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Accession number
Transcription DIEU
QU
SOITS
DROIT
BRITISH ARMY .
Officer of 12th or Prince of Wales's Regt . Lt. Dragoons .
THIS Regiment was raised in Ireland in the year 1715 , as Heavy Dragoons , but afterwards made Light .
On the commencement of the War in 1793 , it was the first Regiment of Dragoons in Ireland ordered for Foreign Service ; it sailed from Cork for Toulon , which place being evacuated it pro ceeded to Civitta Vechia , where it was most kindly received by the Sovereign Pontiff . When the Offi cers were presented to him at the Vatican , Pius the VIth . whose liberal mind was superior to all pre judices , placed the Helmet , accompanied by his blessing , upon the head of one of the Officers . On the Regiment quitting his Dominions , he honored . each of them with a gold medal for their good conduct . From thence the 12th Dragoons pro ceeded to Corsica , where it remained until the reduction of the Island in 1795. In 1797 it was sent to Portugal , from whence it was ordered to Egypt in 1801 : it served the Campaign , and return ed home in consequence of the Peace . This Regi ment of Dragoons was the only one , ever sent to Italy or at the Pyramids of Egypt , and is now serving in Portugal .
It has to boast of having been commanded by a considerable number of our present General Officers , viz . Sir W. Meadows , Sir David Dundas , Sir James Stuart ( now its Colonel ) , Sir John Cra dock , Lord Rosslyn , Lieut - General Archdall , and Major - General Browne , who commanded it in Egypt , and during the last ten years .
It has always been highly esteemed for its good discipline , and latterly considered the best mounted of any Regiment in his Majesty's Service .
Major - General Sir John Doyle has complemented the Regiment , by choosing a Dragoon as one of the Supporters to his Arms ; bearing a Standard inscribed " Lybia , " taken from the Enemy , with a Convoy in the Desert .