THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA

Meeting of the Council – 26th June 2002

Item 7 – Supplement to Report (No. 2) of the Administration Committee

The History of the Royal Regiment

The Reconnaissance Role (1967-1995)

The (RY) was originally formed on 1 April 1967 as a medium reconnaissance regiment out of five distinguished old county Yeomanry Regiments, with the Regimental Headquarters based in central London. The Regiment has been restructured and given new roles several times; the Berkshire Yeomanry has been disbanded and The North Irish Horse transferred to the Queen's Own Yeomanry.

The Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Role (1996 to date)

In 1996 the Regiment became the Defence NBC Regiment, deploying the first-ever Territorial Army NBC troops on Operation BOLTON to Kuwait in 1999. Following the Strategic Defence Review, RY handed over the NBC role to the newly-formed Joint NBC Regiment, retaining two squadrons as reserve NBC troops. RY conducted an exchange NBC exercise with the US Chemical Reserve Corps in Alabama in 1998, and a reciprocal return exercise in UK (Exercise LONDON PRIDE) in 2000. “A” Squadron, based in Swindon, was originally formed in 1794 and has a long and distinguished history including service in the Boer War and both Great Wars. “A” Squadron pioneered many of the ’s chemical detection tactical techniques, and some of the soldiers who carried out the early development of the tactics are still serving today. “W” Squadron, based in Chelsea, was originally formed for the Boer War in 1901, and has a distinguished history, particularly during the D Day landings when the Westminster went ashore in flail tanks.

The Armoured Role (2000 onwards) “S” Squadron from Nottingham, “B” Squadron from Leicester and “C” Squadron from Croydon are currently undergoing a transition to become Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank reserve crewmen. This requires them initially to train in infantry dismounted skills, then mounted skills on cut-down Scout Land Rovers. Meanwhile individual soldiers have been selected to undertake tank gunner and loader courses on tanks in Germany and the . The culmination in training will be conducting joint exercises with Regular Army Armoured Regiments. In 2000, “S” and “B” Squadrons deployed to Cyprus for Exercise LION STAR, whilst “C” Squadron deployed to Canada to undertake Exercise POND JUMP WEST. Recent Operations Since 1998, forty-four individual soldiers have deployed on operations to Kuwait, Bosnia and , and seven remain on active service.