A Forgotten Hero: James Skinner - The Father of Modern Indian Cavalry

James Skinner was an absolute legend.
 
He overcame the stuffy racial attitudes of the time to form and lead his own regiment in the East India Company army.
 
In fact he is still considered by many to be the father of the Indian cavalry.
 
The regiment he raised still exists in the modern Indian army…stay tuned till the end to find out more about their operational history up until the present day.

[virago]

I'm an Indian Army (Armoured Corps) veteran.
It was a pleasant surprise to see your channel and commentry about Skinners Horse. Wish you had contacted the regiment, would have gladly shown you the memorabilia in their officers mess.
Excellent 👍👍
Jai Maa Bharti 😊👍🙏🇮🇳

[rajr]

Ex-Indian Army veteran here. Great story. You could have added a short segment on the present day Skinner's Horse regiment, with the CO and his Sowars (troops), but I suppose navigating through the notorious Indian bureaucracy, for the required permission to visit that fine cavalry regiment, would have taxed your sanity and sapped your strength more than any torrid summer in the 'heat and dust' of India!

[greatkaafir]

Indian's Had This Cavalry System ( Horses + Elephant + Camel + Foot Soldier's ) Way Before Britain's Existence, British Just Took It From Each States .. "✌️

[richardlee]

I believe that you might find that being Indian or of mixed British and Indian ancestry was less of a disadvantage up to the early 19th Century than it was from the middle of the 19th Century on. You might also find that Indian culture was more respected by the British and other Europeans up to the early 19th Century than it was later.

[martinhogg]

Great video, Chris! Very informative, what a character Skinner was! thank you for bringing him to light.

[jcsdavidson]

Great video, thank you. I'm Skinner's Great-great-great granddaughter, so it's lovely that other people view him as a hero! One family story is that he always had a wooden spoon set for him at meal times, even with all the most expensive silver cutlery. To remind himself of his humble beginnings. Mike Skinner showed it to me at the family home in Hansi a few years before he died.

[anonymouslyopinionated]

Having lived for a few years, on land that used to be Skinner's estate in Dehradun, this makes me happy.

[FranciscoPreira]

Skinner was indeed an enormous character bigger than life, it would be a great movie his life. Great video mate, thanks for sharing, and on top of it we heard you speak Hindi, best regards.

[pushpendranegi]

Thanks, it's a very informational Video for great men like James Skinner, My father served in Skinner Horse for 24 yrs and retired in 2002 and I was part of the bicentenary celebration at Gwalior in 2003 .

[SnEaKyGiTau]

How cool, last night I was trying to figure out where a lieutenant-colonel Joseph Wakefield of the 39th regiment might be buried in India in 1840 (died of fever along with his wife) Kamptee cemetery Nagpur

[satyasidhu]

That was a great video. My father served in Skinner's Horse from 1971 to 1992. I was born in Skinner's and also consider myself a Skinner's Horse.
Sometime in early 90s I was part of the first train that tools Skinner's from Patiala to Meerut. Today after 30 some years Skinner's is back in Patiala.

[kaycey]

Roaming in delhi suburbs in seering heat of indian summer, man you are half skinner

[PK-sejh]

Ancient Indians had massive cavalry unite since Gupta Empire 3 Centutry BC while Maryans empire 322 BCE had quite a lot of chariots. Kushan Empire, Western Satraps, Cavalry was used heavily against Huns who invaded in 5th century.

[SuperAvantgard]

Really appreciate your efforts and time in making this video. Thank You

[ThyCorylus]

Your breadth of subject matter is fantastic sir. I love these character pieces on relatively unknown (In Britain atleast) soldiers and their fascinating lives.

[ric]

Great to hear you're doing some episodes about some of the mercenary Europeans who were around India at the time. Perhaps also a look at the East India's European regiments?

[RkR]

De Boigne I Believe from Savoy in South FRANCE was another Remakarble Commander in the Gwalior Scindia Army. Pohlmann was another Soldier probably From GERMANY. All these characters Contribute to Make INDIAN HISTORY SO COLORFUL.AND EXCITING

[paulsmith]

I've read that, as well as the Christian Church you showed, Skinner built places of worship for both the Muslims and the Hindus who served in his regiment.

[pauljermyn]

This story would make a brilliant movie, we really should have an Indian regiment in the British army now

[adamedwards]

Have you covered the Indian 4th Division in WW2? I've always thought they were somewhat overshadowed by 7th Armoured. I recall reading Compton McKenzie's (he of Whisky Galore fame) regimental history as a kid. Come to think of it, a lot of the Commonwealth units of the 8th Army get a bit of a short straw.