Light Dragoons

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.

The Light Dragoons
Cap badge of the Light Dragoons
Active1 December 1992–
Allegiance United Kingdom
Branch British Army
TypeLine cavalry
RoleLight Cavalry
SizeRegiment
403 personnel[1]
Part ofRoyal 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-ChiefThe King of Jordan
Colonel of
the Regiment		Brig Angus Watson
Insignia
Tactical Recognition Flash
Arm BadgeNCOs – Royal Crest
From 15th/19th King's Royal Hussars
ORs – South Africa flash
From 13th/18th Royal Hussars
AbbreviationLD

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

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]

Jackal Vehicles in use with The Light Dragoons

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]

  • 1992–1993: Lt Col Andrew Richard Evelyn De Cardonnel Stewart, CB, CBE
  • 1993–1996: Lt Col Robert I. Webb-Bowen
  • 1996–1997: Lt Col Timothy J. Checketts
  • 1997–1999: Lt Col David John Rutherford-Jones, CB
  • 1999–2002: Lt Col Simon R. Levey
  • 2002–2004: Lt Col David R. Amos, KCVS
  • 2004–2006: Lt Col Robin C. Matthews
  • 2006–2009: Lt Col H. Angus Watson, MBE
  • 2009–2011: Lt Col Angus G. C. Fair, DSO, OBE
  • 2011–2013: Lt Col Samuel J. Plant, MBE
  • 2013–2016: Lt Col James M. Senior
  • 2016–2019: Lt Col Benjamin M. J. Cossens
  • 2019–2021: Lt Col Thomas R. M. Robinson, OBE
  • 2021–present: Lt Col Jonathan Harris

Lineage
1881 Childers Reforms1922 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

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. "Light Dragoons". British Empire. Retrieved 3 May 2014.
  9. "History". www.lightdragoons.org.uk. Light Dragoons Association. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  10. "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–.

References
  • Light Dragoons: The Making of a Regiment By Allan Mallinson . Pen and Sword books . 362 pages . 2006. ISBN 1-84415-448-3
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