21st Hussars

Also known as 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers

Chronology

• 1858 raised as the 3rd Bengal European Light Cavalry for service in the Indian Mutiny
• 1860 renamed the 2nd Bengal European Cavalry
• 1862 formally moved into the British Army and titled the 21st Regiment of Hussars
• 1897 redesignated as the 21st Lancers
• 1898 renamed the 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers
• 1921 renamed the 21st Lancers (Empress of India's)
• 1922 amalgamated with the 17th Lancers, to form the 17th/21st Lancers
• 1993 amalgamated with the 16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers to form the Queen's Royal Lancers

Service in British India

• 1858 Indian Mutiny
• 1862 India
• 1887 Madras
• 1889 Bangalore
• 1893 Secunderabad
• 1896 Egypt
• 1912 Rawalpindi
• 1914 Risalpur
• 1915 North West Frontier
• 1919 Meerut

Regimental Journals

• Twenty First Hussars Regimental Gazetteer. This journal was first published in Lucknow in 1872 and at least one issue, possibly more , is available at the British Library
• The Vedette : the Journal of the 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers. Volume 1 1911/1912 to Volume 9, 1919 appear in the catalogue of the National Army Museum
• The White Lancer and the Vedette : the Regimental Journal of the 17th/21st Lancers . Volume 11-12 1923-1924, Volume 16 1928 and some editions in the 1930s and beyond appear in the catalogue of the National Army Museum

External Links

• 21st Lancers including deployments www.regiments.org, an archived site
  
• 21st Hussars Wikipedia
  
• 17th/21st Lancers Wikipedia
  
• Queens Royal Lancers Wikipedia
• The Queen's Royal Lancers Regimental Museum. Covers the 5th, 16th, 17th, and 21st Lancers
  • History: 21st Empress of India's Lancers
  • History: 17th/21st Lancers
• 21st Hussars hussards-photos.com
• The Life and Death of Lieutenant Neville Rudd Thompson of the 21st (Empress of India’s) Lancers by Ross Dix-Peek. Lieutenant Thompson and the 21st Lancers, and their part in the Battle at Shabkadar on the 5 September 1915 on the North West Frontier . The regiment spend the duration of World War One (1914-1919) in India, in that region.
• Two plates from a book published c.1916-18 of glorious acts of heroism during the Great War. In both cases the D.C.M. was awarded. www.regimental-art.com
  • Saddler Staff Sergeant Simpson Protecting A Mortally Wounded Officer From The Attacks Of Tribesmen
  • Regimental Sergeant Major Ryder rescuing a comrade
• Photographs: Pte.Collett, 21st Lancers North West Frontier 1918-1919, king-emperor.com
• This link briefly indicates in 1930 the 17th/21st Lancers were posted to Meerut India . They became a mechanised regiment in 1938 when they took delivery of light tanks. At that time the regiment appears to have been in the North West Frontier region. Also includes a few photographs, including light tanks, from a photo album belonging to ‘Buck’ Boyd of the 17th/21st Lancers .The album dates 1937-1939 and covers his service in India and North West Frontier territory. www.throughtheireyes2.co.uk
  • two photographs from this album from www.tennants.co.uk
    • WW2Talk Forum thread about this photo album, with some images, but you must be logged into the Forum to view them.
• Photograph of Bedale , a 17th/21st Lancers Mark VI B Light Tank India Pattern with crew c 1938-39 , part of a WW2 Forum thread which contains additional images but you must be logged into the Forum to view them.
• Page 176 The Conservatism of the British Cavalry and Its Effect on the British Army by Michael L. Waller Preview Google Books, refers to the receipt of the regiment’s first motor vehicle in 1938, in India
• Listen to the 1977 interview with John Stanley Vincent Marling and Arthur Lawrence, British officer and NCO who both served with 17th/21st Lancers in India 1932-1938. Imperial War Museums
• Listen to the 1977 interview with Robert Lifford Valentine ffrench Blake British officer served with 17th/21st Lancers in India, 1933-1939. Imperial War Museums
• Listen to the 1977 interview with Thomas Wentworth Nickalls, British officer served with 17th/21st Lancers in India, 1933-1939. Imperial War Museums