Bombay Army Regiments

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The Bombay Army was one of the three Presidency Armies set up by the East India Company. In 1859, following the Indian Mutiny, the armies were restructured when India was brought under the control of the British Government. The Bombay Army ceased to exist when the official Indian Army was formed in 1895.

Regiments Pre 1859

Cavalry

Regular Cavalry

The first troop of horse was raised in Bombay in 1672 but had been disbanded by 1678. A troop of dragoons was formed in 1720 but had disappeared by 1727. The first troop of regular cavalry was raised in 1803 followed by a second in 1816 and a third in 1820.

Irregular Cavalry

The first unit was the Poona Horse raised in 1817.

Artillery and Sappers

Infantry

European Regiments

The Bombay Regiment was first raised in England in 1662 to garrison Bombay. Second and Third regiments were raised in 1839 and 1853. The units were transferred to the British Army following the Indian Mutiny.

Indian Regiments

The first regular units of Indian infantry were raised in 1768 as battalions of Bombay Sepoys. These were increased gradually until there were 15 battalions by 1780. In 1788 they were renumbered and put into two brigades. In 1796 each regiment was split into two battalions and in 1824 each battalion of the 12 regiments was made into a regiment of which there were then 24 in total. The list below records the 1824 titles of regiments or the title when raised, if later. In addition there are a number of a number of units which were disbanded before 1824.

Regiments Post 1859

Cavalry

Artillery and Sappers

Artillery regiments were merged to the Royal Artillery.

Infantry

This list shows the titles of regiments immediately before the formation of the Indian Army in 1895.

External links

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