1st King's Dragoon Guards

The 1st King's Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army.

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 1st King's Dragoon Guards


caption=1st King's Dragoon Guards
dates=1685-1959
country=Britain
allegiance=
branch=Army
type=Cavalry
role=Royal Armoured Corps
size=Regiment
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
colonel_of_the_regiment=
nickname=Bland Dragoons, The KDGs, The Trades Union
patron=
motto=
colors=
march=Quick - "Radetsky March", Slow - "The King's Dragoon Guards"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

Overview

The regiment was formed in 1685 as The Queen's Regiment of Horse, named in honour of Queen Mary, consort of King James II. It was renamed The King's Own Regiment of Horse in 1714 in honour of George I. The regiment attained the title 1st The King's Dragoon Guards in 1751.

The regiment served as horse cavalry until 1937 when it was mechanised with light tanks. The regiment became part of the Royal Armoured Corps in 1939.

The regiment merged with The Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) in 1959 to form the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards.

First World War (1914-18)

At the commencement of war in 1914 the KDGs were stationed in Lucknow, India as part of the Lucknow Cavalry Brigade. The regiment was ordered to France and arrived at Marseilles on 7th November. The KDGs formed part of 1st Indian Cavalry Division serving on the Western Front. The regiment returned to India in 1917 and joined 1st (Peshawar) Division and during 1919 took part in the Third Afghan War.

Third Afghan War (1919)

The KDGs remained in garrison at Meerut until October 1918 when they exchanged stations with 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers and moved to Risalpur. On 2nd May 1919 Afghan troops seized control of wells on the Indian side of the border. The Afghan Amir Amanullah was warned to withdraw, but his answer was to send more troops to reinforce those at the wells and to move other Afghan units to various points on the frontier. The KDGs were mobilised on 6th May and formed part of the British Indian Army's 1st Cavalry Brigade. The regiment served throughout the Third Afghan War and saw action at the Khyber Pass and Dakka. On 8th August a peace treaty with Afghanistan was officially signed and the KDGs returned to Risalpur on 28th August

Second World War (1939-1945)

The Welsh writer Norman Lewis, in his celebrated account of life in Naples in 1944, claimed that the King's Dragoon Guards was the first British unit to reach Naples in 1944, and that many of its officers immediately went on a looting spree, cutting paintings from their frames in the prince's palace.

Notable members of the regiment

* Francis Younghusband - soldier, explorer, spiritualist
* Sir David Dundas, 1st Baronet - Colonel, 1813-1820

External links

* [http://www.qdg.org.uk/ Regimental museum] - qdg.org.uk
* [http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/dragoonguards.htm Service in First World War] - 1914-1918.net
* [http://news.webshots.com/photo/2404336510034109588ktLbBx 1st King's Dragoon Guards: late 19th century officer's uniform] from webshots.com
* [http://news.webshots.com/photo/2393678070034109588pPzfLE 1st King's Dragoon Guards: early 19th century officer's uniform] from webshots.com----