Fallacious assertions of colonel sardar yahya effendi about 1941 class composition of pavo cavalry

1. Central India Horse a mechanized cavalry regiment
of British Indian army was the first armored unit
ordered to deploy against axis powers.
The unit arrived at Bombay harbour to embark on
17 July 1940.
However things turned ugly where when the
regiments sikh squadron refused to embark
.Interestingly two Punjabi Muslims attached to this
squadron were also a part of this mutiny, a rare
occurrence , as Punjabi Muslims record was
staunchly loyal to the British.

2. An inquiry was conducted by British intelligence and
revealed that Sowr Bishan Singh was the central
personality in this mutiny. He allegedly had links
with Kirti Lehr Party and possibly the Communists.
The 108 Sikh mutineers of Central India Horse were
court martialled. Four were executed, 100
transported and four were imprisoned.
Sikh squadron of 19 Lancers volunteered to replace
this squadron now disgraced and removed.

3. However the clever foxes that the British were, a rat
was smelt and this generous Sikh offer refused.
Central India Horse with two squadrons sailed for
Egypt where it arrived in August 1940.
It was decided to transfer PAVO Cavalrys Dogra
Squadron by the clever British as the Dogras like
Punjabi Muslims had a record of being “ Super
Loyal” to the British.

4. However in 1940 there was another angle and
salute to British genius of Divide and Rule.
The British realizing that without dividing India
politically , they could not rule.
The British viceroy Linlithgow asked Mr Jinnah if he
had a concrete slogan ? So far he had none ! In 1938
Mr Jinnah had snubbed Sind Muslim League for
demanding a separate Muslim state . He had also
called Pakistan idea of Chaudhry Rahmat Ali , the
idea of a mad student.

5. However the result of Linlithgows questioning was
Lahore Resolution of 1940 where a separate Muslim
state was proposed.
Colonel C.C Trench of Hodsons Horse also thinks
that Sikh mutiny of CIH was directly related to Sikh
fear of a Muslim ruled Punjab in wake of Lahore
Resolution, the brilliant strategic stroke of Lord
Linlithgow.

6. Simultaneously the brilliant Britishers also
addressed Sikh concerns as they knew that it would
be very dangerous to annoy the Sikhs.
The Sikh grievances were completely redressed .
Thus assurances were given that Sikh interest
would not be sacrificed to appease the Muslims,
and Sardar Baldev Singh ( later defence minister)
was appointed a minister in the Unionist Party
Ministry.

7. The British removed the ban on enrolment of Sikhs
in (British) Indian Army and a Khalsa Defence of
India League was organised under the chairmanship
of the Maharaja of Patiala, to step up the resumed
Sikh recruitment.
Whenever I read political history of India I deeply
admire British political genius which many may also
call greater than Machiavelli !

8. Zaki Khan a relative of this scribe from British CID
stated in a discussion in 1977 that Pakistan
Resolution meeting was organized by British Deputy
Commissioner of Lahore.
Naturally in anywhere in India no one could even
pee without British permission , most of all Lahore.
On page 134 of Colonel Sardar Yahya Effendis book I
was struck by one of his too many false and
unsubstantiated assertions , that PAVO Cavalry was
left only with two so called martial races Punjabi
Muslims and Sikhs ! This was totally false claim !

9. Effendi was unable to cite any reference to support
this claim.
How could a unit fight second world war with two
squadrons ? As a matter of fact the third squadron
was immediately raised and consisted of Ranghars
classified as Hindustani Muslims.
In the same book Effendi had previously also made
another false claim that 1st
Punjab Cavalry in 1857
had very few Hindustanis whereas as per British
official history of 1st
Punjab Cavalry the opposite
was true.

10. Effendi also whitewashed the desertions of
Hindustanis in 1857 which were described in detail
by the British official history of 1st
Punjab Cavalry.
Interestingly the village where my great grandfather
was granted land by the British in 1898 in Lyallpur
had large number of Ranghars from Kalanaur and
Kahnaur in Rohtak since 1898-1905.
We all knew that a Ranghar Squadron was raised in
early 1940 and replaced B Squadron of Dogras of
PAVO Cavalry . Ranghars classified as Hindustani
Muslims were raising nucleus of PAVO Cavalry in

11. 1849.However in 1922 they were excluded from
PAVO Cavalry by the British like Pathans were
removed from Guides Cavalry.Thus Ranghars
classified as Hindustani Muslims were reintroduced
in PAVO Cavalry in 1941 and were very much there
all along till to date.
My father distinctly remembers Risaldar Shabbir
visiting New Delhi and staying at my grandfathers
house while my grandfather was assistant secretary
in ministry of defence. It was well known in the
family that all Ranghars in the village were from
giara number risalah or skinners horse. The village

12. had about two squadrons in cavalry starting from
Mahratta tenure in 1780-1790 , Kalanaur , Kahnaur
days. My maternal grandfathers ancestors were
raising nucleus of 1st
Punjab Cavalry from 5th
and 8th
Light Cavalry.
I was surprised how Effendi could write 11 Cavalry
history without even mentioning clearly the units
class composition and then making such nonsense
statements like the unit had only two squadrons !
For example Effendi did not know that the original
PAVO Cavalry that is 1st
Punjab Cavalry had no
Punjabi Muslims from raising till 1922.

13. In 1922 PAVO Cavalry got Punjabi Muslims when 3rd
Punjab Cavalry which had a Punjabi Muslim troop
was merged with 1st
Punjab Cavalry to form PAVO
Cavalry (11 FF). At this juncture Pathans and
Ranghars (Hindustanis) who were raising nucleus of
PAVO Cavalry were altogether removed from 11
Cavalry.
Most shocking was Effendis omission of armoured
cars of 7th
Light Cavalry which were captured by
PAVO Cavalry in December 1947.
To 11 Cavalrys good luck , this fact was admitted by
the more responsible and more meticulous Indian

14. Armoured Corps historian Maj Gen Gurcharan Singh
Sandhu in his history of Indian armoured corps.
How Colonel Yahya Effendi could make such
sweeping assertions is a mystery ?
The traces of this meeting reached Indian Army.
Sikhs became restless as Punjab was unofficially
promised to the Muslims and Sikhs felt that they
were the real rulers of Punjab.Thus Sikhs led

15. rebellion in 1940 whereas in 1857 they had been
super loyal to the British company !
Opposing Sikhs Punjabi Muslims and all Muslims in
general were super loyal to British as British had
literally albeit unofficially promised a separate
Muslim state in 1940 , by backing Lahore
Resolution.
Interestingly at this stage this scribes father in laws
uncle Mian Abdul Bashir in Lahore Resolution had
composed the famous poem “ Millat Ka Pasban Hai
Mohammad Ali Jinnah” !

16. Enters Colonel Yahya Effendis history of PAVO
Cavalry which is full of serious historic inaccuracies.