The Regular Cavalry Regiments of the British Indian Army

From 1824 to the Mutiny


- Bengal European -

				1858		British Army 1862
				1^st Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲
				↳ 1859: 1^st Bengal European Cavalry	→		19^th Hussars
				2^nd Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲
				↳ 1859: 2^nd Bengal European Cavalry	→		20^th Hussars
				3^rd Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲
				↳ 1859: 3^rd Bengal European Cavalry	→		21^st Hussars
				4^th Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲
				↳ 1859: 4^th Bengal European Cavalry	→	1859: disbanded
				5^th Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲
				↳ 1859: 5^th Bengal European Cavalry	→	1859: disbanded


- Bengal Native -

Before 1819		1819				Mutiny	In 1861
Governor-General’s Bodyguard	→	Governor-General’s Bodyguard	→	→	→		GGBG
1^st Bengal Native Cavalry	→	1^st Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
2^nd Bengal Native Cavalry	→	2^nd Bengal Light Cavalry	→	1841: disbanded
3^rd Bengal Native Cavalry	→	3^rd Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
4^th Bengal Native Cavalry	→	4^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
5^th Bengal Native Cavalry	→	5^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
6^th Bengal Native Cavalry	→	6^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
7^th Bengal Native Cavalry	→	7^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
8^th Bengal Native Cavalry	→	8^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	→	→	mutinied
		1825: 1^st Extra BLC	→	1826: 9^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	mutinied
		1826: 2^nd Extra BLC	→	1826: 10^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	mutinied
		1842: 11^th Bengal Light Cavalry	→	1850: 2^nd Bengal Light Cavalry	→	mutinied


- Bengal Local -

Before 1823		1823				Mutiny	In 1861
Skinner’s Horse	→	1^st Bengal Local Horse	→	1840: 1^st Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		1^st BC
Gardner’s Horse	→	2^nd Bengal Local Horse	→	1840: 2^nd Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		2^nd BC
1^st Rohilla Cavalry	→	3^rd Bengal Local Cavalry	→	1840: 3^rd Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→	mutinied
2^nd Skinner’s Horse	→	4^th Bengal Local Horse	→	1840: 4^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		3^rd BC
Gough’s Horse	→	5^th Bengal Local Horse	→	1840: 5^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→	mutinied
Fitzgerald’s Horse	→	6^th Bengal Local Horse	→	1829: disbanded
Hawke’s Horse	→	7^th Bengal Local Horse	→	1829: disbanded
Skinner’s Horse	→	8^th Bengal Local Horse	→	1829: disbanded
		1838: Oudh Auxiliary Cavalry	→	1840: 6^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		4^th BC
				1841: 7^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		5^th BC
				1842: 8^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry	→		6^th BC
				1847: 9^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ¹	→	mutinied	disbanded ⁴
				1847: 10^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ²	→	disbanded
				1846: 11^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	mutinied
				1846: 12^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	mutinied	disbanded ⁴
				1846: 13^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	mutinied
				1846: 14^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	mutinied
				1846: 15^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	mutinied
				1846: 16^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→	disarmed
				1846: 17^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→		7^th BC
				1846: 18^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³	→		8^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 1^st Hodson’s Horse	→		9^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Hodson’s Horse	→		10^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Hodson’s Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Alexander’s Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: 1^st Mahratta Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Mahratta Horse	→		18^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 1^st Sikh Irregular Cavalry	→		11^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Sikh Irregular Cavalry	→		12^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Sikh Irregular Cavalry	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: 4^th Sikh Irregular Cavalry	→		13^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: Behar Irregular Cavalry	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Lahore Light Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Benares Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Lind’s Pathans	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Ramghur Irregular Cavalry	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Meerut Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: Rohilkund Horse	→		16^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: Muttra Horse	→		17^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: Jat Horse Yeomanry	→		14^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: Multani Regiment of Cavalry	→		15^th BC
				raised during the mutiny: Fane’s Horse	→		19^th BC

¹ from Christie’s Horse in service of Shah Shujah
² from the cavalry of The Bundelkund Legion (raised in 1838)
³ the 11^th to 18^th were originally numbered the 10^th to 17^th, but moved up one number in 1847
⁴ 1857: part of the regiment mutinied; 1861: remainder disbanded


- Punjab Irregular -

				1846		In 1861
				The Corps of Guides	→		Guides
				1849: 1^st Punjab Cavalry	→		1^st Punjab
				1849: 2^nd Punjab Cavalry	→		2^nd Punjab
				1849: 3^rd Punjab Cavalry	→		3^rd Punjab
				1849: 4^th Punjab Cavalry	→		4^th Punjab
				1849: 5^th Punjab Cavalry	→		5^th Punjab


- Madras Native -

Before 1819		1819				Mutiny	In 1861
1^st Madras Native Cavalry	→	1^st Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		1^st MLC
2^nd Madras Native Cavalry	→	2^nd Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		2^nd MLC
3^rd Madras Native Cavalry	→	3^rd Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		3^rd MLC
4^th Madras Native Cavalry	→	4^th Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		4^th MLC
5^th Madras Native Cavalry	→	5^th Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		disbanded
6^th Madras Native Cavalry	→	6^th Madras Light Cavalry	→		→		disbanded
7^th Madras Native Cavalry	→	7^th Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→		disbanded
8^th Madras Native Cavalry	→	8^th Madras Light Cavalry	→	→	→	disbanded


- Hyderabad -

		1826		1854
		1^st Nizam’s Cavalry	→	1^st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent	→
		2^nd Nizam’s Cavalry	→	2^nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent	→
		3^rd Nizam’s Cavalry	→	3^rd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent	→
		4^th Nizam’s Cavalry	→	4^th Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent	→
		5^th Nizam’s Cavalry	→	1853: disbanded


- Bombay Native -

Before 1820		1820					In 1861
1^st Bombay Light Cavalry	→	1^st Bombay Light Cavalry	→	→	→		1^st ByLC
2^nd Bombay Light Cavalry	→	2^nd Bombay Light Cavalry	→	→	→		2^nd ByLC
3^rd Bombay Light Cavalry	→	3^rd Bombay Light Cavalry	→	→	→		3^rd ByLC


- Bombay Irregular -

		1817					In 1861
		Poona Auxiliary Horse	→	1847: Poona Irregular Horse	→		1^st Poona H
				1839: Gujerat Irregular Horse	→		Gujerat IH
				1839: Scinde Irregular Horse	→		1^st Scinde H
				1846: 2^nd Scinde Irregular Horse	→		2^nd Scinde H
				1850: South Mahratta Horse	→		S M’a H
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Southern Mahratta Horse	→		2^nd S M’a H
				raised during the mutiny: Macauley’s Horse	→		3^rd Scinde H
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Poona Horse	→		2^nd Poona H
				raised during the mutiny: 4^th Scinde Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Southern Mahratta Horse	→		disbanded
				raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Gujerat Horse	→		disbanded


- Central India -

				1858			In 1861
				raised during the mutiny: Mayne’s Horse	→		1^st CIH
				raised during the mutiny: Beatson’s Horse	→		2^nd CIH

- Bengal European -

1858

British Army 1862

1^st Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲

↳ 1859: 1^st Bengal European Cavalry

→

19^th Hussars

2^nd Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲

↳ 1859: 2^nd Bengal European Cavalry

→

20^th Hussars

3^rd Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲

↳ 1859: 3^rd Bengal European Cavalry

→

21^st Hussars

4^th Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲

↳ 1859: 4^th Bengal European Cavalry

→

1859: disbanded

5^th Bengal European Light Cavalry ↲

↳ 1859: 5^th Bengal European Cavalry

→

1859: disbanded

- Bengal Native -

Before 1819

1819

Mutiny

In 1861

Governor-General’s Bodyguard

→

Governor-General’s Bodyguard

→

GGBG

1^st Bengal Native Cavalry

→

1^st Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

2^nd Bengal Native Cavalry

→

2^nd Bengal Light Cavalry

→

1841: disbanded

3^rd Bengal Native Cavalry

→

3^rd Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

4^th Bengal Native Cavalry

→

4^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

5^th Bengal Native Cavalry

→

5^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

6^th Bengal Native Cavalry

→

6^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

7^th Bengal Native Cavalry

→

7^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

8^th Bengal Native Cavalry

→

8^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

1825: 1^st Extra BLC

→

1826: 9^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

1826: 2^nd Extra BLC

→

1826: 10^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

1842: 11^th Bengal Light Cavalry

→

1850: 2^nd Bengal Light Cavalry

→

mutinied

- Bengal Local -

Before 1823

1823

Mutiny

In 1861

Skinner’s Horse

→

1^st Bengal Local Horse

→

1840: 1^st Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

1^st BC

Gardner’s Horse

→

2^nd Bengal Local Horse

→

1840: 2^nd Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

2^nd BC

1^st Rohilla Cavalry

→

3^rd Bengal Local Cavalry

→

1840: 3^rd Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

mutinied

2^nd Skinner’s Horse

→

4^th Bengal Local Horse

→

1840: 4^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

3^rd BC

Gough’s Horse

→

5^th Bengal Local Horse

→

1840: 5^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

mutinied

Fitzgerald’s Horse

→

6^th Bengal Local Horse

→

1829: disbanded

Hawke’s Horse

→

7^th Bengal Local Horse

→

1829: disbanded

Skinner’s Horse

→

8^th Bengal Local Horse

→

1829: disbanded

1838: Oudh Auxiliary Cavalry

→

1840: 6^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

4^th BC

1841: 7^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

5^th BC

1842: 8^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry

→

6^th BC

1847: 9^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ¹

→

mutinied

disbanded ⁴

1847: 10^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ²

→

disbanded

1846: 11^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

mutinied

1846: 12^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

mutinied

disbanded ⁴

1846: 13^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

mutinied

1846: 14^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

mutinied

1846: 15^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

mutinied

1846: 16^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

disarmed

1846: 17^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

7^th BC

1846: 18^th Bengal Irregular Cavalry ³

→

8^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 1^st Hodson’s Horse

→

9^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Hodson’s Horse

→

10^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Hodson’s Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Alexander’s Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: 1^st Mahratta Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Mahratta Horse

→

18^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 1^st Sikh Irregular Cavalry

→

11^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Sikh Irregular Cavalry

→

12^th BC

raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Sikh Irregular Cavalry

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: 4^th Sikh Irregular Cavalry

→

13^th BC

raised during the mutiny: Behar Irregular Cavalry

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Lahore Light Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Benares Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Lind’s Pathans

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Ramghur Irregular Cavalry

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Meerut Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: Rohilkund Horse

→

16^th BC

raised during the mutiny: Muttra Horse

→

17^th BC

raised during the mutiny: Jat Horse Yeomanry

→

14^th BC

raised during the mutiny: Multani Regiment of Cavalry

→

15^th BC

raised during the mutiny: Fane’s Horse

→

19^th BC

¹ from Christie’s Horse in service of Shah Shujah

² from the cavalry of The Bundelkund Legion (raised in 1838)

³ the 11^th to 18^th were originally numbered the 10^th to 17^th, but moved up one number in 1847

⁴ 1857: part of the regiment mutinied; 1861: remainder disbanded

- Punjab Irregular -

1846

In 1861

The Corps of Guides

→

Guides

1849: 1^st Punjab Cavalry

→

1^st Punjab

1849: 2^nd Punjab Cavalry

→

2^nd Punjab

1849: 3^rd Punjab Cavalry

→

3^rd Punjab

1849: 4^th Punjab Cavalry

→

4^th Punjab

1849: 5^th Punjab Cavalry

→

5^th Punjab

- Madras Native -

Before 1819

1819

Mutiny

In 1861

1^st Madras Native Cavalry

→

1^st Madras Light Cavalry

→

1^st MLC

2^nd Madras Native Cavalry

→

2^nd Madras Light Cavalry

→

2^nd MLC

3^rd Madras Native Cavalry

→

3^rd Madras Light Cavalry

→

3^rd MLC

4^th Madras Native Cavalry

→

4^th Madras Light Cavalry

→

4^th MLC

5^th Madras Native Cavalry

→

5^th Madras Light Cavalry

→

disbanded

6^th Madras Native Cavalry

→

6^th Madras Light Cavalry

→

disbanded

7^th Madras Native Cavalry

→

7^th Madras Light Cavalry

→

disbanded

8^th Madras Native Cavalry

→

8^th Madras Light Cavalry

→

disbanded

- Hyderabad -

1826

1854

1^st Nizam’s Cavalry

→

1^st Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent

→

2^nd Nizam’s Cavalry

→

2^nd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent

→

3^rd Nizam’s Cavalry

→

3^rd Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent

→

4^th Nizam’s Cavalry

→

4^th Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent

→

5^th Nizam’s Cavalry

→

1853: disbanded

- Bombay Native -

Before 1820

1820

In 1861

1^st Bombay Light Cavalry

→

1^st Bombay Light Cavalry

→

1^st ByLC

2^nd Bombay Light Cavalry

→

2^nd Bombay Light Cavalry

→

2^nd ByLC

3^rd Bombay Light Cavalry

→

3^rd Bombay Light Cavalry

→

3^rd ByLC

- Bombay Irregular -

1817

In 1861

Poona Auxiliary Horse

→

1847: Poona Irregular Horse

→

1^st Poona H

1839: Gujerat Irregular Horse

→

Gujerat IH

1839: Scinde Irregular Horse

→

1^st Scinde H

1846: 2^nd Scinde Irregular Horse

→

2^nd Scinde H

1850: South Mahratta Horse

→

S M’a H

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Southern Mahratta Horse

→

2^nd S M’a H

raised during the mutiny: Macauley’s Horse

→

3^rd Scinde H

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Poona Horse

→

2^nd Poona H

raised during the mutiny: 4^th Scinde Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: 3^rd Southern Mahratta Horse

→

disbanded

raised during the mutiny: 2^nd Gujerat Horse

→

disbanded

- Central India -

1858

In 1861

raised during the mutiny: Mayne’s Horse

→

1^st CIH

raised during the mutiny: Beatson’s Horse

→

2^nd CIH

From the The Mutiny to the Indian Army

The Regiments in 1902

From 1903 to the Reorganisation of 1922

The Regiments in 1914

The Reorganisation of 1922

The Regiments in 1939

The Second World War and Independence

The Regiments of the Indian Army Armoured Corps since 1950

The Regiments of the Pakistan Army Armoured Corps since 1956