12th Cavalry (Frontier Force): Difference between revisions

The 25th Cavalry (Frontier Force) was raised by Captain Robert Fitzgerald as the 5th Punjab Irregular Cavalry at [[Multan]] in 1849, with Risaldar Gurmukh Singh Dhillon of Bahmaniwala village, [[Patti, Punjab| Patti Sub Division]] of [[Amritsar district]] of the Punjab, as the first native Commandant of 5th Punjab Irregular Cavalry. The troops of the Sikh Squadron were mostly taken from the disbanded [[Khalsa Army]] which was recently defeated by the British in the [[Second Anglo-Sikh War]] of 1848. During the Indian Mutiny they were part of the besieging army at [[Delhi]] and took part in the [[Relief of Lucknow]]. The troops of 5th Punjab Irregular Cavalry were now avenging themselves on the mutinous [[Bengal Army]] for the defeat of the Khalsa's Sikh Army in the Anglo Sikh Wars. One squadron fought at [[Bareilly]], where two of its Indian officers won the [[Order of British India]] and nine other ranks received the [[Indian Order of Merit]]. The regiment was involved in a number of small actions on the North West Frontier with the Punjab Frontier Force. In March 1860, 150 men under an Indian officer attacked a 3,000 strong armed force of [[Mahsuds]] and [[Waziris]] at [[Tank (city)|Tank]], killing 300 and dispersing the others. In January 1867, an Indian officer with 27 sowars charged a body of 1,000 tribesmen, killed 150 and captured most of the rest. During the [[Second Afghan War]], the 5th Punjab Cavalry were present at the capture of [[Charasiah]] and [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Roberts]] the Commanding General ordered that they and the [[9th Lancers]] should have the honour of escorting him into [[Kabul]]. During the attack on the [[Asmai Heights]] in December 1879, near Kabul, Captain [[William John Vousden]] made repeated charges with a small body of men of the 5th Punjab Cavalry, passing through the ranks of an overwhelming force again and again until the enemy fled. Vousden received a Victoria Cross and his ten surviving men the Indian Order of Merit.