The Army has recently taken a creditable step by renaming several roads in cantonments and military stations that were named after British military figures. These have now been named after Indian military personalities, including gallantry award winners.
This is a much-welcome step, although it comes a bit late. Several years ago, an initiative began in Ambala, but it was restricted to the Ambala Cantonment area. However, there is still much more for the Army to do to eliminate regimental associations with colonial figures that are still displayed with pride.
The name of 4th Horse, better known as Hodson’s Horse, is among the first that comes to mind. While many other regiments and battalions carry the names of their erstwhile British officers, who raised the units, in brackets-such as Skinner’s, Outram’s, Rattray’s etc, Hodson’s Horse carries the surname of Major William Stephen Rakes Hodson on its cap badge and also wears HH, denoting Hodson’s Horse-on shoulder epaulettes of uniform.
In his book A Soldier Recalls, in a chapter titled ‘Supersession’, Lt Gen S K Sinha, the then Vice Chief of Army Staff, recounts how he had taken up the issue with the Army Chief, Gen K V Krishna Rao, for the removal of the name Hodson from the regimental crest of 4th Horse. This was in the early 1980s, more than 40 years ago.
To quote verbatim from the passage in the book, “The last case I discussed with him that day was the regimental crest of 4 Horse. This unit was raised by Hodson, an officer with a tainted personal record who had murdered the two hapless Mughal princes of Delhi in 1857 in cold blood. After Independence the name of the unit changed from Hodson’s Horse to 4 Horse, and so had the shoulder titles worn in the regiment. But the word ‘Hodson’ continued to appear in the regimental crest.”
“I got Krishna’s approval to recommend a suitable change of crest. This had to be approved by the President. Although a decision to recommend this change was taken and duly recorded, mistaken loyalty for regimental traditions has managed to prevail and to this day the change has not been effected”.
Even more preposterous was the bust unveiling of Major Hodson, which took place in Lawrence School, Sanawar, a decade ago, by a Lt General who was then GOC 9 Corps. Ironically, the only other bust in the school is that of the young martyr of the 1971 war, 2/Lt Arun Khetarpal, Param Vir Chakra (posthumous), and the colonial officer, who had a prominent role in establishing the school in Sanawar, also got a place of pride.
What could be more dichotomous than having two busts which are absolutely at cross-purposes with each other? One of a national hero who laid down his life defending the country 40 years ago, and another of a colonial master who repressed the First War of Independence with as much force as he could.
Hodson should not be glorified
Hodson may indeed have played a role in establishing the school at Sanawar but what purpose does it serve to display his bust in the school? Does the school tell its students about the dubious role played by him while putting down the first Indian War of Independence in 1857, when he murdered the two sons of Bahadur Shah Zafar? Do they inform the students of the dubious nature of his character as stated by Lt Gen SK Sinha in his book? Why should he be glorified at all?
His association with the school, as with the regiment, should be a footnote in the history of both and need not be highlighted beyond that point. His association with both is a historical fact and must be acknowledged as such, but glorifying him is sickening.
It is nothing but a misplaced sense of regimental honour when the name of a murderer is not removed from the regimental crest and when the officers of the regiment go about establishing the bust of the same murderer in schools.
There is certainly no harm in perpetuating regimental traditions. Several cavalry and infantry regiments in the Army have participated in the active suppression of the 1857 War of Independence. But these are only spoken of in hushed whispers in this day and age, and they do not adorn the cap badge of every rank and file. The least that the armoured corps brass can do is to get this anomaly corrected, which Lt Gen Sinha tried to do even on a day when his dream of heading the Indian Army lay in ruins.
There is a lot that the Army has to do to get rid of its colonial legacy. Let it be a steady process. But as of now, let the 4th Horse get rid of Hodson’s ghost.
William Hodson (left ) and the regimental badge of the 4th Horse 
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