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Queen's Royal Hussars

The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) (QRH) is the most senior armoured regiment in the British Army, equipped with Challenger 2 main battle tanks. The regiment was formed on 1 September 1993 from the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Hussars and the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. The regiment and its antecedents have been awarded 172 Battle Honours and eight Victoria Crosses. The regiment was based in Sennelager, Germany, until 2019 when it was relocated to Tidworth Camp, England. The Queen's Royal Hussars serves as the armoured regiment for the 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team.

History
The Queen's Royal Hussars was formed in Fallingbostel on 1 September 1993 from the amalgamation of the Queen's Own Hussars and the Queen's Royal Irish Hussars. Home Headquarters was formed shortly thereafter at Regent's Park Barracks in London where it remains today. After the amalgamation, the regiment became the cavalry of the following areas: Northern Ireland, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, Surrey, and Sussex. For a short time the regiment maintained a regimental band formed by the amalgamation of the two former regiment's bands, designated as the Band of the Queen's Royal Hussars. However, following a reorganisation of the Army Music, the band was amalgamated with the Bands of the King's Royal Hussars and Light Dragoons to form the Band of the Hussars and Light Dragoons on 1 September 1994, part of the new Corps of Army Music. The Queen's Own Hussars, normally referred to by the abbreviation QOH, was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed from the amalgamation of 3rd The King's Own Hussars and the 7th Queen's Own Hussars at Candahar Barracks, Tidworth in 1958. The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, abbreviated as QRIH, was a cavalry regiment of the British Army formed from the amalgamation of the 4th Queen's Own Hussars and the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars in Hohne, West Germany in 1958. The regiment, in January 1996, became the first to be deployed in Challenger 1 tanks to Bosnia with NATO's British-led Implementation Force IFOR. The regiment received the Canadian Forces' Unit Commendation for its actions in Bosnia on 15 June 1996. In August 1997 the regiment deployed to Northern Ireland on Operation Banner and on their return moved in March 1998 to Athlone Barracks at Sennelager as armoured regiment for 20th Armoured Brigade. In 1999 the regiment converted to Challenger 2 tanks in which B Squadron deployed to Kosovo with 1PWRR Battle Group in August 2000. The regiment deployed to Kosovo in the dismounted role the following year from October 2001 to April 2002. December 2003 saw the regiment deploy once again, this time to Iraq on Operation Telic 3. April 2006 saw the regiment deploy once again to Iraq on Operation Telic 8 In 2011 the regiment deployed on Operation Herrick 15 as a ground holding Battle Group to Afghanistan in the infantry role: they worked with the Afghan National Police handing over control of checkpoints. On return from Afghanistan in 2012 the regiment was called on to support the security for the London Olympic Games. The remainder of the year was used to return to the armoured role. 2013 saw C Squadron training with 5 Rifles on Exercise Bavarian Charger, mounted on Challenger 2. The Queen's Royal Hussars Battlegroup, comprising sub-units from 5 Rifles and 1 PWRR deployed on Exercise Prairie Thunder 2 between July and August 2013. In June 2014, the regiment deployed C Squadron to Operation Herrick 20 in Afghanistan, as the Warthog Group. This role involved crewing Warthog armoured tracked vehicles and operating with dismounted infantry from 5 RIFLES to disrupt insurgents in Helmand during the draw down of British troops from Camp Bastion. They were the last British combat units on the ground in Helmand. The regiment moved to Tidworth from Germany with 20 Armoured Infantry Brigade, forming the senior of three heavy armoured regiments of British Army's Reactive Force, in 2019. It was the last British tank regiment to leave Germany. The Queen's Royal Hussars (QRH) took lead of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup Estonia in March 2023. In January 2025 they became one of the first regiments to be outfitted with the new Ajax armoured fighting vehicle. ==Organisation==
Organisation
The regiment comes under the direct command of 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team, itself part of the 3rd (UK) Division, the British Army's only armoured division. The regiment comprises five squadrons: • HQ Squadron • A Squadron (The Devil's Children) – Challenger 2 • B (Balaklava) Squadron – Command and reconnaissance squadron since October 2020, previously operated Challenger 2 • C Squadron (Fighting C) – Challenger 2 • D Squadron (The Black Pig) – Challenger 2 Tanks The Queen's Royal Hussars is equipped with the Challenger 2, a third-generation main battle tank that has been in service since 1998. As part of the Future Soldier reforms, the regiment's reconnaissance troop will be equipped with Ajax armoured fighting vehicles. Challenger 3 From 2027, the Challenger 2 will be replaced by the new fourth-generation Challenger 3, which has a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun, providing commonality with the Leopard 2, M1 Abrams and other NATO tanks (unlike Challenger 2's L30A1 rifled bore). The L55A1 has a longer barrel and the ability to handle higher chamber pressures. The L55A1 allows Challenger 3 use of programmable high-explosive ammunition such as the DM11, enabling airburst capability. Under the Heavy Armour Automotive Improvement Programme, Challenger 3 will receive an improved version of Challenger 2’s CV12-6A engine – CV12-8A – along with third-generation hydrogas suspension. The tank's survivability will also be increased, with the addition of the Elbit Laser Warning System (ELAWS); capable of "detecting, categorising and accurately pinpointing laser sources such as range finders, Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, target designators and infrared illuminators." The Challenger 3 will further be equipped with the Trophy active protection system from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which provides 360° azimuth protection from threats including "rockets to ATGMs and High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds". ==Victoria Cross==
Colonels-in-Chief
• 1993–2002: Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother • 2002–2021: Field Marshal Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh • 2023–present: Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh ==Deputy Colonel-in-Chief==
Deputy Colonel-in-Chief
• 1993–2002: Field Marshal HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh ==Regimental Colonels==
Regimental Colonels
Colonels of the regiment have been: • 1993–1999: Maj-Gen. Richard Edward Barron CB • 1999–2004: Maj-Gen. David John Malcolm Jenkins CBE • 2004–2009: Maj-Gen. Arthur Denaro CBE • 2009–2014: Brig Andrew Bellamy • 2014–2023: Lt-Gen Sir Tom Beckett KCB CBE • 2023–present: Brig Nicholas David Guise Cowley == Commanding Officers ==
Commanding Officers
Regimental Commanding Officers included: • 1993–1994: Lieutenant Colonel Andrew N. Bellamy • 1994–1996: Lt Col Nigel Q. W. Beer • 1996–1998: Lt Col Nicholas G. Smith • 1998–2000: Lt Col Christopher H. Vernon • 2000–2002: Lt Col David J. L. Swann • 2002–2004: Lt Col Andrew C. Cuthbert • 2004–2007: Lt Col David H. Labouchere • 2007–2009: Lt Col Christopher M. B. Coles • 2009–2012: Lt Col Ian S. Mortimer • 2012–2014: Lt Col James R. Howard • 2014–2017: Lt Col Alexander J. H. Porter • 2017–2019: Lt Col Nicholas D. G. Cowley • 2019–2022: Lt Col James T. Shann • 2022–2024: Lt Col Stephen Wilson • 2024-Present: Lt Col Gerald Kearse ==Museums==
Museums
'''The Museum of The Queen's Royal Hussars''' is located at Trinity Mews, Priory Road, Warwick CV34 4NA. The museum opened in 2022 and replaced the two previous museums: • '''The Queen's Own Hussars Museum''' was located at Lord Leycester Hospital in Warwick until it closed. • '''The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars Museum''' was located at The Redoubt Fortress in Eastbourne until it closed. ==The Regimental Crest & Cap Badge==
The Regimental Crest & Cap Badge
The crest and cap badge are as follows: ;Badges and Symbols The White Horse of Hanover: Ranking second, after the Crown, among the regiment's military badges, it was bestowed by the first three Georges to certain regiments for their part in suppressing the Jacobites. It was first granted, as a special head-dress badge, by King George I to The 3rd The King's Own Regiment of Dragoons in 1715 for their part in defeating James Francis Edward Stuart (The Old Pretender). Crossbelts: At the Battle of Almenar in 1710 the 8th Dragoons pursued the Spanish Cavalry Corps and, equipping themselves with the crossbelts of the enemy, cut down the Spaniards with their own swords. The crossbelts were worn with distinction for many years, and the nickname 'St Georges Crossbelts' was given to the regiment. Although the crossbelt worn today is based on the original 4th Hussar pattern, the continuing tradition of titling the regimental journal The Crossbelts is in recognition of this famous action. The Maid of Warsaw: Every member of the regiment wears the Maid of Warsaw, the coat of arms of the City of Warsaw, on the left sleeve of his No. 2 (Service) Dress. This honour was awarded to the 7th Hussars by the Commander of the Second Polish Corps in recognition of their valour in support of the Polish forces during the Italian campaign in World War II. Traditionally the original crest presented to the regiment is placed in front of the commanding officer on Dinner Nights. • Killaloe Composed by Robert Martin in 1887 as part of the show "Miss Esmeralda". • The Minstrel Boy The original words were composed by Thomas Moore, set to an old traditional Irish air originally named "The Moreen". • Highland Cathedral A modern slow melody composed by M Korb for bagpipes, it is a haunting tune used as a slow march. • St Patrick's Day Played by the Irish Pipes at the battle of Fontenoy in 1745, though it has long been a popular patriotic Irish song. Regimental days The following are celebrated as battle honour days: • Dettingen 27 June • Balaclava 25 October • El Alamein 2 November St Patrick's Day is also celebrated. ==Lineage==
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