5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards

As  I am still waiting for the Team Yankee fotos, here is another Bolt Action/VBCW update.

The 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards were formed as a cavalry regiment in 1922 by the amalgamation of the 5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, as the 5th/6th Dragoons. In 1923, the regiment was deployed to Risalpur, India. 

In 1927, the regiment discarded the "6th" and inserted "Inniskilling" into its title. In the following year, the regiment moved to the UK for the first time, as the 5th Dragoon Guards. In 1935, it gained the" Royal" accolade to become the "5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards".

The armoured components of the 5th RIDG

A Vickers Light Tank Mk. VIc with two tankers

A Vickers Light Tank Mk. VIb

And a Vickers Medium Mk. II with command flag

The Vickers Light Tank are from Blitzkrieg Miniatures, the Vickers Medium is a full resin/white metal behemoth from Reiver Castings, and the tankers are made by the Perry brothers.

In 1938, as part of the preparation for the Second World War, the regiment was mechanised. Therefore they are perfect to serve as tank element in my VBCW Royalist Brigade in Ulster. I painted them in the interwar/early WWII green Disruptive Pattern, so they can see prolonged service with the BEF in 1940 France.

There is a nice video of the ceremonial "saying goodbye to theier horses".

As I am a huge fan of cavalry and in VBCW the process of mechanisation is rolling backwards, due to fuel shortage, here are the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards on horses!

Cavalry in all its glory, sabres drawn and ready to charge.

In VBCW, they will accompany the tanks as protection against daring infantry tank hunters. The horses should have no problem keeping pace with the armour and the dragoons can dismount to act as regular infantry as well. And I use them in Bolt Action, too, bending the rules a little, just because I can and they look splendid on the tabletop!

All models, mounted and dismounted are from Reiver Castings excellent WWI range.

The dismounted dragoons, ready for action