Home Service
In 1748 Rich’s Dragoons returned home for sixty years of quiet home service. The names of regiments were enumerated in 1751 thus Rich’s became the 4th Dragoons. Their coats remained scarlet and their waistcoats and breeches were to be green.
The civil order which erupted into the Gordon Riots of 1780 called the 4th Dragoons to London for their first trial in the use of minimum force and eight years later, in 1788, saw another re-organisation of cavalry, with the 4th accruing the title “The Queen’s Own Regiment of Dragoons”.
Finally, in December 1808 the 4th sailed to Portugal to join Wellesley’s Army which was trying to push the French out of Portugal by bringing them to battle in Spain.
