Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has announced that The Queen’s Dragoon Guards, famously nicknamed, The Welsh Cavalry, who predominantly recruit from Wales will be moving to a revamped Caerwent Barracks from 2028.

This boost for Wales is part of ‘Future Soldier’, the Army’s most radical transformation in over 20 years.

This reconfiguration will see an overall increase in the number of soldiers based in Wales.

And the news was welcomed by MP for Monmouth David Davies who said he was overjoyed to see the regiment coming home to Monmouthshire.

“We are extremely proud of our military community and I am delighted a Welsh regiment will finally be based in Wales,” he said.

“It is absolutely fantastic that The Welsh Cavalry are going to be at Caerwent in a new purpose-built, environmentally friendly barracks.

“This is something I know the Cavalry wanted and is a campaign I personally supported for a long time. Monmouthshire has a high percentage of veterans who served in some way in the armed forces, myself included, and the QDG can be assured of a very warm welcome indeed from the county.

“I look forward to continuing to work with the UK and Welsh governments to strengthen the military footprint in Wales.”

An additional infantry unit will also be based at Caerwent, meaning an increase of 935 personnel by 2029.

The Reserve Soldier footprint in Wales will continue to grow with a new location opened in Wrexham for elements of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh as they assume principal responsibility for homeland protection operations as well as maintaining a warfighting role alongside Regular colleagues.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said: “Future Soldier is reinforced by the ambition outlined in the Defence Command Paper to transform the Army into a more agile, integrated, lethal, expeditionary force.

“We have underpinned this generational work with an extra £8.6bn for Army equipment, bringing the total investment to £41.3 billion.”

“Our army will operate across the globe, equipped with the capabilities to face down a myriad of threats from cyber warfare through to battlefield conflict.”

Brigadier Andrew Dawes CBE, Head of the Army in Wales said: “We will welcome the Welsh Cavalry (Queen’s Dragoon Guards) and an additional infantry unit to a new, purpose-built barracks in South Wales as well as a new sub-unit of 3 Royal Welsh in Wrexham. These adjustments strengthen our presence across Wales and underlines the importance of Wales to the Army and to the wider UK”

The Barracks in Brecon will not be sold and will continue to house the military headquarters for the majority of troops based in Wales.

The increased Army footprint in Wales will be supported by £320 million investment.

Welsh infantry soldiers will remain at the heart of the Army’s warfighting capability with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh receiving the Army’s new Armoured Personnel Carrier, Boxer.

They will continue to be based on Salisbury Plain, forming a crucial part of the Army’s high-end warfighting division.

The Welsh Guards, based out of Windsor, will continue to balance prestigious ceremonial and protection duties of the Royal Household alongside their light Infantry role.