The
4th Queen's Own Hussars was a
cavalry regiment in the
British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into
The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in 1958.
The regiment was first raised as
The Princess Anne of Denmark's Regiment of Dragoons in 1685, by the regimenting of various independent troops, and ranked as the 4th Dragoons. In 1751, it was formally titled as the
4th Regiment of Dragoons, and in 1788 named for
Queen Charlotte as the
4th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Dragoons.
The regiment was designated light dragoons in 1818, becoming the
4th (The Queen's Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, and as hussars in 1861 as the
4th (Queen's Own) Hussars. After service in the
First World War, the regiment retitled as
4th Queen's Own Hussars in 1921.
The regiment mechanised in 1936 and was transferred to the
Royal Armoured Corps in 1939. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, but was slated for reduction in the
1957 Defence White Paper, and was amalgamated with the
8th King's Royal Irish Hussars, to form the
The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars the following year.
History
The 4th Hussars fought throughout
Wellington's
Peninsula Campaign and gained distinction in the Afghan War. They participated in one of the most glorious actions of the British Cavalry when they
charged with the Light Brigade at Balaclava alongside the 8th Hussars. Private
Samuel Parkes was awarded the Victoria Cross during the charge for saving the...
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