...

, who was allied with the British

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

. During the following years, the titles of these two Regiments went through many changes. They were known by the following titles over the years: *1816: Nawab Jalal-ud-Daula's, Captains Davies' and Clerk's Risalas; 1826: 1st Regiment, Nizam's Cavalry; 1854: 1st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent; 1890: 1st Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent; 1903: 20th Deccan Horse; 1921: 20th Royal Deccan Horse *1816: Nawab Murtaza Yar Jang's, Captains Hallis' and Smith's Risalas; 1826: 2nd Regiment, Nizam's Cavalry; 1854: 2nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent; 1890: 2nd Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent; 1903: 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse). In 1903, during Kitchener's reform of the Indian Army, the 'Hyderabad Contingent' was incorporated into the regular British Indian Cavalry as the two regiments, the 20th Deccan Horse and 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse). In 1921, 20th Deccan Horse was given the title "Royal" for its distinguished service during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. In 1921, the two regiments were merged under the name "The 9th Royal Deccan Horse". In 1927, the designation was changed to "The Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse)". The regimental class composition at the time of the Hyderabad Contingent was a squadron each of

Sikhs Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Sikh'' ...

, Deccani Mussalmans and

Jats The Jat people (, ), also spelt Jaat and Jatt, are a traditionally agricultural community in Northern India and Pakistan. Originally pastoralists in the lower Indus river-valley of Sindh, many Jats migrated north into the Punjab region in ...

. In 1927, the composition was of

Punjabi Muslims Punjabi Muslims are Punjabis who are adherents of Islam. With a population of more than 112 million, they are the third-largest predominantly Islam-adhering Muslims, Muslim ethnicity in the world, after Arab Muslims, Arabs and Bengali Muslims, ...

, Sikhs and Jats. On India becoming a Republic in 1950, the regiment's name was finally changed to "The Deccan Horse (9th Horse)".

History

The Deccan Horse which remained a local corps in the

Deccan The Deccan is a plateau extending over an area of and occupies the majority of the Indian peninsula. It stretches from the Satpura and Vindhya Ranges in the north to the northern fringes of Tamil Nadu in the south. It is bound by the mount ...

, was frequently called for service during the 18th and 19th centuries. This included operations in the frontier to check the incursions of the

Pindari The Pindaris (Bhalse, Maratha, Rohilla and Pathans) were irregular military plunderers and foragers in 17th- through early 19th-century Indian subcontinent who accompanied initially the Mughal Army, and later the Maratha Army, and finally on thei ...

s (1811), in

Aurangabad Aurangabad (), officially renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in 2023, is a city in the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the administrative headquarters of Aurangabad district and is the largest city in the Marathwada region. Located on a ...

against the Naiks in Central Berar (1817), the

Third Anglo-Maratha War The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the British East India Company and the Maratha Empire, Maratha Confederacy in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an in ...

of 1817–18, sieges of Nowah and Umerkher in January 1819, in operations in the

Raichur Doab The Raichur Doab is a Doab, in this case the triangular region of land in the southern Indian states of Telangana and Karnataka lying between the Krishna River and its tributary, the Tungabhadra River. The doab is named for the town of Raich ...

(1819), against the

Bhils Bhil or Bheel refer to the various indigenous groups inhabiting western India, including parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and are also found in distant places such as Bengal and Tripura. Though they now speak the Bhili language, an Indo-Ar ...

Kingaon Kingaon is a village in Yawal taluka of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, India. It is located between the foot hill of Satpura mountain and the bank of Tapti River. Kingaon is 25 km from the city of Jalgaon. Majority of the population consi ...

, attack on the fort at Dandoti (1828), against Bhils in

Lonar Lonar is a town, just 79 km from Buldhana city and municipal council in Buldhana district of Vidarbha region of the Indian state of Maharashtra. The town is the headquarter of Lonar taluka and is located near Mehkar. Lonar is famous for Lonar ...

(1829), attack on the fort of Kaptak (1830), seizure of the fort in Nandgaon (1832), capture of the fort at Nanand (1833), against the Bhils at Jafferabad and

Dhar Dhar is a city located in Dhar district of the Malwa region in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Dhar district. Before Indian independence from Great Britain, it was the capital of the Dhar ...

, north of Jalna, against the Arabs near

Afzalpur Afzalpur is a panchayat town in Kalaburagi district in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is also the headquarters of the Afzalpur taluk. Geography Afzalpur has an average elevation of 408 metres (1338 feet). The town is spread over an area of ...

(1841), against the

Rohilla Rohillas are a community of Pashtuns, Pashtun heritage, historically found in Rohilkhand, a region in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It forms the largest Pashtun diaspora community in India, and has given its name to the Rohilkhand region ...

s at Warur and Bairugarh (1842), against the Rohillas near Nander and at the capture of the fort of Saorgaon (1842), against Bhils (1845–46), attack on the fort at Kandat (1847), in the quelling of a Rohilla rebellion and in the capture of the fort of Rai Mhow (1848), siege of Dharur (1851) and the siege of Sailur (1854). Following the formation of the Hyderabad Contingent, the unit saw action in many locations around and after the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against Company rule in India, the rule of the East India Company, British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the The Crown, British ...

(

Jhansi Jhansi ( ) is a historic city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. (Toshan) Balwant Nagar was the old name of Jhansi. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand, on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme ...

, Piplia,

Betwa River , discharge1_min = , discharge1_avg = , date=November 2019 , discharge1_max = , source1 = Vindhya Range , source1_location = Near Obedullaganj, Vindhya Range north of Hoshangabad , source1_coordinates = , source1_elevation = , mouth ...

, Rawal,

Banda Banda may refer to: People * Banda (surname) * Banda Prakash (born 1954), Indian politician * Banda Kanakalingeshwara Rao (1907–1968), Indian actor * Banda Karthika Reddy (born 1977), Indian politician *Banda Singh Bahadur (1670–1716), Sikh ...

, Mandesur, Kunch, Ratgarh,

Kalpi Kalpi is a historical city and municipal board in Jalaun district in Uttar Pradesh, India. It is on the right bank of the Yamuna. It is situated 78 kilometres south-west of Kanpur from which it is connected by both road and rail. History Th ...

, Madanpur, Bilawa,

Chanderi Chanderi, is a town of historical importance in Ashoknagar District of the state Madhya Pradesh in India. It is situated at a distance of 127 km from Shivpuri, 37 km from Lalitpur, 55 km from Ashok Nagar and about 46 km ...

Gwalior Gwalior (Hindi: , ) is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; It is known as the Music City of India having oldest Gwalior gharana, musical gharana in existence. It is a major sports, cultural, industrial, and political c ...

and Garakota) winning a

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

(VC) in 1859 and was also awarded the battle honour, 'Central India' for its efforts in suppression of the mutiny in 1857–58. Standard of the 1st Lancers Hyderabad Contingent

Standard of the 1st Lancers Hyderabad Contingent

Officers and troops from the regiment took part in the

Second Afghan War The Second Anglo-Afghan War (Dari: جنگ دوم افغان و انگلیس, ) was a military conflict fought between the British Raj and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the latter was ruled by Sher Ali Khan of the Barakzai ...

, Tirah campaign,

Kurram Valley Field Force __NOTOC__ The Kurram Valley Field ForceOften referred to at the time as the ''Kuram Field Force''. e.g.: was a British military formation during the first phase of the Second Afghan War, 1878–79. It was one of three military columns created b ...

(1879–1880), the

Burma War Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

(1886–1888), in Central Africa (1891–1892), in the North-West Frontier expedition (1897–1898), in China during the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

(1900) and in the

South African War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

(1900–1901).

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

The 20th Deccan Horse was sent to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

for service on the Western Front. The regiment was stationed in

Bolarum Bolarum( Telugu :బొల్లారం ) is a locality in Secunderabad in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in the Hyderabad Metropolitan Region. The distance from Bolarum to Secunderabad is 10 km. Demographics As per the Census 2001 ...

before the war. It sailed from

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

on board the SS Ellora and HMT Egra on 15 September 1914 to

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

. It was part of the

9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade The Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1907 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War and departed f ...

of the

2nd Indian Cavalry Division The 2nd Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army formed at the outbreak of World War I. It served on the Western Front, being renamed as 5th Cavalry Division on 26 November 1916. In March 1918, the 5th Cavalry Divisio ...

. The regiment remained in the vicinity or Marseille from 12 to 23 October 1914, following which it moved to

Orléans Orléans (,"Orleans"
(US) and Vieille-Chapelle in November and saw fighting around

Festubert Festubert () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France southwest of Lille. The village was on the Western Front during the First World War and was largely destroyed in the May 1915 Battle of Festubert ...

in November and December 1914. It took part in the attack on Givenchy and took heavy casualties. The regiment remained behind the lines during most of 1915. On 14 July 1916 during the

Battle of Bazentin Ridge The Battle of Bazentin Ridge was part of the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front in France, during the First World War. On 14 July, the British Fourth Army (General Henry Rawlinson) made a dawn attack against the German 2nd Army (Gene ...

, part of the

Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

, the 20th Deccan with the

7th Dragoon Guards The 7th (The Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1688 as Lord Cavendish's Regiment of Horse. It was renamed as the 8th Horse in 1694 and the 7th (The Princess Royal's) Dragoon Guards for ...

(the

) were called forward to support the first attack on High Wood. Catching some German infantry in the open, they charged with lance and sword, killing 16 and capturing 32 Germans for the cost of 6 killed 45 wounded, with 12 horses killed and 52 wounded, mainly after the regiment had dismounted to hold the captured ground. They were withdrawn on the following morning, but the charge was given a favourable mention in Sir

Douglas Haig Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army. During the First World War he commanded the British Expeditionary F ...

's dispatches and received much coverage from the British press, anxious for some news of success. Deccan Horse France 1916

The regiment landed in

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

on 10 April 1918 and moved to

Tell El Kebir Tell El Kebir ( lit."the great mound") is 110 km north-north-east of Cairo and 75 kilometres south of Port Said on the edge of the Egyptian desert at the altitude of 29 m. Administratively, it is a part of the Ismailia Governorate. In the ...

, Kantara and finally to

Belah Belah is a suburb of Carlisle in the Cumberland district, in the county of Cumbria, England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of whic ...

on 27 April 1918 to join the 14th Cavalry Brigade of the 5th Cavalry Division. The regiment was involved in frequent encounters with the Turkish forces in July and August 1918. The regiment moved to Deiran (Palestine) and fought in the Battle of Megiddo. The 29th Lancers were also sent to France they formed part of the

8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade The Lucknow Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Indian Army formed in 1911 as a result of the Kitchener Reforms. It was mobilized as 8th (Lucknow) Cavalry Brigade at the outbreak of the First World War as part of the 1st India ...

of the

1st Indian Cavalry Division The 1st Indian Cavalry Division was a division of the British Indian Army which was formed at the outbreak of the First World War. It served on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front, and was renamed the 4th Cavalry Division on 26 Novem ...

. Both regiments would at times serve as Infantry in the trenches, before being withdrawn for service in

Palestine Palestine, officially the State of Palestine, is a country in West Asia. Recognized by International recognition of Palestine, 147 of the UN's 193 member states, it encompasses the Israeli-occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and th ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

During the Second World War, the regiment converted to tanks and became part of the

255th Indian Tank Brigade The 255th Indian Tank Brigade was an armoured brigade of the Indian Army during World War II. It was part of the Fourteenth Army and saw action in the Burma Campaign. The 255th Tank Brigade's tactical sign was a black bull, with yellow horns and r ...

. The regiment along with

16th Light Cavalry The 16th Light Cavalry is a regiment of the Armoured Corps, a primary combat arm of the Indian Army. Prior to India gaining independence from the British in 1947, it was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1 ...

, 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse and 116th Royal Armoured Corps (Gordon Highlanders) reached Kanglatongbi in

Assam Assam (, , ) is a state in Northeast India, northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra Valley, Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . It is the second largest state in Northeast India, nor ...

in October 1944, where training and exercises took place. The regiment then proceeded east and took part in the re-conquest of Burma. British commander and Indian crew encounter elephant near Meiktila

British commander and Indian crew encounter elephant near Meiktila

Post Independence

; Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948: A squadron of the regiment fought in the

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory since 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered by India as a state from 1952 to 2019 * Jammu and Kashmir (prin ...

operations (1948–49) in Chhamb sector. Tanks of the regiment were rafted across the

Chenab River The Chenab River is a major river in India and Pakistan, and is one of the 5 major rivers of the Punjab region. It is formed by the union of two headwaters, the Chandra and Bhaga, which rise in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul region of Hima ...

Akhnoor Akhnoor is a town and municipal committee, near city of Jammu in Jammu district of Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies 28 km away from Jammu city. Akhnoor is on the bank of the Chenab River, just before it enters the ...

. ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: During the war, the regiment with its

Sherman Sherman most commonly refers to: *Sherman (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname ** William Tecumseh Sherman (1820–1891), American Civil War General *M4 Sherman, a World War II American tank S ...

tanks saw fierce action in the

Khemkaran Khem Karan is a town and a nagar panchayat in Tarn Taran district of Patti tehsil of the Majha region of the Indian state of Punjab. It was the site of a tank battle in 1965. The Battle of Asal Uttar was the second largest tank battle of ...

Sector. It was one of the main units responsible for creating the 'Patton Graveyard' of Pakistani tanks. In the

Battle of Asal Uttar The Battle of Asal Uttar (Hindi : असल उत्तर , Punjabi: ਅਸਲ ਉੱਤਰ), also known as the Battle of Khemkaran, was major tank battle fought during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. It was one of the biggest tank battle ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

lost 97 tanks including 75 of the latest Pattons. The Indians lost 14 tanks including 10 of the Deccan horse. The regiment won 24 decorations and the battle honours "Asal Uttar" and "Punjab 1965". The Commandant of the Regiment, Lt Col (later Gen)

A S Vaidya General Arunkumar Shridhar Vaidya (27 July 1926 – 10 August 1986) was an Indian Army general. He served as the 12th Chief of the Army Staff from 1983 to 1986. Following his retirement, he was assassinated by Harjinder Singh Jinda and Suk ...

was awarded the

Maha Vir Chakra The Maha Vir Chakra (MVC) () is the second highest military decoration in India, after the Param Vir Chakra, and is awarded for acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy, whether on land, at sea or in the air. It replaced the B ...

for leading the regiment with gallantry. ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: In this conflict, The Deccan Horse with its

T-54 The T-54 and T-55 tanks are a series of Soviet medium tanks introduced in the years following the Second World War. The first T-54 prototype was completed at Nizhny Tagil by the end of 1945.Steven Zaloga, T-54 and T-55 Main Battle Tanks 1944–2 ...

tanks was once again at the forefront of the fight in the

Battle of Chamb The Battle of Chumb (3 December – 11 December 1971) was a major battle between the forces of Pakistan and India during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. It was one of the first major engagements in the western front of the war in which the Pakista ...

. The unit was part of the 10 Infantry Division. The Regimental headquarters and two squadron were with the 191 Infantry Brigade. The third squadron less a troop were with the 52 Infantry Brigade. It won six Gallantry awards. This gallant battle by the Regiment blunted and stalled the largest offensive ever mounted by Pakistan since Independence.

Awards and honours

The unit was one of the most decorated regiments of the

and has continued to show its valour under the

. Prominent winners of gallantry awards include: ;Early years *

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 Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...

: Central India *

: Captain

Herbert Clogstoun Major (rank), Major Herbert Mackworth Clogstoun Victoria Cross, VC (13 June 1820 – 6 May 1862) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to United Kin ...

of the 2nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent during the

Indian Mutiny The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the form ...

when the following deed took place on 15 January 1859 for which he was awarded the VC: ''For conspicuous bravery in charging the, Rebels into Chichumbah with only eight men of his Regiment (the 2nd Cavalry Hyderabad Contingent), compelling them to re-enter the Town, and finally to abandon their plunder. He was severely wounded himself, and lost seven out of the eight men who accompanied him.'' *

Companions of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I of Great Britain, George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior British Armed Forces, military officers or senior Civil Service ...

: Major H. D. Abbott, Lieutenant H.C. Dowker, 1st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent; Major A. W. Macintire, 2nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent, Brevet-Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. H. McSwiney, 1st Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent. *

Companion of the Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typicall ...

: Lieutenant Macquoid. *

Order of British India The Order of British India was an Order (honour), order of merit established in 1837 by the British East India Company, East India Company for "long, faithful and honourable service". The company's powers were removed after the Indian Mutiny, ...

: Risaldar Major Ahmad Bakhsh Khan, Hyderabad Contingent, Risaldar Major Karim Dad Khan, 20th Deccan Horse, Risaldar Major Hussain Khan, 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse). *

Indian Order of Merit The Indian Order of Merit (IOM) was a military and civilian decoration of British India. It was established in 1837, (General Order of the Governor-General of India, No. 94 of 1 May 1837) although following the Partition of India The pa ...

: Jemadar Sahib Singh, Dufiadar Bhairi Lai Singh, Ressaidar Ala-ud-din, Jemadar Md. Din Khan, Jemadar Mir Karim Ali, Duffadar Jiwan Singh, Duffadar Ganesh Singh, Duffadar Sadhu Singh, Jemadar Alif Khan, Duffadar Ganga Singh, Trooper Mukarrim Khan, Ressaidar Mirza Anwar Ali Beg, Risaldar-Major Mirza Zulfikar Ali Beg, Ressaidar Abdul Rahman Khan, Duffadar Kasim Hussain Beg, Duffadar Kallandar Beg, Trooper Kudrat All Khan, 1st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent; Risaldar-Major Mir Dilawar Hussein, Ressaidar Bakshi Ali, and Jemadar Mir Akbar Ali, Jemadar Beg Muhammad Khan, Duffadar Bargir Muhammad Sharif, Trooper Mahomed Noor Khan, Ressaidar Meer Mahomed Shah, Trooper Meer Hossain Ali, Trooper Sheik Chand, Trooper Emom Ali Khan, Trooper Sheik Hyder, 2nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent; Sowar Wazir Khan, Sowar Kale Khan, 2nd Lancers, Hyderabad Contingent; Dafadar Ghafur Khan, Dafadar Hussain Ali Khan, Dafadar Mir Murid Ali, Dafadar Kifayat Khan, Dafadar Anwar Khan, Kot Dafadar Shah Nur Khan, Dafadar Mustafa Khan, Dafadar Salamat Ali Khan, Dafadar Abdul Rahman Khan, 20th Deccan Horse. ; Imperial Visit to India, 1911 The following were honoured during the Imperial Visit of King

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

to India * Order of British India, 2nd class : Risaldar Major Shaikh Muhammad Afzal Husain, 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse), Risaldar Major Hanuman Singh, 20th Deccan Horse. ;

s : Givenchy, 1914,

Somme, 1916 The Battle of the Somme (; ), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and the French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place between 1 July and 18 Nove ...

Bazentin Bazentin () is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography Situated between Amiens to the southwest and Arras to the north, on the D73 road. Population History * 1914–1918: The village, in the middle o ...

Delville Wood The Battle of Delville Wood was a series of engagements in the 1916 Battle of the Somme in the First World War, between the armies of the German Empire and the British Empire. Delville Wood , was a thick tangle of trees, chiefly beech and ...

, Flers–Courcelette, Cambrai, 1917,

and

Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, la ...

1914–18,

Megiddo Megiddo may refer to: Places and sites in Israel * Tel Megiddo, site of an ancient city in Israel's Jezreel valley * Megiddo Airport, a domestic airport in Israel * Megiddo church (Israel) * Megiddo, Israel, a kibbutz in Israel * Megiddo Juncti ...

Sharon Sharon ( 'plain'), also spelled Saron, is a given name as well as a Hebrew name. In Anglosphere, English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name, but historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In Israel, ...

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

, and Palestine, 1918. *

: Risaldar Badlu Singh – He was part of the

14th Murray's Jat Lancers The 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, also sometimes known as the Murray's Jat Horse, was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. In 1921 it was renamed as 20th Lancers (British Indian Army), 20th Lancers, and after Partition of India in 1947 it e ...

attached to the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse). He was awarded the

posthumously for his gallant act of bravery on 23 September 1918 at Kh. Es Samariyeh, Jordan River,

. His citation reads as follows - ''On 23rd September 1918 on the west bank of the River Jordan, Palestine, when his squadron was charging a strong enemy position, Risaldar Badlu Singh realised that heavy casualties were being inflicted from a small hill occupied by machine-guns and 200 infantry. Without any hesitation he collected six other ranks and with entire disregard of danger he charged and captured the position. He was mortally wounded on the very top of the hill when capturing one of the machine-guns single handed, but all the guns and infantry had surrendered to him before he died.'' 23 September is commemorated as "Jordan Valley Day" every year in the Regiment. Other gallantry awards include: *

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

: Jemadar Jai Lal Singh, 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse) (Egypt) *

: Risaldar Prem Singh, Risaldar Major Nigahia Ram, Risaldar Konsal Singh (20th Deccan Horse) (France); Risaldar Major Ghulam Dastaghir Khan, Risaldar Major Chanda Singh, Risaldar Major Ahmad Khan, Risaldar Hayat Ali Beg, Ressaidar Daya Singh, Ressaidar Jaggar Singh (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France / Egypt / India). *

: Dafadar Sardar Singh, Dafadar Shankar Rao, Jemadar Mirza Ahmed Beg (20th Deccan Horse), Risaldar Hayat Ali Beg, Jemadar Abdul Rahim Khan, Sowar Indar Singh, Sowar Chandan Singh, Dafadar Puran Singh, Dafadar Jot Ram, Sowar Balwant Singh (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France / Egypt). * Indian Distinguished Service Medals: 27 medals (20th Deccan Horse), 22 medals (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France / Egypt). * Indian Meritorious Service Medals: 40 medals (20th Deccan Horse), 33 medals (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France / Egypt). *

Croix De Guerre The (, ''Cross of War'') is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was first awarded during World ...

(French): 2 medals (20th Deccan Horse), 1 medal (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France). *Leim Alilimdetaire (French): 1 medal (20th Deccan Horse) (France). *

Croix de guerre (Belgium) The ( French) or ''Oorlogskruis'' ( Dutch) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium established by royal decree on 25 October 1915. It was primarily awarded for bravery or other military virtue on the battlefield. The award was reesta ...

: 1 medal (20th Deccan Horse), 3 medals (29th Lancers (Deccan Horse)) (France) ;

s : Meiktila and Rangoon Road, Capture of Meiktila, Defence of Meiktila, Pyabwe and Burma 1942–45. * Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) : Major General A G O M Mayne *

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

: Acting Lieutenant Colonel George Hannyngton Carr *

Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

: Risaldar Major Mir Yusaf Ali *

: Captain David Herbert Mudie, Captain Robert Bruce Kennard, Temporary Captain Sheodan Singh, Second Lieutenant Richard Francis Sherwill, Jemadar Pritam Singh *The regiment won 36 gallantry awards. ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 *

s : Asal Uttar, Punjab 1965 *

: Lt Col AS Vaidya *

Vir Chakra The Vir Chakra (pronunciation: ʋ iː ɾ a tʃ a kɾa, ) is an Indian wartime military bravery award presented for acts of gallantry on the battlefield, on land or in the air or at sea. It is third in precedence in wartime gallantry awards and ...

: A Lance/Dafadar Tirlok Singh, Risaldar Achhar Singh. *

Sena Medal The Sena Medal () is awarded to members of the Indian army, of all ranks, "for such individual acts of exceptional devotion to duty or courage as have special significance for the Army." Awards may be made posthumously and a bar is authorized for ...

: Risaldar Kisal Singh, Dafadar Babu Singh, Sowar Sant Singh *The regiment won 24 gallantry awards. ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: *

: Captain Surendra Kaushik, Lance Dafadar Sushil Kumar, Risaldar Brahma Nand, Sowar Jai Singh. *The regiment won 6 gallantry awards. ; President's Guidon: In recognition of its distinguished service, the Deccan Horse was selected for presentation of a "Guidon" by the President of India

Giani Zail Singh Giani Zail Singh (, born Jarnail Singh; 5 May 1916 – 25 December 1994) was an Indian politician from Punjab who served as the president of India from 1982 to 1987 and chief minister of Punjab. He was the first Sikh to become president. B ...

Nabha Nabha is a city and municipal council in the Patiala district in the south-west of the Indian state of Punjab. It was the capital of the former Nabha State. Nabha is also a sub-division city which comes under Patiala district. Geography Nabha ...

on 9 January 1984.

Regimental insignia

The insignia of the 9th Royal Deccan Horse consisted of crossed lances with letters 'R.D.H.' within the garter surmounted by the crown. The present Regimental insignia consists of crossed

lance The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generi ...

s with

pennon A pennon, also known as a pennant or pendant, is a long narrow flag which is larger at the Hoist (flag), hoist than at the Fly (flag), fly, i.e., the flag narrows as it moves away from the flagpole. It can have several shapes, such as triangular ...

s of Red over White mounted with the

State Emblem of India The State Emblem of India is the national emblem of the Republic of India and is used by the union government, many state governments, and other government agencies. The emblem is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, an ancient scul ...

and a scroll at the base with the words ''The Deccan Horse''. The numeral "9" is inscribed on the crossing of the lances along with the motto of the Regiment in

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...

script. The motto of the Regiment is संघे शक्ति (Sanghe Shakti) which means "In Association, there is Strength".

References

{{Indian Army Armoured Corps British Indian Army cavalry regiments Honourable East India Company regiments Indian World War I regiments Indian World War II regiments Military units and formations established in 1790 Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947 R