| Unit Name: | 4th Dragoon Regiment |
| Native Name: | 4e régiment de dragons |
| Dates: | 1667–2014 |
| Country: |  France |
| Branch: | French Army |
| Type: | Cavalry |
| Equipment: | Leclerc |
| Motto: | Je boute avant (French) Spes altera Martis[1] (Latin)Un autre espoir de Mars (French) |
| Battles: | Napoleonic Wars World War I World War II French Indochina War Algerian War Gulf War War on Terror |
| Battle Honours: |
|
The 4th Dragoon Regiment (French: 4<sup>e</sup> Régiment de dragons, 4<sup>e</sup> RD) was a cavalry unit created during the Ancien Regime and was dissolved on July 11, 2014.
The unit took part in all campaigns of the Ancien Regime:
| valign=top |
| valign=top |
| valign=top |
The unit was designated as the 2e Régiment des dragons de la Reine under the first restoration, then readopted the old designation during the 100 days; following the abdication of Napoleon Ier, the unit was designated as dragons de la Gironde, then retook the number designation 4 in 1825.
The regiment led life in the garrison without any history.
In 1870, the regiment participated to combats of the Armée de la Loire.
During the Paris Commune in 1871, the regiment participated with the Armée Versaillaise.
The regiment joined in 1913 the 12e brigade de dragons at Commercy and Sézanne (2e division de cavalerie from August 1914 to November 1918). The 2nd Cavalry Division is attached to the cavalry corps of général Conneau until September 1, 1914.
From 1918 to 1923, the regiment garrisoned at Castres, then Carcasonne where a dissolution was placed in effect in 1926. Recreated in 1929 under the designation of 4e bataillon de dragons portés 4e BDP, the regiment was formed at Trèves from elements of the 4e groupe de chasseurs cyclistes. The regiment was equipped with chenilettes Citroën, automatic machine guns AMR and side-cars. In 1935, the regiment was designated as 4e régiment de dragons portés and garrisoned at Verdun.
On May 10, 1940, the regiment, with the rest of the 1st Light Mechanized Division, made way to Holland, region of Tilburg. On May 12 and 13 and following intense combats, the regiment took a hard turn on the south of the Albert canal, then made way to France. The regiment was engaged in combat during the entire Battle of France. The regiment was dissolved on July 8, 1940 and was cited at the orders of the armed forces for conduit during the short campaign duration.
Recreated in February 1947 under the designation of 4e bataillon de dragons portés, the battalion was sent to Tonkin on March 25 of the same year.
The battalion was sent to Cochinchine in 1948, on November 1, the battalion was redesignated as 4e régiment de dragons portés.
The regiment became 4e Régiment de dragons on February 16, 1950. On June 30, 1954, the regiment was dissolved after a 7-year presence in Indochina.
The regiment was cited twice at the orders of the armed corps.
The 4e Régiment de dragons was formed from elements of the 5th Armoured Division 5e DB on November 15, 1955, in West Germany, then was sent to Algeria on June 19.
On April 28, 1968, at Olivet, the regiment was recreated and equipped with AMX-13 tanks, composed of two squadrons and two companies of VTT.
On June 30, 1979, the regiment was dissolved.
The regiment was recreated on September 1, 1979, at Mourmelon-le-Grand. The regiment was accordingly equipped with 54 AMX 30 B2. The first squadron of the regiment was professionalized and participated in Tchad to Operation Manta from January to June 1984. The regiment was entirely professionalized in 1990.
the 4e dragons was the (heavy AMX-30 B2) armoured tank cavalry regiment of Division Daguet during the first Gulf War. The regiment participated to the principal mission of the division in liaison with the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa. The regiment was cited at the orders of the armed forces and was awarded the croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieurs with palm.
The regiment participated in September 1992 within the United Nations cadres force FORPRONU. Strong with two units, the regiment participated to readying an infantry battalion acting in Croatia.
Dissolved in 1994, on June 28, 2006, the honor guard was entrusted to the combat training center at Mailly.
The 4e Régiment de dragons was reactivated in 2009 by dissolution of the 1er-11e Régiment de cuirassiers de Carpiagne and equipped with Leclerc tanks. A part of the regiment was deployed to Lebanon at the corps of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.[2]
The regiment formed the composition of 7th Armoured Brigade. The 4e RD, recreated on August 1, 2009, succeeded to the 1er-11e Régiment de cuirassiers de Carpiagne. The regiment was restructured in the summer of 2009 passing by an organization bi-bataillonnaire to a structure of 4 tank squadrons supported by a rear defensive base. Announced in the 2013 restructurations, the regiment was dissolved on July 11, 2014.
The regiment is subordinated to the 7th Armoured Brigade, a part component of terrestrial forces.
In 2009, 70% of the regiment was deployed to Lebanon, Kosovo, Senegal and Afghanistan.
The plan Vigipirate constituted equally an important mission part for the regiment, assured all year long in Paris and in regions around France.
The uniformed royal ordinance of 1786 fixed the uniforms of the Régiments de dragons. The uniform background is dark green (vert dragon). The uniforms are of a distinct color attributed to each regiment.[3]
The regimental colors of the 4e Régiment de dragons is decorated with:
| valign=top |
| valign=top |
| valign=top |
| valign=top |
|