The President's Body Guard - A History

W.G.Ewald

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Bharat Rakshak :: Land Forces Site - The President's Body Guard - A History

President's Body Guard (PBG) is the oldest surviving mounted unit and the senior most regiment of the Indian Army. PBG was raised by Governor Warren Hastings in Sep, 1773. Hastings handpicked 50 troopers from the 'Moghal Horse', which was raised in 1760 by local sirdars, Sirdars Mirza Shahbaz Khan & Sirdar Khan Tar Beg. In the same year, Raja Cheyt Singh of Benaras provided another 50 troopers that took the strength of the unit to 100. The first commander of the unit was Capt. Sweeny Toone, an officer of the Honourable East Indian Company(HEIC), who had Lt. Samuel Black as his subaltern . The establishment of the unit was as follows: -

1 Captain
1 Lieutenant
4 Sergeants
6 Daffadars
100 troopers
2 Trumpeters
1 Ferrier

GGBG was the only Corps of cavalry in the Bengal presidency till 1777 when two Regiments of Cavalry were transferred to the HEIC by Nawab of Oudh. Both the regiments were raised in 1776.
 

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