The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment TA and another re-organisation of the Territorial Army

The re-organisation of the TA and the TAVR bearing in mind the gallant and distinguished records of their predecessors, the Territorial Battalions of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment had hard acts to follow, but they soon proved themselves equal to the occasion. At first it looked as though the main enemy was “within”. As a result of Defence cuts in the 1960s, and re-organisation of the Territorial Army into the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve some units were disbanded while others were subjected to amalgamations and re-designations.

On July 12th 1963 at Woking football ground new Colours were presented to the 3rd and 4th Bns The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment (TA) by Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of and in the County of Surrey, The Right Honourable the Earl of Munster PC, KBE.

Following the formation of The Queen’s Regiment on December 31st 1966 both stands of Colours were inherited by the 6/7th Bn The Queen’s Regiment.

These Colours were laid up in the Cathedral Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark on Sunday 16th November 1980. The officers carrying the Colours were Lt D Harwood, Lt P J Chapman, 3rd Battalion and Lt P Gibson, Lt D K Wray, 4th Battalion.

It is of interest that the 4th Battalion’s Regimental Colour displays the badge of The Royal Tank Regiment. This is in commemoration of its service as 42nd RTR, and they inherited this Honorary Distinction from the 23rd London Regiment. This badge carried four scrolls; the first bore the dates “1941-45” and the other three the battle honours “NORTH WEST EUROPE” “NORTH AFRICA” “ITALY”. This rare distinction was displayed at bottom centre of the Regimental Colour immediately below the Battle Honour Scrolls.

 
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© The Queen's Royal Surrey Regimental Association.