Below is some genealogy information on the 5th Lancers and Royal Irish Lancers cavalry regiment of the British army that may help searches for military ancestors.

Theatres of War, Army Regiments, Naval Detachments, RAF

Description: Formed in 1689 as Owen Wynne's Dragoons. They fought against James II at the battle of the Boye and later in the War of the Spanish Succession. In 1798 they were renamed the 5th Royal Irish Dragoons. In 1799 they were disbanded having been accused of treachery but by 1850 they were reformed as the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. They saw action during the Boer Wars, fighting at Elandslaagte and Ladysmith. During the First World War they fought on the Western Front, fighting extensively at battles such as Mons, Le Cateau, Marne, Aisne, Messines, the 1st battle of Ypres, Arras, Cambrai, the Somme (1918) and the Hindenburg Line. In 1922 they were amalgamated with the 16th The Queen's Lancers forming the 16th/5th Queen's Royal Lancers. In 1993 they were amalgamated with the 17th/21st Lancers forming the Queen's Royal Lancers. Their nickname is The Irish Lancer or The Redbreasts.

Military actions:

• Boer war: Elandslaagte
• Boer war: Ladysmith
• WWI: Mons
• WWI: Le Cateau
• WWI: Marne
• WWI: Aisne
• WWI: Messines
• WWI: 1st Ypres
• WWI: Somme (1918)
• WWI: Arras
• WWI: Cambrai
• WWI: Hindenburg Line

Reading materials:

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