SOE034
King & Country
British officers serving in ‘Skinner’s Horse’ had a choice of TWO dress uniforms. They could wear the Indian-style, complete with turban and other Indian dress accoutrements or they could opt for the more traditional European-style ‘Lancer’ dress uniform in the regimental colours.
This officer has decided on the ‘European’ option. Some wealthy officers however had both.
During the time when ‘the sun never set’ on the British Empire few of the world’s armies could have equalled the sight and splendor of Queen Victoria’s ‘Indian Army’. And in that army the Cavalry were the most splendid and colourful of all... especially in their dress uniforms.
Possible the most colourful and certainly one of the most famous mounted regiments was ‘Skinner’s Horse’ (The 1st Duke of York’s Own Cavalry).
The regiment was founded by James Skinner, the son of a Scotsman and the daughter of a Rajput landowner who after many adventures formed a new regiment called ‘Capt. Skinner’s Corps of Irregular Horse’ which eventually was abbreviated to simply ‘Skinner’s Horse’.
Today ‘Skinner’s Horse’ is the premier cavalry regiment in the modern Indian Army and follows the proud traditions of the same regiment that served the British before independence.