The 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry was a former cavalry unit of the British Indian Army. It was formed by the Honourable British East India Company as the Native Troop of Cavalry in the year 1804. The unit was included as a part of the Bombay Army, which was the army of Bombay Presidency in erstwhile British India and was also one of the 3 major Presidency Armies in British India. The Presidency Armies belonged to the British East India Company, but were later merged to form the United British Indian Army in 1903. The 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry was also known as the 31st Duke of Connaught`s Own Lancers.
Military Operations of Governor General`s Bodyguard
The men of the army unit fought in the First Afghan War in 1839 and also took part in the Battle of Ghazni. Later the regiment participated in the march to Kabul. The regiment later served in the Siege of Multan during the Second Anglo Sikh War from 1848 to 1849. The battalion stayed as the garrison for the rest of the campaign. During the commencement of the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, the troops were posted Nasirabad and maintained their loyalty towards the English East India Company. The 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry later provided military service during the campaign in Central India.
The cavalry regiment was then stationed at Burma in the year 1885 and the troops of the army unit took part in the Third Anglo Burmese War. The Duke of Connaught, Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army, was appointed as the Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry regiment in the year 1890. During the reforms in the British Indian Army under Lord Kitchener in 1903, the Bombay cavalry added 30 to their numbers and the 1st (Duke of Connaught`s Own) Bombay Lancers regiment was renamed as the 31st Duke of Connaught`s Own Lancers.
During the First World War, the 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry unit provided military service on the North West Frontier of India. The troops later participated in the Third Afghan War in 1919 and later carried out garrison duties in Palestine.
Designations of Governor General`s Bodyguard
The 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry held a number of titles and designations during its active service under the British Indian Army. These are listed as follows-
* Native Troop of Cavalry - 1804
* 1st Native Troop of Cavalry - 1816
* 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry - 1817
* 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry (Lancers) - 1842
* 1st Regiment of Bombay Silladar Light Cavalry - 1861
* 1st Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry - 1861
* 1st Bombay Lancers - 1880
* 1st (Duke of Connaught`s Own) Bombay Lancers - 1890
* 31st Duke of Connaught`s Own Lancers - 1903
