3rd The King's Own Hussars
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment
in the British Army
, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.
in that year led the King of England, James II
to expand the military forces under his command in order to suppress the rebellion. A number of infantry and cavalry units were raised during 1685, including a unit of three troop
s of cavalry detached from the Duke of Somerset's Royal Dragoons on 16 June by the order of the King. The three troop captains were ordered to recruit a number of volunteers from the regions around London, including Middlesex
, Berkshire
and Essex
and then proceed to Acton
in Middlesex. Once the unit had arrived it was ordered to guard the northern approaches to the City of London
against any attempts by the forces commanded by the Duke of Monmouth
to attack the city. Although the unit did possess weapons and some degree of training, it did not encounter any rebel troops and was still stationed in Middlesex when Monmouth's forces were defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor
on 6 July 1685. In the aftermath of the failed rebellion the original three troops of the unit were combined with three more cavalry troops, one independent and two newly-raised, to form The Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons.
In 1688 the Prince of Orange
William of Orange
led an invasion of England in what came to be known as the Glorious Revolution
, landing a force of 14,000 troops in Devon
on 5 November. James II assembled the English army on Salisbury Plain
, approximately 80 miles (128.7 km) from where William had landed his invasion force, in order to protect London; however, as William's forces advanced a large number of English regiments defected and travelled south to pledge their loyalty to William. The Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons was split by a division of loyalties; Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Leveson
, along with several captains, led the majority of the regiment to Devon in support of William, but Colonel Cannon and his own troop remained loyal to James II and followed the remnants of James' army as it retreated to London. On 31 December William promoted Leveson to Colonel of the regiment, and Leveson proceeded to raise new recruits and horses to replace those who had remained loyal to James; the regiment continued to recruit from the Home Counties
, with recruitment particularly focusing within Bedfordshire
, and it was renamed as Leveson's Dragoons in honour of Leveson and his support of William.
. James had fled from England in December 1688 to France, but had returned with an army in March 1689 and landed at Cork, Ireland
, where he found that he had the support of a majority of the Catholic population. William's expeditionary force had landed south of Belfast
on 13 August, encountering little resistance from the local Catholic forces, and entered the city on 17 August; Leveson's Dragoons landed in Ireland four days later, taking up position just outside of Belfast. Early records of the activities of the regiment are scarce, but it appears that it advanced with the rest of the Williamite forces southwards on 2 September, advancing to the town of Newry
but failing to catch the garrison of the town as it retreated. The Williamite army moved southwards as far as Dundalk
and fortified the town, but did not advance any further as a Catholic army, estimated 35,000 strong, was reportedly encamped nearby at Ardee
. The regiment encountered a small Catholic force and killed five men on 20 September, but was forced to wait until October until it took part in its first major action. On 27 October two hundred troopers from the regiment, along with a detachment from the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
, raided Ardee, killing a number of sentries and capturing a large number of cattle and horses. In November the Williamite army moved northwards and the regiment saw action one last time before entering winter quarters at Lisburn
; on 26 November sixty troopers from the regiment were reconnoitring near Charlemont
when they encountered a detachment from the town's garrison, engaging it and taking several prisoners. The regiment then retired to its winter quarters resting and taking on approximately 200 recruits shipped from England to replace losses from disease; whilst the exact casualty figures for the regiment are unknown, the entire army had suffered approximately 6,000 casualties as a result of fever, ague and dysentry by November. The regiment emerged from winter quarters in mid-February 1690 and immediately saw action; a gazette issued from Belfast on 14 February announced that a squadron from the regiment had formed part of a raiding force that had crossed enemy lines and burnt down a castle and looted a town, killing ten men and taking twenty prisoners. The next recorded action by the regiment took place on 22 June, when a squadron from the regiment and a company of infantry from the Tangier Regiment
encountered a fort garrisoned by a force of infantry and approximately 500 cavalry; the force stood its ground and fought a pitched battle until the enemy commanding officer was killed and the Catholic force retreated.
The regiment was present for the Battle of the Boyne
on 1 July, forming part of the 36,000-strong Williamite army which engaged the 25,000-strong Catholic army commanded by James II. During the closing stages of the battle a large portion of James' cavalry repeatedly charged the advancing Williamite infantry in order to provide protection for the retreating Catholic infantry, and were able to reach the village of Donore. The village was situated on an area of high ground, and from the there the dismounted cavalrymen were able to fire down on advancing Williamite troops. To counter this move, a squadron from the regiment charged up the hill and engaged the dismounted cavalry whilst the remainder of the regiment outflanked the village and attacked the Catholic force from the rear, inflicting a large number of casualties. After routing this force the regiment joined up with a Dutch cavalry unit, advancing and rapidly sighting another Catholic cavalry force. The Dutch cavalry attacked, but were repelled with heavy losses and retreated down a narrow lane. As the Dutch regrouped, the troopers of the regiment dismounted and took up position amongst the hedgerows lining the lane, as well as a nearby house; when the Catholic cavalry advanced down the lane they came under fire from the regiment, inflicting heavy losses and forcing the survivors to retreat. The battle was a decisive victory for the Williamite forces, with James forced to retire first to Dublin and then to France as the Williamite army advanced south and captured Dublin on 4 July. The regiment did not take part in the capture of Dublin, instead being ordered to advance to the city of Waterford; there it accepted the surrender of the city's garrison, as well as the garrison of the nearby port of Youghal, where it would remain the rest of the summer. A troop of the regiment patrolled the surrounding area, with a detachment engaging a large band of armed Catholic citizens who had been attacking Protestant settlements in the area; the detachment killed sixty and took twelve civilian prisoners, as well as attacking the village of Castlemartyr and taking its Catholic garrison prisoner. The remainder of the regiment moved to Limerick and took part in the failed siege of that city, although the specifics of what the regiment did are unknown. Before the regiment retired to its winter quarters in December it engaged and dispersed several more armed bands of civilians and came to the aid of a detachment from the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
who had been ambushed by Catholic infantry and had taken shelter in a ruined castle; a troop from the regiment drove off the infantry and escorted the Iniskilling detachment to safety.
The regiment left its winter quarters in February 1691 and immediately saw action, forming part of a combined force of infantry and cavalry that engaged a 2,000-strong Catholic force near Streamstown and forced it to retreat; the role the regiment played in this action led to Leveson being promoted to Brigadier-General. In May the majority of the Williamite army moved north and besieged the town of Athlone, which fell after eleven days, but the regiment took no part in the siege, having been ordered to encamp in the county of Mullingar. At the beginning of July the regiment formed part of the 12,000-strong Williamite army that defeated an 8,000-strong Catholic army during the Battle of Aughrim
, taking part in a massed cavalry charge that breached the Catholic positions around the village of Aughrim. The Battle of Aughrim was a decisive victory for King William, with a number of leading Catholic generals being killed, and the Williamite forces pressed their advantage; they forced the surrender of Galway
on 20 July and then began a second siege of Limerick in August. The regiment did not take part directly in the siege, instead being detached in late August and ordered to advance south-west into Kerry
to reconnoitre and harass Catholic forces in the area around Limerick. On 2 September the regiment ambushed and routed two regiments of Catholic cavalry, and several days later subdued a number of Catholic garrisons between Cork and Limerick. The regiment inflicted a number of casualties, but more importantly captured thousands of cattle and oxen; one contemporary source states that the majority of the army's provisions for the siege of Limerick were provided by the regiment. On 22 September Limerick fell to the Williamite forces, effectively ending the conflict in Ireland; the regiment was withdrawn to its winter quarters and was then transported to England in the spring of 1692.
. He was replaced by Thomas, 5th Baron Fairfax of Cameron
in January 1694; as a consequence, the regiment lost the title of Leveson's Dragoons and reverted to its previous title of The Queen's Dragoons.
In the spring of 1694 the regiment was reviewed by King William along with a number of other English units, and was then transported to the Netherlands, landing at Willemstadt
, North Brabant
on 16 April. After two months the regiment marched to join the main body of the English Army at Tirlemont in Flanders
, encamping to the rear of the Army's positions in order 'to cover His Majesty's quarters'. The regiment spent the summer of 1694 as part of a brigade with the Royal Horse Guards
and Royal Scots Greys, taking part in manouvres and skirmishing with enemy troops before retiring to winter quarters in October near Ghent
. By February 1695 the strength of the regiment had increased from six to eight troops, and the regiment had also gained another new commander, with Lord Fairfax being replaced by William Lloyd, previously the Lieutenant-Colonel of Essex's Dragoon's
.
During the summer of 1695 the majority of the English forces were occupied with the second siege of Namur, but the regiment did not participate in the siege, instead forming part of a force that occupied the city of Diksmuide
intended to lure French forces away from relieving the siege of Namur. The force was successful, luring a large number of French troops away from Namur who proceeded to besiege the city; instead of holding Diksmuide as intended, however, the Danish
General commanding the force surrendered the city on 18 July, and as a consequence the regiment became prisoners of war
. The officer commanding the regiment demanded that the regiment be allowed to attempt to break the siege of the city and escape, but the General denied the request. Although the request was denied, many of the officers and troopers broke their weapons to deny them to the French before they surrendered. The regiment remained in captivity for several weeks, only being released when the siege of Namur was successful and the commander of the French forces there, the Duke of Boufflers
, surrendered the city; after a period of negotiation with Louis XIII, Boufflers was exchanged for all English prisoners of war.
After its release the regiment retired to winter quarters and received reinforcements, then during the summer of 1696 it formed part of a detached Corps
encamped near Nieuwpoort, Belgium
, skirmishing several times with French forces when they attempted to attack the region, but never being committed to a major battle. The regiment also appears to have seen little combat during 1697, moving to Brussels
sometime during the year to protect the approaches to the city and remaining there until the Treaty of Ryswick
was signed in September 1697. Once the treaty was signed, signaling the end of the Nine Years' War, the regiment returned to England.
The huge expense incurred by England during William III's prosecution of the Nine Years' War angered Parliament
, leading to large cuts in funding for the military; these primarily affected soldiers pay, which was drastically reduced, and the withholding of gratuities that soldiers were often promised prior to going into battle. Many regiments had their strengths reduced, including The Queen's Own Dragoon's, which had its strength reduced by half. During the period of peace between the end of the Nine Years' War in 1697 and the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession
in 1702, the regiment performed a number of small tasks befitting its reduced size; it conducted coastal revenue duty, confronted smugglers, and escorted the King when he traveled to Holland. The War of the Spanish Succession began in May 1702, and in June an English expeditionary force was assembled at Cowes
on the Isle of Wight
under the command of the Earl of Ormond, tasked with landing in Cadiz
, Spain and capturing the surrounding area; eighteen officers, twenty-four non-commissioned officers and 186 troopers from the regiment formed part of the force. It sailed from Cowes on 23 June and landed in Cadiz on 15 August, where it soon engaged Spanish forces. As the only cavalry formation with the expeditionary force, the regiment was constantly employed as picquets at the forefront of the English advance, as well as being used to guard and protect outposts. The regiment skirmished with Spanish forces throughout September, but an attempt to besiege Cadiz
was far more difficult than was expected, ending in a Spanish victory, and as a result the regiment was embarked on transports destined for England. During the voyage, however, the transports received word that a Spanish naval force had been sighted attempting to land near the city of Vigo
, and turned back towards Spain. On 12 October they reached the city and off-loaded the regiment; there are few details about the regiment's involvement in the ensuing Battle of Vigo Bay
, but records indicate that all of the Spanish vessels involved in the attempted landing were either destroyed or burnt, and the regiment received a considerable amount of prize money
for its part in the action.
After the battle the regiment did not return to Spain and rejoin the English expeditionary force, but was instead ordered back to England; for a period of nearly four years the regiment remained in England, being quartered in Kent
and the Isle of Wight as a garrison force, mustering for occasional parades and reviews. In December 1703 William Lloyd sold the colonelcy of the regiment to George Carpenter, who then assumed command of the regiment. In 1706 the regiment was once again transferred to the Isle of Wight, where 240 officers, non-commissioned officers and troopers were attached to an 8,000 strong force assembling there. The force was tasked with landing on the coast of France near Charente
and fighting its way inland, aiding by local Protestant civilians. The fleet left England on 30 July, but the operation was canceled due to poor weather and the failure of Dutch naval forces to rendezvous with the transports to escort them to the French coast. The transports were then ordered to head for Spain where they would land at Cadiz and reinforce English forces in the area; however poor weather forced the ships to remain in Torbay
for eleven weeks, with the troops remaining on board, until mid-August when they attempted to sail for Lisbon
. Even more severe weather meant that the ships could not be unloaded at Lisbon either, however, and they remained there for a further two months; during this time the regiment and the other English troops on board the ships suffered hundreds of casualties from a lack of proper food and water, and outbreaks of disease. By January 1707 the weather calmed down enough for the ships to leave Lisbon harbor, and in February they reached Alicante
, where the troops were off-loaded; of the 8,000 troops who had boarded the transports in July 1706, only 4,400 had survived.
The remnants of the force, including the regiment, then marched forty miles to Caudete
to link up with an Allied army composed of English, Dutch, German and Portuguese troops under the command of the Earl of Galway. This army was to support Spanish forces loyal to Charles of Austria
, who claimed that he was the legitimate heir to the Spanish throne; however, this claim was contested by his opponent, Philip of Anjou, who had gathered his own army and was determined to defeat Charles in battle. The campaign against Anjou's forces began in March, with the Allies advancing, destroying several magazines and besieging the city of Villena
; soon after beginning the siege, however, they were soon alerted by several French deserters that a large Franco-Spanish force was advancing towards Almansa
to the north-east. The Earl of Galway was also informed that a second enemy force under the command of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
was marching to reinforce the first force; in response to this information the Earl advanced immediately in an attempt to prevent the two forces from linking up. However the manoeuvre failed, leading to the 15,000-strong Allied army being opposed by 25,000 French and Spanish troops who also possessed a superior number of artillery pieces. The two forces clashed during the Battle of Almansa
, which began on the afternoon of 25 April. The battle began with both sides bombarding the others positions with artillery fire, and after this general bombardment had ended the Allied cavalry were dispatched to attack the centre of the Franco-Spanish positions; The Queen's Own Dragoon's were committed alongside Essex's Dragoons to attack an enemy artillery battery which was bombarding the Allied line. The regiment charged the battery and force it to withdraw, but were then engaged by a superior force of Spanish cavalry approximately three times the size of the regiment; according to regimental records the ensuing battle 'nearly annihilated' the regiment, with its Colonel being killed along with a large number of officers and troopers. The remnants of the two cavalry regiments retreated to the Allied lines, where volley-fire from the Allied infantry was beginning to inflict significant casualties on the Franco-Spanish forces; it was at this point, however, that the 7,000 Portuguese troops belonging to the Allied army suddenly deserted, starting with their cavalry and rapidly followed by the Portuguese infantry. The desertion turned the tide of the battle and led to a Franco-Spanish victory, with 2,000 Allied infantrymen being taken prisoner and the remnants of the Allied army being routed. The Allied army suffered approximately 4,000 killed and wounded and another 3,000 taken prisoner; whilst there are no specific casualty numbers for the regiment, when it returned to England in the spring and began recruiting, it could only muster 150 troopers and officers.
. There it formed part of the English garrison, intimidating the Scottish population in an attempt to repress any attempts at a Jacobite rising
. When George I
ascended to the English throne in 1714, the regiment's title was once again altered, and that same year became The King's Own Regiment of Dragoons. Shortly after his ascension, a major Jacobite uprising occurred and the regiment was amongst the English troops assembled in Scotland to bar the advance of the Jacobite forces. At the Battle of Sheriffmuir
on 13 November, an English army commanded by the Duke of Argyll which included the regiment defeated a larger Jacobite army; sources are vague on the exact details of the regiment's involvement, but it is known that it formed part of the army's left wing, supporting several infantry regiments. The wing was struck by a Jacobite infantry assault, which inflicted significant casualties, but three squadrons from the regiment charged the infantry and forced it to retreat; this allowed the English forces to retire and reassemble without further loss. The regiment did not see any further action during the uprising, remaining with the Duke of Argyll's army which pursued Jacobite forces as they retreated northwards until the army occupied Aberdeen
on 8 February; shortly after the rebellion came to an end. For a short period the regiment was stationed at Elgin
, and then was transferred to southern England, where it remained for more than twenty years; it became an understrength garrison force and did little apart from conduct occasional raids against smugglers on the English coast. On 20 October 1740, Charles VI died and his daughter, Maria Theresa of Austria
took his place on the Habsburg
throne; the ascendancy caused a great deal of political controversy, which resulted in The War of the Austrian Succession. King George II
pledged the support of Great Britain
to Maria Theresa, and in May 1742 a 16,000 strong British army sailed to Ostend
to link up with military forces of the Dutch Republic
, who had also decided to support Maria Theresa. The King's Own Dragoons formed part of the army.
The English forces arrived in the Dutch Republic, but did not immediately go on campaign, instead moving into winter quarters in Bruges and Ghent. The army finally departed in February 1743, and the regiment was chosen to form part of the advance guard as it advanced towards the Rhine Valley. By June the English army had joined Hanover
ian and Austrian forces by the river Main, the Allied forces totalling approximately 44,000 troops; they were opposed by some 70,000 French troops. After a period of marching and counter-marching, and the arrival of King George II who took personal command of the Allied forces, the French army engaged the Allies at the Battle of Dettingen
on 27 June. The King's Own Dragoons were placed on the left flank of the Allied army, with instructions to protect an infantry force as it advanced. Exposed to French artillery fire for three hours, where it suffered heavy casualties, the regiment was eventually ordered to advance, and clashed with a larger force of French Household Cavalry; after a fierce engagement and more casualties, it drove off the French cavalry. Shortly after this, the French army was forced to retreat, and the remnants of the regiment participated in a general cavalry pursit of the French forces, which inflicted further casualties. The regiment suffered 42 officer and other ranks killed, and 106 wounded, shrinking its size considerably; this provoked a comment from George II when he reviewed the Allied forces after the end of the battle. He asked an aide to whom the regiment belonged in a sharp tone, to which its commanding officer replied, 'Please, your Majesty, it is my regiment, and I believe the remainder of it is at Dettingen.'
The Battle of Dettingen had brought the French advance towards the Dutch Republic to a halt, and the conflict devolved into a long series of small and indecisive battles in the Southern Netherlands. The regiment moved to winter quarters in late 1743 in Ghent and received a shipment of recruits to bolster its ranks; however, the regiment did not move from the Southern Netherlands until May 1745, when the Duke of Cumberland was dispatched to the continent to take command of the Allied army. Cumberland advanced towards the city of Tournai
in early May, but failed to besiege it due to its strengthened defences; a few days later, the Allied army was engaged at the Battle of Fontenoy
, where it was decisively defeated by a superior French forces. Unfortunately, there are detailed records that describe the King's Own Dragoons participation in the battle; the regiments commanding officer only noted that the regiment had launched several cavalry charges against the French line, but had been forced to retreat with the rest of the Allied army after suffering nine killed and eighteen missing. The Allied Army retreated back towards the Southern Netherlands, pursued by the French, but the regiment did not engage in any further fighting; instead it was dispatched northwards to receive more recruits, and then ordered to prepare to be transported to England. On 25 July, taking advantage of the English defeat at the Battle of Fontenoy, Prince Charles Edward Stuart landed in Invernessshire and began to organize another Jacobite uprising.
Within a month of landing, Stuart had raised a force of 1,600 men from various Scottish clans, and began to march south, increasing his numbers to 2,500 by mid-September when he entered Edinburgh
. As the Prince advanced, the Duke of Cumberland assembled his English regiments in Flanders and then had them transported to England, arriving in London on 25 October and joining the rest of the English army at Lichfield. However, the advice of several of his senior officers, combined with a lack of support from the French and English Jacobites prompted Stuart to order a retreat, his forces moving back northwards towards Scotland with the English army in pursiit. On 16 December the advance guard of the English army, which included the King's Own Dragoons, managed to overtake the Jacobite rearguard and laid an ambush. The ambush did not completely succeed due to it being performed in the dark, and the English forces suffered more casualties than they inflicted. The regiment dismounted and fought as infantry during the ambush, clashing repeatedly with the Jacobite forces and engaging in hand-to-hand fighting, suffering a number of casualties. The regiment then re-mounted and pursued the Jacobite rearguard to Carlisle, being ststioned near the town until it surrendered on 30 December. The records for the regiment for the next year are vague; it appears that it did see action during the Battle of Culloden
in 1746, but there are no details. After the English victory at Culloden, the regiment advanced into Scotland with the rest of the English army, before being detached to Dundee
; after the rebellion had been suppressed, it moved to York, where it guarded Jacobite prisoners.
as part of 4th Cavalry Brigade
. On mobilisation, the brigade was assigned to the Cavalry Division of the British Expeditionary Force, and was sent to France. The 4th Brigade was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division in October, and the regiment spent the remainder of the war with this unit on the Western Front
. They were later deployed to Turkey as part of the British intervention there from November 1921 until 24 August 1923, and then moved to Egypt
.
the 3rd Hussars were shipped to North Africa and assigned to the 7th Armoured Brigade
. The regiment served in the North African Campaign
. In 1941 B Squadron was sent to Singapore
as reinforcements but were diverted to Java
when Singapore fell, where after a brief fight they were ordered to surrender and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war. The remainder of the regiment fought in the Battle of El Alamein
where all but five tanks were destroyed in the first days of the action. After the campaign in North Africa the 3rd Hussars next saw action in the Italian Campaign
from 1944 through 1945.
Fifty four members of B Squadron died as prisoners of the Japanese Army
. The few survivors returned to the regiment in 1945 after the war ended.
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...
, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.
The Glorious Revolution
The formation of the 3rd The King's Own Hussars can be traced back to 1685. The advent of the Monmouth RebellionMonmouth Rebellion
The Monmouth Rebellion,The Revolt of the West or The West Country rebellion of 1685, was an attempt to overthrow James II, who had become King of England, King of Scots and King of Ireland at the death of his elder brother Charles II on 6 February 1685. James II was a Roman Catholic, and some...
in that year led the King of England, James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
to expand the military forces under his command in order to suppress the rebellion. A number of infantry and cavalry units were raised during 1685, including a unit of three troop
Troop
A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. In many armies a troop is the equivalent unit to the infantry section or platoon...
s of cavalry detached from the Duke of Somerset's Royal Dragoons on 16 June by the order of the King. The three troop captains were ordered to recruit a number of volunteers from the regions around London, including Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, 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...
and Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
and then proceed to Acton
Municipal Borough of Acton
Acton was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1865 to 1965.In 1865 the Local Government Act 1858 was adopted by the parish of Acton, and a twelve-member local board of health was formed to govern the area. The Local Government Act 1894 constituted the area an urban district, and...
in Middlesex. Once the unit had arrived it was ordered to guard the northern approaches to the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
against any attempts by the forces commanded by the Duke of Monmouth
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, KG, PC , was an English nobleman. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter...
to attack the city. Although the unit did possess weapons and some degree of training, it did not encounter any rebel troops and was still stationed in Middlesex when Monmouth's forces were defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor
Battle of Sedgemoor
The Battle of Sedgemoor was fought on 6 July 1685 and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, England.It was the final battle of the Monmouth Rebellion and followed a series of skirmishes around south west England between the forces of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and the...
on 6 July 1685. In the aftermath of the failed rebellion the original three troops of the unit were combined with three more cavalry troops, one independent and two newly-raised, to form The Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons.
In 1688 the Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange
Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
led an invasion of England in what came to be known as the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
, landing a force of 14,000 troops in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
on 5 November. James II assembled the English army on Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, approximately 80 miles (128.7 km) from where William had landed his invasion force, in order to protect London; however, as William's forces advanced a large number of English regiments defected and travelled south to pledge their loyalty to William. The Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons was split by a division of loyalties; Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Leveson
Richard Leveson
Sir Richard Leveson was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1642. He supported the Royalist cause during the English Civil War....
, along with several captains, led the majority of the regiment to Devon in support of William, but Colonel Cannon and his own troop remained loyal to James II and followed the remnants of James' army as it retreated to London. On 31 December William promoted Leveson to Colonel of the regiment, and Leveson proceeded to raise new recruits and horses to replace those who had remained loyal to James; the regiment continued to recruit from the Home Counties
Home Counties
The home counties is a term which refers to the counties of South East England and the East of England which border London, but do not include the capital city itself...
, with recruitment particularly focusing within Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, and it was renamed as Leveson's Dragoons in honour of Leveson and his support of William.
The Williamite War in Ireland
In August 1689 the regiment, numbering approximately 400 officers and men organized into six troops, was transported to Ireland to take part in the Williamite WarWilliamite war in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland—also called the Jacobite War in Ireland, the Williamite-Jacobite War in Ireland and in Irish as Cogadh an Dá Rí —was a conflict between Catholic King James II and Protestant King William of Orange over who would be King of England, Scotland and Ireland...
. James had fled from England in December 1688 to France, but had returned with an army in March 1689 and landed at Cork, Ireland
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, where he found that he had the support of a majority of the Catholic population. William's expeditionary force had landed south of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 13 August, encountering little resistance from the local Catholic forces, and entered the city on 17 August; Leveson's Dragoons landed in Ireland four days later, taking up position just outside of Belfast. Early records of the activities of the regiment are scarce, but it appears that it advanced with the rest of the Williamite forces southwards on 2 September, advancing to the town of Newry
Newry
Newry is a city in Northern Ireland. The River Clanrye, which runs through the city, formed the historic border between County Armagh and County Down. It is from Belfast and from Dublin. Newry had a population of 27,433 at the 2001 Census, while Newry and Mourne Council Area had a population...
but failing to catch the garrison of the town as it retreated. The Williamite army moved southwards as far as Dundalk
Dundalk
Dundalk is the county town of County Louth in Ireland. It is situated where the Castletown River flows into Dundalk Bay. The town is close to the border with Northern Ireland and equi-distant from Dublin and Belfast. The town's name, which was historically written as Dundalgan, has associations...
and fortified the town, but did not advance any further as a Catholic army, estimated 35,000 strong, was reportedly encamped nearby at Ardee
Ardee
Ardee is a town and townland in County Louth, Ireland. It is located at the intersection of the N2, N52, and N33 roads. Ardee is on the banks of the River Dee and is approximately 20 km from Dundalk, Drogheda, Slane and Carrickmacross...
. The regiment encountered a small Catholic force and killed five men on 20 September, but was forced to wait until October until it took part in its first major action. On 27 October two hundred troopers from the regiment, along with a detachment from the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
The 6th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922.The 'Skins' are one of the four ancestor regiments of the Royal Dragoon...
, raided Ardee, killing a number of sentries and capturing a large number of cattle and horses. In November the Williamite army moved northwards and the regiment saw action one last time before entering winter quarters at Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
; on 26 November sixty troopers from the regiment were reconnoitring near Charlemont
Charlemont
Charlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 150 people in the 2001 Census. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area...
when they encountered a detachment from the town's garrison, engaging it and taking several prisoners. The regiment then retired to its winter quarters resting and taking on approximately 200 recruits shipped from England to replace losses from disease; whilst the exact casualty figures for the regiment are unknown, the entire army had suffered approximately 6,000 casualties as a result of fever, ague and dysentry by November. The regiment emerged from winter quarters in mid-February 1690 and immediately saw action; a gazette issued from Belfast on 14 February announced that a squadron from the regiment had formed part of a raiding force that had crossed enemy lines and burnt down a castle and looted a town, killing ten men and taking twenty prisoners. The next recorded action by the regiment took place on 22 June, when a squadron from the regiment and a company of infantry from the Tangier Regiment
Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
The Queen's Royal Regiment was a regiment of the English and later British Army from 1661 to 1959. It was the senior English line infantry regiment of the British Army, behind only the Royal Scots in the British Army line infantry order of precedence...
encountered a fort garrisoned by a force of infantry and approximately 500 cavalry; the force stood its ground and fought a pitched battle until the enemy commanding officer was killed and the Catholic force retreated.
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
on 1 July, forming part of the 36,000-strong Williamite army which engaged the 25,000-strong Catholic army commanded by James II. During the closing stages of the battle a large portion of James' cavalry repeatedly charged the advancing Williamite infantry in order to provide protection for the retreating Catholic infantry, and were able to reach the village of Donore. The village was situated on an area of high ground, and from the there the dismounted cavalrymen were able to fire down on advancing Williamite troops. To counter this move, a squadron from the regiment charged up the hill and engaged the dismounted cavalry whilst the remainder of the regiment outflanked the village and attacked the Catholic force from the rear, inflicting a large number of casualties. After routing this force the regiment joined up with a Dutch cavalry unit, advancing and rapidly sighting another Catholic cavalry force. The Dutch cavalry attacked, but were repelled with heavy losses and retreated down a narrow lane. As the Dutch regrouped, the troopers of the regiment dismounted and took up position amongst the hedgerows lining the lane, as well as a nearby house; when the Catholic cavalry advanced down the lane they came under fire from the regiment, inflicting heavy losses and forcing the survivors to retreat. The battle was a decisive victory for the Williamite forces, with James forced to retire first to Dublin and then to France as the Williamite army advanced south and captured Dublin on 4 July. The regiment did not take part in the capture of Dublin, instead being ordered to advance to the city of Waterford; there it accepted the surrender of the city's garrison, as well as the garrison of the nearby port of Youghal, where it would remain the rest of the summer. A troop of the regiment patrolled the surrounding area, with a detachment engaging a large band of armed Catholic citizens who had been attacking Protestant settlements in the area; the detachment killed sixty and took twelve civilian prisoners, as well as attacking the village of Castlemartyr and taking its Catholic garrison prisoner. The remainder of the regiment moved to Limerick and took part in the failed siege of that city, although the specifics of what the regiment did are unknown. Before the regiment retired to its winter quarters in December it engaged and dispersed several more armed bands of civilians and came to the aid of a detachment from the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot
The 27th Regiment of Foot was an Irish infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1689 and amalgamated into The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1881.- History :...
who had been ambushed by Catholic infantry and had taken shelter in a ruined castle; a troop from the regiment drove off the infantry and escorted the Iniskilling detachment to safety.
The regiment left its winter quarters in February 1691 and immediately saw action, forming part of a combined force of infantry and cavalry that engaged a 2,000-strong Catholic force near Streamstown and forced it to retreat; the role the regiment played in this action led to Leveson being promoted to Brigadier-General. In May the majority of the Williamite army moved north and besieged the town of Athlone, which fell after eleven days, but the regiment took no part in the siege, having been ordered to encamp in the county of Mullingar. At the beginning of July the regiment formed part of the 12,000-strong Williamite army that defeated an 8,000-strong Catholic army during the Battle of Aughrim
Battle of Aughrim
The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691 , near the village of Aughrim in County Galway....
, taking part in a massed cavalry charge that breached the Catholic positions around the village of Aughrim. The Battle of Aughrim was a decisive victory for King William, with a number of leading Catholic generals being killed, and the Williamite forces pressed their advantage; they forced the surrender of Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
on 20 July and then began a second siege of Limerick in August. The regiment did not take part directly in the siege, instead being detached in late August and ordered to advance south-west into Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
to reconnoitre and harass Catholic forces in the area around Limerick. On 2 September the regiment ambushed and routed two regiments of Catholic cavalry, and several days later subdued a number of Catholic garrisons between Cork and Limerick. The regiment inflicted a number of casualties, but more importantly captured thousands of cattle and oxen; one contemporary source states that the majority of the army's provisions for the siege of Limerick were provided by the regiment. On 22 September Limerick fell to the Williamite forces, effectively ending the conflict in Ireland; the regiment was withdrawn to its winter quarters and was then transported to England in the spring of 1692.
Nine Years War
The regiment remained in England for nearly three years before it saw battle again, recruiting to refill its ranks and also losing Colonel Leveson when he was promoted to the rank of Major-General by King William. Leveson was dispatched to command forces fighting in the Spanish Netherlands as part of the English contribution to the Nine Years' War before dying in March 1699 at Belvoir CastleBelvoir Castle
Belvoir Castle is a stately home in the English county of Leicestershire, overlooking the Vale of Belvoir . It is a Grade I listed building....
. He was replaced by Thomas, 5th Baron Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the great-grandson of Thomas Fairfax, 1st Lord Fairfax of Cameron. His father was Henry Fairfax, 4th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and his mother was Francis Barwick...
in January 1694; as a consequence, the regiment lost the title of Leveson's Dragoons and reverted to its previous title of The Queen's Dragoons.
In the spring of 1694 the regiment was reviewed by King William along with a number of other English units, and was then transported to the Netherlands, landing at Willemstadt
Willemstad (North Brabant)
Willemstad is a city in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Moerdijk. Its population as of 2002 was 2,329....
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
on 16 April. After two months the regiment marched to join the main body of the English Army at Tirlemont in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
, encamping to the rear of the Army's positions in order 'to cover His Majesty's quarters'. The regiment spent the summer of 1694 as part of a brigade with the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
and Royal Scots Greys, taking part in manouvres and skirmishing with enemy troops before retiring to winter quarters in October near Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
. By February 1695 the strength of the regiment had increased from six to eight troops, and the regiment had also gained another new commander, with Lord Fairfax being replaced by William Lloyd, previously the Lieutenant-Colonel of Essex's Dragoon's
4th Queen's Own Hussars
The 4th Queen's Own Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958....
.
During the summer of 1695 the majority of the English forces were occupied with the second siege of Namur, but the regiment did not participate in the siege, instead forming part of a force that occupied the city of Diksmuide
Diksmuide
Diksmuide is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Diksmuide proper and the former communes of Beerst, Esen, Kaaskerke, Keiem, Lampernisse, Leke, Nieuwkapelle, Oostkerke, Oudekapelle, Pervijze, Sint-Jacobs-Kapelle,...
intended to lure French forces away from relieving the siege of Namur. The force was successful, luring a large number of French troops away from Namur who proceeded to besiege the city; instead of holding Diksmuide as intended, however, the Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
General commanding the force surrendered the city on 18 July, and as a consequence the regiment became prisoners of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
. The officer commanding the regiment demanded that the regiment be allowed to attempt to break the siege of the city and escape, but the General denied the request. Although the request was denied, many of the officers and troopers broke their weapons to deny them to the French before they surrendered. The regiment remained in captivity for several weeks, only being released when the siege of Namur was successful and the commander of the French forces there, the Duke of Boufflers
Louis François, duc de Boufflers
Louis François, Duc de Boufflers, Comte de Cagny was a Marshal of France....
, surrendered the city; after a period of negotiation with Louis XIII, Boufflers was exchanged for all English prisoners of war.
After its release the regiment retired to winter quarters and received reinforcements, then during the summer of 1696 it formed part of a detached Corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
encamped near Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort is a municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Nieuwpoort proper and the towns of Ramskapelle and Sint-Joris. On January 1, 2008 Nieuwpoort had a total population of 11,062....
, skirmishing several times with French forces when they attempted to attack the region, but never being committed to a major battle. The regiment also appears to have seen little combat during 1697, moving to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
sometime during the year to protect the approaches to the city and remaining there until the Treaty of Ryswick
Treaty of Ryswick
The Treaty of Ryswick or Ryswyck was signed on 20 September 1697 and named after Ryswick in the Dutch Republic. The treaty settled the Nine Years' War, which pitted France against the Grand Alliance of England, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire and the United Provinces.Negotiations started in May...
was signed in September 1697. Once the treaty was signed, signaling the end of the Nine Years' War, the regiment returned to England.
War of the Spanish Succession
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
, leading to large cuts in funding for the military; these primarily affected soldiers pay, which was drastically reduced, and the withholding of gratuities that soldiers were often promised prior to going into battle. Many regiments had their strengths reduced, including The Queen's Own Dragoon's, which had its strength reduced by half. During the period of peace between the end of the Nine Years' War in 1697 and the beginning of the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
in 1702, the regiment performed a number of small tasks befitting its reduced size; it conducted coastal revenue duty, confronted smugglers, and escorted the King when he traveled to Holland. The War of the Spanish Succession began in May 1702, and in June an English expeditionary force was assembled at Cowes
Cowes
Cowes is an English seaport town and civil parish on the Isle of Wight. Cowes is located on the west bank of the estuary of the River Medina facing the smaller town of East Cowes on the east Bank...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
under the command of the Earl of Ormond, tasked with landing in Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Spain and capturing the surrounding area; eighteen officers, twenty-four non-commissioned officers and 186 troopers from the regiment formed part of the force. It sailed from Cowes on 23 June and landed in Cadiz on 15 August, where it soon engaged Spanish forces. As the only cavalry formation with the expeditionary force, the regiment was constantly employed as picquets at the forefront of the English advance, as well as being used to guard and protect outposts. The regiment skirmished with Spanish forces throughout September, but an attempt to besiege Cadiz
Battle of Cádiz (1702)
The Battle of Cádiz, fought in August/September 1702, was an Anglo-Dutch attempt to seize the southern Spanish port of Cádiz during the War of the Spanish Succession. The Andalusian city of Cádiz was the great European centre of the Spanish–American trade...
was far more difficult than was expected, ending in a Spanish victory, and as a result the regiment was embarked on transports destined for England. During the voyage, however, the transports received word that a Spanish naval force had been sighted attempting to land near the city of Vigo
Vigo
Vigo is a city and municipality in north-west Spain, in Galicia, situated on the ria of the same name on the Atlantic Ocean.-Population:...
, and turned back towards Spain. On 12 October they reached the city and off-loaded the regiment; there are few details about the regiment's involvement in the ensuing Battle of Vigo Bay
Battle of Vigo Bay
The Battle of Vigo Bay, also known as the Battle of Rande , was a naval engagement fought on 23 October 1702 during the opening years of the War of the Spanish Succession. The engagement followed an Anglo-Dutch attempt to capture the Spanish port of Cádiz in September in an effort to secure a naval...
, but records indicate that all of the Spanish vessels involved in the attempted landing were either destroyed or burnt, and the regiment received a considerable amount of prize money
Prize money
Prize money has a distinct meaning in warfare, especially naval warfare, where it was a monetary reward paid out to the crew of a ship for capturing an enemy vessel...
for its part in the action.
After the battle the regiment did not return to Spain and rejoin the English expeditionary force, but was instead ordered back to England; for a period of nearly four years the regiment remained in England, being quartered in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
and the Isle of Wight as a garrison force, mustering for occasional parades and reviews. In December 1703 William Lloyd sold the colonelcy of the regiment to George Carpenter, who then assumed command of the regiment. In 1706 the regiment was once again transferred to the Isle of Wight, where 240 officers, non-commissioned officers and troopers were attached to an 8,000 strong force assembling there. The force was tasked with landing on the coast of France near Charente
Charente
Charente is a department in southwestern France, in the Poitou-Charentes region, named after the Charente River, the most important river in the department, and also the river beside which the department's two largest towns, Angoulême and Cognac, are sited.-History:Charente is one of the original...
and fighting its way inland, aiding by local Protestant civilians. The fleet left England on 30 July, but the operation was canceled due to poor weather and the failure of Dutch naval forces to rendezvous with the transports to escort them to the French coast. The transports were then ordered to head for Spain where they would land at Cadiz and reinforce English forces in the area; however poor weather forced the ships to remain in Torbay
Torbay
Torbay is an east-facing bay and natural harbour, at the western most end of Lyme Bay in the south-west of England, situated roughly midway between the cities of Exeter and Plymouth. Part of the ceremonial county of Devon, Torbay was made a unitary authority on 1 April 1998...
for eleven weeks, with the troops remaining on board, until mid-August when they attempted to sail for Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. Even more severe weather meant that the ships could not be unloaded at Lisbon either, however, and they remained there for a further two months; during this time the regiment and the other English troops on board the ships suffered hundreds of casualties from a lack of proper food and water, and outbreaks of disease. By January 1707 the weather calmed down enough for the ships to leave Lisbon harbor, and in February they reached Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, where the troops were off-loaded; of the 8,000 troops who had boarded the transports in July 1706, only 4,400 had survived.
Caudete
Caudete is a municipality in Albacete, Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It has a population of 10.157 and is located at ....
to link up with an Allied army composed of English, Dutch, German and Portuguese troops under the command of the Earl of Galway. This army was to support Spanish forces loyal to Charles of Austria
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
, who claimed that he was the legitimate heir to the Spanish throne; however, this claim was contested by his opponent, Philip of Anjou, who had gathered his own army and was determined to defeat Charles in battle. The campaign against Anjou's forces began in March, with the Allies advancing, destroying several magazines and besieging the city of Villena
Villena
Villena is a city in Spain, in the Valencian Community. It is located at the northwest part of Alicante, and borders to the west with Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia, to the north with the province of Valencia and to the east and south with the province of Alicante. It is the capital of the comarca...
; soon after beginning the siege, however, they were soon alerted by several French deserters that a large Franco-Spanish force was advancing towards Almansa
Almansa
Almansa is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality borders with Alicante, Valencia and Murcia...
to the north-east. The Earl of Galway was also informed that a second enemy force under the command of Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
was marching to reinforce the first force; in response to this information the Earl advanced immediately in an attempt to prevent the two forces from linking up. However the manoeuvre failed, leading to the 15,000-strong Allied army being opposed by 25,000 French and Spanish troops who also possessed a superior number of artillery pieces. The two forces clashed during the Battle of Almansa
Battle of Almansa
The Battle of Almansa, fought on 25 April 1707, was one of the most decisive engagements of the War of the Spanish Succession. At Almansa, the Franco–Spanish army under Berwick soundly defeated the allied forces of Portugal, England, and the United Provinces led by the Earl of Galway,...
, which began on the afternoon of 25 April. The battle began with both sides bombarding the others positions with artillery fire, and after this general bombardment had ended the Allied cavalry were dispatched to attack the centre of the Franco-Spanish positions; The Queen's Own Dragoon's were committed alongside Essex's Dragoons to attack an enemy artillery battery which was bombarding the Allied line. The regiment charged the battery and force it to withdraw, but were then engaged by a superior force of Spanish cavalry approximately three times the size of the regiment; according to regimental records the ensuing battle 'nearly annihilated' the regiment, with its Colonel being killed along with a large number of officers and troopers. The remnants of the two cavalry regiments retreated to the Allied lines, where volley-fire from the Allied infantry was beginning to inflict significant casualties on the Franco-Spanish forces; it was at this point, however, that the 7,000 Portuguese troops belonging to the Allied army suddenly deserted, starting with their cavalry and rapidly followed by the Portuguese infantry. The desertion turned the tide of the battle and led to a Franco-Spanish victory, with 2,000 Allied infantrymen being taken prisoner and the remnants of the Allied army being routed. The Allied army suffered approximately 4,000 killed and wounded and another 3,000 taken prisoner; whilst there are no specific casualty numbers for the regiment, when it returned to England in the spring and began recruiting, it could only muster 150 troopers and officers.
War of the Austrian Succession
When the regiment had returned to England and finished recruiting, it was dispatched north to ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. There it formed part of the English garrison, intimidating the Scottish population in an attempt to repress any attempts at a Jacobite rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
. When George I
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
ascended to the English throne in 1714, the regiment's title was once again altered, and that same year became The King's Own Regiment of Dragoons. Shortly after his ascension, a major Jacobite uprising occurred and the regiment was amongst the English troops assembled in Scotland to bar the advance of the Jacobite forces. At the Battle of Sheriffmuir
Battle of Sheriffmuir
The Battle of Sheriffmuir was an engagement in 1715 at the height of the Jacobite rebellion in England and Scotland.-History:John Erskine, 6th Earl of Mar, standard-bearer for the Jacobite cause in Scotland, mustered Highland chiefs, and on 6 September declared James Francis Edward Stuart as King...
on 13 November, an English army commanded by the Duke of Argyll which included the regiment defeated a larger Jacobite army; sources are vague on the exact details of the regiment's involvement, but it is known that it formed part of the army's left wing, supporting several infantry regiments. The wing was struck by a Jacobite infantry assault, which inflicted significant casualties, but three squadrons from the regiment charged the infantry and forced it to retreat; this allowed the English forces to retire and reassemble without further loss. The regiment did not see any further action during the uprising, remaining with the Duke of Argyll's army which pursued Jacobite forces as they retreated northwards until the army occupied Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
on 8 February; shortly after the rebellion came to an end. For a short period the regiment was stationed at Elgin
Elgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
, and then was transferred to southern England, where it remained for more than twenty years; it became an understrength garrison force and did little apart from conduct occasional raids against smugglers on the English coast. On 20 October 1740, Charles VI died and his daughter, Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
took his place on the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
throne; the ascendancy caused a great deal of political controversy, which resulted in The War of the Austrian Succession. King George II
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
pledged the support of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
to Maria Theresa, and in May 1742 a 16,000 strong British army sailed to Ostend
Ostend
Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
to link up with military forces of the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, who had also decided to support Maria Theresa. The King's Own Dragoons formed part of the army.
The English forces arrived in the Dutch Republic, but did not immediately go on campaign, instead moving into winter quarters in Bruges and Ghent. The army finally departed in February 1743, and the regiment was chosen to form part of the advance guard as it advanced towards the Rhine Valley. By June the English army had joined Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
ian and Austrian forces by the river Main, the Allied forces totalling approximately 44,000 troops; they were opposed by some 70,000 French troops. After a period of marching and counter-marching, and the arrival of King George II who took personal command of the Allied forces, the French army engaged the Allies at the Battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
on 27 June. The King's Own Dragoons were placed on the left flank of the Allied army, with instructions to protect an infantry force as it advanced. Exposed to French artillery fire for three hours, where it suffered heavy casualties, the regiment was eventually ordered to advance, and clashed with a larger force of French Household Cavalry; after a fierce engagement and more casualties, it drove off the French cavalry. Shortly after this, the French army was forced to retreat, and the remnants of the regiment participated in a general cavalry pursit of the French forces, which inflicted further casualties. The regiment suffered 42 officer and other ranks killed, and 106 wounded, shrinking its size considerably; this provoked a comment from George II when he reviewed the Allied forces after the end of the battle. He asked an aide to whom the regiment belonged in a sharp tone, to which its commanding officer replied, 'Please, your Majesty, it is my regiment, and I believe the remainder of it is at Dettingen.'
The Battle of Dettingen had brought the French advance towards the Dutch Republic to a halt, and the conflict devolved into a long series of small and indecisive battles in the Southern Netherlands. The regiment moved to winter quarters in late 1743 in Ghent and received a shipment of recruits to bolster its ranks; however, the regiment did not move from the Southern Netherlands until May 1745, when the Duke of Cumberland was dispatched to the continent to take command of the Allied army. Cumberland advanced towards the city of Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
in early May, but failed to besiege it due to its strengthened defences; a few days later, the Allied army was engaged at the Battle of Fontenoy
Battle of Fontenoy
The Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
, where it was decisively defeated by a superior French forces. Unfortunately, there are detailed records that describe the King's Own Dragoons participation in the battle; the regiments commanding officer only noted that the regiment had launched several cavalry charges against the French line, but had been forced to retreat with the rest of the Allied army after suffering nine killed and eighteen missing. The Allied Army retreated back towards the Southern Netherlands, pursued by the French, but the regiment did not engage in any further fighting; instead it was dispatched northwards to receive more recruits, and then ordered to prepare to be transported to England. On 25 July, taking advantage of the English defeat at the Battle of Fontenoy, Prince Charles Edward Stuart landed in Invernessshire and began to organize another Jacobite uprising.
Within a month of landing, Stuart had raised a force of 1,600 men from various Scottish clans, and began to march south, increasing his numbers to 2,500 by mid-September when he entered Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. As the Prince advanced, the Duke of Cumberland assembled his English regiments in Flanders and then had them transported to England, arriving in London on 25 October and joining the rest of the English army at Lichfield. However, the advice of several of his senior officers, combined with a lack of support from the French and English Jacobites prompted Stuart to order a retreat, his forces moving back northwards towards Scotland with the English army in pursiit. On 16 December the advance guard of the English army, which included the King's Own Dragoons, managed to overtake the Jacobite rearguard and laid an ambush. The ambush did not completely succeed due to it being performed in the dark, and the English forces suffered more casualties than they inflicted. The regiment dismounted and fought as infantry during the ambush, clashing repeatedly with the Jacobite forces and engaging in hand-to-hand fighting, suffering a number of casualties. The regiment then re-mounted and pursued the Jacobite rearguard to Carlisle, being ststioned near the town until it surrendered on 30 December. The records for the regiment for the next year are vague; it appears that it did see action during the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
in 1746, but there are no details. After the English victory at Culloden, the regiment advanced into Scotland with the rest of the English army, before being detached to Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
; after the rebellion had been suppressed, it moved to York, where it guarded Jacobite prisoners.
First World War
On the outbreak of the First World War, the regiment was stationed at ShorncliffeShorncliffe
Shorncliffe can refer to:* Shorncliffe, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane in Australia** Shorncliffe railway line, to the suburb** Shorncliffe railway station, Brisbane, in the suburb...
as part of 4th Cavalry Brigade
4th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 4th Cavalry Brigade was formation of Regiments of the British Army during the First World War, which was formed again in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments for service during the Second World War...
. On mobilisation, the brigade was assigned to the Cavalry Division of the British Expeditionary Force, and was sent to France. The 4th Brigade was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division in October, and the regiment spent the remainder of the war with this unit 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...
. They were later deployed to Turkey as part of the British intervention there from November 1921 until 24 August 1923, and then moved to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Inter-War period
Second World War
The 3rd Hussars were brigaded with the 4th Hussars in the 1st Armoured Brigade in 1939. After the fall of FranceBattle 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...
the 3rd Hussars were shipped to North Africa and assigned to the 7th Armoured Brigade
British 7th Armoured Brigade
The 7th Armoured Brigade is a formation of the British Army. The brigade is also known as the 'Desert Rats', a nickname formerly held by the 7th Armoured Division.-History:The brigade was raised from garrison troops stationed in North Africa in 1938...
. The regiment served in the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
. In 1941 B Squadron was sent to Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
as reinforcements but were diverted to Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
when Singapore fell, where after a brief fight they were ordered to surrender and spent the rest of the war as prisoners of war. The remainder of the regiment fought in 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...
where all but five tanks were destroyed in the first days of the action. After the campaign in North Africa the 3rd Hussars next saw action 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...
from 1944 through 1945.
Fifty four members of B Squadron died as prisoners of the Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
. The few survivors returned to the regiment in 1945 after the war ended.
Recommended reading
- Historical records of the British Army, Issue 3, Great Britain Adjutant General's Office, http://books.google.com.au/books?id=4-8sXQYABLcC&printsec=frontcover&dq=related:0JbGe6k4ZwDqxKaj&lr=&as_brr=1&client=firefox-a#v=onepage&q=&f=false
External links
- Historical website
- Regimental Association
- British Army Locations from 1945 British Army Locations from 1945