The Tangier Regiment

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Tangier Regiment served as part of the British Army in the Tangier Garrison from 1662 until its evacution in 1684.

It was raised in 1661 by Henry Mordaunt, 2nd Earl of Peterborough on Putney Heath (then in Surrey) for the specific task of garrisoning Tangier. From 1684 to 1751 it changed its name several times, becoming the 2nd (The Queen's Royal) Regiment of Foot in 1751 when regimental numbers were introduced; the only older regiment being the Royal Scots, it was the senior regiment from England.

In 1909, some time after the event, its successor regiment The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was granted the "Battle Honour of Tangier 1662-80", which is the oldest in the British Army. The battle honour is still held by the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, the successor of the The Queen's Regiment.