7th Hussars


In Collaboration With Charles Griffin


The 7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons (Hussars)

The official date at which the 7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons became Hussars was 25th Dec 1807 when the Prince Regent sanctioned 'That the Regiments of Light Dragoons under-mentioned be permitted to be clothed and equipped as Regiments of Hussars.' The regiments in question were the 7th, 10th, 15th and 18th. The 18th were disbanded in 1821 so their place in the hussar quartet was taken by the 8th. The Prince Regent was the driving force behind the change; he made radical alterations to the uniforms of the heavy cavalry and was very impressed with the continental hussar regiments who embodied the idea of light cavalry. The change had already taken place around the turn of the 19th century with the light dragoon regiments adopting braided jackets and shakos and in fact, directions were received in 1805 for the 7th to have hussar clothing and equipment. The title 'Hussar' was added at the end of December 1807 but only in brackets. It was not until 1861 that the words 'Light Dragoons' disappeared from the title.

Peninsula Campaign 1808-09
In the early part of the Peninsula War the British were commanded by Sir John Moore but his army was very much under-strength so reinforcements were sent out, 12,000 men under Sir David Baird's command. They disembarked at Corunna in northwest Spain, first the infantry in October, then the cavalry in November. The light cavalry brigade, consisting of the 7th, 10th and 15th Hussars were commanded by Lord Paget, as they were in the Helder campaign of 1799. The 7th was commanded by Lieut-Col Vivian with Kerrison as his 2nd in command. There were 20 officers, 10 warrant officers, 717 NCOs and men, and 677 troop horses.

Sahagun, 21st Dec 1808

The regiment, as a whole, were not involved in the battle at Sahagun, but a detachment of 12 men under Captain Thornhill, who in 1826 commanded the regiment, were present as a bodyguard for Lord Paget. Although the main part of the British army were at Mayorga and the French, under Soult were at Saldana and Carrion, the light cavalry of both armies were thrust forward; Paget's division was at Melgar Abaxo and the French cavalry under Debelle were at Sahagun. Paget decided to attack them there and a battle ensued on the plain outside the town. The 10th Hussars were inside the town and did not take part, but the 15th are credited with the victory, under Paget's direction. To what extent the 7th's detachment were deployed is unclear, but Paget was a brave commander so he and his bodyguard would not have been far from the action.

Kerrison's Piquet, 25th Dec 1808

Kerrison's Piquet
The main part of the army had begun the famous retreat but the cavalry was still advancing on Carrion. The 7th Hussars were detached from the rest of the army and were billeted in two villages, half under Lt-Colonel Vivian at Torremolinas on the Carrion road, and the other half under Lt-Colonel Edward Kerrison at Lamote. On 25th Dec, Kerrison and a piquet 10 men encountered a French piquet of 17 men and an officer. The two officers engaged in single combat which resulted in them both being unhorsed. The French officer was killed and Kerrison's arm was broken. While this was going on the men were fighting and managed to kill three and put the rest to flight. Five prisoners were taken who provided valuable information concerning the whereabouts of the main body of the enemy cavalry.

Benevente 29th Dec 1808

7th Hussar
The Light Cavalry brigade was halted at Benevente on 27th Dec, and on 29th a force of 600 French light cavalry forded the river nearby. They were mostly Chasseurs a Cheval de la Garde Imperiale, but also Mamelukes and others. The officer in charge of the outlying piquets sent word to rouse the men in the town and led his 130 men against the French. They were at first successful but were soon in trouble. The next to arrive were 100 men of the King's German Legion, then the 10th Hussars. The 7th and 18th Hussars came to the battle soon after the 10th. The hussars charged at the Chasseurs and forced them back over the river. The French casualties figures were high and there were around 100 prisoners taken. It was a shock defeat for the Chasseurs who were not used to losing a battle. The French commander General Lefebre-Desnouettes was captured by a German hussar but a private of the 10th Hussars took him away and claimed the honour, being rewarded with promotion to sergeant. The casualties of the 7th were: 5 killed that day, 9 died of wounds and 7 recovered from their wounds. These men were mostly of one piquet under the command of Lieutenant Lowther.

Retreat to Corunna, Jan 1809

Sir John Moore had started the withdrawal of the main part of his army to Corunna on Christmas Eve. The cavalry now became part of the retreat and the 7th were in the rearguard to offer protection to the army against the French cavalry whose intention it was to pursue and harass the British. The journey over the mountains in the middle of winter proved to be disastrous for the soldiers, and their wives and families. There was little food and clothing was insufficient. People dropped down with fatigue and could not be moved. Everyone suffered and the roads were littered with dead and dying men, women, children and horses. The 7th were not exempt from this and had to tolerate hunger and cold whilst involved in constant skirmishing. At one point a man of the regiment called Day was shot for the crime of stealing food and clothing. He had, up until then been a soldier of good character. When the regiment reached Lugo on 8th Jan they were ordered to stay behind to keep the bivouac fires burning and cover the retreat. This meant that they had to remain at least 2 hours away from the rear of the column to make contact with the approaching enemy and delay their advance.

Battle of Corunna, 16th Jan 1809

The army started to arrive at Corunna on the 11th Jan and over the next few days they kept on coming in to the town. On the 14th the ships from Vigo arrived in the harbour to take on the troops. Most of the cavalry horses that had survived the deadly march were killed to make room for men on the ships. The French appeared on the 15th and a battle took place the following day. The part played by the 7th in this action is unclear, but they managed to embark for England. The number of men who returned is not known but only 70 horses came back out of 751 that went out to Spain.

The Wreck of the Despatch, 22nd Jan 1809

Manacles
One of the ships carrying men of the regiment back home met with calamity off the coast of Cornwall. The Despatch left Corunna on 17th Jan and had an easy voyage through the Bay of Biscay but within sight of the Cornish coast it foundered on The Manacles, a group of rocks near Helston that have caused the sinking of many ships. There were 44 horses on board, which all perished along with around 60 men (numbers vary in the different accounts), including 8 NCOs and three officers. Only 7 men survived. The 3 officers drowned were Major G C Cavendish, a nephew of the Duke of Devonshire, Captain S G Duckenfield, son of Sir N Duckenfield, and the 22 year-old Lieutenant Hon. Edward Waldegrave, brother of the 6th Earl Waldegrave. The bodies that were recovered were buried in the churchyard of St Keverne's Church. A memorial was erected on the graves but later moved inside the church. At the same time, another ship, the Primrose also sank in that area, killing 125 soldiers and civilians.

Peninsula Campaign 1813-14

Spain & France 1813-14
When the 7th returned to Britain they spent some time at Weymouth and in May 1810 went to Ireland to build up the strength of the regiment with recruits and horses. They were at Athy and Carlow, then Dundalk. A detachment went to Spain in 1811 to join the newly formed Cavalry Staff Corps. The rest of the regiment sailed for England in 1813 and on 13th Aug they embarked for Spain at Portsmouth. Their strength was 8 Troops of 100 men per Troop. Half the regiment under Colonel Vivian arrived at Bilbao on 29th Aug and the other half under Lieut-Col Kerrison arrived later at the natural harbour of Los Passages near San Sebastian. On 2nd Oct they began the long trek through northeast Spain, over the Pyrenees and into France. The journey became more difficult between Olite and Estevan. Col Vivian wrote:

"No description that I can give you, nor can the worst roads that you ever heard of or saw, at all enable you to form an idea of the mountain paths we climbed yesterday. The worst goat path in all Wales is a garden walk compared to it; and they tell me that we have 8 leagues more into France of still worse roads!"

The regiment were not seriously in action until they reached Orthes, but before that they suffered great hardship and starvation. At Hasparren, in France, they had been 3 days without food and two men were reported to have shot themselves. They spent a 7 weeks there, over the new year while the weather was bad and many of the officers were sick. It wasn't until mid February that they advanced to the river Gave d'Oleron.

Battle of Orthes, 27th Feb 1814

Orthes
On 24th Feb, Wellington took the army over the river Gave d'Oleron near Sauveterre and advanced to attack Soult's forces at Orthes. The 7th were in Lord Edward Somerset's brigade which covered the Sixth Divison and the guns. When the French retired they charged and pursued them taking many prisoners. According to Colonel Vivian the ground was unfavourable for cavalry and they were kept waiting until evening to play their part. Three Troops were involved with Kerrison and Thornhill leading and the whole brigade commanded by Stapleton Cotton. One account says that the 7th trapped the enemy in an enclosed field. Captain Thornhill charged an officer with a Colour of a French Provisional Regiment but received a wound in the stomach when he was jabbed with the pointed end. However he managed to seize the trophy and as he walked painfully back with it was seen by Wellington. Within 2 months Thornhill had been promoted to Major. The Duke was pleased with the performance of the regiment and said as much in his despatch:

"Lieutenant-General Sir Stapleton Cotton took advantage of the only opportunity which occurred, to charge, with Major-General Lord Edward Somerset's Brigade in the neighbourhood of Sault de Navailles, where the enemy had been driven from the high road by Lieutenant-General Sir Rowland Hill. The Seventh Hussars distinguished themselves upon this occasion and made many prisoners."

The regiment lost 4 men killed, and 5 horses. Nine men were wounded along with Captains Thornhill and Heyliger, and Lt. Robert Douglas. These officers also fought and were wounded at Waterloo. After Orthes the regiment were busy in operations near Villeneuve de Marsan, Roquefort and Captieux, protecting the rear of the army from brigands. These brigands managed to surprise Captain Thornhill at Villeneuve, and capture him, but he escaped. The route to Captieux caused them much suffering as the area is mostly sandy desert. They went on to Toulouse where they were present at the battle on 10th April but their actions were not so notable.

Corn Law Riots, March 1815

The regiment sailed back to England from Boulogne in the summer of 1814 and went to Romford. In early March Parliament introduced a Bill to prohibit the importation of grain, except when it had reached a price considered to be exhorbitant which prompted assemblies of discontented people who became agitated and troublesome. Mobs roamed the streets of London shouting 'No Corn Bill!'. Private houses of politicians were attacked and wrecked, starting with Lord Eldon's home in Bedford Square. The 7th Hussars were in Brighton so were called into the capital to help quell the trouble. Various private houses came under attack, broken into and the furniture destroyed. When men of the 7th, or the Household troops, appeared the mobs would flee. These disturbances lasted only a few days from the 6th to the 10th March. The country was soon focused on another problem: Napoleon was back.

Genappe, 17th June 1815

Polish Lancers
With the return of Bonaparte from Elba in March 1815, the war was resumed and 3 squadrons of the 7th Hussars under Colonel Kerrison embarked at Dover on 25th Mar to sail to Ostend. The whole of the British cavalry was under the command of the 7th's Colonel, Lord Uxbridge. The officers attended the Duchess of Richmond's Ball in Brussels on 15th June but the regiment was mobilised that night. They arrived too late for the battle at Quatre Bras on 16th and were ordered to cover the British retreat. The following day the 7th were at Genappe waiting for the approach of the French cavalry. They were formed up 200 yards from one end of the town when the enemy came down the street. The Polish Lancers were at the front 'commanded by a fine-looking and a very brave man' according to Lt Standish O'Grady. The flanks of the enemy cavalry were protected by the houses of Genappe and the main street was crammed with cuirassiers and dragoons. Suddenly there was a very heavy downpour of rain and Lord Uxbridge ordered the 7th to charge the lancers. They dashed forward led by Major Hodge who was killed in the battle. The regiment could make no inroads into the ranks of the lancers although their brave commander was cut down. There was a counter-charge by the lancers and they in turn were driven back. This happened two or three times until the Life Guards made a determined charge which forced the retreat of the French. The heavy rain rendered firearms useless so the fighting was all done with sword and lance. As well as Major Hodge being killed there was also Captain Elphinstone and Adjutant Myers. An officer of the 23rd Light Dragoons, Lieut John Banner wrote of this battle:

'..the 7th Hussars being animated by the presence of their Colonel [Uxbridge] rushed on the enemy with the greatest spirit and intrepidity, and drove the French advanced divisions back into the street of Genappe upon the main body of their cavalry which occupied the town, where the most obstinate conflict commenced, each party fighting with the utmost desperation....The conduct of this Corps on this occasion was heroic in the extreme; their spirit and ardour was universally admired and acknowledged by all who witnessed the gallant affair.'

Waterloo, 18th June 1815

Waterloo
The army spent a miserable night in pouring rain but it stopped at about 8am on the morning of the 18th June. The 7th Hussars were in the 5th Cavalry Brigade (7th & 15th Hussars and 13th Light Dragoons) commanded by Major-General Sir Colquhoun Grant. They were positioned on the right of the line behind a ridge half a mile north of Hougoumont. At one point they were moved to a place that proved too dangerous and several men and horses were lost to artillery fire. At around 4pm the regiment were used to cover the infantry and defend them from French cavalry attack. The main cause for concern were the cuirassiers but the French lancers made diversionary attacks to draw the hussars away from their infantry. General Grant directed them back to the infantry squares where they were most needed. They made repeated charges and at one point defeated and killed a squadron of cuirassiers and captured their officers.

At around 7pm Wellington ordered the General Advance and the army moved forward under heavy artillery and musket fire. The 7th, although depleted from the battle at Genappe and the fighting earlier in the day, charged at infantry, artillery and cavalry. They stopped at the rear of the French lines now, according to Lt O'Grady, with only 35 men, four officers and Colonel Kerrison. They were separated from their brigade so attached themselves to Vivian's for the rest of the evening.

The 7th started the Waterloo campaign with 380 men and sustained 201 casualties: 63 killed, 121 wounded and 17 missing. There were 21 cavalry regiments in Wellington's army, out of these the 7th Hussars had the 4th highest casualty figures. The top three for dead and wounded were the 3 dragoon regiments in the Union Brigade.

The Return Home, 1818
The remnants of the 7th Hussars were billeted in villages near Paris, after the final battle and were part of the army of occupation. They stayed in various locations in northern France and were finally sent home in 1818. They were at first quartered in Chertsey and were soon required to provide a detachment to attend the funeral of Queen Charlotte on 2nd Dec 1818. In 1819 they were ordered to Manchester and stopped at the home of their Colonel the Marquess of Anglesea, at Lichfield. They paraded on his lawn for the benefit of the Marquess and members of his family. The soldiers may well have been puzzled at the line-up of handicapped Pagets. Their Colonel had lost his leg at Waterloo, his brother Naval Captain William Paget had lost an arm, the Marquess's daughter Caroline was minus a hand, and his son, Lord Uxbridge was on crutches with a wounded knee.
Riot Control, 1819 and 1834
From Manchester they marched to Glasgow where they had to act as riot control police when trouble broke out at Paisley in 1819. Fortunately there was no similarity to the disastrous turn of events that occurred at Manchester on 16th Aug when the 'Peterloo' massacre carved a place in history. There were injuries at Paisley on 11th Sep and some serious casualties, but no deaths, and the troubles were subdued. They remained in Scotland until Aug 1820 then embarked for Ireland. In 1821 the strength of the regiment was reduced to a peacetime establishment, from 8 Troops to six. In 1823 they returned to England and attended a cavalry review on Hounslow Heath on 15th July. They had another tour of duty in Ireland from April 1828 to July 1831 and then more riot control in Scotland. Serious riots broke out at Campsie, Dumbarton and Irvine in Feb 1834. Their duties were more in the nature of guarding buildings and patrolling than full on confrontation. Yet another move to Ireland took place in 1837 and it was from Cork that they sailed to Canada.
Canada, 1838 - 1842
Canada
A Rebellion took place in Canada at this time and a large armed group attacked Beauharnois, and also Napierville where they set up a base and 'whooped it up'. The suppression of this trouble was organised by Sir John Colbourne. The 7th Hussars, commanded by Lt-Col Whyte, arrived in June 1838 and it seems that one of their officers, Captain Campbell was regarded as a useful leader of the local friendly Indians. He was also put in command of a Troop sent to Ferrebonne to investigate and deal with a gathering of Rebels but they disappeared before he arrived. On 4th Nov the Caughnawagw Indians that were led by Captain Campbell attacked and defeated a large group of rebels, capturing 75 of them. There was another battle at Odellton when the rebels and their American allies were again defeated. By 12th Nov the government troops were concentrated at Napierville and severe measures were taken against those rebels that could be found in the district of Acadie, and their houses were burned.
Indian Mutiny 1857-59

The Passage to India 1857

On 19th July 1857 the regiment received new firearms. 500 Sharps breechloading carbines and 21 new pattern rifled pistols for the use of privates and NCOs. The issue was timely because they were about to embark for India to help quell the Mutiny of Indian troops who had served in the East India Company army. On 9th Aug they handed over their horses at Aldershot and entrained for Canterbury. There they took on 183 extra men drafted in from 15 other cavalry regiments. On 27th Aug the regiment, sailed from Gravesend on the 'Lightning' and arrived in Calcutta on 27th Nov after a 3 month voyage that, because of adverse trade winds, had taken them close to the east coast of South America. The regiment was under the command of Lieut-Col James M Hagart the younger brother of Colonel Charles Hagart who had commanded the regiment up to this point, although there seems to be some period of time in India during which there was joint command.

Meangunge 23rd Feb 1858

India Map
From Calcutta they went to Allahabad and received horses which needed to be trained up. On 18th Jan they marched to Cawnpore and crossed the Ganges on 3rd and 4th Feb. They escorted convoys for most of Feb but half of the regiment was attached to Hope Grant's cavalry division in action at Meangunge. They were brigaded with the 2nd DG, Hodson's Horse and 1st Punjab Cavalry. The column failed to catch Nana Sahib at Futtapore Churassie but burned and destroyed the place. They moved on to Meangunge which was a fortified town where mutineers offered resistance. Hope Grant's force was stronger than the enemy's, having 2,240 infantry, and several artillery guns. The walls were breached with the guns and the 53rd Foot stormed the town, causing the enemy to flee. The 7th, along with the rest of the cavalry killed many of the rebels, and captured more. Five men of the regiment were wounded.

Alum Bagh 25th Feb 1858

Sir James Outram commanded a force that was under attack in the area of Alum Bagh south of Lucknow. Three efforts had been made against them and a fourth took place once the 7th Hussars and other reinforcements had arrived. The 7th was commanded by Colonel Charles Hagart and consisted of 2 squadrons and the headquarters, 92 men in all. The rebels were between 20,000 and 30,000 strong and supervised by the Begum mounted on an elephant. The enemy force split into two halves, one part moved on the fort of Jellalabad (not to be confused with the fort of the same name in Afghanistan) and the other positioned itself on the British right flank. The 7th were part of the British force under Olpherts sent to prevent the attack on Jellalabad. The Begum's men tried to encircle them but the British artillery opened fire causing the Begum to retire. The 7th along with some Sikh cavalry forced them back. Meanwhile Outram had driven off the other half of the enemy and it seemed that the battle was nearly over, after nearly 8 hours. Three hours later, at around 5.30pm the Begum attacked the British left. Outram held them in check but they did not retreat, and the struggle continued through the night. By dawn, however, the rebels withdrew. The regiment had not suffered any serious casualties.

Musa Bagh, 19th Mar 1858

The regiment were at the siege and capture of Lucknow from 2nd to 21st March. On 19th the Musa Bagh was attacked by Sir James Hope Grant's cavalry. The rebels escaped from there and took refuge in a nearby mud fort. Lieutenant-Col James Hagart took a Troop of the regiment, 2 guns and some men of the 78th to extract them. The Troop commander, Capt Slade was wounded as well as Lieut Henry Wilkin. Cornet Bankes was brought down from his horse and was being hacked at with swords so Lt-Col Hagart charged in and saved him, but Bankes's injuries were so bad that he died within 18 days. The rebels were all killed in the action and the 7th returned to their previous positions until Lucknow capitulated.

Barree, 13th April 1858

Grant, with a force of 3,000 men, was ordered to apprehend a rebel leader called the Moulvi at Barree. As they advanced, the rebels attacked his column and took off with 2 captured guns, but they were chased by a Troop of the 7th under Captain Richard Topham who retrieved the guns. This Troop were in action twice more when further attacks were made. Topham and 6 men were injured in these skirmishes. By the time they reached Barree the enemy had fled.

Nawabgunge, 13th June 1858

A force of 16,000 rebels was gathered at Nawabgunge and Hope Grant marched his men on the Fyzabad road, including the 7th Hussars, the 2nd DG, Hodson's Horse and 1st Sikh Cavalry as well as the 3rd Rifle Brigade and artillery. They managed to surprise the rebels and confront the centre of their position. The enemy force was not a cohesive unit but 4 separate groups which made Grant's task easier. Great bravery was shown by rebels of Zemindaree who sent two men forward to plant green standards by their guns to inspire their followers. Four of the RA guns were brought forward to within 500 yards of the enemy and fired grapeshot 'which mowed them down with terrible effect, like thistles before the scythe.' The 7th and the riflemen were then sent in but met with brave resistance. The 7th charged twice under the leadership of Sir William Russell and went through them successfully, killing all they came across. The battle lasted 3 hours and 6 of the enemy guns were captured. They had killed 600 rebels but Grant's men also suffered casualties. Many of the dead had died of sunstroke but the text in Barratt's history is vague: 'The British loss was 67 killed and wounded; 33 deaths from sunstroke and 250 more men stricken down and obliged to be sent into hospital. It is stated that "men fell asleep in their tents and never awoke", heat apoplexy being the cause of this excessive loss of life.' This applied to Grant's force of 3,000. The Regimental Record states that Captain Charles Fraser, Lt Topham and Adjutant J Mould and 15 men were wounded. Nine men died of sunstroke. Sir James Hope Grant's despatch mentioned the bravery of Captains Bushe and Fraser, the latter he saw surrounded by the enemy, fighting his way through and sustaining a severe wound to the hand.

Crossing of the Goomtee River, Aug 1858

The next objective was the rebel town of Sultanpore on the river Goomtee where the enemy had gathered an army of 14,000. The British force had been split up with one part under Brigadier Horsford and the other under Grant. But they came together at the bend of the river where it was decided they should cross. Because of the depth of the river, boats were needed but all that could be found were 9 canoes. These were tied together to make 3 rafts to transport the guns. The enemy had enough men to command a 30 mile stretch of the river so the point of crossing was critical. The cavalry had to swim across with the loss of only 2 horses. Two days were spent on the crossing and on the 28th Aug there was a battle but it was very brief and the enemy fled.

Battle on the River Raptee, 29th Dec 1858

River Raptee
Sir William Russell, who was now the commanding officer of the 7th, was put in command of a cavalry force sent to pursue Nana Sahib. His force included the 7th, 1st Punjab Cavalry and RHA. The 7th were split into two wings of 2 squadrons each, Major Francis Horne led 3rd and 4th squadrons and Russell led 1st and 2nd. The enemy were forced out of a jungle, pursued over a plain and down to the River Raptee. The RHA were held up by a wide and difficult nullah but the cavalry continued. The rebels crossed by a ford but it was covered by Nana's artillery. Russell and his squadrons had to dash along the river to the next ford, under a heavy fire from enemy guns. Horne's men were already there and the order to charge was given. They galloped into the river but met with great difficulties in the form of submerged rocks, trees and holes in the riverbed. When Russell arrived he tried to halt the charge but many casualties had been sustained including Major Horne who was missing. His body was found later under the trunk of a tree with two dead sowars clasped in his arms. Two other privates of the 7th were found dead in a similar way, indicating how various death struggles had occurred in the treacherous waters. It was here that the wounded Captain Fraser won his VC when he swam out to a sand-bank in the river to rescue Captain Sisted and two others.
Shabkadr 1864

After the Indian Mutiny, the 7th spent more than a decade in India, the first four of which they were stationed at Umballa. In 1863 they moved to Peshawar on the North-West Frontier. It may be of interest to quote some facts and figures from the regimental records of the time to give an idea of the size of a cavalry regiment in the mid 19th century. The 7th had just been reduced in size from 9 troops to 8, having seven troops in India and one at home in England.

The Return Home via Suez 1870
The regiment received the order by telegraph to return to England on 19th Jan 1870. The men were given the option to remain in India by transferring to other regiments, or sailing home; 58 men stayed behind. The remainder marched from Sailkot on 23rd Jan to reach Lahore on 27th where they handed over arms, saddlery and horses. They took the train to Bombay but did not embark until 28th Feb. Their ship, the 'Euphrates', unfortunately collided with another vessel in the harbour delaying their departure until 5th March. They were now able to use the Suez Canal which had been completed in 1869. The 'Euphrates' reached Suez on 18th Mar and they embarked on another ship, the 'Crocodile', at Alexandria on 31st Mar to sail to Portsmouth, arriving on 8th April. The regimental history does not actually mention the canal but it may be assumed that they sailed along it in a smaller ship. The voyage had taken just over a month compared with the 3 months spent on the outward trip.
Home Service 1870-1881
The first posting in England was at York where they received 270 horses from various regiments. Their establishment now totalled 483 men with 300 horses, but increased in August to 490 men and 350 horses. Recruitment was brisk to bring it up to strength so that by 17th Dec they had taken on 187 recruits. In 1871 they moved from York to Aldershot and then stayed at various other English postings until 1877 when they were sent to Ireland until February 1881 when they were ordered to proceed to Natal.
South Africa, 1881-2
The regiment saw little action in the First Boer War. They arrived at Port natal on 4th April on the 'Calabria'. Another ship the 'Nemesis' was carrying horses but the vessel broke down after a few days and the extreme heat caused the death of 39 horses. The war was disastrous for the British, especially the defeat at Majuba Hill on 26th and 27th Feb 1882. Lord Roberts was shipped out but arrived after a peace deal had been signed. The army was sent home and the 2 Troops of the 7th Hussars, who had taken no part in the fighting, sailed partly on RMS 'Kinfauns Castle' arriving at Portsmouth on 25th April. The remainder sailed on 31st May.
Sudan 1884-5
Camel Corps
When it was decided to rescue General Gordon at Khartoum in 1884, Lord Wolseley organised the Camel Corps to transport half of his force across the desert. The 7th supplied officers and men for the Light Camel Regiment. Lieut-Col Hugh Mcalmont, Captain Harold Paget and Lt the Hon RT Lawley led the detachment which consisted of 3 sergeants, one trumpeter, 2 corporals and 38 privates. The strength of the whole Light Camel Regiment was 400. One other officer of the 7th, Captain TH Phipps commanded the Mounted Infantry Camel Regiment. They embarked on the troopship 'Australia' at Portsmouth on 26th Sep 1884 and arrived at Alexandria on 6th Oct. Then they went up the Nile to Aswan where they stayed two weeks before riding camels across the Nubian Desert to Korti. From here the Camel Corps had to travel to Metemeh via the wells of Jakdul across the Baiyuda Desert. The trip was delayed because there weren't enough camels, so the Guards Camel Regiment and the Engineers had to be taken to Jakdul, left there and the camels brought back to transport the rest of the Corps on the same journey.

The 7th's detachment did not take part in the battle at Abu Klea on 17th Jan 1885 but they arrived there some weeks later and were involved in skirmishes in that area. Captain Harold Paget was badly injured and several men of the regiment were also injured. Gordon had been killed on 25th Jan and when news of this reached Wolseley he ordered a withdrawal from the Sudan as the weather would have become unbearably hot if the campaign against the Mahdi's army had continued.

India 1886 - 1895
India 1893
Preparations for embarkation to India began in September 1886 when the 7th left Hounslow to go to Shorncliffe. Horses were handed over to the Mounted Infantry and to the 14th Hussars who were returning from India. Extra men were drafted into the regiment from other hussar units so that the strength was now 21 officers, 587 NCOs and privates. They, with 50 women and 47 children proceeded by rail to Portsmouth where they sailed on the 'Euphrates' troopship on 26th Nov 1886. They arrived at Bombay on 23rd Dec, taking less than a month, so must have sailed through the Suez Canal. They were stationed at Secunderabad and their first year was blighted by many cases of enteric fever which killed Lt Warren, 12 men and 2 women. In Oct 1891 they moved to Mhow. In 1893 three of their officers died in a boating accident at Poona, Lieuts Crawley, Sutton and the Hon HP Verney.
Matabeleland 1896-7
On Board the Goth
The regiment were ordered to sail to Natal once more, in Oct 1895, having handed over their horses to the 20th Hussars. In Natal they inherited the horses of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and went by train to Pietermaritzburg. This was a routine posting but while there trouble flared up in Matabeleland so 9 months after their arrival 3 squadrons, under the command of Lt-Col Harold Paget, had go to to Mafeking where troops were being assembled. This involved a return to Durban where they embarked on the 'Goth' bound for East London further down the coast, from there they could travel by train. Throughout 1896 the regiment operated in the area of Gwelo which is in the middle of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), patrolling regularly alongside Mounted Infantry made up with men from the 2nd Yorks and Lancs. The column was usually commanded by Colonel Baden-Powell. They rarely found any large groups of the Matabele warriors who had caused the trouble, and their main task was to seize stocks of grain and any cows and goats they could find to starve the warriors into submission. Kraals and stores of arms and ammunition were destroyed. On Sep 18th, however, a patrol of 12 men under Baden-Powell captured a woman who told them the whereabouts of a group from M'tini's Impi. A boy offered to lead them and they surprised the group in their kraal and surrounded them with drawn swords. In the middle of October a battle was fought to capture Chief Wedza which lasted 4 days. In November A and D squadrons marched to Bulawayo where a camp had been prepared for them. In 1897 D Squadron was sent north of Bulawayo, commanded by Major Ridley, to raid the stronghold of Chief Matzwetzwe. They attacked at dawn on 12th July but it proved too difficult so they laid siege until the warriors surrendered. On 24th July B and A Squadrons joined in an attack on the stronghold of Mashigombi. The enemy were in fortified caves which had to be dynamited. It took 3 days to defeat them.
Mashonaland 1897
The Matabele rising was put down but another trouble spot arose in Mashonaland. The local white population were unhappy that the government had not taken measures to prevent the stealing of cattle by the Mashona people and so the patrols of Hussars and Mounted Infantry were sent out to deal with the culprits. On 7th July 1897 Major Ridley's column attacked M'guilse where a trooper was killed and Ridley was wounded in the leg. And on 14th July a detachment under Captain Poore killed 40 rebels at Umtzewa's kraal near Fort Charter without any casualties of their own. On 24th July The 3 squadrons of the 7th met up with a column of police and Vryburg Volunters to attack Mashingombi's stronghold. He was the main leader of the Mashona rebellion. The British/Rhodesian force was commanded by Sir Richard Martin and the 7th Hussars were commanded by Captains Carew and Poore. The attack started at dawn and the Mashonas were scattered. They took refuge in the many caves that pitted the surrounding hills and caused trouble on the following days and nights firing down on the troops. Mashingombi himself was killed along with many others and 400 prisoners were taken. Casualties among the hussars were few although Private Dands was reported killed. Captain Carew led a further attack on Marlie's kraal capturing another 100 prisoners. He then split the 7th into 2 coloumns to move down the river Unfuli to Fort Charter. Patrols continued to be sent out but the remaining chiefs had all surrendered by the end of September. The 7th were ordered to embark at Beira on 20th Oct with Major Ridley back in command. The conduct of the regiment was reported as being of a very high standard and the 2 squadrons that remained in Pietermaritzburg had maintained a high state of discipline.
Postings and Strength of the Regiment 1898-1901
The regiment had returned from Southern Africa on the 'Simla' and arrived at Southampton on 29th Nov 1898. The were quartered at Norwich until the spring of 1899 and then went to Colchester, staying in camp on the Abbey Field for the summer. Lieut-Col R T Lawley took over command from Harold Paget on 26th June 1899. They wintered in Norwich again and moved to Aldershot in 1900. The strength of the regiment by Army Order 173 of Aug 1900 was as follows:

Officers
1 Lieut-Colonel, 5 Majors, 5 Captains, 10 Lieutenants, 8 Second-Lieutenants, 1 Adjutant, 1 Riding Master, 1 Quartermaster. Total 32 Officers.

Warrant Officers
1 Regimental Sergeant-Major, 1 Bandmaster. Total 2 Warrant Officers.

Sergeants
1 QM Sergeant, 1 Farrier QM Sergeant, 1 Sergeant-Major Rough Rider, 1 Sergeant Instructor in Fencing, 1 Orderly Room Sergeant, 5 Squadron Sergeant-Majors, 5 Squadron Quartermaster Sergeants, 1 Sergeant Trumpeter, 1 Sergeant Saddler, 1 Sergeant Cook, 1 Sergeant Master Tailor, 5 Farrier Sergeants, 37 Sergeants, 1 Orderly Room Clerk. Total 62 Sergeants.

Rank and File
10 Trumpeters, 38 Corporals, 4 Shoeing Smith Corporals, 14 Shoeing Smiths, 5 Saddlers, 1 Saddle Tree maker, 720 Privates. Total Rank and File 782.

Total all ranks 888. Horses 601.

Boer War 1899-1902
Hussars 1902
The war started in October 1899 but the regiment did not receive orders to embark for South Africa until 1st Nov 1901. However, 395 of their horses were transferred to other cavalry regiments which were posted there, 240 reservists of the regiment were mobilised, of which 140 were transferred to the 14th Hussars. Between Dec 1899 and Oct 1900 they supplied 146 men to the 20th Hussars in India. The officers of the 7th were frustrated at being left in England while all the action was going on in the Boer War. 14 of them volunteered and were sent out to South Africa on special service: Majors RG Walter, GA Carew, JS Nicholson, GL Holdsworth and Douglas Haig. Captains CB Fitzhenry, RM Poore, RG Brooke, Hon RH Marsham, H Fielden, J Vaughan, FW Wormald, CH Rankin and HSH Prince Alexander of Teck.

The Voyage Out, Dec 1901

The regiment finally sailed from Southampton partly on the 'Templemore' on 30th Nov 1901, and partly on the 'Manchester Merchant' on 3rd Dec. On the 'Templemore' were 20 officers, 409 NCOs and men, and 420 horses. The 'Manchester Merchant' sailed from Albert Docks with 6 officers, 89 NCOs and men, and 65 horses. The remainder of the regiment stayed at Aldershot; 9 officers, 529 NCOs and men, and 216 horses. The 'Templemore' reached Cape Town at 5am on 20th Dec 1901 having lost 16 horses from pleuro-pneumonia, and the 'Manchester Merchant' landed on 22nd Dec.

Loss of Horses at De Aar

The regiment took a train to De Aar and marched a short way to their camp. It was here, on 31st Dec that a veterinary surgeon shot a horse in the lines causing a stampede. Many of the tents were knocked flat and the men inside hurt. A number of horses were killed or seriously injured either by falling or cutting themselves on barbed wire. A trumpeter was ordered to sound 'Feed' and some horses returned but it took several days to recover the fit horses. Seven of them were found 30 miles away. On 10th Jan they were supplied with 50 remounts.

Colonel Lawley's Column

A column was formed at Winburg, at the end of January 1902, with the 7th Hussars, the 2nd Dragoon Guards, 2 guns of 39th RFA and a pom-pom. Lt-Col Lawley commanded the column. Their first contact with the enemy came on 4th Feb when the advanced guard were shot at by a group of 50 Boers at Doornberg, but they fled when the pom-pom was used on them. The following day several men on patrol were captured by the Boers, stripped and sent back naked. The first proper casualties occurred on the 6th Feb when Private Burke of C Squadron was killed and two others wounded. An encounter with a force of 100 Boers took place on 9th Feb near Bloemhoek, but no casualties were reported. On 13th Feb they were ordered to drive the enemy towards the blockhouses and slaughter any sheep they found to prevent them from being used to feed the Boers. The enemy attempted to break through them but failed, although a corporal was killed and two men hurt.

Tiger's Kloof Drive, Mar 1902

On 23rd Feb a patrol under Capt Wormold captured 11 Boers and killed one when they were surprised in a cattle kraal near Grootfontein. On 27th Feb they were anxious to make contact with the forces at Harrismith but bad weather hampered the heliograph. However on 1st March the weather cleared enough for them to receive orders from Kitchener to march south to Tiger's Kloof. They were now part of a larger force of 5 columns driving the Boers towards the Vrede-Frankfort blockhouse line. Several unsuccessful actions occurred or fizzled out over the next few days, but the 7th were given some fresh remounts on 26th March to improve their performance. One of these horses kicked Sergeant Moine in the stomach and he died the next day.

Boschman's Kop, 31st Mar 1902

An action took place at Holspruit when men of the 2nd DG acted upon information gained by Captain Vaughan. They engaged the force of Boers but were outnumbered and had to withdraw to Boschman's Kop. The 7th Hussars arrived in time to drive the Boers away but two officers were killed and two wounded, including Capt Vaughan and one other officer of the 7th. Thirteen men of the Bays were killed and 59 wounded. The next day was spent attending to the numerous wounded men from this battle, this included 110 Boer casualties of whom 30 were killed.

The End of the Boer War, May 1902

The regiment were involved in drives to contain the Boers over the next few weeks reaching Balmoral, Dorstfontein, Vlakfontein, Heidelberg and Vereeniging. The eighth and last drive was over the area bounded by the Heilbron-Vereeniging line to the east and the Kroonstad-Vereeniging line on the left. A Squadron captured C B Prinsloo and 25 men. The regiment had been reinforced with a draft of 110 men from England on 4th May so that the strength of the regiment was 562. Their casualties for the war were 2 officers wounded, 2 men killed, 4 wounded, 3 died and 11 invalided. The regiment finished their tour of duty at Springs, then moved on to Heidelberg until peace was declared on 31st May 1902. SSM Wetherall was awarded the DCM and Corporal Ketley and Private Tookey were promoted for brave conduct.

Return to the UK, Nov 1905

The regiment remained in South Africa, under the command of Lt-Col RL Walter, until 11th Nov 1905 when they embarked on the 'Dilwara'. One officer, Captain Lawrence Rawstorne died of enteric fever after being dropped off at Gibraltar at the end of November. The regiment arrived home on 5th Dec.

Links with 3rd Hussars 1906-10
Other Ranks c1910
On their return to England the regiment were stationed at Norwich with a total strength of 715. Over the next few years, a large number of men were transferred to the 3rd Hussars which is of interest because the two regiments amalgamated in 1958. The regimental history records the following transfers:

28th Feb 1906, unspecified number of men to the 3rd Hussars in India, on the 'Ionian'
2nd April 1906, 29 men posted FROM the 3rd Hussars to the 7th
5th Sep 1906, 45 men posted to 3rd Hussars in India, on the 'Assaye'
9th March 1907, 25 men posted to 3rd Hussars in India, on the 'Assaye'
1st Feb 1908, 81 men posted to 3rd Hussars in India, on the 'Assaye'
31st Oct 1908, 81 men posted to the 3rd Hussars
24th Feb 1909, 86 men posted to the 3rd Hussars in South Africa
20th Oct 1909, 105 men posted to the 3rd Hussars in South Africa, on the 'Braemar Castle'
21st Dec 1910, 25 men posted to the 3rd Hussars in South Africa, on the 'Soudan'

From this list it will be seen that 448 plus an unspecified number of men were transferred from the 7th Hussars to the 3rd Hussars, either in India or South Africa. 29 men were actually transferred the other way, from the 3rd to the 7th so at least a net total transfer to the 3rd of 419. On 27th Sep 1910 the regimental strength at Hounslow was reported as being 19 officers and 355 men.

India 1911-1917
In October 1911 the regiment was ordered to sail to India and proceed to Bangalore. They were to remain there for most of the time during the First World War which was a source of great frustration for them especially since it seemed to be a repeat of the anxious period from 1899 to Nov 1901 when they remained in England while other units were going out to the war in South Africa.
First World War

Mesopotamia, March 1918

The 7th were eventually shipped to Mesopotamia in December 1917 where they were part of the 11th Cavalry Brigade. They were subjected to intensive training and a 500 mile march to Baghdad which they reached on 19th March 1918. They were ordered to 'move with rapidity and boldness and to act vigorously against the Turkish right flank or rear.' They set off up the Euphrates and managed to outflank the Turkish 50th Division and cut off their line of retreat thus neutralising them. The 7th then led the brigade into Ava on 28th March.

Fighting on the Tigris, Oct 1918

Other Ranks c1910
They spent the summer in camp 50 miles west of Baghdad and in October were ordered to carry out a similar operation against the Turks at the Fat-ha Gorge on the Tigris. They made a failed daylight attempt to cross a tributary north of the Fat-ha but after dark they shot up an enemy supply column which must have confused the Turks because they withdrew their whole division. The brigade crossed the Tigris on 27th Oct and engaged in heavy fighting resulting in 70 casualties and a large loss of officers and NCOs. The Turks surrendered on 30th Oct and the war in Mesopotamia was over. The regiment had lost 224 all ranks , killed, wounded, sick or missing. The regiment were awarded the honours KHAN BAGHDADI, SHARQAT and MESOPOTAMIA 1917-1918.

The Last Years of the Horse
c1928
The First World War should have brought home to the mounted cavalry regiments that their days were numbered but they continued to retain their horses up to the late 1930s. The attitude was summed up by Earl Haig, a former officer of the 7th who said at an RUSI lecture in 1922, "I am all for using aeroplanes and tanks, but they are only accessories to the man and the horse, and I feel sure that as time goes on you will find just as much use for the horse - the well bred horse - as you have ever done in the past." However, a few years later, in 1927 the 7th Hussars were equipped with 14 six-wheelers to reduce the weight on the horse from 20 to 18 stone and to carry the eight Vickers machine guns. Soon after this, two Austin Sevens were issued for reconnaissance.
Mechanisation
Mechanisation 1936-37
It was not until May 1936 in Egypt, one year after they had been posted to Cairo, that the order came to to mechanise. Other ranks were given the option to transfer to an unmechanised unit but only 16 out of the 531 chose to transfer. The conversion was complete by January 1937. The types of armoured fighting vehicles used were varied to say the least. Initially there were not enough tanks to meet establishments and then, as re-armament got going, squadrons often had different equipments, with all the problems this involved. It was not until mid 1943 that the regiment was organised with just one main vehicle.
Second World War

North Africa

Light Tank 1940
When war broke out in Europe in September 1939 it may have seemed to the 7th Hussars, in Egypt, that they were once more in the wrong place. But Italy entered the war in June 1940 in North Africa so the regiment was well placed to confront them. Their conversion to tanks in 1937 and the subsequent training in the desert gave them a distinct advantage. The Italians advanced along the coast but the regiment also fought them inland in a series of actions which earned them the battle honour EGYPTIAN FRONTIER 1940. The next battle honour was BEDA FOMM where the Italian Army was trapped and destroyed. The German army was a different matter and in April 1941 the British had to withdraw many regiments, including the 7th which withdrew to Cairo for a re-fit.

Sidi Rezegh, 21st Nov 1941

The regiment fought it's most desperate battle of the war at Sidi Rezegh as part of Auchinlech's offensive against Rommel. Thirteen Corps and Thirty Corps advanced on Sidi Rezegh in November intending to combine with a sortie from besieged Tobruk. The plan for 21st Nov was for the 7th Armoured Brigade to do a limited attack to secure the crest of the escarpment overlooking the vital road Trig Capuzzo while the rest of 30 Corps continued to advance up to Tobruk. The brigade was made up of the old Cairo Brigade, the 7th, 8th and 11th Hussars plus 1st RTR, 3rd RHA and a company of RASC. The 7th were equipped with Crusader Mark 1 tanks armed with 2 pounder guns which were no match for the German Panzers Mark 3 and 4 which had 50mm and 75mm guns respectively.

At first light on 21st Nov the 11th Hussars reported large numbers of tanks and infantry moving towards Sidi Rezegh. The 7th Hussars halted and turned south-east to delay the enemy. They advanced with A Squadron on the right, B on the left and C in reserve with regimental HQ. A Squadron came under fire from anti-tank guns at a range of 2000 yards, while B Squadron also became heavily engaged, it seemed, against 100 enemy tanks. C Squadron moved forward to help B but the CO saw that A was in trouble and ordered them to move to the right to offer them support. However, the order was only partially transmitted to the squadron owing to a bullet that knocked the microphone out of the hand of C Squadron commander. Thus only some of the squadron went to the aid of A Sqn. The OC of C Squadron had to change tanks 3 times as they became disabled. The fighting was heavy and the 2 pounders were only able to have any effect on the German anti-tank guns. They had to withdraw and move southeast to join up with 4th Armoured Brigade. They had eight tanks at the end and had lost their CO, Lt-Col Freddie Byass, killed and many more. A Squadron had been overrun and captured. The result of the battle was that the enemy had been denied vital ground but it had been a costly fight for the 7th Hussars.

Burma 1942

In January 1942 the 7th Armoured Brigade, of which the 7th Hussars were a part, embarked to reinforce Malaya. However, when the fall of Singapore became imminent, the brigade was diverted at sea to the defence of Burma. Arriving just before Rangoon was captured, the Regiment found the docks virtually deserted and manned the cranes themselves to complete the unloading of all the tanks, vehicles and ammunition within 24 hours. The 7th had now that most difficult of operations; a withdrawal amidst paddy and jungle against a ruthless and experienced enemy.

M3 Stuart Tank
Much of the fighting involved clearing road blocks established by the Japanese who had by-passed the withdrawing army. One of these road blocks was negotiated under fire by Lieutenant Patteson in the lead tank but his tank was knocked off the road and down an embankment. The Japanese captured him and tied him to the road block knowing that the British were approaching and would fire at the road block. After two hours the brigade opened fire with 25 pounders but by a miracle Patteson was unhurt but the rope attaching him to the road block was broken and he was able to run off amongst some stampeding cattle. He found his way back to RHQ to give information on Japanese defences.

The 7th Hussars was the only cavalry regiment at the battles which won them the battle honours of PEGU and PAUNGDE. At Pegu between 3rd and 7th March, B Squadron commanded by Major GC Davies, knocked out 4 Japanese tanks and captured 4 guns. Other officers who distinguished themselves were Lieutenant Michael Stanley-Evans who won the MC for bravery and initiative when dealing with some Japanese artillerymen. And regimental chaplain Neville Metcalfe who won the DSO for continuing his work whilst wounded.

The regiment carried out a fighting withdrawal in their reliable Honey (Stuart) light tanks from Rangoon to Schwegyin, a distance of some 480 miles. There, with no heavy ferries with which to cross the River Chindwin, all but one of the tanks had to be destroyed by their crews. However, some of the load-carrying vehicles were managed to be got across the river and the drivers worked hard to ferry men and supplies back to Assam. The remaining 140 miles out of Burma were covered mainly on foot. The Commander of the army in Burma, Field Marshal Alexander said, "Without the 7th Armoured Brigade we should not have got the army out of Burma."

Ancona, Italy, July 1944

General Wladislaw Anders
The Allies needed a port further up the Italian east coast to land supplies and reinforcements. Ancona sits on the 'calf' and was the target of a force that combined the 7th Hussars with 2nd Polish Corps who had distinguished themselves so well at Monte Cassino. The 7th had been relatively idle since Burma but by the summer of 1944 they had fought in preliminary battles round Loreto, Castelfidardo and Osimo. They developed a good relationship with the Polish soldiers and together they endured a long night march on 14th/15th July over steep and winding roads to deceive the enemy. On the morning of the 17th July A and C Squadrons attacked and captured Monte Torto, and then, with great difficulty, Monte Bogo. Colonel Bobincki of the Polish Corps led the left hook of the advance and secured Ancona. The 8th Army commander, General Leese, praised the Poles and the 7th Hussars, telling them that it was "one of the best small battles the 8th Army had fought."

Rimini Line, Sep 1944

One hundred kilometres northwest of Ancona lies Riminl on the coast. This was the eastern end of the Gothic, or Green Line, the last line of German defence that followed the highest points of the Apennines bordering the Po valley. At this end it was called the Rimini Line and was the scene of one of the hardest battles fought by the 8th Army in Italy. The weather in September 1944 was very wet and the rivers were swollen, causing difficulties for the 7th and the Polish Corps. The Germans had very strong defences and although the advance was held up along many parts of the Gothic Line the Polish Corps and 7th Hussars were able to claim a victory in their sector.

The Regiment Post War, 1945-58
Luneburg c1951
After the battle of the Rimini Line, the regiment had to fight it's way across the Po Valley and into Germany. The war had cost the lives of 139 officers and men of the regiment. They were at Soltau in 1946 and returned home to England in 1947 where they were stationed in Yorkshire. In 1949 they returned to Germany as part of the army of occupation and were stationed at Fallingbostel and Luneburg for 5 years. In 1954 the 7th went to Hong Kong for 3 years, then returned to the UK in 1957. There the regiment received the news that they were to amalgamate with the 3rd Hussars the following year. The last parade, as the 7th Hussars, took place at Tidworth on 23rd October 1957 when HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who was Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment, took the salute. The amalgation of the 7th and 3rd Hussar took place also at Tidworth on 3rd Nov 1958, to form The Queen's Own Hussars.
Badge
Badge
Badges
Nicknames
Old Saucy Seventh
Strawboots
The Lily White Seventh
Young Eyes
Motto
Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense
Evil be to Him who Evil Thinks
Depot
Bristol
Regimental Marches
Bannocks o' Barley Meal (Quick)
The Campbells are coming (Canter)
In the Garb of Old Gaul (Slow)
Reid
Regimental Anniversary
Waterloo day 18 June
Commanding Officers
1805 - 1958
Colonels
1805 - 1958
Soldiers
1805 - 1958
Uniforms
1805 - 1958
Accoutrements
Sabretaches and Pouchbelts
Band and Drumhorses
1805 - 1958
Principal Campaigns and Battles
1808 - 1809 Peninsula
1808 Sahagun
1809 Carrion
1809 Benevente
1809 Corunna
1813 - 1814 Peninsula
1814 Orthes
1814 Toulouse
1815 Hundred Days
1815 Waterloo
1838 - 1839 Canada
1858 Indian Mutiny
1858 Lucknow
1881 Transvaal
1896 Rhodesia
1901 - 1902 South Africa
1914 - 1918 The Great War
1918 Khan Baghdadi
1918 Sharqat
1939 - 1945 Second World War
1940 Egyptian Frontier
1940 Beda Fomm
1941 Sidi Rezegh
1942 Burma
1944 Ancona
Predecessor Units
7th Dragoons
(1690 - 1783)
7th Light Dragoons
(1783 - 1805)
Titles
7th Queen's Own Light Dragoons (Hussars)
(1807)
7th The Queen's Own Hussars
(1861)
7th Queen's Own Hussars
(1866)
Successor Units
Queen's Own Hussars
(1958 - 1993)
Queen's Royal Hussars
(1993 -)
Suggested Reading
The Queen's Own Hussars
by John Maurice Brereton

Historical Record of the Seventh or Queen's Own Regiment of Hussars
by Richard Cannon (London, Parker, 1842)

The Years Between: The story of the 7th Queen's Own Hussars, 1911 - 1937
by Evans, R. (Gale & Polden, 1965)

The Seventh and Three Enemies: The Story of World War II and the 7th Queen's Own Hussars
by Davy, G. M. O. (Heffer, 1953)

The 7th Queen's Own Hussars
by Barrett, C. R. B. (RUSI, 1914)

Regimental Museum
Lord Leycester Hospital
High St.
Warwick
Warwickshire
Museum Website


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