Amalgamation
On 24th October 1958, in Hohne, the 4th Hussars amalgamated with the 8th Hussars to form The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars.
Some may well think that the less said about the period before 22nd October (when the actual weekend began) the better. The problem of where we were going to house the wonderful number of people who, to our joy and surprise, accepted our tentative invitation to attend. The problem of where to entertain well over six hundred guests to luncheon. The problem of how to keep the number of guests at the Ball within the capacity of the Mess. The seating plan for the parade. Transport to meet planes at various times at Hanover and Hamburg at the same time as meeting military and civilian trains at Hanover. At one time it appeared likely that we would have neither collar nor cap badges. These did arrive at the last possible moment, and it is hoped that all those who attended the parade, including E.R.E., in fact, received their little parcels of badges on arrival.
Why not discover what life was life was like for Tpr George Rilon, who served in The 4th Queens Own Hussars and The Queens Royal Irish Hussars as a National Serviceman during the period of the 1958 amalgamation.
The actual weekend began on Wednesday, 22nd October, with the arrival of Air Marshal Sir John Baldwin and Brigadier Scott-Cockburn, the two Colonels. A conference was held on the morning of the 23rd, partly to put them in the picture as to the general plan, but also to settle one or two touchy questions of etiquette. H.R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the Colonel-in-Chief, arrived by air at Hanover on Thursday evening and was escorted to the Commanding Officer’s house via the Main Gate Guardroom, where a Royal Guard under the command of Captain M.Wright was inspected.
The Colonel-in-Chief visited the Sergeants’ Mess before arriving at the Officers’ Mess for dinner, together with the two Colonels. This dinner was attended by all serving officers, whether actually with the Regiment at this time or whether they had just returned to it for the weekend. Also attending were all past Commanding Officers of either Regiment who were present. These were five 4th Hussars, Lt Col Kidd, Lt Col Kidston-Montgomerie, Lt Col Close-Smith, Lt Col Eve and Lt Col Kennard. From the 8th Hussars, Brigadier Goulburn, Lt Col Sir Guy Lowther and Lt Col Phillips. In all, eighty-two sat down to dinner. As far as possible in both dress and customs, the traditions of both the 4th Hussars and the 8th Hussars were carried on, on this last evening before Amalgamation.
The evening was not without incident, as the P.M.C. gave us a toast to the Commander-in-Chief, and Sgt Holden, the Mess cook, who was presented to the Colonel-in-Chief after dinner, had anticipated matters by a few hours and appeared in a Q.R.I.H. cap badge.
Friday proved to be rather a dull day speaking strictly of weather — a pity, as the dress rehearsal had been held on a lovely sunny morning. The Regimental square looked very small but very bright. A new entrance had been made in the R.H.Q. Block at one end, so the stands could be built along the whole of the front and as far as the next block. Stands were also erected down both of the short sides of the square. Two Conqueror tanks filled the far corners and at the back in the middle were four flag-poles. The two outside poles carried the 4th and 8th Hussar’s flags. The two centre poles had two Q.R.I.H. flags ready for breaking.
The order of parade and music are set out below as they appeared in the programme.
In the first part of the parade, each Regiment was represented by only two squadrons. Cap and collar badges were changed during the Band Interval between the two halves of the parade.
The Commanding Officer, the Second-in-Command and the Adjutant were mounted in both halves of the parade. Thus we had six horses on parade during the first part and three during the second half.
The Colonel-in-Chief’s address to the Regiment and the Commanding Officer’s reply is also given below the order of parade.
(Please allow a few moments for the slideshow to start)
SPEECH BY H.R.H. PRINCE PHILIP, COLONEL-IN-CHIEF, QUEEN’S ROYAL IRISH HUSSARS, ON THE OCCASION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE GUIDON, 24TH OCTOBER, 1958.
“With the presentation of this Guidon on behalf of Her Majesty, the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars begin their existence. Nevertheless, it is only the beginning of another chapter in a history which started 270 years ago — 270 years of unfailing service which has seen great victories, a few defeats, and many months of unspectacular slogging in many parts of the world. The battle honours on the Guidon give the bald facts, but they say nothing of the officers and men who worked and fought and died in a great comradeship. The Guidon also records that this Regiment was formed by the amalgamation of the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars and the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars — two great Regiments, each with a proud history. There will never be any reason to forget this or to forget the devotion and sacrifice of the men who served in them.
This is not the time or the place to discuss the rights and wrongs of the decision to amalgamate two famous old cavalry Regiments. The decision cannot have been taken lightly, because anyone with the least understanding and affection for the British Army knows the peculiar strength of the Regimental system and the extraordinary spirit which lives in a proud Regiment. Although the amalgamation of the 4th and 8th Hussars is now an accomplished fact and all of you on parade at this moment are members of the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars, I want to go back for a moment and remind you of the events which have led up to this parade.
From the very date of the official announcement by the War Office, both Regiments accepted the decision with the most commendable determination to work from that moment for the success of the new Regiment. From the word ‘Go’ both Regiments set out to get to know each other. For instance, all ranks attended each other’s sporting and social events, and during this year’s training period the Regiments formed composite troops and trained together as one. I also know for a fact the immense amount of care and thought that Sir John Baldwin, Colonel Kennard, Colonel Huth and Colonel Butler have put into the many awkward problems that have arisen. It is largely due to them that a proper balance has been maintained and that so few people have had to be re-badged. There have obviously been cases of unhappiness, but no one has left without a full and thorough explanation of the circumstances. It goes without saying that they did not want to lose anyone.
The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars is no new Regiment, and the only drawback I can see for the future is that new members of the Regiment will have to learn twice as much Regimental history. However, they will find in that history three interesting events. The 4th and 8th charged together at Balaclava, and then in the last war, because of heavy casualties, they were temporarily amalgamated and fought as one at the Battle of Alam el Halfa. The third item is the fact that in 1895, the Sergeants’ Mess of the 8th Hussars gave their opposite numbers in the 4th Hussars a silver shield and, strange as it may seem, under the inscription is a badge which to all intents and purposes is the badge of the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars. I think you will agree that these three events augur well for the future.
I want to say one word of appreciation to the officers and men of other corps attached to the Regiment who have done so much to help the smooth transition and amalgamation. I need hardly emphasize that the next year or so is going to be vitally important to the Regiment. I look to all of you to help the Regiment get off to a good start. There is no place for passengers now; every one of you has got to work actively to get the name and reputation of the Regiment properly established. May I also remind you that whatever happens, the Regiment needs a steady supply of recruits. This is one of the ways in which Old Comrades can do much to help the Regiment, while it is abroad particularly, as there is no depot at home. I hope all present members will take a personal interest in this matter.
Finally, I would like to congratulate all of you on the parade today. If you keep up this standard in everything you do, the future of the Regiment is assured.
I wish you all the very best of luck.”
MESSAGE FROM SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL, WHICH WAS READ TO THE REGIMENT BY H.R .H. PRINCE PHILIP.
“I am indeed sorry that I cannot be present at this ceremony which marks not the end of two Regiments, but the beginning of their existence together. I send you all my good wishes for the future, which I trust and believe will be as glorious as the past.
WINSTON S . CHURCHILL.”
SPEECH BY LT COL W.G.O. BUTLER, D.S.O., M.C., IN REPLY TO H.R.H. PRINCE PHILIP.
“Your Royal Highness.
“On behalf of all members of your Regiment, I would like to thank you for the great honour that you have done us, firstly in consenting to become our Colonel-in-Chief and secondly in coming here today to present us with this Guidon. It will be our earnest endeavour to uphold the great traditions which it symbolizes, and if the need should arise, to add further honours to those already emblazoned on it.
“I would ask you, Sir, on behalf of all of us, when you return home, to present to Her Majesty the Queen our humble and loyal duty and to tell Her Majesty that the great Regimental spirit and traditions which have inspired the 4th and 8th Hussars for some 270 years have been taken into the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars through a very happy and willing amalgamation and that the Regiment which now stands before you, Sir, is truly one in spirit and in purpose with morale high, and, if I may borrow an American expression, is ‘roaring to go.’
“God save the Queen.”
The Guidon Consecration Ceremony was conducted by the Rev. C.G. Gregory, Assistant Chaplain-General, B.A.O.R. It is of interest that three of his attendants were the Rev. S.J. Davies, present Chaplain to the Q.R.I.H. and formerly to the 8th Hussars, the Rev. B.W. Howarth, former Chaplain to the 8th Hussars, and the Rev. C.J. Comyns, former Chaplain to the 4th Hussars.
After the parade, the Colonel-in-Chief presented Long Service and Good Conduct Medals to the Technical Adjutant, Lt T.L.Edwards, R.S.M. Reynolds, Sgt O’Connor, and SSgt. Allen, R.E.M.E., and then spent some time talking to the other rank Old Comrades who had also come to support us in considerable numbers.
The two War Memorials, standing side by side in the gap between R.H.Q. Block and the Training Wing, were then inspected. The Colonel-in-Chief then drove to the Round House, where all the other guests had arrived, for luncheon. A great deal of work had been done to clean and re-decorate the large room in the Round House. A mass of flowers was acquired, and all those who spent so long arranging them deserve every credit.
The Sergeants’ Mess gave a large luncheon party to their guests in their own Mess. An air of peace then descended for a very few hours and was most welcome. The Colonel-in-Chief had tea with the Wives’ Club, and afterwards visited the Corporals’ Mess before returning to the Commanding Officer’s house for dinner before the Ball.
The Ball in the Officers’ Mess was a glittering affair. The drive was lit by a series of lanterns that floodlit the trees, leading down to the floodlit building itself. Inside was a mass of flowers that gave no hint that their arrangement had only been completed late that same evening. Two orderly officers were on duty: one, Ct Russell in 4th Hussar’s full dress; the other, Lt Waller in 8th Hussar’s full dress.
The Colonel-in-Chief stayed till a late hour, and such was the mental and physical exhaustion of everyone that the Ball ended about 4 am. The Saturday was, of course, Balaclava Day, but it was not possible to carry out the usual traditional customs.
The Colonel-in-Chief left by air from Hanover in the morning, being escorted as far as the Autobahn by our own Scout Cars and by the German police from there to the airport. A number of other guests left on Saturday by various means.
A “Stand Up” lunch was held in the Mess, followed by a special meet of the Wessex Hounds. The Sergeants’ Mess gave a magnificent ball at night that all the guests attended.
A Regimental Church Parade was held on Sunday morning. The weather prevented our original intention of holding a Drumhead Service and we had to compromise in the cinema.
Again a “Stand Up” lunch in the Mess followed by a mass departure of our guests, again by every means available. Sir John Baldwin and Brigadier Scott-Cockburn left by train from Hanover, as did a large number of other Old Comrades. Several, however, missed the train, some it is believed caught the wrong train. It was rumoured that someone’s luggage, and indeed a part of their family, departed on a train that had no intention of ending up at the Hook, and had to be extracted from it somewhere down the line. It is even now not certain, but it is thought to be a fact, that the last guest actually succeeded in catching the right train on the following Thursday.
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S SQUADRON
OUR Colonel-in-Chief, H .R.H. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, has agreed to a new institution within the Regiment.
Throughout each year, running from one Balaclava Day to another, Squadrons compete for the honour of being known for the next year as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Squadron.
The competition covers training, administration and sport.
In the training section, the results of the range shooting count for Sabre squadrons and the small arms for H.Q. Squadron, on an equal basis. There is a small-bore competition and a drill competition.
The Administrative section is judged on the results of the Commanding Officer’s Inspections, recruiting results, the accident rate and the four inspections covered by the C.I.V., Small Arms, Instruments and Ordnance.
The sports section consists of the Novices’ Boxing Competition, knock-out competitions in football, hockey, basketball and seven-a-side rugby. Also, the results of the annual swimming sports, athletics and cross-country running.
A wide enough field, we hope, to give everyone a fair chance and to keep the result in doubt throughout most of the year.
