Westminster Dragoons
Encyclopedia
The Westminster Dragoons (WDs) are central London’s only Territorial Army cavalry unit. One of the Royal Yeomanry
's five squadrons, their current role is to support the Formation Reconnaissance Regiments and the Joint Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Regiment on operations by providing skilled CBRN
reconnaissance soldiers.
Formed in the aftermath of Second Boer War
as part of the County of London Yeomanry
, the WDs fought in the Battle of Gallipoli
and led British forces onto the beaches during the Normandy Invasion in 1944. The squadron most recently saw action on Operation Telic
, when was it was mobilised for the 2003 war in Iraq and again in 2006 for peace support operations there. Since 2007, soldiers and officers of the squadron have deployed as individual reinforcements on Operation Herrick
in Afghanistan.
The Westminster Dragoons use Fuchs
and FV 103 Spartan armoured reconnaissance vehicles along with other high mobility transportation and specialist CBRN detection equipment.
, to meet the need identified during the Second Boer War
for a body of trained mounted infantry (see dragoon
).
The unit was from the start a smart regiment filled with wealthy gentlemen from the City and the West End. Its first officers were posted to the WDs from the 1st Royal Dragoons
, one of the forerunners of the Blues and Royals
; one of the first troop leaders was a Maharajah. They brought with them the Royals' then-current capbadge, which was later adopted by Colonel
s and Brigadier
s, which is why, until a common Royal Yeomanry capbadge was adopted in 2006, young WD officers often found themselves amused at being saluted by officers of higher rank. The WD stable belt (worn in barracks) bears the Royal racing colours - the imperial hues of purple, gold and scarlet.
Even at this time the WDs were at the forefront of using new equipment, being the second unit in the British army to be equipped with mobile wireless.
broke out while the WDs were on annual camp and they were immediately mobilised.
Their first taste of action was in the Battle of Gallipoli
, where they fought dismounted, taking heavy casualties in the August 1915 amphibious landing at Suvla Bay (see Battle of Suvla Bay) and in the Battle of Scimitar Hill
. They were transferred to Egypt and then to Palestine where they served in the campaign against the Turks. The WDs were involved in fierce fighting, both mounted and dismounted.
As they were the first formed body of troops to enter Jerusalem, they bear the liberation of that city as a battle honour. See General Allenby's account of the fall of Jerusalem and Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
.
In 1917 the WDs were re-roled as machine gunners and served on the western front until the Armistice. See a timeline of the WDs' actions in World War I.
It was at this time, as well, that the Regiment formed its link with the Royal Tank Regiment
, becoming the only other unit in the British Army to wear the black beret to this day. The two units worked closely together in the interwar years as new armoured tactics were developed, a relationship which continues in the 21st Century in the nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance role.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War
in 1939, the Westminster Dragoons became an Officer Cadet Training Unit, with over 90 per cent of pre-war WDs gaining their commissions and transferring into units throughout the British Army before the Regiment reverted to an armoured role in 1940. Among them was Captain Philip John Gardner VC MC
, who transferred to the Royal Tank Regiment
and went on to win the Victoria Cross
for saving the life of a badly wounded officer of the King's Dragoon Guards whose armoured car was out of action and under heavy fire.
The Germans planted over four million mines along the French coast to hinder the Allied landings in 1944. To break through these defences at the start of the Normandy Invasion, the British produced a number of novel armoured fighting vehicles under the ingenious direction of Major General
Percy Hobart
, including the Sherman Crab. The Crab bore a rotating drum with dozens of chains attached; these detonated mines in its path to produce a beaten passage through the thickest of minefields. The WDs were trained in this vital task, as part of 79th Armoured Division, led by Hobart. They were the first unit ashore on D-Day on Gold Beach
in the British sector, clearing paths off the beach and using their tank guns to destroy defences holding up the assault. They went on to fight across northwest Europe and into Germany.
During the Cold War the WDs' role evolved. At first, the Regiment was equipped with tanks, later with armoured cars and tracked reconnaissance vehicles. As the threat facing the United Kingdom altered, the WDs underwent a number of changes, including being temporarily amalgamated with the Berkshire Yeomanry
and being reduced from regiment to squadron size to become HQ Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry
.
In 1995 the Royal Yeomanry became the first NBC (Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence) unit in the British Army. In 1998 this role was taken over by a combined Army and RAF unit, the Joint NBC Regiment (Jt NBC Regt).
However, the WDs (now renamed W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadron) and their counterparts in A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry retained their NBC role and continued to train closely with the Joint NBC Regiment, including supporting them on exercise in Kuwait
in 2001.
in 1956. Together, these mobilised elements became a much-enlarged squadron of the Jt NBC Regiment. WDs found themselves serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade, 7 Armoured Brigade (the Desert Rats) and 3 Commando Brigade
as NBC specialists, before switching roles to infantry “peace support” operations once Saddam Hussein’s regime had collapsed.
On Armistice Day 2005, the Royal Yeomanry received the first battle honour awarded to the Territorial Army since the Second World War as a consequence "of all that the Regiment and soldiers achieved in fighting in Iraq in 2003." (Major General S J L Roberts OBE)
Six WDs were mobilised for the eighth roulement of Operation Telic (OP TELIC 9) in November 2006.
s. In addition to their existing link with the Jt NBC Regiment (renamed the Joint CBRN Regiment in 2005), the WDs acquired formal affiliation with the Light Dragoons and the Household Cavalry
. To reflect the expanded role and variety of potential taskings, the established size of each squadron of the Royal Yeomanry was increased to 90 soldiers and officers.
, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The items are currently in storage while the building is being refurbished, and the museum is expected to reopen in 2011.
Royal Yeomanry
The Royal Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army consisting of five squadrons and a military band:*A Squadron *B Squadron...
's five squadrons, their current role is to support the Formation Reconnaissance Regiments and the Joint Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Regiment on operations by providing skilled CBRN
CBRN
CBRN is an initialism for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear. It is used to refer to situations in which any of these four hazards have presented themselves. The term CBRN is a replacement for the cold war term NBC , which had replaced the term ABC that was used in the fifties...
reconnaissance soldiers.
Formed in the aftermath of Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
as part of the County of London Yeomanry
County of London Yeomanry
Several British Army regiments have born the title County of London Yeomanry . Most have been mounted, then armoured regiments.-1st County of London Yeomanry:...
, the WDs fought in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
and led British forces onto the beaches during the Normandy Invasion in 1944. The squadron most recently saw action on Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
, when was it was mobilised for the 2003 war in Iraq and again in 2006 for peace support operations there. Since 2007, soldiers and officers of the squadron have deployed as individual reinforcements on Operation Herrick
Operation 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...
in Afghanistan.
Current Role
Following the lessons learned from the Iraq conflict in 2003, the Westminster Dragoons’ role is expanding with an increased emphasis on the light CBRN reconnaissance role using a range of cutting-edge detection equipment. In particular, it is planned that the WDs will follow the move made by the Joint CBRN Regiment towards working with the air assault infantry and the commandos.The Westminster Dragoons use Fuchs
Fuchs (APC)
TPz Fuchs is an armoured personnel carrier developed by Daimler-Benz and built by Thyssen-Henschel in 1979. It was the second wheeled armoured vehicle to be fielded in the Bundeswehr...
and FV 103 Spartan armoured reconnaissance vehicles along with other high mobility transportation and specialist CBRN detection equipment.
Formation
The Westminster Dragoons were formed in 1901 as the 2nd County of London Imperial YeomanryImperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
, to meet the need identified during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
for a body of trained mounted infantry (see dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
).
The unit was from the start a smart regiment filled with wealthy gentlemen from the City and the West End. Its first officers were posted to the WDs from the 1st Royal Dragoons
Royal Dragoons
The Royal Dragoons was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1661, and served until 1969, when it was amalgamated with the Royal Horse Guards to form The Blues and Royals....
, one of the forerunners of the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
; one of the first troop leaders was a Maharajah. They brought with them the Royals' then-current capbadge, which was later adopted by Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
s and Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
s, which is why, until a common Royal Yeomanry capbadge was adopted in 2006, young WD officers often found themselves amused at being saluted by officers of higher rank. The WD stable belt (worn in barracks) bears the Royal racing colours - the imperial hues of purple, gold and scarlet.
Even at this time the WDs were at the forefront of using new equipment, being the second unit in the British army to be equipped with mobile wireless.
First World War
The First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out while the WDs were on annual camp and they were immediately mobilised.
Their first taste of action was in the Battle of Gallipoli
Battle of Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign or the Battle of Gallipoli, took place at the peninsula of Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire between 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916, during the First World War...
, where they fought dismounted, taking heavy casualties in the August 1915 amphibious landing at Suvla Bay (see Battle of Suvla Bay) and in the Battle of Scimitar Hill
Battle of Scimitar Hill
The Battle of Scimitar Hill was the last offensive mounted by the British at Suvla during the Battle of Gallipoli in World War I. It was also the largest single-day attack ever mounted by the Allies at Gallipoli, involving three divisions...
. They were transferred to Egypt and then to Palestine where they served in the campaign against the Turks. The WDs were involved in fierce fighting, both mounted and dismounted.
As they were the first formed body of troops to enter Jerusalem, they bear the liberation of that city as a battle honour. See General Allenby's account of the fall of Jerusalem and Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
Battle of Jerusalem (1917)
The Battle of Jerusalem developed from 17 November with fighting continuing until 30 December 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign of World War I...
.
In 1917 the WDs were re-roled as machine gunners and served on the western front until the Armistice. See a timeline of the WDs' actions in World War I.
1920s-1930s
After the first world war the WDs once again embraced new technology, making the decision to become an armoured car unit at a time when many yeomanry units were determined to remain mounted.It was at this time, as well, that the Regiment formed its link with the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
, becoming the only other unit in the British Army to wear the black beret to this day. The two units worked closely together in the interwar years as new armoured tactics were developed, a relationship which continues in the 21st Century in the nuclear, biological and chemical reconnaissance role.
Just before the outbreak of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1939, the Westminster Dragoons became an Officer Cadet Training Unit, with over 90 per cent of pre-war WDs gaining their commissions and transferring into units throughout the British Army before the Regiment reverted to an armoured role in 1940. Among them was Captain Philip John Gardner VC MC
Philip John Gardner
Philip John Gardner VC MC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
, who transferred to the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
and went on to win the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
for saving the life of a badly wounded officer of the King's Dragoon Guards whose armoured car was out of action and under heavy fire.
Second World War
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Percy Hobart
Percy Hobart
Major-General Sir Percy Cleghorn Stanley Hobart KBE CB DSO MC , also known as "Hobo", was a British military engineer, noted for his command of the 79th Armoured Division during World War II...
, including the Sherman Crab. The Crab bore a rotating drum with dozens of chains attached; these detonated mines in its path to produce a beaten passage through the thickest of minefields. The WDs were trained in this vital task, as part of 79th Armoured Division, led by Hobart. They were the first unit ashore on D-Day on Gold Beach
Gold Beach
Gold Beach was the code name of one of the D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
in the British sector, clearing paths off the beach and using their tank guns to destroy defences holding up the assault. They went on to fight across northwest Europe and into Germany.
The Cold War
Berkshire Yeomanry
94 Signal Squadron forms part of 39 Signal Regiment. They are currently based in three locations in the Home Counties...
and being reduced from regiment to squadron size to become HQ Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry
Royal Yeomanry
The Royal Yeomanry is an armoured regiment of the Territorial Army consisting of five squadrons and a military band:*A Squadron *B Squadron...
.
In 1995 the Royal Yeomanry became the first NBC (Nuclear Biological and Chemical Defence) unit in the British Army. In 1998 this role was taken over by a combined Army and RAF unit, the Joint NBC Regiment (Jt NBC Regt).
However, the WDs (now renamed W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadron) and their counterparts in A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry retained their NBC role and continued to train closely with the Joint NBC Regiment, including supporting them on exercise in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
in 2001.
Operation Telic - Iraq 2003
In January 2003, the WDs and A (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry) Squadron were mobilised (along with a handful of augmentees from the Royal Yeomanry's three other squadrons and from the Royal Logistic Corps) for the impending war in Iraq, the first call-out of a formed unit of the Territorial Army (TA soldiers under TA command) for combat operations since the Suez CrisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956. Together, these mobilised elements became a much-enlarged squadron of the Jt NBC Regiment. WDs found themselves serving with 16 Air Assault Brigade, 7 Armoured Brigade (the Desert Rats) and 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...
as NBC specialists, before switching roles to infantry “peace support” operations once Saddam Hussein’s regime had collapsed.
On Armistice Day 2005, the Royal Yeomanry received the first battle honour awarded to the Territorial Army since the Second World War as a consequence "of all that the Regiment and soldiers achieved in fighting in Iraq in 2003." (Major General S J L Roberts OBE)
Six WDs were mobilised for the eighth roulement of Operation Telic (OP TELIC 9) in November 2006.
Operation Herrick - Afghanistan
Two members of the WDs were mobilised in July 2007 for service on Op Herrick 7 with C Squadron of the Household Cavalry Regiment. They returned from a successful tour of duty in May 2008. A further three WDs deployed on Op Herrick 8, two with the Queen's Royal Lancers and one (as infantry) with A Company of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Three went with the Queen's Dragoon Guards on Op Herrick 9.Future Army Structures 2006
As a consequence of the FAS review, all five squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry adopted the formation CBRN reconnaissance role: providing CBRN detection capability to the British Army's formation reconnaissance regimentFormation 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....
s. In addition to their existing link with the Jt NBC Regiment (renamed the Joint CBRN Regiment in 2005), the WDs acquired formal affiliation with the Light Dragoons and the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry
The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country’s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state.Canada's Governor General's...
. To reflect the expanded role and variety of potential taskings, the established size of each squadron of the Royal Yeomanry was increased to 90 soldiers and officers.
Westminster Dragoons Museum
The regiment's museum is located at 87 Fulham High Street, FulhamFulham
Fulham is an area of southwest London in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, SW6 located south west of Charing Cross. It lies on the left bank of the Thames, between Putney and Chelsea. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
The items are currently in storage while the building is being refurbished, and the museum is expected to reopen in 2011.
External links
- W (Westminster Dragoons) Squadron Royal Yeomanry official website
- The Westminster Dragoons' unofficial website
- A Westminster Dragoon's diary of Operation Telic
- From the Thames to the Tigris - the Westminster Dragoons in Iraq