Light Dragoons

Last updated

The Light Dragoons
Light Dragoons Cap Badge.svg
Cap badge of the Light Dragoons
Active1 December 1992–
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
BranchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
TypeLine cavalry
Role Light Cavalry
Size Regiment
403 personnel [1]
Part of Royal Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQRHQ – Newcastle upon Tyne
Regiment – Catterick Garrison
Nickname(s)"England's Northern Cavalry"
Motto(s)Viret in aeternum (It Flourishes Forever)
Merebimur (We shall be Worthy)
MarchQuick – Balaklava
Slow – Denmark
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief The King of Jordan
Colonel of
the Regiment
Brig Angus Watson
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash Light Dragoons TRF.svg
Arm BadgeNCOs – Royal Crest
From 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars
ORs – South Africa flash
From 13th/18th Royal Hussars
AbbreviationLD

The Light Dragoons (LD) is a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment has a light cavalry role and specialises in mounted and dismounted reconnaissance. The Light Dragoons recruit mainly in Northern England, from County Durham, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, South Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire. For this reason, the regiment is known as "England's Northern Cavalry". [2] It is currently based in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

Contents

Background

The term 'Light Dragoons' has a much earlier history. The British Army experimented with light cavalry in the 1740s, prompted by the French creation of hussar regiments. However, it was not until the 1750s that the British converted some dragoon regiments into light cavalry, these regiments being officially designated 'Light Dragoons'. All British light cavalry regiments (numbered 7th and upwards) were titled Light Dragoons until 1806–1807, when four were re-classified as 'Hussars'. From 1816 more Light Dragoon regiments were reclassified as lancers or hussars, a tendency that continued [3] until the 13th Light Dragoons became the 13th Hussars in 1861. [4]

History

Early history

The regiment was formed in 1992 at Haig Barracks in Hohne from the amalgamation of two regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars. All of the antecedent regiments had been regiments of "light dragoons" during the 18th and 19th centuries, including the Napoleonic Wars. [5]

B Squadron (The Guards) was the first squadron of the newly formed regiment to undertake a tour of duty; sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 1993 on peacekeeping duties. They were followed by C Squadron (The Legion) in November 1993 and later by A and D squadrons in 1994. In total the regiment performed 13 operational tours of Bosnia, leading them to be described in 2001 by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Sir Charles Guthrie as "the best regiment in the army at present: consistently the best officered, best recruited and all round most effective". [6] For all of those initial tours the Light Dragoons deployed on Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked). [7]

In July 2003, The Light Dragoons sent units to Iraq on Operation Telic 2, followed by Operation Telic 6 in May 2005. [8] Here the Regiment assisted with post-conflict stabilisation, training the police force, and fighting in the counter-insurgency operations. [9]

In October 2006, elements of the regiment were deployed on a tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 5 with 3 Commando Brigade. This was followed by Operation Herrick 6 in April 2007 with 12 Mechanised Brigade. [10] The regiment deployed as a battle group on Operation Herrick 10 in April 2009 and took part in Operation Panther's Claw in the summer of 2009. [8] The regiment's last deployment to Afghanistan was on Operation Herrick 16 in April 2012. [10] Here it provided the Brigade Reconnaissance Force, Formation Reconnaissance and mentoring teams for local forces. [9] [11]

In 2014, soldiers from The Light Dragoons deployed to Bosnia on Operation Althea; providing a mobile reconnaissance capability for the EU forces ahead of the Bosnian elections. [12]

Deployments since 2015

In 2015, the Light Dragoons subordinated to 4th Infantry Brigade and moved to a new home at Gaza Barracks in Catterick Garrison. [10]

In March 2017, A Squadron (The Empire) deployed to Poland on Op Cabrit as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence. They were followed by B Squadron (The Guards) in October 2017 and C Squadron (The Legion) in April 2020. [13] [14] [15]

The Light Dragoons deployed a platoon to Afghanistan in 2018 on Op Toral. [16]

In December 2020, The Light Dragoons deployed to Mali on Operation Newcombe, as part of the UK's contribution to the UN's peacekeeping force. Here they formed the Long Range Reconnaissance Group, conducting patrols of up to 1500 km in length, in order to provide intelligence to the UN forces. [17] [18] [19]

Light Dragoons on patrol in Mali Light Dragoons on patrol in Mali.jpg
Light Dragoons on patrol in Mali

Operational Role

The Light Dragoon's primary role is Formation Reconnaissance; a varied job that primarily involves operating ahead of the main fighting force, often in enemy or unknown territory in order to find key information on the local area and any enemy within it. With this information the Light Dragoons are expected to inform the main fighting force behind them, strike opportune targets or interact with the local population to build relations, gather more intelligence and aid local planning and development. [20]

The regiment is now equipped with Jackal armoured fighting vehicles. The Light Dragoons is paired with the Queen's Own Yeomanry, an Army Reserve light cavalry regiment. [21]

The Light Dragoons divides into the following structure: [22]

Regimental museum

The Newcastle Discovery Museum includes the regimental museum of the Light Dragoons and the Northumberland Hussars. [23]

Colonels-in-chief

Colonels-in-Chief have been:

Regimental colonels

Colonels of the Regiment have been: [28]

Commanding officers

Commanding Officers have included: [31]

Lineage

1881 Childers Reforms 1922 Amalgamations1990 Options for Change - today
13th Hussars 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) Light Dragoons
18th (Queen Mary's Own) Hussars
15th (The King's) Hussars 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars

Alliances

Affiliated yeomanry

Order of precedence

Preceded by British Army order of precedence Succeeded by

Notes

  1. "Army – Question for Ministry of Defence". p. 1. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. "Hundreds gather in Barnsley to welcome the Light Dragoons". army.mod.uk. 14 November 2012. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  3. Haythornthwaite, P.J. (1989) Wellington's Military Machine, Spellmount, Staplehurst, Kent, pp. 18-20
  4. "13th Hussars". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 5 March 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  5. "Hussars" (PDF). Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  6. Mallison, Allan (2006). The Light Dragoons (2006 ed.). Pen and Sword. p. 321. ISBN   9781473815971 . Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  7. "British units deployed to Bosnia". Britain's small wars. Archived from the original on 20 April 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  8. 1 2 "Light Dragoons". British Empire. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  9. 1 2 "History". www.lightdragoons.org.uk. Light Dragoons Association. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 "Light Dragoons". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  11. "Brigade Reconnaissance Force". www.eliteukforces.info. Elite UK Forces. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  12. "Light Dragoons deploy to Bosnia ahead of autumn elections". GOV.UK. GOV. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  13. "Op CABRIT ~ Light Dragoons Exercise In Poland". Joint Forces News. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  14. "Historic First for Light Dragoons". www.army.mod.uk. MOD. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  15. "History". www.lightdragoons.org.uk. Light Dragoons Association. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  16. "Light Dragoons". www.army.mod.uk. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  17. Brown, Larisa. "Islamists melt into Mali desert as British troops advance". www.thetimes.com. The Times. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  18. "The world's 'most dangerous peacekeeping mission'". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  19. "300 British troops deploy to Mali on UN Peacekeeping Mission". GOV.UK. UK GOV. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  20. LD History. "Light Dragoons". www.army.mod.uk. British Army. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  21. LD History. "Queen's Own Yeomanry". www.army.mod.uk. MOD. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  22. Mallinson, Allan (11 June 2012). Light Dragoons: The Making of a Regiment. Pen and Sword. ISBN   9781473815971 . Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  23. "Charge! The story of England's Northern Cavalry". Light Dragoons. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  24. "History". Light Dragoons Regimental Association. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  25. "HRH The Princess Margaret". British Empire. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  26. "No. 57032". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 August 2003. p. 10318.
  27. "New Royal Colonels appointed". British Monarchy. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  28. "The Light Dragoons". regiments.org. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 27 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  29. "No. 52563". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1991. p. 5.
  30. "Court Circular: Monday 17 January, 2022" via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  31. Regiments and Commanding Officers, 1960–.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dragoon</span> Type of mounted soldiers

Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat with swords and firearms from horseback. While their use goes back to the late 16th century, dragoon regiments were established in most European armies during the 17th and early 18th centuries; they provided greater mobility than regular infantry but were far less expensive than cavalry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Armoured Corps</span> Armour arm of the British Army

The Royal Armoured Corps is the armoured arm of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Warrior tracked armoured vehicle. It includes most of the Army's armoured regiments, both the Royal Tank Regiment and those converted from old horse cavalry regiments. Today it comprises twelve regiments, eight regular and four reserve. Although the Household Cavalry Regiment provide an armoured regiment, they are not part of the RAC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">11th Hussars</span> Cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1715 to 1969

The 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army established in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second World War but then amalgamated with the 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales' Own) to form the Royal Hussars in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Scots Dragoon Guards</span> Cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army. The regiment is based at Waterloo Lines, Leuchars Station, as part of 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, a light adaptable force brigade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Yeomanry</span> British Army reserve regiment

The Royal Yeomanry (RY) is the senior reserve cavalry regiment of the British Army. Equipped with Supacat Jackal variants, their role is to conduct mounted and dismounted formation reconnaissance. The Regimental Headquarters is located in Leicester, with squadrons in Fulham, Nottingham, Dudley, Croydon, Telford, and Leicester. The regiment is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is only reserve cavalry regiment to resubordinate into regular brigade as part of the Future Soldier Programme, which in turn arose from the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy published in March 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Own Hussars</span> Military unit

The Queen's Own Hussars (QOH), was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed from the amalgamation of the 3rd The King's Own Hussars and the 7th Queen's Own Hussars at Candahar Barracks, Tidworth in 1958. The regiment served in Aden and Northern Ireland and as part of the British Army of the Rhine. The regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars to form the Queen's Royal Hussars on 1 September 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Royal Hussars</span> Military unit

The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) (QRH) is a British armoured regiment. It was formed on 1 September 1993 from the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Hussars and the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. The regiment and its antecedents have been awarded 172 Battle Honours and eight Victoria Crosses. The regiment was based in Sennelager, Germany, until 2019 when it was relocated to Tidworth Camp, England. It is the armoured regiment for 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards</span> Regiment of the British Army

1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards (QDG) is a regiment in the Royal Armoured Corps of the British Army. Nicknamed The Welsh Cavalry, the regiment recruits from Wales and the bordering English counties of Cheshire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, and is the senior cavalry regiment, and therefore senior regiment of the line of the British Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th/12th Royal Lancers</span> British Army cavalry regiment

The 9th/12th Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1960 by the amalgamation of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers. In the later years of its existence, the regiment served as a formation reconnaissance regiment, equipped with the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) family of vehicles and was attached to the 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats. The regiment was based in South Wigston, Leicestershire, along with its affiliated Territorial Army unit, B Squadron, The Royal Yeomanry. It was amalgamated with the Queen's Royal Lancers on 2 May 2015 to form the Royal Lancers

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Dragoon Guards</span> Military unit

The Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Based in Battlesbury Barracks, Wiltshire, the regiment currently serves as the armoured cavalry reconnaissance unit of 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team. Previously equipped with the Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle, it started converting to the Warrior tracked armoured vehicle in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Royal Hussars</span> British Army armored unit

The King's Royal Hussars (KRH) is a Royal Armoured Corps regiment of the British Army formed in 1992. Based at Tidworth it serves as the armoured regiment of the 12th Armoured Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). Under Army 2020 Refine, it is intended to exchange its Challenger 2 tanks for Ajax vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars</span> Military unit

The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars in 1922 and, after service in the Second World War, it was amalgamated with the 13th/18th Royal Hussars to form the Light Dragoons in 1992.

The Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR) is an Armoured Cavalry regiment of the British Army based in Bulford Camp in Wiltshire. It is the brother regiment of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) based at Hyde Park Barracks in London - both regiments together form the Household Cavalry (HCav). The Household Cavalry Regiment was formed in 1992, under the Options for Change reforms, by the union of The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals in order to preserve the distinct identities of the regiments. A precedent for the Household Cavalry Regiment has previously been set by the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment - active during the Anglo-Egyptian War, the Second Boer War and latterly during both the First and Second World Wars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">13th/18th Royal Hussars</span> Military unit

The 13th/18th Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 13th Hussars and the 18th Royal Hussars in 1922 and, after service in the Second World War, it amalgamated with the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars to form the Light Dragoons in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">10th Royal Hussars</span> British Army cavalry regiment

The 10th Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army raised in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the First World War and Second World War but then amalgamated with the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert's Own) to form the Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) in October 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Royal Lancers</span> British Army cavalry regiment

The 12th Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army first formed in 1715. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, but was slated for reduction in the 1957 Defence White Paper, and was amalgamated with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers to form the 9th/12th Royal Lancers in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Queen's Own Hussars</span> Cavalry regiment in the British Army

The 7th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first formed in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, including the First World War and the Second World War. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, but following the 1957 Defence White Paper, it was amalgamated with the 3rd The King's Own Hussars, forming the Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.

This is the Operation Herrick ground order of battle, which lists any British ground forces that have taken part in the duration of Operation Herrick between 2002 and 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armoured reconnaissance</span> Terrestrial reconnaissance using tanks and armoured reconnaissance vehicles

Armoured reconnaissance is the combination of terrestrial reconnaissance with armoured warfare by soldiers using tanks and wheeled or tracked armoured reconnaissance vehicles. While the mission of reconnaissance is to gather intelligence about the enemy with the use of reconnaissance vehicles, armoured reconnaissance adds the ability to fight for information, and to have an effect on and to shape the enemy through the performance of traditional armoured tasks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Lancers</span> Cavalry regiment of the British Army

The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths' Own) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed by an amalgamation of 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) and the Queen's Royal Lancers on 2 May 2015. It serves in the 1st Deep Recce Strike Brigade Combat Team. The Royal Lancers are part of the 3rd (UK) Division.

References