In February, 1695, Lord Fairfax having retired, King William conferred the colonelcy on Colonel William Lloyd: at the same time the establishment was augmented to eight troops of thirty-eight officers, seventy-two non-commissioned officers, and four hundred and eighty privates, the annual expense being increased to 20,652l. 18s. 4d.
Having passed the winter in barracks at Ghent and received a remount from England, the Queen's dragoons marched, in April 1695, to Dixmude in West Flanders, and encamped on the plains of the Yperlee. A small detached corps was assembled at this place under Major-General Ellemberg, and in June an attack was made on the forts at Kenoque, to draw the French troops that way, and to facilitate the siege of Namur, which was undertaken immediately afterwards.
The Queen's dragoons, with eight battalions of infantry, returned to Dixmude, and the remainder of the division marched to the main army before Namur.
While the army was besieging Namur, a French force, commanded by General de Montal, invested Dixmude (15th July), and carried on the approaches with great expedition. The governor, Major-General Ellemberg, called a council of war, and suggested the expediency of surrendering. This was opposed by Major Beaumont, who commanded the Queen's dragoons[14], and some other officers, but it was agreed to by the majority, and the garrison was delivered up prisoners of war. Thus, the gallant dragoons, after displaying the greatest valour in former campaigns, were tamely consigned into the hands of the enemy, by a timid, or treacherous, foreign general officer. The soldiers were enraged at not being permitted to defend the place; many of the men broke their arms before they delivered them up, and one British regiment tore its colours to pieces.
An agreement had previously been made by the contending powers, that all prisoners should be given up on certain conditions. These conditions were complied with, and the return of the regiments which had surrendered, was demanded; but the French court refused to give them up. At length the citadel of Namur capitulated, and the French garrison was permitted to march out without being made prisoners, but as they passed through the allied army, their commander, Marshal Boufflers, was arrested and detained until the conditions of the agreement were complied with. The detention of the marshal produced the release of the regiments; the Queen's dragoons returned to the army, and were ordered into barracks at Ghent. At the same time a general court-martial assembled for the trial of the officers who had delivered the regiments into the power of the enemy. The governor of Dixmude, Major-General Ellemberg, was sentenced to be beheaded, and was executed at Ghent on the 20th of November. Colonels Graham, O'Farrell, Lesly, and Aver, were cashiered; two others were suspended, and the remainder acquitted. After the army left the field, the Queen's dragoons were quartered in villages near the canal of Sluys.
1696
The regiment again took the field in May 1696, and was reviewed by King William on the 29th of that month, when it appeared complete in numbers, and in excellent condition. During the summer it formed part of a detached corps commanded by Major-General Fagel, and encamped near Nieuport. The enemy made demonstrations of an attack on this part of the country, when entrenchments were thrown up, the sluices were opened, and the grounds in front of the French army were laid under water. A few skirmishes were, however, all that occurred; and in the early part of October the Queen's dragoons marched into quarters on the frontiers of Dutch Flanders.
1697
1698
After leaving its village cantonments in the early part of April 1697, the regiment was encamped at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac; it was afterwards employed in operations in Brabant, and on the 27th of May it formed part of a detachment of seven squadrons, commanded by Major-General de Bay, sent from the camp at Promelles towards Binche and Herlaymonte-Capelle. When on the march, the advance-guard, consisting of a squadron of the Queen's, commanded by Colonel Lloyd, encountered a squadron of French carabineers, whom the dragoons overthrew and put to flight, killing and wounding many men, and taking an officer and seventeen soldiers prisoners. The regiment was subsequently employed in covering Brussels, until the treaty of Ryswick restored peace to Europe; when it left the Netherlands and returned to England. In the following year the establishment was reduced to six troops—286 private men.