North Irish Horse - Post War

Post War

In the immediate aftermath of the German surrender the regiment fell into a routine of guard duties and time off. Eventually most of the tanks were handed in except for three per squadron and a move was made into Austria where the Horse took on the role of armoured reconnaissance regiment for the 78th Division. In January 1946 another move was effected into Germany where the Horsemen carried out internal security duties in the Wuppertal area until 7 June when these duties were handed over to the 14th/20th Hussars and the North Irish Horse was disbanded.

In 1947 however it was reformed as part of the extension of the Territorial Army Yeomanry into Northern Ireland. In 1956 the TA lost its tanks and the Horse became an armoured reconnaissance regiment again in armoured cars. It survived disbandment at this point and did so again in 1961. Further cuts to the TA in 1967 saw the Horse disbanded and re-established as D Sqn The Royal Yeomanry.

During Options for Change in 1992 the Horse were re-established as an independent Reconnaissance Squadron equipped with Land Rovers working under the command of the Royal Irish Rangers. This was only to be a short lived as in 1999 the independence came to an end as the North Irish Horse joined an expanded QOY as B Squadron where the Land Rovers were replaced by Spartan Armoured Personnel Carriers as B Sqn took on the role of providing Support Troopers. During the post 1956 period the regiment was equipped with a variety of wheeled armoured vehicles such as Daimler armoured cars, Alvis Saladins, Saracens, and Ferrets and later, fox armoured cars, Spartan APCs and Sultan Command Vehicles.