Queen's Royal Lancers


The Queen's Royal Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1993 and amalgamated with the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) on 2 May 2015 to form the Royal Lancers.

History

The regiment was formed in 1993 by the amalgamation of the 16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers with the 17th/21st Lancers.
From its formation, the regiment served in the armoured role with first Challenger 1, then Challenger 2. However, in 2005, as part of the re-organisation of the army, the regiment started converting to the formation reconnaissance role, re-equipping with the Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicle.
As part of the Army 2020 reforms intended to reduce the size of the British Army in line with the Strategic Defence and Security Review, it was announced that the 9th/12th Royal Lancers would amalgamate with the Queen's Royal Lancers to form a single regiment, the Royal Lancers, on 2 May 2015.

Organisation

The regiment was organised into four squadrons, each of which perpetuates one of the antecedent regiments:

Regimental museum

The Royal Lancers and Nottinghamshire Yeomanry Museum is based at Thoresby Hall in Nottinghamshire.

Traditions

The regiment's nickname, the 'Death or Glory Boys', came from their cap badge and was known as "the motto". This was the combined cap badges of the two antecedent regiments, and features a pair of crossed lances, from the 16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers, together with a skull and crossbones, below which is a ribbon containing the words 'Or Glory'. This comes from the 17th/21st Lancers, and was the cap badge of the 17th Lancers.

Battle honours

The battle honours are:
16th/5th battle honours
Combined honours before amalgamation of 16th and 5th Lancers:
After amalgamation of 16th and 5th Lancers:
17th/21st battle honours
Combined honours before amalgamation of 17th and 21st Lancers:
After amalgamation of 17th and 21st Lancers:
  • Second World War: Tebourba Gap, Bou Arada, Kasserine, Thala, Fondouk, El Kourzia, Tunis, Hammam Lif, North Africa 1942-43, Cassino II, Monte Piccolo, Capture of Perugia, Advance to Florence, Argenta Gap, Fossa Cembalina, Italy 1944-45
Queen's Royal Lancers
After amalgamation of 16th/5th Lancers and the 17th/21st Lancers into the Queens' Royal Lancers:
  • Al Basrah, Iraq 2003

Alliances

Affiliated Yeomanry

Colonel-in-Chief

Regimental Colonels

Colonels of the regiment were:

Commanding Officers

Regimental Commanding Officers included:
  • 1993–1994: Lieutenant Colonel Robert A. McKenzie Johnston
  • 1994–1996: Lt Col Alick I. Finlayson
  • 1996–1998: Lt Col Rudi N. Wertheim
  • 1998–2000: Lt Col Patrick Claude Marriott
  • 2000–2002: Lt Col James Rupert Everard
  • 2002–2004: Lt Col Charles S. Fattorini
  • 2004–2006: Lt Col Andrew G. Hughes
  • 2006–2008: Lt Col Richard B. Nixon-Eckersall
  • 2008–2011: Lt Col Martin Todd
  • 2011–2013: Lt Col Nigel J. Best
  • 2013–2015: Lt Col Julian N. E. Buczacki