This week, the victors of Göhrde!
9th Dragoon Regiment “King Carol I of Romania” (1st Hanoverian)
9th Dragoon Regiment “King Carol I of Romania” (1st Hanoverian)
The Dragoner-Regiment König Karl I von Rumänien (1.Hannoversches ) Nr.9 were formed on 27 September 1866 as Dragoner Regiment Nr. 9 from Prussian cadres and recruits in the newly annexed province of Hannover. During the Franco-Prussian War they saw action at the Battles of Mars la Tour and Gravelotte- St. Privat and the Siege of Metz. In fact it was a patrol of the 9th Dragoons that discovered Marshal Bazaine’s French army trying to escape Metz, which triggered the Battle of Mars la Tour. The regiment remained on occupation duty in France until 1873, and from then were garrisoned in Alsace-Lorraine.
From 1899, the regiment was officially associated with the former Royal Hanoverian Cambridge-Dragoner-Regiment who traced their roots back to 25 November 1805 as the 3rd Hussar Regiment of the Kings German Legion under British command. As such they fought against Napoleon on the Peninsular Campaign, the War of Liberation (when the regiment famously broke several French infantry squares at the Battle of Göhrde in 1813) and at the Battle of Waterloo. For these actions the Cambridge Dragoons and from 1899, the 9th Dragoons wore the battle honours Peninsular, Waterloo and Göhrde on their helmets. The Hanoverian Cambridge Dragoons, then fought at the Battle of Langensalza charging the retreating Prussians sealing victory for the day.
From 1880, Prince (soon to be King) Carol of Romania was regimental chief. He was a Prussian Prince by birth, born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen and kept Romania closely allied to Germany during his reign. He died shortly after the outbreak of the First World War and his successor King Ferdinand I brought Romania into the war on the allied side in 1916 with disastrous consequences, her army being defeated and country occupied.
In 1914 the regiment was based at Metz (in modern France) as part of the XVI Army Corps. During the First World War, they were deployed on the Western Front, with their squadrons being divided among different infantry divisions from 1916.
Helmet: Dragoon style Pickelhaube with yellow metal fittings
Helmet Plate: Yellow metal Prussian dragoon eagle with the battle honours PENINSULA, WATERLOO, GÖHRDE.
State Cockade: Prussian (black/ white/ black)
Parade Plume: Black
Tunic: Cornflower blue dragoon style Waffenrock
Collar: White piped in cornflower blue with rounded front corner
Cuffs: Swedish style in white
Piping Colour: White
Button Colour: Yellow metal
Shoulder Strap: White with from June 1914 a red crowned C monogram for King Carol I of Romania, which was removed from 1917 and replaced with the regimental number again.
Field Cap: Cornflower blue with white hatband and piping
*Photo from Fort de la Pompelle Collection.
*Illustration by Richard Knötel
*Text from my forthcoming book on the “Traditions of the Imperial German Cavalry”
*Photo from Fort de la Pompelle Collection.
*Illustration by Richard Knötel
*Text from my forthcoming book on the “Traditions of the Imperial German Cavalry”