The Regiment Carabiniers ''Prins Boudewijn'' – Grenadiers 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 marine i ...
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 ...
in the
Land Component of the
Belgian Armed Forces
The Belgian Defense Forces ( nl, Defensie; french: La Défense) is the national military of Belgium. The King of the Belgians is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The Belgian Armed Forces was established after Belgium became independ ...
. The regiment is a part of the
Motorized Brigade. This regiment is a Dutch speaking unit.
History
Carabiniers
The 1st Rifles Regiment was formed on September 27, 1830 during the
Belgian Revolution. They were equipped with
carbine
A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges.
The smaller size and lighte ...
s and received the title of Regiment of Carabiniers in 1850. On July 21, 1930,
King
King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king.
*In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
Albert I decided that the regiment would bear the title of Regiment Carabiniers Prince Baudouin, in honour of his
late brother (not to be confused with the
king of the same name) who served within its ranks.
Grenadier Regiment
The Grenadier Regiment was founded on May 8, 1837 by King
Leopold I. Originally designated as the ''Regiment of Grenadiers and Voltigeurs'', it was created by bringing together the elite companies of each of the twelve regiments of line infantry then in existence. The new unit consisted of four battalions; two of grenadiers and two of
voltigeurs
The Voltigeurs were French military skirmish units created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon I. They replaced the second company of fusiliers in each existing infantry battalion.
Etymology
''Voltigeurs'' ( ɔltiʒœʀ English: "acrobats") were named ...
. Renamed as the ''Elite Regiment'' a year later the unit finally received the designation of Grenadier Regiment by royal command on March 5, 1850.
[Guy Derie, page 35, ''Les Soldats de Leopold Ier et Leopold II'', D 1986/0197/03]
The new regiment was stationed in the ''Caserne Prince Albert'', in
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
near the
Royal Palace. Today only the monument to the fallen Grenadiers remains of it. In the Hall of Grenadiers the memorabilia and the portraits of the Royal Officers are still kept.
Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers
As a result of cuts to the army after 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 the ...
, the Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn was amalgamated with the 1st Grenadier Regiment on June 27, 1992 in order to form the new Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers. The unit retained its role of mechanised infantry and was stationed in
Leopoldsburg
Leopoldsburg (; french: Bourg-Léopold, ; li, Leopolsbörch) is a municipality located in the Belgian province of Limburg. On January 1, 2006, Leopoldsburg had a total population of 14,403. The total area is 22.49 km² (8.68 sq mi) which ...
. They take part in missions abroad and still have important ceremonial duties.
Today there are approximately 600 Grenadiers of whom 6 are women.
Royal officers
Historically, the regiment had the distinction of having members of the royal family and nobility within its ranks, including:
* King
Leopold II
*
Prince Baudouin
* King
Albert I
* King
Leopold III
Today
Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este
Prince Amedeo of Belgium, Archduke of Austria-Este (Amedeo Marie Joseph Carl Pierre Philippe Paola Marcus d'Aviano; born 21 February 1986) is a grandson of King Albert II of Belgium, and thus a member of the Belgian royal family. He is also ...
is officer of the Second Regiment of Grenadiers. Other important officers included
Francis Dhanis .
Battle honours
The following honours are displayed on the regiment's standard, they are embroidered in gold on the Belgian Colours.
The current Standard was presented to the Regiment by King Albert II in 1994:
* Campaign 1914-1918
* Antwerpen
* Ijzer
* Tervaete
* Steenstraete
* Westrozebeke
* Passendale
* Rumbeke
* Battle of Belgium 1940
Ceremonial duties
The regiment provides the Guard of Honour at the following ceremonies:
* the Annual Service for
Prince Baudouin, Church of Laeken,
* the Annual Service at the Royal Palace, presentation of the Kings Colours, 15 November,
* 11 November Armistice Day.
The grenadiers/carabiniers also provided Guards of Honour at the following occasions:
* Wedding of the Duke of Brabant (1999),
* State Funeral of
Prince Boudouin,
* State Funerals of Queen Elisabeth and Queen Astrid,
* State Funeral of King Leopold III,
* Solemn and Royal Funeral of Queen Fabiola (2014).
Organisation
Carabiniers ''Prins Boudewijn'' – Grenadiers Battalion comprises:
* HQ
staff
* 1st Company
* 2nd Company
* 3rd Company
*
service Company
Lineage
, -style="text-align: center; background: #F08080;"
, align="center" colspan="5", Lineage
, -
, width="20%" align="center", 1st Regiment of Carabiniers
, width="20%" align="center", Regiment of Carabiniers
, width="20%" align="center", Regiment Karabiniers Prins Boudewijn
, width="20%" rowspan="2" align="center" , Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn – Grenadiers
, -
, width="20%" colspan="3" align="center", 1st Regiment of Grenadiers
References
Sources
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Regiment Carabiniers Prins Boudewijn - Grenadiers
Regiments of Belgium
Military units and formations established in 1992
1992 establishments in Belgium
Organisations based in Belgium with royal patronage
Belgian ceremonial units
Grenadier regiments