Imperial Service Troops

The Imperial Service Troops (IST) were forces raised by the Princely States of the British Indian Empire. These troops were available for service alongside the Indian Army when such service was requested by the British government.

They were formed in 1885 under the pretext of supporting India against the threat of Russian invasion. The IST were supplied and largely trained by officers of the Indian Army and were expanded and elected to fight alongside the British Army or the Indian Army, during the two world wars. In 1920, they were renamed the Indian States Forces.

First World War

Jodhpur Lancers

The Jodhpur Lancers were supposedly the most aristocratic unit in India that went to the Great War. Sir Pertab, the 70-year-old Maharaja Regent of Jodhpur, himself accompanied the unit to France. Jodhpur Lancers fought at France and Flanders, Palestine and Syria during the whole of the War from Aug 1914 to Feb 1920. In the Jordan valley, at Haifa, and at Aleppo, the Jodhpur Lancers acquitted themselves gloriously.

Kashmir Rifles

2nd Battalion Kashmir Rifles was sent to East Africa, see Kashmir Infantry

1st Kashmir Imperial Service Mountain Battery was also in East Africa, refer External links, below.

External Links

• Imperial Service Troops Wikipedia
  
• Imperial Service Troops 1903 Wikipedia
  
• "The Imperial Service Troops Scheme in the 19th and 20th Centuries" by Tony McClenaghan BCMH Summer Conference 2012 – Indian Armies (The British Commission for Military History bcmh.org.uk, now an archived page)
• "British Indian Army: Imperial Service Troops (1888-1918)" by Paul Watson September 27, 2006 orbat.com, now archived.
• "Macedonia 1916-1918: Indian Military Transport Units in Macedonia" by Harry Fecitt, Harry’s Sideshows kaiserscross.com. Includes details of the Bharatpur Imperial Service Transport Corps and the Indore Imperial Service Transport Corps with pack mule and mule cart duties.
• "The 30th Punjabis at Tandamuti Hill and Nakadi Ridge East Africa, February – October 1917" by Harry Fecitt, March 2015 html version, pdf gweaa.com. There is a mention of the 1st Kashmir Imperial Service Mountain Battery.
• Bhavnagar Imperial Service Lancers – WWI stampomania.blogspot.com. This regiment was stationed in Suez Canal, Sinai, Palestine and Syria.
• Image: Indian officer’s interwar helmet badge for the machine gun section of the Jodphur Lancers. Scroll down. Machine Gun Memorabilia – Volume 4, Number 1 sadefensejournal.com
• "A Close View of the Disaster at the Sittang Bridge" [Burma 1942] by Major E.R.B. Hudson of Malerkotla Field Company, an affiliated unit of the Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners. michiganwarstudiesreview.com

Historical books online

• A History of The Imperial Service Troops of Native States with a Short Sketch of Events in Each State compiled by Brigr.-General Stuart Beatson 1903 Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, may be read online on the Digital Library of India website.
• History of the 15th Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade during the Great War 1914-1918 London: HMSO, 1920. Includes maps IOR/L/MIL/17/6/78 Digitised Manuscripts from the India Office Records, British Library
  • The Brigade seems to have spent the War in Egypt and Palestine. The constituent regiments include the

Kathiawar Signal Troop

Hyderabad Lancers

Mysore Lancers including two troops Bhavnagar Lancers and one troop Kashmir Lancers

Patiala Lancers

Jodhpur Lancers

• India and the First World War by ‪Budheswar Pati 1996‬ Google Books