"Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it."
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march =
Slow: "
Scipio"
, mascot =
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles =
Oudenarde Waterloo Alma Inkerman Sevastopol OmdurmanYpres
Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though
the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality ...
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
Cyprus Emergency
, anniversaries =
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, battle_honours_label =
, disbanded =
, flying_hours =
, website =
, commander1 =
The King
, commander1_label = Colonel-in-Chief
, commander2 =
The Queen Consort
, commander2_label = Colonel of the Regiment
, commander3 =
, commander3_label =
, commander4 =
, commander4_label =
, notable_commanders =
, identification_symbol =
, identification_symbol_label = Tactical recognition flash
, identification_symbol_2 = White
Left side of bearskin cap
, identification_symbol_2_label = Plume
, identification_symbol_3 =
Grenade
, identification_symbol_3_label = Collar badge
, identification_symbol_4 =
Royal Cypher
, identification_symbol_4_label = Shoulder badge
, identification_symbol_5 = GREN GDS
, identification_symbol_5_label = Abbreviation
The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscript ...
of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when
Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in
Bruges
Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
to protect the exiled
Charles II.
In 1665, this regiment was combined with
John Russell's Regiment of Guards to form the current regiment, known as the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards. Since then, the regiment has filled both a ceremonial and protective role as well as an operational one. In 1900, the regiment provided a
cadre
Cadre may refer to:
*Cadre (military), a group of officers or NCOs around whom a unit is formed, or a training staff
*Cadre (politics)
In political contexts a cadre (, , ) consists of a person recognized as a capable militant within a political ...
of personnel to form the
Irish Guards; while later, in 1915 it also provided the basis of the
Welsh Guards upon their formation.
The regiment's early history saw it take part in numerous conflicts including the
War of the Spanish Succession, the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George ...
, the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
, and the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...
; at the end of this period the regiment was granted the "Grenadier" designation by a Royal Proclamation. During the
Victorian era
In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwa ...
, the regiment took part in the
Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
, the
Anglo-Egyptian War, the
Mahdist War, and the
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...
.
During the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, the Grenadier Guards was expanded from three
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 ...
s to five, of which four served on the
Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to:
Military frontiers
* Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany
*Western Front (Russian Empire), a maj ...
, while later during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, six battalions were raised, and several were converted to an armoured role as part of the
Guards Armoured Division. These units fought in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
North-West Europe,
North Africa and
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
.
After the Second World War the regiment was reduced first to three battalions, then to two, and finally to one battalion in the mid-1990s. Major deployments during this time have included operations in
Palestine,
Malaya,
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...
,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
, the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
,
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
and
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
.
History
The Grenadier Guards trace their lineage back to 1656, when
Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised from gentlemen of the
Honourable Artillery Company by the then heir to the throne, Prince Charles (later
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen regnant, queen, which title is also given to the queen consort, consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contempora ...
Charles II), in
Bruges
Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
, in the
Spanish Netherlands
Spanish Netherlands ( Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a '' pars pro toto'') was the ...
(present-day Belgium), where it formed a part of the exiled King's bodyguard. A few years later, a similar regiment known as
John Russell's Regiment of Guards was formed.
In 1665, these two regiments were combined to form the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, consisting of 24
companies of men.
[ Since then the Grenadier Guards have served ten Kings and four Queens, including Queen Elizabeth II. Throughout the 18th century, the regiment took part in a number of campaigns including the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Austrian Succession and the ]Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...
, the regiment gained the name "Grenadier" in July 1815 following a Royal Proclamation.
During the Victorian era, the regiment took part in the Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
, participating in the fighting at the Alma river, Inkerman, and Sevastopol. For their involvement in the Crimean War, four members of the 3rd Battalion received the Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...
. Later the regiment fought at Battle of Tel el-Kebir during the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882, and then the Mahdist War in Sudan
Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
, both during the 1885 Suakin Expedition and in 1898, at the Battle of Omdurman.[ During the ]Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...
, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were deployed to South Africa, where they took part in a number of battles including the Battle of Modder River
The Battle of Modder River ( af, Slag van die Twee Riviere, lit=Battle of the two rivers) was an engagement in the Boer War, fought at Modder River, on 28 November 1899. A British column under Lord Methuen, that was attempting to relieve the ...
and the Battle of Belmont, as well as a number of smaller actions. In 1900, seventy-five men from the regiment were used to raise a fourth Guards regiment, known as the Irish Guards in honour of the role that Irish regiments had played in the fighting in South Africa.
First World War
At the outbreak of the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
in August 1914, the regiment consisted of three battalions and the regiment's commanding officer was Colonel Henry Streatfeild Henry Streatfeild (1706 - 1762) was a substantial British landowner and member of the prominent Chiddingstone, Kent Streatfeild family.
Henry Streatfeild was born on 3 June 1706 in Chiddingstone. He was the son of Henry Streatfeild (1679-1747) and ...
.["Colonel Sir Henry Streatfeild", '']The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...
'' (London), 27 July 1925, p. 16. . With the commencement of hostilities, the regiment raised a service battalion, the 4th Battalion, and a reserve battalion, known as the 5th (Reserve) Battalion, which was used to carry out ceremonial duties in London and Windsor during the war.[ The 2nd Battalion of the regiment was sent to ]France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in August, and the 1st Battalion followed to Belgium in October. They took part in the early stages of the fighting during the period known as " Race to the Sea", during which time they were involved significantly at the First Battle of Ypres. In February 1915, a fifth Guards regiment was raised, known as The Welsh Guards. In recognition of the significant contribution Welshmen had made to The Grenadier Guards, the regiment transferred five officers and 634 other ranks to the newly formed unit. A short time later, permission was received for the formation of the Guards Division, the brainchild of Lord Kitchener, and on 18 August 1915, the division came into existence, consisting of three brigades, each with four battalions.[ Following this the four service battalions of the regiment fought in a number of significant battles including Loos, the Somme, Cambrai, Arras and the Hindenburg Line. Seven members of the regiment received the Victoria Cross during the war.][
Following the Armistice with Germany in November 1918, the regiment returned to just three battalions, which were used in a variety of roles, serving at home in the United Kingdom, as well as in France, Turkey and Egypt.
]
Second World War
During the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, the regiment was expanded to six service battalions, with the re-raising of the 4th Battalion, and the establishment of the 5th and 6th Battalions. The Grenadier Guards' first involvement in the war came in the early stages of the fighting when all three regular battalions were sent to France in late 1939 as part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). The 1st and 2nd Battalions were serving in the 7th Guards Brigade, which also included the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, and were part of the 3rd Infantry Division, led by Major General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
Bernard Montgomery. The 3rd Battalion was in the 1st Guards Brigade attached to the 1st Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Harold Alexander. As the BEF was pushed back by the German blitzkrieg during the battles of France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and Dunkirk, these battalions played a considerable role in maintaining the British Army's reputation during the withdrawal phase of the campaign before being themselves evacuated from Dunkirk.[ After this, they returned to the United Kingdom, where they undertook defensive duties in anticipation of a possible German invasion. Between October 1940 and October 1941, the regiment raised the 4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions. Later, in the summer of 1941, there was a need to increase the number of armoured and motorised units in the British Army and as a result many infantry battalions were converted into armoured regiments; the 2nd and 4th Battalions were re-equipped with tanks, while the 1st Battalion was motorised. The 1st and 2nd (Armoured) Battalions were part of the ]5th Guards Armoured Brigade
The 5th Guards Armoured Brigade was an armoured brigade of the British Army, a component unit of the Guards Armoured Division, that served in the Second World War in North-west Europe from June 1944 until May 1945.
History
This brigade was co ...
, attached to the Guards Armoured Division, and the 4th Battalion was part of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade Group. They subsequently served in the North West Europe Campaign of 1944–45, taking part in several actions, including the Battle for Caen
The Battle for Caen (June to August 1944) is the name given to fighting between the British Second Army and the German in the Second World War for control of the city of Caen and its vicinity during the larger Battle of Normandy. The battles ...
, particularly in Operation Goodwood, as well as Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war in ...
and Operation Veritable.
The 3rd, 5th and 6th Battalions served in the North African Campaign and in the final stages of the Tunisia Campaign, under command of the British First Army, where they fought significant battles in the Medjez-el-Bab
Majaz al Bab ( ar, مجاز الباب), also known as Medjez el Bab, or as Membressa under the Roman Empire, is a town in northern Tunisia. It is located at the intersection of roads GP5 and GP6, in the ''Plaine de la Medjerda''.
Commonwealth w ...
and along the Mareth Line
The Mareth Line was a system of fortifications built by France in southern Tunisia in the late 1930s. The line was intended to protect Tunisia against an Italian invasion from its colony in Libya. The line occupied a point where the routes into ...
. The battalions took part in the Italian Campaign at Salerno, Monte Camino
Monte Camino is a peak in the Biellese Alps, in northern Piedmont, northern Italy. It has an elevation of .
It can be reached from Biella and Andorno Micca.
Maps
* Italian official cartography (''Istituto Geografico Militare'' - IGM); on-lin ...
, Anzio
Anzio (, also , ) is a town and '' comune'' on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.
Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Isl ...
, Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Latin Valley, Italy, west of Cassino and at an elevation of . Site of the Roman town of Casinum, it is widely known for its abbey, the first ho ...
, and along the Gothic Line.[ The 3rd Battalion, still with the 1st Guards Brigade, was attached to the 78th ''Battleaxe'' Infantry Division for two months in Tunisia until it was exchanged for the ]38th (Irish) Brigade
The 38th (Irish) Brigade, is a brigade formation of the British Army that served in the Second World War. It was composed of North Irish line infantry regiments and served with distinction in the Tunisian and Italian Campaigns. Following the e ...
and became part of the 6th Armoured Division, where it would remain for the rest of the war. The 5th Battalion was part of 24th Guards Brigade and served with the 1st Division during the Battle of Anzio. After suffering devastating casualties, the brigade was relieved in March 1944 . The 6th Battalion served with the 22nd Guards Brigade
The 22nd Guards Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw distinguished active service during the Second World War.
History
The 22nd Infantry Brigade was formed by the redesignation of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 3 Septemb ...
, later redesignated 201st Guards Motor Brigade, until late 1944 when the battalion was disbanded due to an acute shortage of Guards replacements. During the course of the conflict, two men of the regiment were awarded the Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previousl ...
. They were Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls of the 3rd Battalion, during the Battle of Dunkirk, and Major William Sidney of the 5th Battalion during the Battle of Anzio
The Battle of Anzio was a battle of the Italian Campaign of World War II that took place from January 22, 1944 (beginning with the Allied amphibious landing known as Operation Shingle) to June 5, 1944 (ending with the capture of Rome). The op ...
in March 1944.
After the Second World War
In June 1945, following the end of hostilities, the 2nd and 4th Battalions gave up their tanks and returned to an infantry role. The regiment returned to three battalions at this time, with the 4th and 5th Battalions being disbanded along with the 6th, which had been removed from the order of battle before the end of the war. Initially, the regiment was employed on occupation duties in Germany; however, the 3rd Battalion was deployed shortly afterwards to Palestine, where it attempted to keep the peace until May 1948, when it was replaced by the 1st Battalion. Further deployments came to Malaya in 1949, Tripoli in 1951 and Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ...
in 1956. In 1960, shortly after returning from Cyprus, the 3rd Battalion paraded for the last time and was subsequently placed in suspended animation. In order to maintain the battalion's customs and traditions, one of its companies, the Inkerman Company, was incorporated into the 1st Battalion.
Since the mid-1960s, the 1st and 2nd Battalions have been deployed to Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sou ...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
where they undertook peacekeeping duties. They also undertook duties as part of the NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two N ...
force stationed in Germany during the Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...
. In 1991, the 1st Battalion, which had been serving in Germany, was deployed to the Middle East, where it took part in the Persian Gulf War mounted in Warrior armoured personnel carriers, before returning for a six-month tour of Northern Ireland.[
In 1994, under the '' Options for Change'' reforms, The Grenadier Guards was reduced to a single battalion. The 2nd Battalion was put into 'suspended animation', and its ]colours
Color (American English) or colour (British English) is the visual perceptual property deriving from the spectrum of light interacting with the photoreceptor cells of the eyes. Color categories and physical specifications of color are associa ...
passed for safekeeping to a newly formed independent company
A privately held company (or simply a private company) is a company whose shares and related rights or obligations are not offered for public subscription or publicly negotiated in the respective listed markets, but rather the company's stock is ...
, which was named "The Nijmegen Company". As a result of this, the regiment was reduced to its current composition: one full battalion, the 1st Battalion, consisting of three rifle companies (The Queen's Company, Number Two Company and Inkerman Company), a support company and a headquarters company, based at Wellington Barracks, London, and one independent company, The Nijmegen Company.[ The Queen, as Colonel-in-Chief, presented new colours to the Nijmegen Company in 2013.
In recent years, the 1st Battalion has deployed as part of Operation Telic in ]Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...
.[ In 2020, during the ]COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, members of the regiment helped assist the NHS for testing of COVID-19 patients, and provided checkpoints throughout London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
in collaboration with the Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment (R ANGLIAN) is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It consists of two Regular battalions and one Reserve battalion. The modern regiment was formed in 1964, making it the oldest of the Line Regiments now operating ...
.
Following the Integrated Review G (Guards) Company, London Regiment at Kingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames (hyphenated until 1965, colloquially known as Kingston) is a town in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, southwest London, England. It is situated on the River Thames and southwest of Charing Cross. It is notable as ...
re-badged and became Ypres Company, Grenadier Guards.
King's Company
The King's Company of The Grenadier Guards traditionally provides the pallbearers for all deceased monarchs, as all soldiers within the company are over the height of six feet.
Battle honours
The 1st Foot Guards has received 78 battle honours, gained for its involvement in a number of conflicts including:
* the War of the Spanish Succession, (1701–1714) including Oudenarde
* the War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George ...
(1740–1748)
* the Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fre ...
, including the Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spai ...
(1808–1814) and the Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armies of the Sevent ...
(1815)
* the Crimean War
The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia.
Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
(1854–1855)
* the Egyptian War (1882)
* the Sudan Campaigns of 1885 and 1898
* the Second Boer War
The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the So ...
(1889–1902)
* the First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
(Western Front) (1914–1918)
* the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
(North Africa, Italy, Northwest Europe) (1939–1945)
* the Persian Gulf War (1990–1991)
Training
Recruits to the Guards Division go through a gruelling thirty-week training programme at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC). The training is two weeks longer than the training for the Regular line infantry regiments of the British Army; the extra training, carried out throughout the course, is devoted to drill and ceremonies.
Colonels-in-Chief
The Grenadier Guards' various colonels-in-chief have generally been the British monarchs, including Edward VII
Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910.
The second chil ...
, George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother ...
, Edward VIII, George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...
, Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states durin ...
and Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person ...
.
Regimental Colonels
The following is a list of individuals who have served in the role of colonel of the regiment:
* Thomas Wentworth, 5th Baron Wentworth (1656);
* Hon. John Russell (1660);
* Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton (1681);
* Edward Lee, 1st Earl of Lichfield (1688);
* Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton (1688);
* Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney (1689);
* Charles Schomberg, 2nd Duke of Schomberg
Charles Schomberg, 2nd Duke of Schomberg ('s-Hertogenbosch, 5 August 1645 – Turin, 17 October 1693) was a general in the Prussian, Dutch and British Army, the second in the Von Schonberg line to be Duke of Schomberg, a title in the Peerage of Eng ...
(1690);
* Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney (1693);
* John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1704);
* James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, (1665–1745) was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormond. Like his grandfather, the 1st Duke, he was raised as a Protes ...
(1712);
* John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1714);
* William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan (1722);
* Sir Charles Wills (1726);
* Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1742);
* John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier (1757);
* Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1770);
* Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1805);
* Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1827);
* Albert, Prince Consort (1852);
* Prince George, Duke of Cambridge (1861);
* Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1904);
* Elizabeth II, Princess Elizabeth (1942);
* George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys (British Army officer), George Jeffreys, 1st Baron Jeffreys (1952);
* Allan Henry Shafto Adair, Sir Allan Henry Shafto Adair (1960);
* Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1975);
* Prince Andrew, Duke of York (2017);
* Camilla, Queen Consort (2022).
Regimental Lieutenant Colonels
The Regimental Lieutenant Colonels have included:
Marches
The Regimental Slow March is the March (music), march ''Scipio'', from the Scipio (opera), opera of the same name by George Frideric Handel, inspired by the exploits of the Roman Republic, Roman General Scipio Africanus. The first performance of ''Scipio'' was in 1726. Handel actually composed the eponymous slow march for the First Guards, presenting it to the regiment before he added it to the score of the opera. The Quick March is ''The British Grenadiers''.[
]
Alliances
* – HMS Illustrious (R06), HMS ''Illustrious'' (until 2014)
* – HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), HMS ''Queen Elizabeth''[Grenadier Gazette, 2019]
* – The Canadian Grenadier Guards
* – 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
* – Worshipful Company of Ironmongers
Lineage
, - style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Lineage
, - style="text-align:center;"
, rowspan="2" style="width:25%; ", 1st Regiment of Foot Guards
(later Grenadier Guards)
, style="width:25%; ", The Lord Wentworth's Regiment, Royal Regiment of Guards
, -
, style="width:25%; text-align:center;", John Russell's Regiment of Guards
Order of precedence
The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Infantry in the British Army[Defence Instructions and Notices (DIN) 2007DIN09-027, ''The Precedence of Regiments and Corps in the Army and within the Infantry'', August 2007.]
See also
*James Ashworth
*George Higginson
*Grenadier Guards Band
*Military history of the United Kingdom
*British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...
*Canadian Grenadier Guards
Notes
Footnotes
Citations
References
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External links
Main Website on British Army Website
Regimental website
The Guards Museum
Containing the history of the five regiments of Foot Guards, Wellington Barracks, London.
British Army site about the GG.
Grenadier Guards Association (East Kent Branch)
Grenadier Guards Association (Nottinghamshire Branch)
Grenadier Guards Association (Bristol Branch)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120224154346/http://british-army-units1945on.co.uk/default.aspx British Army Locations from 1945]
{{British Infantry
Grenadier Guards,
1656 establishments in England
British ceremonial units
Grenadier regiments
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Infantry regiments of the British Army
Regiments of the British Army in the Crimean War
Regiments of the British Army in World War I
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Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Military units and formations of the Gulf War
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Military units and formations established in 1656