The Corps of Guides was a Joint Infantry Cavalry Regiment which existed from the year 1846 to 1922. The military unit was a part of the Army of the Bengal Presidency, under the British Indian Army before the commencement of the Great Revolt of 1857, also known as Sepoy Mutiny. 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. The regiment was also a part of the Punjab Command. The Corps of Guides had an unparalleled constitution of being partly cavalry and partly infantry. Later it became a part of the United British Indian Army.
History of Corps of Guides
The Corps of Guides was formed by Sir Henry Lawrence and Lieutenant Harry Lumsden at Kalu Khan in the Peshawar in December 1846. Lieutenant Lumsden acted as the Commanding Officer and W.S.R. Hodson served as the Second-in-Command. Initially the regiment included only 2 parties of infantry and a single troop of cavalry. The first operation of the military unit was at Mughdara in the Panitar Hills. During the beginning of the Second Anglo Sikh War in the year 1848, the Corps of Guides regiment was authorized for a threefold growth in size and it was increased to 3 troops of cavalry and 6 parties of infantry. The battalion retained the joint infantry cavalry regiment format for several years. After the army unit was segmented into 2 separate parts, the title was used in both the units.
The Corps of Guides was assigned as the new fort of Mardan, which was a vital post on the frontier. The regiment also provided significant service in alleviating the Siege of Delhi. The troops of the regiment marched for around 600 miles and fought 4 minor actions on their way to Delhi. The military group of 600 Guides instantaneously joined an intense battle for the defence of the city. Around 350 men of the troop of 600 became fatally injured within just one hour of their participation in the combat.
The regiment of the Corps of Guides was included as a part of the Frontier Force brigade. It was evolved as an elite military unit of the British Indian Army. This regiment was the first army command to use a uniform in Khaki, which is a light shade of yellow and brown color, like beige or tan. Generally, the Corps of Guides was frequently employed in minor detachments, mostly backed by other British Indian Frontier Force troops.
After the country achieved independence from the rule of the British Empire in India in the year 1947, the nation was divided into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan through the Partition of India. The British Indian Army was divided amongst the 2 newly independent nations. The Corps of Guides regiment was assigned to Pakistan and was named the Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force).
Designations of Corps of Guides
The regiment of Corps of Guides of the British Indian Army held many designations through out its existence. These are mentioned below-
* The Corps of Guides- 1846
* The Corps of Guides, Punjab Irregular Force - 1857
* Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force - 1865
* Queen`s Own Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force - 1876
* Queen`s Own Corps of Guides - 1901
* Queen`s Own Corps of Guides (Lumsden`s) - 1904
* Queen Victoria`s Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force- Lumsden`s) - 1911
In the year 1911, the infantry and cavalry units of the Guides were designated as follows-
Infantry of Corps of Guides
* Queen Victoria`s Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force- Lumsden`s) Infantry - 1911
* 5th Bn (QVO Corps of Guides) 12th Frontier Force Regiment - 1922
Cavalry of Corps of Guides
* Queen Victoria`s Own Corps of Guides (Frontier Force- Lumsden`s) Cavalry - 1911
* 10th Queen Victoria`s Own Corps Of Guides Cavalry (Frontier Force) - 1922
* The Guides Cavalry (10th Queen Victoria`s Own Frontier Force) - 1927
Founding Members of Corps of Guides
The following is a list of the founding members of the regiment of Corps of Guides-
* Sir Harry Lumsden
* G.N. Hardinge
* W.S.R. Hodson (the Hodson of Hodson`s Horse)
* Frederick Battye
* Dr. R. Lyell (MO)
* Sir Henry Daly, GCB, CIE
* Wigram Battye
* Surgeon A.H. Kelly (MO)
* Walter Hamilton, VC
* Arthur Hammond, VC
* Rissaldar Fateh Khan
* Daffadar Fateh Khan
* Subedar Dilwar Khan
* Subedar Rasul Khan
Commanding Officers of Corps of Guides
The Commanding Officers of the Staff Corps and Corps of Guides, British Indian Army are mentioned below-
* Robert Bellew Adams
* William Stephen Raikes Hodson
* Charles John Stanley Gough
* Godfrey Meynell
* Arthur George Hammond
* Wallace Breem
* Harry Burnett Lumsden
* Stewart Blacker
* Hector Lachlan Stewart MacLean
* Walter Hamilton (VC)
