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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 117

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. E. Asia 1945-46 (48221 Swr. Gurdial Singh, 13 Lrs.), very fine

13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers

The unit were one of the first two Indian cavalry Regiments nominated for mechanisation. One Squadron was equipped with the Vickers Medium Mark I tank and two Squadrons with armoured cars. They were deployed on frontier duties but in April 1941, left for Iraq with the 10th Indian Division. They saw action against the Vichy French in Syria and also served in Persia and Iraq before joining the British Eighth Army in North Africa. In October 1942, they moved back to Persia and then to India.

After the Japanese surrender in 1945, the Regiment moved to Java in the Dutch East Indies in support of the 5th and 23rd Indian Divisions, who were engaged in suppressing a revolt by the Indonesians.

Their Stuart medium tanks proved invaluable in supporting convoy movements and in keeping open the lines of communication. They were frequently in action against Indonesian forces and Captain John Mitchell won himself a very fine Military Cross in March 1946.

In August 1946 the regiment returned to Secunderabad and on Partition of India in August 1947, the 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers were allotted to the Pakistan Army.


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Sold for
£120

Starting price
£40