6th Dragoon Guards

[Archie1]

Wondered if anyone can help at all. I'm researching D8193 Pte Alfred George Williams who was KIA on 4th May 1915.Though his body was buried, during the course of the war it was lost & today he is remembered with Honour on the Menin Gate. I know from the war diary they was in the trenches acting as infantry at this time, pre war he was in the 3rd Dragoon Guards ,when he transferred I don't know. He was only 22 when he was killed so I assume it would be around something like 1911 when he joined up. No service records survive unfortunately so if anyone knows anything of this regiment I'd be grateful.

[Steven Broomfield]

Unfortunately the 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) didn't produce a history post-war (they amalgamated with the 3rd DG in 1922).

They were part of the 4th Cavalry Brigade, spending most of the war in the 2nd Cavalry Division. The other regiments of the brigade were the 3rd (King's Own) Hussars and the 1st Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars (Yeomanry). The Brigade had suffered a torrid time in the preceding few days during the German gas attack, but on 4th May the Brigade was on its way to billets, so if your man was killed then he was either unlucky or in a working party left behind.

Transfer between the 3rd and the 6th is not unlikely. On the outbreak of war the 3rd DG were in South Africa. if your man was a reservist on the outbreak of war it is liely he would have been recalled to serve with a home-based regiment (such as the 6th), rather than an overseas one (the 3rd). Enlistment would have been into a Corps of Dragoons, so he was easily moved between Dragoon Guard or Dragoon regiments (seven of the former, three of the latter).

Hope that helps.

[Archie1]

Many thanks Steve.