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The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
(Queen's and Royal Hampshires)

Army Tigers

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (PWRR) is today's infantry regiment of Surrey. It is also the local regiment of Kent, Sussex, Middlesex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. It has two regular battalions (1st and 2nd), one Territorial Army battalion (the 3rd) and one additional TA company at Edgware (within the London Regiment), known as B (The Queen's Regiment) Company.

The latest amalgamation took place as a result of the end of the Cold War amidst general large reductions within the British Army's strength. Thus in 1992, the new Regiment was formed from the amalgamation of The Queen's Regiment and The Royal Hampshire Regiment. The 9th September was the founding date chosen, as it was the anniversary of the landings at Salerno, when both the Queen's and Hampshire's were heavily committed. On amalgamation, the 5th and 6/7th TA battalions re-badged to the new Regiment, but in 1999, as the TA infantry was reduced from thirty-three battalions to fifteen, they merged to form the new 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. Further re-alignment for the 3rd Battalion took place in 2006, it took responsibility of the PWRR badged Portsmouth company.

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) Drums and Silver display

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires) Drums and Silver display shown here at Dover Castle.
Drums of all the forebear regiments are included in the display, which is used on many prestigious occasions throughout the Regiments recruiting area.
(Click to enlarge)

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)

On formation the Regiment decided that the following quick and slow marches be taken into use:

The Regimental Quick Marches are 'Farmer's Boy'

leading into 'Soldiers of The Queen'


Other quick marches inherited from forebear regiments are played on appropriate occasions and include:-

'Braganza'

 

'Lass O'Gowrie'

 

and 'Old Queen's' (1) (The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment),

 

'A Life on the Ocean Wave' , (The East Surrey Regiments association with the Royal Marines)

 

'The Buffs'

 

and 'Hundred Pipers' (The Queen's Own Buffs)

'Royal Sussex' and 'Sussex by the Sea' (The Royal Sussex Regiment),

 

'The Hampshire ', 'We'll gang nae mair to yon toun' , and 'Cork Hill' (The Royal Hampshire Regiment)

 

'Sir Manley Power' and 'Paddy's Resource' (The Middlesex Regiment).


The Combined Corps of Drums, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

The Combined Corps of Drums, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment (Queen's and Royal Hampshires)
Vesting Day September 9th 1992, Canterbury.
(Click to enlarge)


Slow Marches

The Regimental Slow March is 'Minden Rose', composed by Bandmaster Mr C C Gray, ARCM, BBCM.


Other Slow Marches inherited from forebear regiments are played on appropriate occasions as follows:

'Huntingdonshire' (The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment)

 

'Men of Kent' (The Queen's Own Buffs)

 

'Rousillon' (The Royal Sussex Regiment)

 

'The Caledonian' (The Middlesex Regiment and Queen's Regiment)


 

Note 1. 'The Old Queen's' is only played in the Officers' Mess and never on a parade.

Note 2. The Quick March 'Viscount Nelson' is never played following the deaths of seven members of the Regimental Band of 2nd Battalion The Hampshire Regiment who were killed when it was blown up at Youghal, County Cork, on 31st May 1921, when nineteen others were wounded.


Howe Baracks

This display was displayed in the gymnasium, Howe Baracks, Kent for the first regimental reunion of old comrades of all former regiments which today forms The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment.
( Click to enlarge)

Drum Majors' Belts

Drum Majors' Belts
(Click to enlarge)

Before the appointment of Drum Major in the early 17th Century, the senior drummer or "Sergeant Drummer" wore no distinctive Belt. He wore a standard pattern leather drummer's carriage which was fitted with metal or leather loops. The loops secured the drum sticks when not in use. When the Drum Major's appointment became authorised, the Drum Major's Belt became representative of the Sergeant Drummer's Carriage still retaining the drum sticks and loops, but with the addition of embellishments such as the Regimental Badge and Devices. The ensuing years saw the Belt become more elaborate as Battle Honours were added. Gradually the drummer's sticks became smaller to make room for the embellishments, until today, although still essentially a part of the Ceremonial Belt or Sash they stand as a symbol of the Drum Major's original appointment.

The Military Sash carries the Regiment's Title, Badge, Distinctions and Devices and Battle Honours together with a Royal or National Cypher and Arms where appropriate. They are made specifically to order. The colour of the ground is taken from the Regiment's uniform facing colour or branch of service. All Badges, Devices and Honours conform strictly with authorised regulations.

Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment drums.

Chris Collins a heraldic artist at work on the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment drums. Chris worked freelance for Potters of Aldershot, who for many years refurbished and supplied items of drums equipment to the Regiments of the British Army, as can be seen from this photo all the heraldic work is hand painted.
(Click to enlarge)

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