Early wars

Colonel John Burgoyne, founder of the regiment, by Joshua Reynolds, c.1766

The regiment was raised in 1759 by Colonel John Burgoyne as the 16th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, being the second of the new regiments of light dragoons; it was also known as Burgoyne's Light Horse.^[1] The regiment was closely involved, undertaking several cavalry charges, in the action leading up to the capture of the French Garrison of Belle Île in April 1761 during the Seven Years' War.^[2] It also made a major contribution to the British victories against the Spaniards at the Battle of Valencia de Alcántara in August 1762^[3] and at the Battle of Vila Velha in October 1762 during the Anglo-Spanish War.^[4] In 1766 the regiment was renamed after Queen Charlotte as the 2nd (or The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, the number being an attempt to create a new numbering system for the light dragoon regiments.^[1] However, the old system was quickly re-established, with the regiment returning as the 16th (The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons in 1769.^[1] The regiment arrived in New York in October 1776 for service in the American Revolutionary War.^[5] It was involved in fighting at the Battle of White Plains in October 1776,^[5] the Battle of Brandywine in September 1777^[6] and the Battle of Germantown in October 1777^[7] before seeing more action at the Battle of Crooked Billet in May 1778,^[8] the Battle of Barren Hill later that month^[8] and the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778.^[9] The regiment returned to England in spring 1779.^[10] The regiment next landed at Ostend in April 1793 for service in the Flanders Campaign^[11] and was present at the siege of Valenciennes in June 1793,^[12] the siege of Dunkirk in August 1793^[13] and the siege of Landrecies in April 1794.^[14] It also took part in the Battle of Beaumont in April 1794, the Battle of Willems in May 1794 and the Battle of Tournay in later that month^[15] before returning to England in February 1796.^[16] The regiment was then based in Ireland between autumn 1802 and 1805.^[17]

Napoleonic Wars

The Battle of Waterloo, June 1815, by Clément-Auguste Andrieux

The regiment were ordered to support Sir Arthur Wellesley's Army on the Iberian Peninsula and landed at Lisbon in April 1809.^[18] The regiment fought at the Second Battle of Porto in May 1809,^[18] the Battle of Talavera in July 1809^[19] and the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in April 1810.^[20] The regiment also saw action at the Battle of Bussaco in September 1810^[21] the Battle of Sabugal in April 1811^[22] and the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro in May 1811.^[23] It next fought at the Battle of Salamanca in July 1812,^[24] the siege of Burgos in September 1812^[25] and the Battle of Vitoria in June 1813.^[26] It was next in action at the siege of San Sebastián in August 1813^[27] and having advanced into France, at the Battle of Nivelle in November 1813^[27] and at the Battle of the Nive in December 1813.^[28] It returned home in July 1814.^[29]

The regiment took part in the Hundred Days landing at Ostend in May 1815.^[30] It charged with John Vandeleur's Cavalry Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815. After the battle, their commander, Lieutenant-colonel James Hay, lay so badly injured that he could not be moved from the field for eight days.^[31] The regiment had been the sole British cavalry regiment to serve throughout the Peninsular War and at the Hundred Days.^[32]

Victorian era

Charge of the 16th Lancers at the Battle of Aliwal, January 1846

The regiment was dispatched to Ireland in March 1816 where it was re-designated as a lancer regiment in September 1816, becoming the 16th (The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers).^[1] It returned from Ireland in June 1819.^[33] The regiment was sent to India in 1822^[34] and saw action, using lances, against the Marathas at the siege of Bharatpur in January 1826.^[35] It saw action again at the capture of Ghuznee in July 1839 during the First Anglo-Afghan War^[36] and at the Battle of Maharajpore in December 1843 during the Gwalior campaign. It also took part in the Battle of Aliwal in January 1846, when the regiment charged and dispersed a body of Sikhs ten times its size, and also fought at the Battle of Sobraon in February 1846 during the First Anglo-Sikh War.^[37] The regiment's title was simplified to the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers in 1861.^[1] It served in India between 1865 and 1876 and again between 1890 and 1899.^[37]

20th century

Men of 16th Lancers at the entrance to Hollebeke Chateau, October 1914

The regiment landed at Cape Colony in January 1900 for service in the Second Boer War and took part in the relief of Kimberley in February 1900.^[38] The regiment, which had been based at The Curragh at the start of the First World War, landed in France as part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade in the 1st Cavalry Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front.^[39] The regiment was retitled as the 16th The Queen's Lancers in 1921^[1] and amalgamated with the 5th Royal Irish Lancers to form the 16th/5th Lancers) in 1922.^[1]