| Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1661–1969 |
| Country | Kingdom of England (1661–1707) Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1800) United Kingdom (1801–1969) |
| Branch | Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Motto | Spectemur Agendo (Let us be judged by our deeds)[1] |
| Colors | Scarlet uniform with blue facings, black plume.[1] |
| March | "The Royals" |
| Engagements | Dettingen, Waterloo, Second Boer War, El Alamein |
The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. The regiment was formed in 1661, and served until 1969, when it was amalgamated with the Royal Horse Guards to form The Blues and Royals.
The regiment was first raised as a single troop of veterans of the Parliamentary Army in 1661, shortly thereafter expanded to four troops as the Tangier Horse, taking the name from their service in Tangier. They were ranked as the 1st Dragoons, the oldest cavalry regiment of the line, in 1674; on their return to England in 1683 the three troops were joined with three newly-raised troops and titled The King's Own Royal Regiment of Dragoons, named for Charles II. In 1690 they were renamed as simply The Royal Regiment of Dragoons, and formally titled in 1751 as the 1st (Royal) Regiment of Dragoons. The title was simplified in 1877 to the 1st (Royal) Dragoons
After service in the First World War, the regiment retitled as the 1st The Royal Dragoons in 1921.
The regiment mechanised shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War and was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps in 1940. The regiment survived the immediate post-war reduction in forces, and was retitled as The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) in 1961, but this name was short-lived; it was amalgamated with the Royal Horse Guards (The Blues), to form The Blues and Royals in 1969.[2]