Prior to it’s first North African Campaign by Adam Geibel, Associate Editor, JOURNAL OF MILITARY ORDNANCE

The conversion of Indian horse cavalry units to motorized and mechanized squadrons for WWII is both neglected and of some interest to African campaign historians.

The 18th Cavalry Regiment was ordered to prepare to convert to a mechanized unit in October 1939, but retained their horses up until mid-1940, when they were ordered to become part of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade.

On 1 December 1940, the Regiment had the following vehicles ; 80 Fordson, 20 Chevrolet, one Ford and one Morris 15 CWT Trucks, as well as 32 Motorcycles, 2 LAD 30 CWT and one 3 ton Breakdown LAD trucks.

’A’ Squadron CPT JM Balow (CO) CPT RJGretton LT S.M. Y. Khan Ris J. Lil

’B’ Squadron MAJ D. Mac D Killingley (CO) 2LT I.C. Stephen Ris M.A. Kahn

’C’ Squadron PT TP Kidd (O) 2LT A. Cooke 2LT GS Kenneth Ris D. Singh

Each squadron had three line troops and a HQ troop. Troop (three sections, plus Troop HQ - each with one 15CWT truck) Section - One .303 Bren or Vickers-Berthiere LMG, plus six rifles Troop HQ - One Boys .55 AT rifle

HQ Squadron CPT R.G. Griffith (CO) LT D.H. Wilson (Recon Troop - disbanded late March 1941) LT G. Ghose, IMS

Regimental Staff LTC H.M. Tulloch MAJ HOW Fowler : (promoted to Regt CO late Feb 41) CPT J Mears : Adjutant CPT PM Coventry : Technical Officer CPT JG McGown : Regt. Signal Officer LT CHS Durand : Quartermaster RM Kapur Singh : Risaldar Major

According to Platz, each Squadron was authorized two British officers, four Indian Viceroy Commissioned Officers (VCOs) and 118 Indian other ranks. Each Squadron was to have a HQ and three line troops, each line troop a HQ and three sections (each with two 15 CWT trucks). Two .55 Boys rifles were to be issued to each Squadron.

Obviously, in the case of the 18th Cavalry, reality contradicted the official TO&E.

The Regiment left it’s home station at Rawalpindi for Dehli in mid-January 1941, embarking for Egypt on 22 January on the SS El Madina. Along with the rest of the convoy bearing the 3rd Motorized Brigade, they disembarked at Suez during the night of 6-7 February.

From there they moved into the desert to become acclimated and begin training. However, basic equipment and supplies were in short supply. All four radio sets were held at Regimental level, with communication within and between squadrons done by signal flags. There were no support weapons, at Squadron or Regimental level, save for ’Little Audrey’ (a captured Italian 47/32 AT gun) mounted on one of the 15 CWT trucks.

The Regiment conducted limited patrolling up until 7 April, when scattered elements of the retreating Eight Army linked up with them ; one RHA Troop, ten Tower Hamlet Rifles Bren Carriers, one Notts Yeomanry Squadron and 100 Free French (in captured trucks).

The next day, the Regiment was placed under the 9th Australian Division’s control as their Divisional Cavalry.

References :

 I SERVE, The Eighteenth Cavalry, MG G.S. Sandhu (Ret’d), Lancer, 1991
 The Indian Army Reconnaissance Squadron of 1944’, W. E. Platz, AFV G2, Feb 1973
 Adam Geibel is the Associate Editor of the JOURNAL OF MILITARY ORDNANCE. Their website can be reached at http://www.darlingtonproductions.com/jmo.htm
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