The King's				Royal Hussars

The 14th King's Hussars (Queen Victoria's Wars)   "TO THE HEROES OF RAMNUGGER"   After the Napoleonic wars the regiment remained in England until they went to India in 1841, well thought of by Royalty William IV changed the title of the regiment to The 14th King's regiment of Light Dragoons. In 1845 the first Sikh war involved most of the British Troops in India in heavy fighting, during the second Sikh war of 1848 - 1849 the regiment saw action in a glorious cavalry charge at Ramnugger where the body of the Commanding Officer, Lt Colonel William Havelock was found surrounded by the bodies of nine of his men. The pitched battles of Chillianwalla and Gujerat followed and these battles provided the regiment with two more battle honours before the Punjab was annexed at the end of hostilities. The charge at Ramnugger led to an unofficial nickname of "The Ramnugger Boys". This nickname stemmed from the wearing of round forage caps in a loose turban. The action at Ramnugger is still celebrated annually in the WO's and Sgt's mess of The King's Royal Hussars where, on the anniversary of the battle, the mess toast "The Heroes Of Ramnugger" Because they were sent to the Persian Gulf the 14th did not serve in the Crimea but became in involved in the Indian mutiny. The regiment were split into two sections each forming parts of separate columns of British Troops. The 14th became involved in actions with the Central India field force and during the assault on Jhansi Lt James Leith won the Victoria cross whilst going to the rescue of a fellow Officer. Central India was added to the now growing list of battle honours which included Punjab and Persia as a result of their recent campaigns. 1860 saw the regiment return to England and were converted to Hussars whilst in Ireland. The 14th (King's) Hussars returned to India in 1876 but missed out on action during the the second Afghan war of 1878. South Africa followed in 1881 and a move back to England was completed in 1886. Serving in Ireland in 1899 at the outbreak of the second Boer war the regiment were mobilised and sent to South Africa. One Squadron went to the cavalry division whilst the rest of the regiment served under General Buller. The first troops to Kimberley were a troop of the 14th, actively involved in both large and small scale skirmishes as well as being involved in the latter guerilla phase of the conflict. Lt J Brown who saved the lives of many men who would have been otherwise killed or injured was awarded the Victoria cross. The regiment returned to England in March of 1903 before returning to India in 1906 where the regiment were serving on the outbreak of the great war in 1914. In 1909, Lt Col Browne-Synge-Hutchinson VC reintroduced the lapsed custom of awarding a regimental medal "To any Officer, Warrant Officer, NCO or man of the regiment who contributed in some conspicuous manner to the military efficiency or the military honour of the regiment" This custom is still running and regimental medals have been issued to members serving of The King's Royal Hussars. Cold Weather dress, India 1909