Dates: 1959 -

The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army.

As a consequence of defence cuts in the late 1950s, the Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey) and the East Surrey Regiment were amalgamated on 14 October 1959 to form the 1st Battalion, Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment.

In 1959 the 1st Battalion deployed to Cyprus and the following year arrived in the British bases in Libya, while a detachment was sent to Cyprus. In 1961 the 1st Queen’s Surreys was sent to Aden -- now part of the Yemen. In 1962 the regiment joined the Hong Kong garrison, remaining there on a 2-year posting before heading for Munster, West Germany in 1964 as part of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR).

In 1966 the regiment’s short existence came to an end when it, along with the three other remaining regiments of the Home Counties Brigade, was amalgamated to form The Queen’s Regiment, one of the new ’large’ regiments that were formed in the 1960s.

Memories of Queens Royal Surrey Regiment

Queens Royal Surrey Regiment, in 1966
Written by David Robinson
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"Signing up on 6th June 1966 at Chatham and arriving at Howe Barracks Canterbury by train. Were told that if we wanted, we had two weeks to walk out the gate if Army life was not for us. After that, it was a growing up process for me learning about a big world and comradship that was second to none. While doing my infantry training, i had to spend my spare time in the Band block practicing on my Tuba learning Bass Clef (as i could only read Treble Clef). October saw me joining the Band in Munster (Oxford Barracks). "


Queens Royal Surrey Regiment, in 1966
Written by David Robinson
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"Joined up and arrived at Howe Barracks Canterbury 6/6/66. Spec wearing young weak kid. Ended up tougher after training and more of a man. I flew from Luton in a prop plane for the first time to join the Regt. at Oxford Barracks in Munster Germany that October. The thing that frightened me most was RSM Wilson, used to hide in bushes near the Naffi to escape him. Ended up being his baby sitter and found him ok. That was his job to scare us Troops.

In the Gym i found myself liking the Inter Regt. Boxing nights where the Surreys were always winning. We were a 432 mobile Battalion and the place was cobbled even the outside road if i remember. Used to wake up at 3 in the morning and walk down the Village ( via back gate) for a Beer and Eats ( could not do that in UK ! Went on leave via Bremehaven to Harwich because it was the cheapest way home ( or not, i just followed everyone else). Best thing i done was join up, as at 17 it was exciting. Still see the boys now each year at the re-union"

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