third eye
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Due to the interwoven histories of British and native India, one is bound to find odd bits of Indian States lore among common British collectibles. While digging through an assortment of British cigarette cards of the 1930's and 40's, one stumbled on a complete set of 50 cards entitled "Military Uniforms of the British Empire Overseas," produced by John Player & Sons for inclusion in Player's Cigarettes. Each card is devoted to an overseas regiment under the crown, and 29 of the 50 cards document Indian and Indian States forces. The front of the card illustrates an officer or man of the regiment, while the back presents roughly 100 words of historical data.
Illustrations and text from the 29 Indian Army cards is presented here, followed by a list of the non-Indian cards that complete the set. Indian States enthusiasts should pay particular attention to cards numbered 26 to 40, depicting native Indian forces that fought beside the British on the Northwest Frontier, in the "Great War", and elsewhere.
The following cards complete this Player's Cigarette card set. They are not shown because they represent British Empire overseas forces outside of India:
Card No.13Aide-de-Camp to the Viceroy of India
The personal staff of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India includes both British and Indian Aides-de-Camp. The latter are selected from among the Viceroy's Commissioned Officers of Indian Army units. We show an Indian Aide-de-Camp holding the rank of Risaldar Major, or senior Indian officer, in an Indian Cavalry regiment, who for his distinguished services has been rewarded with the grant of the honorary rank of Captain. A Musalman of the Punjab, be belongs to the class which provides a larger proportion of recruits to the Indian Army than any other section of India's population. The background portrays the Viceroy's House, New Delhi.
Card No.14 The Scinde Horse
The Scinde Horse (14th Prince of Wales's Own Cavalry) is one of the twenty-one Cavalry regiments of the Indian Army. It had its origin in two regiments of Scinde Irregular Horse raised at Hyderabad in 1839 and '46 respectively. These two regiments were absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and ultimately became the 35th Scinde Horse and the 36th Jacob's Horse. They saw active service in Northern and Central India, Persia and Afghanistan and, during the Great War, in France and Palestine. They were amalgamated in 1921. The present regiment is recruited from Pathans, Sikhs and Musalman Rajputs of the Punjab. We show the Risaldar-Major in Full Dress; a scene on the N.W. Frontier appears in the background.
Card No.15 The Poona Horse
The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) is the descendant of the 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry, raised in 1820, and the Poona Auxiliary Horse, raised about 1817-18. The latter unit was absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and the two regiments later became the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. These were amalgamated in 1921 into the present regiment, the battle honours of which tell of service in three Afghan Wars, in Persia, Abyssinia and China, as well as in the Great War. We show a Risaldar in Full Dress—a senior Indian officer of Cavalry, who holds his commission from the Viceroy. The background portrays Fort Jamrud, on the N.W. Frontier.
Illustrations and text from the 29 Indian Army cards is presented here, followed by a list of the non-Indian cards that complete the set. Indian States enthusiasts should pay particular attention to cards numbered 26 to 40, depicting native Indian forces that fought beside the British on the Northwest Frontier, in the "Great War", and elsewhere.
The following cards complete this Player's Cigarette card set. They are not shown because they represent British Empire overseas forces outside of India:
- No.1 Cape Town Highlanders
- No.2 Kimberly Regiment
- No.3 Witwatersrand Rifles
- No.4 Regiment Louw Wepener
- No.5 The Rhodesia Regiment
- No.6 The British South Africa Police
- No.7 The British South Africa Police, Native Askari
- No.8 Australian Light Horse
- No.9 Royal Australian Artillery
- No.10 Australian Infantry
- No.11 New Zealand Mounted Rifles
- No.12 Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- No.42 Nigeria Regiment
- No.43 Gold Coast Regiment
- No.44 King's African Rifles
- No.45 King's African Rifles, Somaliland Camel Corps
- No.46 Northern Rhodesia Regiment
- No.47 Trans-Jordan Frontier Force
- No.48 British Guiana Militia
- No.49 British Honduras Defence Force
- No.50 Singapore Volunteer Corps
Card No.13Aide-de-Camp to the Viceroy of India
The personal staff of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India includes both British and Indian Aides-de-Camp. The latter are selected from among the Viceroy's Commissioned Officers of Indian Army units. We show an Indian Aide-de-Camp holding the rank of Risaldar Major, or senior Indian officer, in an Indian Cavalry regiment, who for his distinguished services has been rewarded with the grant of the honorary rank of Captain. A Musalman of the Punjab, be belongs to the class which provides a larger proportion of recruits to the Indian Army than any other section of India's population. The background portrays the Viceroy's House, New Delhi.
Card No.14 The Scinde Horse
The Scinde Horse (14th Prince of Wales's Own Cavalry) is one of the twenty-one Cavalry regiments of the Indian Army. It had its origin in two regiments of Scinde Irregular Horse raised at Hyderabad in 1839 and '46 respectively. These two regiments were absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and ultimately became the 35th Scinde Horse and the 36th Jacob's Horse. They saw active service in Northern and Central India, Persia and Afghanistan and, during the Great War, in France and Palestine. They were amalgamated in 1921. The present regiment is recruited from Pathans, Sikhs and Musalman Rajputs of the Punjab. We show the Risaldar-Major in Full Dress; a scene on the N.W. Frontier appears in the background.
Card No.15 The Poona Horse
The Poona Horse (17th Queen Victoria's Own Cavalry) is the descendant of the 3rd Regiment of Bombay Light Cavalry, raised in 1820, and the Poona Auxiliary Horse, raised about 1817-18. The latter unit was absorbed into the regular forces about 1860 and the two regiments later became the 33rd Queen Victoria's Own Light Cavalry and the 34th Prince Albert Victor's Own Poona Horse. These were amalgamated in 1921 into the present regiment, the battle honours of which tell of service in three Afghan Wars, in Persia, Abyssinia and China, as well as in the Great War. We show a Risaldar in Full Dress—a senior Indian officer of Cavalry, who holds his commission from the Viceroy. The background portrays Fort Jamrud, on the N.W. Frontier.
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