Some 110 years ago this month, a surreal scene: The 19th Lancers (Fane’s Horse) of the Indian Cavalry Corps, on the march in the snow, Northern France, February 1915.
The unit traced its lineage to 1860 when it was formed by one Lieutenant Walter Fane, aged 32, of the Madras Native Infantry as an irregular cavalry unit for service in China during what is now known as the Second Opium War. The recruits, assembled from stragglers of horse regiments disbanded after the Indian Mutiny, were made up largely of Sikhs, Pathans, and Punjabi Moslems– important as caste restrictions prevented many Hindus from serving overseas.
Fane’s unit took part in the capture of the Taku Forts, as well as the fighting at Sinho, Chinkiawbaw, and Pulli-chi-on, as well as the capture (and sack) of Peking, then became the 19th Bengal Cavalry when it returned home to more permanent service, adding the “Lancers” designation in 1874.
It served in the Second Afghan War, fought in the Battle of Ahmad Khel in 1880.
Fane’s Horse 19 B.L.’, 19th Regiment of Bengal Lancers, 1890, watercolor in the collection of the National Army Museum. NAM. 1964-12-80-1
Major-General Walter Fane, CB, himself passed in 1885 and his regiment outlived him.
Group of Native officers, 19th Bengal Lancers, a photo by Raja Deen Dayal, 1903
Armies of India, 1911 by Major Alfred Crowdy Lovett NAM 19th Bengal Lancers (Fane’s Horse), Punjabi Musalman, 1909
Shipping out as part of the Indian Cavalry Corps‘ 2nd (Sialkot) Cavalry Brigade, it fought at the Somme and Cambrai on the Western Front before transferring to Palestine in 1918, fighting against the Turks with distinction in the Battle of Megiddo. Post-war, it remained on occupation duty in Lebanon, Syria, and Tel Aviv.
Following its amalgamation with the 18th King George’s Own Lancers in 1921, the regiment became the 19th King George’s Own Lancers.
As such, the regiment fought as an armored unit with the 50th Indian Tank Brigade, 25th Indian (“Unknown”) Division, in the Arkan Campaign during WWII.
Sherman V’s (M4A4s) with B Squadron, 19th Lancers, 50th Indian Tank Brigade moving forward to support infantry near Myebon Burma – January 1945 IWM – Titmuss A D (Sgt) Photographer IWM SE 2188 WWP-PD
As part of the Partition of India in 1947, the regiment was allotted to Pakistan and today is just the 19th Lancers. Besides fighting the Indians off and on since then, it has been overseas in UN peacekeeping missions, including Somalia during the “Mogadishu Mile.”