Royal Deccan Horse (9th Horse)

The Deccan Horse (9 Horse)
The Deccan Horse War Memorial, J&K.
Active	1790–present
Country	British India  India
Branch	British Indian Army
Type	Cavalry
Size	Regiment
Part of	Indian Cavalry Corps
Nickname(s)	Deccan Horse
Motto(s)	Sanghe Shakti
Equipment	Tanks
Engagements	Second Afghan War-1879-1880 Burma War-1886-1888 China-1900
Battle honours	Central India Battle of Givenchy Battle of the Somme Battle of Bazentin Battle of Delville Wood Battle of Flers–Courcelette Battle of Cambrai France and Flanders 1914–18 Battle of Megiddo Battle of Sharon Capture of Damascus Palestine 1918 Battle of Meiktilla Rangoon Road Burma Campaign 1944–45
Commanders
Colonel of the Regiment	Maj Gen AS Bhinder, VSM
Notable commanders	Gen AS Vaidya, Padma Vibhushan, PVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM. Lt Gen RK Gulati, PVSM. Lt Gen TS Shergill, PVSM. Lt Gen Aditya Singh, PVSM, AVSM**. Lt Gen RK Loomba.

Gen AS Vaidya, Padma Vibhushan, PVSM, MVC & Bar, AVSM. Lt Gen RK Gulati, PVSM. Lt Gen TS Shergill, PVSM. Lt Gen Aditya Singh, PVSM, AVSM**.

The Deccan Horse or 9 Horse is one of the oldest and most decorated armoured regiments of the Indian Army, which was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army, the Royal Deccan Horse. It 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.

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 in Berar who was allied with the East India Company.

During the following years the Regiment's title would change and they were known by the following titles over the years;

The Deccan Horse was frequently called for service during the 18th and 19th Centuries, winning a Victoria Cross in 1859 and was also awarded the battle honour, ‘Central India’.

The Regiment was also in action during the Second Afghan War, the Burma War, and in China during the Boxer Rebellion. In 1903 during Kitcheners reform of the Indian Army the two Regiments were incorporated into the regular Indian Army with the titles XXth Deccan Horse and the 29th Lancers (Deccan Horse).

The 20th Deccan Horse was sent to France for service on the Western Front they were part of the 9th (Secunderabad) Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division. This regiment also served in Palestine and Syria during the Battle of Megiddo forming part of the 14th Cavalry Brigade, 5th Cavalry Division.