1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
Encyclopedia
Cavalry regiments of the British Army
There are currently nine regular cavalry regiments of the British Army, with two tank regiments provided by the Royal Tank Regiment, traditionally classed alongside the cavalry, for a total of eleven regiments. Of these, five serve as armoured regiments, and five as formation reconnaissance...
of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. Nicknamed The Welsh Cavalry, the regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
recruits from Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, and Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, and is the senior cavalry regiment, and therefore senior regiment, of the line of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. The regiment is part of the Royal Armoured Corps
Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps is currently a collection of ten regular regiments, mostly converted from old horse cavalry regiments, and four Yeomanry regiments of the Territorial Army...
.
Operational role
The regiment operates in the formation reconnaissance roleFormation reconnaissance regiment
The Formation Reconnaissance Regiment is one of two organisations currently provided by cavalry regiments of the British Army. Until recently, it was known as the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment....
and is equipped with vehicles from the CVR(T)
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
family. These include the Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
armoured reconnaissance vehicle; the Sultan
FV105 Sultan
FV105 Sultan is a British Army command and control vehicle based on the CVR platform. It has a higher roof than the APC variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. This contains a large vertical map board and desk along one side, with a bench seat for three people facing it...
command vehicle and Samaritan
FV104 Samaritan
The FV104 Samaritan is the British Army armoured ambulance variant of the CVR family. It has a capacity for up to 6 casualties.The Samaritan is one of the variants of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of armoured fighting vehicles developed by Alvis plc for the British military....
ambulance; the Spartan
FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan is a tracked armoured personnel carrier of the British Army. It was developed as the APC variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family. The vehicle can carry up to 7 personnel, including 3 crew members. Armed with a single machine gun, it is almost indistinguishable from the...
armoured personnel carrier and the Samson
FV106 Samson
FV106 Samson is a British Army armoured recovery vehicle, one of the CVR family. The main role of this vehicle is to recover the CVR family of vehicles, but can recover other light tracked vehicles such as the FV430 series.-Design and features:...
armoured recovery vehicle.
Current status
The regiment is currently serving in Germany, having recently returned from Afghanistan on Operation HerrickOperation Herrick
Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
, its fourth tour to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in 7 years. In 2003, C Squadron QDG was attached to 3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade
3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles, and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando...
, providing the reconnaissance and light armour support necessary to allow the brigade's advance north to Al Basrah. Members of C Squadron won a variety of operational awards for their efforts on Op Telic 1, most notably the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
es awarded to Lieutenant Simon Farebrother and Major Henry Sugden.
History
The current regiment was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of 1st King's Dragoon Guards1st King's Dragoon Guards
The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I...
(raised in 1685 as Lanier's or 2nd Queen's Regiment of Horse by James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
in reaction to the Monmouth Rebellion
Monmouth Rebellion
The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic, and some...
) and the Queen's Bays or 2nd Dragoon Guards (the former Peterborough's or 3rd Regiment of Horse, also raised in 1685 by James II in reaction to the Monmouth Rebellion). In 1896 Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and allowed the regiment to wear the Austrian imperial coat of arms
Coat of arms of Austria-Hungary
The coat of arms of Austria-Hungary was that country's symbol during its existence from 1867 to 1918.-National coat of arms:- Coat of arms of the two constituent countries :-Regional coat of arms:...
, which is still used as the regiment's cap badge
Cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
today. Also the regiment adopted an Austrian military march, Radetzky March
Radetzky March
Radetzky March, Op. 228, is a march composed by Johann Strauss Sr. in 1848. It was dedicated to the Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, and became quite a popular march among soldiers....
, as quick march. The regimental museum is located in Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff Castle is a medieval castle and Victorian architecture Gothic revival mansion, transformed from a Norman keep erected over a Roman fort in the Castle Quarter of Cardiff, the capital of Wales. The Castle is a Grade I Listed Building.-The Roman fort:...
.
Perhaps the best known member in recent years was Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Mark Phillips
Mark Phillips
-Ancestry:-Issue:-Sources:...
, one-time husband of the Princess Anne
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
.
The regiment celebrated their fiftieth anniversary on July 31, 2009 with a ceremony at Cardiff castle and a parade through the streets of Cardiff city both attended by their Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
. The regiment received a great response from the people of Cardiff.
Battle honours
- Combined battle honours of 1st King's Dragoon Guards1st King's Dragoon GuardsThe 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I...
, and Queen's Bays or 2nd Dragoon Guards, plus: - Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991; Al Basrah, Iraq 2003
Notable COs
- 1971-1973 Lieutenant Colonel Maurice JohnstonMaurice Robert JohnstonLieutenant-General Sir Maurice Robert Johnston KCB CVO OBE is the former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, 1981–1982, and Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 5 July 1996 to 10 November 2004.-Early life and army career:...
- 1997-1999 Lieutenant Colonel Simon MayallSimon MayallLieutenant General Simon Vincent Mayall, CB is currently Middle East Adviser at the Ministry of Defence.-Military career:Educated at Balliol College, Oxford, Mayall was commissioned into the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars in 1979. From 1985 to 1988 he was seconded to the Sultan of Oman's Land...
Alliances
Commonwealth - The Governor General's Horse GuardsThe Governor General's Horse Guards
The Governor General's Horse Guards is an armoured reconnaissance regiment in the Primary Reserve of the Canadian Army, part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. Based in Toronto, it is the most senior reserve regiment in Canada, and the only Household Cavalry regiment of...
- 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
The 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers is a current Australian Army Reserve Light Cavalry Regiment. The regiment is based at Lancer Barracks in Parramatta, New South Wales. The regiment has recently re-equipped with 4x4 Land Rover patrol vehicles as part of the conversion to a Light Cavalry ...
- 1 Special Service Battalion
1 Special Service Battalion
1 Special Service Battalion is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular forces...
- 11th Cavalry (Frontier Force)
11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry (Frontier Force)
The 11th Cavalry also known as PAVO Cavalry, is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. It was previously known as the 11th Prince Albert Victor's Own Cavalry and was a regular cavalry regiment of the old British Indian Army...
- 1st Reconnaissance Regiment
Sri Lanka Armoured Corps
The Sri Lanka Armoured Corps is currently a collection of six regular regiments and a volunteer regiment. It has an independent Armoured Brigade and provides the armour capability of the Sri Lankan Army, with vehicles such as the T-55, T-55AM2, and Type 69 main battle tanks, the BMP infantry...
- HMS Monmouth
HMS Monmouth (F235)
HMS Monmouth is the sixth Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the seventh ship to bear the name and was launched by Lady Eaton in 1991, being commissioned two years later....
Non-Commonwealth - 1er Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment is the only armoured cavalry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. It is one of two cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade....
Affiliated Yeomanry
- The Shropshire YeomanryShropshire YeomanryThe Shropshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1795, which served as a cavalry and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and as a cavalry and an artillery regiment in the Second World War, before being amalgamated with the Shropshire Royal Horse...
- The Cheshire YeomanryCheshire YeomanryThe Cheshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment that can trace its history back to 1797 when Sir John Fleming Leicester of Tabley raised a county regiment of light cavalry in response to the growing fears of invasion from Napoleonic France....
(The Earl of Chester's)
Order of precedence
External links and sources
- Official site
- Welsh Cavalry pushes in to Iraq, a BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
article on the Regiment's early participation in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq2003 invasion of IraqThe 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations... - The regiment's homepage
- British Army Locations from 1945 British Army Locations from 1945