1st King's German Legion Dragoons

1st King's German Legion Dragoons 13th Cavalry Regiment
Active	1803 - 1816 1816 - 1867 1870 - 1939
Country	Originally - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Kingdom of Hanover German Empire Weimar Republic State of Nazi Germany
Branch	British Army Hanoverian Army Prussia Army Germany Army Germany Army
Role	Cavalry
Size	One regiment
Commanders
Current commander	Colonel - Von Bock
Ceremonial chief	Lieutenant General - Ludwig Georg Thedel Graf von Wallmoden, Count of Walmoden KCB

"Königs-Ulanen-Regiment (1st Hanoverian) No. 13" redirects here. For 13th Lancers Regiment (Germany), see 13th Lancers. For 1st Hanover Lancers Regiment, see 1st KGL Dragoons. For 1st KGL Light Dragoons, see Garde Reiter Regiment (Hanover). For 1st Squadron, 13. (Preußisches) Reiter-Regiment, see Ulanen-Regiment Nr. 13.

The 1st Squadron, 13th Prussian Mounted Regiment is a former squadron of the Weimar Republic. The squadron's history goes back to 1803 from the 1st Regiment of Dragoons lasting until their disbandment in 1939.

History

KGL Service

The 1st Squadron trace their history back to the 1st Regiment of Dragoons, The King's German Legion formed at Weymouth, Dorsetshire on the 19th December 1803. The regiment was also known as the 1st King's German Dragoons. In November 1805 the regiment returned for a short time to Hanover before participating in the 1805-1806 campaign. The regiment returned to England in February 1806 before moving to Ireland.

In 1812 the regiment was re-titled as the 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons, The King's German Legion. Right after their renaming the regiment deployed to Portugal where for the next three years the regiment participated in the Peninsular War. In April 1814 the regiment passed into France. After the end of the war the regiment moved to Flanders as part of the Army of Occupation stationed in Flanders. As part of the end of the war changes the regiment was reduced to six troop, roughly two squadrons. In June 1815 the regiment participated in the Battle of Waterloo winning their third and official final battle honour. After the battle the regiment moved to Paris where they remained for one year before moving to Celle and disbanding.

Hanover Service

Only a few months after their first disbandment the regiment was reconstituted as the Garde Reiter Regiment (Guards Mounted Regiment) as part of the new Hanoverian Army. The army granted them the right to keep their former battle honours of "Peninsular War" and "Waterloo" while also granting them a new battle honour, "Garcia Hernandez". The regiment saw no service up until it was disbanded upon the Prussian Annexation of Hanover in 1867.

German Empire

Only three years after its second disbandment the regiment was recreated as 13. Ulanen-Regiment (13th Lancers Regiment). In mid-August 1870 the regiment participated in the Battle of Vionville, Battle of Mars-la-Tour, and the Battle of Gravelotte. From late September to early October the regiment participated in the Encirclement of Paris. Later in mid-November the regiment participated in the Battle of Bû, Battle of Berchères, and the Battle of Richebourg. After a few small skirmishes at Sèmur and Lavaré the regiment moved to Normandy as part of the Army of Occupation. Finally in June the regiment moved back to Germany and finally to Hanover on 30 June 1871. Finally in 1899 the regiment was renamed as the 13. (1. Hannoversches) Königs-Ulanen-Regiment. As a result, the regiment gained their old KGL battle honours. Upon mobilization for World War I the regiment with Oldenburgisches Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 19 the regiment moved to the 19. Kavalerie Brigade and moved to the French front around the area of the marne. The regiment was originally used for patrolling and advance vanguards. After the Retreat from Mons the regiment moved to Aisne in northern France. The regiment was dismounted and converted to infantry but remounted just a few months later. When the regiment was remounted it moved to Poland where it participated in the Battle of Lodz.

In 1915 the regiment trained for the new form of cavalry fighting where it eventually moved to the Vistula River and participated in the Vilna Offensive and the Battle of Vilna, From early 1915 to February 1916 the regiment was in the infantry role due to the majority of their horses having mange. So as a result the regiment was pulled off the frontline and helped the General Government of Warsaw. In August 1916 the regiment moved back to the frontline at Pinsk to help during the Brussilow Offensive. In November the regiment was replenished on their way back to the Western Front. From May–June the regiment participate in multiple battles around Reims and Champagne until mid-February. Around the end of September the regiment participated in the major Battle of Verdun where it remained in the area until February 1918. After being renewed the regiment participated in the final German Spring Offensive of 1918.

In March 1918 the regiment participated in Operation Micheal where it helped in the breakthroughs around Gouzeaucourt and Vermand and fought during the Battle of the Somme but then withdrew due to major losses. The regiment later participated in the Battle of Ancre, Battle of Somme, Battle of Avre, Battle of Noyon, and finally the Battle of Lorraine. During the Hundred Days Offensive the regiment fought during the Battle of the Siegfried Line, Battle of Hunding, Battle of Brunhild, Battle of Hundingstellung, and finally the Battle of Antwerp-Meuse.

On the date of the peace treaty the regiment moved back to Germany the next year was demobilized and its tradition assigned to the 1st Squadron of the new 13th Cavalry Regiment of the Weimar Republic.

Weimar and Nazi Germany

Under the Weimar Republic the squadron was part of the 13th Cavalry Mounted Regiment and was stationed in Hanover. Upon mobilization in 1939 the regiment become Aufklärungs-Abteilung 22.