Regimental Timeline

September 9th

Home Counties Brigade becomes The Queen’s Regiment,
Comprising four regular battalions:
As a result of further changes in the structure of the Army, on September 9th1966 The Queen's Regiment was formed and the 1st Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment became the 1st Bn The Queen's Regiment, (Queen's Surreys). The Queen's Regiment then incororated all the former County Regiments of Surrey, Kent, Sussex and Middlesex. They were:-
     The Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) - 2nd Foot
     The East Surrey Regiment - 31st & 70th Foot
     The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) - 3rd Foot
     The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment - 50th & 97th Foot
     The Royal Sussex Regiment - 35th & 107th Foot
     The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridges Own) - 57th & 77th Foot
The Regiment initially had four regular battalions but the 4th Battalion was disbanded in 1970. There were three Territorial battalions The 5th (Volunteer), 6/7th (Volunteer) and for a short time the 8th Queen's Fusiliers (City of London).

Each Regular Army battalion had its own band until 1984 when, due to further Defence Cuts, they were amalgamated into two, the Albuhera Band and the Quebec Band. However, the Territorial Army band which served with the 5th (Volunteer) Battalion based at Canterbury, survived.

The Regimental Motto was:-

"Unconquered I Serve"

HQ Home Counties Brigade becomes RHQ The Queen’s Regiment

Queen’s Surreys office and Museum maintained at Kingston. Colonel of the Regiment becomes Deputy Colonel of the 1st Battalion, and in 1967, Deputy Colonel (Surrey).

HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, CI, GCVO, GBE appointed Colonel-in-Chief, The Queen's Regiment.
HM King Frederik IX, KG, King of Denmark, appointed Allied Colonel-in-Chief.
HM Queen Juliana, KG, Queen of the Netherlands, appointed Allied Colonel-in-Chief.

1st Battalion

31st December

Becomes 1st Bn The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s Surreys).

1st Battalion

31st December

Depot The Home Counties Brigade becomes
Depot The Queen’s Regiment.

3rd and 4th Battalions

TAER men to 1 Royal Sussex for operations in Aden.

3rd Battalion

Wins the Courage Trophy Competition.

1st Battalion

Münster, West Germany.

17th - 18th May

Visit of HRH Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, Colonel-in-Chief.

July

Moves to Lingfield, Surrey, England.

Surrey Yeomanry (RA) (TA)

1st October

Laying up of old 5th Bn The East Surrey Regiment Colours at Kingston.

R (Surrey) Battery 265 Regiment RA (TA)

Disbanded.

A Company (Queen’s Surreys) 5th (Volunteer)
Battalion The Queen’s Regiment.

1st April

AVR II Company formed for NATO role from 3rd Bn The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment (TA) at Guildford.

6th (Territorial) Battalion
The Queen’s Regiment (Queen’s Surreys)

1st April

AVR III Battalion formed for Home defence by the amalgamation of 3rd and 4th The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment. Bn HQ, A and HQ Companies at Kingston, B Company at Clapham, C Company at Cobham, Chertsey and Leatherhead, D Company at Croydon. Joins 47 (London) Infantry Brigade, Home Counties District.

27th August

Death of Colonel-in-Chief, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent CI, GCVO, GBE.

September

Formation of The Queen’s Division.

1st Battalion

16th February

Moves to Bahrain.

1st July

Title changes to 1st Bn The Queen’s Regiment.

December

Returns to Lingfield.

Depot

September

Becomes Regimental HQ and Depot, The Queen’s Regiment, The Queen’s Division.

6th (Territorial) Battalion The Queen’s Regiment
(Queen’s Surreys)

Transferred to 52 Sub Area, South-East District.

November

Mobilised for flood relief duties in Surrey.

1st Battalion

Lingfield.

20th August

Moves to Londonderry for internal security operations.

12th December

Returns to Lingfield.

6th (Territorial) Battalion The Queen’s Regiment
(Queen’s Surreys)

31st March

Reduced to cadre.

1st Battalion

Lingfield.

March - April

Public Duties, London.

June

Moves to Berlin.

Depot at Canterbury closes.

Depot The Queen’s Division opens at Bassingbourn Barracks,
Royston, Herts.

14th January

Death of Allied Colonel-in-Chief, King Frederik IX, King of Denmark KG.

1st Battalion

Berlin.

6th (Volunteer) Battalion

1st April

Formed from cadres. Bn HQ and HQ Company, Wandsworth; A Company, Edgware; B Battery, Hackney; C Battery, Camberwell; D Company, Sutton.

7th (Volunteer) Battalion

1st April

Formed from cadres. Bn HQ and HQ Company, Horsham; A Company, Farnham; B Company Folkestone; C Company, Crawley.

30th May

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark appointed Colonel-in-Chief.

1st Battalion

Berlin.

July

Moves to Bulford, England. Joins 5 Airportable Brigade (3rd Division).

10th October

Moves to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations. Joins 39 Infantry Brigade.

1st Battalion

Belfast.

27th January

New Lodge action.

March

Returns to Bulford.

October

Moves to Belfast for internal security operations.

1st Battalion

Belfast.

February

Returns to Bulford.

4th May

New Colours presented by Queen Margrethe II, Colonel-in-Chief, at Armoury House, London.

22nd May

Moves to Northern Ireland for duties during Ulster Workers’ strike.

June

Returns to Bulford.

5th (Volunteer) Battalion

4th May

New Colours presented by Queen Margrethe II, Colonel-in-Chief, at Armoury House, London.

1st Battalion

Bulford.

January

Moves to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations.

June

Returns to Bulford.

15th June

Laying up of old 1st Queen’s Surreys Colours at Guildford.

September

Moves to Werl, West Germany. Joins 6 Armoured Brigade (4th Division). APC Battalion.

6th/7th Battalion

1st April

Formed by the amalgamation of the 6th and 7th (Volunteer) Battalions. Bn HQ and HQ Company, Horsham; A Company, Farnham; B Company, Edgware; C Company, Crawley; D Company, Sutton, Wandsworth and Camberwell.

1st Battalion

Werl.

June

Moves to Londonderry, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations. Joins 8 Infantry Brigade.

October

Returns to Werl, West Germany.

1st Battalion

Werl, West Germany. Joins Task Force Echo (3rd Armoured Division).

June

The Queen’s Silver Jubilee parade, Sennelager.

New Colonel’s Colour presented.

Wins Army open boxing championship.

5th and 6th/7th Battalions

The Queen’s Silver Jubilee Review of the TA.

May

Closure of the Queen’s Surreys Office at Kingston. Abolition of the post of Deputy Colonel (Surrey).

1st Battalion

Werl, West Germany. Joins 6 Armoured Brigade (3rd Armoured Division).

June

Moves to Belfast, Northern Ireland, for internal security operations.

October

Returns to Werl.

6th December

Wins Army Open boxing championship for the second time.

1st Battalion

Werl, West Germany.

Wins Army Open boxing championship for the third time.

Army Boxing Championship Shield.

BAOR Inter-Unit Boxing Challenge Cup.

Queen’s Surreys Museum re-opened at Clandon Park, West Clandon, near Guildford.

1st Battalion

Werl, West Germany.

February

Moves to Canterbury, England. Joins 2 Infantry Brigade (South-East District).

June

Visit of HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.

October

Moves to Belize for operations.

5th and 6th/7th Battalions

16th November

Laying up of old 3rd and 4th Queen’s Surreys Colours at Southwark Cathedral.