Hodson's Horse during WW2

[Duncan]

Can anyone tell me any information on Hodson's Horse during WW2.  Oddly I cannot find any information on this Indian unit at all!

Regards,

Duncan.

[peter monahan]

A little bit, at least.  What did you need/want to know?  They served in the Middle East in both world wars and, I think, in North Africa in War 2 as part of the 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade.  I'd have to check but I think they were using armoured cars, at least initially and may have acquired Stuart light tanks by '45.

Edited September 25, 2018 by peter monahan

[Duncan]

I've a WW2 Defence Medal to an Indian in Hodson's Horse, but I can't find any info about them during WW2 at all, which I find odd! 

[peter monahan]

Annoying but not that odd, actually.  From their position as the 'glamour boys' of the IA, the cavalry/horsed units fell into eclipse in the 1930s.  They were at the end of the supply queue for the new armoured vehicles and some actually trained right up till 1939-40 with lorries which they pretended were scout cars or tanks.  The Indian produced armoured car - forgotten the name - was issued to the regiments sent to the Middle east and North Africa and, late in the war some regiments in the Far East got Stuart light tanks.  However, because the records in English for the IA in WWII are not extensive, and because the focus tends to be on the 'jawans' of the infantry regiments, detailed info. is scarce fro armoured IA units.  

Hodson's Horse, as part of the 252nd / 2nd Armoured Brigade were in Syria/Lebanon early in the war and briefly joined the 10 Indian Division when it went to Cyprus [mid-1942] to train for the Italian invasion, but were sent back to Syria again, replaced by units serving as recconnaisance regiments to infantry brigades.  That is, no Indian armoured brigade saw service in Europe.  The 1st [Skinners' Horse] were the divisional recce regiment for the 10th in Italy, for example, replacing the 6th DCO Lancers.

Sorry I haven't more detail.

Peter

[Duncan]

Thanks for the info, really interesting. 

Regards 

Duncan