Former Titles of the Regiment - RDG Museum

Former titles of the Regiment

Prior to the reforms of George III's era, Regiments of the British Army were usually known by the name of their Colonel (e.g. Berkeley's Dragoons, Howard's Regiment of Foot). This resulted in numerous changes in the names of Regiments, creating a great deal of trouble with administering the army - a regiment that had been Jones' Horse one week could become, on occasion, Smith's Horse the next. In an attempt to alleviate the confusion this caused, the Army began to designate its units by numbers, with a word to denote the role of the regiment in question (e.g. 4th Horse, 22nd Foot). The terms "Horse" and "Foot" were employed during this period; it was felt undesirable to use "Cavalry" and "Infantry", since these were of French origin!

In due course, the reforms of 1746 resulted in the reduction of three regiments of Horse to the lower rank of Dragoon Guards as a measure of economy (Dragoon Guards were paid less than Horse). This was then continued in 1788, converting the remaining Horse regiments into Dragoon Guards.

At the end of the First World War, as a further measure of economy, the cavalry were yet further reduced. The3rd and 6th, and the 4th and 7th Dragoon Guards amalgamated, to form the 3rd/6th and 4th/7th Dragoon Guards, respectively. Meanwhile, one of the three surviving Dragoon regiments - the Inniskillings, (6th Dragoons) was amalgamated with the 5th Dragoon Guards, to form the 5th/6th Dragoons. In each case, two squadrons from the senior regiment would amalgamate with one of the junior (e.g. the 5th/6th Dragoons contained two squadrons from the 5th Dragoon Guards and one from the 6th Dragoons).

The joining of two regiments inevitably produced difficulties for all involved. However, the title "5th/6th Dragoons" caused particular animosity; the former 5th Dragoon Guards resented their loss of seniority (Dragoon Guards being senior to Dragoons), and the Inniskillings, who had carried the city's name proudly since 1751, and maintained a strong connection with Enniskillen, resented the loss of their ancestral association. To make matters worse, the former 5th (Royal Irish) Dragoons had, in fact, been disbanded in 1799, for allegedly refusing to attack Irish rebels during the Irish Rebellion of 1798; the name was thus somewhat disgraced.

Eventually, repeated petitions proved able to sway higher authority, and in 1927 the 5th/6th Dragoons re-titled to become the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, thereby restoring lost pride on both sides. Furthermore, they went on to receive the "Royal" title in 1935, becoming the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards:

"On the occasion of His Majesty's Birthday and in commemoration of the completion of the twenty-fifth year of his reign, the King has been graciously pleased... to approve that the following regiments shall in future enjoy the distinction "Royal" and shall henceforth be designated:—

5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards..."

The 4th/7th Dragoon Guards would also receive their much-coveted "Royal" appellation in 1936.

Below is a complete list of the titles borne by the four antecedent Regiments of The Royal Dragoon Guards, from their inception to the present day.

The Royal Dragoon Guards, formed upon the amalgamation of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1992, is the present incarnation of the four ancestral Regiments.