Household Cavalry

Trusted Guardians of the Monarch

The Household Cavalry is a union of the two most senior regiments in the British Army; The Life Guards and The Blues & Royals. It is divided into the Household Cavalry Regiment and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment.

The Household Cavalry Regiment is the operational unit, providing an armoured reconnaissance capability with the state-of-the-art AJAX armoured fighting vehicle. Our soldiers are first are foremost armoured reconnaissance experts but also specialise in other battle winning capabilities, including snipers, anti-tanks, remotely piloted air systems, and information activity.

The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment are the ceremonial face of the regiment, conducting mounted state and public duties in London. Their prestige and horsemanship takes them across the UK and the rest of the world on key international events, all whilst representing the Monarch and the Nation.

Every trooper starts out as part of an AJAX crew. You will train as a driver, learning how to care for and maintain your vehicle, while getting a feel for moving tactically across difficult terrain.

You will then progress to being a gunner, learning to operate the the AJAX's fully automatic 40mm cannon and suite of integrated visual sights and auditory sensors.

Finally you will have gained the necessary experience to command your own vehicle. The highlight of most careers, you are ultimately responsible for vehicle and crew. Making command decisions on the ground, you will have a direct impact on the battle around you.

As a Mounted Dutymen, you will be trained over 20 weeks, to ride and groom a horse and prepare for parade. By the time you join your Squadron you’ll be able to think for yourself and think for your horse, and within as little as a week you will find yourself on parade with the whole world watching. Trooping the Colour, the State Opening of Parliament, jubilee parades and visits by foreign heads of state take place each year. You will take your place on parade as the sovereign’s mounted bodyguard.

Once you have gained experience as a Mounted Dutyman and AJAX crewman, the Household Cavalry's core roles, there is the opportunity to specialise in a number of other areas. The most common are:

SNIPER: Vital in terms of intelligence-gathering, target identification and eliminating high-value targets.

ANTI-TANK OPERATOR: Provide medium range capability to destroy tanks and light armoured vehicles.

REMOTE PILOT AIR SYSTEM OPERATOR: Otherwise known as drones, these unmanned aircraft can fly over the battlefield collecting vital reconnaissance inform.

ACTIVE FROM

1660

ROLE

Armoured Reconnaissance and Ceremonial Duties

Vehicle Platform

AJAX

Our Role

The Household Cavalry Regiment is an elite cavalry unit, taking part in every major conflict since 1660. This rich history and wealth of experience shapes who we are today.

Whether mounted on the British Army's flagship new AJAX armoured fighting vehicle, or on the back of a cavalry black horse, our soldiers are the very best at what they do.

As an armoured reconnaissance regiment, the Household Cavalry operates far ahead of the main body of friendly forces. Their role is to locate and report on the movement and disposition of enemy forces, and engage and destroy enemy reconnaissance elements that are seeking to do do the same.

From the turret of an AJAX to the back of a horse, the discipline and skill our soldiers are expected to display is exemplary. Our state ceremonial and public duties take us to the streets of London, where our soldiers learn to care for their horse, their kit, and themselves. As guardians of the Monarch and the Nation, we take pride in leading the way in armoured warfare, while maintaining the traditions of those who came before.

Past to Present

The Household Cavalry Regiment's legacy dates back to 1660 and is formed from four antecedent regiments, The 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards, Royal Horse Guards, and 1st (Royal) Dragoons. In 1922 the 1st and 2nd Life Guards amalgamated forming The Life Guards (LG). In 1969 the Royal Horse Guards and 1st (Royal) Dragoons amalgamated to form The Blues and Royals (RHG/D).

In 1992, the LG and RHG/D where joined in union to form the Household Cavalry Regiment as we know it today, serving together but with each maintaining their own distinct regimental identity, uniforms, and traditions.

Since 1992, the Household Cavalry Regiment has continued to serve with distinction both at home and abroad.

1995-2003 Op GRAPPLE

The Household Cavalry Regiment served in the Yugoslav Wars on rotations over a nine-year period. Deployments to the Former Republic of Yugoslavia included tours by A and D Squadrons in 1995 and C Squadron in 1999 and 2003. In 1999 D Squadron provided the brigade reconnaissance squadron for 4th Armoured Brigade during the occupation of Kosovo on Operation AGRICOLA.
2003-2007 Op TELIC

D Squadron deployed in their function as the Formation Reconnaissance Squadron for 16 Air Assault Brigade during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In April 2004, A and C Squadrons deployed during Operation TELIC 4 and in June 2007, A and C Squadrons again returned to Iraq during Operation TELIC 10.
2006-2013 Op HERRICK

During Operation Herrick 4, D Squadron deployed as the Formation Reconnaissance Squadron for 16 Air Assault Brigade in April 2006. C Squadron deployed with 52nd Infantry Brigade during Operation Herrick 7 in October 2007. D Squadron again deployed with 16 Air Assault Brigade during Operation Herrick 8 in April 2008. A, B and C Squadrons deployed on Operation Herrick 11 in 2009. D Squadron deployed again in late 2010 on Operation Herrick 13 and finally, B squadron deployed with 1st Mechanised Brigade Operation Herrick 18 in April 2013.
2014-2021

In 2014, the Household Cavalry Regiment was re-designated from a Brigade Reconnaissance Regiment to Armoured Cavalry as part of the Army 2020 reforms. The Household Cavalry Regiment's task is to provide timely and accurate information and intelligence to the Brigade Commander in order to enable decision-making. The regiment is under the command of 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade and in May 2019 moved from Combermere Barracks to the new, specialist build barracks, Powle Lines, in Bulford Camp.

Our Locations

Household Cavalry Regiment

Address: Ward Barracks, Bulford Camp, SP4 9NY
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment

Address: Hyde Park barracks, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1SE Contact: 0207 41 42501

See HCMR at Holkham Beach

List of Equipment in addition to AJAX

GPMG The general purpose machine gun (GPMG) can be used as a light weapon and in a sustained fire role.

Small arms and support weapons

600 metres They are designed to achieve a first-round hit at 600 metres and harassing fire out to 1,100 metres.

Small arms and support weapons

Anti-tank weapons The Javelin anti-tank weapon and the Next-generation light anti-tank weapon.

Small arms and support weapons

7.62mm The rifle fires a 7.62mm round and has enhanced accuracy of engagement during longer-range firefights.

Small arms and support weapons

Tests On its introduction, it proved so accurate that the Army marksmanship tests had to be redesigned.

Small arms and support weapons

Armour Osprey assault body armour and Virtus body armour system.

Personal Equipment

Design The latest camouflage design was developed after extensive laboratory tests and field evaluations.

Personal Equipment

Up in the air Weighing 7-tonnes, the Panther is air transportable and can be underslung beneath a Chinook helicopter.

Protected patrol vehicles

Royal Armoured Corps

The Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) provides the armour capability of the British Army. It combines speed, momentum, firepower and reconnaissance capabilities with armoured fighting vehicles such as the Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank and Jackal Fighting Vehicle.

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