13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers
| 13th Lancers | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1804 - Present |
| Country |
 British India Pakistan
|
| Allegiance |
 British Crown 1804 - 1947 Pakistan 1947 - Present |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Armoured Regiment |
| Nickname(s) | The Spearhead Regiment |
| Mascot(s) | Elephant |
| Engagements |
Second Anglo-Maratha War 1804-05 First Afghan War 1839-42 Second Sikh War 1848-49 Indian Mutiny 1857-58 Second Afghan War 1878-80 Third Anglo-Burmese War 1885-87 First World War 1914-18 Third Afghan War 1919 Second World War 1939-45 Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 |
The 13th Lancers is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. It was formed in 1923 as 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers by the amalgamation of 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers and 32nd Lancers. On Partition of India in 1947, the regiment was allotted to Pakistan.
The two parent regiments of 13th Lancers had a common origin in the old Bombay Squadron of Cavalry, raised for service in the Second Anglo-Maratha War. The squadron was split to form the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Bombay Light Cavalry in 1817. More than a hundred years later, they were reunited to form the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Bombay Lancers in 1923.
The 1st Bombay Light Cavalry served in the First Afghan War in 1839 when they fought in the Battle of Ghazni and took part in the march to Kabul. During the Second Sikh War of 1848-49 the regiment took part in the Siege of Multan, where they remained as the garrison for the remainder of the campaign. At the start of the Great Mutiny of 1857, the regiment was stationed at Nasirabad, where they were the only ones to remain loyal. Artillery and infantrymen urged them to go over to them but the sowars refused and, under their officers, charged in an attempt to take the guns. They failed to do so but successfully disengaged and took part in the campaign of pacification in Central India. Burma was their next overseas posting in 1885, where they fought in the Third Anglo-Burmese War. The Duke of Connaught, then Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army, became their Colonel-in-Chief in 1890. He still held the appointment in the 13th DCO Lancers on his death in January 1942. During the Kitchener reorganisation of the Indian Army of 1903, the Bombay cavalry had thirty added to their numbers and, the 1st (Duke of Connaught's Own) Bombay Lancers became the 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers. During the Great War, the 31st Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers remained on the North West Frontier of India. In 1919, they served in the Third Afghan War and then went to perform garrison duties in Palestine.
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Wikipedia