Ressaidar was a Viceroy's commissioned officer's (VCO) rank in the British Indian Army. Ressaidar denoted a junior commander of a risala or risalah (a body of horse,[1] regardless if troop or regiment[2]) in Persian.
This native Officer's rank existed in Cavalry only, there was never a corresponding position in the other arms. A Ressaidar was a junior troop commander, so he could be regarded as native junior 'Captain'.[3] He was usually the head of the second troop of a squadron, while the first troop was led by a Risaldar, who was a native senior 'Captain'.[4]
During the British Raj, a Ressaidar ranked above Jemadar or Naib-Risaldar (rank abolished in 1865[5]) and below Risaldar (with the latter he was sometimes confused with, even by authors of military literature). A Ressaidar was roughly equivalent to a 'Captain, 2nd Class' or 'Captain lieutenant', but in World War I, he was classified as native 'Lieutenant'.[6] Nevertheless, all VCO's were always outranked by the lowest british Officer with a full commission.
The rank of Ressaidar was abolished with effect from 1st April 1921. Indian Officers then holding that rank were to be promoted to Risaldar.[7][8]
References
edit- ^ Francis Joseph Steingass (1892). A Comprehensive Persian-English Dictionary, Including the Arabic words and phrases to be met with in literature (5th [1963] ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 575. Retrieved 2022-07-06. Apparently there is a 2015 edition from Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers, New Delhi, ISBN 81-7304-669-7
- ^ Carman, W.(William) Y. (1961). Indian Army Uniforms Under the British from the 18th Century to 1947: cavalry. London: Leonard Hill. p. 226.
- ^ Carman, W.(William) Y. (1961). Indian Army Uniforms Under the British from the 18th Century to 1947: cavalry. London: Leonard Hill. p. 225.
- ^ Cardew, Lt. Francis Gordon (1903). A Sketch of the Services of the Bengal Native Army to the Year 1895. Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government, India. p. 161.
- ^ Cardew, Lt. Francis Gordon (1903). A Sketch of the Services of the Bengal Native Army to the Year 1895. Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government, India. pp. 165, 333.
- ^ Plumon, Eugène (1914). Vade-mecum for the Use of Officers and Interpreters in the Present Campaign: French and English Technical and Military Terms. London: Librairie Hachette & Cie. p. 10.
- ^ Kate Morris (2006), Illustrated Dictionary of History, New Delhi: Lotus press, p.173, ISBN 81-89093-37-1
- ^ Journal of the United Service Institution of India, by the United Service Institution, Volume 50-51, New Delhi 1921, p. 365
 | This United Kingdom military article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article on a military rank or appointment is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |