2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)

The regiment was raised in 1809 at Farukhabad and Mainpuri by William Linnæus Gardner who had previously served with the 74th Highlanders; it first saw service in the Nepal War of 1815.[1]

Like all regiments of the Indian Army, the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) underwent many name changes in various reorganisations. (They are listed below):

The regiment was sent to France in the First World War as part of the 5th (Mhow) Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Indian Cavalry Division. It was brigaded with the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons and the 38th King George's Own Central India Horse [2] Once in France its personnel were called upon to serve in the trenches as infantry. The high number of officer casualties suffered early on had an effect on performance. British officers who understood the language, customs and psychology of their men could not be quickly replaced, and the alien environment of the Western Front had some effect on the soldiers.[3] During their time on the Western Front the regiment was involved in the Battle of the Somme, Battle of Bazentin, Battle of Flers–Courcelette, the Advance to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Cambrai.

In February 1918 they left France for Egypt, joining the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, 10th Cavalry Brigade, 4th Cavalry Division in the Desert Mounted Corps. From May 1918 the regiment took part in General Edmund Allenby's Palestine section of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. After taking part in the Occupation of the Jordan Valley, on 20 September 1918 when infantry and cavalry divisions in three corps, enveloped two Ottoman armies in the Judean Hills during the Battle of Megiddo, the 2nd Lancers, commanded by Captain, temporary Major and Acting Lt. Colonel, Douglas Davison launched an improvised cavalry charge which broke the Ottoman line defending the Jezreel Valley. Capt. D.S. Davison was awarded the DSO for his part in this battle. On the same day, the 4th Cavalry Division captured the towns of Afulah and Beisan, along with around 100 German personnel, aircraft, trucks and railway stock. The regiment was also involved in Lieutenant General Harry Chauvel's pursuit to Damascus along the Pilgrims Road via Deraa. The regiment returned to India in December 1920.

In late 1920 the 4th Cavalry were sent to Palestine on occupation duties, not returning to India until January 1922. At Bombay in April 1922 they amalgamated with the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) to form the 2nd/4th Cavalry. However this title was short-lived and the new unit was retitled 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) by July 1922.[6]

The regiment served in the Western Desert Campaign during the Second World War as part of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade, 7th Armoured Division. It was brigaded with the 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry and the 11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force). It also supplied men for the Indian Long Range Squadron. It fought during the first Axis offensive, their counter-attack following Operation Compass.

In 1942, during the Battle of Gazala, the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade was based near Bir Hacheim and formed the southernmost point of the Gazala Line. On 27 May 1942, Italy's Ariete Armoured Division overran the brigade.[7] After this action, the shattered remains of the brigade were reformed at Buq Buq. The brigade was formed into two strong columns, Shercol & Billicol, with the 2nd Royal Lancers supplying some men and equipment to both. The remainder of the regiment were assigned to protect the rear Brigade headquarters and the "B" echelons.[8] Neither column lasted long. In the early hours of 24 June 1942, Shercol was smashed after running into an Italian force in the dark. This provide to be the end of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade's role in the Desert War. On 30 June, the Brigade handed over 50 per cent of its vehicles to the Eighth Army. The brigade was dispersed in July, the 2nd Lancers moved to Haifa in Palestine. The brigade was reformed in August. It travelled overland to Sahneh in Persia via Baghdad, coming under the command of 31st Indian Armoured Division. It remained there until late November, when they moved to Shaibah, seven miles 7 miles (11 km) from Basra. From here the Regiment returned to India in January 1943.

After a three-month stay at Ferozepore, the Regiment moved to Risalpur, where it was converted to an Armoured Car Regiment, in the Training Brigade.[9] In October, the regiment marched to Quetta. The same month, Lieutenant-Colonel Maharaj Rajendra Shinji became the first Indian to take over the command of the regiment, and was also the first Indian to command an armored regiment. In May 1944, the regiment moved again to Allahabad, then Lucknow after a short stay then back to the frontier in October to Kohat, relieving the 16th Light Cavalry. They were still at Kohat when the war ended.

In August 1947, the Regiment was based on Malaya and fought against the communist guerrillas. In December, the regiment returned to India. As part of the Indian Partition, the regiment split. Several troops of 'A' Squadron, who were Muslim, opted to join the Pakistani Army. They set sail for Karachi during November 1947. In 1948, the remaining Muslim soldiers were posted to the 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry, and in turn the 2nd Lancers received a Rajput squadron. The regiment was then formed of two Rajput and one Jat squadron.

In January 1953, General Maharaj Rajendra Shinji assumed the appointment of the Chief of Army Staff of the Indian army. He was the first officer from the 2nd Lancers, as well as from the Armored Corps, to become the Army Chief. In November 1961, the regiment (as well as the Scinde Horse) was awarded a guidon for a distinguished record during peacetime and wartime, the first regiment in the armoured corps to have such an award.

In September 1965, the 2nd Lancers took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 as part of the 1st Armoured Division. The regiment was equipped with M4 Sherman tanks (Mk V and VI variants), and fought in the Battle of Phillora and the Battle of Chawinda. For their performance in these battles, the regiment was awarded the honor of "PUNJAB".

On 10 August 1966, following the war, the regiment was the first in the military to receive the Vijayanta main battle tanks (produced under license from the Vickers MBT), the first indigenously built Indian tanks. The regiment is currently equipped with Soviet Union-era T-72 tanks. The regiment is one of the most decorated regiments on the subcontinent.

• 1809 Gardner's Horse
• 1823 2nd (Gardner's) Local horse
• 1840 2nd Irregular Cavalry
• 1861 2nd Regt. of Bengal Cavalry
• 1890 2nd Regt. Of Bengal Lancers
• 1901 2nd Bengal Lancers
• 1903 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
• 1922 (April) 2nd/4th Cavalry
• 1922 (July) 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
• 1935 2nd Royal Lancers (Gardner's Horse)
• 1947 To Indian Army upon Partition
• 1950 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) upon India becoming a Republic

• 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
• D.E.Whitworth (2005) (Paperback edition)History of the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse) from 1809–1922. Naval & Military Press Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84574-316-1
• Vaughan, (C.B., D.S.O., M.C.) Brigadier E.W.D. (1951). A history of the 2nd Royal Lancers (Gardner's Horse) (1922–1947). Sifton Praed & Co. Ltd.

• Uniforms of the late 19th Century