The regiment has won numerous battle honours and two Victoria Crosses, and, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army.
The regiment is a Type 58 Challenger 2 tank regiment (i.e. it is equipped with 58 Challenger 2 tanks), which are organised into four Sabre Squadrons. It was the first regiment to be equipped with Challenger 2.
In addition the regiment also fields a close ReconnaissanceTroop mounted in eight CVRT Sabres, and a large Headquarters Squadron, which supplies ammunition, fuel, and rations and includes specialist technicians, mechanics and artisans, as well as clerical and medical staff.
It saw active service during the Gulf War in 1991 and has been deployed to Kosovo twice, the first time in 2001, as part of SFOR.
It recently operated in Iraq during the Iraq War of 2003 (Britain's contribution being known as Operation Telic) where it took part in the advance on Iraq's second largest city, Basra. It met sporadic resistance that included Britain's largest tank engagement since the Second World War, when a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks engaged and destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks (the so-called '14-0' engagement). Together with Warriors of the Irish Guards, the regiment entered Basra on 6 April, and left Iraq shortly after the war was officially declared over on 1 May.
Official abbreviation
Whilst the regiment's official abbreviation (as listed in Joint Service Publication 101 (Service Writing)) is SCOTS DG (note all capitals and the space), it is often incorrectly abbreviated RSDG. The reason for the official abbreviation may be that the format follows the traditional Cavalry line whereby, for example, The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was abbreviated 4/7DG, and the Royal Scots Greys was abbreviated GREYS.
The regiment has its own Pipes and Drums, who tour widely and perform in competitions, concerts and parades. Their most famous piece is Amazing Grace, which reached number one in the charts in the United Kingdom and Australia in 1972.
[combined battle honours of 3rd Carabiniers and Royal Scots Greys, plus:]
Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991; Al Basrah, Iraq 2003
Bibliography
In the finest tradition : the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers & Greys) : its history and treasures by Stephen Wood (Mainstream Pub. Co., 1988. ISBN 185158174X)
Shot and captured : photographs of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Battlegroup in Iraq 2003 by Tony Nicoletti & Aidan Stephen (Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail, 2003)
