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Regular Regiments of the Royal Armoured Corps

The RAC consists of the following Regiments:

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards (QDG)

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards was formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of 1st King’s Dragoon Guards and the Queen’s Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) that were both raised by James II in 1685. Recruiting from Wales, Herefordshire and Shropshire, the Regiment has earned the nickname The Welsh Cavalry. QDG are the Senior Heavy Calvary Regiment and as such is the senior Cavalry Regiment of the Line. The Regiment is currently working as a Formation Reconnaissance Regiment equipped with the CVR series of tracked vehicles.

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG)

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are Scotland’s senior Regiment and her only Regiment of Cavalry. The Regiment was formed in 1971 by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales’s Dragoon Guards) and The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons). The Royal Scots Greys were originally formed in 1678 while the 3rd Carabiniers were formed in 1922 from the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales’s) and 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers). The Regiment is equipped with the Challenger 2 MBT.

The Royal Dragoon Guards (RDG)

The Royal Dragoon Guards was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. The Regiment, through amalgamations, can trace its origins back to 1685 with the formation of the 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards.

Currently the RDG have 3 Squadrons equipped with the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (CR2 MBT) and 1 Squadron equipped with CVR Scimitar – which is used for close reconnaissance and infantry support.

Currently based in Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, The Regiment is part of the 4th Mechanised Brigade (The Black Rats).

The Royal Dragoon Guards recruit mainly from Northern Ireland and Yorkshire and is regarded as Yorkshire and Ireland’s Cavalry.

The Queen’s Royal Hussars (The Queen’s Own and Royal Irish) (QRH)

The Queen’s Royal Hussars is the senior United Kingdom Light Cavalry Regiment. The Regiment was formed in 1993 from the amalgamation of the Queen’s Own Hussars and Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars. The Regiment, through amalgamations, can trace its history back to 1685 when it was formed as the Queens Consul’s Regiment of Dragoons. The QRH have four Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (CR2 MBT) Squadrons and a Close Reconnaissance Troop, mounted in CVR Scimitars, and are currently located in Germany as part of 20 Armoured Brigade.

9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) (9/12L)

The 9th/12th Royal Lancers was formed in 1960 from the amalgamation of the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s). Both of these regiments were formed in 1715 as a result of the Jacobite Rebellion. 9th/12th Royal Lancers are an Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment using vehicles from the CVR series of tracked vehicles.

The King’s Royal Hussars (KRH)

The King’s Royal Hussars was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’s Own) and 14th/20th King’s Hussars. The Regiment, through amalgamations, can trace its history back to 1715 when the 14th Kings Hussars were raised to counter the Jacobite Revolution. The KRH is equipped with the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank (CR2 MBT) and CVR(T).

The Light Dragoons (LD)

The Light Dragoons was formed in 1992 from the amalgamation of the 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary’s Own) and the 15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars. The Light Dragoons have always been a Regiment with rather special troops and can trace its origins back to the middle of the eighteen century when they were raised for reconnaissance and patrolling. Currently the Regiment is equipped with vehicles from the CVR(T) range and are employed as a Reconnaissance Regiment. The Light Dragoons recruit mainly from the North East of England and South Yorkshire and are known as England’s Northern Cavalry.

The Queen’s Royal Lancers (QRL)

The Queen’s Royal Lancers were formed in 1993 by the amalgamation of the 16th/5th Queen’s Royal Lancers and 17th/21st Lancers. The various constituent Regiments can trace their histories back to the 18th century and in the case of the 5th Lancers back to the late 17th century. Previously equipped with the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank they converted to the light armoured reconnaissance role using the CVR series of tracked vehicles. The Queens Royal Lancers wear the motto ‘Death or Glory’ on their famous Skull and Crossbones cap badge, which was handed down to the Regiment from the 17th/21st Lancers on amalgamation in 1993.

The 1st Royal Tank Regiment (1RTR)

The 1st Royal Tank Regiment can trace its history back to 1916 where during World War 1 it originally formed up as ‘A Company, Heavy Machine Gun Corps and first saw action on the Somme. As 1st (Light) Battalion, Royal Tank Corps in 1934. 1RTR and 4RTR were amalgamated in 1993, keeping the original title of 1RTR. The Regiment has strong links with Scotland with its own Band of Pipes and Drums dressed in the Hunting Rose tartan, which was retained from its amalgamation with 4RTR. In 1999 the Regiment was split when two Squadrons were amalgamated with No. 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force Regiment and two Squadrons of the Royal Yeomanry to form the Joint Chemical, Biological and Nuclear Reconnaissance Regiment (CBRN Regt). This Regiment is currently based at RAF Honington,Suffolk. ‘A’ Squadron, 1RTR have remained in the armoured role and are equipped with Challenger 2 and CVR(T) Scimitar. The Squadron is part of the Combined Arms Training Centre where they provide armoured support to all major exercises on Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA). 1 RTR recruits mainly from Scotland and the Northwest of England.

The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment (2RTR)

The 2nd Royal Tank Regiment is descended from ‘B’ Company Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps that was created in 1916 and originally saw action as B Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917. It was renamed as the 2nd Battalion, Royal Tank Corps in the 1930’s and was amalgamated with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in 1993, where The Regiment retained its original title. The Regiment is equipped with three Squadrons of Challenger 2 Main Battle Tanks and one Squadron equipped with CVR(T) Scimitar in a reconnaissance role.

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