Army Regiments - Cavalry regiments - Duke of Somerset's Royal Dragoons/Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons/Leveson's Dragoons/Queen's Dragoons/King's Own Regiment of Hussars/3rd Hussars/King's Own Hussars/Queen's Own Hussars
Below is some genealogy information on the 3rd Hussars and King's Own Hussars cavalry regiment of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.
Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF
Description: Formed in 1685 from the Duke of Somerset's Royal Dragoons and re-inforced by recruits from areas around London during the Monmouth Rebellion, they subsequently merged with other cavalry units to be named the Queen Consort's Regiment of Dragoons. In 1688 the regiment was split as a result of the invasion by Prince William of Orange. Those that supported William were renamed Leveson's Dragoons, named for the Colonel who led the defection from King James II. They took more recruits from the home counties but especially Bedfordshire. The following year, James II had fled but led a counter-invasion in Ireland. Leveson's Dragoons were prominent here, taking part in the infamous Battle of the Boyne. In 1694, Leveson was promoted and left the regiment, who were renamed The Queen's Dragoons. From 1694-97 they saw action in the Nine Years War helping to fight in the Spanish Netherlands. They also saw action in the War of Spanish Succession in 1702. In 1714 they were renamed The King's Own Regiment of Hussars following George I becoming King, moving to garrison in Scotland where they helped to defeat a Jacobite uprising. In 1740 they took park in fighting during the War if the Austrian Succession. By 1743 the Allied army was retreating and the King's Own were moved back to England. Prince Charles Edward Stuart took advantage of this defeat to instigate another Jacobite uprising. The regiment were prominent in defeating the rebellion, culminating in the Battle of Culloden. They took part in the First World War, initially serving in France before deploying to Turkey in 1921 and Egypt in 1923. During the Second World War, the 3rd Hussars saw fighting in France before transferring to North Africa following France's defeat. Elements of the regiment deployed to Java where they were captured, and remained as prisoners of war (of which 54 died), whilst the remainder fought in the battle of El Alamein. They subsequently took part in the invasion of Italy in 1944/45. They were amalgamated in 1958 with the 7th Queen's Own Hussars, forming the Queen's Own Hussars.
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