3rd Dragoons (King’s Own)

3rd Dragoons (King’s Own)

The Group portrays the 3rd King’s Own Dragoons at the time of the Peninsular War.

The Regiment arrived in Lisbon in July 1811.  In January 1812 it was part of the force covering the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo.  After this, it was involved in a number of skirmishes with French cavalry leading up to the Battle of Salamanca – in July 1812.   This battle gave the Regiment its first Honour of the war.

The Regiment took part in the closing stages of the Battle of Vittoria on June 21st 1813.  It entered France in March 1814 and was present at Toulouse on April 10th.

On 19th July 1813 the Regiment embarked from Boulogne and arrived in Dover the next day.

1796 Pattern Heavy Cavalry SwordDragoons were armed with a heavy broad bladed sword with a hatchet point.  These swords were cumbersome and were often ground to a point.  Likewise the protective steel disk below the knuckle-guard bow was often ground away on one side to stop it banging into the trooper’s leg.

They also carried a carbine (the 1796 heavy cavalry weapon) and a bayonet.  In theory dragoons were also issued with pistols – the 1796 Nock pattern.

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