Moodkee
The Battle of Moodkee was fought on 18 December 1845, between the forces of the East India Company and part of the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The British army won an untidy encounter battle, suffering heavy casualties.
The Honour is borne on the Guidon of the 3rd Hussars.
Detail
The 3rd played a momentous role in this the first battle of the Sikh Wars, earning the nicknames “Moodkee Wallahs” and “The Devil’s Children” from the Sikhs.
Early in the day on the 18th the British “Army of the Sutlej” advanced on Moodkee and finding that Lal Singh had withdrawn they made camp, only to be alerted to an imminent Sikh attack a few hours later.
The 3rd was ordered to attack the enemy’s left flank and were loudly cheered as they set off on their charge. They turned the left flank and then swept along the whole rear of the Sikh lines, cutting down infantry and artillery and causing great confusion.
On the return journey, they found themselves facing a body of 3000 cavalry and, it charging it, put them all to fight.
The Regiment lost 60 killed and 35 wounded, but could only rest for three days before being put into battle again, charging the Sikh guns at Ferozeshah.
