The 11th Cavalry also known as PAVO Cavalry, is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army

Pakistan Army

The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...

. It was previously known as the 11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) and was a regular cavalry regiment of the old British Indian Army

British Indian Army

The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...

. It was formed in 1921 by the amalgamation of the 21st Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) and the 23rd Cavalry.

21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) (Daly's Horse)

The 21st Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) (Daly's Horse) was raised as the 1st Punjab Irregular Cavalry by Lieutenant Henry Daly at Peshawar on 18 May 1849. It was one of five regiments of Punjab Cavalry raised to guard the North West Frontier

North-West Frontier (military history)

The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...

 of India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, which soon became famous as part of the legendary Punjab Frontier Force or the Piffers. Over the next decades, the regiment saw extensive service on the Frontier. During the Indian Mutiny of 1857-58, the regiment operated in North India and took part in the Siege of Delhi

Siege of Delhi

The Siege of Delhi was one of the decisive conflicts of the Indian rebellion of 1857.The rebellion against the authority of the British East India Company was widespread through much of Northern India, but essentially it was sparked by the mass uprising by the sepoys of the units of the Army which...

 and the Relief of Lucknow, where Lieutenant John Watson

John Watson (VC)

General Sir John Watson VC, GCB was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. An officer serving with the Bengal Army, Watson received his Victoria Cross for...

 won the Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....

. During the Second Afghan War of 1878-80, it formed part of Kandahar Field Force and fought in the Battle of Ahmad Khel. In 1890, Prince Albert Victor, the Crown Prince of Britain was gazetted as their Colonel-in-Chief

Colonel-in-Chief

In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...

, giving his name to the regiment, which has endured to this day. During the First World War, the regiment served in the Mesopotamian Campaign

Mesopotamian Campaign

The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I fought between the Allies represented by the British Empire, mostly troops from the Indian Empire, and the Central Powers, mostly of the Ottoman Empire.- Background :...

 as part of 6th Indian Cavalry Brigade. It fought on the Tigris Front and took part in the capture of Kut al Amara and Baghdad

Baghdad

Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...

. It also fought in the Actions of Istabulat, Ramadi, Daur and Tikrit. Later it saw service in Kurdistan and took part in the capture of Kirkuk

Kirkuk

Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...

.

• 1849 1st Punjab Irregular Cavalry
• 1851 1st Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Irregular Force
• 1865 1st Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force
• 1890 1st (Prince Albert Victor’s Own) Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force
• 1901 1st (Prince Albert Victor’s Own) Punjab Cavalry
• 1903 21st Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)
• 1904 21st Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (Frontier Force) (Daly’s Horse)

23rd Cavalry (Frontier Force)

The 23rd Cavalry was raised as the 3rd Punjab Irregular Cavalry by Lieutenant WG Prendergast at Lahore in 1849, and it too saw extensive service on the Frontier with the Punjab Frontier Force. During the Second Afghan War, it took part in Lord Roberts

Lord Roberts

Lord Roberts may refer to:*John Roberts, 2nd Baron Roberts , was an English politician and soldier during the English Civil War English and English Restoration...

' famous march from Kabul

Kabul

Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...

 to Kandahar

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

 as part of the Kabul Field Force and fought in the Battle of Kandahar

Battle of Kandahar

The Battle of Kandahar, 1 September 1880, was the last major conflict of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The battle in southern Afghanistan was fought between the British forces under command of General Roberts and the Afghan forces led by Ayub Khan, inflicting nearly 3,000 casualties in...

. During the First World War, the regiment served in Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...

 as part of the 11th Indian Cavalry Brigade

11th Indian Cavalry Brigade

The 11th Indian Cavalry Brigade was a formation of the British Indian Army that served in the Mesopotamian Campaign during World War I. It was formed in September 1917 of three cavalry regiments sent from India and an artillery battery sent from the Western Front. Its machinegun squadron and other...

 and was part of General Townsend

Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend

Major General Sir Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend KCB, DSO was a British Indian Army officer who led the ultimately disastrous first British Expedition against Baghdad during World War I, and was later elected to Parliament....

's failed advance towards Baghdad. It then served on the Tigris Front. Later on, it moved to the Euphrates Front and fought in the Battles of Khan Baghdadi

Action of Khan Baghdadi

The Action of Khan Baghdadi was an engagement during the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I.The 15th Indian Division had been at Ramadi since its capture of the town in September 1917...

 and Sharqat

Battle of Sharqat

The Battle of Sharqat was between the British and the Ottoman Empire in the Mesopotamian Campaign in World War I, which became the final conflict that ended as a result of the signing of armistice....

. One of its squadron served in Persian Arabistan

Arabistan

Arabistan or Arabestan may refer to:*The name of the Arabian Peninsula*A satrapy of the Achaemenid and Sassanid Persian empires.*The region of Khuzestan was also called "Arabistan" in some chronicles and reports, mainly during the Qajar era of the 19th century....

. On their return to Indian they saw service in the Third Afghan War of 1919.

• 1849 3rd Punjab Irregular Cavalry
• 1851 3rd Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Irregular Force
• 1865 3rd Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force
• 1901 3rd Punjab Cavalry
• 1903 23rd Cavalry (Frontier Force)

11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)

After the First World War, the number of Indian cavalry regiments was reduced from thirty-nine to twenty-one. However, instead of disbanding the surplus units, it was decided to amalgamate them in pairs. This resulted in renumbering and renaming of the entire cavalry line. The 21st and 23rd Cavalry were amalgamated in 1921 to form 11th Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (Frontier Force).
The uniform of PAVO Cavalry was blue with scarlet facings. The new regiment's badge consisted of the Kandahar Star representing the five rivers of the Punjab

Punjab region

The Punjab , also spelled Panjab |water]]s"), is a geographical region straddling the border between Pakistan and India which includes Punjab province in Pakistan and the states of the Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh and some northern parts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi...

. Its class composition was one squadron each of Punjabi Muslims, Sikhs and Dogras. The regiment was mechanised in 1940. During the Second World War, it initially served in Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

 and Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

, and then went on to North Africa

North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...

, where it fought in the Battle of Gazala

Battle of Gazala

The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...

. It then moved to Burma, where it greatly distinguished itself against the Japanese. In 1946, the regiment was sent to the Dutch East Indies

Dutch East Indies

The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....

 (Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

) to pacify the country after the surrender of the Japanese.

On Partition of India

Partition of India

The Partition of India was the partition of British India on the basis of religious demographics that led to the creation of the sovereign states of the Dominion of Pakistan and the Union of India on 14 and 15...

 in 1947, PAVO Cavalry was allotted to Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. The regiment was soon engaged in fighting the Indians in Kashmir

Kashmir

Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...

. In 1956, Pakistan became a republic and all titles pertaining to British royalty were dropped. The regiment's new designation was 11th Cavalry (Frontier Force). During the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...

, 11th Cavalry took part in Pakistan Army's advance towards Akhnur in Kashmir. It then fought in the Battle of Chawinda

Battle of Chawinda

The Battle of Chawinda was a part of the Sialkot Campaign in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. It was one of the largest tank battles since the Battle of Kursk in World War II....

. In 1971, the regiment again served in the Chhamb Sector of Kashmir. It is the only armoured regiment of Pakistan Army to carry Battle Honours on its Regimental Colours for all three wars fought with India.

• 1921 21st/23rd Cavalry (amalgamation)
• 1922 11th Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)
• 1927 Prince Albert Victor’s Own Cavalry (11th Frontier Force)
• 1956 11th Cavalry (Frontier Force)

Battle Honours

Delhi 1857, Lucknow, Ahmad Khel, Kandahar 1880, Afghanistan 1878-80, Kut al Amara 1917, Baghdad, Khan Baghdadi, Sharqat, Mesopotamia 1915-18, Afghanistan 1919, El Mechili, Halfaya 1941, Bir Hacheim, North Africa 1940-43, Relief of Kohima, Monywa 1945, Mandalay, Myinmu Bridgehead, Capture of Meiktila, The Irrawaddy, Rangoon Road, Burma 1942-45, Kashmir 1948, Dewa-Chamb 1965, Chawinda 1965, Chhamb 1971.

Further reading

• Effendi, Col MY. (2007). Punjab Cavalry: Evolution, Role, Organisation, and Tactical Doctrine, 11 Cavalry (Frontier Force) 1849–1971. Karachi: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-547203-9
• History of the 1st Punjab Cavalry. (1887). Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
• History of the 3rd Regiment Punjab Cavalry. (1887).
• History of the 23rd Cavalry (Frontier Force), late 3rd Regiment, Punjab Cavalry. (1910).
• Short History of the PAVO Cavalry (11th Frontier Force). (1936).
• Gaylor, J. (1991). Sons of John Company: The Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903- 1991. Stroud: Spellmount. ISBN 978-0-946771-98-1
• Dey, RSBN. (1905). A Brief Account of the Late Punjab Frontier Force, From its Organization in 1849 to its Re-distribution on 31st March 1903. Calcutta.
• North, REFG. (1934). The Punjab Frontier Force: A Brief Record of Their Services 1846-1924. DI Khan: Commercial Steam Press.
• Hayauddin, Maj Gen M. (1950). One Hundred Glorious Years: A History of the Punjab Frontier Force, 1849-1949. Lahore: Civil and Military Gazette Press.
• Elliott, Maj Gen JG. (1968). The Frontier 1839-1947: The Story of the North-West Frontier of India. London: Cassell.
• Daly, Maj Hugh. (1905). Memoirs of General Sir Henry Dermot Daly, GCB, CIE. London: J Murray.
• Trench, CC. (1988). The Indian Army and the King’s Enemies, 1900-1947. London: Thames and Hudson.
• Kempton, C. (1996). A Register of Titles of the Units of the H.E.I.C. & Indian Armies 1666-1947. Bristol: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum. ISBN 978-0-9530174-0-9

External links

• General Sir Henry Dermot Daly