What was it like to serve with The Queen's Royal Lancers' Regiment during the Second World War?

The modern day regiment of The Queen's Royal Lancers is the result of a series of amalgamations that have occurred since the origins of the regiment, dating back to 1689. In 1922 the amalgamation of a number of regiments led to the creation of the 16th/5th The Queen’s Royal Lancers and the 17th/21st Lancers, both of which saw action during the Second World War. The regiments were involved in major campaigns in North Africa from 1942 to 1943 and in Italy from 1944 to 1945.

Following World War One the two regiments replaced their horses with tanks. As a result, both the 16th/5th and 17th/21st spent the early stages of the war training with their mechanised cavalry of Valentine and Matilda tanks. See British Army Valentine Tank - 1940 to 1943.

During some of the early engagements in North Africa the inferiority of the Valentine tanks against the German Panzers became apparent. In the battle for Kasserine Pass the 17th/21st Lancers paid a high cost for holding the pass against the German advance, being reduced to only twelve tanks. The inferior armour of the Valentine tanks led to them being nicknamed ‘Tommy Cookers’.

In early 1943 the regiments were re-equipped with the new American built Sherman tanks. The Sherman offered far more armoured protection and firepower than the Valentine tanks. Newly equipped both regiments went on to become involved in significant victories, including the Battle of Fondouk in April 1943. See Sherman Tank 1941-1945. After a hard earned victory in North Africa in May 1943 both the 16th/5th and 17th/21st Lancers were withdrawn to reorganise, re-equip and rest in preparation for the invasion of Italy.

January 1944 saw the arrival of both regiments in Italy, with the 16th/5th landing in Naples. Thus began 16 gruelling months of campaigning in Italy. Unlike the North African Desert, Italy was not ideal for tanks. The countryside was dotted with vineyards and olive groves which were located on the slopes of the many formidable mountain ranges. This often resulted with both regiments fighting as dismounted infantry. In the winter of 1945 both regiments were fighting in what would be their final battle of the war in the Po Valley. On 2nd May 1945 the German army in Italy Surrendered, followed days later by the unconditional surrender of all enemy forces.

With the end of the war both regiments were deployed as an occupational force in Schleswig-Holstein and in Austria, where they had to deal with the consequences that war had brought to this part of Europe and the unprecedented number of refugees.

For more information about the regiment's history, visit The Queen's Royal Lancers