| 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) | |
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Cap Badge of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers |
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| Active | 11 September 1960–present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Cavalry |
| Role | Formation Reconnaissance |
| Size | One regiment |
| Part of | Royal Armoured Corps |
| Garrison/HQ | RHQ: South Wigston, Leicester Regiment: Hohne, Germany |
| Nickname | The Delhi Spearmen[1] |
| Motto | Ich Dien (I Serve) |
| March | Quick: God Bless the Prince of Wales Slow: Men of Harlech, The Coburg March |
| Anniversaries | Mons/Moy |
| Commanders | |
| Colonel-in-Chief | HRH The Duke of York |
| Colonel of the Regiment |
Major-General J.H.T. Short CB OBE |
| Insignia | |
| Tactical Recognition Flash | |
| Abbreviation | 9/12 L |
The 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, formed in 1960 by the amalgamation of the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers. It is currently a formation reconnaissance regiment, equipped with the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) family of vehicles and attached to the 7th Armoured Brigade, the Desert Rats. The regiment is based in South Wigston, Leicestershire, along with its affiliated Territorial Army unit, The Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry, which forms B Squadron of The Royal Yeomanry.
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The amalgamation of the 9th Lancers and 12th Lancers took place on 11 September 1960 in Tidworth Garrison Church.[2] The inscription reads:
"Here on the 11 September 1960, 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) was formed by the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers and the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) coming together before God. It is not the beginning but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory."
Since then they have served in Aden, Oman, Belize, Saudi Arabia, Canada, with the UN in Cyprus, in Germany throughout the Cold War and Northern Ireland throughout The Troubles. D Squadron deployed to the Middle East in 1991 on Operation Granby to provide Battle Casualty Replacements. On 10 May 1972 the Regiment received the Freedom of Derby[2] and in 2000 the Queen Mother paid another visit to present a new Guidon shortly before her 100th birthday. The Regiment was once again at the forefront in 1992 as part of the deployment to Bosnia on Operation Grapple 1[3] and they were to return to both Bosnia and Kosovo on numerous occasions over the coming decade.
Since 2000, operational activity of the Regiment has concentrated on the Balkans and the Middle East, interspersed with two deployments to Canada in 2002 as OPFOR (opposing force) and 2007 as both OPFOR and as a formation reconnaissance battlegroup. It took part in Operation Telic in Iraq and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. The 9th/12th Royal Lancers completed their third tour to Iraq in December 2008 and are currently deployed on operations in Afghanistan.
The regiment carries the following battle honours awarded to its predecessors:
Mons Moy[4] is the weekend that the Regiment, both serving and old comrades, remember the Fallen of all conflicts. Where commitments allow, it falls between the 28th August and 7 September. On 28 August 1914 at Moy the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) successfully charged against the German Guard Dragoons. On 7 September 1914 at Moncel the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers were successful in the last lance-on-lance charge of the First World War.
O Eternal God, grant to us, thy servants of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers, strength, guidance, courage, and steadfast Faith, that we may ever serve thee truly; and finally by thy mercy attain everlasting glory, through Jesus Christ our Lord - Amen[5]
The Regimental Museum Display is housed within the Soldier’s Story gallery at Derby Museum and Art Gallery
| Preceded by The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish) |
Cavalry Order of Precedence | Succeeded by The King's Royal Hussars |
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