17th (The Duke of Cambridge’s Own) Lancers

Origins

In 1759, Colonel Hale of the 47th Foot was sent back to Britain with the news of General James Wolfe’s death at the Battle of Quebec. As a reward, he was commissioned to raise the 18th Light Dragoons.

In memory of Wolfe’s demise, the regiment's cap badge was a skull and crossbones, and its motto ‘Death or Glory’. In 1763, it was re-numbered 17th in the order of precedence.

Early deployments

Its first overseas service came when a detachment of the unit was sent to Germany during the Seven Years War (1756-63).

The whole regiment then deployed to the American War of Independence (1775-83), fighting at Bunker Hill (1775), Long Island (1776), White Plains (1776) and Crooked Billet (1778). Later, it was the only regular unit in Tarleton’s Legion in the southern colonies, where it served at the Battle of Cowpens (1781), but was interned after being captured at Yorktown (1781).

The 17th served in Ireland, England and the West Indies during the French Revolutionary Wars (1793-1802), helping to take Santo Domingo (1796) in the Caribbean.

In 1806, it was sent to assist an attempt to capture the Spanish colony of Buenos Aires, which proved unsuccessful. After moving to garrison Cape Colony, it then sailed to India in 1808. During its time there, it fought in the Third Maratha War (1817-18).

The unit finally returned to Britain in 1823, finding out en route that the Army had converted it into a lancer regiment.