TheQueen's Regiment (QUEENS) was aninfantryregiment of theBritish Army formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of theHome Counties Brigade. Then, until 1971 the regiment remained one of the largest regiments in the army, with 10 battalions, however these were reduced to just six, and later five battalions. Following thedissolution of the Soviet Union, theOptions for Change reform was published and the regiment amalgamated with theRoyal Hampshire Regiment to form thePrincess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
Queen's Regiment | |
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![]() Badge and tie of the regiment | |
Active | 31 December 1966 – 9 September 1992 |
Country | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Type | Line Infantry |
Size | Largest at 10 battalions[1] |
Part of | Queen's Division |
Regimental HQ | Howe Barracks,Canterbury[1] |
Nickname(s) | Reporting name: QUEENS |
Motto(s) | "Unconquered I Serve" |
March | Quick –Soldiers of the Queen Slow –The Caledonian |
Anniversaries | Sobraon (10 February), Albuhera (16 May), Glorious First of June, Sevastopol (8 September), Salerno (9 September), Quebec (13 September), British Battalion Day (20 December) |
Commanders | |
Colonel in Chief | HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark |
Formation
editThe regiment was formed as a 'large regiment' on 31 December 1966 by the amalgamation of the four remaining regiments of theHome Counties Brigade as a consequence of theDefence Review of 1957. The four regiments formed four battalions, retaining their previous names in the titles. In addition, the former regiment's Territorial battalions transferred under their former titles to the corps of the regiment for a short time. Below is a list of the regiment's subordinate organisations with formation dates, predecessor and successors. Battalion subtitles were omitted on 1 July 1968.[2]
Regulars[2]
- Regimental Headquarters, atHowe Barracks,Canterbury
- 1st Battalion (Queen's Surreys) – amalgamated with 2nd Bn to form 1stPrincess of Wales's Royal Regiment in 1992
- 2nd Battalion (Queen's Own Buffs) – amalgamated with 1st Bn to form 1st Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in 1992
- 3rd Battalion (Royal Sussex) – amalgamated withRoyal Hampshire Regiment to form 2nd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in 1992
- 4th Battalion (Middlesex) – disbanded in 1973
Territorials[2]
- 6th (Territorial) Battalion (Queen's Surreys)[3]
- Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre sponsored by 5th (V) Bn while forming coy in same bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed 3 new coys in 5th, 7th, and 6th (V) Bns respectively
- 7th (Territorial) Battalion (East Kent)[4]
- Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 in 5th (V) Bn while forming new coy in same bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed 3 new coys in 5th and 7th (V) Bns
- 8th (Territorial) Battalion (West Kent)[5]
- Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed a new coy in 7th (V) Bn
- 9th (Territorial) Battalion (Royal Sussex)[6]
- Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed two new coys and new Battalion HQ in 5th and 7th (V)
- 10th (Territorial) Battalion (Middlesex)[7]
- Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed two new coys in 5th and 6th (V) Bns
Volunteers[2] – had NATO roles and post 1975 Home Defence roles in addition, separate from the above Territorial battalions
- 5th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1967, transferred to PWRR as 5th (V) Bn in 1992
- 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1975, transferred to PWRR as 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1992
- 6th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1971 as new unit, amalgamated with 7th (V) Bn to form 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1975
- 7th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1971 as new unit, amalgamated with 6th (V) Bn to form 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1975
- 8th (Volunteer) Battalion, Queen's Fusiliers (City of London) – formed in 1988 as joint TA unit withRoyal Regiment of Fusiliers, becameLondon Regiment in 1993
Operational deployments
editThe deployment of the regiment's battalions was primarily toNorthern Ireland onOperation Banner duringThe Troubles, taking part in anti-terrorist operations. The 1st Battalion was almost continuously deployed there between August 1969 and November 1976.[8]The Longest Stag, a recent publication, provides a very detailed account of The Queen's Regiment deployed to Northern Ireland over more than 30 years. In all, twenty-nine operational tours were served by the Regiment.[9]
In 1968, the 2nd Battalion took over Palace Barracks, Belfast, Northern Ireland, from the 4th Battalion (Middlesex) who had been there since 1965. the battalion was engaged in Internal Security duties prior to and at the start of the official declaration of emergency in August 1969.[8] In August 1969 the 1st Battalion were deployed toDerry.[8] The 3rd Battalion were posted to Ballykinler, Northern Ireland in 1970. The 1st Battalion joined theBerlin Brigade inWest Berlin, a small enclave in Communist-controlledEast Germany.[8] The 4th Battalion was disbanded that year, as with every other 'junior' battalion of the new large regiments.[8]
The 2nd Battalion were deployed to East Belfast in 1971. The 3rd battalion remained in Ballykinler, until they moved to Tidworth in December that year.[8] Both the 2nd and 3rd battalions were deployed on operations to Belfast and Derry, Northern Ireland in 1972 and were involved in Operation Motorman. The 3rd Battalion was posted toCyprus as part of theUnited Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNIFICYP), a force intended to prevent conflict from breaking out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots: the battalion returned to the United Kingdom in May 1973.[8] Also that year, the 3rd Battalion arrived inGibraltar where it remained with the garrison for almost two years.[8]
1st Battalion served in West Belfast between 1973 and 1974 and then again whilst on spearhead in May 1974 for theUlster Workers Council Strike[8] The 2nd Battalion was posted to Derry, Northern Ireland from Werl, West Germany.[8] In 1975, 1st Battalion was posted toWerl, Germany (replacing the 2nd Battalion – who had moved from Werl back toBulford Camp).[8]
The 2nd Battalion, were deployed to Northern Ireland in 1976, first on a spearhead deployment inSouth Armagh following theKingsmill (Bessbrook) massacre, followed by a 6-month tour in Belize. The 1st Battalion were again deployed to Derry.[8] The 2nd Battalion were deployed to West Belfast, on an operational tour inAndersonstown in early 1977.[8] The 2nd Battalion were then posted to Gibraltar.[8]
The 3rd Battalion were posted toBelize from February to August 1977, then a British territory, as part of the garrison there to protect it from the perceived threat of war withGuatemala, a neighbour of Belize, which was making claims that it believed Belize to be an integral part of Guatemala.[8] In 1978, 1st Battalion deployed on operations to West Belfast for five months from Werl. The 2nd Battalion were in Gibraltar and the 3rd Battalion in Dover.[8] The 3rd Battalion deployed to Bessbrook, Northern Ireland in 1979.[8]
The 1st Battalion moved toCanterbury (the regiment's home base) in 1980.[8] From there it undertook a six-month tour of Belize.[8] The 2nd Battalion deployed to Cyprus on a 6-month tour-of-duty with UN forces in 1981.[8] The 1st Battalion were posted toOmagh inCounty Tyrone in 1982.[8] It served there until January 1985 with south eastFermanagh as its primary focus.[8] In 1983, the 2nd Battalion were posted to Derry, also on a two-year tour.[8]
The 3rd Battalion were deployed to Belfast on a six-month tour from Fallingbostel in 1984.[8] With all three battalions' in the province of Northern Ireland, A freedom parade was held in Belfast in 1984 at which all three battalions' Regimental Colours were paraded.[10]
The 1st battalion moved to Gibraltar in 1985 for two years before returning to the United Kingdom (Tidworth) in 1987 where it was to remain until 1990.[8] During this period it undertook two 6-month tours of Northern Ireland – South Armagh in 1987 and Belfast in 1989/90.[8] In 1990 the battalion moved toMinden in Germany, where it disbanded in 1992.[8]
The 3rd Battalion deployed to Belize from April to October 1986 on a 6-month tour-of-duty. Whilst there, a company group were on immediate standby to fly to theTurks and Caicos Islands in deterrence to the unrest in July 1986.[11] In 1987 the battalion was deployed to Northern Ireland as a Spearhead unit on Operation Cara Cara, reinforcing existing Units as an incremental Battalion deploying to fifteen base locations across the province with the mission to protect RUC Police stations.[12] In 1988 they returned toAldergrove, Northern Ireland for a 2-year operational tour.[8] In 1990 the 3rd Battalion arrived in Cyprus—its last deployment abroad and the location of its disbandment in 1992. From Cyprus the Battalion also deployed a reinforced company group for 5 months to theFalkland Islands andSouth Georgia.[8]
The 2nd Battalion were deployed toFalkland Islands andSouth Georgia in 1985/1986 as part of the joint force garrison to deter an invasion from Argentina. 1988 The 2nd Battalion returned to West Belfast. In 1991 a reinforced infantry company group from the battalion returned to The Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The 2nd Battalion's last operational deployment was to Northern Ireland on Operation Gypsy in 1992 before heading to Canterbury, England where it disbanded later in the year.[8]
Amalgamation
editAs a consequence of theOptions for Change defence cuts, on 9 September 1992 the regiment was amalgamated with theRoyal Hampshire Regiment to form thePrincess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires).[13]
Regimental museum
editThe Queen's & Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Regimental Museum is atDover Castle.[14]
Uniform
editThe Queen's regimental uniform consisted of a dark 'royal blue' uniform with blue facings, and scarlet piping. The regimental badge consisted of "A Dragon upon a mount within the Garter; above the Dragon and superimposed upon the Garter thePlume of the Prince of Wales".[2]
Regimental bands
editThe Queen's Regiment maintained three bands at the time of its disbandment; Band of the 1st Queen's Regiment, Band of the 2nd Queen's Regiment, and Kohima Band of the Queen's Regiment (5th (V) Bn). The first two being regular becoming the Band of the 1st Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and the Kohima Band being transferred to the same regiment.[2][15]
Regimental colours
editThe Queen's Regimental colours consisted of the following:[2]
- Central Device: ADragon upon a mount within theGarter, above the Dragon and superimposed on the Garter thePlume of the Prince of Wales
- 1st Corner: APaschal Lamb upon an eight-pointed star ensigned with theCrown
- 2nd Corner: AWhite Horse rampant above a scroll inscribed 'Invicta', and The Cypher ofQueen Catherine
- 3rd Corner: The Star of the Order of the Garter over the Roussillon Plume, and ANaval Crown superscribed '1st June 1794'
- 4th Corner: The Sphinx superscribed 'Egypt', and The Plume of the Prince of Wales above the Coronet and Cypher of theDuke of Cambridge.
Colonels-in-Chief
editColonels-in-Chief were as follows:[13]
- 1967–1992: HMQueen Juliana of the NetherlandsLG
- 1967–1972: HMKing Frederik IX of DenmarkKGGCBGCVOGCStJ
- 1967–1968: Chief Commandant HRHThe Princess Marina, Duchess of KentCIGBEGCVOGCStJ
- 1972–1992: HMQueen Margrethe II of DenmarkLG
Regimental Colonels
editRegimental Colonels were as follows:[13]
- 1966–1973: Lt-Gen. SirRichard Craddock, KBE, CB, DSO (fromQueen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment)
- 1973–1977: Maj-Gen.Fergus Alan Humphrey Ling, CB, CBE, DSO
- 1977–1984: Maj-Gen. Rowland Spencer Noel Mans, CBE
- 1984–1989: Brig. Herbert Charles Millman, OBE
- 1989–1992: Maj-Gen. Michael Frank Reynolds, CB
Alliances
editAlliances arranged were as follows:[13]
- CanadaThe Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment) –Canada (1966–1992)
- CanadaThe South Alberta Light Horse—Canada (1966–1992)
- CanadaThe Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (1966–1992)
- CanadaThe Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment—Canada (1966–1992)
- Canada 1st Battalion,The Royal New Brunswick Regiment (Carleton and York) — Canada (1966–1992)
- CanadaThe Essex and Kent Scottish—Canada (1966–1992)
- AustraliaRoyal New South Wales Regiment –Australia (1967–1992)
- AustraliaThe Royal Western Australia Regiment (1967–1992)
- AustraliaUniversity of New South Wales Regiment—Australia (1967–1992)
- New Zealand 2nd Battalion (Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
- New Zealand 5th Battalion (Wellington West Coast and Taranaki), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
- Pakistan12th, 14th, 15th, and 17th Battalions, The Punjab Regiment –Pakistan
- Sierra Leone The Royal Sierra Leone Regiment, Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (1966–?)
- Hong KongThe Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) – (1966–1992)
Order of precedence
editPreceded by | Infantry Order of Precedence | Succeeded by |
Lineage
editLineage | |||
The Queen's Regiment | TheQueen's Royal Surrey Regiment | ||
TheQueen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment | |||
The Royal Sussex Regiment | |||
The Middlesex Regiment |
References
edit- ^ab"The Queen's Regiment (UK)". 28 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 28 November 2007. Retrieved6 April 2021.
- ^abcdefg"The Queen's Regiment (UK)". 28 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 28 November 2007. Retrieved7 April 2021.
- ^"The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment [UK]". 20 October 2007. Archived fromthe original on 20 October 2007. Retrieved10 April 2021.
- ^"7th (T) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment (East Kent) [UK]". 15 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 15 November 2007. Retrieved10 April 2021.
- ^"4th/5th Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment [UK]". 9 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 9 November 2007. Retrieved10 April 2021.
- ^"4th/5th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment [UK]". 10 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 10 November 2007. Retrieved10 April 2021.
- ^"5th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment [UK]". 23 November 2007. Archived fromthe original on 23 November 2007. Retrieved10 April 2021.
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabacad"The Queen's Regiment". British Army units 1945 on. Retrieved20 July 2016.
- ^Riley, Jonathon; Goulden, Alasdair (2022).The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992. The Queen's Regimental Association. pp. xiv and xv.
- ^Riley, Jonathon; Goulden, Alasdair (2022).The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992. The Queen's Regimental Association. p. 290.
- ^Daily Telegraph 25th Jul 1986 p 6
- ^Riley, Jonathon; Goulden, Alasdair (2022).The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992. The Queen's Regimental Association. p. 300.
- ^abcd"The Queen's Regiment". Regiments.org. Archived fromthe original on 10 February 2006. Retrieved20 July 2016.
- ^"Queen's & PWRR Regiment Museum". 1st Battalion the Queen’s Regiment. Retrieved5 June 2018.
- ^"Corps of Army Music [UK]". 28 December 2007. Archived fromthe original on 28 December 2007. Retrieved7 April 2021.
Further reading
edit- Riley, Jonathon (1993).Soldiers of The Queen: The History of The Queen's Regiment 1966 - 1992. Picton Publishing ( Chippenham) Ltd.ISBN 0-948251-65-4.
- Riley, Jonathon; Goulden, Alasdair. (2022).The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967 - 1992. The Queen's Regimental association, 2022.ISBN 978-1-3999-2591-4.
External links
edit- 1st Battalion – The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment (PWRR Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment) – Timeline
- 1st Battalion The Queen's Regiment
- 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment / 3rd Battalion The Queen's Regiment
- Horsham Branch of The Queen's Regimental Association
- The Queen's Regimental Association RHQ Website
- 6/7th Battalion The Queen's Regiment
- HET report into QR soldiers death