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Governor’s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency
Governor’s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency was a body guard battalion of the British East India Company, which served from 1912 to 1947. It was the youngest Governor’s Body Guard unit.

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The Governor`s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency was primarily a body guard battalion of the British East India Company, which existed from the year 1912 to 1947. The British army in India established three separate body guard regiments for the 3 main Presidencies in British India, namely the Bengal Presidency, the Bombay Presidency and the Madras Presidency. The body guard units were named as Governor`s Body Guard. It was a part of the Army of the Bengal province, before the beginning of the Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Great Revolt of 1857. The Bengal Army was the armed forces of Bengal Presidency and was amongst the 3 main Presidency Armies in British India. The Government of India Act 1858, which was authorized after the Sepoy Mutiny in the year 1857, transferred the authority of the 3 Presidency Armies from the British East India Company to the British Empire in India.

During the 19th century, most of the regiments in the Bengal Army were disbanded due to their participation in the Great Revolt of 1857. Subsequently the British Empire in India took charge over the British East India Company and the 3 Presidency Armies, namely the Bengal Army, the Madras Army and the Bombay Army. The Governor`s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency was also known as the Governor`s Bodyguard Bengal.

History of Governor`s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency
In the year 1912, the capitol of India was shifted to Delhi from Calcutta (now Kolkata) and the Viceroy went to Delhi. The Governor General`s Body Guard was also moved to Delhi. Consequently, Bengal was given the position of a British Indian Presidency, like Madras Presidency and Bombay Presidency. During that period, Captain Rivers Berney Worgan of 20th Deccan Horse established the Governor`s Body Guard of Bengal Presidency unit. The regiment originally comprised of volunteers from a number of cavalry regiments from Bengal Army. This battalion was the youngest unit amongst the three Governor`s Body Guard regiments.

The army unit consisted of only Rajputs and Punjabi Muslims who were enlisted for the company. Like the Governor`s Body Guard of Bombay Presidency and the Governor`s Body Guard of Madras Presidency, the Bengal unit also held its original designation through out the various reorganizations in the British Indian Army. After it came to uniform, the 3 units of the Governor`s Body Guard pursued the form and rule of the Governor General`s Body Guards. Further more, the regiment added some articles, such as, plastrons and cummerbunds.

The title of the Governor`s Bodyguard Bengal remained the same over the years until its dissolution in the year 1947.


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