The British Army in the Middle East 1942 E10994

C Squadron 14th-20th Kings Hussars ,West Berlin 1989 - panoramio

The 14th/20th King's Hussars was a

cavalry regiment Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating a ...

of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

. It was created by the amalgamation of the

14th King's Hussars The 14th King's Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1715. It saw service for two centuries, including the First World War, before being amalgamated with the 20th Hussars to form the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 19 ...

and the

20th Hussars The 20th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. After service in the First World War it was amalgamated with the 14th King's Hussars to form became the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1922. History Early wars The regiment was originally ...

in 1922 and, after service in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, it amalgamated with the Royal Hussars to become the

King's Royal Hussars 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 e ...

in 1992.

History

The

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...

, which was initially styled the 14th/20th Hussars, was created by the amalgamation of the

and the

in 1922. It was re-titled the 14th/20th King's Hussars in December 1936. The regiment, which was based in

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

at the start of the

, dispatched a cadre of personnel to form the 26th Hussars in February 1941. The remainder of the regiment was deployed to

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

and

Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...

later that year to guard the oil fields. It landed in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

in 1944 and then took part in the capture of

Medicina Medicina ( Bolognese: ; Eastern Bolognese: ) is an Italian ''comune'' with c. 16,000 inhabitants in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, part of the region of Emilia-Romagna. Name The origins of its name (which in Italian means "medicine") are qui ...

in April 1945. After the war the regiment remained in Germany until 1946 when it moved to Cambrai Lines at

Catterick Garrison Catterick Garrison is a major garrison and military town south of Richmond, North Yorkshire, England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world, with a population of around 13,000 in 2017 and covering over 2,400 acres (about 10 ...

as RAC Training Regiment. It moved to Haig Lines in

Church Crookham Church Crookham is a large suburban village and civil parish, contiguous with the town of Fleet, in northeast Hampshire, England. It is west-southwest of London. Formerly a separate village, it figures as a southern suburb of Fleet. Histor ...

in January 1951 and then deployed to

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

in November 1952. The regiment joined 20th Armoured Brigade and moved to Portsmouth Barracks in

Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following t ...

in March 1956 and then transferred to 11th Infantry Brigade and re-located to Haig Barracks in Hohne in November 1960. The regiment deployed to Wavell Barracks in

Benghazi Benghazi () , ; it, Bengasi; tr, Bingazi; ber, Bernîk, script=Latn; also: ''Bengasi'', ''Benghasi'', ''Banghāzī'', ''Binghāzī'', ''Bengazi''; grc, Βερενίκη ('' Berenice'') and ''Hesperides''., group=note (''lit. Son of he Ghaz ...

in 1962 from where it sent units to

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...

in December 1963 and again in May 1965. It returned home in January 1966 but joined 6th Infantry Brigade and moved to Barker Barracks in

Paderborn Paderborn (; Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader and ''Born'', an old German term for t ...

in December 1966. In June 1970 it returned home to join 5th Infantry Brigade with its base at Aliwal Barracks in

Tidworth Camp Tidworth Camp is a military installation at Tidworth in Wiltshire, England. It forms part of the Tidworth, Netheravon and Bulford (TidNBul) Garrison. History The Camp was established when the War Office acquired a 19th-century mansion – Te ...

from where it deployed units to

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

at the height of

the Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...

. It returned to

West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 ...

in a new role as a recce regiment based at Harewood Barracks in

Herford Herford (; nds, Hiarwede) is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford. Geography Geographic locat ...

in May 1973 from where it continued to deploy units to Northern Ireland. It moved to

Bovington Camp Bovington Camp () is a British Army military base in Dorset, England. Together with Lulworth Camp it forms part of Bovington Garrison. The garrison is home to The Armour Centre and contains two barracks complexes and two forest and heathland tr ...

as RAC Centre Regiment in May 1976 and then joined 1st Armoured Division with its new base at Caen Barracks in Hohne in December 1977. The regiment re-roled as RAC Centre Regiment at Cambrai Barracks at Catterick Garrison in May 1985 and then returned to West Germany to join 4th Infantry Brigade based at York Barracks at

Münster Münster (; nds, Mönster) is an independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a state di ...

in March 1988. It was amalgamated with the Royal Hussars to become the

on 4 December 1992.

Regimental museum

The Museum of the 14th/20th King's Hussars was in the

Museum of Lancashire The Museum of Lancashire is an historic collection in Preston in Lancashire, England. The museum, which is based in the old Sessions House, is a Grade II listed building. History Construction of the courthouse, which was commissioned to accommo ...

Preston Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to: Places England *Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement **The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement **County Boro ...

until it closed in 2016.

Battle honours

The combined battle honours of the 14th King's Hussars and the 20th Hussars, plus: * ''Second World War'': Bologna, Medicina, Italy 1945 * ''Later wars:'' Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991

Commanding Officers

The Commanding Officers have been: *1959–1961: Lt.-Col. Edward G.W.T. Walsh *1961–1964: Lt.-Col. Gilbert A.L.C. Talbot *1964–1966: Lt.-Col. Simon R.M. Frazer *1966–1969: Lt.-Col. Peter B. Cavendish *1969–1972: Lt.-Col. J. Michael Palmer *1972–1974: Lt.-Col. Thomas G. Williams *1974–1977: Lt.-Col. William J. Stockton *1977–1979: Lt.-Col. John A. Pharo-Tomlin *1979–1982: Lt.-Col. Daniel L. De Beaujeu *1982–1984: Lt.-Col. Peter Harman *1984–1987: Lt.-Col. John R. Smales *1987–1989: Lt.-Col. Christopher K. Price *1989–1992: Lt.-Col. Michael J.H. Vickery *1992: Lt.-Col. David J.B. Woodd

Colonel-in-Chief

*1969: Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, KG, KT, GCVO

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the Regiment were: *1920–1930: ( 14th Hussars): Maj-Gen. Sir

Henry West Hodgson Major-General Sir Henry West Hodgson (29 June 1868 – 5 February 1930) was an officer of the British Army. He was born 29 June 1868 and died 5 February 1930 and buried at the St Mary Magdalene Church Bolney England. He was the Regimental Col ...

, KCMG, CB, CVO *1920–1937: (

): Gen. Sir George de Symons Barrow, GCB, KCMG *1937–1947: Brig. Frank Brereton Hurndall, MC *1947–1957: Gen. Sir Richard Loudon McCreery, GCB, KBE, DSO, MC *1957–1966: Col. Robert James Stephen, MBE *1966–1972: Col. Basil Bethune Neville Woodd *1972–1976: Lt.-Col. Ralph Percy David Fortescue Allen, MBE *1976–1981: Maj-Gen. Peter Boucher Cavendish, OBE *1981–1992: Maj-Gen. Sir Joseph Michael Palmer, KCVO. *''1992: Regiment amalgamated with The

Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own) was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army, cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 10th Royal Hussars and the 11th Hussars in 1969 and it amalgamated with the 14th ...

, to form The King's Royal Hussars''

Former officers

References

External links

Noahs Arc – N''ational'' O''ld'' & A''ncient'' H''awks'' A''nnual'' R''eunion'' C''lub''
The Club of the 14th/20th King's Hussars {{DEFAULTSORT:14th 20th King's Hussars 14 King's Hussars Armoured regiments of the British Army in World War II 1922 establishments in the United Kingdom Military units and formations established in 1922 Military units and formations disestablished in 1992