Editing Queen's Regiment

{{For|other regiments with a similar name|Queen's Regiment (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Queen's Regiment
| image                         = Queen's Regiment Badge.gif
| image_size                    = 160px
| caption                       = [[Heraldic badge|Badge]] and tie of the regiment
| dates                         = 31 December 1966 – 9 September 1992
| country                       = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch                        = {{army|United Kingdom}}
| type                          = Line Infantry
| command_structure             = [[Queen's Division]]
| size                          = Largest at 10 battalions<ref name="regiments.org">{{Cite web|date=2007-11-28|title=The Queen's Regiment (UK)|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|access-date=2021-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128030133/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|archive-date=2007-11-28}}</ref>
| garrison                      = [[Howe Barracks]], [[Canterbury]]<ref name="regiments.org"/>
| ceremonial_chief              = [[Margrethe II of Denmark|HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark]]
| ceremonial_chief_label        = Colonel in Chief
| garrison_label                = Regimental HQ
| nickname                      = Reporting name: QUEENS
| motto                         = "Unconquered I Serve"
| march                         = Quick – ''[[Soldiers of the Queen]]''<br>Slow – ''The Caledonian''
| anniversaries                 = [[Battle of Sobraon|Sobraon]] (10 February),<br> [[Battle of Albuera|Albuhera]] (16 May),<br> [[Glorious First of June]],<br> [[Siege of Sevastopol (1854)|Sevastopol]] (8 September),<br> [[Salerno Landings|Salerno]] (9 September),<br> [[Battle of Quebec (1759)|Quebec]] (13 September),<br>British Battalion Day (20 December)
}}
The '''Queen's Regiment''' (QUEENS) was an [[infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[British Army]] formed in 1966 through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the [[Home Counties Brigade]].  Then, until 1971 the regiment remained one of the largest regiments in the army, with 10 battalions, however these were reduced to just six, and later five battalions.  Following the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], the [[Options for Change|Options for Change reform]] was published and the regiment amalgamated with the [[Royal Hampshire Regiment]] to form the [[Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment]].

==Formation==
The regiment was formed as a '[[large regiment]]' on 31 December 1966 by the amalgamation of the four remaining regiments of the [[Home Counties Brigade]] as a consequence of the [[1957 Defence White Paper|Defence Review of 1957]]. The four regiments formed four battalions, retaining their previous names in the titles.  In addition, the former regiment's Territorial battalions transferred under their former titles to the corps of the regiment for a short time.  Below is a list of the regiment's subordinate organisations with formation dates, predecessor and successors.  Battalion subtitles were omitted on 1 July 1968.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2007-11-28|title=The Queen's Regiment (UK)|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|access-date=2021-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071128030133/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|archive-date=2007-11-28}}</ref>

'''Regulars'''<ref name=":0" />

* Regimental Headquarters, at [[Howe Barracks]], [[Canterbury]]
* 1st Battalion (Queen's Surreys) – amalgamated with 2nd Bn to form 1st [[Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment]] in 1992
* 2nd Battalion (Queen's Own Buffs) – amalgamated with 1st Bn to form 1st Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in 1992
* 3rd Battalion (Royal Sussex) – amalgamated with [[Royal Hampshire Regiment]] to form 2nd Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment in 1992
* 4th Battalion (Middlesex) – disbanded in 1973

'''Territorials<ref name=":0" />'''

* 6th (Territorial) Battalion (Queen's Surreys)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-10-20|title=The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/sy-q6.htm|access-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020111406/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/sy-q6.htm|archive-date=2007-10-20}}</ref>
**Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre sponsored by 5th (V) Bn while forming coy in same bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed 3 new coys in 5th, 7th, and 6th (V) Bns respectively
* 7th (Territorial) Battalion (East Kent)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-15|title=7th (T) Battalion, The Queen's Regiment (East Kent) [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/ke-q7.htm|access-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115214431/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/ke-q7.htm|archive-date=2007-11-15}}</ref>
**Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 in 5th (V) Bn while forming new coy in same bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed 3 new coys in 5th and 7th (V) Bns
* 8th (Territorial) Battalion (West Kent)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-09|title=4th/5th Battalion, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/ke-w45.htm|access-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071109133915/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/ke-w45.htm|archive-date=2007-11-09}}</ref>
**Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed a new coy in 7th (V) Bn
* 9th (Territorial) Battalion (Royal Sussex)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-10|title=4th/5th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/sx-4-5.htm|access-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110141716/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/sx-4-5.htm|archive-date=2007-11-10}}</ref>
**Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed two new coys and new Battalion HQ in 5th and 7th (V) 
* 10th (Territorial) Battalion (Middlesex)<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-11-23|title=5th Battalion, The Middlesex Regiment [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/mx-05.htm|access-date=2021-04-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071123202701/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/volmil-england/vinf-so/mx-05.htm|archive-date=2007-11-23}}</ref>
**Formed in 1967, reduced to cadre in 1969 and formed new coy in 5th (V) Bn, disbanded in 1971 and subsequently formed two new coys in 5th and 6th (V) Bns

'''Volunteers<ref name=":0" />''' – had NATO roles and post 1975 Home Defence roles in addition, separate from the above Territorial battalions

* 5th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1967, transferred to PWRR as 5th (V) Bn in 1992
* 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1975, transferred to PWRR as 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1992
**6th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1971 as new unit, amalgamated with 7th (V) Bn to form 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1975
** 7th (Volunteer) Battalion – formed in 1971 as new unit, amalgamated with 6th (V) Bn to form 6th/7th (V) Bn in 1975
* 8th (Volunteer) Battalion, Queen's Fusiliers (City of London) – formed in 1988 as joint TA unit with [[Royal Regiment of Fusiliers]], became [[London Regiment (1993)|London Regiment]] in 1993

==Operational deployments==
The deployment of the regiment's battalions was primarily to [[Northern Ireland]] on [[Operation Banner]] during [[The Troubles]], taking part in anti-terrorist operations. The 1st Battalion was almost continuously deployed there between August 1969 and November 1976.<ref name=bau>{{cite web|url=http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/infantry/queen-s-regiment.html|title=The Queen's Regiment|publisher=British Army units 1945 on|access-date=20 July 2016}}</ref> [https://www.queensregimentalassociation.org/publications.html The Longest Stag], a recent publication, provides a very detailed account of The Queen's Regiment deployed to Northern Ireland over more than 30 years. In all, twenty-nine operational tours were served by the Regiment.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Riley|first1= Jonathon|last2= Goulden|first2= Alasdair|title= The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992|pages=xiv and xv|year=2022|publisher=The Queen's Regimental Association}}</ref>

In 1968, the 2nd Battalion took over Palace Barracks, Belfast, Northern Ireland, from the 4th Battalion (Middlesex) who had been there since 1965. the battalion was engaged in Internal Security duties prior to and at the start of the official declaration of emergency in August 1969.<ref name=bau/> In August 1969 the 1st Battalion were deployed to [[Derry]].<ref name=bau/> The 3rd Battalion were posted to Ballykinler, Northern Ireland in 1970. The 1st Battalion joined the [[British Berlin brigade|Berlin Brigade]] in [[West Berlin]], a small enclave in Communist-controlled [[East Germany]].<ref name=bau/> The 4th Battalion was disbanded that year, as with every other 'junior' battalion of the new large regiments.<ref name=bau/>

The 2nd Battalion were deployed to East Belfast in 1971. The 3rd battalion remained in Ballykinler, until they moved to Tidworth in December that year.<ref name=bau/> Both the 2nd and 3rd battalions were deployed on operations to Belfast and Derry, Northern Ireland in 1972 and were involved in Operation Motorman. The 3rd Battalion was posted to [[Cyprus]] as part of the [[United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus]] (UNIFICYP), a force intended to prevent conflict from breaking out between Greek and Turkish Cypriots: the battalion returned to the United Kingdom in May 1973.<ref name=bau/> Also that year, the 3rd Battalion arrived in [[Gibraltar]] where it remained with the garrison for almost two years.<ref name=bau/>

1st Battalion served in West Belfast between 1973 and 1974 and then again whilst on spearhead in May 1974 for the [[Ulster Workers' Council strike|Ulster Workers Council Strike]]<ref name=bau/> The 2nd Battalion was posted to Derry, Northern Ireland from Werl, West Germany.<ref name=bau/> In 1975, 1st Battalion was posted to [[Werl]], Germany (replacing the 2nd Battalion – who had moved from Werl back to [[Bulford Camp]]).<ref name=bau/>

The 2nd Battalion, were deployed to Northern Ireland in 1976, first on a spearhead deployment in [[County Armagh|South Armagh]] following the [[Kingsmill massacre|Kingsmill (Bessbrook) massacre]], followed by a 6-month tour in Belize. The 1st Battalion were again deployed to Derry.<ref name=bau/> The 2nd Battalion were deployed to West Belfast, on an operational tour in [[Andersonstown]] in early 1977.<ref name=bau/> The 2nd Battalion were then posted to Gibraltar.<ref name=bau/>

The 3rd Battalion  were posted to [[Belize]] from February to August 1977, then a British territory, as part of the garrison there to protect it from the perceived threat of war with [[Guatemala]], a neighbour of Belize, which was making claims that it believed Belize to be an integral part of Guatemala.<ref name=bau/> In 1978, 1st Battalion deployed on operations to West Belfast for five months from Werl. The 2nd Battalion were in Gibraltar and the 3rd Battalion in Dover.<ref name=bau/> The 3rd Battalion deployed to Bessbrook, Northern Ireland in 1979.<ref name=bau/>

The 1st Battalion moved to [[Canterbury]] (the regiment's home base) in 1980.<ref name=bau/> From there it undertook a six-month tour of Belize.<ref name=bau/> The 2nd Battalion deployed to Cyprus on a 6-month tour-of-duty with UN forces in 1981.<ref name=bau/> The 1st Battalion were posted to [[Omagh]] in [[County Tyrone]] in 1982.<ref name=bau/>  It served there until January 1985 with south east [[Fermanagh]] as its primary focus.<ref name=bau/> In 1983, the 2nd Battalion were posted to Derry, also on a two-year tour.<ref name=bau/>

The 3rd Battalion  were deployed to Belfast on a six-month tour from Fallingbostel in 1984.<ref name=bau/> With all three battalions' in the province of Northern Ireland, A freedom parade was held in Belfast in 1984 at which all three battalions' Regimental Colours were paraded.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Riley|first1= Jonathon|last2= Goulden|first2= Alasdair|title= The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992|pages=290|year=2022|publisher=The Queen's Regimental Association}}</ref>

The 1st battalion moved to Gibraltar in 1985 for two years before returning to the United Kingdom ([[Tidworth Camp|Tidworth]]) in 1987 where it was to remain until 1990.<ref name=bau/> During this period it undertook two 6-month tours of Northern Ireland – South Armagh in 1987 and Belfast in 1989/90.<ref name=bau/> In 1990 the battalion moved to [[Minden]] in Germany, where it disbanded in 1992.<ref name=bau/>

The 3rd Battalion deployed to Belize from April to October 1986 on a 6-month tour-of-duty. Whilst there, a company group were on immediate standby to fly to the [[Turks and Caicos Islands]] in deterrence to the unrest in July 1986.<ref>Daily Telegraph 25th Jul 1986 p 6</ref> In 1987 the battalion was deployed to Northern Ireland as a Spearhead unit on Operation Cara Cara, reinforcing existing Units as an incremental Battalion deploying to fifteen base locations across the province with the mission to protect RUC Police stations.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Riley|first1= Jonathon|last2= Goulden|first2= Alasdair|title= The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967-1992|pages=300|year=2022|publisher=The Queen's Regimental Association}}</ref>  In 1988 they returned to [[Aldergrove, County Antrim|Aldergrove]], Northern Ireland for a 2-year operational tour.<ref name=bau/> In 1990 the 3rd Battalion arrived in Cyprus—its last deployment abroad and the location of its disbandment in 1992. From Cyprus the Battalion also deployed a reinforced company group for 5 months to the [[Falkland Islands]] and [[South Georgia]].<ref name=bau/>

The 2nd Battalion were deployed to [[Falkland Islands]] and [[South Georgia]] in 1985/1986 as part of the joint force garrison to deter an invasion from Argentina. 1988 The 2nd Battalion returned to West Belfast. In 1991 a reinforced infantry company group from the battalion returned to The Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The 2nd Battalion's last operational deployment was to Northern Ireland on Operation Gypsy in 1992 before heading to Canterbury, England where it disbanded later in the year.<ref name=bau/>

==Amalgamation==
As a consequence of the [[Options for Change]] defence cuts, on 9 September 1992 the regiment was amalgamated with the [[Royal Hampshire Regiment]] to form the [[Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment|Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)]].<ref name="regiments">{{cite web|title=The Queen's Regiment|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210174049/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/002queens.htm|archive-date=10 February 2006|access-date=20 July 2016|publisher=Regiments.org}}</ref>

==Regimental museum==
The Queen's & Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Regimental Museum is at [[Dover Castle]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.1queens.co.uk/museum.html|title= Queen's & PWRR Regiment Museum|publisher=1st Battalion the Queen’s Regiment|access-date=5 June 2018}}</ref>

== Uniform ==
The Queen's regimental uniform consisted of a dark 'royal blue' uniform with blue facings, and scarlet piping.  The regimental badge consisted of "A Dragon upon a mount within the Garter; above the Dragon and superimposed upon the Garter the [[Plume of the Prince of Wales]]".<ref name=":0" />

== Regimental bands ==
The Queen's Regiment maintained three bands at the time of its disbandment; Band of the 1st Queen's Regiment, Band of the 2nd Queen's Regiment, and Kohima Band of the Queen's Regiment (5th (V) Bn).  The first two being regular becoming the Band of the 1st Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, and the Kohima Band being transferred to the same regiment.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-12-28|title=Corps of Army Music [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/music.htm|access-date=2021-04-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071228105032/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/music.htm|archive-date=2007-12-28}}</ref>

== Regimental colours ==
The Queen's Regimental colours consisted of the following:<ref name=":0" />

* ''Central Device:'' A [[Welsh Dragon|Dragon]] upon a mount within the [[Order of the Garter|Garter]], above the Dragon and superimposed on the Garter the [[Plume of the Prince of Wales]]
* ''1st Corner:'' A [[Sacrificial lamb|Paschal Lamb]] upon an eight-pointed star ensigned with the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|Crown]]
* ''2nd Corner:'' A [[White horse|White Horse]] rampant above a scroll inscribed 'Invicta', and The Cypher of [[Catherine of Braganza|Queen Catherine]]
* ''3rd Corner:'' The Star of the Order of the Garter over the Roussillon Plume, and A [[Naval crown|Naval Crown]] superscribed '[[Glorious First of June|1st June 1794]]'
* ''4th Corner:'' The Sphinx superscribed 'Egypt', and The Plume of the Prince of Wales above the Coronet and Cypher of the [[Duke of Cambridge]].

==Colonels-in-Chief==
Colonels-in-Chief were as follows:<ref name=regiments/>
* 1967–1992: HM [[Juliana of the Netherlands|Queen Juliana of the Netherlands]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|LG}}
* 1967–1972: HM [[Frederik IX of Denmark|King Frederik IX of Denmark]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KG|GCB|GCVO|GCStJ}}
* 1967–1968: Chief Commandant HRH [[Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent|The Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|CI|GBE|GCVO|GCStJ}}
* 1972–1992: HM [[Margrethe II of Denmark|Queen Margrethe II of Denmark]] {{post-nominals|country=GBR|LG}}

==Regimental Colonels==
Regimental Colonels were as follows:<ref name=regiments/>
*1966–1973: Lt-Gen. Sir [[Richard Craddock]], KBE, CB, DSO (from [[Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment]])
*1973–1977: Maj-Gen. [[Fergus Ling|Fergus Alan Humphrey Ling]], CB, CBE, DSO
*1977–1984: Maj-Gen. Rowland Spencer Noel Mans, CBE
*1984–1989: Brig. Herbert Charles Millman, OBE
*1989–1992: Maj-Gen. Michael Frank Reynolds, CB

==Alliances==
Alliances arranged were as follows:<ref name=regiments/>
*{{CAN}} [[The Queen's York Rangers (1st American Regiment)]] – [[Canada]] (1966–1992)
*{{CAN}} [[The South Alberta Light Horse]]—Canada (1966–1992)
*{{CAN}} [[The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada]]  (1966–1992)
*{{CAN}} [[The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment]]—Canada (1966–1992)
*{{CAN}} 1st Battalion, [[The Royal New Brunswick Regiment]] (Carleton and York) — Canada (1966–1992)
*{{CAN}} [[The Essex and Kent Scottish]]—Canada (1966–1992)
*{{AUS}} [[Royal New South Wales Regiment]] – [[Australia]] (1967–1992)
*{{AUS}} [[The Royal Western Australia Regiment]] (1967–1992)
*{{AUS}} [[University of New South Wales Regiment]]—Australia (1967–1992)
*{{NZ}} 2nd Battalion (Canterbury and Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
*{{NZ}} 5th Battalion (Wellington West Coast and Taranaki), Royal New Zealand Infantry (1966–1992)
*{{PAK}} [[Punjab Regiment (Pakistan)|12th, 14th, 15th, and 17th Battalions, The Punjab Regiment]] – [[Pakistan]]
*{{SLE}} The Royal Sierra Leone Regiment, Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (1966–?)
*{{HKG}} [[The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers)]] – (1966–1992)

==Order of precedence==
{{s-start}}
{{order of precedence |
  before= [[Royal Scots]] |
  title= [[British Army Order of Precedence|Infantry Order of Precedence]]|
  after= [[The King's Own Royal Border Regiment]]}}
{{s-end}}

==Lineage==
{{s-start}}
|-style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;"
| align="center" colspan="4"|'''Lineage'''
|-
| width="25%" rowspan="20" align="center" | '''The Queen's Regiment'''
| width="25%" align="center"| '''The [[Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment]]'''
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| '''The [[Queen's Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment]]'''
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| '''[[Royal Sussex Regiment|The Royal Sussex Regiment]]'''
|-
| width="25%" align="center"| '''[[Middlesex Regiment|The Middlesex Regiment]]'''
{{s-end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Riley |first1=Jonathon |title=Soldiers of The Queen: The History of The Queen's Regiment 1966 - 1992 |date=1993 |publisher=Picton Publishing ( Chippenham) Ltd |isbn=0-948251-65-4 |language=en}}
*{{cite book |last1=Riley |first1=Jonathon |last2=Goulden |first2=Alasdair. |title=The Longest Stag: The Queen's Regiment in Northern Ireland 1967 - 1992 |date=2022 |publisher=The Queen's Regimental association, 2022 |isbn=978-1-3999-2591-4 |language=en}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|The Queen's Regiment}}
*[http://www.britisharmedforces.org/i_regiments/queensroyal_surrey_index.htm 1st Battalion – The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment (PWRR Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment) – Timeline]
*[http://www.1queens.co.uk 1st Battalion The Queen's Regiment]
*[http://www.1royalsussex-3queens.com 1st Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment / 3rd Battalion The Queen's Regiment]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081230215550/http://www.queensassociation.org/ Horsham Branch of The Queen's Regimental Association]
*[http://queensregimentalassociation.org The Queen's Regimental Association RHQ Website]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20081230215550/http://www.queensassociation.org/ 6/7th Battalion The Queen's Regiment]
* [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-16852509 HET report into QR soldiers death]

{{PWRR}}

[[Category:Queen's Regiment| ]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1992 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1966]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1992]]
[[Category:Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment]]
[[Category:Denmark–United Kingdom military relations]]
[[Category:Netherlands–United Kingdom military relations]]
[[Category:Margrethe II]]