The 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was a former cavalry regiment of the Bengal Army, under the British Indian Army. The regiment remained in service from the year 1842 to 1922, after which it was merged with the regiment of 7th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry to form the 18th King Edward`s Own Cavalry unit. The Bengal Army was the armed forces of Bengal Presidency and was amongst the 3 main Presidency Armies in British India. The British Presidency Armies belonged to the British East India Company until the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857. In the year 1903, the 3 separate presidency armies were united to form the combined British Indian Army. The 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was also known as the 6th King Edward`s Own Cavalry and 6th (Prince of Wales) Bengal Cavalry regiment.
History of 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry
The 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was formed by Lieutenant W H Ryves at Fatehgarh as the 8th Regiment of Bengal Irregular Cavalry in the year 1842. The regiment first served in the Gwalior Campaign in central India in 1843 and the unit was honoured with the battle honour Punniar. The regiment took part in the in the First Anglo Sikh War in 1845 and also fought in the Battle of Sobraon, the Battle of Ferozeshah and the Battle of Moodkee. Later the 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was sent to Egypt during the Anglo Egyptian War in the year 1882. The military unit was rewarded with a theatre honour of battle honour Egypt 1882. They were also awarded for the Battle of Tel El Kebir. The regiment adopted khaki uniform for all ranks for the first time during their service in Egypt.
During the First World War, the 6th King Edward`s Own Cavalry was stationed in France in November 1914. The unit was included as a part of the 1st Indian Cavalry Division, 2nd (Sailkot) Cavalry Brigade. The regiment participated in the in the First Battle of Ypres and some other operation on the Western Front. They also served in the Battle of Cambrai and the German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line.
After the end of World War I, the British Indian army decided to reduce the number of cavalry regiments by uniting various military regiments together in pairs, instead of dissolving the surplus regiments. As a result the whole cavalry line was re-designated and renumbered. In the year 1922, the 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was united with 7th Hariana Lancers (7th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry) in order to raise the 18th King Edward`s Own Cavalry regiment.
Designations of 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry The 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry was designated numerous times through the re-organisations in the British Indian Army. These are listed as follows-
* 8th Irregular Cavalry- 1842
* 6th Regiment of Bengal Cavalry - 1861
* 6th (the Prince of Wales) Regiment of Bengal Cavalry - 1883
* 6th (Prince of Wales) Bengal Cavalry - 1901
* 6th King Edward`s Own Cavalry - 1906
