The Royal Guards Reserve Regiment was a

reserve Reserve or reserves may refer to: Places * Reserve, Kansas, a US city * Reserve, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. John the Baptist Parish * Reserve, Montana, a census-designated place in Sheridan County * Reserve, New Mexico, a US vi ...

formation of the

Household Brigade Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country's most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with ...

in existence from 1900 to 1901.

History and strength

Due to the manpower needs of 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 Sout ...

, several

Royal Reserve Regiments The Royal Reserve Regiments were reserve infantry and cavalry regiments of the British Army in existence from 1900 to 1901. The Second Boer War broke out in South Africa in October 1899. By December, the British army had seen several defeats in ...

were formed from

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

soldiers in the United Kingdom for Home Service. The time expired warrant officers, non commissioned officers and other ranks between the ages of 21 and 45 would enlist for service in the United Kingdom for a period of one year and receive a

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of £22. Created in 1900, the one Battalion of the Regiment consisted of three officers; a Major (Herbert H. Wigram of the Scots Guards), a Captain (Sir

Ralph Barrett MacNaghten Blois Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf"). The most common forms ...

of the Scots Guards) and a Lieutenant ( Charles Barrington Balfour of the Scots Guards), a

Corps of Drums A Corps of Drums, also sometimes known as a Fife and Drum Corps, Fifes and Drums or simply Drums is a unit of several national armies. Drummers were originally established in European armies to act as signallers. The major historical distin ...

, three companies of the

Grenadier Guards "Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it." , colors = , colors_label = , march = Slow: " Scipio" , mascot = , equipment = , equipment ...

, three companies of the

Coldstream Guards The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...

, and two of the

Scots Guards The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the ...

. The Regiment wore the uniforms and hat badges of their previous regiments, but wore a red shoulder strap featuring an embroidered Crown above the word "GUARDS" in an arc with the letters "RR" on the bottom edge. They were brigaded with the 3rd Battalions of the Coldstream and Scots Guards, and were posted at

Wellington Barracks Wellington Barracks is a military barracks in Westminster, central London, for the Foot Guards battalions on public duties in that area. The building is located about three hundred yards from Buckingham Palace, allowing the guard to be able to ...

until being transferred to the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

in October 1900. In addition to performing

public duties Public duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role. Armenia Since September 2018, the Honour Guard Battalion of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia has ...

, the regiment formed a Guard for the

Trooping of the Colour Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed every year in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of the British Army. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. Trooping the Colour has been a tradition of British infantry regi ...

in 1900 where it was noted that the three officers had a total service of fifty four years.p.6 Verney, Peter ''The Micks: The Story of the Irish Guards''P. Davies, 1970 The Regiment was disbanded at the end of the Second Boer War along with the other Royal Reserve Regiments.

Notes

{{reflist Military units and formations established in 1900 Former guards regiments Infantry regiments of the British Army British ceremonial units Guards Division (United Kingdom)