45th Cavalry (India)

45 Cavalry is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army.[1] The regiment distinguished itself in operations during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan War winning one Maha Vir Chakra.[2]

45 Cavalry
Active1918-19, 1941-1946, 1965-present
Country British India
 India
Branch British Indian Army
Indian Army
TypeArmoured Regiment
Nickname(s)Paintalis Risala
Motto(s)Veer Bhogya Vasundhara
(The World is for the Brave)
EquipmentT-90 Main Battle Tank
EngagementsIndo-Pakistani War of 1971
Battle of Garibpur
DecorationsIndo Pak War '71 -
  • Maj D S Narang MVC (Posth.)
  • 2Lt S Chandravarkar SM (Posth)
  • Maj H S Puri SM
  • Ris RP Singh, VrC
Battle honoursDarsana

Raising

The first 45th Cavalry was formed in August 1918 from[3]

  • a squadron of 20th Deccan Horse
  • a squadron of 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse
  • a squadron of 36th Jacob's Horse
  • a squadron of 38th King George's Own Central India Horse

It was disbanded in 1919.[4]

It was re-raised in April 1941 at Meerut, (originally from Sikhs & Pathans from the 13th Lancers, Scinde Horse & Guides Cavalry), and equipped with Stuart light tanks. They served in Burma as part of 50th Indian Tank Brigade, entering Burma in December 1944 in the Arakan, returning in March 1945 to India to upgrade to Sherman tanks but were disbanded in April 1946.

It was reformed in 1965 and is currently stationed in Bathinda Cantonment.

Operations

The unit took part in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in East Pakistan (now independent Bangladesh), under the command of 9th Infantry Division.[5]

The regiment was then equipped with Russian PT-76 amphibious light battle tanks and fought in the Battles of Garibpur, Kushtia and Jessore[6]

The Battle of Garibpur would go down in history as one of the few battles in which a Battalion (usually numbering around 350 - 600 men) was able to defeat a vastly numerically superior Brigade (usually numbering around 2000 - 3500 men). Both Sides were supported by tanks and aircraft.

In peacetime, the regiment was based at Kanchrapara in the 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, in its amphibious role, although "C" Squadron was re-equipped with T-55 Main Battle Tanks.

In due course, the aging warhorses, the PT-76 tanks, were phased out and the 45th Cavalry Regiment was finally fully re-equipped and subsequently converted all its squadrons to the up-gunned version of the T-55 MBT.

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References
  1. Nath, Ashok (2009). Izzat: historical records and iconography of Indian cavalry regiments, 1750-2007. Centre for Armed Forces Historical Research, United Service Institution of India. ISBN 978-81-902097-7-9.
  2. "SMahavir Chakra (MVC)Awardee: Maj Daljit Singh Narang, MVC". The War Decorated India & Trust. Retrieved 7 April 2014.
  3. Perry 1993, p. 174
  4. Gaylor 1996, p. 336
  5. John H. Gill, An Atlas of the 1971 India - Pakistan War: The Creation of Bangladesh, Near East South Asia Centre for Strategic Studies (National Defense University), p.71
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Bibliography
  • Gaylor, John (1996). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903–1991 (2nd ed.). Tunbridge Wells: Parapress. ISBN 1-898594-41-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Perry, F.W. (1993). Order of Battle of Divisions Part 5B. Indian Army Divisions. Newport: Ray Westlake Military Books. ISBN 1-871167-23-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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