Firing Line Museum of The Queen's Dragoon Guards and The Royal Welsh

14/04/2026

We were delighted to have researchers from the Jewish History Association of Wales/Cymdeithas Hanes Iddewig Cymru spend some time in Firing Line yesterday.

06/04/2026

, your entry ticket to Cardiff Castle is on us this Easter.

*Until the 12th of April!*

If you are a veteran (or still serving) complete the form below at least the day before your visit. Bring your valid veterans card or MOD 90 with you and Cardiff Castle will provide you with a complimentary veterans entry ticket, paid for by the museum.
Offer dates from 30th March to 12th April for as long as funds last. Secure your ticket today!

*And if you live or work in Cardiff, we will also pay for your Cardiff Castle Key which entitles you to free entry to Cardiff Castle as many times as you like, for three years! Just bring some proof of living or working in Cardiff to the Cardiff Castle front desk along with your military/veterans ID. It’s on us this Easter!*

Let Firing Line Museum pay for your general entry ticket to Cardiff Castle and Firing Line Museum of The Queen's Dragoon Guards and The Royal Welsh this Easter. RSVP on the form, or on the contact details below, by 5pm the day before your visit and your entry ticket will be covered by Firing Line. A...

31/03/2026

, your entry ticket to Cardiff Castle is on us this Easter.

If you are a veteran (or still serving) complete the form below at least the day before your visit. Bring your valid veterans card or MOD 90 with you and Cardiff Castle will provide you with a complimentary veterans entry ticket, paid for by the museum.
Offer dates from 30th March to 12th April for as long as funds last. Secure your ticket today!

*And if you live or work in Cardiff, we will also pay for your Cardiff Castle Key which entitles you to free entry to Cardiff Castle as many times as you like, for three years! Just bring some proof of living or working in Cardiff to the Cardiff Castle front desk along with your military/veterans ID. It’s on us this Easter!*

20/06/2025

in 1685, the 3rd Regiment of Horse was formed. 61 years later they were restyled the '2nd (or The Queen's) Regiment of Dragoon Guards', later to be called The Queen's Bays.

On the 20th June 1685, the 3rd Regiment of Horse was formed from four existing troops of horse, raised earlier in the year in Hounslow, Essex, London and Yorkshire by James II. Each Troop had 60 men. Henry Mordaunt, the 2nd Earl of Peterborough, was appointed its Colonel and the Regiment was called the 'Earl of Peterborough's Regiment of Horse'.

Image: Henry Mordaunt, the 2nd Earl of Peterborough.

1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

18/06/2025

Doubling up on posts this !

Thomas Barlow distinguished himself as the Regimental Serjeant Major of the 1st or King's Dragoon Guards at the Battle of Waterloo and was one of only fifteen members of the Regiment able to muster at the end of the day. Approximately 550 King’s Dragoon Guards had ridden into battle that morning.

On the night after the battle Barlow purportedly invited the officers to join the serjeants to share a meagre meal. This simple act shaped the relationship between the Officers’ and Sergeants’ Messes of the Regiment to this day. Every year this event is celebrated when the Sergeants’ Mess invites the officers to a dinner on the anniversary of the battle, a tradition that has built a closeness between the messes not seen in other regiments in the British Army. But above all, the memory of Waterloo still imbues pride and a determination not only to succeed, but to be the very best.

Barlow was commissioned two days after the battle in recognition for his outstanding bravery which included disarming the finest swordsman in the French army. After retiring from the army, Barlow worked for a Methodist minister in Chester, eventually emigrating to Collingwood, Australia, with his second wife Sarah.

Thomas and Sarah Barlow are currently lying in unmarked graves in the Melbourne General Cemetery. The 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards Heritage Trust (a charity registered in England and Wales, 273874) is raising money to build a memorial to this remarkable King's Dragoon Guard. If you would like to support this endeavour, the link to their GoFundMe page is in the comments.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/thomas-barlow-soldier-preacher-and-melbourne-pioneer

18/06/2025

18th June 2025: The 210th Anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

Three of our regiments were present at the Battle: The King's Dragoon Guards, the 23rd Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot.

Due to low numbers after the battle of Quatre Bras, 2nd Battalion the 69th joined Halkett’s Brigade with the 30th, 33rd, and 73rd Regiments. The 39th and 73rd formed the front line, while the 33rd and 69th were in the rear. Positioned 250 yards north of Hougoumont, the brigade held their ground despite attacks from the French heavy cavalry and Imperial Guard. By the end of the day, Halkett’s brigade had the highest casualties of any brigade: 17 officers killed, 39 wounded, and 679 other ranks either killed or wounded. The 69th was reduced to one-third of its original strength.

The 23rd Regiment of Foot (Royal Welch Fusiliers) also played a significant role in the Battle of Waterloo as part of Mitchell’s Brigade, covering Hougoumont, repelling repeated attacks from the French Cavalry, it was said that the infantry squares of Waterloo were the safest place on the battlefield as they did not break against these attacks. The regiment suffered 100 casualties, including the death of its commanding officer, Colonel Sir Henry Ellis.

Find out more about the 69th Foot at Waterloo from this fantastic video by The Waterloo Podcast...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTCIvfnNVtU
..then join us at 2pm for the story of the King's Dragoon Guards at Waterloo and the life of their RSM, Thomas Barlow.

Part 3 of this 4-part look at Halkett's Brigade in 1815. Please do send any comments, requests and ideas for future episodes to [email protected] I...

05/05/2025

Celebrating in Cardiff Castle / Castell Caerdydd this bank holiday!

22/01/2025

The 22nd and 23rd January 2025 marks the 146th anniversary of the battles of Islandlwana and Rorke's Drift. Islandlwana was a disaster for the British Army in South Africa, defeated by a large Zulu army. However, it was in the spirited defence of Rorke's drift against all odds that our antecedent regiment, the 24th Regiment of Foot, won 7 of the 11 Victoria Crosses that day. For this reason among many others, it remains a defining battle in the regiment's history, still remembered today.

Come along to Firing Line Museum, based inside Cardiff Castle / Castell Caerdydd to join in our two days of special-edition, interactive talks - and find out more.

The Royal Welsh

06/01/2025

We are thrilled to have been able to host newly commissioned officers of 1st Battalion and 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh today!

Supervisor Iain Fife was as engaging as ever with his narrative of the history of over 300 years of British fi****ms.

Sadly Firing Line Museum is closed to the public this week for essential Castle Maintenance. We look forward to reopening our doors at 10am on the 13th January.

23/12/2024

Holiday opening times:

Firing Line Museum is OPEN every day this holiday season from 10am-4pm, except:

- Christmas Day: Closed
- Boxing Day: Closed
- New Year’s Day: Closed

Come and visit us inside a very festive Cardiff Castle / Castell Caerdydd this Christmas.

13/12/2024

Soldiers from 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, known as the Welsh Cavalry, recently returned to their cavalry roots during an operational…