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Life Guards (British Army)

 
Life Guards (British Army)

 
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Life Guards (British Army)
 
 
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The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
 of the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
. With the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals

The Blues and Royals is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.The Colonel-in-Chief is Majesty Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Colonel is Her Royal Highness The Anne, Princess Royal....
 they make up the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry

The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth of Nations to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country?s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state....
.

They originated in the four troop
Troop

A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. A cavalry soldier of Private is called a Trooper ....
s of horse guards raised by Charles II
Charles II of England

Charles II was the Monarchy of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland.His father Charles I of England Regicide#The regicide of Charles I of England at Palace of Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War....
 around the time of his restoration
English Restoration

The English Restoration, or simply The Restoration began in 1660 when the English monarchy, Scottish monarchy and Irish monarchy were restored under Charles II of England after the Interregnum that followed the English Civil War....
, plus two troops of horse grenadier guards which were raised some years later. Membership of these was originally restricted to gentlemen
Gentleman

The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of good family, analogous to the Latin generosus . In this sense the word equates with the French gentilhomme , which latter term was in Great Britain long confined to the peerage....
, and accordingly they had no non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
s; their corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
s were commissioned, and ranked as lieutenant
Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police commissioned officer military rank.Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure....
s in the rest of the army.






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Ceremony
The Life Guards (LG) is the senior regiment
Regiment

A regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. Depending on the nation, military branch, mission, and organization, a modern regiment resembles a brigade, in that both range in size from a few hundred to 5,000 soldiers ....
 of the British Army
British Army

The British Army is the Army branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707....
. With the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals

The Blues and Royals is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.The Colonel-in-Chief is Majesty Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Colonel is Her Royal Highness The Anne, Princess Royal....
 they make up the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry

The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth of Nations to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country?s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state....
.

They originated in the four troop
Troop

A troop is a military unit, originally a small force of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron and headed by the troop leader. A cavalry soldier of Private is called a Trooper ....
s of horse guards raised by Charles II
Charles II of England

Charles II was the Monarchy of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland.His father Charles I of England Regicide#The regicide of Charles I of England at Palace of Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War....
 around the time of his restoration
English Restoration

The English Restoration, or simply The Restoration began in 1660 when the English monarchy, Scottish monarchy and Irish monarchy were restored under Charles II of England after the Interregnum that followed the English Civil War....
, plus two troops of horse grenadier guards which were raised some years later.
  • The first troop was originally raised in Bruges
    Bruges

    Bruges is the capital and largest city of the Provinces of Belgium of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
     in 1658 as His Majesty's Own Troop of Horse Guards. They formed part of the contingent raised by the exiled King Charles II
    Charles II of England

    Charles II was the Monarchy of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland.His father Charles I of England Regicide#The regicide of Charles I of England at Palace of Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War....
     as his contribution to the army of King Philip IV of Spain
    Philip IV of Spain

    Philip IV , was List of Spanish monarchs between 1621 and 1665, Sovereignty of the Spanish Netherlands, and List of Portuguese monarchs until 1640....
     who were fighting the French and their allies the English Commonwealth under the Lord Protector
    Lord Protector

    Lord Protector is a particular British title for Heads of State, with two meanings at different periods of history.Feudal royal regent ...
     Oliver Cromwell
    Oliver Cromwell

    Oliver Cromwell was an English people Military history of the United Kingdom and Politics of England leader best known for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
     in the Franco-Spanish War
    Fronde

    The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War , which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling , with which the windows of supporters of Jules Cardinal Mazarin were broken with stones by Parisian Crowds....
     and the concurrent Anglo-Spanish War
    Anglo-Spanish War (1654)

    The Anglo-Spanish War fought between the English Commonwealth The Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell and Spain between 1654 and 1660. It was caused by commercial rivalry....
    .
  • The second troop was originally founded in 1659 as Monck's Life Guards.
  • The third troop, like the first troop was formed in 1658 from exiled Royalists and was initially known as The Duke of York's
    James II of England

    James II and VII was List of English monarchs, List of Scottish monarchs, and King of Ireland from 6 February 1685. He was the last Roman Catholic Church monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of Kingdom of England, Kingdom of Scotland, and Kingdom of Ireland....
     Troop of Horse Guards    .
  • The fourth troop was raised in 1661 in England.
  • The first troop of horse grenadier guards was formed in 1693 from the amalgamation of three troops of grenadiers.
  • The second troop of horse grenadier guards was raised in Scotland in 1702.
Membership of these was originally restricted to gentlemen
Gentleman

The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a man of good family, analogous to the Latin generosus . In this sense the word equates with the French gentilhomme , which latter term was in Great Britain long confined to the peerage....
, and accordingly they had no non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
s; their corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
s were commissioned, and ranked as lieutenant
Lieutenant

Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service, emergency medical services or police commissioned officer military rank.Lieutenant may also appear as part of a title used in various other organisations with a codified command structure....
s in the rest of the army. This state of affairs persisted until 1756.

These units, except for the horse grenadiers, first saw action at the Battle of Sedgemoor
Battle of Sedgemoor

The Battle of Sedgemoor was fought on 6 July 1685 and took place at Westonzoyland near Bridgwater in Somerset, England....
 during the Monmouth Rebellion
Monmouth Rebellion

The Monmouth Rebellion of 1685, also known as the Pitchfork Rebellion, was an attempt to overthrow James II of England, who had become King of England at the death of his elder brother Charles II of England on 6 February 1685....
 in 1685.

In 1788, these troops were reorganised into two regiments, the 1st
1st Regiment of Life Guards

The 1st Regiment of Life Guards was a Cavalry regiments of the British Army in the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. It was amalgamated with the 2nd Life Guards in 1922 to form the Life Guards ....
 and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards (from 1877, simply 1st Life Guards and 2nd Life Guards). In 1815 they were part of The Household Brigade at the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo

In the Battle of Waterloo forces of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte and Michel Ney were defeated by those of the Seventh Coalition, including a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Bl?cher and an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington....
.

In late 1918 after much service in the First World War the two regiments gave up their horses and were re-roled as machine gun battalions, becoming the 1st and 2nd Battalions, Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Guards Machine Gun Regiment

The Guards Machine Gun Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was initially formed in 1915 when machine gun company were formed in the British Guards Division ....
. They reverted to their previous names and roles after the end of the war.

In 1922 the two regiments were merged into one regiment, the The Life Guards (1st and 2nd).

In 1928 it was redesignated The Life Guards.

In 1992, as part of the Options for Change
Options for Change

Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in 1990, aimed at cutting defence spending following the end of the Cold War....
 defence review, The Life Guards were joined together with the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals

The Blues and Royals is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.The Colonel-in-Chief is Majesty Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Colonel is Her Royal Highness The Anne, Princess Royal....
 in a 'Union' - not an amalgamation - forming the Household Cavalry Regiment
Household Cavalry Regiment

The Household Cavalry Regiment is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army, and is one of two regiments that are formed from the Household Cavalry....
 (armoured reconnaissance) and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment

File:Conducting the mounted band.jpgThe Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment is a ceremonial Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army....
 (ceremonial duties). However, they maintain their regimental identity, with distinct uniforms and traditions, and their own colonel
Colonel

Colonel is a military rank of a commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every country in the world. It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures....
.

In common with the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals

The Blues and Royals is a Cavalry regiments of the British Army of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.The Colonel-in-Chief is Majesty Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and the Colonel is Her Royal Highness The Anne, Princess Royal....
, they have a peculiar non-commissioned rank structure: see the Household Cavalry
Household Cavalry

The term Household Cavalry is used across the Commonwealth of Nations to describe the cavalry of the Household Divisions, a country?s most elite or historically senior military groupings or those military groupings that provide functions associated directly with the Head of state....
 page for details. (In brief, they lack sergeant
Sergeant

Sergeant is a Military rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
s, replacing them with multiple grades of corporal.)

Battle honours

[combined battle honours of 1st Life Guards and 2nd Life Guards, with the following emblazoned]:1
  • Dettingen
    Battle of Dettingen

    The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Karlstein am Main in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch, George II of Great Britain, personally led his troops into battle....
    , Peninsula
    Peninsular War

    The Peninsular War or Spanish War of Independence was a contest between First French Empire and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Kingdom of Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars....
    , Waterloo
    Battle of Waterloo

    In the Battle of Waterloo forces of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte and Michel Ney were defeated by those of the Seventh Coalition, including a Prussian army under the command of Gebhard Leberecht von Bl?cher and an Anglo-Allied army under the command of the Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington....
    , Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt 1882
    Urabi Revolt

    The Urabi Revolt or Orabi Revolt , also known as the Orabi Revolution, was an uprising in Egypt in 1879-82 against the Khedive and European influence in the country....
    , Relief of Kimberley
    Siege of Kimberley

    The Siege of Kimberley took place during the Second Boer War at Kimberley, Northern Cape....
    , Paardeberg
    Battle of Paardeberg

    The Battle of Paardeberg was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley, Northern Cape....
    , South Africa 1899-1900
    Second Boer War

    The Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902, between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Fre...
  • The Great War2: Mons
    Battle of Mons

    The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I....
    , Le Cateau
    Battle of Le Cateau

    The Battle of Le Cateau occurred on 26 August 1914, after the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, France and Belgium retreated from the Battle of Mons and set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambr?sis on 26 August....
    , Marne 1914
    First Battle of the Marne

    The First Battle of the Marne was a World War I battle fought between the 5th and 12th of September 1914. It resulted in a France-United Kingdom victory against the German Empire Wehrmacht under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger....
    , Aisne 1914
    First Battle of the Aisne

    The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allies follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army & German Second Army as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September 1914....
    , Messines 1914, Ypres 1914
    First Battle of Ypres

    }|-||}The First Battle of Ypres, also called the Battle of Flanders, was the last major battle of the first year of World War I ; actually a series of battles, starting on 19 October and ending, according to the various histories, on 13 November , 22 November or 30 November ....
    , Passchendaele 1917 '18, Somme 1916 '18, Arras 1917 '18, Hindenburg Line
    Hindenburg Line

    The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defenses in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germanys during the winter of 1916–17....
    , France and Flanders 1914-18
  • The Second World War3: Mont Pincon, Souleuvre, Noireau Crossing, Amiens 1944, Brussels, Neerpelt, Nederrijn, Nijmegen, Lingen, Bentheim, North-West Europe 1944-45, Baghdad 1941, Iraq 1941, Palmyra, Syria 1941, El Alamein
    El Alamein

    El Alamein is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast in Matruh Governorate. It is west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo....
    , North Africa 1942-43, Arezzo, Advance to Florence, Gothic Line, Italy 1944
  • Wadi al Batin, Gulf 1991, Al Basrah, Iraq 20033


1. the regiment maintained the fiction of separate regiments until 1928, receiving in 1927 two separate sets of Standards with different (but almost identical) battle honours emblazoned.
2. revised combined list issued May 1933, omitting from emblazonment "Passchendaele" and St. Quentin Canal" of the 1st Life Guards.
3. awarded jointly to The Life Guards and Blues and Royals, for services of Household Cavalry Regiment.

Alliances

  • - The President's Bodyguard

Affiliated Yeomanry

  • The Inns of Court and City Yeomanry
    Inns of Court and City Yeomanry

    HistoryThe Inns of Court and City Yeomanry is a yeomanry regiment of the British Territorial Army .The regiment was formed in 1961 by the amalgamation of the Inns of Court Regiment and the City of London Yeomanry....


Order of Precedence


External links