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Auction: 3016 - Orders, Medals, Decorations & Militaria
Lot: 500

The Historically Important Group of Seven to His Highness Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh, Commander of the Famous Sardar Rissala, the Jodhpur Lancers
India General Service 1895-1902, two clasps, Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Maharaj Dhiraj Lt. Col; Sir Prtap Singhji Jodhpore J.S. Lcrs.); China 1900 (H.H. Sir Partap Singh, Maharaja of Idar); 1914 Star (Hony. Maj. Gnr. H.H. Maharaja Sir Pratap Singh, Bahadur, G.C.S.I., G.C.V.O., K.C.B., A.D.C. Jodhpuri. S. Lancers.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Gen. H.H. Sir Pratap Singh of Jodhpur.); Jubilee 1887, gold; Coronation 1902, very fine or better (7)


His Highness Lieutenant General Maharaja Bahadur Sir Pratap Singh G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.V.O., A.D.C.


EARLY LIFE

Born 21.10.1845 in the fort at Jodphur, Sir Pratap Singh was the third son of Maharaja Sri Takhat Singh GCSI of Jodphur, originally Maharaja of Idar, who had succeeded to rule Jodphur due to the previous ruler¹s death without heir. Jodphur was the largest state in Rajputana, 37,000 square miles with a predominantly Hindu population of about one and a half million.
As a young boy, Sir Pratap developed a lifelong love of sport particularly riding (he had his first riding lesson at 17), shooting, and swimming. Before he even reached his teens, he accompanied his father on frequent game hunting excursions. Educated at home, he soon showed a facility for administration and an interest in official papers, so much so, says his biographer, that his father encouraged him by giving him charge of transacting small matters with the Resident, Colonel Shakespeare. Even by the standards of the times his childhood is recorded to have been one of strict discipline. It is said that in order to cure the child from feet that pointed outwards, his father insisted that his toes be tied together. Soon Sir Pratap was charged with assisting his eldest brother, Jaswant Singh, to administer a district of Jodphur, but he often found himself caught in the middle of the uneasy relationship that existed between father and eldest son. The young Pratap also spent time with Maharaja Ram Singh of Jaipur, his brother-in-law, who exerted great influence on his character.

Maharaja Sri Takhat Singh was very supportive of the Imperial Government and, during the Mutiny, he gave sanctuary to a number of European women and children who fled from the mutineers. Additionally he sent 500 Rajput troops to help the Commissioner of Ajmer in the defence of that city. Sir Pratap more than followed in his father¹s footsteps giving lifelong support and loyalty to the British.

Sir Pratap Singh had his first military experience in his father¹s lifetime during a rebellion fermented by rumours that the Maharaja of Jodphur was about to cede land to the British. State troops were mustered to quash the uprising and Sir Pratap was put in charge of this poorly disciplined and largely untrained 'Army'. The new Commander-in-Chief soon dealt effectively with the challenge. He improved morale by paying the troops who had received no remuneration for several months and introduced a standard uniform to make it possible to distinguish friend from foe. Symbolically he chose saffron for the uniform, indicating that a man would prefer to die rather than turn his back on the enemy. In face of this newly cohesive force the rebels surrendered.


AFFAIRS OF STATE
In 1873, the Maharaja of Jodphur died and was succeeded by his elder son Jaswant Singh. At the time Sir Pratap Singh was still assisting his brother-in-law¹s administration, but it was not long before his brother asked for assistance in administering the affairs of Jodphur. Sir Pratap agreed and was appointed Chief Minister in 1878. In this role he soon stamped his authority on matters of state, as well as dealing with some initial problems from civil disorder. He was at the forefront of introducing change to Jodphur. Land reform was high on his list of priorities because the state received little income from landholdings ­ many owners paid no revenue, some tracts of state land had been dispersed by previous Maharajas, and there was no proper system of revenue collection. A structured system of revenue collection was imposed and some land was transferred back into state ownership. The state¹s financial affairs were in private hands with many individuals taking profits, hence a state Treasury was established. Between 1882-1883 Chief Minister Pratap Singh was instrumental in creating a Customs Department in place of the previous system whereby duties were collected by individuals, all taking their cut. Similarly the collection of excise duties was also reorganized. Rights to salt from a large lake on the eastern borders of the state, had been granted by his father to the Imperial Government of India. These rights were now renegotiated on better terms. A railway system went into construction, a Municipal Committee was set up to deal with matters such as sanitation in the city of Jodphur, and in 1886 a Department of Education was created leading to the opening of more schools.

Moreover an more efficient postal system was introduced, judicial codes and procedures were standardized and reformed throughout the state, a State Council was introduced, a State Medical Department was formed which opened more hospitals and dispensaries, a Forestry Commission was set up and gradually water was provided to more areas.


CREATION OF THE JODPHUR LANCERS
Love of riding and his interest in matters military induced Sir Pratap Singh to establish a State Regular Cavalry and obtain the Maharajah¹s sanction to his appointment as Honorary Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry. Soon after the creation of this regular body of horse in the late 1880s, the Government of India requested a number of states, including Jodphur, to raise a contingent of either cavalry or infantry for Imperial Service. Jodhpur raised one Corps of Cavalry of 600-700 men (the nucleus of which was Pratap Singh¹s body of horse) to which the Maharaja gave 300 horses. Attempts to raise a Corps of Infantry failed therefore a second Corps of Cavalry was raised. Named after the heir apparent of Jodphur, the Sardar Rissala (also known as the Jodphur Lancers) was trained by Captain Stuart Beatson (later Sir Stuart). In 1889 the Jodphur Cavalry was inspected by General, later Lord, Sir Frederick Roberts, Commander-in-Chief India.


FIRST REGENCY OF JODPHUR
In 1895 Maharaja Jaswant Singh died. As his heir was just 18, Sir Pratap Singh was appointed Regent. During this, the first of his three Regencies, he spent some considerable time out of the state attending the Queen¹s Diamond Jubilee in London and then on active service on the Staff of the Mohmand and Tirah expeditions. However, it was not long before the young Maharaja was considered to be of an age to succeed and was invested in 1898, a little before Sir Pratap¹s own departure as part of the China expedition.


MAHARAJA OF IDAR
Soon after Sir Pratap¹s return from China, the Maharaja of Idar died without heir. There were several contenders to trule he state and, although he pushed his claim, Sir Pratap Singh was initially offered the Regency only (as the child of the dead Marahaja was about to be born), but this he declined. Events proved to be on his side, as the child, a boy, soon died and Sir Pratap was chosen as the next Maharaja on the strength of his family line and his suitability. He succeeded to the gadi of Idar in January 1903. Then began a series of reforms similar to those executed in Jodphur, although the territory was considerably smaller, being only 1700 square miles with a population of about one hundred and sixty thousand. He abdicated in favour of his son when he again became Regent of Jodphur in 1911, but was allowed to retain the title Maharaja Bahadur with a personal salute of 17 guns.


SECOND AND THIRD REGENCIES OF JODPHUR
On the death of the Maharaja of Jodhpur in 1911, Sir Pratap was once more appointed Regent, a position he held until 1914 when the minority ended. The new Maharaja did not live long and Sir Pratap was recalled from Palestine in 1918 to administer the state his third Regency and remained in that position until 1922 the year of his death.

MILITARY SERVICE IN INDIA

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Pratap Singh had briefly accompanied the 1880 expedition to Afghanistan which spurred on his determination to see active military service. In 1892 when a punitive expedition was being oraganised for despatch to the North West Frontier, he offered his services but had them refused. Hence he wrote to Roberts saying that if he was not allowed to take part in the fighting then the Honorary Lieutenant Colonelcy he held in the British Army was merely nominal and should be taken away and he should be allowed to resign from command of the Jodphur Lancers. Roberts replied that he would not be overlooked if an opportunity arose, subsequently with news of a Mohmand campaign Sir Pratap Singh again pushed his claim and that of the Jodphur Lancers. This time he was successful and proceeded to join the personal staff of General Elles, but arrived two days after the battle of Shabkadar which practically ended the fighting.

Back in Peshawar he was appointed ADC to General Lockhart, in command of the Tirah expedition. He marched with General Westmacott to join Lockhart. They frequently came under fire on the way and sustained several casualties. Lieutenant Colonel Sir Pratap Singh describes one such occasion:

'They had the advantage over us, first of being upon the hill while we were in the valley beneath; and, secondly, they were inhabitants of the place and familiar with every inch of the ground. From morning to noon a cannonade was kept up and exactly at noon orders was given for making a charge.

In this a Gurkha Regiment was in the forefront. They made a very good charge and, after advancing 220 yards, laid themselves down. They were followed by the Dorsetshire Regiment, who also made a charge and laid themselves down, after advancing a little beyond the Gurkhas. The last charge was that of the Highlanders who, advancing beyond the others, mounted up the hill. The Gurkha and Dorset regiments suffered considerable loss, for showers of shots fell on them direct from the front. The sight was a bewildering one. Several gave up their lives before my eyes. It was a pity that I was not one of the privates in the fight'.

Having joined up with Lockhart, Sir Pratap Singh accompanied the expedition as it pushed on beyond Maidan and encamped for the night. Shots were fired, one of which struck the Lieutenant Colonel in the right hand but he kept the wound a secret until it was accidently revealed when Lockhart¹s nephew tried to shake hands with him. Even Queen Victoria sent a message enquiring after the state of his health. General Lockhart, in his despatch for the Tirah Expedition Force 1.11.1897 to 26.1.1898, wrote:

'I take this opportunity of expressing my thanks to Lieutenant Colonel His Highness Maharaja Dhiraj Sir Pratap Singh GCSI who was attached to me throughout the expedition as Aide-de-Camp. This very gallant Rajput nobleman was wounded on November 29 and characteristically concealed the fact until I discovered it by accident some days after the occurrence'.

The Sirdar Rissala had little opportunity to fight and earn distinction but had created a favourable impression. Sir Pratap Singh was created Companion of the Order of the Bath and promoted full Colonel. He also received the India General Service Medal 1895 two clasps, Punjab Frontier and Tirah.


CHINA WAR

Sir Pratap briefly returned to Jodphur to attend the investiture of the Young Maharaja but was soon heading for China with the Jodphur Lancers to help quash the Boxer Rebellion. He embarked in SS Mohawk wearing a Cawnpore Tent Club hat in the front of which was the miniature of Queen Victoria which had been presented by the sovereign herself. He said it was a Rajput superstition to wear something belonging to a wife or a mother (in this case the mother of the Empire). His Regiment encamped at the end of the Great Wall with two regiments of Cossacks. In their first action the Jodphur Lancers charged the Boxers when, as a demonstration of their loyalty to their Commander, the Regiment initially used only the blunt ends of their lances until they were sure he had drawn the first blood. Of warfare Sir Pratap Singh wrote: 'Religiously for the Rajput, war is an open door to heaven'.


THE GREAT WAR

The door to Sir Pratap¹s military ambitions opened wider with the onset of war in August 1914 when he is reputed to have ridden out on horseback waving a message and yelling in his imperfect English: 'I am going knocking over one German, dying for my King Emperor'. Soon the Jodphur Lancers with Sir Pratap were heading for Suez and the defence of the Canal, but he refused to set foot there as there were no Germans! He got his way and before long they landed at Marseilles and by November 1914 they were in the trenches before Festubert. On 21 December, 200 of the Lancers took part in a dismounted attack by the Secunderabad Brigade and suffered three killed and eight wounded. They were at Cambrai in November 1917 when General Byng launched his attack spearheaded by tanks. The cavalry was brought forward but further action was prevented by the obstacle of the canal.

Sir Pratap and his Regiment remained in France until early 1918. During his stay, he had access to the highest in the command including Haig. When Lord Roberts died in the field of pneumonia, Sir Pratap Singh accompanied the body back to England.

He was promoted Honorary Lieutenant General 3.6.1916. In 1916 he also received the title Knight of St John of Jerusalem and before he left France Sir Pratap received the Legion of Honour.

The Lancers spent most of their stay in France digging trenches and drilling. They left for Egypt at the beginning of 1918 and arrived in March, closely followed by Sir Pratap and his Staff in April. This same year Sir Pratap Singh received the Egyptian Order of the Nile. Immediately the Lancers joined to the Imperial Service Cavalry Brigade and in early July moved into the Jordan valley. Despite difficult conditions Sir Pratap insisted on moving forward to be with his Regiment. On July 13-14 they moved into line at the southern extremity of the valley which included several crucial bridgeheads and were soon to be attacked by the Turks which was repulsed by a dashing charge of two squadrons of Lancers. Major Dalpat Singh won the Military Cross when he galloped at a machine gun, killed all the gunners, captured the gun and the Turkish commander. Unfortunately Sir Pratap arrived a day too late to see his beloved Lancers in action.

The Regiment continued as part of Allenby¹s advance on Palestine together with Sir Pratap, now 74, who stayed in the saddle for 30 hours because dismounting and remounting was too painful for his legs; he had also become ill with fever.

The Lancers went on to cover themselves with glory at Haifa, capturing the strongly fortified and defended town at a gallop, killing many Turks with their lancers and taking 700 prisoners. Sir Pratap¹s own son won a Military Cross on this occasion. Sadly Sir Pratap did not see this glorious moment in the history of his regiment Since he had once more been recalled to take over the Regency of Jodphur.


ROYAL CONNECTIONS

During his lifetime, Sir Pratap was a great Anglophile which recommended him to both the monarchy and more generally to the British administration in India. Even Lord Curzon, who did not always get along well with Sir Pratap, made him Honorary Commandant of the Imperial Cadet Corps for whom Sir Pratap devised its white uniform with sky blue and gold facings. He became a favourite with three monarchs and was present on a number of royal occasions.

On the occasion of the visit to India of the Prince of Wales in 1875, he and his brother, the Maharaja of Jodphur, went to Calcutta for the reception. Sir Pratap was also charged with organizing a shooting party for the Prince in Jaipur, which was judged a great success when the royal visitor shot a tiger. Sir Pratap was created K.C.S.I., 1.1.1886. In 1887 he paid his first visit to England when he was deputed by the Viceroy to go as the bearer of congratulations from Jodphur to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her Jubilee. He left his own account of his meeting with the Queen:

'Four or five days after arrival, the august Queen-Empress Victoria was pleased to send for me. Reaching her I made my salute in the Indian fashion, placing my sword on the ground, then advancing closer I kissed her gracious hand extended to me in English style and immediately raised it to my eyes. All the English officers present were astonished as to the eccentricity of this salutation, and after the reception was over interrogated me about it. I explained to them that, according to Indian ideas, it was thought ill to salute one's master with arms on, and so I had placed my sword on the ground. Further, that after kissing Her Majesty¹s hand, I raised it to my eyes because there is nothing dearer to a man than his eyes. This explanation seemed to satisfy everyone'.

On this same stay in England he also proved a master of improvisation when the visiting Indian princes were called upon to present formal gifts
(nazar) to the Queen. Mistakenly Sir Pratap had arrived empty handed, but his quick thinking saved the day when he presented her with the diamond decoration from his turban.

On the occasion of this visit Sir Pratap was gazetted Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, put on the Queen's staff and also appointed Aide de Camp to the Prince of Wales.

Sir Pratap was also in London for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee when he was created G.C.S.I., 22.6.1897, an honour he received from the hands of Queen Victoria, and also received a Diamond Jubilee Bar to his Jubilee Medal 1887. The same year, Cambridge University bestowed on him the Degree of Honorary LL.D. He went on to be created K.C.B, 29.11.1900 for services in China.

His next visit to London was to attend the Coronation of Edward VII in 1902 when Sir Pratap Singh rode ahead of the royal carriage together with the Maharajas of Gwalior and Cooch Behar and was invested by the King with his K.C.B. and was promoted Major General, 9.9.1902 and appointed Honorary Aide-de-Camp to the King, 11.1.1902.

In 1905 the new Prince of Wales (the future George V) visited India and Sir Pratap Singh was appointed Chief of the Indian Staff to HRH and in 1911 he once more attended the coronation of a British sovereign, that of George V. He was created G.C.V.O., 12.12 .1911 and invested with the Insignia on the occasion of the Coronation Delhi Durbar. He also received an Honorary DCL. degree from Oxford in the same year. A year later was appointed Honorary Colonel 34th Prince Albert Victor¹s Own Poona Horse, 19.11.1912 and was Honorary promoted Lieutenant General, 3.6.1916. Towards the end of the Great War Sir Pratap received his final honour, the G.C.B., 1.1.1918. Just before Sir Pratap¹s death in 1922 he welcomed the Prince of Wales on a visit to Jodphur.

Although only briefly a ruling prince as Maharaja of Idar, for many years Sir Pratap was given the honours of a head of state.


LOVE OF POLO

With his love of horses and riding, Sir Pratap soon developed a passion for polo. At the end of the 1880s he started playing with the then Major Beatson and together they won many matches playing for the Jodphur state team. At the end of the First War the leading teams in India were those of Jodhpur and Patiala. The landmark event of Indian Polo was the clash between these two teams in 1922 attended by the Prince of Wales, the Viceroy and some 50 Maharajas and Princes. Sir H. Perry Robinson, writing in The Times left an account of the match. Three minutes before the end of the match the teams were drawn and everyone was shouting themselves hoarse:

'Only one figure it seems sat motionless. In front of the stands sat Sir Pratap Singh, regent of Jodphur and grand polo player. All India knows that the Jodphur team is the very apple of his eye, his darling and his pride, and that he had coaxed and nursed it for this fight. Through all this game he sat immovable, not a muscle or an eyelid moving. Not even in the last demonica [sic] minute when Jodphur scored its sixth goal and won. He was a figure carved out of wood. Then as the horn sounded, people from all sides broke, cheering and tumultuous, the Prince among the first. And as the old man stood up. Tears poured down his cheeks'.


LAST DAYS

Sir Pratap lived through rapidly changing times. In his early teens, he lived through the Mutiny, later he became part of the early reforming era in India, and finally he died in the complex aftermath of the First World War. Although a lover of England and things English, he never became truly fluent in the language which he spoke in a very idiosyncratic fashion. At the same time he was a staunch defender and lover of Indian customs and manners. It is said that he chastised one of his own sons who, educated in England, greeted his father in English rather than Indian fashion.

When taken ill in 1920 he prepared for death by dressing in his finest uniform, and sitting upright in a chair, sword in hand. Despite these preparations he was two years too early for he was not to die until 9.9.1922 after being taken ill in the night. He left instructions for a simple cremation on the hillside close to the parade ground in Jodhpur.

Soon after his death a Committee was formed to collect funds to perpetuate the memory of one of the most picturesque and striking figures in the modern history of India¹. A total of 96,655 rupees was collected and allocated among four projects: 76,000 rupees to endow three annual scholarships of £100 for Indian Cadets at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; 17,000 for prizes to cadets at the Prince of Wales¹s Royal Indian Military College, Dehra Dun; a portrait by Mr J.P. Gangooly, Calcutta and hung in Dehrun Dun Military College; and a final sum towards the production of a biography.


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