Scotland’s cavalry: second to none
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment whose origins date back to 1678. The regiment has continued its historical role of being mounted on horseback by specialising in mounted reconnaissance, operating from the Jackal and Coyote vehicles.
Active from:
2 July 1971
Role:
Light Cavalry
Specialism:
Formation Reconnaissance
Soldiers in The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are masters of reconnaissance. They include personnel with diverse skills, from snipers and machine gunners to guided missile operators, all of whom navigate across any terrain in the Jackal 3 and Coyote vehicles.
- Driving a Jackal 3 armoured vehicle
- Firing support weapons and small arms
- Communication with radios
- Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR)
- Influencing decision making through the timely passage of information
- Working with minimal oversight and at reach
Past Deployments:
- Operation Newcombe 4 and 5 (Mali)
- Operation Cabrit (Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in Poland)
- Operation Tosca (Cyprus)
- Operation Telic (Iraq)
- Operation Herrick (Afghanistan)
We are a tight-knit family. We are Scotland's Cavalry, and whilst proudly Scottish, we recruit soldiers and officers from across the United Kingdom.
We pride ourselves in being second to none in all aspects of professional soldiering: comfortable in the uncomfortable, ruthlessly determined, and fiercely loyal.
Our home headquarters is based at Edinburgh Castle. It oversees the regimental family, from cadets to veterans, and serving soldiers to their families, whilst managing the regimental museum and acting as a base for the regimental charity.
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Home Headquarters, Edinburgh Castle, EH1 2NG
The serving regiment is the beating heart of our family, based in Leuchars, Fife.
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, Waterloo Lines, Leuchars, Fife, KY16 0JX
We are a Formation Reconnaissance regiment whose role is to find and understand our enemies to inform our commander's decision. We are capable of striking the enemy where opportunities present themselves, and performing a wide range of adaptable tasks where required. This is done through mounted ground reconnaissance and surveillance, operating far ahead of friendly forces in areas close to enemy activity.
Outside of our operational role, we conduct ceremonial duties through our Mounted Troop and award-winning Pipes and Drums, who routinely participate in events in Scotland such as the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. These offer experiences and opportunities that are unique to line cavalry regiments in the British Army for our soldiers.
Past to present
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards is made up of several historical regiments who, between them, have earned a total of 88 battle honours, 50 of which are borne on the regimental standard. The eagle on the regiment’s cap badge dates from the Battle of Waterloo, when the Royal Scots Greys captured the French Imperial Eagle.
The Royal Scots Greys (so-called for their grey horses) are formed in Scotland.
The Carabiniers are raised to supress the Duke of Monmouth’s rebellion.
The Royal Scots Greys capture the Eagle of the 45th Regiment at the battle of Waterloo.
The Royal Scots Greys take part in the charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaclava.
All of the officers in 3rd Carabiniers’ B Squadron are killed at Nunshigum.
The Royal Scots Greys and the 3rd Carabiniers merge to form The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
List of equipment used
Jackal 2 is a high mobility weapons platform, with a unique air-bag suspension system allowing rapid movement across varying terrain.
Extra two wheels gives a heavier vehicle, which can act in support of the Jackal 2 to transport supplies and equipment over similar terrain.
The powerful L1A1 12.7mm (.50) Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) is an updated version of the Browning M2 Fifty-cal.
The GMG is usually mounted on WMIK Land Rovers but can also be used from ground-based tripods.
They are designed to achieve a first-round hit at 600 metres and harassing fire out to 1,100 metres.
The Javelin anti-tank weapon and the Next-generation light anti-tank weapon.
Contact Us
Please feel free to contact us. We are keen to hear from individuals who have the skills to work with us.
Telephone: 01313 105100
Address: The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, The Castle, Edinburgh, EH1 2YT