Military Museum
3A Tower Street
York
YO1 9SB
Yorkshire

Tel 01904 662790



Opening Hours: 9.00am to 4.30pm - Monday to Saturday

Admission Charge
Adults £2 each, Senior Citizens & Children £1.00 each

Two famous Regiments, The Royal Dragon Guards and The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire trace their ancestry back to 1685 when King James II raised Regiments to assist him in dealing with a rebellion by Duke of Monmouth.   Both Regiments recruit in Yorkshire and their Battle Honours emblazoned on their Standards and Colours embody the history of the British Army over 300 years.

Mr Ted Robinson is just one of the Museum attendants.   He was born in Duram in 1939, his family then moved to Filey in Yorkshire.   He enlisted into the army in 1956 and served 28 years, he also served 12 years with the TA (Territorial Army) in York as a senior storeman, he then moved to his current position in the museum in 1997.   Ted Robinson saw service in Cyprus, Aden, Germany, N. Ireland and Norway. He is married to Muriel and has 2 children.

The joint Regimental Museum at Tower Street, has the pageantry of the old Regimental Colours and Standards, the scarlet and gold of uniforms, the glint of weapons and the sparkle of medals to thrill the tourist and resident of York alike.

Come and live again the battles which won an Empire in Canada and America, in India and the North West Frontier, in Egypt and the Sudan, in South Africa and in Europe, from the red coated battles against Napoleon to the Khaki trenches of Flanders and Gallipoli.  From North Africa and Italy to the beaches of Normandy and the liberation of Europe, from Burma to Malaya and Aden.

Follow again the drums Just as Yorkshire soldiers did, and still do, keeping the Queens Peace for the past 300 years.
The Regimental March of the Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire is the only march in the British Army to be gained in action.   The tune originated in 1970 in France and was first a mere chant of liberty much in vogue with workmen in France following the revolution in 1789.

The air became popular and was played by French Regimental Bands and became more and more adapted to the truculent of the time. "Ah! Ca Ira, Ca Ira, Ca Ira, les aristes a la lanterne!" was yelled by the crowds escorting victims to the guillotine during the reign of Terror.

During an attack by Duke of York's troops on French fortifications at Famars, in Flanders, on 23 May 1793, the 14th Regiment was at first checked by a body of French singing the tune.   The commanding Officer of the 14th rallied his men, saying "Come along my lads, let's break the scoundrels to their own damned tune.   Drummers strike up 'Ca Ira'". The men responded, the French were beaten and the entrenched camp was taken.

By express order of the Duke of York, the air was adopted as the 14th Regimental Quickstep and is, of course, still played to this day.  The tune can be played in the Windows Media Audio File Format using Microsoft Media Player by clicking here or can be played in the Mp3 format by clicking here. If you do not have an Mp3 player, Windows Media Payer and Realplayer both are obtainable free by clicking the relevant icons below.  Both files can be downloaded directly onto your HD by right clicking the link and selecting 'save target as'.