Bombay Army Regiments
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.
Contents
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.
- 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry (Lancers)
- 2nd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry
- 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry
Irregular Cavalry
The first unit was the Poona Horse raised in 1817.
- The Poona Irregular Horse
- 1st Scinde Irregular Horse
- 2nd Scinde Irregular Horse
- 3rd Scinde Irregular Horse
- Gujerat Irregular Horse
- 2nd Gujerat Irregular Horse
- 1st Southern Mahratta Horse
- 2nd Southern Mahratta Horse
- 3rd Southern Mahratta Horse
- 4th Irregular Horse
- 5th Poona Silladar Horse
- 1st Corps Mayne's Horse
- 1st Regiment Beatson's Horse
Artillery and Sappers
- Bombay Horse Artillery
- Bombay European Foot Artillery
- Bombay Native Foot Artillery
- Corps of Bombay Sappers and Miners
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.
- 1st or Grenadier Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 2nd or Grenadier Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 3rd Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 4th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry (Rifle Corps)
- 5th Regiment of Bombay Native Light Infantry
- 6th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 7th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 8th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 9th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 10th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 11th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 12th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 13th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 14th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 15th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 16th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 17th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 18th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 19th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 20th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 21st Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 22nd Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 23rd Regiment of Bombay Native Light Infantry
- 24th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 25th Regiment of Bombay Native Light Infantry
- 26th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 27th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 28th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 29th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 30th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- 31st Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry
- Portuguese Battalion
- 3rd Bombay Sepoys
- 4th Bombay Sepoys
- 7th Bombay Sepoys
- 8th Bombay Sepoys
- 9th Bombay Sepoys
- 10th Bombay Sepoys
- 11th Bombay Sepoys
- 12th Bombay Sepoys
- 13th Bombay Sepoys
- 14th Bombay Sepoys
- 15th Bombay Sepoys
- The Marine Battalion Bombay Native Infantry
- 1st Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry
- 2nd Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry
- 3rd Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry
- 4th Extra Battalion Bombay Native Infantry
- 1st Belooch Regiment
- 2nd Belooch Regiment
- 3rd Belooch Battalion
- The Kandeesh Bhil Corps
- The Sawantwani Local Corps
- The Kolapore Local Infantry
- The Rutnagerry Rangers
- The Settara Local Corps
- The Panch Mahals Bheel Corps
- 1st Regiment Jacob's Rifles
- 2nd Regiment Jacob's Rifles
- The Deccan Koli Corps
- The Gujerat Koli Corps
Regiments Post 1859
Cavalry
- Governor's Bodyguard, Bombay
- 1st (Duke of Connaught's Own) Bombay Lancers
- 2nd Bombay Lancers
- 3rd (The Queen's Own) Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry
- 4th (Prince Albert Victor's Own) Bombay Cavalry (Poona Horse)
- 5th Bombay Cavalry (Scinde Horse)
- 6th Bombay Cavalry (Jacob's Horse)
- 7th Bombay Lancers (Baluch Horse)
- 1st Regiment of Central India Horse
- 2nd Regiment of Central India Horse
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.
- 1st Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry (Grenadiers)
- 2nd (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of Bombay Infantry (Grenadiers)
- 3rd Regiment of Bombay (Light) Infantry
- 4th Regiment of Bombay Infantry (Rifle Corps)
- 5th Regiment of Bombay (Light) Infantry
- 7th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 8th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 9th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 10th Regiment of Bombay (Light) Infantry
- 12th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 13th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 14th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 16th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 17th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 19th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 20th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 21st Regiment of Bombay Infantry (The Marine Battalion)
- 22nd Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 23rd Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 24th (Baluchistan) Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 25th Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 26th (Baluchistan) Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 27th (1st Baluch Battalion) Bombay Light Infantry
- 28th (Pioneer) Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 29th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Regiment of Bombay Infantry
- 30th Bombay Infantry
External links
- Bombay Army Victorians at War (Google Books)
