[1] The Rocket Troop Madras Horse Artillery was formed in 1805, at the request of the Madras Government and East India Company and it served in the Pindari and Mahratta Wars 1817–1819.

In 1840, the Troop was sent to China as part of an expeditionary force to fight in the First Opium War.

Then in 1841, it provided artillery support for a combined land and sea force assaulted the formidable line of forts guarding the mouth of the Xi River, which cleared the way for an attack on Canton (now known as Guangzhou).

For its contribution in the campaign, 'C' Troop was conferred the honorary title 'Dragon', and was given permission to include the Chinese dragon and the years '1840–1842' as part of its insignia.

The Troop then served in the second Burma War between 1853 and 1855, and after much renaming, it became 'P' Battery Royal Horse Artillery in 1889.