Үндістан Президентінің жеке күзет полкі: Тарихы мен дамуы

the Canadian regiment

The first bodyguard regiment was raised in 1773 for Warren Hastings, the first Governor General of India, as the Governor's Troop of Moghuls. across India. In 1811, the regiment earned its first Battle Honour 'Java' in 1811, during the conquest of the island in the Dutch East Indies from the Dutch colonial empire. The successor President's Bodyguard unit has the unique distinction of being the only surviving unit to carry this honour. Java and other Dutch territories were not returned to the Kingdom of the Netherlands until 1816, after the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars. In 1824, a detachment volunteered to sail over the kaala paani ("black water", or open ocean, which Hindu soldiers once refrained from crossing, for fear of losing their caste) to take part in the First Anglo Burmese War and earned their second Battle Honour "Ava". The Bodyguard received their third Battle Honour "Maharajpore" for the Battle of Maharajpore (29 December 1843) during Gwalior campaign, when the British intervened against the Maratha Empire during the battle for the succession that erupted in Gwalior after the death of Maharaja Jankoji Rao Scindia II. The regiment would be renamed the President's Bodyguard when India became a republic on 26 January 1950. In Pakistan, the successor regiment kept the title of Governor General's Bodyguard until 1956 when Pakistan became a republic.

The strength of this regiment has varied throughout its history. The minimum strength of the unit was 50 when it was raised in 1773, but the precise maximum strength of the unit is not known. The President of India's website claims a number of 1,929, just before the First Anglo Sikh War but some historians believe the number to have been 469. According to the book "Historical Records of the Governor General's Body Guards", published in 1910, the maximum strength of the unit was 529 all ranks on 12 February 1844, just before the first Sikh War. In addition to 529 soldiers of all ranks, orders were also issued to attach two Rissalahs of Irregular Cavalry, taking the strength of the unit to 730 all ranks. The ethnic composition of the unit varied equally. Recruitment started when the unit was raised in 1773 by Governor Warren Hastings, with a strength of 50 handpicked troopers. This nucleus of the Bodyguard was later augmented by another 50 horsemen, provided by Maharaja Chait Singh, thus bringing the overall strength of the regiment up to 100 horses and men by the end of that year. By 1800, Hindus (Brahmins and Rajputs) were allowed to join the regiment along with Muslims, but the area of the recruitment remained the same Awadh and Bihar. In 1800, the recruitment pool was changed from the Bengal Presidency to the Madras Presidency and the regiment was reconstituted with troopers from the Madras cavalry for the next 60 years. During this period, South Indian castes comprised the bulk of this unit. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the center of recruitment of the Indian Army was shifted from Awadh and southern India to northern India. Sikhs were allowed to enlist for the first time in Aug 1883 and Punjabi Muslims in October 1887. The recruitment of Brahmins ceased in 1895. After that, the proportions of recruits was fixed at 50% Sikhs (Malwa and Majha) and 50% Muslims (Hindustani and Punjabi).

The East India Company started issuing standards to Indian cavalry regiments in 1779. In 1800, the regiment was presented with its first standard by Governor General Wellesley at the conclusion of his Review of the Body Guard. In 1815, the Governor General Francis Rawdon Hastings and his wife Flora presented a standard to the newly raised squadron. Two more Standards were presented to the newly raised squadrons of the Body Guards in 1844, when the strength of the regiment was highest. Standards were abolished in regiments of Indian Cavalry in 1864 and in 1931, a Guidon was presented to the Body Guards, which was last carried on escorts in 1936. Two Silver state trumpets with banners were presented to the Bodyguard by the Viceroy and Governor General Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading in 1923, on the 150th anniversary of the raising of the unit. One banner represented the Star of India with the battle honours of the regiment, and the other banner carried the coat of arms of the Governor General of India. Each successive viceroy presented a banner to the Bodyguard upon assuming office; the banners of previous viceroys being kept in the custody of the regiment.

During the British Raj, each presidency had its own bodyguard unit, called the Governor's Body Guard. These units were disbanded in 1947.

Governor's Body Guard, Madras was raised in 1778 in Madras and was the senior most unit among the three Governor's Body Guard regiments. It was raised with one Sergeant, one Corporal and 12 European troopers, under command of Lieutenant. P. Sullivan. Unlike other Madras Army regiments, the Governor's Body Guard, Madras retained its name throughout its history till 1947, when it was disbanded. The strength and composition of the unit, however, kept on changing. In 1778, it had one European troop and in 1781, the strength was raised to one European and one Native troop. The European troop was disbanded in 1784 and a company of the light infantry was attached. By 1799, strength of the regiment was raised to 100 men and it performed escort duty in Persia and Mysore war. From 1808 to 1820, detachments from different Madras cavalry regiments joined regiment on rotation. The regiment took part in Third Anglo Maratha War (1817–1819), where its charge along with 6th Bengal Light Cavalry changed the course of the war and it was considered as the decisive factor in winning the war. During the war, the regiment earned its only Battle Honour 'Seetabuldee' for the relief of Nagpur Residency. The regiment also took part in the First Anglo Burmese War (1824–1826), where it rescued the advance guard which had been surrounded by a large body of enemy force at Pagan. During the First World War, the regiment served as a remount training center and also patrolled the beaches during the Bombardment of Madras by SMS Emden. A combined force was also formed from detachment from Bombay and Madras Body Guards and was sent to serve in France. The Governor's Body Guards, Madras also received a standard from Viceroy and Governor GeneralFreeman Freeman Thomas, 1st Marquess of Willingdon in March 1924 bearing its Battle Honour 'Seetabuldee'. At the time of its raising, the unit only had European troops. But 1781 onwards, South Indian classes dominated the regiment for most of the time, especially Deccani and Madrasi Muslims. In 1947, the unit had Rajputs from Rajasthan and Jats from Western United Provinces and Punjab.

The unit was raised on 22 March 1865 in Poona from a selected body of troopers of the disbanded Southern Mahratta Horse (SMH), which was first raised in 1850. Though the unit was re organized twice in 1895 and 1938, there was no change in its title. It retained its title throughout its existence until 1947, when it was disbanded. In 1865, it had Mahratta troopers only from Southern Mahratta Horse; but later Sikhs, Deccani Muslims and Punjabi Muslims also served in the unit.

In 1912, the capital of India was transferred from Calcutta to Delhi and the Viceroy, along with Governor General's Body Guard, moved to Delhi and Bengal got the status of the Presidency just like Bombay and Madras. At that time, Captain Rivers Berney Worgan of 20th Deccan Horse raised Governor's Body Guard, Bengal from volunteers from different Bengal cavalry regiments. This was the youngest unit among three Governor's Body Guard units. This regiment also retained its title throughout its existence and was also disbanded in 1947. Only Punjabi Muslims, Jats and Rajputs were recruited for the unit. With respect to uniforms, all three Governor's Body Guard units followed the basic scarlet pattern with blue facings of the Governor General's Body Guards. There were however a number of distinctions such as cummerbunds and plastrons between the three bodyguards.