BRITISH BENGAL LANCERS - COLONIAL WARS

In the first half of the nineteenth century, the Indian subcontinent was under the control of the British East India Company, which, in order to control these vast areas, created its own army, largely composed of local people. However, the Sipaj uprising (1857-1858) changed this state of affairs and resulted in the dissolution of the Company and the taking over of administrative duties by the British Crown. It also meant the creation of the Indian Army, also known as the British Indian Army. An important element in the cavalry of this army was the Bengal Lancers regiment, among which you can indicate such regiments as: 1st Bengal Lancers or 2nd Bengal Lancers. The primary weapon of the lancers was, of course, the lance (although there were times when the lance was withdrawn from service!), And they used a saber and a pistol or cavalry rifle as a sidearm. It is worth adding that they used turbans as headgear. It is worth adding that the regiments Bengal Lancers were used extensively in numerous colonial conflicts. For example The 1st Bengal Lancers served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) and in the suppression of the 1900 Boxer Rebellion, and its units took part in the Battle of Beijing in 1900. Many Bengal Lancers regiments were deployed in World War I on the Western Front.