20 Lancers (India)

20 Lancers, is an armoured regiment in the Armoured Corps of the Indian Army. The regiment distinguished itself in operations with its spirited defence of Chhamb in Jammu and Kashmir during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War winning one Maha Vir Chakra. The regiment has provided one Chief of Army Staff, Gen Shankar Roychowdhury, PVSM, ADC (Retd) and an army commander, Lt Gen Pradeep Khanna, PVSM, AVSM, ADC (Retd).

Origin
The regiment was originally formed in 1921 by amalgamating 14th Murray's Jat Lancers, raised in 1857 with 15th Lancers (Cureton's Multanis) raised in 1858. The regiment served till 1937, when it was removed from the order of battle and deactivated, being converted into a training regiment, eventually forming part of the Indian Armoured Corps Corps Training Centre at Lucknow. On Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, this was allotted to India. The centre moved in 1948 to Ahmednagar merging with other establishments, to become the Armoured Corps Centre and School.

The regiment was re-raised by the Indian Army on 10 July 1956 at Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The first Commanding Officer of the re-raised regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Umrao Singh. Initially, the regiment was equipped with AMX-13 tanks. When the regiment was re-raised, the Officer's Mess Silver of the old 20th Lancers was handed over to it. The troops on raising were from the Sikhs of the 6th DCO Lancers which were transferred to 8th Light Cavalry and half of the squadron of the Jodhpur Lancers which were transferred to the 7th Light Cavalry.

The Pakistan Army raised an armoured regiment called 20th Lancers on 20 June 1956, which it considers to be the successor of the old 20th Lancers of the British Indian Army.

Operations
The regiment first saw action after re-raising, during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani War in Chhamb-Jaurian in Jammu & Kashmir. 20 Lancers was under command 10 Infantry Division during the 1965 operations. Initially, Pakistan's surprise attack on  1 September, Operation Grand Slam, fell on 191 Infantry Brigade which was supported by 'C' Squadron of the regiment, under Maj Bhaskar Roy. The armoured attack comprised two regiments of medium tanks, M-48 Pattons and M-36 Sherman B-2 tank destroyers. The attack began at 0805 hours and was strongly resisted. During the initial phases of the attack, Roy destroyed 6 Pattons, 3 recoil-less guns and captured a jeep. A second attack was launched by Pakistani armour at 1100 hours and strongly contested by the AMX-13s of 20 Lancers, which despite being outgunned and outnumbered, destroyed a total 13 tanks that day and prevented the encirclement of 191 Infantry Brigade. The regiment later fought in the defense of Jaurian under 41 Infantry Brigade. For the courageous defense of Chhamb-Jaurian, the regiment was awarded a theatre honour and Maj Bhaskar Roy was awarded Maha Vir Chakra for his heroic action and leadership in this action.

Battle honours
The battle honours of the regiment are : Charasiah - Kabul 1879 - Afghanistan 1878-80 Neuve Chapelle - France and Flanders 1914-15 - Kut al Amara 1917 - Sharqat - Mesopotamia 1916-18 - Persia 1916-19 - NW Frontier India - 1915 Jammu and Kashmir 1965
 * Pre-World War I
 * World War 1
 * Indo-Pak Conflict 1965


 * Notes