Formation and early history commanding the regiment The regiment was first raised by the Hon. John Berkeley as '''The Princess Anne of Denmark's Regiment of Dragoons''' in 1685, as part of the response to the
Monmouth Rebellion by the regimenting of various independent troops, and ranked as the 4th Dragoons. The regiment transferred its allegiance to
King William III in February 1689 and fought the depleted forces of
James II in Scotland later that year. The regiment saw action at the
Battle of Steenkerque, where it suffered heavy losses, in August 1692 and at the
Siege of Namur in July 1695 during the
Nine Years' War. The regiment was in the second line of cavalry on the right flank during the
Charge of the Light Brigade at the
Battle of Balaclava in October 1854. The brigade drove through the Russian artillery before smashing straight into the Russian cavalry and pushing them back; it was unable to consolidate its position, however, having insufficient forces and had to withdraw to its starting position, coming under further attack as it did so. of the regiment in 1895 The regiment became the '''4th (Queen's Own) Hussars''' in 1861.
First World War The regiment, which was based on the Curragh at the commencement of the
First World War, landed in France as part of the
3rd Cavalry Brigade in the
2nd Cavalry Division in August 1914 for service on the
Western Front. and as part of the
1st Armoured Brigade in the
6th Australian Infantry Division fought in the
Greek Campaign. in June 1942, the regiment was temporarily amalgamated with one squadron from the (similarly depleted)
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars to form the 4th/8th Hussars for the
Battle of Alam el Halfa in August 1942 and the
Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942. The regiment fought with distinction in the
Italian campaign during the allied advance into the Axis territories. It returned to the UK in December 1951 and was then posted to Caen Barracks in
Hohne in September 1953. The regiment was slated for reduction in the
1957 Defence White Paper, and was amalgamated with the
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, to form the
Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958. ==Regimental museum==