The Queen’s Own Hussars

The Queen’s Own Hussars

The Queen’s Own Hussars were formed from the amalgamation of 3rd The King’s Own Hussars and The 7th Queen’s Own Hussars in Tidworth in 1958.

The Queen’s Own Hussars remained in England until 1960 with one Squadron serving in Aden. It was brought back together as the Armoured Regiment of the 6th Infantry Brigade at Munster in Northern Germany. They moved to Detmold two years later and back to Catterick in 1965, except for ‘A’ Squadron which became the first Berlin Armoured Squadron.

1967 was a very busy year for the Queen’s Own Hussars as their role was converted to that of an Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment and deployed to keep the fragile peace in Aden, where they were awarded one MC and six Mentions-in-Dispatches.

‘C’ Squadron Queen’s Own Hussars 1959 Tidworth, this was shortly after the amalgamation of the 3rd and 7th Hussars and would be one of their first exercises on Salisbury Plain as a new regiment. At this stage, they were equipped with the Centurion and Conqueror tanks.

The following two years saw the Queen’s Own Hussars blown to the four corners of the globe, with independent Squadrons serving in Singapore, Hong Kong, Maresfield and Cyprus.

The Queen’s Own Hussars converted back to being an Armoured Regiment in 1970 and were posted to Hohne as part of the 7th Armoured Brigade for four years at which time they completed two tours of Northern Ireland, one in Armoured Cars and the latter on foot.

In 1974 they relocated to Bovington for two years, then Detmold for seven years punctuated by another two tours of Northern Ireland, returning to England in 1983.

Their final move as a complete regiment was out to Hohne in 1985, from where they completed a UN tour of Cyprus in 1990, and in 1993.

Shortly before their amalgamation, they had two large independent squadrons, one as Armoured Reconnaissance in Cyprus and the other as the Maze Prison Guard Force in Northern Ireland.