Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. The regiment, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army. The regiment is based at Waterloo Lines, Leuchars Station, as part of 51st Infantry Brigade and Headquarters Scotland, a light adaptable force brigade.
Not to be confused with Scots Guards and Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
(Carabiniers and Greys)
2 July 1971 – present
One regiment
Home HQ – Edinburgh Castle
Regiment – Waterloo Lines, Leuchars Station[1][2][3]
Scotland's Cavalry
Nemo me impune lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity)
Ich Dien (I Serve)
Second to None
Quick (band) – The 3DGs;
(pipes & drums) – Hielan' Laddie
Slow (band) – The Garb of Old Gaul; (pipes & drums) – My Home
Drum Horse (Talavera)
Prince of Wales's feathers
from 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's)
SCOTS DG
The regiment converted to the role of light cavalry as part of restructuring in the army under Army 2020. It is equipped with Jackal armoured fighting vehicles.[16] The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is paired with the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry, an Army Reserve light cavalry regiment.[22]
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is broken into the following structure:[23]
In common with other cavalry regiments of the British Army, all soldiers with the rank of OR-2 are called 'Troopers'.
Regimental museum[edit]
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum is situated at Edinburgh Castle. Opened in 2006, the exhibits include uniforms, medals, weapons, regalia, music and the French Imperial Eagle that was captured by Sergeant Charles Ewart of the Royal Scots Greys from the French 45th Régiment d'Infanterie de Ligne at the Battle of Waterloo.[24]
Band[edit]
Following the formation of the new regiment, the regimental bands of the 3rd Dragoon Guards and The Royal Scots Greys merged to form the Band of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. The band deployed with the regiment on all operations, including during the Gulf War. Following significant reductions to the army in 1994, the band amalgamated with the Band of the Queen's Dragoon Guards and Band of the Royal Dragoon Guards to form the new, smaller, Band of the Dragoon Guards. The percussion section of the new band, as an ode to The Royal Scots Greys, wore bearskins with a large crimson plume extending over the crest of the cap[44] and black pants lined with yellow stripes. This was a direct copy of The Royal Scots Greys band's old uniforms. In addition, the Drum Major's uniform consisted of a black bearskin with large crimson plume over the crest of the cap[44] and yellow pants, with the tunic of the Royal Dragoon Guards.[45][46][47][44]
In 2006, this band amalgamated with the Cambrai Band of the Royal Tank Regiment to form the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band, maintaining the percussion uniforms of the old band. Following the formation of the Band of the Royal Armoured Corps, the bearskin cap was lost, but the black and yellow pants were carried over.[45][46]
The Commanding Officers have been:[48]
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiners and Greys) inherited all of its antecedent regiments' battle honours when it was formed in 1971. These consist of:
3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's)[51]
Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards)[52]
3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards)[53][a]
Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons)[54]
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)
Colonels of the Regiment have been:[60]
