The term 'Light Dragoons' has a much earlier history. The British army experimented with light cavalry in the 1740s, prompted by the French creation of hussar regiments. However, it was not until the 1750s that the British converted some dragoon regiments into light cavalry, these regiments being officially designated 'Light Dragoons'. All British light cavalry regiments were titled Light Dragoons until 1806-1807, when four were re-classified as 'Hussars'. From 1816 more Light Dragoon regiments were reclassified as lancers or hussars, a tendency that continued throughout the 19th century.
History
The regiment was formed in 1992 at Haig Barracks in Hohne from the amalgamation of two regiments, the 13th/18th Royal Hussars and the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars. All of the antecedent regiments had been regiments of "light dragoons" during the 18th and 19th centuries, including the Napoleonic Wars. B Squadron was the first squadron of the newly formed regiment to do a tour of duty; sent to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 1993 on peacekeeping duties. They were followed by C Squadron in November 1993 and later by A and D squadrons in 1994. For all of those initial tours the Light Dragoons deployed on Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance Tracked. The Light Dragoons also sent units to Iraq on Operation Telic 2 in July 2003 and Operation Telic 6 in May 2005. Elements of the regiment were deployed on a tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 5 with 3 Commando Brigade in October 2006 and then with 12 Mechanised Brigade on Operation Herrick 6 in April 2007. The regiment deployed as a battle group on Operation Herrick 10 in April 2009 and took part in Operation Panther's Clawin the summer of 2009. The regiment's last deployment to Afghanistan was on Operation Herrick 16 in April 2012. It subordinated to 4th Infantry Brigade and moved to a new home at Gaza Barracks in Catterick Garrison in 2015.
Role
The regiment's role includes scouting for information about the enemy, engaging enemy targets and guiding fast jets. The regiment converted to the Jackalarmoured fighting vehicles under Army 2020. The Light Dragoons recruit mainly in Northern England, from the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham, South Yorkshire and the East Riding of Yorkshire and have strong connections with these areas. For this reason, the regiment is known as "England’s Northern Cavalry", The regiment is broken into the following 'squadrons': A Squadron, B Squadron, C Squadron, D Squadron, Support Squadron.
