House to house fighting at Riva Bella near Ouistreham

The 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) 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 formed by the amalgamation of the

13th Hussars The 13th Hussars (previously the 13th Light Dragoons) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army established in 1715. It saw service for three centuries including the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War and the First World War but then amalgamated ...

and the

18th Royal Hussars The 18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first formed in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, including the First World War before being amalgamated with the 13th Hussars to form the 13th/18th Royal ...

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

15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars 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 am ...

to form the Light Dragoons in 1992.

History

Second World War

Operation Overlord (the Normandy Landings)- D-day 6 June 1944 B5184

The regiment was created, as part of the reduction in cavalry in the aftermath of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, by the amalgamation of the

and the

on 9 November 1922. It was renamed as the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) after Queen Mary, who was Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, in December 1935. The regiment transferred to the

Royal Armoured Corps The Royal Armoured Corps is the component of the British Army, that together with the Household Cavalry provides its armour capability, with vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Tank and the Scimitar Reconnaissance Vehicle. It includes most of the ...

in April 1939. During the

, the regiment served as a reconnaissance unit with the 1st Armoured Reconnaissance Brigade, part of 1st Infantry Division, during the

Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second Wor ...

. It then served with the

27th Armoured Brigade The 27th Armoured Brigade was an armoured brigade of the British Army that served in the Second World War and played a crucial role in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944 and the following Battle of Normandy until disbandment in late 1944. Ori ...

. Having been equipped with Sherman

DD tank DD or Duplex Drive tanks, nicknamed " Donald Duck tanks", were a type of amphibious swimming tank developed by the British during the Second World War. The phrase is mostly used for the Duplex Drive variant of the M4 Sherman medium tank, that w ...

s, it took part in the D-Day Landings at

Sword Beach Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord. The Allied invasion of German-occupied Fr ...

, and fought during

Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) with the Norm ...

, taking part in the landings at

, and continuing fighting with the 27th Armoured Brigade until late July 1944 when it transferred to the 8th Armoured Brigade.

Post-war

The regiment was posted to Northampton Barracks in

Wolfenbüttel Wolfenbüttel (; nds, Wulfenbüddel) is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, the administrative capital of Wolfenbüttel District. It is best known as the location of the internationally renowned Herzog August Library and for having the largest ...

in March 1946 and returned to the United Kingdom to its new base at Willems Barracks in

Aldershot Garrison Aldershot Garrison, also known as Aldershot Military Town, is a major garrison in South East England, between Aldershot and Farnborough in Hampshire. The garrison was established when the War Department bought a large area of land near the vill ...

in October 1947. It was 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 February 1948, to

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning the North Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via a land bridg ...

in April 1950 and to Malaya, for service as an

armoured car regiment Armoured Car Regiments were reconnaissance units employed by the British Army during the 20th century. The primary equipment of these units was the armoured car with many different types of armoured cars serving in the regiments during the Second ...

during the

Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces ...

, in June 1950. It returned to Wolfenbüttel in November 1953 and then moved to McLeod Barracks at Neumünster in April 1956 from where it deployed a squadron to

Aden Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 peopl ...

. It returned to Malaya and was posted to Ramillies Camp at

Ipoh , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Ipoh in Perak , pushpin_map = #Malaysia#Asia#Earth , pushpin_mapsize = 275px , pushpin_map_caption = Ipoh in Malaysia , coordinates ...

in July 1958. The regiment joined 7th Armoured Brigade Group and moved to Wessex Barracks at

Bad Fallingbostel Bad Fallingbostel (Northern Low Saxon: ''Bad Fambossel'') is the district town (''Kreisstadt'') of the Heidekreis district in the German state of Lower Saxony. Since 1976 the town has had a state-recognised Kneipp spa and has held the title of ...

in February 1961. It transferred to 4th Guards Brigade Group and relocated to Barker Barracks at

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 February 1964 and then returned to the United Kingdom in a tank role at Cachy Barracks at

Perham Down Perham Down is a village in Wiltshire, England, in Tidworth parish on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. It lies on a minor road about east of the town of Tidworth and southwest of the town of Ludgershall. The county border with Hampshire is ...

in December 1966; from there it continued to deploy troops to Aden. 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 ...

where it joined 4th Armoured Brigade and located to Swinton 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 January 1968. It became the garrisoned regiment at

Long Kesh Long may refer to: Measurement * Long, characteristic of something of great duration * Long, characteristic of something of great length * Longitude (abbreviation: long.), a geographic coordinate * Longa (music), note value in early music mensu ...

in January 1972, following the introduction of

internment Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simp ...

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...

suspects. After this tour, the regiment 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 August 1972 and then returned to West Germany where it rejoined 7th Armoured Brigade with its base at Caen Barracks in

Hohne Hohne is a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, east of the county town of Celle. It includes the three former parishes of Hohne, Helmerkamp and Spechtshorn. It should not be confused with the British Army camp of Hohne (German: ' ...

in August 1974. It was deployed to Lisanelly Camp in Omagh in November 1977 and then moved to

Carver Barracks Carver Barracks is a British Army base on the former site of RAF Debden, approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden, in Essex. The nearest town is Saffron Walden. History The airfield was built in 1935–37 and the runways laid in 194 ...

Wimbish Wimbish is a village and civil parish within Uttlesford, in Essex, England. The first recorded mention of the village was in 1042, when it was referred to as Winebisc. It was subsequently referred to as Wimbeis in the Domesday Book. The village h ...

in May 1979; from there it deployed 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 ...

on peace keeping duties. The regiment was re-equipped with the

Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked), abbreviated CVR(T), is a family of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) developed in the 1960s and is in service with the British Army and others throughout the world. They are small, highly mobile, ai ...

range of vehicles, together with the

Swingfire Swingfire was a British wire-guided anti-tank missile developed in the 1960s and produced from 1966 until 1993. The name refers to its ability to make a rapid turn of up to ninety degrees after firing to bring it onto the line of the sighting ...

Wire-guided missile A wire-guided missile is a missile that is guided by signals sent to it via thin wires connected between the missile and its guidance mechanism, which is located somewhere near the launch site. As the missile flies, the wires are reeled out behi ...

, and relocated to 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 ...

becoming part of

1st British Corps I Corps ("First Corps") was an army corps in existence as an active formation in the British Army for most of the 80 years from its creation in the First World War until the end of the Cold War, longer than any other corps. It had a short-lived ...

in November 1982. From there it deployed a squadron on guarding duties 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 ...

in September 1985. The regiment returned to the United Kingdom and joined 1st Armoured Infantry Brigade with its new base at Assaye 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 ...

in November 1986 from where it again deployed squadrons to Cyprus. It went back to Northampton Barracks in Wolfenbüttel as recce regiment for 1st Armoured Division in May 1991. The regiment amalgamated with the

to form the Light Dragoons on 1 December 1992.

Regimental museum

The regimental collection is held by the

Discovery Museum The Discovery Museum is a science museum and local history museum situated in Blandford Square in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It displays many exhibits of local history, including the ship, '' Turbinia''. It is managed by Tyne & Wear Archives ...

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne ( RP: , ), or simply Newcastle, is a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. The city is located on the River Tyne's northern bank and forms the largest part of the Tyneside built-up area. Newcastle is ...

Battle honours

Combined battle honours of the 13th and 18th Hussars plus: *''The Second World War'': Dyle, Withdrawal to Escaut, Ypres-Comines Canal, Normandy Landing, Bréville, Caen, Bourguébus Ridge, Mont Pinçon, St. Pierre La Vielle, Geilenkirchen, Roer, Rhineland, Waal Flats, Goch, Rhine, Bremen, North-West Europe 1940 '44–45.

Commanding Officers

The Commanding Officers have been: *1959–1962: Lt.-Col. Douglas H.E. Coker *1962–1964: Lt.-Col. H. Stuart R. Watson *1964–1966: Lt.-Col. Philip B. Tillard *1966–1968: Lt.-Col. Roger S. Beresford *1968–1970: Lt.-Col. John R.L. Howard *1970–1973: Lt.-Col. John C.M. Ansell *1973–1976: Lt.-Col. David A.G. Edelsten *1976–1978: Lt.-Col. David J. St.J. Loftus *1978–1981: Lt.-Col. George McL. Stephen *1981–1983: Lt.-Col. Robert J.W. Ffrench-Blake *1983–1986: Lt.-Col. Roderick A. Cordy-Simpson *1986–1988: Lt.-Col. Edward L. Yorke *1988–1991: Lt.-Col. Allan L. Mallinson *1991–1992: Lt.-Col. Andrew R.E. de C. Stewart

Colonels-in-Chief

*1922: Queen Mary *1989:

Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the Regiment were: *1922–1938: Lt-Gen. Sir

Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; (Commonly pronounced by others as ) 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder and first Chief Scout of the wor ...

, OM, GCMG, GCVO, KCB (ex

) *1938–1942: Col. James Jardine Richardson, DSO *1942–1952: Brig. John Noel Lumley, CBE, MC *1952–1959: Maj-Gen. Charles Harvey Miller, CB, CBE, DSO *1959–1968: Col. Vincent Ashforth Blundell Dunkerly, DSO, JP *1968–1974: Col. John Roger Cordy-Simpson, CBE, MC *1974–1979: Maj-Gen. Derrick Bruce Wormald, DSO, MC *1979–1990: Maj-Gen. Henry Stuart Ramsay Watson, CBE *1990–1992: Col. Robert John William ffrench Blake (to Light Dragoons) *''1992 Regiment amalgamated with

to form

The 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 the counties of Northu ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:13th 18th Royal Hussars 13 Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) Hussar regiments of the British Army Hussars Military units and formations established in 1922