Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
(Carabiniers and Greys)


caption=Cap badge of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
dates=2 July 1971-Present
country=United Kingdom
branch=Army
type=Line Cavalry
role=Armoured regiment
size=One regiment
command_structure=Royal Armoured Corps
current_commander=
garrison=RHQ - Edinburgh
Regiment - Fallingbostel, Germany
ceremonial_chief=HM The Queen
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=Brigadier Melville Stewart Jameson, CBE
nickname="Scotland's Cavalry"
motto="Nemo me impune lacessit" (Nobody touches me with impunity)
"Ich Dien" (I Serve)
"Second to None"
colors=
identification_symbol_2=Prince of Wales' Feathers
identification_symbol_2_label=Arm Badge
identification_symbol_3= [http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb309/hammersfan_01/Tartans/RoyalStewart.gifRoyal Stewart (Pipers kilts and plaids)]
identification_symbol_3_label=Tartan
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Tactical Recognition Flash
identification_symbol_4=SCOTS DG
identification_symbol_4_label=Abbreviation
march=Quick (band) - "The 3DGs"; (pipes & drums) - "Hielan' Laddie"
Slow (band) - "The Garb of Old Gaul"; (pipes & drums) - "My Home"
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=13 April (Nunshigum)

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, and the senior Scottish regiment. It was formed on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh, by the amalgamation of the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) (themselves the product of the amalgamation in 1922 of 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)), and The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons).

The regiment has won numerous battle honours and two Victoria Crosses, and, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army.

The regiment is currently based in Fallingbostel, British Forces Germany, as part of the 7th Armoured Brigade ('The Desert Rats').

Organisation

The regiment is a Type 58 Challenger 2 tank regiment (i.e. it is equipped with 58 Challenger 2 tanks), which are organised into four Sabre Squadrons. It was the first regiment to be equipped with Challenger 2.

In addition the regiment also fields a close Reconnaissance Troop mounted in eight CVR(T) Scimitar, and a large Headquarters Squadron, which supplies ammunition, fuel, and rations, and includes specialist technicians, mechanics and artisans, as well as clerical and medical staff.

History

The regiment has deployed on three tours of Northern Ireland in 1972, 1976 and 1980., suffering one loss in 1972, when Trooper Ian Hunter Caie, aged 19, was killed by a bomb in a beer barrel that exploded in the path of his Ferret scout car in Moybane, near Crossmaglen County Armagh.

It saw active service during the Gulf War in 1991, in Bosnia as part of SFOR in 1996/97 and deployed to Kosovo twice, in 2000 and 2001, as part of KFOR.

It recently operated in Iraq during the Iraq War of 2003 (Britain's contribution being known as Operation Telic) where it took part in the advance on Iraq's second largest city, Basra. It met sporadic resistance that included Britain's largest tank engagement since the Second World War, when 14 Challenger 2 tanks from C Squadron, engaged and destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks (the so-called '14-0' engagement). Together with Warriors of the Irish Guards, the regiment entered Basra on 6 April, and left Iraq shortly after the war was officially declared over on 1 May.

If you would like to find out about the history of The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards you can visit the museum situated at Edinburgh Castle. For more information please visit www.scotsdgmuseum.com [http://www.scotsdgmuseum.com]

Official abbreviation

The regiment's official abbreviation (as listed in Joint Service Publication 101 (Service Writing)) is SCOTS DG (note all capitals and the space), the format of which follows the traditional Cavalry line whereby, for example, The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was abbreviated 4/7DG, and the Royal Scots Greys was abbreviated GREYS.

It is often incorrectly abbreviated RSDG and SDG, with the sloppy use of the latter by supply people being responsible for the regiment often getting parts meant for the "5DG" (The 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, "The Skins" ), and vice versa, with parts marked SDG!

Accoutrements

The cap badge features an eagle, which represents the French Imperial Eagle that was captured by the Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo, from the French 45th Regiment of Foot. It is always worn with a black backing in mourning for Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, who was their Colonel-in-Chief at the time of his murder. The cap badge also has the crossed carbines of the 3rd Carabiniers at the rear of the eagle.

The regiment is permitted to wear the Prince of Wales's feathers as an arm badge; this comes from the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's, who wore this device as its cap badge.

As a royal regiment, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is permitted to wear the Royal Stewart tartan (a privilege granted by HM King George VI), which is worn by the regiment's pipes and drums.

Regimental Mottos

*The regimental motto is "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" (Nobody touches me with impunity), also the motto of the Order of the Thistle, to which it refers.
*The regiment also uses the motto "Second to None".

Uniforms

The regimental beret is light grey.

Pipes and Drums

The regiment has its own Pipes and Drums, who tour widely and perform in competitions, concerts and parades. Their most famous piece is "Amazing Grace", which reached number one in the charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and South Africa in 1972. The band released a new CD in late November 2007 through Universal Music, featuring a number of classic pipe tunes along with some modern arrangements. The album named "Spirit Of The Glen", was produced by Jon Cohen and was officially launched at Edinburgh Castle [http://www.scotlandontv.tv/scotland_on_tv/video.html?vxSiteId=60fdd544-9c52-4e17-be7e-57a2a2d76992&vxChannel=Bagpip%20Bands&vxClipId=1380_SMG1374&vxBitrate=300] .

Order of Precedence

Alliances

*AUS - 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers
*CAN - The Windsor Regiment (RCAC)
*NZL - The New Zealand Scottish
*RSA - The Natal Carbineers
*RN - HMS "Vengeance"

Affiliated Yeomanry

*The Ayrshire (Earl of Carrick's Own) Yeomanry
*The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry/Scottish Horse

Battle honours

* [combined battle honours of 3rd Carabiniers and Royal Scots Greys, plus:]
*Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991; Al Basrah, Iraq 2003

Bibliography

*"In the finest tradition: the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers & Greys) : its history and treasures" by Stephen Wood (Mainstream Pub. Co., 1988. ISBN 1-85158-174-X)
*"Shot and captured: photographs of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Battlegroup in Iraq 2003" by Tony Nicoletti & Aidan Stephen (Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail, 2003)

External links

*cite web | author = British Army | title = Official website of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) | url = http://www.army.mod.uk/scotsdg/ | accessmonthday = May 14 | accessyear = 2006
*cite web | author = Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards | title = Pipes & Drums website | url = http://www.scotsdg.co.uk | accessmonthday = May 14 | accessyear = 2006
*cite web | author = NPR Interview with Jon Cohen, Producer of "Spirit of the Glen, Pipes & Drums of The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards" | title = NPR.org | url = http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16197024 | accessmonthday = Nov 11 | accessyear = 2007