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India: Native soldier in the uniform of Skinner's Horse, Delhi, c.1815.

India: Native soldier in the uniform of Skinner's Horse, Delhi, c.1815.

Native soldier in the uniform of Skinner's Horse, Delhi, c.1815. East India Company painting commissioned by the brothers James and William Fraser in around 1815. The irregular cavalry regiment known as Skinner’s Horse was headed by James Skinner, with Fraser as his second in command. The regiment was raised in 1803 as Skinner’s Horse by James Skinner (Sikander Sahib) as an irregular cavalry regiment in the service of the East India Company. There were two regiments of Indian Cavalry raised by Colonel James Skinner in 1803. They became the 1st Bengal Lancers and the 3rd Skinner's Horse. On the reduction of the Indian Army in 1922, they were amalgamated and became Skinner's Horse (1st Duke of York's Own Cavalry). The old 1st Lancers wore yellow uniforms (unique in the world) and the old 3rd wore blue. Each regiment had the full-dress (mounted) long 'Kurta' worn with a turban and cummerbund, also a full-dress (dismounted) or levee, dress.

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