as the 252nd Indian Armoured Brigade. The brigade was under 31st Indian Armoured Division and served in the Middle East in Iraq and Palestine. It received the M3 Stuart light tanks in November 1942. Major General FW Messervy of the regiment was awarded a Companion of the Order of the Bath, a Distinguished Service Order and a mention, while Major MR Smeeton was awarded a Military Cross. Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 In the 1965 war, Hodson's Horse was equipped with the Centurion tanks. It was part of the divisional reserve of the 1st Armoured Division, tasked for the massive attack at the Phillora sector against the Pakistani 6th Armoured Division. From Rurki Kalan, two regiments (4 Horse and 17 Horse) were to open out and encircle Phillora by a pincer movement from both flanks, while 16th Light Cavalry was to provide flank protection from the right. 43rd Lorried Brigade was tasked to capture Phillora. This armada of tanks destroyed the maximum number of enemy tanks (most of which were newly acquired and technologically superior Patton tanks) and recoilless guns. The Commandant, Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) MMS Bakshi's tank got detached from the main body of the regiment owing to moving through the tall sugarcane crops. Reaching a stretch of open ground, he spotted four Pakistan's army Patton tanks. Immediately, he gave out fire orders for engaging them. Three of the Pattons were hit by his gunner one after another and it was only then that the fourth Patton had homed on to his tank. Both tanks fired simultaneously at each other and both were hit. With his tank catching fire, he ordered the crew to bail out. With him apart from the gunner and driver of the tank was his regimental signal cum intelligence officer, Lieutenant (later Brigadier) Ravi Malhotra, who was performing the duties of the radio operator-cum–loader. Having bailed out, they came under small arms fire from the Pakistani crew of the four destroyed Pattons, who had all bailed out too. Bakshi then fired back at them with his revolver and ordered his crew to get into the sugarcane crop, through which they moved on foot and after some time they were fortunate to be picked up by a squadron of the Poona Horse and eventually joined up with their own regiment. The regiment won the following gallantry awards – Maha Vir Chakra : Lieutenant Colonel MMS Bakshi,