Central India, 1857-58 The 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars were dispatched to India in great haste on the outbreak of the Mutiny in 1857. They arrived in India on 16 December 1857 and were involved in the siege and assault on Kotah on 30 March 1858 and the ensuing pursuit that ended in the recapture of the rebels’ guns. On 17 June a squadron of the 8th under Captain Heneage played a brilliant part in the battle of Gwalior when…

The Crimean War This, the most destructive of the Victorian era, was notable for the appalling suffering of the troops, the outmoded and inefficient military organisation and the recognition at last of the courage of all ranks of soldiers and sailors with the instigation of the Victoria Cross. It is remembered for the unreasoning courage of the Charge of the Light Brigade, for the precise volleys of the Thin Red Line and for the impossible assaults upon Sevastopol’s Redan. It…

The Great War When the First World War began in 1914, the 8th Hussars were stationed at Ambala, 125 miles north of Delhi in India. The Regiment was mobilized on 31 August and left India at Bombay in two halves in October 1914. The Regiment served as part of the Ambala Cavalry Brigade, 1st Indian Cavalry Division and arrived at Marseilles, France in November. By the time they had landed in France, a system of trenches was firmly established. This…

Amalgamation with 3rd The King’s Own Hussars It was on the journey home, by boat, from Hong Kong in August 1957 that the 7th Queen’s Own Hussars were to be amalgamated the following year with 3rd The King’s Own Hussars at Tidworth on the 3rd of November 1958 to form The Queen’s Own Hussars. To pretend that two old and proud Regiments could be united without some difference of opinion would be foolish, but what differences did exist on November…

Post War The 7th Hussars stayed in Italy for a while then marched north ending up in June 1946 at Soltau, in northern Germany, as part of the occupying Army,  where they spent a year before sailing back to Yorkshire after twelve years abroad in December 1947. Two years of sorting out in England, with a large change in personnel, renewed the 7th Hussars for a five-year tour in Fallingbostel near Soltau before they were sent as the first Armoured…

The Second World War On the 11th of June Italy declared war on Britain and France and our forces in the Western Desert began attacking Italian positions over the Egyptian border into Libya. The Egyptian Frontier, 12 June – 12 September 1940 The first action was taking the fort of Capuzzo which they had to capture twice in a month. The rest of June and July was spent patrolling and harassing the enemy in and around Capuzzo waiting for the…

The Inter-War Years, 1919-35 It was not until the 21st of February that orders were received which put the future beyond doubt. All officers, and other ranks who were time-expired or nearing expiration of their engagement, was to return to England, and what was left was to be organized as a 7th Hussar squadron for inclusion in a composite regiment of Hussars (to be formed from 7th, 13th and 14th Hussars) which was being organized temporarily to serve with the…

The Sudan Late in 1884, the 7th Hussars supplied a detachment of officers and men to form part of Lord Wolseley’s Camel Corps who were destined for Egypt to attempt the rescue of General Gordon at Khartoum and to relieve other isolated garrisons in Sudan. Lt Col Hugh McCalmont (later Maj Gen Sir Hugh McCalmont, KCB CVO) was one of the officers of the 7th who accompanied the expedition. The party consisted of a total of 2 officers and 44…

Mesopotamia In August 1914 the 7th Hussars were stationed at Bangalore (Karnataka, India) having arrived there on 4 November 1911. The Regiment landed in India from England on 2 November 1911. By 1916, the Regiment was serving as part of the 4th (Meerut) Cavalry Brigade. On 4 October 1917, the 7th Hussars received orders to mobilise for service in Mesopotamia and moved to Karachi (Sindh, Pakistan) on 18 November 1917. The Regiment left India in three ships, all of which…

South Africa 1899-1902 The war started in October 1899 but the 7th Hussars 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 Voyage Out, Dec 1901 The 7th…