The Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG) is 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 formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: The

4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army formed in 1922. It served in the Second World War. However following the reduction of forces at the end of the Cold War and proposals contained in the Options for Change ...

and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Based in

Battlesbury Barracks Battlesbury Barracks is a British Army installation in Warminster, Wiltshire, England. It is the permanent base of the Royal Dragoon Guards, serving as armoured cavalry. History The barracks is on the eastern outskirts of the town, near the ancie ...

, Wiltshire, the regiment currently serves as the armoured cavalry reconnaissance unit of 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team. Previously equipped with the

Scimitar A scimitar ( or ) is a single-edged sword with a convex curved blade associated with Middle Eastern, South Asian, or North African cultures. A European term, ''scimitar'' does not refer to one specific sword type, but an assortment of different ...

armoured reconnaissance vehicle, it started converting to the Warrior tracked armoured vehicle in 2022.

History

The regiment was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: The

and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. The Royal Dragoon Guards has served in a variety of roles and theatres since its formation. Historically dragoons were flexible soldiers, who fought on and alongside their mounts. Royal Dragoon Guards RDG Land Rover snatch Op TELIC 5

Royal Dragoon Guards RDG Land Rover snatch Op TELIC 5

Northern Ireland

In February 1996, three squadrons of the regiment deployed 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 ...

as part of Operation Banner, the UK military support to the civil authorities in the province. Two squadrons were employed as infantry in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

and the third acted as a prison guard force at the

Maze Prison Her Majesty's Prison Maze (previously Long Kesh Detention Centre, and known colloquially as The Maze or H-Blocks) was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house alleged paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from August 1971 to ...

.Asquith, Stuart. ''Regiment Issue 34''. Nexus Special Interests,1999, p. 61.

Balkans

In the winter of 1997, A Squadron, RDG, deployed with their Challenger 1s tanks to Barice in Bosnia (Op Lodestar) with the 9th/12th Lancers Battle Group. They were subsequently moved to Mrkonjić Grad and were employed, primarily in Land Rovers, to monitor former wartime factions and inspect cantonment sites.

UK

In early 2001 the regiment deployed as part of Operation Fresco (Zulu) to Cumbria and Yorkshire, with specialist Royal Navy teams, to provide emergency fire and rescue cover when the fire brigade was carrying out a programme of industrial action.

Iraq

The regimental Battle Group deployed to Iraq in 2004 (

Operation Telic Operation Telic (Op TELIC) was the codename under which all of the United Kingdom's 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 ...

5) and assumed control of the area south of

Basra Basra ( ar, ٱلْبَصْرَة, al-Baṣrah) is an Iraqi city located on the Shatt al-Arab. It had an estimated population of 1.4 million in 2018. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it does not have deep water access, which is han ...

, close to the border with

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Ku ...

. The main tasks were to mentor the newly formed Iraqi Police Force and provide security for the first presidential elections in the country since the US led invasion in 2003. The regiment deployed again to Iraq towards the end of the United Kingdom's combat operations in 2007 (Op Telic 11), this time with Main Battle Tanks and

Warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

Armoured Fighting Vehicles were called upon to support Iraqi led efforts to re-impose control in Basra ( Operation Charge of the Knights). During this Operation Sergeant CP Richards was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

for outstanding leadership and gallantry in the face of the enemy. As commander of the lead tank, working for Left Flank Company Group, Scots Guards Battle Group, he deployed on a joint arrest operation with Iraqi Security Forces in Al Quiblah, Basra. He fought his way through 5

improvised explosive device An improvised explosive device (IED) is a bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action. It may be constructed of conventional military explosives, such as an artillery shell, attached to a detonating mecha ...

detonations, showing courageous restraint to minimise any civilian casualties, onto the target. B Sqn Bridge 2

During this deployment, squadrons from the regiment assisted the Iraqi Border Agency to provide security on the Border with

Iran 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 ...

and mentored Iraqi Army Units.

Afghanistan

The regiment deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2010 ( Operation Herrick 12) to assist in bringing stability to Central Helmand and to provide security for the country's second Presidential Elections. Squadrons from the Regiment provided protected mobility support in the Mastiff (also known as

Cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...

), Viking (

Bv 206 Bandvagn 206 (Bv 206) (meaning ''"Tracked Vehicle 206"'' in English) is a tracked articulated, all-terrain carrier developed by Hägglunds (now part of BAE Systems Platforms & Services) for the Swedish Army. It consists of two units, with all f ...

), Ridgeback and Warthog armoured vehicles and held ground in

Nad Ali Nad Ali or Nad-e Ali is a district in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Marja is an unincorporated agricultural district in Nad Ali. The area is irrigated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority (HAVA).

Squadrons and organisation

The regiment has now been subject to changes implemented through the Army 2020 plan. Despite the re-roleing of the regiment from heavy armour to a new capability of Armoured Cavalry, many traditions have been maintained. The five squadrons of The Royal Dragoon Guards take their history and traditions from the four antecedent regiments that make up the current regiment.Asquith, Stuart. Regiment Issue 34. Nexus Special Interests,1999. In the new RDG organisation, there are three sabre squadrons and HQ: * The Blue Horse, fire support squadron; * The Black Horse, anti-tank squadron; * The Green Horse, reconnaissance squadron; * HQ (Prince of Wales) Squadron. British FV107 Scimitar

Regimental traditions

The Royal Dragoon Guards RDG Challenger 2 on exercise in Canada

Because of its lineage through the 5th Royal Inniskillings and the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards—the 4th had been known as the

4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards The 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as the Earl of Arran's Regiment of Cuirassiers. It was renamed as the 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards in 1788 and service for two centuries, incl ...

and the 7th also had Irish ancestry—the RDG retains strong links to Northern Ireland. Dettingen Day At the Battle of Dettingen, 27 June 1743, Cornet Richardson of Ligonier’s Horse, later the 7th Dragoon Guards, received 37 wounds while defending the Regimental Standard. The Regiment remembers the day with dinners in the Messes and a families weekend.Asquith, Stuart. Regiment Issue 34. Nexus Special Interests,1999, p. 15. Oates’ Sunday Captain L E G Oates, of the 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, became a legend of self-sacrifice when, as a member of Scott’s ill-fated Antarctic Expedition of 1912, he chose to sacrifice himself rather than impede the progress of his comrades. The annual commemoration of Oates’ brave action takes place on the Sunday closest to St Patrick’s Day – the date of his birthday. It takes the form of a formal parade and church service, where the story of Oates is retold to inspire members of the Regiment. St Patrick's Day – 17 March D Day flash

St Patrick's Day is celebrated by the RDG in respect to the Irish traditions it possesses. The Day is a regimental holiday and starts with the Officers and Senior Non-Commissioned Officers waking the men with bagpipes and ‘ gunfire’ (tea laced with whiskey). A Regimental Lunch of Irish Stew is served and every member of the Regiment is presented with shamrock. This latter tradition has been maintained every year regardless of which theatre the Regiment is serving in.Asquith, Stuart. Regiment Issue 34. Nexus Special Interests,1999, p. 18. The Regimental Flash Flashes in Regimental colours were linked to regiments who were involved in the Second World War. The 4/7 DG first wore their flash in 1939 in Northern France in support of the British Expeditionary Force, one of the first armoured units to fight in the desperate but gallant withdrawal to Dunkirk and it is believed to be the first regiment to wear a Tactical Recognition Flash. The worsted material recognition flash came about following an order to remove badges of recognition from battle-dress to conceal regimental identity. The design was copied from the painted diamond flash in Regimental colours on the steel helmets. The order was later rescinded but the cloth badge remained. The 13/18H later followed suit in 1940 with a blue and white flash. The 4/7 DG Regimental flash was worn by the ranks of Warrant Officer Class 2 and below on BD/SDs upon the left arm 1" below the shoulder seam. (Or 1/8" below the formation badge when one was worn on BDs). The flash is still worn today by the Regiment on Service Dress. Green trousers The regiment's practice of wearing green trousers in various orders of dress (other than combat uniform) was inherited from the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, which had adopted it as a former (eighteenth-century) custom of one of its precursors,

5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards The 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards was a British army cavalry regiment, officially formed in January 1686 as Shrewsbury's Regiment of Horse. Following a number of name changes, it became the 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) ...

('the Green Horse'). Regimental Pipes and Drums Since the regiment's formation in 1992, a regimental pipes and drums has existed.

Regimental museum

The York Army Museum (for the Royal Dragoon Guards,

Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the King's Division. It was created in 1958 by the amalgamation of the West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) and the E ...

and the Yorkshire Regiment) is based at the Tower Street drill hall in

York York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...

Battle honours

The regiment and its predecessors have been awarded the following 79

battle honours A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...

: Early Wars –

Blenheim Blenheim ( ) is the English name of Blindheim, a village in Bavaria, Germany, which was the site of the Battle of Blenheim in 1704. Almost all places and other things called Blenheim are named directly or indirectly in honour of the battle. Places ...

, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen,

Warburg Warburg (; Westphalian: ''Warberich'' or ''Warborg'') is a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, central Germany on the river Diemel near the three-state point shared by Hessen, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is in Höxter di ...

, Beaumont, Willems, Salamanca, Vittoria,

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and fr ...

Peninsula A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on a ...

, Waterloo, South Africa 1846–47, Balaclava, Sevastapol, Tel el-Kebir, Egypt 1882,

Defence of Ladysmith Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

, South Africa 1899–1902. The Great War – Mons le Cateau,

Retreat from Mons The Great Retreat (), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western Fr ...

, Marne 1914,

Aisne 1914 Aisne ( , ; ; pcd, Ainne) is a French department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne. In 2019, it had a population of 531,345.Armentieres 1914,

Ypres 1914 Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality c ...

Ypres 1915 Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality ...

Givenchy 1914 Givenchy (, ) is a French luxury fashion and perfume house. It hosts the brand of haute couture and ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics of Parfums Givenchy. The house of Givenchy was founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de ...

, St Julien, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde,

Somme 1916 __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France * Somme, Queensland, Australia * Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river) The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France. The ...

1918 This year is noted for the end of the First World War, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, as well as for the Spanish flu pandemic that killed 50–100 million people worldwide. Events Below, the events ...

, Bazentin, Flers-Courcelette, Morval,

Arras 1917 Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department, which forms part of the region of Hauts-de-France; before the reorganization of 2014 it was in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The historic centre of the A ...

Scarpe 1917 The Battle of Arras (also known as the Second Battle of Arras) was a British offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German defences near the French city of Arras on the W ...

, Cambrai 1917

, St Auentin, Rosieres, Avre, Lys, Hazebrouck,

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

Albert 1918 Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert C ...

, Hindenburg Line, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir,

Pursuit to Mons Pursuit may refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''Pursuit'' (1935 film), a 1935 American action film * ''Pursuit'' (1972 American film), a made-for-TV film directed by Michael Crichton * ''Pursuit'' (1972 Hong Kong film), a Shaw Brot ...

, France and Flanders 1914 – 18. The Second World War – Dyle, Withdrawal to Escaut, St Omer-La Bassée, Dunkirk 1940,

Normandy Landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

, Odon, Mont Pincon, St Pierre la Vielle, Lisieux, Risle Crossing, Seine 1944, Nederrijn, Lower Maas, Geilenkirchen, Roer,

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

, Cleve, Rhine, Ibbenburen, Bremen, North West Europe 1940, 1944 – 45. The Hook 1952, Korea 1951 – 52.

Other information

The regiment was based 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 ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

when it was formed in 1992, and was part of 20th Armoured Brigade. In 1996 it returned to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, being based at

Tidworth Tidworth is a garrison, garrison town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in south-east Wiltshire, England, on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. Lying on both sides of the A338 road, A338 about north of the A303 road, A303 primary ro ...

. It returned to Germany in 2000, being based in York Barracks

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 ...

as part of 4th Armoured Brigade (later 4 Mechanized Brigade). In 2008, the Regiment returned to the

and moved to Alma Lines Catterick Garrison and in 2014 it resubordinated back to 20th Armoured Brigade. In 2019, it joined 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade in advance of the most recent move to

Warminster Warminster () is an ancient market town with a nearby garrison, and civil parish in south west Wiltshire, England, on the western edge of Salisbury Plain. The parish had a population of about 17,000 in 2011. The 11th-century Minster Church o ...

in 2020. ;Colonel-in Chief *Colonel-in-Chief: King Charles III *Deputy Colonel-in-Chief: The Duchess of Kent, GCVO ;Regimental Colonels *1992–1994:

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

Patrick Guy Brooking, CB, MBE (ex 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards) *1994–2000:

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on th ...

Sir Anthony Richard Guy Mullens, KCB, OBE *2000–2004: Major General Patrick Anthony John Cordingley, DSO *2004–2009: Brigadier Clendon Douglas Daukes *2009–2014: Brigadier Edward John Torrens-Spence, CBE *2014–2019: Brigadier Nicholas Charles Tristram Millen, OBE *2019–present: Major General Timothy D. Hyams, OBE Commanding Officers Commanding Officers have included:Regiments and Commanding Officers, 1960–
* 1992–1994:

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colon ...

E. John Torrens-Spence * 1994–1996: Lieutenant Colonel Mark W. B. Faulkner * 1996–1998: Lieutenant Colonel Richard A. P. Cary * 1998–2001: Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas C. T. Millen * 2001–2003: Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas C. C. Freeman * 2003–2005: Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan N. A. Cray * 2005–2008: Lieutenant Colonel Timothy D. Hyams * 2008–2010: Lieutenant Colonel James C. A. Carr-Smith * 2010–2013: Lieutenant Colonel F. A. James Piggott * 2013–2015: Lieutenant Colonel Thomas J. Bateman * 2015–2018: Lieutenant Colonel James J. S. Lane * 2018–2019: Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin K. Watts * 2019–2022: Lieutenant Colonel Dominic R. T. Davey * 2022–present: Lieutenant Colonel Martin P. Morrissey ;Freedoms * City of York *

Enniskillen Enniskillen ( , from ga, Inis Ceithleann , ' Ceithlenn's island') is the largest town in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is in the middle of the county, between the Upper and Lower sections of Lough Erne. It had a population of 13,823 a ...

Lineage

Alliances

* – 3rd/9th Light Horse (South Australian Mounted Rifles) * –

4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse The 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse (4/19 PWLH) is a cavalry regiment of the Australian Army. The regiment in its current composition was formed in 1948 when the Citizens Military Force (CMF) was re-raised after the completion of the demob ...

* – The British Columbia Dragoons * – The Fort Garry Horse * – 9th Horse (The Deccan Horse) * –

Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles (QAMR) is an armoured regiment of the New Zealand Army and forms part of the Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps. The regiment was formed in 1864 and is currently an armoured cavalry unit equipped with NZLAV. His ...

* – 15th Lancers (Baloch) * – HMS ''Superb'' * – HMS ''Daring'' * – Régiment des Guides * – 12e Régiment de Cuirassiers

Affiliated Yeomanry

* The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's) * The North Irish Horse * The Yorkshire Yeomanry

Order of precedence

Notes

Sources

External links

Official site

British Army Locations from 1945
British Army Locations from 1945
Royal Dragoon Guards Museum
{{The British Army Cavalry regiments of the British Army Royal Armoured Corps Dragoon Guards Military units and formations established in 1992 1992 establishments in the United Kingdom Irish regiments of the British Army