As with all other "European" units of the Company, they were placed under the command of the Crown in 1858, and subsequently formally moved into the British Army in 1862 when they were designated as hussars as the 19th Hussars.[1] At this time, the regiment was authorised to inherit the battle honours of the disbanded 19th Light Dragoons.[3]John French, who later became a field marshal, joined the regiment as a junior officer in March 1874.[4]
An officer of the 19th Hussars, 1882
The regiment saw action at Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882 during the Anglo-Egyptian War[5] and the regiment took possession of the wells, which were a vital resource in desert warfare, at the Battle of Abu Klea in January 1885 during the Mahdist War.[6] It also fought at the Siege of Ladysmith in winter 1899 during the Second Boer War.[7] The regiment was titled the 19th (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own) Hussars after Alexandra, Princess of Wales in 1902 and, when Alexandra became Queen Consort in 1908, the name changed to the 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars.[1]
The regiment was retitled 19th Royal Hussars (Queen Alexandra's Own) in 1921 and shortly thereafter disbanded when stationed in Muttra, India, as part of the post-War reduction in forces.[9] Most of the officers and men were transferred to other cavalry regiments in India, and a cadre was briefly resurrected in 1922 in order to amalgamate with the 15th The King's Hussars, to form the 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars.[1]
Early wars: Mysore, Seringapatam, Assaye, Niagara, Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882 '84, Abu Klea, Nile 1884-85, Defence of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899-1902
The Great War: Le Cateau, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Armentières 1914, Ypres 1915, Frezenberg, Bellewaarde, Somme 1916 '18, Flers-Courcelette, Cambrai 1917 '18, St Quentin, Rosières, Amiens, Albert 1918, Bapaume 1918, Hindenburg Line, St Quentin Canal, Beaurevoir, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1914-18
United Kingdom
British Army
