The 5th Lancers were first raised as the Enniskilling Horse, on 1st January 1689. In the early 18th Century they won fame, in Marlborough's great victories over the French at Blenheim, Ramilles, Oudenaarde and Malplaquet and in 1714 returned to Ireland, where they remained until their controversial disbandment in 1799.
The 16th, 17th and 21st Lancers all had their origins in the Light Dragoon Regiments raised by George III in 1760. The 16th were granted the title of The Queen's Light Dragoons and the 17th assumed their distinctive death's head motto, in memory of General Wolfe, who had been killed at Quebec in 1759. The 21st Light Dragoons were disbanded in 1763, but the 16th and 17th remained and were next to see action side by side in the American Revolution 1776 - 83.
During the long wars with Revolutionary and Imperial France 1793 - 1815, both the 16th and 17th Light Dragoons were extensively engaged. The 16th were part of Wellington's Peninsula Army 1809 - 14, winning the major battle honours of Talavera, Salamanca and Vittoria. In 1815 they fought in the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo, in Belgium. Two Troops of the 21st Light Dragoons guarded the Emperor in exile on St Helena, until they were disbanded upon his death in 1821.
In 1816, both the 16th and 17th were re-equipped with the Lance and re-styled as Lancers. In 1825 the 16th became the first British Regiment to blood their Lances in action at Bhurtpore in India. In 1846, during the Second Sikh War, they broke the Sikh Infantry and rode down their formidable Artillery at Aliwal. After this action, the Regiment's Lance Pennons were so thickly encrusted with blood that they gave the appearance of having been crimped. To this day, The Queen's Royal Lancers crimp their Lance Pennons and celebrate 18th January as Aliwal Day.
In 1854, the 17th Lancers sailed to the Crimea. At the Battle of Balaklava, 25th October 1854, they took part in the infamous charge of the Light Brigade. A mistaken order sent five Regiments of Light Cavalry headlong into the main Russia Artillery Battery. The 17th, advancing in the front rank of the Brigade, reached the Russian guns, suffering 65% casualties and winning three Victoria Crosses in the process. Balaklava Day is still celebrated by The Queen's Royal Lancers. In 1857, the 17th were sent to India to quell the Sepoy Mutiny. In the alarm caused by this threat to British power in India, the 5th and 21st were re-raised: the former as the 5th Royal Irish Lancers and the latter as the 21st Hussars.
In 1879 the 17th Lancers fought in the Zulu War, while in 1885 both the 5th and 16th Lancers, sent detachments to the Camel Corps for the Sudan expedition to relieve General Gordon in Khartoum. The 21st Hussars became Lancers in 1897 and later the same year, formed the Cavalry contingent of another expedition to the Sudan. At Omdurman, the 21st Lancers won their first Battle honour, mounting a furious charge on a Mahdist hoard of several thousand and putting them to flight. Besides winning three Victoria Crosses, the 21st were given the title of "The Empress of India's Lancers" and permitted to wear the Imperial Cypher as a sign of special Royal favour.
The 5th, 16th and 17th Lancers all saw action in the Boer War 1899 - 1903 and were all in the BEF sent to France in August 1914. They continued to serve with distinction on the Western Front until 1918, while the 21st Lancers held the North-West Frontier in India.
In the aftermath of the Great War, major cuts were made to the Army establishment. As part of these, the 5th and 16th, and the 17th and 21st Lancers were amalgamated to form two new Regiments: the 16th/5th Lancers and 17th/21st Lancers. Both served in India and were mechanized in the 1930's.
In 1942, the two Regiments met up in North Africa, where they were brigaded together. They remained together until the end of the war, fighting side by side all the way from North Africa to Northern Italy. On 9th April 1943, the 17th/21st Lancers were launched at a near impregnable German rearguard position in the Fondouk Pass. Trapped by minefields and enfiladed by anti-tank guns, 80% of the Regiment's tanks were destroyed, but a combined assault by both the 16th/5th and the 17th/21st Lancers took the position. Fondouk Day is now celebrated as the Regimental Day of The Queen's Royal Lancers. The courage of the men of both the former Regiments in the face of formidable odds and the spirit of co-operation that they fostered between them, set the perfect example to their descendants in The Queen's Royal Lancers.
Landing in Italy, the Regiments fought side by side at Monte Cassino and up the length of Italy. The Regiments parted company after the end of the War. The 17th/21st Lancers were sent as occupying Forces to Austria and Greece and saw action enforcing the Mandate of Palestine. In the following years the 17th/21st Lancers saw service in Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and Kuwait.
In 1947 the 16th/5th Lancers were honoured by the appointment of Princess Elizabeth as their Colonel in Chief. On her accession they were granted the title of the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers, an honour now continued by the amalgamated Regiment of whom Her Majesty remains Colonel. The 16th/5th saw action in Aden, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and in the Gulf War, where they were the Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment of the 1st Armoured Division.
On 25th June 1993, the 16th/5th and 17th/21st Lancers amalgamated at Tidworth to form The Queen's Royal Lancers and were presented with a Guidon by Her Majesty The Queen. After amalgamation the Regiment moved to Imphal Barracks in Osnabruck, West Germany where they were equipped with the Challenger MK1 MBT and became a Type 50 Regiment. A proud Regiment formed from 6 historical Regiments and one in which anyone should be proud to serve.
A Trooper guarding an A.A.C. helicopter in Bosnia.
A challenger 2 Tank.
