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Irish Guards
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The Irish Guards (IG), part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.
Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of only two purely Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland, the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities, and in the Republic of Ireland (which permits its citizens to enlist in the British or any other forces, but forbids active recruiting.) More recently, the regiment has seen several "non-traditional" recruits, notably Zimbabwean Christopher Muzvuru, who qualified as a piper before becoming one of the regiment's two fatal casualties in Iraq in 2003.
Irish Guards officers tend to be drawn from the ranks of graduates of British public schools, particularly those with a Roman Catholic affiliation, such as Ampleforth College, Downside School and Stonyhurst College.
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Encyclopedia
The Irish Guards (IG), part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.
Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of only two purely Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland, the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities, and in the Republic of Ireland (which permits its citizens to enlist in the British or any other forces, but forbids active recruiting.) More recently, the regiment has seen several "non-traditional" recruits, notably Zimbabwean Christopher Muzvuru, who qualified as a piper before becoming one of the regiment's two fatal casualties in Iraq in 2003.
Irish Guards officers tend to be drawn from the ranks of graduates of British public schools, particularly those with a Roman Catholic affiliation, such as Ampleforth College, Downside School and Stonyhurst College. Catholic foreign royals or aristocrats, even those with no Irish connection, have often found a home in the Irish Guards. An example is Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg.
One way to distinguish between the regiments of Foot Guards is the spacing of buttons on the tunic. The Irish Guards have buttons arranged in groups of four. They also have a prominent blue plume on the right side of their bear skins.
History
The Irish Guards were raised in 1900 by order of Queen Victoria, following an initial suggestion from Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley (who was born in Dublin) to allow Irish soldiers to wear the "shamrock" in their headdress on St. Patrick's Day. Shortly afterwards the setting up of an Irish Guards regiment was discussed in the House of Commons, suggesting that Lord Roberts (who was of Irish descent) should head it up. No time was lost and on 1 April 1900 the regiment was created.
Field Marshal Roberts, as the new Commander-in-Chief in the Anglo-Boer War, was too busy at the time to over a new regiment, but he was appointed a Colonel of the regiment on 17 October 1900. Major R. J. Cooper, 1st Grenadier Guards, was appointed the first Commanding Officer on 2 May 1900 and 200 Irishmen from the same regiment were transferred as the nucleus of the new regiment. Selected members of the Irish line infantry regiments were chosen to fill out the ranks of the new regiment.
Uniform, Motto, Nicknames, Mascot and Traditions
Uniform
Like the other Guards regiments, the "Home Service Dress" of the Irish Guards is a scarlet tunic and bearskin. Buttons are worn in two rows of four, reflecting the regiment's position as the fourth most senior Guards regiment, and the collar is adorned with a shamrock on either side. They also sport a blue plume on the right side of the bearskin.
A blue, rather than an Irish green, plume was selected because blue is the colour of the mantle and sash of the Knights of St. Patrick, Ireland's order of chivalry, from which the regiment draws its capstar and motto. Also, the uniform of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, which were still in existence at the time the Irish Guards were formed, was a scarlet tunic and bearskin with a green plume. To prevent confusion, the Irish Guards opted for a blue plume.
In "walking out dress", the Irish Guards can be identified by the green band on their forage caps. Officers also traditionally carry an Irish blackthorn walking stick. Drummers and flautists, in common with the other Guards regiments, wear a distinctive tunic adorned with winged epaulettes and white lace.
The uniform of the Irish Guards pipers is, like the Scots Guards, a kilt and tunic, yet is also very different. Irish pipers wear saffron kilts rather than tartan, green hose with saffron flashes and heavy black shoes known as brogues with no spats, a rifle green doublet with buttons in fours and a floppy Irish beret known as a caubeen rather than a feather bonnet. The regimental capstar is worn over the piper's right eye and is topped by a blue hackle. A green cloak with four silver buttons is worn over the shoulders and is secured by two green straps that cross over the chest, but is never buttoned except in severely inclement weather. A white tunic is available for wear in the tropics, in which case the cloak is dispensed with. The pipe major, like the pipe major of the Scots Guards, also holds a warrant as personal piper to Her Majesty, the Queen.
Motto
The regiment takes its motto, "Quis Separabit", or "Who shall separate us?" from the Order of St. Patrick, which is currently in abeyance.
Nickname
The Irish Guards are known affectionately throughout the Army as "the Micks." An earlier nickname, "Bob's Own", after Field Marshal Lord Roberts, their first colonel, has fallen into disuse.
Mascot
Since 1902, an Irish Wolfhound has been presented as a mascot to the regiment by the members of the Irish Wolfhound Club, who hoped the publicity would increase the breed's popularity with the public.
The first mascot was called Brian Boru, after one of Ireland's historic heroes. There have been twelve more since, all named after Irish High Kings or heroes. In 1961, the wolfhound was admitted to the select club of "official" Army mascots, entitling him to the services of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, as well as quartering and food at public expense. Originally, the mascot was in the care of a drummer boy, but is now looked after by one of the regiment's drummers and his family. The Irish Guards are the only Guards regiment permitted to have their mascot lead them on parade. During Trooping the Colour, however, the mascot marches only from Royal Artillery Barracks as far as Horse Guards Parade. He then falls out of the formation and does not participate in the trooping itself.
Since the accidental death in 2007 of Fergal, the incumbent, the Irish Guards have a new mascot, named Comnal, being prepared for public duties.
Traditions and Affiliations
St. Patrick's Day is the traditional regimental holiday (although Orangemen's Day, the Twelfth of July, is also marked with gusto). Fresh shamrock is presented to the members of the regiment, no matter where it is stationed. Except in wartime, the presentation is traditionally made by a member of the Royal Family. This task was first performed in 1901 by HM Queen Alexandra and later by HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Since the latter's death, the presentation has been made by the Princess Royal. On the regiment's 50th anniversary in 1950, King George VI made the presentation in person. In 1989, the Queen Mother was unable to make the journey to Belize, where the battalion was stationed, and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg substituted for her.
The regiment is also associated with HMS Portland, as well as the 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
Battle honours
First World War: Mons, Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Ypres 1914 1917, Langemarck 1914, Battle of Gheluvelt, Nonne Bosschen, Festubert 1915, Loos, Somme 1916 1918, Flers-Courcelette, Morval, Pilckem, Poelcapelle, Passchendaele, Cambrai 1917 and 1918, St. Quentin, Lys, Hazebrouck, Albert 1918, Bapaume 1918, Arras 1918, Scarpe 1918, Drocourt-Quéant, Hindenburg Line, Canal du Nord, Selle, Sambre, France and Flanders 1914–18Second World War:North-West Europe: Pothus, Norway 1940, Boulogne 1940, Cagny, Mont Pincon, Neerpelt, Nijmegen, Aam, Rhineland, Hochwald, Rhine, Bentheim, North-West Europe 1940 1944–45, North Africa: Medjez Plain, Djebel bou Aoukaz, North Africa 1943, Italy: Anzio, Aprilia, Carroceto, Italy 1943–44Al Basrah 2003, Iraq 2003
Victoria Cross recipients
- Guardsman Edward Colquhoun Charlton, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards
- Lance-Corporal John Patrick Kenneally, 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards
- Acting Lieutenant-Colonel James Marshall, Irish Guards but attached to the 16th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers
- Lance-Sergeant John Moyney, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards
- Lance-Corporal Michael O'Leary, 1st Battalion, The Irish Guards
- Private Thomas Woodcock, 2nd Battalion, The Irish Guards
Notable members
Colonels of the Regiment
British Army regiments typically feature an honorary "colonel", often a member of the Royal Family or a prominent retired military officer with connections to the regiment, who functions as a kind of patron or guardian of the regiment's interests in high government circles. Her Majesty the Queen is colonel-in-chief of all Guards regiments.
The Irish Guards colonels have been:
- Field Marshal Sir Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar and Pretoria and the City of Waterford, VC, KG, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE. Appointed Oct. 17, 1900.
- Field Marshal Sir Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum and of Broome, KG, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE. Appointed Nov. 15, 1914.
- Field Marshal Sir John French, 1st Earl of Ypres and High Lake, KP, PC, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC. Appointed June 6, 1916.
- Field Marshal Sir Frederick Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan, KP, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DCL, LLD, DL. Appointed May 23, 1925.
- Field Marshal Sir Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis and Errigal in the County of Donegal, KG, PC, GCB, OM, GCMG, CSI, DSO, MC, CDL, LLD. Appointed Aug. 28, 1946.
- Gen. Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO, MC, MA. Appointed June 17, 1969.
- Gen. HRH Jean, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, KG. Appointed Aug. 21, 1984.
- HG James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, KG. Appointed Nov. 1, 2000.
- Maj. Gen. Sir Sebastian Roberts, KCVO, OBE. Appointed March 17, 2008.
Order of Precedence
Alliances
Portland
External links
- Containing the history of the five regiments of Foot Guards, Wellington Barracks, London.
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