Anthony Dawson documents the fascinating history of the famous Royal Dragoon Guards - one of Britain's most successful cavalry regiment - who have been involved in several iconic battles, including Balaclava and Sevastapol, Ypres and the Somme, and the Normandy Landings.

The Royal Dragoon Guards have a long and distinguished history dating from 1685. Originally raised as regiments of horse and dragoons, they were subsequently designated as the 4th, 5th and 7th Dragoon Guards and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. They fought in all of Britain's major wars from the late 17th century onwards, charging at Blenheim with Marlborough's cavalry, at Waterloo with the Union Brigade, and at Balaklava with the Heavy Brigade. In the 19th century, they also saw service in India and Africa. All four regiments served in France and Flanders during the First World War and one regiment fired the first British shot on the Western Front. They were then amalgamated into two regiments – the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Both regiments were mechanised shortly before the Second World War, in which they played a leading role in the D-Day landings. In 1992, the two regiments amalgamated again to form the Royal Dragoon Guards. Recent conflicts have taken the regiment to Iraq and Afghanistan, continuing a record of operational service covering more than three centuries. This regimental history of the Dragoons tells their story as it played out across the centuries, exploring their role in both major and minor conflicts of the last 300 years. The title examines the development of the regiment up to the present day and highlights key figures across its history. The text is supported throughout with photographs and illustrations.

This regiment, once amalgamated from the the Blues (Royal Horse Guards) and the Royal Dragoons, is now going through a further scale down. This regimental history goes back to the earliest days.

A TLS and a Prospect Book of the Year A revelatory, explosive new analysis of the British military today. Over the first two decades of the twenty-first century, Britain has changed enormously. During this time, the British Army fought two campaigns, in Iraq and Afghanistan, at considerable financial and human cost. Yet neither war achieved its objectives. This book questions why, and provides challenging but necessary answers. Composed from assiduous documentary research, field reportage, and hundreds of interviews with many soldiers and officers who served, as well as the politicians who directed them, the allies who accompanied them, and the family members who loved and — on occasion — lost them, it is a strikingly rich, nuanced portrait of one of our pivotal national institutions in a time of great stress. Award-winning journalist Simon Akam, who spent a year in the army when he was 18, returned a decade later to see how the institution had changed. His book examines the relevance of the armed forces today — their social, economic, political, and cultural role. This is as much a book about Britain, and about the politics of failure, as it is about the military.

The legendary British Army officer recounts his experiences in the Boer War and both World Wars in this memoir with a foreword by Winston Churchill. Lieutenant General Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart had one of the most extraordinary military careers in the history of the British Army. His gallantry in combat won him a Victoria Cross and a Distinguished Service Order, as well as an eyepatch and an empty sleeve. His autobiography is one of the most remarkable of military memoirs. Carton de Wiart abandoned his law studies at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1899 to serve as a trooper in the South African War. During World War I he served both in British Somaliland and on the Western Front, where he lost his left eye to a bullet at the Battle of Somme. He went on to serve as a liaison officer with Polish forces, narrowly escaping the German blitz at the outbreak of World War II. He was part of the British Military Mission to Yugoslavia, taken prisoner by the Italian Army, and made numerous attempts at escape. He spent the remainder of the war as Churchill’s representative in China. The novelist Evelyn Waugh famously used Carton de Wiart as the model for his character Brigadier Ben Ritchie Hook in the Sword of Honour trilogy. In this thrilling autobiography, the legendary officer tells his own remarkable story.

The Royal Dragoon Guards have a long and distinguished history dating from 1685. Originally raised as regiments of horse and dragoons, they were subsequently designated as the 4th, 5th and 7th Dragoon Guards and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons. They fought in all of Britain's major wars from the late 17th century onwards, charging at Blenheim with Marlborough's cavalry, at Waterloo with the Union Brigade, and at Balaklava with the Heavy Brigade. In the 19th century, they also saw service in India and Africa. All four regiments served in France and Flanders during the First World War and one regiment fired the first British shot on the Western Front. They were then amalgamated into two regiments – the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. Both regiments were mechanised shortly before the Second World War, in which they played a leading role in the D-Day landings. In 1992, the two regiments amalgamated again to form the Royal Dragoon Guards. Recent conflicts have taken the regiment to Iraq and Afghanistan, continuing a record of operational service covering more than three centuries. This regimental history of the Dragoons tells their story as it played out across the centuries, exploring their role in both major and minor conflicts of the last 300 years. The title examines the development of the regiment up to the present day and highlights key figures across its history. The text is supported throughout with photographs and illustrations.

In 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army', Anonymous delves into the unique and fascinating world of British military history. This meticulously researched book explores the origins and significance of various regimental nicknames and traditions, shedding light on the diverse cultural heritage that has shaped the British Army. Written in a scholarly yet accessible style, this book is a treasure trove of information for history enthusiasts and military buffs alike. Anonymous skillfully weaves together historical anecdotes, linguistic analysis, and cultural insights to paint a vivid picture of the British Army's rich tapestry of traditions. While the identity of the author remains a mystery, their expertise in military history and passion for the subject matter shines through in every page. Anonymous's meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive knowledge make 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army' a must-read for anyone interested in British military history and the cultural heritage of the armed forces. I wholeheartedly recommend 'Regimental Nicknames and Traditions of the British Army' to readers who are eager to explore the colorful and diverse history of the British Army. This book is a valuable resource for scholars, historians, and anyone with a keen interest in the military traditions of the United Kingdom.

The British Army's Challenger II Main Battle Tank is one of the most awesome war machines ever built. In March 2003, three Squadrons of Challenger 2s from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, part of Britain's 7th Armoured Brigade, the fabled Desert Rats, gathered in Southern Iraq to prepare for battle.The Army's newest Big Guns were going to war for the first time. But Operation TELIC was a war which the Challenger 2, designed to operate in the fog and mud of the Central European Plain, had never been expected to fight. And one that would quickly break every rule of tank warfare including the golden maxim: never take a tank into a town. In Main Battle Tank, author Niall Edworthy, granted unprecedented access to the Scots DGs, tells the story of an extraordinary chapter in the history of British Army. From the terrifying rescue of a stricken Challenger 2 and countless nerve-shredding raids into Basra and Az Zubyar, to the biggest tank engagement fought by the British since the end of WWII, Main Battle Tank is the brutal, blistering true story of a war that tested man and machine to the bloody limit.

HESH TANK ON.......ON......LOADED......FIRE.........LASING......FIRING NOW......TARGET! The battle had begun. At approximately 1130 hrs on the 25th February, 1991, 3rd troop as part of D squadron of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, the Desert Rats, crossed the border breach into Iraq. Orders had been received. Proceed to objective Copper and locate the Iraqi 12th Armoured Division HQ communication site. Destroy it. In August 1990, Saddam Hussein with his massive army invaded the small provincial neighbouring state of Kuwait. The UN initially imposed sanctions and later, endorsed military intervention to remove the Iraqi occupation. This required the participation of thousands of servicemen and women from the numerous coalition countries. By the end of February 1991, an oppressed, ransacked and destroyed country was eventually liberated. This is a small part of that operation - our tank troop. It is a story of twelve very ordinary men and their three main battle Challenger tanks, living several months in the desert with intensive training that was followed by eventual combat. It has always been our own private personal story which after 30 years, can still make us laugh and alternatively, can also make us sad. It is now time to share this story with others. Garry Paton served in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as a tank crewman for four years which included active duty during Operation Granby, October 1990 to March 1991. From that military operation, he has collected and summarised in one book a significant number of photographs, maps, notes and diary entries. This material is further supplemented by extensive collaboration with previous colleagues. The result is a comprehensive, detailed and personnel account of what it is like to live, work and fight within a tank troop during Operation Granby, the 'Gulf War'.