The Light Dragoons
Encyclopedia
The Light Dragoons is a cavalry regiment
in the British Army
.
It was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of two regiment
s, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
becoming the first dragoon
regiment in the British Army for over twenty years.
with a history in the reconnaissance role which dates back to the early 18th Century. Currently based in Robertson Barracks
Swanton Morley
, Norfolk
(formerly RAF Swanton Morley), they are commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sam Plant MBE.
They are highly experienced operationally with 14 tours of the Balkans
during the 1990’s. They have deployed twice to Iraq on Operation TELIC
in 2003 and 2005.
C Squadron deployed on a six month operational tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan
, on Operation HERRICK
5 with 3 Commando Brigade
, Royal Marines
.
In April 2007 the majority of the regiment including elements of HQ Squadron, B Squadron complete and specialists from D Squadron were deployed for a six month tour in Afghanistan with 12 Mechanised Brigade on Operation HERRICK 6.
The Light Dragoons recruit principally in the North East of England (Northumberland
, Tyne and Wear
and County Durham
) and in South Yorkshire
and have strong connections with these areas. For this important reason, the regiment is known as England’s Northern Cavalry.
By means of Formation Reconnaissance (FR), commanders at brigade and divisional level are able to gain accurate and timely information from the battlefield.
Operating up to fifty miles ahead of the main body, the FR taskforce identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy’s defences, or locates the main thrust of his attack. FR soldiers achieve this either by advancing into contact with the enemy and probing his positions, or by establishing a matrix of covert observation posts which can identify, assess and report the enemy threat.
Information thus gained gives the commander the battlefield intelligence he requires to plan the battle ahead, allowing him to concentrate force against the enemy’s weakest point or to best counter an attack.
A Formation Reconnaissance Regiment is equipped with the Scimitar
. They also use other vehicles in this class, such as the Sultan command and control vehicle
and the Samaritan field ambulance
. The organisation is 3 Squadrons (A, B, C) , each of 12 FV107 Scimitar
and 4 FV103 Spartan
, D Squadron has experts in demolitions, sniping, controlling fast jets (JTAC
) and using the FGM-148 Javelin
anti tank missile system.
The Light Dragoons are equipped with the family of Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
(CVR(T)) vehicles. Although they have been in service with the British Army for some 30 years, they are very capable, fast, manoeuvrable and well protected.
The main recce vehicle is the FV107 Scimitar
which is armed with a 30mm cannon and a machine gun and uses a very efficient thermal imaging sight for gathering information and target acquisition.
The Spartan
is used as an armoured personnel carrier and is crewed by recce soldiers who are experts in demolitions, sniping, controlling fast jets and the Javelin anti-tank missile system.
The FV105 Sultan
is a command vehicle equipped with a state of the art communications system for controlling the battle.
The Light Dragoons is one of only two regiments in the British Army to have a foreign monarch as its Colonel-in-Chief (the other being the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
. HM King Abdullah served in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars, one of the antecedents of the Light Dragoons.
The dragoons were in origin soldiers trained to fight on foot, but transport themselves on horseback. In other words, they moved as cavalry but fought as infantry. During the first half of the 18th century British dragoons became dedicated cavalry, but because of their origins were paid less than the "regiments of horse." In the 1750s the first British regiments to be styled "light dragoons" were converted from dragoons.
- The South Alberta Light Horse
- 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
- 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse)
- 6th Lancers
- 19th Lancers
- 2nd Royal Armoured Regiment
- HMS Northumberland
- 4e Chasseurs d'Afrique
Cavalry regiments of the British Army
There are currently nine regular cavalry regiments of the British Army, with two tank regiments provided by the Royal Tank Regiment, traditionally classed alongside the cavalry, for a total of eleven regiments. Of these, five serve as armoured regiments, and five as formation reconnaissance...
in 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...
.
It was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of two 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...
s, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
The 13th/18th Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-Formation:On 9 September 1922, the 13th/18th Hussars was formed by amalgamation of the 13th Hussars and the 18th Royal Hussars . In December 1935, it became known as the 13th/18th Royal Hussars ...
and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars
The 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was created as part of the reduction in the cavalry in the aftermath of World War I. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 15th The King's Hussars and the 19th Royal Hussars on 11 April 1922, becoming the...
becoming the first 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...
regiment in the British Army for over twenty years.
Present day
The Light Dragoons are a 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....
with a history in the reconnaissance role which dates back to the early 18th Century. Currently based in Robertson Barracks
RAF Swanton Morley
The former Royal Air Force Station Swanton Morley, more commonly known as RAF Swanton Morley, was a Royal Air Force Station in Norfolk, England, located near to the village of Swanton Morley...
Swanton Morley
Swanton Morley
Swanton Morley is a picturesque village situated in the heart of Norfolk. It is a village steeped in history documented back to the Domesday Book...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
(formerly RAF Swanton Morley), they are commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Sam Plant MBE.
They are highly experienced operationally with 14 tours of the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
during the 1990’s. They have deployed twice to Iraq 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...
in 2003 and 2005.
C Squadron deployed on a six month operational tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, 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...
5 with 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...
, Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
.
In April 2007 the majority of the regiment including elements of HQ Squadron, B Squadron complete and specialists from D Squadron were deployed for a six month tour in Afghanistan with 12 Mechanised Brigade on Operation HERRICK 6.
The Light Dragoons recruit principally in the North East of England (Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan county in north east England around the mouths of the Rivers Tyne and Wear. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972...
and County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
) and in South Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and have strong connections with these areas. For this important reason, the regiment is known as England’s Northern Cavalry.
Formation reconnaissance
Formation Reconnaissance: The RoleBy means of Formation Reconnaissance (FR), commanders at brigade and divisional level are able to gain accurate and timely information from the battlefield.
Operating up to fifty miles ahead of the main body, the FR taskforce identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy’s defences, or locates the main thrust of his attack. FR soldiers achieve this either by advancing into contact with the enemy and probing his positions, or by establishing a matrix of covert observation posts which can identify, assess and report the enemy threat.
Information thus gained gives the commander the battlefield intelligence he requires to plan the battle ahead, allowing him to concentrate force against the enemy’s weakest point or to best counter an attack.
A Formation Reconnaissance Regiment is equipped with the Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
. They also use other vehicles in this class, such as the Sultan command and control vehicle
FV105 Sultan
FV105 Sultan is a British Army command and control vehicle based on the CVR platform. It has a higher roof than the APC variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. This contains a large vertical map board and desk along one side, with a bench seat for three people facing it...
and the Samaritan field ambulance
FV104 Samaritan
The FV104 Samaritan is the British Army armoured ambulance variant of the CVR family. It has a capacity for up to 6 casualties.The Samaritan is one of the variants of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of armoured fighting vehicles developed by Alvis plc for the British military....
. The organisation is 3 Squadrons (A, B, C) , each of 12 FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
and 4 FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan is a tracked armoured personnel carrier of the British Army. It was developed as the APC variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family. The vehicle can carry up to 7 personnel, including 3 crew members. Armed with a single machine gun, it is almost indistinguishable from the...
, D Squadron has experts in demolitions, sniping, controlling fast jets (JTAC
Joint terminal attack controller
A Joint terminal attack controller is the term used in the United States Armed Forces for a qualified military service member who, from a forward position, directs the action of combat aircraft engaged in close air support and other offensive air operations. The term used historically and in...
) and using the FGM-148 Javelin
FGM-148 Javelin
The FGM-148 Javelin is a United States-made man-portable third generation anti-tank missile fielded to replace the Dragon antitank missile.-Overview:Javelin is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance...
anti tank missile system.
Vehicles
Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked)
The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance —or CVR—is a family of armoured fighting vehicles s in service with the British Army and others throughout the world...
(CVR(T)) vehicles. Although they have been in service with the British Army for some 30 years, they are very capable, fast, manoeuvrable and well protected.
The main recce vehicle is the FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar
FV107 Scimitar is an armoured reconnaissance vehicle used by the British Army. It is very similar to the FV101 Scorpion but mounts a high velocity 30 mm L21 RARDEN cannon instead of a 76 mm gun. It was issued to Royal Armoured Corps, Armoured Regiments in the Reconnaissance role...
which is armed with a 30mm cannon and a machine gun and uses a very efficient thermal imaging sight for gathering information and target acquisition.
The Spartan
FV103 Spartan
FV103 Spartan is a tracked armoured personnel carrier of the British Army. It was developed as the APC variant of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family. The vehicle can carry up to 7 personnel, including 3 crew members. Armed with a single machine gun, it is almost indistinguishable from the...
is used as an armoured personnel carrier and is crewed by recce soldiers who are experts in demolitions, sniping, controlling fast jets and the Javelin anti-tank missile system.
The FV105 Sultan
FV105 Sultan
FV105 Sultan is a British Army command and control vehicle based on the CVR platform. It has a higher roof than the APC variants, providing a more comfortable "office space" inside. This contains a large vertical map board and desk along one side, with a bench seat for three people facing it...
is a command vehicle equipped with a state of the art communications system for controlling the battle.
Nicknames
- A Squadron "The Empire"
- B Squadron "The Guards"
- C Squadron "The Legion"
- D Squadron "The Enemy"
Operational honours
During service in Afghanistan the following members of the regiment were Mentioned in Despatches (MID):- Sergeant Michael WILKINSON
- Lieutenant Nicholas William David BINNINGTON
- Major John GODFREY
Colonels-in-chief
- HRH The Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
(1992–1996) - HRH The Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (1997–2002)
- HM The King of JordanAbdullah II of JordanAbdullah II ibn al-Hussein is the reigning King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. He ascended the throne on 7 February 1999 after the death of his father King Hussein. King Abdullah, whose mother is Princess Muna al-Hussein, is a member of the Hashemite family...
(2003–)
The Light Dragoons is one of only two regiments in the British Army to have a foreign monarch as its Colonel-in-Chief (the other being the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
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...
. HM King Abdullah served in the 13th/18th Royal Hussars, one of the antecedents of the Light Dragoons.
The dragoons were in origin soldiers trained to fight on foot, but transport themselves on horseback. In other words, they moved as cavalry but fought as infantry. During the first half of the 18th century British dragoons became dedicated cavalry, but because of their origins were paid less than the "regiments of horse." In the 1750s the first British regiments to be styled "light dragoons" were converted from dragoons.
Alliances
- The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)The Royal Canadian Hussars (Montreal)
The Royal Canadian Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces. The unit is based in Montreal.-Lineage:...
- The South Alberta Light Horse
The South Alberta Light Horse
The South Alberta Light Horse, or SALH, is an armoured reconnaissance unit of the Canadian Forces Army Reserve based in Medicine Hat and Edmonton, Alberta...
- 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
The 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers is a current Australian Army Reserve Light Cavalry Regiment. The regiment is based at Lancer Barracks in Parramatta, New South Wales. The regiment has recently re-equipped with 4x4 Land Rover patrol vehicles as part of the conversion to a Light Cavalry ...
- 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse)
1st Duke of York's Own Skinner's Horse
The 1st Duke of York's Own Lancers was a unit of the British Indian Army from 1922 to independence and thereafter a unit of the Indian Army....
- 6th Lancers
6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)
The 6 Lancers is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. Previously, it was known as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers , which was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1921 by amalgamation of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers and 16th Cavalry...
- 19th Lancers
19th King George's Own Lancers
The 19th Lancers is an armoured regiment of the Pakistan Army. Before 1956, it was known as 19th King George V's Own Lancers, which was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1922, by the amalgamation of 18th King George's Own Lancers and 19th Lancers...
- 2nd Royal Armoured Regiment
Malaysian Royal Armoured Corps
The Royal Armoured Corps or Kor Armor Diraja is the armoured forces of the Malaysian Army.-History of formation:The Royal Malayaian Armoured Corps had its beginning with two army units formed by the British Administration headed by General Sir Gerald Templer who had initiated the formation during...
- HMS Northumberland
HMS Northumberland (F238)
HMS Northumberland is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She is named after the Duke of Northumberland. She is based at Devonport.-Construction:...
- 4e Chasseurs d'Afrique
Chasseurs d'Afrique
The Chasseurs d'Afrique were a light cavalry corps in the French Armée d'Afrique . First raised in the 1830s from regular French cavalry posted to Algeria, they numbered five regiments by World War II...
Affiliated yeomanry
- The Northumberland HussarsNorthumberland HussarsThe Northumberland Hussars is a Squadron of The Queen's Own Yeomanry is an armoured Squadron of the British Territorial Army. It is part of a Formation Reconnaissance Regiment, equipped with the FV107 Scimitar and FV103 Spartan type armoured reconnaissance vehicles...
- The Queen's Own Yorkshire Yeomanry
External links
- Official site
- Through Helmand desert with the Dragoons
- British Army Locations from 1945 British Army Locations from 1945