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{{Other uses|Third Cavalry (disambiguation){{!}}Third Cavalry}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 3rd Cavalry Regiment
| abbreviation =
| image =[[File:Stamp of India - 1989 - Colnect 165293 - Modern Tank and 19th century Sowar.jpeg|305x305px]]
| caption =
| dates = 1922–present
| country = {{flag|British India}} 
{{flag|India}}
| branch = {{Army|British India}} 
{{Army|India}}
| type = [[Cavalry]]
| role = Airborne reconnaissance
| size = Regiment
| command_structure =
| equipment = [[T-72]]

| ceremonial_chief =
| colonel_of_the_regiment =
| notable_commanders =

| identification_symbol = [[File:Flag-of-3rd-Cavalry-regiment-Indian Army.svg|150px]]
| identification_symbol_label = Regimental flag

| nickname =
| patron =
| motto =
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| battles = [[First Afghan War]] [[Second Afghan War]] [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] [[World War I]] [[Mesopotamian campaign]] [[World War II]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]
| anniversaries =
| decorations =
| battle_honours = [[Afghanistan]] 1879–80 [[Mesopotamia]] 1916–18 [[North Malaya]] [[Central Malaya]] [[British Malaya|Malaya]] 1941–42 Punjab 1965 Shahjra Punjab 1971
}}

The '''3rd Cavalry Regiment''' is a cavalry regiment of the [[Indian Army]] formed from the '''5th''' and '''8th Cavalry''' regiments in 1922.

It served on the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] and during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], in British Indian service.

==Early history==

The 3rd Cavalry Regiment was formed from two older Regiments, the [[7th Irregular Cavalry]] which was raised in 1841 at [[Bareilly]] and the [[17th Cavalry]] which was raised at [[Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh|Sultanpur]] in 1846.<ref name="india post">{{cite web|title=india post|url=http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/3RD%20CAVALRY}}</ref>
Often re-designated, by the turn of the century they were called [[5th Cavalry (Indian Army)|5th Cavalry]] and [[8th Lancers]]. The two regiments serving in India and abroad, saw action in Afghanistan, Bhutan, Mesopotamia and Palestine earning Battle Honours Afghanistan 1879–80 and Mesopotamia 1916–18. They were amalgamated in 1922,<ref name="india post"/> to form the 5th/8th Cavalry, re-designated in 1923 as 3rd Cavalry. They were selected to become an Indianised regiment from 1931 onwards.

==={{anchor|5}}5th Cavalry===

Raised at Bareilly in 1841 as a result of the [[First Afghan War]] the regiment also served in the [[Second Afghan War]] between 1878 – 1880. Like all the regiments of the Indian Army, the 5th Cavalry underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below:
:1841 7th Irregular Cavalry
:1861 5th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
:1901 5th Bengal Cavalry
:1903 5th Cavalry.

;World War I

At the start of World War I the 5th Cavalry was part of the [[4th (Rawalpindi) Brigade]] in October 1916 they transferred to the [[1st (Peshawar) Division]] for service on the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] until October 1917 when they left to take part in the [[Mesopotamian campaign]] .<ref>{{cite web|title=orbat.com |url=http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/india/army1914.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909172657/http://orbat.com/site/history/historical/india/army1914.html |archive-date=2009-09-09 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=1914–1918 |url=http://www.1914-1918.net/Peshawar_div.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007094946/http://www.1914-1918.net/Peshawar_div.htm |archive-date=2008-10-07 }}</ref>

==={{anchor|8}}8th Lancers===

The [[8th Lancers]] were the last regiment to be raised before the [[Indian Mutiny]]. They served in [[Peshawar]] in 1857 and in the [[Second Afghan War]]. They were issued with lances in 1899 to become the 8th Bengal Lancers, this title was later changed to the 8th Lancers. Like all the regiments of the Indian Army, the 8th Lancers underwent many name changes in the various reorganisations. They are listed below.

:1846 17th Irregular Cavalry
:1847 18th Irregular Cavalry
:1861 8th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
:1900 8th Regiment of Bengal Lancers
:1901 8th Bengal Lancers
:1903 8th Lancers

;World War I

During World War I the 8th Lancers were part of the [[Jhansi Brigade]], at [[Mhow]] under the command of Major General Townshend the brigade consisted of the:

:8th Lancers
:[[38th Central Indian Horse]]
:2nd Battalion, [[Royal Berkshire Regiment]]
:[[10th Jats]]
:[[99th Deccan Infantry]]
:[[107th Pioneers]]
:[[116th Mahrattas]]
:60th Company, [[Royal Garrison Artillery|RGA]]

==World War II==

In 1941, whilst still in the process of being equipped with armoured cars, 3rd Cavalry was made part of the [[11th Indian Infantry Division]] and was deployed to [[British Malaya|Malaya]] to counter the Japanese advance. They were involved in the battles at [[Taiping, Perak]], [[Sungei Pattani]], [[Penang Island]], [[Perak River]] and the [[Battle of Slim River]] where two Indian Brigades were annihilated by the Japanese. The Regiment was then captured by the Japanese after the [[Battle of Singapore|fall of Singapore]] and went into captivity until the end of the war.<ref>Konstam. The Indian Army 1914–1947.p40</ref> For the regiment's service in Malaya it was awarded the Battle Honours "North Malaya" and "Central Malaya" and Theatre Honour "Malaya 1941–42".<ref name="india post"/>

==Post-war==
Although recommended to be disbanded after the war, the regiment was instead designated a regiment of airborne reconnaissance cavalry in 1946.

;[[Partition of India]]:
During the post partition riots, Sowar Prithi Singh was awarded the [[Kirti Chakra|Ashoka Chakra, Class II]] for showing bravery, when a military special train was attacked by a mob.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://egazette.nic.in/WriteReadData/1952/E-2286-1952-0017-106013.pdf|title=Gazette of India, No 17, page 126|date=1952-01-26|access-date=2022-10-11}}</ref>

;[[Annexation of Hyderabad|Hyderabad Police Action]] (1948):
The Regiment was part of the Smash Force (1 Armoured Brigade) which liberated Hyderabad from marauding Razakars and integrated this princely state with the Union of India.<ref name="Operation Polo: The Liberation Of Hyderabad">{{cite web |url=http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/archives/MONITOR/ISSUE2-3/lns.html|title= Operation Polo: The Liberation Of Hyderabad at Bharat Rakshak Volume 2-3, November-December 1999|access-date=2020-11-08}}</ref>

;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]]:
The Regiment, which was part of the 2nd Independent Armored Brigade under [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4 Infantry Division]] played an important part in the [[Battle of Asal Uttar]]. For its crucial role in the battle, the regiment won the Battle Honour "Asal Uttar" and Theatre Honour "Punjab 1965" and earned the sobriquet ''The Patton Wreckers''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/indian-defence/battle-of-asal-uttar-part-2-110558596e82|title='Battle of Asal Uttar (1965)— Part 2' in medium.com|date=2016-11-15|access-date=2020-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://theprint.in/pageturner/excerpt/captain-amarinder-singhs-no-holds-barred-account-of-the-monsoon-war-of-1965/115939/|title='How India crushed Pakistan in the famed tank battles of Khemkaran in 1965' in The Print|date=2018-09-12|access-date=2020-11-08}}</ref><ref name="Hai 2015">{{cite book|last=Hai |first=Khutub A |title=The Patton Wreckers-Battle of Asal Uttar |date=2015|publisher=The Times Group Books|isbn=978-9384038663}}</ref> Lieutenant Colonel Salim Caleb, the Commandant of the regiment was awareded the [[Maha Vir Chakra]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sainiksamachar.nic.in/englisharchives/2015/sep01-15/h3.htm|title=Golden Jubilee of 1965 War, The Battle of Asal Uttar and Khemkaran|date=2015-09-01|access-date=2021-10-30}}</ref>

;[[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]]:
The Regiment was part of the [[7th Indian Infantry Division|7 Infantry Division]] under [[XI Corps (India)|XI Corps]] and was equipped with [[Centurion (tank)|Centurion tanks]].<ref name="Gill 2003">{{cite book|last=Gill|first=JH|title=An Atlas Of 1971 India Pakistan War - Creation of Bangladesh|date=2003|publisher=National Defense University, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies|page=86}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/battle-of-sehjra-that-secured-harike-barrage-346053|title=Battle of Sehjra that secured Harike Barrage|date=2021-12-04|access-date=2022-03-06}}</ref> It was awarded the Battle Honour "Shehjra" and Theatre Honour "Punjab 1971".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.indiandefencereview.com/interviews/1971-war-the-battle-of-hussainiwala/|title=1971 War: The Battle of Hussainiwala in IDR|date=2017-07-09|access-date=2020-11-08}}</ref>

==Composition==
The regiment has a “fixed class” composition, drawing troops from [[Rajputs]], [[Sikh]]s and [[Jat people|Jats]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Guatam|first=PK|title= Indigenous Historical Knowledge: Kautilya and His Vocabulary, Volume III|date=2016|publisher= IDSA/Pentagon Press |isbn= 978-81-8274-909-2|page=153}}</ref>

==Regimental Insignia==
The Regimental insignia consists of the [[Roman numerals|Roman numeral]] 'III' mounted with the Ashoka capital and a scroll below with the word 'Cavalry'.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*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}}

==External links==
*[http://www.indianpost.com/viewstamp.php/Alpha/3RD%20CAVALRY History of the 3rd Cavalry]
* [http://www.members.tripod.com/~Glosters/IAcavalry1.htm Uniforms of the late 19th Century]

{{British Indian Army Cavalry Regiments 1903 - 1946}}
{{Indian Army Armoured Corps |state=expanded}}

[[Category:British Indian Army cavalry regiments]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1922]]
[[Category:Armoured and cavalry regiments of the Indian Army from 1947]]
[[Category:1922 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in British Malaya in World War II|R]]

3rd Cavalry Regiment India - Revision history

Bot at 15:40, 11 October 2022