Now open with new displays

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 has been 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 and will open on the 25 October 2008.

New high-specification cases have been installed along with new high-technology fixtures and fittings along with stunning graphics. There will be over 200 objects that have never been seen before by the public including, weapons, medals, uniforms, personal equipment, navigation and communication equipment, food and other items. There will be two database units to explore our archive material, films and stories of soldiers as well as a mock-up of a tank turret and a small slice of a First World War trench along with sound-effects for both and a video wall.

The expected accompanying Audio/Visual PDA guide and Schools related teachers materials for the new gallery will arrive in December 2008.

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  641913
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/1632.aspx

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