Guards Division
Active1968–2022
Country United Kingdom
Branch British Army
RoleAdministration and training
SizeDivision
Part ofLondon District
Garrison/HQWellington Barracks, London

The Guards Division was an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the training and administration of the regiments of Foot Guards and the London Guards reserve battalion. The Guards Division was responsible for providing two battalions for public duties to London District (plus three incremental companies); although the guards are most associated with ceremony, they are nevertheless operational infantry battalions, and as such perform all the various roles of infantry. In 2022, the Guards Division was renamed as the Guards and Parachute Division.

History

The Guards Division was established by redesignation of the Brigade of Guards in 1968. The headquarters was established at Wellington Barracks in London.[1]

Until 1992, there were eight battalions:

In 1992, the cuts made to the infantry under the Options for Change defence review included three battalions of Guards. Rather than disbanding them, the 2nd Battalions of each of the first three regiments were placed in "suspended animation" – although they would not be active, they would still be listed on the Army Roll, and could be reactivated should they be needed. In order to maintain the traditions of each battalion, and to keep custody of the colours, three companies were kept active, one to represent each battalion:

  • No 2 Company, 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards (renamed Nijmegen Company)
  • No 7 Company, 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards
  • F Company, 2nd Bn Scots Guards

These three units were based permanently at Chelsea Barracks in London on public duties until Chelsea Barracks was sold off by the army. They represent the suspended battalions at significant events, such as Trooping the Colour, and receive the battalion's new colours whenever they are presented. As such, each company is an independent unit of their regiment, separate from the operational battalions.

In 2022, two further public duties companies were formed following the conversion of 1st Battalion, Irish Guards to the Security Force Assistance role. The two new companies, No 9 Company and No 12 Company, have been formed to represent the Irish Guards' 2nd Battalion, which had been placed in suspended animation in 1947.[2] At the same time in 2022, the Guards Division was renamed as the Guards and Parachute Division, with the Parachute Regiment brought under its administration.[3]

Current units

As of 2020, units comprised the Guards Division Headquarters, at Wellington Barracks, Westminster:[4][5]

Past units

Past units include (dates when they were part of the division):[7][8][9]

Note: The three 2nd battalions have technically not been disbanded; instead they are in "suspended animation" and, in theory, can be re-raised if needed. The colours and traditions of each battalion are kept and maintained by the incremental companies.

Telling the regiments apart

Two officers and a Warrant Officer class I of the Irish Guards – in this image the blue plume can be seen on the right hand side of the bearskin, the tunic buttons are grouped in fours, and the shamrock badge is on the collar. The Officer on the far side has a parachute badge indicating he's trained to deploy as a parachutist.

The five regiments of foot guards are most often seen in full dress uniform, comprising navy trousers, scarlet tunic and bearskin cap. From a distance they appear identical, but there are ways to distinguish between the regiments:

  • The colour of the plume, and which side of the bearskin it is worn on
  • The spacing of the tunic buttons
  • The badge worn on the collar
  • The badge worn on the shoulder
Regiment Plume Plume colour Button spacing Collar badge Shoulder badge
Grenadier Guards Left White Singly Grenade Royal Cypher
Coldstream Guards Right Red Pairs Garter Star Rose
Scots Guards — — Threes Thistle Thistle Star
Irish Guards Right Blue Fours Shamrock St Patrick Star
Welsh Guards Left
  • White
  • Green
  • White
 Fives Leek Leek
The rank insignia for officers are also differentiated by what specific stars are used.
Left to right: Rank slides used by Grenadier, Coldstream, and Welsh Guards. Rank slides used by Scots Guards. Rank slides used by Irish Guards. Standard rank slides used by other army officers.

Guards Parachute Platoon

6 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment is manned by volunteers from the Guards Division and Household Cavalry[10][11][12]

UK Special Forces

Although no longer directly associated with the Guards, G Squadron 22 SAS was formed in 1966 following the performance of the Guards Independent Parachute Company under Major LGS Head in support of SAS Operations in Borneo.[13]

See also

List of bands:

Notes

  1. ↑ The London Guards is the name of the Guards reserve battalion, which is made up of four companies individually cap badged as Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Scots Guards and Irish Guards.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Wellington Barracks Review". Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Irish Guards form two new Companies with historic links for future role". Retrieved 17 October 2022.
  3. ↑ Tanner, Jim (February 2023). "Infantry Reductions and Reorganisation 2022" (PDF). Bulletin of the Military Historical Society. 73 (291): 116–118. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Heyman, p.88
  5. ↑ "Army 2020 Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  6. ↑ "Letter regarding 'The Integrated Review'" (PDF). Grengds.com. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  7. ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1969
  8. ↑ "Brigade of Guards [UK]". 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "2nd Bn, Scots Guards: Service". 18 December 2007. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  10. ↑ @HCav1660 (31 May 2018). "@wildbill_Will Some will go to the Guards Parachute Platoon on a two year posting and join them on their Op Toral t…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "The Parachute Regiment". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Guards Parachute Platoon, 3 PARA |ParaData". www.paradata.org.uk. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  13. ↑ Secret War in South East Asia, Peter Dickens, Greenhill Books, London, Page 211

Sources

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