Guards Division

{{this|a military unit formed in 1968|the wartime infantry division of the same name|Guards Division (United Kingdom)}}

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{{Infobox military unit|unit_name=Guards Division|dates=1968–2022|country={{Flag|United Kingdom}}|branch={{army|UK}}|size=Division|role=Administration and training|command_structure=London District|garrison=Wellington Barracks, London}}

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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.

Current units

As of 2020, units comprised the Guards Division Headquarters, at Wellington Barracks, Westminster:Heyman, p.88{{cite web|url=http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/Army2020_Report.pdf |title=Army 2020 Report |access-date=2015-12-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140610215557/http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/Army2020_Report.pdf |archive-date=10 June 2014 |df=dmy-all }}

Guards battalions:

  • 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
  • 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
  • 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
  • 1st Battalion, Irish Guards
  • 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards
  • 1st Battalion, London Guards (Reserve){{efn|group=note|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.{{cite web|url=https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/IR_Letter_final-RLC.pdf|format=PDF|title=Letter regarding 'The Integrated Review'|website=Grengds.com|access-date=12 April 2022}}}}
  • Ypres Company, Grenadier Guards, in Kingston upon Thames
  • No 17 Company, Coldstream Guards, in Hammersmith
  • G (Messines) Company, Scots Guards, in Clapham Junction
  • No 15 (Loos) Company, Irish Guards, in Camberwell

Guards incremental companies:

Past units

Past units include (dates when they were part of the division):Whitaker's Almanack 1969{{Cite web|date=2007-12-18|title=Brigade of Guards [UK]|url=http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/948guard.htm|access-date=2020-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218204119/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/depot/948guard.htm|archive-date=18 December 2007}}{{Cite web|date=2007-12-18|title=2nd Bn, Scots Guards: Service|url=http://www.regiments.org/deploy/uk/guards/f3sg-2.htm|access-date=2020-07-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071218204049/http://www.regiments.org/deploy/uk/guards/f3sg-2.htm|archive-date=18 December 2007}}

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

File:Trooping the Colour 2018 (12).jpg

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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

class="wikitable"
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

| {{NA}}

| {{NA}}

| Threes

| Thistle

| Thistle Star

Irish Guards

| Right

| Blue

| Fours

| Shamrock

| St Patrick Star

Welsh Guards

| Left

| {{hlist|White|Green|White}}

| Fives

| Leek

| Leek

File:British Army Guards officers stars.jpg

Guards Parachute Platoon

6 Platoon, B Company, 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment is manned by volunteers from the Guards Division and Household Cavalry{{cite tweet|number=1002270249725648896|user=HCav1660|title=@wildbill_Will Some will go to the Guards Parachute Platoon on a two year posting and join them on their Op Toral t…|date=31 May 2018}}{{Cite web|title=The Parachute Regiment|url=https://www.facebook.com/PARA/photos/a.192258584139262/2367764976588601/?type=3 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/facebook/191148344250286/2367764976588601 |archive-date=2022-02-26 |url-access=limited|access-date=2020-07-25|website=www.facebook.com|language=en}}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|title=Guards Parachute Platoon, 3 PARA {{!}}ParaData|url=https://www.paradata.org.uk/unit/guards-parachute-platoon-3-para|access-date=2020-07-25|website=www.paradata.org.uk}}

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.Secret War in South East Asia, Peter Dickens, Greenhill Books, London, Page 211

See also

Notes

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References

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Sources

  • {{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BD6jDau_JmUC&q=kings+division|last=Heyman|first= Charles|title= The British Army: A Pocket Guide, 2012–2013|publisher=Pen & Sword|year=2012|isbn=9781848841079}}