2nd Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) The 2nd Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) was a cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army raised in 1809 . It served in the Nepal and First World War s . During the reconstruction of the British Indian Army in 1922 it was amalgamated with the 4th Cavalry . Early history . The regiment was raised in 1809 by William Linnæus Gardner who had previously served with the 74th Highlanders ; it first saw service in the Nepal War of 1815 . It is the most decorated regiment of the Indian Army . Like all regiments of the Indian Army , the 2nd Lancers ( Gardner ’ s Horse ) underwent many name changes in various reorganisations . ( They are listed below ) : World War I . The regiment was sent to France in World War I as part of the Mhow Cavalry Brigade , 2nd Indian Cavalry Division . It was brigaded with the 6th ( Inniskilling ) Dragoons and the 38th King George ' s Own Central India Horse Once in France its personnel were called upon to serve in the trenches as infantry . The high number of officer casualties suffered early on had an effect on performance . British officers who understood the language , customs and psychology of their men could not be quickly replaced , and the alien environment of the Western Front had some effect on the soldiers . During their time on the Western Front the regiment was involved in the Battle of the Somme , Battle of Bazentin , Battle of Flers – Courcelette , the Advance to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Cambrai . In February 1918 they left France for Egypt , joining the Egyptian Expeditionary Force , 10th Cavalry Brigade , 4th Cavalry Division in the Desert Mounted Corps . From May 1918 the Regiment took part in General Edmund Allenby ' s Palestine section of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign . After taking part in the Occupation of the Jordan Valley , on 20 September 1918 when infantry and cavalry divisions in three corps , enveloped two Ottoman armies in the Judean Hills during the Battle of Megiddo , the 2nd Lancers , commanded by Captain , temporary Major and Acting Lt . Colonel , Douglas Davison launched an improvised cavalry charge which broke the Ottoman line defending the Jezreel Valley . Capt . D . S . Davison was awarded the DSO for his part in this battle . On the same day , the 4th Cavalry Division captured the towns of Afulah and Beisan , along with around 100 German personnel , aircraft , trucks and railway stock . The regiment was also involved in Lieutenant General Henry Chauvel ' s pursuit to Damascus along the Pilgrims Road via Deraa . The Regiment returned to India in December 1920 . Victoria Cross . The Regiments ' only Victoria Cross was awarded during World War I to Gobind Singh ( 7 December 1887 - 9 December 1942 ) a Lance - Daffadar ( corporal ) in the 27th Light Cavalry attached to the 2nd Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) . On 12 December 1917 , east of Peizieres , Singh volunteered three times to carry messages between the regiment and brigade headquarters , a distance of 1 . 5 miles ( 2 . 4 km ) over open ground which was under heavy fire . He succeeded in delivering the messages , although on each occasion his horse was shot from under him and he was compelled to finish the journey on foot . Albert Medal . The Albert Medal is awarded for " daring and heroic actions performed by mariners and others in danger of perishing , by reason of wrecks and other perils of the sea " . It was awarded on 15 March 1919 to Trooper Mangal Sain , 2nd Indian Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) at Beirut , Lebanon . Whilst guarding a party of Turkish POWs who were being allowed to swim , he saved a prisoner and a British soldier from drowning . Amalgamation . In late 1920 the 4th Cavalry were sent to Palestine on occupation duties , not returning to India until January 1922 . At Bombay in April 1922 they amalgamated with the 2nd Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) to form the 2nd / 4th Cavalry . However this title was short - lived and the new unit was retitled 2nd Lancers ( Gardner ' s Horse ) by July 1922 . World War II . The regiment served in the Western Desert Campaign during World War II as part of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade , 7th Armoured Division . It was brigaded with the 18th King Edward ' s Own Cavalry and the 11th Prince Albert Victor ' s Own Cavalry ( Frontier Force ) . It also supplied men for the Indian Long Range Squadron . In 1942 the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade , during the Battle of Gazala , formed the southernmost point of the Gazala Line near Bir Hacheim . On 27 May 1942 , Italy ’ s Ariete Armoured Division overran the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade . After this action the shattered remains the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade were reformed at Buq Buq but after a short while were formed into two strong columns , Shercol & Billicol , with the 2nd Royal Lancers supplying some men and equipment to the columns , the remainder of the men assigned to protect the rear Brigade H . Q . and the " B " echlons . Neither lasted long . In the early hours of 24 June 1942 Shercol was smashed after running into an Italian harbour in the dark . However the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade part of the desert war was over . On 30 June the Brigade was ordered to hand over 50 % its vehicles to the 8th Army . The brigade was dispersed in July , the regiment moving to Haifa in Palestine , however it was reformed in August . It travelled overland to Sahneh in Persia via Baghdad , coming under the command of 31st Indian Armoured Division where it remained until late November , when they moved to Shaibah , seven miles 7 miles ( 11 km ) from Basra . From here the Regiment returned to India in January 1943 . After a three - month stay at Ferozepore , the Regiment moved to Risalpur , where it was converted to an Armoured Car Regiment , in the Training Brigade . In October the regiment marched to Quetta . In May 1944 the regiment moved again to Allahabad , then Lucknow after a short stay then back to the frontier in October to Kohat , relieving the 16th Light Cavalry . They were still at Kohat when the war ended .