The Military

This section introduces some of the regiments which will feature in the Armstrong story. The most prominent of these are Pat Armstrong’s own regiment, the 10th (Prince of Wales’s Own Royal) Hussars, and the Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers), the regiment of many of Pat’s and his sisters’ closest friends. Also featured are the 9th (Queen’s Royal) Lancers, 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards and 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars, who formed the second cavalry brigade of the first cavalry division of the British Expeditionary Force.

When the Great War broke out in August 1914, Pat Armstrong along with the rest of the nation believed that fighting would be over by Christmas. Officers were expected to join their regiments before embarking for France but as the 10th Hussars were stationed in South Africa, Pat was reluctant to wait for their return to England for fear of missing out on the action on the Continent. Having secured a position as aide-de-camp to Brigadier General de Lisle, who was in command of the second cavalry brigade, Pat Armstrong joined the British Expeditionary Force independent of his regiment.

Officers at the Cavalry School, Netheravon

Officers at the Cavalry School, Netheravon

 

10th Hussars | Royal Irish Fusiliers | 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers | 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards | 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars | Royal Dublin Fusiliers | Royal Munster Fusiliers | King’s Own Scottish Borderers | Lovat Scouts | Royal Newfoundland Regiment | Worcestershire Regiment | Manchester Regiment | 6th Gurkha Rifles