12th Royal Lancers
Encyclopedia
The 12th Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army
. In 1960, it was amalgamated with 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, to form 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
.
in Berkshire
in July 1715 against the threat of the Jacobite rebellion. In 1718 the regiment was posted to Ireland, where it remained for seventy-five years.
In 1751 the regiment was officially styled the 12th Dragoons. In 1768 King George III bestowed the title of The 12th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, and the regiment was given the badge of the three ostrich feathers
, and the motto "Ich Dien". The 12th Dragoons, led by General Sir John Doyle won their first battle honour in Egypt in 1801 against the French Dromedary corps. They had previously had a young Duke of Wellington
serve with them as a subaltern between 1789-91. In 1816, the 12th Light Dragoons were armed with lances after the cavalry of Napoleon's Army had shown their effectiveness at Waterloo
and were re-titled 12th (The Prince of Wales's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers). In 1855 they reinforced the Light Cavalry Brigade in the Crimea after the infamous charge
at Balaclava. In 1861, they were renamed 12th (The Prince of Wales's) Royal Regiment of Lancers and in 1921 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's).
The British Army removed the lance from its weaponry in 1903, but an influential lobby secured its reinstatement in 1909.
The 12th Lancers served on the Western Front
throughout World War I
. In the mobile opening months of the war, cavalry played a vital role. On 28 August 1914, C Squadron of the 12th Lancers, led by Lt-Col Wormald, made a successful charge against a dismounted squadron of Prussian Dragoons at Moy
. The 9th/12th Royal Lancers
celebrate Mons
/Moy Day annually, which commemorates the last occasions on which each predecessor regiment charged with lances. In all, 166 officers and men of 12th Lancers died in World War I.
In 1928, the 12th Lancers gave up their horses and were equipped with armoured cars, taking over vehicles left in Egypt by two Royal Tank Corps
armoured car formations, the 3rd and 5th Companies. Late in 1934, the 12th exchanged equipment and station with the 11th Hussars
, taking over thirty-four Lanchester
armoured cars
at Tidworth
. Strength would have been 12 officers and 141 other ranks, organized in a company headquarters and three sections, each with five cars. Total outfit was sixteen cars, six motorbikes
, a staff car, and four 3 LT (3 t) and seven 3360 lb (1,524.1 kg) (30 cwt
) lorries
,
The 12th Lancers served as an armoured car regiment
equipped with the Morris CS9
, during the 1940 campaign in France and Flanders
, playing a key part in shielding the retreat to Dunkirk. Subsequently, the regiment fought at the Battle of El Alamein
with the 1st Armoured Division and then served as a corps-level reconnaissance asset in the Italian Campaign
.
In 1960, the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) were amalgamated with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
to form the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
.
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...
. In 1960, it was amalgamated with 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, to form 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
9th/12th Royal Lancers
The 9th/12th Royal Lancers is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1960 by the amalgamation of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers. It is currently a formation reconnaissance regiment, equipped with the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of vehicles and...
.
History
The regiment of dragoons that was to become the 12th Royal Lancers was raised by Brigadier-General Phineas BowlesPhineas Bowles (died 1722)
-Life:Bowles is first mentioned in the Military Entry Books in January 1692, when he was appointed captain-lieutenant in the regiment of Colonel W. Selwyn, later the 2nd Queen's, then just arrived in Holland from Ireland...
in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
in July 1715 against the threat of the Jacobite rebellion. In 1718 the regiment was posted to Ireland, where it remained for seventy-five years.
In 1751 the regiment was officially styled the 12th Dragoons. In 1768 King George III bestowed the title of The 12th (Prince of Wales's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, and the regiment was given the badge of the three ostrich feathers
Prince of Wales's feathers
The Prince of Wales's feathers is the heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent to the British and Commonwealth Realms thrones. It consists of three white feathers emerging from a gold coronet. A ribbon below the coronet bears the motto Ich dien...
, and the motto "Ich Dien". The 12th Dragoons, led by General Sir John Doyle won their first battle honour in Egypt in 1801 against the French Dromedary corps. They had previously had a young Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
serve with them as a subaltern between 1789-91. In 1816, the 12th Light Dragoons were armed with lances after the cavalry of Napoleon's Army had shown their effectiveness at Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and were re-titled 12th (The Prince of Wales's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers). In 1855 they reinforced the Light Cavalry Brigade in the Crimea after the infamous charge
Charge of the Light Brigade
The Charge of the Light Brigade was a charge of British cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854 in the Crimean War. The charge was the result of a miscommunication in such a way that the brigade attempted a much more difficult objective...
at Balaclava. In 1861, they were renamed 12th (The Prince of Wales's) Royal Regiment of Lancers and in 1921 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's).
The British Army removed the lance from its weaponry in 1903, but an influential lobby secured its reinstatement in 1909.
The 12th Lancers served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
throughout World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In the mobile opening months of the war, cavalry played a vital role. On 28 August 1914, C Squadron of the 12th Lancers, led by Lt-Col Wormald, made a successful charge against a dismounted squadron of Prussian Dragoons at Moy
Moÿ-de-l'Aisne
Moÿ-de-l'Aisne is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-References:*...
. The 9th/12th Royal Lancers
9th/12th Royal Lancers
The 9th/12th Royal Lancers is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1960 by the amalgamation of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers. It is currently a formation reconnaissance regiment, equipped with the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of vehicles and...
celebrate Mons
Battle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
/Moy Day annually, which commemorates the last occasions on which each predecessor regiment charged with lances. In all, 166 officers and men of 12th Lancers died in World War I.
In 1928, the 12th Lancers gave up their horses and were equipped with armoured cars, taking over vehicles left in Egypt by two Royal Tank Corps
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
armoured car formations, the 3rd and 5th Companies. Late in 1934, the 12th exchanged equipment and station with the 11th Hussars
11th Hussars
The 11th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army.-History:The regiment was founded in 1715 as Colonel Philip Honeywood's Regiment of Dragoons and was known by the name of its Colonel until 1751 when it became the 11th Regiment of Dragoons...
, taking over thirty-four Lanchester
Lanchester Motor Company
The Lanchester Motor Company Limited was a car manufacturer based until 1930 at Armourer Mills, Montgomery Street, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, England. It operated from 1895 to 1955....
armoured cars
Lanchester 6x4 Armoured Car
Lanchester Armoured Car was a British armoured car produced in limited numbers in late 1920s and early 1930s. The vehicle remained in service with the Territorial Army and colonial units until early 1940s and saw action in the Battle of Malaya...
at Tidworth
Tidworth
Tidworth is a town in south-east Wiltshire, England with a growing civilian population. Situated at the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, it is approximately 10 miles west of Andover, 12 miles south of Marlborough, 24 miles south of Swindon, 15 miles north by north-east of Salisbury and 6 miles east...
. Strength would have been 12 officers and 141 other ranks, organized in a company headquarters and three sections, each with five cars. Total outfit was sixteen cars, six motorbikes
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
, a staff car, and four 3 LT (3 t) and seven 3360 lb (1,524.1 kg) (30 cwt
Hundredweight
The hundredweight or centum weight is a unit of mass defined in terms of the pound . The definition used in Britain differs from that used in North America. The two are distinguished by the terms long hundredweight and short hundredweight:* The long hundredweight is defined as 112 lb, which...
) lorries
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
,
The 12th Lancers served as an armoured car regiment
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 World War and the Cold War. An armoured car...
equipped with the Morris CS9
Morris CS9
The Morris CS9/Light Armoured Car was a British armoured car used by the British Army in the World War II.-History:The vehicle was based on a Morris Commercial C9 4x2 15-cwt truck chassis. On this chassis a rivetted hull was mounted with an open-topped two-man turret. The armament consisted of...
, during the 1940 campaign in France and Flanders
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, playing a key part in shielding the retreat to Dunkirk. Subsequently, the regiment fought at the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
with the 1st Armoured Division and then served as a corps-level reconnaissance asset in the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
.
In 1960, the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) were amalgamated with the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
9th Queen's Royal Lancers
The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, or the Delhi Spearmen, were a cavalry regiment of the British Army. They are best known for their roles in the Indian mutiny of 1857 and for their part in the North African campaign of World War II including the retreat to and the battle of El Alamein in 1942.-Early...
to form the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)
9th/12th Royal Lancers
The 9th/12th Royal Lancers is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1960 by the amalgamation of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers. It is currently a formation reconnaissance regiment, equipped with the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance family of vehicles and...
.
Battle Honours
- Egypt, Salamanca, Peninsula, Waterloo, South Africa 1851-2-3, Sevastopol, Central India, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899-1902
- The Great War: Mons, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Messines 1914, Ypres 1914 '15, Neuve Chapelle, St. Julien, Bellewaarde, Arras 1917, Scarpe 1917, Cambrai 1917 '18, Somme 1918, St. Quentin, Lys, Hazebrouck, Amiens, Albert 1918, Hindenburg Line, St. Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914-18
- The Second World War: Dyle, Defence of Arras, Arras Counter Attack, Dunkirk 1940, North-West Europe 1940, Chor es Sufan, Gazala, Alam el Halfa, El Alamein, Advance on Tripoli, Tebaga Gap, El Hamma, Akarit, El Kourzia, Djebel Kournine, Tunis, Creteville Pass, North Africa 1941-43, Citerna, Gothic Line, Capture of Forli, Conventello-Comacchio, Bologna, Sillaro Crossing, Idice Bridgehead, Italy 1944-45
External links
- Archive of 12th Lancers page at regiments.org
- History on MoD site
- The 12th (Prince of Wales’) Light Dragoons is a living historyLiving historyLiving history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is...
unit that aims to recreate the regiment of the Napoleonic wars