The Grand Ducal Guard (french: Corps de la Garde Grand-Ducale) was the ceremonial guard unit of the

military of Luxembourg The Luxembourg Armed Forces (; french: Armée luxembourgeoise) are the national military force of Luxembourg. The army has been a fully volunteer military since 1967. , it has 939 personnel. The army is under civilian control, with the grand d ...

from 1945 to 1966.

History

Formed in March 1945 the Company of Guards of 120 men were organised into three

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

s. The Company mounted its first postwar guard at the Grand Ducal Palace on 12 April 1945. Though it was planned for the Guard to be at

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

strength, it never was larger than a company. From 1947 the company was referred to as the ''Corps de la Garde Grand-Ducale''. The Corps performed their final

Changing of the Guard Guard mounting, changing the guard, or the changing of the guard, is a formal ceremony in which sentries performing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries. The ceremonies are often elaborate a ...

at the Palace on 29 January 1966 with the Guard being disbanded on 28 February 1966. Troops of the Army of Luxembourg perform the duty today, with frequently only one guard visible at the palace.One Lone Guard – Palais Grand Ducal Photos
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Notes

References

GRAND-DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG
– Virtual Museum Tour Former guards regiments Royal guards Military of Luxembourg Military units and formations established in 1945 Military units and formations disestablished in 1966 1945 establishments in Luxembourg 1966 disestablishments in Luxembourg {{Luxembourg-stub