16th The Queen's Lancers

The 16th The Queen's Lancers was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, before being amalgamated into the 16th/5th Lancers in 1922.

History

The regiment was raised as the second of the new regiments of light dragoons in 1759, as the 16th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, also known as Burgoyne's Light Horse. In 1766 they were renamed after Queen Charlotte as the 2nd (or The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, the number being an attempt to create a new numbering system for the light dragoon regiments. However, the old system was quickly reestablished, with the regiment returning as the 16th (The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons in 1769.

They arrived in New York in September, 1776. They were involved in fighting at Brandywine, Paoli, and Monmouth Court House. They returned to Britain in December, 1778.

They became lancers in 1816, as the 16th (The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers). The title was simplified in 1861 to the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers. After service in the First World War, the regiment retitled as the 16th The Queen's Lancers in 1921, and was amalgamated with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers to form the 16th/5th Lancers (later the 16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers) the following year.

Battle Honours

• Beaumont, Willems, Talavera, Fuentes d'Onor, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nive, Peninsula, Waterloo, Bhurtpore, Ghuznee 1839, Affghanistan 1839, Maharajpore, Aliwal, Sobraon, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, South Africa 1900-02.
• The Great War: Mons, Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Messines 1914, Armentières 1914, Ypres 1914 '15, Gheluvelt, St. Julien, Bellewaarde, Arras 1917, Scarpe 1917, Cambrai 1917, Somme 1918, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1914-18.

References

• Mills, T.F.. "16th The Queen's Lancers". regiments.org. http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/cav/D16l.htm. Retrieved October 3, 2007.  Includes chronological index of titles.

• Hinde, Robert (1778). The discipline of the light-horse. London: W. Owen. OCLC 8046100. http://books.google.com/books?id=jB5EAAAAYAAJ&dq=Hinde%20discipline%20of%20the%20light%20horse&lr=&pg=PA537#v=onepage&q=Geary&f=false.