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Home , Blues and Royals, French Imperial Eagle, Household Cavalry, Household Division, Nemo me impune lacessit, Public duties

Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

1. INTRODUCTION

The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard are the names given to contingents of and soldiers charged with guarding the official royal residences in . The has had of both and since before the restoration of King Charles II, and, since 1660, these have been responsible for guarding the Sovereign Palaces. The Queen's Guard and Queen's Life Guard is mounted at the royal residences which come under the operating area of London District, which is responsible for the administration of the ; this covers , St James's Palace and the , as well as . The Queen's Guard is also mounted at the sovereign's other , the Palace of Holyroodhouse, but not as regularly as in London. In , the guard is the responsibility of the resident infantry at . It is not mounted at the Queen's residences at Sandringham or Balmoral. The Queen's Guard is the name given to the contingent of infantry responsible for guarding Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace (including Clarence House) in London. The guard is made up of a of soldiers from a single , which is split in two, providing a detachment for Buckingham Palace and a detachment for St James's Palace. Because the Sovereign's official residence is still St James's, the guard commander (called the 'Captain of the Guard') is based there, as are the regiment's colours. When the Sovereign is in residence, the Queen's Guard numbers three officers and 40 , with four sentries each posted at Buckingham Palace (on the forecourt) and St James's Palace (two at the main entrance in Pall Mall, two in Friary Court). This reduces to three officers and 31 ORs, with two sentries each when the Sovereign is not in residence. The Queen's Guard is not purely ceremonial in nature. They provide sentries during the day and night, and during the latter hours they patrol the grounds of the Palace. Until 1959, the sentries at Buckingham Palace were stationed outside the fence. This stopped following an incident involving a female tourist and a Coldstream Guardsman - due to the continued pestering of tourists and sightseers, the guardsman kicked the tourist on the ankle as he marched. The tourist made a complaint to the police and, despite sympathy, the sentry was confined to barracks for ten days. Not long after, the sentries were moved inside the fence At any one time, three infantry are posted for ; two of these are Guards battalions (one based at next to Buckingham Palace and one at Victoria Barracks in Windsor), while the third is a line infantry unit (based at Cavalry Barracks, Hounslow). In addition, there are three incremental companies based at Chelsea Barracks. All of these units come under the administrative authority of London District - as public duties units, they not only take part in ceremonial, but are also committed to providing military aid to the civilian authorities.

1 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

2. THE HOUSEHOLD DIVISION

The men you will see in front of Buckingham Palace (and other locations) are not just ceremonial guards but also serving Soldiers. While upholding the traditions of the past, they also perform duties throughout the world as professional soldiers and are known as some of the most elite and skilled soldiers in the British Army. This is why Changes may occur in the guard change as the soldiers are required for operational duties. The Household Division is made up of seven Regiments.These comprise: The Regiment - The Life Guards and The ; and five Regiments of Foot Guards: The Guards, The , The , The and The . Most of the time it is soldiers from one of these regiments that will be outside Buckingham Palace, but do not be surprised if on some occasions you do not see the traditional guardsmen, particularly in August when often other regiments guard the Queen.

The responsibility of guarding the Sovereign by the Household (as they were known at the time) dates back to the time of Henry VII (1485-1509). These are some of the best soldiers in the British Army and have fought in virtually every major area of conflict with great distinction since the 17th Century. They also take an active role in protecting their Sovereign; at night they patrol the grounds of both Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace.

2 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

3. IDENTIFY THE REGIMENTS

Regiments Life Blues & Grenadier Coldstream Scots Irish Welsh Guards Royals Plume on on worn on worn on None worn on worn on the helmet helmet the left the right the right left Plume White Red White Red None Blue White/Green/ colour White Buttons None None Singly Pairs Threes Four Fives Tunics Red Blue Red Red Red Red Red Head wear Metal Metal Bearskin Bearskin Bearskin Bearskin helmet helmet cap cap cap cap cap

3 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

4. HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY

Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions. The British Household Cavalry is classed as a in its own right, and consists of two regiments: The Life Guards and The Blues and Royals ( and 1st ). They are the senior regular regiments in the British Army, with traditions dating from 1660. The regiments are Guards regiments and form Britain's Household Division with the five Foot Guards regiments. The Household Cavalry as a whole is split into two different units which fulfill two very distinct roles. These are both joint units, consisting of personnel from both regiments. Like other Cavalry regiments, the Household Cavalry is divided into regiments (battalion-sized units) and squadrons (company-sized sub-units). The whole corps is under the command of the Commander Household Cavalry (formerly Lieutenant- Commanding Household Cavalry), who also holds Blues and Royals on parade during trooping of the colour the Royal Household appointment of Silver Stick in Waiting. He is a Colonel, and is assisted by a major as Regimental . The current Commander is Colonel Paddy Tabor, MVO QCVS, late The Blues and Royals. The first unit is the Household Cavalry Regiment (HCR). It has an active operational role as a Formation Reconnaissance Regiment, serving in armoured fighting vehicles, which has seen them at the forefront of the nation's conflicts. The regiment serves as part of the , and forms one of five formation reconnaissance regiments in the British order of battle. One of HCR's Squadrons is assigned to the airborne role with . It is based at , Windsor, one mile from Windsor Castle. The men of the Household Division sometimes have been required to undertake special tasks as the Sovereign’s personal troops. The Household Cavalry were called to Windsor Castle on 20th November 1992, to assist with salvage operations in the face of the Great Fire. The second unit is the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR), which is horsed and carries out mounted (and some dismounted) ceremonial duties on State and Royal occasions. These include the provision of a Sovereign's Escort, most commonly seen at the present Queen's Birthday Parade () in June each year. Other occasions include those during State Visits by visiting Heads of State, or whenever required by the British . The regiment also mounts the guard at Horse Guards. It consists of one from each regiment. This has been based (in various forms) at Hyde Park Barracks, , since 1795. This is three-quarters of a mile from Buckingham Palace, close enough for the officers and men of the Household Cavalry to be available to respond speedily to any emergency at the Palace. Rank structure The rank names and insignia of non-commissioned officers in the Household Cavalry are unique in the British Army: Staff /Squadron Quartermaster Corporal = Staff Sergeant/Squadron : Four chevrons, point up, with crown above, worn on lower sleeve = Sergeant: Three chevrons, point down, with metal crown above, worn on upper sleeve 4 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History of Horse = Corporal: Three chevrons, point down, with cloth crown above, worn on upper sleeve Lance Corporal: Two chevrons, point down, with crown above, worn on upper sleeve Technically, Lance Corporal of Horse is an appointment rather than a rank: a new Household Cavalry corporal is automatically and immediately appointed lance corporal of horse, and is referred to as such thereafter. The ranks are the same as the rest of the army, but appointments include Regimental Quartermaster Corporal and Squadron Corporal Major (WO2) and Farrier Corporal Major and Regimental Corporal Major (WO1), again excluding the word sergeant. Formerly, sergeant was exclusively an infantry rank: no cavalry regiment had sergeants. Only the Household Cavalry now maintains this tradition, possibly because sergeant derives from the Latin serviens (meaning servant) and members of the Household Cavalry, once drawn exclusively from the gentry and aristocracy, could not be expected to have such a title. However this origin may be apocryphal, since serjeant was a title used by some offices of comparative seniority, such as Serjeants at Arms, and Serjeants at Law. Uniquely, non-commissioned officers and warrant officers of the Household Cavalry do not wear rank insignia on their full dress uniforms (although officers do). Rank is indicated by a system of . Private soldiers in the Household Cavalry, as in other cavalry regiments, are called "Troopers". Second Lieutenants in the Blues and Royals are known as Cornets.

5 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

4.1. THE BLUES AND ROYALS

The Blues and Royals were formed in 1969 from an amalgamation of the Royal Horse Guards (Blues) and The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons). The Royal Horse Guards trace their origins back to a force raised by prior to the second invasion of , but the parliamentary officers were replaced by royalists in 1660. The regiment then saw almost continuous service in , the Boyne, the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War during which the Marquis of Granby (famous in regimental folklore) commanded the Regiment. The regiment was especially favoured by King George III and, with the appointment of the Duke of Wellington as its Colonel, was elevated to the status of Household Cavalry in 1813. The Regiment went on to see service during the Peninsula Campaign, fighting at the decisive battle of Vittoria in 1813, and as part of The Heavy Cavalry Brigade, at the . The Royal Dragoons (1st Dragoons) trace their origins back to a of horse raised by King Charles II in 1661 to form part of the garrison at Tangier, which was part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza. They became Dragoons on their return to in 1683. The term derived from the 'dragon', a musket suitable for mounted infantry. They received the Tangier, the oldest battle honour carried on standards, guidons and colours in the British Army. The Royals, as they were known, then served in the War of Spanish Succession, the War of Austrian Succession and in the Spanish Peninsula Trumpeter, The Blues and Royals before distinguishing itself at the Battle of Waterloo (Royal Horse Guards & 1st Dragoons) where the regiment captured the French 105th Infantry Regiment's Colours. The that topped the Colour, with the number 105, still forms part of the Regiment's today and is worn on our uniforms. The latter half of the nineteenth century saw them in action in the Crimea, The Boer War and in before deploying to Flanders in 1914. The regiment fought at Ypres, Loos, Hohenzollern and against the in 1917. The inter war years saw The Royal Dragoons stationed in Egypt, India and Palestine before the regiment was deployed to the Western Desert in 1941 seeing distinguished service at El Alamein. in 1944 saw the regiment in Normandy from where they went onto liberate Copenhagen in 1945. The regiment spent the post war years in Egypt, and the Trucial States before amalgamation in 1969. Meanwhile, The Royal Horse Guards were serving with The Household Cavalry regiment in Egypt in 1882, the Sudan and South Africa. Like The Life Guards, the Blues saw action in the majority of major actions in Flanders, also suffering heavy losses at Zandvoorde, and in the 3rd Guards Machine Gun Battalion (Blues) in 1918. Likewise the Second World War saw the Regiment divided between 1st and 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment in Palestine, Syria and Normandy before entering the German naval base of Cuxhaven in 1945. The years afterwards were spent in Germany, and Windsor before the regiment amalgamated with The Royal Dragoons in March 1969. Since 1969 the new regiment has served in Windsor, , Germany and Cyprus and most notably provided the only in the shape of two troops and a small command element during the Falklands Campaign in 1982. 6 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History Since the Defence Review in 1991, the regiment has, like The Life Guards, two reconnaissance squadrons in Windsor and a mounted ceremonial squadron in London. The regiment has also recently had squadrons on operational duty with the and NATO in Bosnia and Kosovo.

7 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

4.2. THE LIFE GUARDS

The Life Guards, the senior Regiment in the British Army, can trace its origins back to approximately 1651. But generally the date given is 1660, at the Restoration of King Charles II from his exile in Europe. They first saw action at the Battle of Sedgemoor in 1685, but their first battle honour is The Battle of Dettingen fought on June 16 1743. After changes to the Army in 1788 The 1st & 2nd Life Guards Regiments were formed, from their descendants, The Horse & four Troops of the Kings Horse Guards. This period also saw the origins of today's Ceremonial uniform. The Peninsula Campaign saw The Life Guards at home until 1812, they then joined Wellingtons army against , as part of the Household Brigade and saw various action until the end of the campaign in 1814. May 1815 saw the Regiment embark for after the threat of Napoleon once again spread across Europe. Their first action was in the village of Genappe on 17th seeing off the French , after they had routed the British 7th and the 23rd . The following day saw the French defeated at Waterloo. The Life Guards formed part of the Household Brigade that charged the French saving the British forces from being overrun. After the death of George III in 1820, the Blues also joined Troopers, 1st Life Guards, 1830 the 1st & 2nd Life Guards as the third regiment of the Household Cavalry Regiment. Not until August 1882 did The Life Guards once more serve away from home, In Egypt. As part of the Composite Household Cavalry Regiment, they took part in the moonlight at Kassassin. On September 15 they again saw action at Tel-El-Kebir. With the Sudan in turmoil, in 1884, men from the 1st & 2nd Life Guards joined troops from other cavalry regiments to form The Heavy Camel regiment. The Boer War's (1899/1902) in South Africa again saw the Household Cavalry Composite Regiment ready for action. The Relief of Kimberley & Paardeberg being two of the main battles. During , the Regiment saw action at Mons, Le Château, Ypres, Loos, and Zandvoorde where two complete squadrons were wiped out. They spent their fair share of time along with other regiments in the trenches and also fought at Arras, The Somme and Cambrai. 1918 saw them as specialists with Machine Guns fighting at Bethune and The Hindenburg Line. Disappointment for the regiment came when in 1922 the 1st & 2nd Life Guards where amalgamated to become `The Life Guards (1st & 2nd )`, then in 1928 to `The Life Guards`. The onset again in 1939 of World War, saw the Life Guards contribute men to the 1st Household Cavalry Regiment (1HCR), being sent to Palestine in 1940, with there horses. In 1941 the horses where releaved and replaced by 15 cwt trucks. The Regiment saw action in Iraq, Syria and Persia. Back in the UK the 2nd Household Cavalry Regiment (2HCR) had been formed and given Armoured Cars. 1HCR would follow suit but stay in North Africa. 1HCR took part in the Battle of El Alamein, then in the Italian campaign in 1944. 2HCR landed at Normandy in July 1944 as an armoured car regiment and spearheaded the Guards Armoured Brigade advance through to liberate . They reached the bridge at Nijmegan and Arnhem soon after. After World War II, the Regiment saw service in Egypt's Canal Zone, Aden, Oman, in Cyprus, Malaya, Singapore and Borneo. 8 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History 1969 saw the amalgamation of the Royal Horse Guards (the Blues) and the Royal Dragoons to become the Blues & Royals. The Royals now becoming part of the Household Cavalry Regiment. Since the early seventies, the Regiment has done several tours of Northern Ireland and a number in Cyprus as United Nations Forces. The entire Regiment deployed to the Gulf in 1990, finishing up on the City highway. During the defence review in 1991, the Regiment was reduced to two reconisancce squadrons based at Windsor with the Blues and Royals, and one squadron at Hyde Park to cover ceremonial duties. The Regiment has more recently had two squadrons on operational duties in Bosnia with the United Nations.

9 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

5. FOOT GUARDS

The Foot Guards is a group of regiments in the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, all of which still exist apart from the Machine Gun Guards, which was formed during the First World War and disbanded in 1920:

• Grenadier Guards • Coldstream Guards • Scots Guards • Irish Guards • Welsh Guards • Machine Gun Guards

While regiments may have other distinguishing features, a simple method of identification is by observing the spacing of buttons on the tunic. The ascending number of buttons also indicates the order in which the regiments were formed, although the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, an ancestor of the Grenadier Guards, is younger than the regiment that now takes the name of the Coldstream Guards; the oldest continuously serving regiment in the British Army. There are various other methods of telling apart the different regiments - the colour of the plume, and what side it is worn on the bearskin, the collar badge and the shoulder badge. When all five regiments parade together, they are in the order Grenadier Guards on the right flank, then Scots Guards, Welsh Guards, Irish Guards and Coldstream Guards on the left flank. This is because, although the Coldstream are ranked second in seniority, their is 'Nulli Secundus' ('Second to None').

The five regiments of foot guards, lined up as they parade

Foot Guards, wearing , march to the Cenotaph on June 12th 2005 for a service of remembrance for Irish troops. Their uniform buttons are in groups of four, identifying these soldiers as Irish Guards

10 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History Units of the Foot Guards

• Grenadier Guards o 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards o Nijmegen Company, Grenadier Guards • Coldstream Guards o 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards o No 7 Company, Coldstream Guards • Scots Guards o 1st Battalion, Scots Guards o F Company, Scots Guards • Irish Guards o 1st Battalion, Irish Guards • Welsh Guards o 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards o G Squadron, 22nd SAS Regiment: This is not strictly a Guards unit; it is a unit of the Special Air Service made up of volunteers from the Household Division.

The first three regiments each have a separate incremental company which keep custody of the colours and traditions of the currently dormant 2nd Battalions. These companies perform ceremonial and security duties whenever the regiment is quartered in London.

Changing the Guard, at Buckingham Palace, London The Foot Guards have a role as the primary garrison for the capital, for the military security of the Sovereign, and for ceremonial duties in London and occasionally elsewhere. Two battalions are appointed for public duties, with a third from a line infantry regiment since 1996 (and occasionally previously). These provide the Queen's Guard, the Tower of London Guard, and sometimes also the Windsor Castle Guard. The Guards Battalions on Public Duties are located in barracks conveniently close to Buckingham Palace for them to be able to reach the Palace very quickly in an emergency. In central London, a battalion is based at Wellington Barracks, Westminster, about 300 yards from Buckingham Palace, and independent companies of the Grenadier, Coldstream, and Scots Guards (all on permanent public duties) are at Chelsea Barracks, three-quarters of a mile away. The Guards Battalion stationed at Windsor generally provides the Windsor Castle Guard. The Windsor battalion is at Victoria Barracks, a quarter of a mile south of the Castle. The will receive a new battalion following the restructuring of the army in 2004, when the becomes the first ever TA Guards unit. The Guards Machine Gun Regiment, was raised for service during the First World War. Initially, each brigade of the Guards Division had a machine gun company attached. In 1917, these companies were regimented to form a battalion. Further battalions were formed by conversion of the Household Cavalry regiments, and King ordered that the regiment be classified as the Sixth Regiment of Foot Guards, or Machine Gun Guards. However it was disbanded in 1920.

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5.1. THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS

The Coldstream Regiment was formed in 1650 by George Monck, a in Oliver Cromwell's "New Model Army" and can therefore claim to be one of the oldest regiments in the world. In 1661, shortly after the restoration of the monarchy, they were re-commissioned by King Charles II as Household Troops and from the town of Coldstream which lies just inside Scotland near Berwick- Upon-Tweed where it was first formed. From the earliest days the Regiment had drummers and a "Band of Music" from 1742. This was in fact eight civilian musicians who were hired by the month by Officers of the Regiment to provide music for the Changing of the Guard at St.James' Palace. When, in 1785, the musicians were asked to perform at an aquatic excursion to , they declined on the grounds that the performance was "incompatible with their several respectable and private engagements." This was too much for the officers who asked the Duke of , Colonel of the Regiment, for a regular attested band. He agreed and from Hanover in Germany sent twelve musicians under the direction of Music Major C.F. Eley. The instrumentation consisted of two oboes, four clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, one trumpet and a Serpent. The date of the band's formation was May 16th , 1785. In 1815, the year of the Regiment's distinction at Waterloo, the total strength of the band was increased to twenty-two by the addition of flutes, key bugles and trombones. In the same year the band went abroad for the first time when it was ordered to Paris for duty with the Allied Army of Occupation. As was usual in the British Army at the time, the Regiment's early were of German extraction. Christopher Eley (1785-1800), John Weyranch (1800-14), James Denman (1814-18), and Thomas Willman (1818-25). In 1835 the first truly British Charles Godfrey took over. This event anticipated the general replacement of foreign Bandmasters in the Army by British musicians by about thirty five years, and it was under his Baton that the foundation of the musical and military expertise of today Colour Sergeant and Sergeant, was started. In 1863 his son Frederick Godfrey took charge of the Coldstream Guards, 1856 band, followed in 1880 by Cadwallader Thomas who retired in 1896. By the end of the nineteenth century the band had grown to thirty-five in number. Its importance had grown too; both within the Army and the British way of life. decreed that all members of Household Division Bands would be known by the title of "Musician," as opposed to "Bandsmen" for the rest of the Army Bands. In 1869 John MacKenzie Rogan took over as Director of music and it was he who ushered the band into the the twentieth century. By 1900 the size of the band had grown to fifty-one musicians and during the years before World War I the band reached new heights of excellence in concert and on record. In fact, the band was one of the first British Army bands to make a recording. The Coldstream Guards Band became the first band to visit North America when it traveled to in 1903, one of two western tours around that time. In 1907 at the invitation of the French Government, the band was the first within the to visit France. In 1920 when Robert Evans took over as Director of Music, the band had a strength of sixty-six. One of the duties he undertook was to take the band to Coldstream, Scotland with the Regiment for the first time since 1660 to lay up colours. Throughout the 1920's the band continued to take part in state, ceremonial and a hectic round of public engagements all over the country, and as recording techniques improved, more fine records were produced. In 1926 the band again toured Canada, and on one occasion while in Calgary, they were transported in a fleet of Studerbaker limousines! 12 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History In 1930 James Causley Windram became the Director of Music and under him the band did many broadcasts on BBC radio. A more unusual engagement was to don uniforms of the Napoleonic period for the pre-war film "The Pimpernel." In 1936 the band was present at St. James' Palace for the proclamation of King Edward VIII and the following abdication, for that of King George VI. At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 the familiar scarlet tunics were replaced by khaki and during the war the band did important work encouraging the morale of troops and civilians throughout the country. It was on Sunday, June 18, 1944 that the greatest tragedy in the history of the band occurred. The band was playing in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks when it was struck by a German VI Flying bomb. Over 120 people were killed including the Director of Music, Major Windram, and five musicians. Despite this disaster the band continued to function until the new director of Music, Captain Douglas Arthur Pope was appointed. One of his first duties was to follow the Allied forces to Europe after D-Day. After the war the band continued as it had done before with the usual round of state, court and ceremonial duties, plus the many varied private engagements both at home and abroad. It was in 1960 that the band went to North America for a three month coast to coast tour, this was the first of what became a regular ten yearly event. The band went again in 1970,1981 and 1991. In 1963, now Lieutenant Colonel Pope, who had also become senior Director of Music of the Guards Division, retired from the Army and Captain Trevor Le Mare took over as Director of Music, he went on to become senior Director of Music in the British Army at The Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall. In 1974 Captain Richard Annison Ridings took over as Director of Music and he went on to become Senior Director of Music, Guards Division. Major Roger Graham Swift served in the post from 1985 to 1990, when Major David Marshall then took over until retiring in Late 1999. Major Marshall was succeeded by Captain Ian McElligott. The present Director of Music is Major Graham Jones. Today the band is scaled for 49 musicians, who apart from "doubling" on other instruments, such as strings and keyboards, are medical assistants, and in the event of a full scale conflict would be called upon to be stretcher bearers and field hospital assistants. The last ten years have seen the band involved with what is probably the most intense period of international travel in its entire history. Not only has the band undertaken many duty trips, visiting either of two battalions stationed abroad, but has gone on many private and commercial tours "Flying the Flag " around the world. In 1984 the band moved into the newly completed Wellington Barracks and for the first time since the band was formed has official accommodation. The accommodation comprises of full changing and official facilities and a fine practice room. Before this the band had no permanent residence and at one stage rehearsed in a room above a public house in Chelsea! The Band of The Coldstream Guards has now been in existence for over 200 years of continuous service which makes it one of the oldest Military Bands in the world.

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5.2. THE GRENADIER GUARDS

The Grenadier Guards is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards. The Coldstream Guards were organized before the Grenadier Guards, but their regiment is reckoned after the in seniority. The Regiment, as the Royal Regiment of Guards, was formed in 1656 by King Charles II who was then in exile in Bruges, Flanders. It was known as the First Guards later becoming the First Regiment of Foot Guards and now bears the title "The First or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards" in honour of the defeat of Grenadiers of the French Imperial Guard at the battle of Waterloo in 1815. It is the only regiment in the British Army that has directly gained its title from the part it played in action. In 1656, Wentworth's Regiment was formed in the Spanish Netherlands, forming a portion of exiled King Charles II'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. As a result of their heroic actions in fighting off the French grenadiers at Waterloo, the 1st Guards were renamed by Royal Proclamation as the 1st or Grenadier Regiment of Foot Guards, thus becoming the only regiment in the British Army to be named for one of its battle honours. Since its formation the Regiment has fought in almost every major campaign of the British Army. It fought against the Moors at Tangiers (1680) and in America (1776-82) and even took part as Marines in the naval wars against the Dutch (1793). They also fought in the , Waterloo (1815), Crimea (1854-56). Tel-el-Kebir (1882) the Boer War (1899-1902) and Grenadier, 28th Foot, 1751 both World Wars. In the Great War (1914-1918) the four battalions of the Regiment fought in all the principle battles of the Western Front suffering 12,000 casualties. Six battalions were raised during the Second World War (1939-1945), the 3rd, 5th and 6th Battalions serving in North Africa and Italy while the 1st , 2nd and 4th Battalion took part in the Normandy landings and the action in North West Europe. The 1st and 2nd Battalions served with the and the 4th Battalion with 6th Guards Tank Brigade. Since World War II the Regiment has served in virtually every one of the smaller campaigns and conflicts throughout the world. From Palestine (1945-48), Malaya (1948-49), the Middle East (1948-56), Cyprus (1956-59), the Gulf War (1990-91) and through many tours in Northern Ireland from 1969. Throughout this time it has continued its traditional and privileged task of mounting guard over the Sovereign. The grouping of buttons on the tunic is a common way to distinguish between the regiments of Foot Guards. Grenadier Guards' buttons are equally spaced and embossed with the . Modern Grenadier Guardsmen wear a cap badge of a "grenade fired proper". The Grenadier Guards is during 2006 celebrating its 350th anniversary. The Regimental Slow March is the march Scipio, from the opera of the same name by George Friedrich Handel, inspired by the exploits of the Roman General Scipio Africanus. The Quick March is "The British Grenadiers". The Colonel-in Chief is always the reigning Sovereign. This applies to all Regiments of the Household Division

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5.3. THE IRISH GUARDS

The Irish Guards were raised as a Regiment in the year 1900 by order of Queen Victoria, in honour of the brave Irishmen who fought in the British Army's South African Campaigns. The creation of The Irish Guards was ordered by Her Majesty following a suggestion in 1900 from Lord Wolseley that the Irish Regiments of the British Army should wear the shamrock in their headdress on 17th. March(St. Patrick's Day) each year as a mark of The Crown's appreciation of their exceptional gallantry at Ladysmith, South Africa during the Boer War. During the battles at Ladysmith and Bloemfontein the Irishmen of The Inniskilling Fusiliers, The Dublin Fusiliers and The Connaught Rangers had particularly distinguished themselves by their bravery. An Irish M.P. then suggested in Parliament that as there were already regiments of Scots Guards and English Guards, a regiment of Irish Guards should be created. Holder of the regimental serial number 1 was Colour Sergeant Conroy who was transferred from The Royal Munster Fusiliers. The Irish Guards' first Commanding Officer was Irishman Field Marshal Lord Roberts. The Regiment received its first colours from His Majesty King Edward VII at a parade held on Horse Guards Parade, London in May 1902. From that year, the Irish Guards adopted as its official mascot a pedigree Irish Wolfhound, and one of that breed has taken part in its formal parades ever since, wearing a specially embroidered coat of livery. At the outbreak of The Great War, The Irish Guards were quartered in Wellington Barracks, London and left there for the battlefields of France on 12 August 1914. Almost the entire complement of 1100 other ranks and 32 officers were Irish-born. The Regiment landed at Le havre as part of the British Expeditionary Force, 4(Guards) Brigade, 2nd. Division. They were charged with the task of covering the retreat from Mons to the River Aisne and took part in fierce fighting with the German Army at Landrecies on 23 August, when their Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel G.H. Morris, was killed. Together with the rest of The British Expeditionary Force, The Irish Guards from September 1914 onwards were engaged in lengthy trench warfare in Northern France in appalling conditions. The Year 1914 saw the formation of a 2nd. Reserve Piper and , rd Irish Guards Battalion, which then became the 3 . Battalion and remained at Warley. In July 1915 the 2nd. Battalion of The Irish Guards was formed at Warley Barracks and joined its companion the 1st. Battalion in France and Flanders for the remainder of The Great War. The fighting spirit of these Irishmen gave rise to many incidents of bravery during the days of that horrendous conflict. Perhaps one of the most famous acts of gallantry of men of The Irish Guards was that of Lance-Corporal Michael O'Lear, who won that regiment's first . The words of his citation, published on 18 February 1915 read thus:- "O'Leary, No. 3556, L/CPL. Michael. Ist. Battalion. Date of act of bravery: 1 February 1915. When forming one of the storming party which advanced against the enemy's barricades, he rushed to the front and himself killed five Germans who were holding the first barricade, after which he attacked a second barricade about 60 yards further on, which he captured after killing three of the enemy and making prisoners of two more. L/Cpl/ O'Leary thus practically captured the enemy's position by himself, and prevented the rest of the attacking party being fired upon." In 1917 two Irish Guardsmen received The Victoria Cross medal for their heroism in the same attack on Ney Copse, Broembroek, Belgium. These were Lance-Sergeant John Moyney and Private Thomas Woodcock. John Moyney's party was surrounded by the enemy, but managed to hold out for 96 hours. They evaded capture, drove off an enemy attack and then managed to retreat to the British lines without any losses. 15 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History In 1918 Lieutenant, Acting Lieutenant-Colonel J.N. Marshall, M.C., of The Irish Guards, was on detachment to the 16th . Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers and was commanding that unit at Catillon near the Sambre-Oise Canal. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his bravery there on 4 November 1918. Altogether, the men of The Irish Guards in World War I gained almost 400 medals for their bravery - 67 Military Crosses, 77 Distinguished Conduct Medals, 277 Military Medals and 4 Victoria Crosses. In the cause of freedom in Europe, fought for so gallantly by the brave Irishmen of this regiment during World War I, 115 officers and 2235 other ranks gave their lives, 246 were taken prisoner, 195 officers and 5541 other ranks were wounded. On 2 July 2000, The Irish Guards were awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool, England, to mark the Regiment's 100th. year. On this day, fifty of the soldiers of The Irish Guards clad in full regimental dress uniform marched in parade through the streets of Liverpool carrying rifles with bayonets fixed. This privelege is one of those bestowed upon military units awarded the Freedom of a City. During the ceremony on 2 July 2000, the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Eddie Clein, said, "Liverpool has very strong links with The Irish Guards and it is entirely appropriate that we should grant the Regiment, in its Centenary Year, the highest honour the City can confer. We hope the association with The Irish Guards will continue as strongly in the next century as it has during the last 100 years".

16 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History 5.4. THE SCOTS GUARDS

The Scots Guards are the second oldest Scottish corps, having been raised in 1642 when King Charles I commissioned Archibald, Marquis of Argyll, to command and send a regiment to Ireland. From the fact that the regiment was chosen to receive the honour of a Royal Commission it is surmised that the King intended it to be used as a guard for his person. One of the officers who sailed with the regiment to Ireland was Major afterwards Sir James Turner, a professional soldier and the original of Sir Walter Scott's Dugald Dalgetty. The regiment was engaged in operations in Ireland until 1645 and five years later King Charles II selected it to form the nucleus of his Foot Guards. It was present at the battles of Dunbar and Worcester but practically ceased to exist during the following nine years. The regiment was re-created on the restoration of King Charles II and took part in the battles of Rullion Green in 1666 and Bothwell Brig in 1679. In the War of the League of Augsburg the regiment lost heavily at the battle of Landen (1693) and was present at the capture of Namur (1695). In 1712 it became known as the "Third Regiment of Foot Pipe Sergeant and Guardsman, Guards." From an order issued in 1720 it is interesting to note that Scots Guards the rate for the sale of commissions in the regiment ranged from £150 for Quartermaster to £2,400 for Captain and £5,000 for Lieutenant-Colonel. The purchase of commissions was abolished in 1871. The regiment took part in the War of the Austrian Succession from 1742 to 1748 and fought at the battles of Dettingen - the last occasion on which a British monarch was present at the front until the War of 1914-1918 and Fontenoy. In 1776 two companies formed part of a composite Guards Battalion which was sent to America to assist in quelling the revolt of the American colonies. For its part in the conquest of Egypt in 1801 the regiment, in common with other regiments engaged, was awarded the Sphinx superscribed "Egypt," the first general battle honour to be given in the British Army. The 2nd Battalion played a distinguished part in the historic defence of the Chateau of Hougomont at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It was a party of the Coldstream and 3rd Foot Guards who succeeded in closing the main gate and barring it. The regiment, then known as the Scots Fusilier Guards, formed part of the Guards Brigade in the . The gallantry of the regiment in this campaign is evidenced by the award of five Victoria Crosses. From about 1785 to the middle of the 19th century the regimental band included three negroes, called time beaters, two of whom carried tambourines and the third Turkish bells. They were dressed in gorgeous Eastern uniforms, heavily braided, and turbans with a plume. In 1877 Queen Victoria restored to the regiment its old title of Scots Guards. The regiment further enhanced its reputation in the field during the South African War of 1899- 1902. It took part in many engagements, including Modder River, Magersfontein and Paardeberg, and displayed tireless endurance in many forced marches during the campaign. In the war of 1914-1918 both battalions saw much hard fighting on the Western Front. In the 1939-1945 war the regiment served in Norway, the Western Desert, North Africa, Italy and North-West Europe. The Scots Guards have no regimental tartan, except the pipers who wear the Royal Stewart tartan. The Scots Guards are still an active serving regiment in the British Army.

17 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History 5.5. THE WELSH GUARDS

The Welsh Guards was raised on 26 February 1915 by order of King George V, in order to complete the national complement of regiments of Foot Guards identified with the countries of the . The Welsh Guards could now take their place alongside the English Grenadier Guards and Coldstream Guards, the Scots Guards and the Irish Guards. Two days later, the Battalion mounted its first King’s Guard at Buckingham Palace on 1 March 1915 - St David’s Day. On 17 March 1915 the 1st Battalion sailed for France and formed part of the Guards Division. Its first battle was fought at Loos on 27 September 1915 and the Regiment’s first Victoria Cross was won by Sergeant Robert Bye at Pilckem in July 1917. Between the wars, the 1st Battalion was stationed in Cologne, Egypt and Gibraltar, where it was at the outbreak of war in 1939. The Regiment was expanded to three Battalions during World War II. The 1st Battalion fought in all the campaigns of North West Europe. The 2nd , Battalion was formed in 1939 and fought in Boulogne in 1940, whilst the 1st Welsh Guards Battalion was in Belgium as part of the British Expeditionary Force. In May 1940, at the , the Regiment’s second Victoria Cross was won by Lieutenant the Hon Christopher Furness, who was killed in action. In 1941, a 3rd Battalion was raised and fought throughout the Tunisian and Italian Campaigns. Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd Battalion formed part of the Guards Armoured Division - the 1st Battalion as infantry and the 2nd Battalion as an Armoured Battalion. The two Battalions working together were the first troops to re-enter Brussels on 3 September 1944 after an advance of 100 miles in one day, in what was described as ‘an armoured dash unequalled for speed in this or any other war’. Shortly after the war, the 3rd Battalion was disbanded and the 2nd Battalion was placed in suspended animation. Since 1945, the 1st Battalion has served in the Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Palestine, Egypt, Germany, Aden, Cyprus, Belize. The Battalion has also exercised in many other parts of the world including Canada, Greece, Norway, Kenya, Belize, Macedonia and Poland. In more recent years the 1st Battalion has carried out five six-month and one two-year operational tours in Northern Ireland and in 1982 formed part of the Task Force in the Falklands Campaign, the Battle Honour for which is now borne on the Colours. Having completed Op TELIC 5 the Battalion can add Iraq to its list of operational tours. As a Foot Guards Regiment in the Household Division, the Welsh Guards are proud to provide the guard for Her Majesty the Queen at her royal residences. When carrying out these duties the Battalion is based in or near London. The next tour of ceremonial duties for the Battalion is from early 2006–2008 where we will be posted to Wellington Barracks in central London. During this period the Battalion will provide the Guards at St James’s and Buckingham Palaces, Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. Other ceremonial tasks and parades consist of Trooping the Colour and Guards of Honour for visiting heads of state. The Battalion wears the famous red tunic and bearskin whilst carrying these duties. The Battalion will not be carrying out all ceremonial duties for this two year period as two other Battalions also assigned to ‘public duties’ will share the tasks. In order to keep the Battalion fit and current on their military skills, it is normal for the Battalion to deploy on overseas exercises and operational tours whilst on ‘public duties’ postings

18 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History 6. THE WARDERS

William the Conqueror and his army landed in England from France in the year 1066. In 1078 he started to build the Tower of London. Now, nine hundred years later, this famous castle is full of history and tradition. The guards at the Tower are called Yeoman Warders or Beefeaters. The origin of the term 'Beefeater' is unclear. It may originate from the fact that early Warders were paid in beef, amongst other things. Count Cosimo, grand duke of Tuscany, visited the Tower in 1669 and commented on this ''A very large ration of beef is given to them daily at court...that they might be called Beef-eaters"' and earlier references can also be found. Other suggestions include that it was either, a corruption of a French term ''buffetier'' an archic term for the guard of the king's food, or, a derogatory term used when they were relatively well fed at the side of many ordinary people who lived near them in London. The term "beefeater" is also used to refer to the traditional headgear of the Yeoman Warders. Beefeater gin is a brand of gin produced in the U.K.. Beefeaters were originally established in 1485 as King Henry VII's bodyguard, immediately after is victory at Bosworth. They are best known for their scarlet and gold dress uniforms which date from 1552 and are worn on state occasions. The Beefeaters used to guard the Tower and its prison. Today, they work mostly as guides for the many visitors to the Tower of London and they guard the British crown jewels. A Beefeater As well as their duties at the Tower, Yeoman Warders also attend the Coronation of the Sovereign, , the Lord Mayor's Show and other state and charity functions. There are two uniforms. The ceremonial uniform is worn for State Occasions such as the Coronation of the Sovereign, lying in state, the Lord Mayor's Show and other state and charity functions. There are 36 . All warders are retired from the and must have at least 22 years of service with good conduct, at the rank of, or equivalent to, Sergeant Major or above. The Yeomen Warders are often incorrectly referred to as , which is actually a distinct corps of Royal Bodyguards. Gilbert and Sullivan shared this confusion by naming their operetta The Yeomen of the Guard when it appears to be about Yeomen Warders. This uniform consists of a knee-length scarlet tunic, scarlet knee-breeches and stockings, and a round brimmed hat called a Tudor bonnet. Queen introduced the distinctive white neck ruff worn by the Beefeaters. This uniform is generally only worn on state occasions. There are two uniforms. The ceremonial uniform is worn for State Occasions such as the Coronation of the Sovereign, lying in state, the Lord Mayor's Show and other state and charity functions. The Yeomen Warders normally wear an 'undress' uniform of dark blue with red trimmings. When the sovereign visits the tower, or the warders are on duty at a state occasion, they wear red and gold uniforms very similar to those of the Yeoman of the Guard. The origin of the term 'Beefeater' is unclear. Beefeaters, working at the Tower of London, are usually seen wearing the blue undress uniform granted to them by Queen Victoria in 1858. The uniform bears the initials of the Sovereign. One of London’s most timeless ceremonies, dating back 700 years is the ceremony of the keys which takes place at the Tower of London. At 21:53 each night the Chief Yeoman Warder of the Tower, dressed in Tudor uniform, sets off to meet the Escort of the Key dressed in the well-known Beefeater uniform. Together they tour the 19 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History various gates ceremonially locking them, on returning to the Bloody Tower archway they are challenged by a sentry. "Who goes there?" "The Keys." answers The Chief Warder "Whose Keys?" the sentry demands. "Queen Elizabeth's Keys." "Pass Queen Elizabeth's Keys. All's well." A trumpeter then sounds the Last Post before the keys are secured in the Queen’s House.

20 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History 7.

Dragoon guards was, in some armies, particularly the British Army, the designation used to refer to heavy cavalry regiments from the 18th century onwards. Dragoon guards usually wore cuirasses and helmets and carried heavy sabres, and were similar to cuirassiers in other armies. The British Army first used the designation in 1746, when the King's Own Regiment of Horse and the Princess of 's Own Regiment of Horse were redesignated the 1st and 2nd Dragoon Guards. Other regiments followed. By the early 19th century, the British Dragoon Guards regiments had abandoned their cuirasses (although they still wore helmets) and were essentially indistinguishable from Dragoon regiments. The Dragoon Guards regiments took precedence over all other Cavalry Regiments of the Line. The Dragoon Guards regiments converted to armoured cars and tanks in the 20th century. There are still three Dragoon Guards regiments in the British Army: • 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards • Dragoon Guards •

The 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards

The 1st Queen's Dragoon Guards (QDG) is an regiment of the British Army formed in 1959 by the amalgamation of 1st King's Dragoon Guards and the Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards), both of which were raised in 1685 by James II of England in reaction to the Monmouth Rebellion. Nicknamed The Welsh Cavalry the regiment recruits from Wales, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, and is the senior Heavy Camp flag of the 1st Queen's Dragoon Cavalry regiment, and therefore senior Cavalry Regiment of Guards the Line. The regiment is part of the Royal Armoured Corps. The regiment currently operates in the formation reconnaissance role and is equipped with Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles. The regiment's cap badge is the Habsburg double headed eagle, which Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria allowed the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards to wear when he become their Colonel-in-Chief in 1896. Perhaps the best known member in recent years was Captain Mark Phillips, one-time husband of Princess.

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards

The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) (SCOTS DG) is the senior of the British Army and Scotland's only cavalry regiment. It was formed on 2 July 1971 at Holyrood, Edinburgh by the amalgamation of the ('s Dragoon Guards) (themselves the product of the amalgamation in 1922 of 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers), and The (2nd Dragoons).

21 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History The regiment has won numerous battle honours and two Victoria Crosses, and, through the Royal Scots Greys, is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army. The regiment is currently based in Fallingbostel, Germany, as part of the 7th Armoured Brigade ('The Desert Rats'). • Organisation The regiment is a Type 58 Challenger 2 tank regiment (i.e. it is equipped with 58 Challenger 2 tanks), which are organised into four Sabre Squadrons. It was the first regiment to be equipped with Challenger 2. In addition the regiment also fields a close Reconnaissance Troop mounted in eight CVRT Sabres, and a large Headquarters Squadron, which supplies ammunition, fuel, and rations and includes specialist technicians, mechanics and artisans, as well as clerical and medical staff. • History The regiment has performed a number of tours of Northern Ireland, suffering one loss in 1972, when Caie was killed by a landmine in Moybane, County Armagh. It saw active service during the Gulf War in 1991 and has been deployed to Kosovo twice, the first time in 2001, as part of SFOR. It recently operated in Iraq during the of 2003 (Britain's contribution being known as ) where it took part in the advance on Iraq's second largest city, Basra. It met sporadic resistance that included Britain's largest tank engagement since the Second World War, when a squadron of 14 Challenger 2 tanks engaged and destroyed 14 Iraqi tanks (the so-called '14-0' engagement). Together with Warriors of the Irish Guards, the regiment entered Basra on 6 April, and left Iraq shortly after the war was officially declared over on 1 May. • Official abbreviation Whilst the regiment's official abbreviation (as listed in Joint Service Publication 101 (Service Writing)) is SCOTS DG (note all capitals and the space), it is often incorrectly abbreviated RSDG. The reason for the official abbreviation may be that the format follows the traditional Cavalry line whereby, for example, The 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards was abbreviated 4/7DG, and the Royal Scots Greys was abbreviated GREYS. Royal Scots Dragoon Guards • The regimental cap badge Drum Corps The cap badge features an eagle, which represents the ( Edinburgh, Scotland) that was captured by the Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo. It is always worn with a black backing in mourning for Tsar Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia, who was their Colonel-in-Chief at the time of his murder. • Regimental • The regimental motto is (Nobody touches me with impunity), also the motto of the Order of the , to which it refers. • The regiment also uses the motto "Second to None". • Pipes and Drums The regiment has its own Pipes and Drums, who tour widely and perform in competitions, concerts and parades. Their most famous piece is Amazing Grace, which reached number one in the charts in the United Kingdom and in 1972.

22 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

Royal Dragoon Guards

The Royal Dragoon Guards is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1992 by the amalgamation of two other regiments: • 4th /7th Royal Dragoon Guards • 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards Because of its lineage through the 5th Royal Iniskillings and the 4th /7th Royal Dragoon Guards- the 4th had been known as the 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards and the 7th also had Irish ancestry - the RDG is thus Northern Ireland's cavalry regiment. The Regiment was based in Paderborn, Germany when it was formed, and was part of 20 Armoured Brigade. In 1996 it returned to the United Kingdom, being based at Tidworth. The regiment currently 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards by serves in the armoured role, equipped with Challenger 2. It D. Anderson returned to Germany in 2000, being based in Münster as part of 4 Armoured Brigade. The Regiment currently recruits soldiers from Northern Ireland and Yorkshire.

23 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

8. CONCLUSION

The British Royal Guards are considered to be one of the best known symbols of Great Britain, nevertheless, the main reasons for this popularity are: the fact that they manage to stay still and preserve their official conduct, as well as for the Changing of the Guard ceremony that takes place in the forecourt each morning. None of us has ever thought that these men have contributed to the preservation and continuity of what represents now The United Kingdom, that they really fight in wars and that they are not just bodyguards of the Queen. Each regiment’s history shares a part of the Kingdom’s whirling history, a history full of battles, of wars and of moments of choice in which they were the “decision makers”. “Changing the Guards, Guarding the Change of History” synthesizes the important role of The British Royal Guards and the real reason for which they should be a symbol of The United Kingdom.

24 Changing the Guard, Guarding the Change of History

9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Grayson, T.H.H. A short history of the Irish Guards. Colchester : Benham & Co., 1931; • In the finest tradition : the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers & Greys) : its history and treasures by Stephen Wood (Mainstream Pub. Co., 1988); • A short history of the Scots Guards. Aldershot : Gale & Polden, 1925; • Welsh Guards : a short account of their achievements. Colchester : Benham & Co, 1946; • Gant, Charles. The Coldstream Guards. Reading : Osprey, 1971; • Clayton, B. The Grenadier Guards. London : Sisley, 1915 1983. (Stories of our regiments); • Hills, R. J. T. A short history of The Life Guards. Aldershot : Gale & Polden, 1933; • Watson, J. N. P. (John N. P.). Through fifteen reigns : a complete history of the Household Cavalry. Staplehurst : Spellmount, 1997;

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