|
The
Queen's Regiment
1967 - 1980 |
|
General |
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
| |
Home
Counties Brigade becomes The Queen’s
Regiment,
Comprising four regular battalions:
As a result of further changes in the structure of the Army,
on December 31st 1966 The Queen's Regiment was formed and
the 1st Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment became the
1st Bn The Queen's Regiment, (Queen's Surreys). The Queen's
Regiment then incororated all the former County Regiments
of Surrey, Kent, Sussex and Middlesex. They were:-
The Queen's Royal Regiment
(West Surrey) - 2nd Foot
The East Surrey Regiment -
31st & 70th Foot
The Buffs (Royal East Kent
Regiment) - 3rd Foot
The Queen's Own Royal West
Kent Regiment - 50th & 97th Foot
The Royal Sussex Regiment
- 35th & 107th Foot
The Middlesex Regiment (Duke
of Cambridges Own) - 57th & 77th Foot
The Regiment initially had four regular battalions but the
4th Battalion was disbanded in 1970. There were three Territorial
battalions The 5th (Volunteer), 6/7th (Volunteer) and for
a short time the 8th Queen's Fusiliers (City of London).
Each
Regular Army battalion had its own band until 1984 when,
due to further Defence Cuts, they were amalgamated into
two, the Albuhera Band and the Quebec Band. However, the
Territorial Army band which served with the 5th (Volunteer)
Battalion based at Canterbury, survived.
The
Regimental Motto was:-
"Unconquered
I Serve"
HQ
Home Counties Brigade becomes RHQ The Queen’s Regiment
Queen’s
Surreys office and Museum maintained at Kingston. Colonel
of the Regiment becomes Deputy Colonel of the 1st Battalion,
and in 1967, Deputy Colonel (Surrey).
HRH
Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, CI, GCVO, GBE appointed
Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen's Regiment.
HM King Frederik IX, KG, King of Denmark, appointed Allied
Colonel-in-Chief.
HM Queen Juliana, KG, Queen of the Netherlands, appointed
Allied Colonel-in-Chief. |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| 31st
December |
Becomes
1st Bn The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s Surreys). |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| 31st
December |
Depot
The Home Counties Brigade becomes Depot The
Queen’s Regiment. |
|
Territorial
Army |
| |
3rd
and 4th Battalions |
|
|
“Ever
Ready” Sleeve badge
worn by members of the
Territorial Army Emergency Reserve. |
|
| |
TAER
men to 1 Royal Sussex for operations in Aden. |
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3rd
Battalion |
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Wins
the Courage Trophy Competition. |
|
|
The
7.62mm Self Loading Rifle (SLR). |
| 1967
|
| |
The
Queen’s Regiment |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| |
Münster,
West Germany. |
| 17th
- 18th May |
Visit
of HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Colonel-in-Chief. |
| July |
Moves
to Lingfield, Surrey, England. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
Surrey
Yeomanry (RA) (TA) |
| 1st
October |
Laying
up of old 5th Bn The East Surrey Regiment Colours at Kingston. |
| |
R
(Surrey) Battery 265 Regiment RA (TA) |
|
|
Disbanded. |
| |
A
Company (Queen’s Surreys) 5th (Volunteer) Battalion
The Queen’s Regiment. |
| 1st
April |
AVR
II Company formed for NATO role from 3rd Bn The Queen’s
Royal Surrey Regiment (TA) at Guildford. |
| |
6th
(Territorial) Battalion The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s
Surreys) |
| 1st
April |
AVR
III Battalion formed for Home defence by the amalgamation
of 3rd and 4th The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment. Bn
HQ, A and HQ Companies at Kingston, B Company at Clapham,
C Company at Cobham, Chertsey and Leatherhead, D Company at
Croydon. Joins 47 (London) Infantry Brigade, Home Counties
District. |
| 1968
|
| |
The
Queen’s Regiment |
27th
August |
Death
of Colonel-in-Chief, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent CI,
GCVO, GBE. |
| September |
Formation
of The Queen’s Division. |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| 16th
February |
Moves
to Bahrain. |
| 1st
July |
Title
changes to 1st Bn The Queen’s Regiment. |
| December |
Returns
to Lingfield. |
| |
Depot |
| September |
Becomes
Regimental HQ and Depot, The Queen’s Regiment, The Queen’s
Division. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
6th
(Territorial) Battalion The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s
Surreys) |
| |
Transferred
to 52 Sub Area, South-East District. |
| November |
Mobilised
for flood relief duties in Surrey. |
| 1969
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Lingfield. |
| 20th
August |
Moves
to Londonderry for internal security operations. |
| 12th
December |
Returns
to Lingfield. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
6th
(Territorial) Battalion The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s
Surreys) |
| 31st
March |
Reduced
to cadre. |
|
1958
pattern combat equipment with anti gas light respirator
and case. |
| 1970
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Lingfield. |
| March
- April |
Public
Duties, London. |
| June |
Moves
to Berlin. |
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Depot
at Canterbury closes. |
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Depot
The Queen’s Division opens at Bassingbourn
Barracks, Royston, Herts. |
| 1971
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
14th
January |
Death
of Allied Colonel-in-Chief, King Frederik IX, King of Denmark
KG. |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| |
Berlin. |
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Territorial
Army |
| |
6th
(Volunteer) Battalion |
| 1st
April |
Formed
from cadres. Bn HQ and HQ Company, Wandsworth; A Company,
Edgware; B Battery, Hackney; C Battery, Camberwell; D Company,
Sutton. |
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7th
(Volunteer) Battalion |
| 1st
April |
Formed
from cadres. Bn HQ and HQ Company, Horsham; A Company, Farnham;
B Company Folkestone; C Company, Crawley. |
| 1972
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
30th
May |
Queen
Margrethe II of Denmark appointed Colonel-in-Chief. |
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1st
Battalion |
| |
Berlin. |
| July |
Moves
to Bulford, England. Joins 5 Airportable Brigade (3rd Division). |
| 10th
October |
Moves
to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations.
Joins 39 Infantry Brigade. |
| 1973
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Belfast. |
| 27th
January |
New
Lodge action. |
| March |
Returns
to Bulford. |
| October |
Moves
to Belfast for internal security operations. |
| 1974
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
| |
Belfast. |
| February |
Returns
to Bulford. |
| 4th
May |
New
Colours presented by Queen Margarethe II, Colonel-in-Chief,
at Armoury House, London. |
| 22nd
May |
Moves
to Northern Ireland for duties during Ulster Workers’
strike. |
| June |
Returns
to Bulford. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
5th
(Volunteer) Battalion |
| 4th
May |
New
Colours presented by Queen Margarethe II, Colonel-in-Chief,
at Armoury House, London. |
| The
Queen’s and Regimental Colours of the 1st Battalion |
Queen’s
Colour |
|
Regimental
Colour |
|
|
|
The
Colours of the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6/7th (Volunteer) Battalions
were identical to the above except for the numerals. |
| 1975
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Bulford. |
| January |
Moves
to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations. |
| June |
Returns
to Bulford. |
| 15th
June |
Laying
up of old 1st Queen’s Surreys Colours at Guildford. |
| September |
Moves
to Werl, West Germany. Joins 6 Armoured Brigade (4th Division).
APC Battalion. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
6th/7th
Battalion |
| 1st
April |
Formed
by the amalgamation of the 6th and 7th (Volunteer) Battalions.
Bn HQ and HQ Company, Horsham; A Company, Farnham; B Company,
Edgware; C Company, Crawley; D Company, Sutton, Wandsworth
and Camberwell. |
| 1976
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Werl. |
| June |
Moves
to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations.
Joins 8 Infantry Brigade. |
| October |
Returns
to Werl, West Germany. |
|
General
purpose machine gun. |
| 1977
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
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1st
Battalion |
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Werl,
West Germany. Joins Task Force Echo (3rd Armoured Division). |
| June |
The
Queen’s Silver Jubilee parade, Sennelager. |
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New
Colonel’s Colour presented. |
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Wins
Army open boxing championship. |
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Territorial
Army |
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5th
and 6th/7th Battalions |
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The
Queen’s Silver Jubilee Review of the TA. |
|
Sterling
Sub Machine Gun with magazine and bayonet. |
| 1978
|
| |
The
Queen’s Regiment |
| |
General |
| May |
Closure
of the Queen’s Surreys Office at Kingston. Abolition
of the post of Deputy Colonel (Surrey). |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| |
Werl,
West Germany. Joins 6 Armoured Brigade (3rd Armoured Division). |
| June |
Moves
to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations. |
| October |
Returns
to Werl. |
| 6th
December |
Wins
Army Open boxing championship for the second time. |
| 1979
|
| |
The
Queen’s Regiment |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| |
Werl,
West Germany. |
| |
Wins
Army Open boxing championship for the third time. |
The
Boxing trophies wor by 1 Queen's three years in succesion. |
|
|
|
Army
Boxing Championship Shield. |
|
BAOR
Inter-Unit Boxing Challenge Cup. |
| 1980
|
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The
Queen’s Regiment |
| |
General |
| |
Queen’s
Surreys Museum re-opened at Clandon Park, West Clandon, near
Guildford. |
| |
1st
Battalion |
| |
Werl,
West Germany. |
| February |
Moves
to Canterbury, England. Joins 2 Infantry Brigade (South-East
District). |
| June |
Visit
of HM Queen Margarethe II of Denmark. |
| October |
Moves
to Belize for operations. |
| |
Territorial
Army |
| |
5th
and 6th/7th Battalions |
| 16th
November |
Laying
up of old 3rd and 4th Queen’s Surreys Colours at Southwark
Cathedral. |
|
1980,
Clandon Park, Guildford. |
|
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©
The Queen's Royal Surrey Regimental Association. |
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