London to Gwalior, defence to history

By the time you read this, British Chief of Defence Staff General Michael Walker and wife Lady Victoria will already be on the old Agra road...

By the time you read this, British Chief of Defence Staff General Michael Walker and wife Lady Victoria will already be on the old Agra road, headed for Gwalior to keep a lunch appointment with Sikander Saab’s regiment.

It all began a few weeks ago when the Ministry of Defence, as it prepared to welcome the General, received a personal request from the British High Commission: ‘‘Could the General and his wife,’’ the mission asked, ‘‘pay a quick visit to Gwalior to be with the Skinner’s Horse regiment?’’

Army headquarters moved to do the needful and re-discovered a little known story of the British Raj, played out in the plains of Central India more than 100 years ago.

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Lady Victoria’s grandfather, it transpired from regimental records, was G T Vander Gutch, a dashing young Second Lieutenant, who stepped off a steam ship from England in the summer of 1898 to join the British Indian Army’s legendary cavalry regiment, the Skinner’s Horse. Between 1898 and 1920, Gutch served the regiment, proving his worth as a rider by playing polo — records say he helped win several tournaments — fought the Great War and the Empire’s Third Afghan War. Commanding the Sikh squadron in 1914, he also led them, together with Captain Coaker’s Jat squadron ‘‘marching from Loralai to Kila Saifulla,’’ into battle against the hardy Afghans and did a ‘‘commendable job, resulting in the complete rout of the hostile tribes in the area.’’ As regimental history unravelled, the Army was in for another surprise. Serving in the regiment was fourth-generation officer, Major Sandeep Singh Ahlawat, whose great grandfather had served with Lady Victoria’s grandfather in European battlefields in the Great War.

Ahlawat’s father Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Shamsher Singh Ahlawat, who has dug the family records, says his grandfather Risaldar-Major and Honorary Lt Sheochand probably served with Gutch in Europe and Persia. Lady Victoria’s visit comes at a time when the old boys of the regiment — both in Indian and the UK — get together in November this year to celebrate the 200th year of Skinner’s Horse which derives its name from the legendary Colonel James Skinner, the son of a Scot and a Rajput princess.

At 80, Skinner’s great granddaughter Lilian Singh, who lives at Sikander House in Mussoorie, is curious on this unexpected addition to the family: ‘‘How is she (Lady Victoria) related? I am sure her maiden name will ring a bell.’’ Years ago, Lilian helped research Skinner’s biography, Sikander Saab. Her brother Michael was the last of the Skinner’s to serve the regiment, commanding it between 1960-63.

Drawn from the 1st and 3rd Skinner’s Horse, the regiment survived in independent India’s army as the 3rd Armoured Regiment and performed with distinction in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan.