The regiment's ancestry is drawn from two separate units, one originating in a squadron of the Hussards de la Liberté and the other in the Régiment des Guides.
The Revolutionary Wars Its origins lay in the Hussards de la Liberté, set up on 2 September 1792 and by a decree of the National Convention dated 23 November 1792. This unit was divided into two squadrons of 200 men each (the first squadron made up of volunteers from
Paris and the second from volunteers from
Lille) and came ninth in the army order of precedence by a decree of the
French National Convention of 4 June 1793. On 25 March 1793, that unit's second squadron became the 10th Hussar Regiment (whilst on 1 May 1794 the first squadron of the Hussards de la Liberté became the
7e régiment bis de hussards). On 4 June 1794, after the defection of the
4th Hussar Regiment, the 10th Hussar Regiment was re-numbered as the 9th Hussar Regiment. In 1795, the regiment was involved in the
Vendée Revolt. It was part of the
Army of the Rhine in 1796 and the
Army of the Danube in 1798. It was known as the
Hussards Rouges or Red Hussars after its scarlet
dolmans.
The Napoleonic Wars It then formed part of the
Grande Armée from 1805 onwards. In 1805, it took on the
Third Coalition in the
Battle of Austerlitz. 1806–07 made them take part in the
war of the fourth coalition in the battles of
Jena–Auerstedt,
Stettin and
Friedland, all in modern day
Germany and
Poland. In 1809 it took part in the
war of the fifth coalition and charged at
Eckmühl then at
Wagramagainst the forces of
Archduke Charles. In 1812 it took part in the French invasion of Russia, attacking at
Borodino, and surviving the
retreat from Moscow. In 1813–14 it took part in the
war of the sixth coalition at the battles of
Bautzen and
Leipzig. When they were pushed back to the French Frontier, what remained of the regiment after the retreat through Germany was converted into the
régiment de Berry-hussards (with precedence number 6) on 12 May 1814.
In The Industrial Age On 27 September 1840, by decree of
Louis Philippe I of France, the 9th Hussars was re-created out of detachments from the
1st Hussar Regiment,
3rd Hussar Regiment,
4th Hussar Regiment,
6th Hussar Regiment and
9th Mounted Chasseur Regiment. Its dolman was now black and it was nicknamed the
Hussards Noirs or Black Hussars, a name it held until the proclamation of the
Second French Empire. On 4 May 1856 it was disbanded.
Régiment des Guides Meanwhile, in 1852, the Régiment des Guides was formed. On 1 May 1854 this became the
régiment des guides de la Garde Impériale, and in 1871, became 9th Hussar Regiment.
World War I The 9th Hussars were mobilized on 2 August 1914, commanded by Colonel Burette. The regiment was positioned between 14th and 21st Corps, fighting in the
Battle of the Frontiers. On 19 September, the regiment was transported by rail to the
Somme where it faced the 21st Prussian Corps. The 9th Hussars became part of the 1st Cavalry Corps on 21 October and participated in the
Race to the Sea. Brought back to Amiens in December, the 9th Hussars were in operations on the Somme until August 1916. On 6 August 1916, the regiment was relocated to take part in the
Second Battle of Champagne, as part of 14th Corps. The 9th Hussars attacked on 26 September, suffering heavy losses. After the offensive, the regiment was moved to
Montbéliard. In response to the
German attacks at Verdun, the regiment was transferred to the Meuse on 29 February 1916. In December 1917, the regiment was moved to the Somme again and left on 28 May for the
Chemin des Dames. The regiment took part in the
Battle of Malmaison from 16 August to 23 October. In November, the 9th Hussars were withdrawn and stationed in
Villers-Cotterêts. In January 1918, the regiment moved to
Alsace. As part of 14th Corps, the 9th Hussars retreated to the Somme after the
German spring offensive in early April. The regiment participated in the
Fifth Battle of Ypres in the last months of the war. The regiment was disbanded in 1922 at
Chambéry, where it was then on garrison duties.
World War II and the Cold War It was briefly re-formed in 1944, before being permanently re-created on 20 May 1956 at
Sissonne to fight in Oranie. In 1962 it served as the garrison at
Reims, before being disbanded on 1 June 1964, becoming the
18th Dragoon Regiment as the Reims garrison. On 1 July 1964 it was recreated for the
Algerian War before being finally disbanded in 1979. == Commanders ==