[2] In February 1996, three squadrons of the regiment deployed to Northern Ireland as part of Operation Banner, the UK military support to the civil authorities in the province.

[3] In the winter of 1997, A Squadron, RDG, deployed with their Challenger 1s tanks to Barice in Bosnia (Op Lodestar) with the 9th/12th Lancers Battle Group.

They were subsequently moved to Mrkonjić Grad and were employed, primarily in Land Rovers, to monitor former wartime factions and inspect cantonment sites.

[4] The regimental Battle Group deployed to Iraq in 2004 (Operation Telic 5) and assumed control of the area south of Basra, close to the border with Kuwait.

[5] The main tasks were to mentor the newly formed Iraqi Police Force and provide security for the first presidential elections in the country since the US led invasion in 2003.

[9] The regiment deployed to Afghanistan in the spring of 2010[10] (Operation Herrick 12) to assist in bringing stability to Central Helmand and to provide security for the country's second Presidential Elections.

Squadrons from the Regiment provided protected mobility support in the Mastiff (also known as Cougar), Viking (Bv 206), Ridgeback and Warthog armoured vehicles[11] and held ground in Nad Ali District Centre[12] following Op Moshtorak.

Tasks of these squadrons included: providing route security,[13] assisting in reconstruction work[14] and clearing insurgents from southern Nad Ali.

As a Viking commander he moved his vehicle forward to engage insurgents to assist in the evacuation of a friendly casualty, his citation reads: "A/Cpl Stenton's gallantry was of the very highest order and he made the supreme act of self-sacrifice to save a comrade's life".

[21] Following the 2012 announcement of Army 2020 structures, the RDG has adopted an 'Armoured Cavalry' role equipped initially with Scimitar 2 the latest iteration of the CVR(T) platform.

The annual commemoration of Oates' brave action takes place on the Sunday closest to St Patrick's Day – the date of his birthday.

The Second World War – Dyle, Withdrawal to Escaut, St Omer-La Bassée, Dunkirk 1940, Normandy Landings, Odon, Mont Pincon, St Pierre la Vielle, Lisieux, Risle Crossing, Seine 1944, Nederrijn, Lower Maas, Geilenkirchen, Roer, Rhineland, Cleve, Rhine, Ibbenburen, Bremen, North West Europe 1940, 1944 – 45.

In 2008, the Regiment returned to the United Kingdom and moved to Alma Lines Catterick Garrison and in 2014 it resubordinated back to 20th Armoured Brigade.