The Regimental Museum Display is housed in the Military Gallery at Derby Museum

The history of the Regiment began in 1715 when the two, then separate, Cavalry regiments were raised to counter the Jacobite Rebellion, since then they have been involved at Waterloo; in the Peninsula War; the Indian Mutiny; in the Crimean War; the 1879 Afghan War, the Boer War; the First and Second World Wars; and the Gulf War. The two regiments were merged in 1960 to become the modern Armoured Unit 9th/12th Royal Lancers (The Prince of Wales') and are currently based in Germany.

The museum traces the Regiment’s history through its displays of uniform, medals, weapons and lances, sporting equipment, and personal items.

A touch-screen computer in the Gallery provides access to the museum’s archive of men who served in the First World War, 1914-1919. Photographs have been included wherever possible.

Derbyshire Yeomanry
and The Sherwood Foresters

In addition to the material of the 9th/12th Lancers, the museum also has displays covering the Derbyshire Yeomanry and the Derbyshire elements of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, concentrating on the Derby Militias and the 95th Regiment of Foot.  They often fought in the same conflicts as the 9th/12th Lancers.

Soldier’s Story

The military gallery is currently being re-developed with the aid of a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, in partnership with the 9th/12th Lancers, the Derbyshire Yeomanry, Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and Derby City Council. The new gallery will be called Soldier’s Story. The old gallery will closed until Autumn 2008. However, the Sherwood Foresters Remembrance Books will still be accessible along with the 9th/12th Royal Lancers World War I database. Displays of swords and some uniforms, most of which have never been seen before, will be on show in the Log-boat gallery while the military gallery is closed.

Currently the exhibits and objects are being removed from the old gallery and cleaned and conserved with help from the Royal Armouries of Leeds. Some of these need special attention and treatment before they can be displayed again at their best. Some objects are destined to be stored permanently as they have not been selected to be re-displayed in the new gallery and new objects which have never been displayed before are being prepared. New high-specification cases and improved security will give us the opportunity to display for the first time certain types of weapons and other objects; making a much more exciting and dynamic gallery.  Audio guides, large-scale projections, sound effects and improved IT facilities are also planned.

The new gallery is expected to reopen Autumn 2008 and further details and news will be communicated here. We hope to be able to show you something of how the new gallery will look like quite soon – please come back to check on our progress.

Enquiries:

The Military Keeper, Mr Mike Galer is happy to receive enquiries concerning the history and men of the 9th/12th Lancers and the Derbyshire Yeomanry, military history in general and the identification of medals, uniforms, weapons and objects. However, during the refurbishment of the military gallery his ability to answer enquiries will become extremely limited and it may be some months before you can expect a reply. If you can, please wait until after August 2008 before contacting us.

Normally the museum is happy to receive donations of objects or archive material relating to the 9th/12th Lancers, the 95th Regiment of Foot/Derbyshire Regiment, The Sherwood Foresters and the Derbyshire Yeomanry, however, during the refurbishment our ability to deal with such objects will be extremely limited and we ask you to wait until after the new gallery has opened.

The museum holds archive material relating to individuals who served with the 9th and 12th Lancers, and the Derbyshire Yeomanry, particularly for the Boer War and the Great War - WW1 - but also some much older records.

E-mail enquiries: mike.galer@derby.gov.uk
Postal enquiries:
Mike Galer
Keeper of Military and Social History
Derby Museums and Art Gallery
The Strand, Derby DE1 1BS
Tel: 01332 716656
Fax: 01332 716670  

External Links:

For enquires about the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment and the men who served in it and its predecessors, please contact the regimental museum at Chilwell or Nottingham Castle, by emailing: archivist@wfrmuseum.org.uk or visit their website at http://www.wfrmuseum.org.uk.

If you are tracing military ancestors, advice is available on the National Archives website http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk just follow the ‘Military History’ links.

For information about the modern regiment and its current activities, please see the 9th/12th Lancers page at the Army website:  http://www.army.mod.uk/912lancers/index.htm

For old comrades, as well as welfare issues relating to ex-servicemen, please contact:
9th/12th Royal Lancers Home Headquarters (HHQ)
Regimental Secretary
TA Centre
South Wigston
Leicester LE18 4UX
0116 275 9571
www.delhispearman.org.uk