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The Royal Hussars served on Operation BANNER in Northern Ireland during the Troubles from 1971 to 1978.
Operation BANNER lasted from 1969 to 2007. The Royal Hussars frequently served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. There were three squadron tours in the early 1970s. In April 1971 a squadron known as the Light Squadron was based at Gosford Castle near Armagh under command of 16 Parachute Brigade for operations on the Irish border. The main tasks were Observation Posts, patrols and road blocks. In August 1971 C Squadron was based in Belfast, accommodated on HMS Maidstone, with Saracen armoured personnel carriers to carry infantry. In 1972 A Squadron was based at Aldergrove Airport from November, and patrolled the rural areas to the north and west of Belfast. There followed three full regimental tours to the Province. The first tour in 1974 from August to December was in the infantry role; C Squadron guarded the Maze Prison at Long Kesh during the riots from 15th to 16th October; B Squadron were based near Enniskillen in South Fermanagh; and A Squadron were based in North and South Down. On the regimental tour in 1976 in the central border area of Armagh and Tyrone, A Squadron were based at Dungannon and Coalisland, B Squadron at Aughnacloy, and C Squadron at Cookstown.
