The Queen's Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Queen's Regiment was an infantry
regiment
of the British Army
formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the Home Counties Division. In turn, the regiment became part of Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
in a further amalgamation in 1992.
on 31 December 1966 by the amalgamation of the four remaining regiments of the Home Counties Brigade
as a consequence of the Defence Review of 1957
.
The four regiments formed four battalions, retaining their previous names in the titles. These were:
In 1967 the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, a TAVR II (Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve) unit, was formed to be employed for use with NATO forces in West Germany
during tense times in the Cold War
. The following year, on 1 July, the battalions discarded their previous regimental identification when the subtitles were omitted.
In 1971 the 6th (Volunteer) and 7th (Volunteer) Battalions were formed with headquarters at Wandsworth
and Horsham
respectively. On 1 April 1975 these two battalions combined to form the 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment.
On 16 May 1988 the 8th (Volunteer) Battalion The Queen's Fusiliers (City of London) were formed as a composite battalion composed of the Queen's Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
. A & B Companies were badged as Queen's Regiment, C Company as RRF, and HQ Company was a mixture. Shoulder titles for all companies read Queen's Fusiliers. In 1992, the London Scottish
and London Irish Rifles
were removed from 1st Battalion, 51st Highland Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
and became companies of 8QF. In 1993 8QF was retitled the London Regiment
with the disbandment of the existing A (Middlesex) Company.
During its existence, the deployments of the regiment's battalions were primarily to Northern Ireland
(NI), especially during the more turbulent times of the 1970s and 1980s, attempting to keep the peace between the opposing Catholic
and Protestant factions, and taking part in anti-terrorist operations against the numerous paramilitary organisations: the regiment lost nine men during its many tours of NI; however, its battalions did deploy to many overseas postings during the regiment's existence, including many deployments to West Germany
as part of the British Army of the Rhine
(BAOR).
In 1970 the 1st Battalion joined the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin
, a small enclave in Communist-controlled East Germany, leaving in 1972. In October 1972 the 2nd Battalion arrived in Cyprus
as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
(UNIFICYP), a force intended to prevent conflict from breaking out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The battalion returned to the UK in May 1973. The 4th Battalion was disbanded that year, as with every other 'junior' battalion of the new large regiments. Also that year, the 3rd Battalion arrived in Gibraltar
where it remained with the garrison for almost two years. In 1977 the 2nd Battalion arrived in Gibraltar and the 3rd Battalion arrived in Belize
, then a British territory, as part of the garrison there to protect it from the perceived threat of war with Guatemala
, a neighbour of Belize, which was making claims that it believed Belize to be an integral part of Guatemala.
By 1975 the 1st Battalion had arrived in Werl
,Germany (replacing the 2nd Bn - who had moved from Werl back to Bulford Camp in UK) from where they did operational tours to Derry
in 1976 and West Belfast in 1978. The 2nd Bn had preceded them to Northern Ireland, first on a Spearhead deployment to South Armagh, following the Kingsmill (Bessbrook) Massacre in January 1975, and then to West Belfast, on an operational tour in Andersonstown in early 1977.
The 1st Battalion moved to Canterbury
(the regiment's home base) in 1980 http://www.britisharmedforces.org/i_regiments/queensroyal_surrey_index.htm. From there it undertook a six month tour of Belize before deploying in November 1982 to Omagh in Co Tyrone (the first infantry battalion in that station). It served there until January 1985 with south east Fermanagh as its primary focus. During this period all three battalions served in Ireland - 2 Queen's in Londonderry, also on a two year tour, and 3 Queen's in Belfast on a six month tour. A freedom parade was held in Belfast in 1984 at which all three battalions' Regimental Colours were paraded. In 1985 the battalion moved to Gibraltar for two years before returning to the UK (Tidworth) in 1987 where it was to remain until 1990. During this period it undertook two 6 month tours of Northern Ireland - South Armagh in 1987 and Belfast in 1989/90. In 1990 the battalion moved to Minden in Germany. Whilst there the decision to amalgamate with the Royal Hampshire Regiment was announced. During the subsequent disbandment parade the CO directed that the Colonel's Colour was to be publicly paraded in defiance of instructions that it was never to be shown outside the Officers' Mess (the only previous occasion was in 1928 in Hong Kong - an act that earned the displeasure of the War Office).
In late 1981 the 2nd Battalion deployed to Cyprus on a 6-month tour-of-duty with UN forces. In 1985 the 1st Battalion arrived in Gibraltar on a 2-year posting and the following year the 3rd Battalion was deployed to Belize on a 6-month tour-of-duty. In 1990 the 3rd Battalion arrived in Cyprus—its last deployment abroad—and returned to the UK in 1992. The 2nd Battalion's last deployment was to Northern Ireland in 1992 before heading to Canterbury
, England, while the 1st Battalion had returned to the UK after only a year in Germany. All three battalions were now in the UK, ready to be amalgamated with the Royal Hampshire Regiment
, as a consequence of the Options for Change
defence cuts, to form two battalions of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires). Today, the name of the Queen's Regiment is maintained by B (Queen's Regiment) Company, The London Regiment
(although this is cap badged as PWRR).
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
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...
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...
formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the Home Counties Division. In turn, the regiment became part of Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
"PWRR" redirects here. For the railroad with these reporting marks, see Portland and Western Railroad.The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment is the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division...
in a further amalgamation in 1992.
History
The regiment was formed as a 'large regiment'Large regiment
A large regiment is a multi-battalion infantry formation of the British Army. First formed in the 1960s, large regiments are the result of the amalgamation of three or more existing single-battalion regiments, and perpetuate the traditions of each of the predecessor units.-Origins:Following the...
on 31 December 1966 by the amalgamation of the four remaining regiments of the Home Counties Brigade
Home Counties Brigade
The Home Counties Brigade was an administrative formation of the British Army from 1948 to 1968. The Brigade administered the regular infantry battalions of the Home Counties of south east England....
as a consequence of the Defence Review of 1957
1957 Defence White Paper
The 1957 White Paper on Defence was a British white paper setting forth the perceived future of the British military. It had profound effects on all aspects of the defence industry but probably the most affected was the British aircraft industry...
.
The four regiments formed four battalions, retaining their previous names in the titles. These were:
- 1st Battalion (Queen's Surreys) -- formerly The Queen's Royal Surrey RegimentThe Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment-History:As a consequence of defence cuts in the late 1950s, the Queen's Royal Regiment and the East Surrey Regiment were amalgamated on 14 October 1959 to form the 1st Battalion, Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment....
(2nd, 31st & 70th Regiments of Foot). - 2nd Battalion (Queen's Own Buffs) -- formerly The Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent RegimentThe Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1961 to 1966. Its lineage is continued by the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment....
(3rd, 50th & 97th Regiments of Foot). - 3rd Battalion (Royal Sussex) -- formerly the Royal Sussex RegimentRoyal Sussex RegimentThe Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
(35th & 107th Regiments of Foot). - 4th Battalion (Middlesex) -- formerly the Middlesex RegimentMiddlesex RegimentThe Middlesex Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms when the 57th and 77th Regiments of Foot were amalgamated with the county's militia and rifle volunteer units.On 31 December 1966 The Middlesex Regiment was amalgamated with three...
(Duke of Cambridge's Own) (57th & 77th Regiments of Foot).
In 1967 the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion, a TAVR II (Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve) unit, was formed to be employed for use with NATO forces in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
during tense times in the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. The following year, on 1 July, the battalions discarded their previous regimental identification when the subtitles were omitted.
In 1971 the 6th (Volunteer) and 7th (Volunteer) Battalions were formed with headquarters at Wandsworth
Wandsworth
Wandsworth is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Toponymy:...
and Horsham
Horsham
Horsham is a market town with a population of 55,657 on the upper reaches of the River Arun in the centre of the Weald, West Sussex, in the historic County of Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester...
respectively. On 1 April 1975 these two battalions combined to form the 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment.
On 16 May 1988 the 8th (Volunteer) Battalion The Queen's Fusiliers (City of London) were formed as a composite battalion composed of the Queen's Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on April 23, 1968, as part of the reforms of the army that saw the creation of the first 'large infantry regiments', by the amalgamation of the four English fusilier...
. A & B Companies were badged as Queen's Regiment, C Company as RRF, and HQ Company was a mixture. Shoulder titles for all companies read Queen's Fusiliers. In 1992, the London Scottish
London Scottish (regiment)
The London Scottish is a unit of the British Army. Formerly a regiment, the unit is now a company of The London Regiment.-Founding of the regiment:...
and London Irish Rifles
London Irish Rifles
The London Irish Rifles is now known more formally known as "D Company, London Regiment" and is a volunteer Rifle Regiment with a distinguished history...
were removed from 1st Battalion, 51st Highland Regiment and 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
and became companies of 8QF. In 1993 8QF was retitled the London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
with the disbandment of the existing A (Middlesex) Company.
During its existence, the deployments of the regiment's battalions were primarily to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
(NI), especially during the more turbulent times of the 1970s and 1980s, attempting to keep the peace between the opposing Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Protestant factions, and taking part in anti-terrorist operations against the numerous paramilitary organisations: the regiment lost nine men during its many tours of NI; however, its battalions did deploy to many overseas postings during the regiment's existence, including many deployments to West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
as part of the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
(BAOR).
In 1970 the 1st Battalion joined the Berlin Brigade in West Berlin
West Berlin
West Berlin was a political exclave that existed between 1949 and 1990. It comprised the western regions of Berlin, which were bordered by East Berlin and parts of East Germany. West Berlin consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors, which had been established in 1945...
, a small enclave in Communist-controlled East Germany, leaving in 1972. In October 1972 the 2nd Battalion arrived in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was established in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots and to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions...
(UNIFICYP), a force intended to prevent conflict from breaking out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. The battalion returned to the UK in May 1973. The 4th Battalion was disbanded that year, as with every other 'junior' battalion of the new large regiments. Also that year, the 3rd Battalion arrived in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
where it remained with the garrison for almost two years. In 1977 the 2nd Battalion arrived in Gibraltar and the 3rd Battalion arrived in Belize
Belize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
, then a British territory, as part of the garrison there to protect it from the perceived threat of war with Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, a neighbour of Belize, which was making claims that it believed Belize to be an integral part of Guatemala.
By 1975 the 1st Battalion had arrived in Werl
Werl
Werl is a town located in the district of Soest in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Werl is easily accessible because it is located between the Sauerland, Münsterland, and the Ruhr Area...
,Germany (replacing the 2nd Bn - who had moved from Werl back to Bulford Camp in UK) from where they did operational tours to Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
in 1976 and West Belfast in 1978. The 2nd Bn had preceded them to Northern Ireland, first on a Spearhead deployment to South Armagh, following the Kingsmill (Bessbrook) Massacre in January 1975, and then to West Belfast, on an operational tour in Andersonstown in early 1977.
The 1st Battalion moved to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
(the regiment's home base) in 1980 http://www.britisharmedforces.org/i_regiments/queensroyal_surrey_index.htm. From there it undertook a six month tour of Belize before deploying in November 1982 to Omagh in Co Tyrone (the first infantry battalion in that station). It served there until January 1985 with south east Fermanagh as its primary focus. During this period all three battalions served in Ireland - 2 Queen's in Londonderry, also on a two year tour, and 3 Queen's in Belfast on a six month tour. A freedom parade was held in Belfast in 1984 at which all three battalions' Regimental Colours were paraded. In 1985 the battalion moved to Gibraltar for two years before returning to the UK (Tidworth) in 1987 where it was to remain until 1990. During this period it undertook two 6 month tours of Northern Ireland - South Armagh in 1987 and Belfast in 1989/90. In 1990 the battalion moved to Minden in Germany. Whilst there the decision to amalgamate with the Royal Hampshire Regiment was announced. During the subsequent disbandment parade the CO directed that the Colonel's Colour was to be publicly paraded in defiance of instructions that it was never to be shown outside the Officers' Mess (the only previous occasion was in 1928 in Hong Kong - an act that earned the displeasure of the War Office).
In late 1981 the 2nd Battalion deployed to Cyprus on a 6-month tour-of-duty with UN forces. In 1985 the 1st Battalion arrived in Gibraltar on a 2-year posting and the following year the 3rd Battalion was deployed to Belize on a 6-month tour-of-duty. In 1990 the 3rd Battalion arrived in Cyprus—its last deployment abroad—and returned to the UK in 1992. The 2nd Battalion's last deployment was to Northern Ireland in 1992 before heading to Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, England, while the 1st Battalion had returned to the UK after only a year in Germany. All three battalions were now in the UK, ready to be amalgamated with the Royal Hampshire Regiment
Royal Hampshire Regiment
The Royal Hampshire Regiment was a British Army line infantry regiment from 1881 to 1992. Its lineage is continued today by the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.-Formation and antecedents:...
, as a consequence of the Options for Change
Options for Change
Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
defence cuts, to form two battalions of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires). Today, the name of the Queen's Regiment is maintained by B (Queen's Regiment) Company, The London Regiment
London Regiment
The London Regiment is a Territorial Army regiment in the British Army. It was first formed in 1908 in order to regiment the various Volunteer Force battalions in the newly formed County of London, each battalion having a distinctive uniform. The Volunteer Force was merged with the Yeomanry in 1908...
(although this is cap badged as PWRR).
Other information
- Allied Colonel-in-Chiefs:
- HM Juliana, Queen of the NetherlandsJuliana of the NetherlandsJuliana was the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands between 1948 and 1980. She was the only child of Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Henry...
- HM Frederick IX, King of DenmarkFrederick IX of DenmarkFrederick IX was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death on 14 January 1972....
(replaced by HM Margrethe II, Queen of DenmarkMargrethe II of DenmarkMargrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
upon King Frederick's death in 1972) - Princess Marina, Duchess of KentPrincess Marina, Duchess of KentPrincess Marina, Duchess of Kent, née Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark was a member of the British Royal Family; the wife of Prince George, Duke of Kent, the fourth son of King George V of the United Kingdom and Mary of Teck....
- HM Juliana, Queen of the Netherlands
- Alliances:
- The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) -- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
(1966–1992) - The South Alberta Light HorseThe South Alberta Light HorseThe South Alberta Light Horse, or SALH, is an armoured reconnaissance unit of the Canadian Forces Army Reserve based in Medicine Hat and Edmonton, Alberta...
-- Canada (1966–1992) - The Queen's Own Rifles of CanadaThe Queen's Own Rifles of CanadaThe Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve...
(1966–1992) - The Hastings and Prince Edward RegimentThe Hastings and Prince Edward RegimentThe Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment is headquartered in Belleville, Ontario, with companies in Peterborough and Cobourg....
-- Canada (1966–1992) - 1st Battalion, The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (Carleton and York) -- Canada (1966–1992)
- The Essex and Kent ScottishThe Essex and Kent ScottishThe Essex and Kent Scottish is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.The regiment was formed in 1954 by the amalgamation of The Essex Scottish Regiment and The Kent Regiment....
-- Canada (1966–1992) - Royal New South Wales RegimentRoyal New South Wales RegimentThe Royal New South Wales Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the Australian Army based in the state of New South Wales. The regiment consists of four battalions:-Organisation:*1st/19th Battalion*2nd/17th Battalion*4th/3rd Battalion...
-- AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1967–1992) - The Royal Western Australia Regiment (1967–1992)
- University of New South Wales RegimentUniversity of New South Wales RegimentThe University of New South Wales Regiment is an officer training regiment of the Australian Army Reserve.-Unit history:The University of New South Wales Regiment was originally founded as the New South Wales University of Technology Regiment in 1952. Army Headquarters approval to form the unit...
-- Australia (1967–1992) - 2nd Battalion (Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
- 5th Battalion (Wellington West Coast and Taranaki), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
- 12th, 14th, 15th, and 17th Battalions, The Punjab RegimentPunjab Regiment (Pakistan)The Punjab Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Pakistan Army. The modern regiment was formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 1st Punjab Regiment, 14th Punjab Regiment, 15th Punjab Regiment and 16th Punjab Regiment...
-- PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan... - The Royal Sierra Leone Regiment, Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (1966-?)
- The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) -- (1966–1992)
- The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) -- Canada
External links
- 1st Battalion - The Queens Royal Surrey Regiment (PWRR Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment) - Timeline
- 2nd Battalion The Queens Regiment (now PWRR) Active Site
- 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment / 3rd Battalion The Queens Regiment
- Horsham Branch of The Queen's Regimental Association
- 6/7th Battalion The Queen's Regiment