5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse
abbreviation=Probyn's Horse


caption=
dates= 1857 - 1946
country= India
allegiance= Great Britain
branch= British Indian Army
type= Cavalry
role=
size= Regiment
command_structure=
equipment=
Past Commanders=
ceremonial_chief=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
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nickname=
patron=
motto=
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battles=Indian Mutiny
Siege of Delhi-1857
Siege of Lucknow-1857
Second Opium War
Taku Forts-1860
Peking-1860
Second Afghan War
Afghanistan 1878 - 80
Battle of Ali Masjid 1878
Battle of Futtehabad-1879
Chitral 1878
Punjab Frontier
Malakand 1878
anniversaries=
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battle_honours= The 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army the were raised during the Indian Mutiny and went on to see service along the North West Frontier in South East Asia and during both World Wars.

Formation

The Regiment was raised during the Indian Mutiny from Sikh irregular cavalry by a Captain F Wale, who was killed whilst leading the regiment in the pursuit of mutineers. He was succeeded by Captain Jones but in 1860 Major Dighton Probyn VC took over.The regiment was involved in the Siege of Delhi and the Siege of Lucknow during this time.

econd Opium War

In 1860 they were dispatched to China to take part in the Second Opium War under Lord Elgin. The Chinese refusal to comply with the Treaty of Tientsin had caused an escalation of the war and in 1860 British units gathered in Hong Kong under Lt-General Sir J Hope Grant. There were 4 infantry brigades of British and Indian troops and a cavalry brigade that included Probyn's Horse, Fane's Horse and the King's Dragoon Guards. They weren't involved in the actual storming of the Taku Forts but did take part in the advance to Peking, 100 miles from the Taku Forts. They remained in China until 1861. The bravery of the Indian troops impressed everyone involved and Probyn's were said to have 'performed their work most admirably. On more than one occasion... they successfully charged a vastly superior force of the enemy's cavalry.' [cite web|title=British Empire|url=http://www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/indiancavalry/11thbl.htm]

econd Afghan War

Name Changes

Probyn's Horse like most regiments of the Indian Army of the time were known by a number of different titles the following is a list of the major changes.:1857 Wale's Horse:1857 - 1860 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry (Wale's Horse):1860 - 1861 1st Sikh Irregular Cavalry (Probyn's Horse):186 - 1864 11th Bengal Cavalry:1864 11th Bengal Cavalry (Lancers):1864 - 1876 11th Bengal Lancers:1876 - 1903 11th (Prince of Wales's Own) Bengal Lancers:1903 - 1904 11th Prince of Wales's Own Lancers:1906 - 1921 11th King Edward's Own Lancers (Probyn's Horse):1921 - 1947 5th King Edward's Own Probyn's Horse

References

Further reading

*The History of Probyn's Horse (5th King Edward's Own Lancers) by Major C A Boyle
*India's Army by Donovan Jackson
*Regiments and Corps of the British Army:A Critical Bibliography by Roger Perkins
*Sons of John Company by John Gaylor
*The Indian Army by Boris Mollo
*Forces of the British Empire by E. Nevins and B. Chandler

External links

Follow this link to view the uniforms of the late 19th Century
* http://www.members.tripod.com/~Glosters/IAcavalry1.htm