The
Welsh Guards (WG) (
WelshWelsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic spoken natively in Wales, in England by some along the Welsh border and in the Welsh immigrant colony in the Chubut Valley in Argentine Patagonia....
Gwarchodlu Cymreig) is an
infantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of the Combat Arms they are the backbone of armies...
regimentA regiment is a military unit, composed of variable numbers of battalions, commanded by a Colonel. A regiment can be broken into two distinct categories, one being an administrative unit which is responsible for non-operational management of battalions , while the other being a deployable combat...
of the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
, part of the
Guards DivisionThe Guards Division is an administrative unit of the British Army responsible for the administration of the regiments of Foot Guards.The Headquarters of the Guards Division is in London, along with the RHQs of each regiment...
.
Creation in War
The
Welsh Guards came into existence on February 26, 1915 by
Royal WarrantRoyal Warrants of Appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...
of
His Majesty King George VGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 1910 through World War I until his death in 1936...
in order to include
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
in the national component to the
Foot Guards-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist...
,
"..though the order to raise the regiment had been given by the King to Earl Kitchener, Secretary of State for War, on February 6 1915."http://www.naval-military-press.com/history-of-the-welsh-guards-pr-20426.htmlhttp://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1915/feb/18/welsh-guards They were the last of the Guards to be created, with the
Irish GuardsThe Irish Guards , 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...
coming into being in 1900. Just two days later, the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards mounted its first King's Guard at
Buckingham PalaceBuckingham Palace is the official London residence of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 1 March, 1915 - St David's Day.
One way to distinguish between the regiments of
Foot Guards-British Army:The Foot Guards are the Infantry regiments of the Household Division of the British Army. There have been six regiments of foot guards, five of which still exist...
is the spacing of buttons on the tunic. The
Welsh Guards have buttons arranged in groups of five.
On March 17, 1915 the 1st Battalion sailed for
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
to join the Guards Division to commence its participation in the
First World WarWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
. Its first battle was some months after its initial arrival, at
LoosLoos may refer to:Places* Loos, Nord, France* Loos-en-Gohelle, France* Loos Islands, Guinea* Los, SwedenPeople*Loos Other* Battle of Loos, a battle of World War I, which took place near Loos-en-Gohelle...
on September 27, 1915. The regiment's first
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
came two years later in July 1917 awarded to Sergeant
Robert ByeRobert James Bye VC was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
.
Inter-War
Soon after the end of the war in 1918 the
1st Welsh Guards returned home and where they would be based for much of the inter-war period, performing training and ceremonial duties, such as the Changing of the Guard and
Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
. In 1929 the
1st Welsh Guards deployed to
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
where they joined the Cairo Brigade where they stayed for only a brief period of time, returning home in 1930. Just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War the
1st Welsh Guards were dispatched to
GibraltarGibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers and shares a land border with Spain to the north...
where it remained upon the outbreak of war in September 1939.
Second World War
The regiment was increased to three Battalions during the Second World War. The 1st Battalion fought valiantly in all the campaigns of the North-West European Theatre. The 2nd Battalion fought in
BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city was 44,859 in the 1999 census, whereas that of the whole metropolitan area was 135,116.-Name:...
in 1940 whilst the 1st fought in
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
as part of the
British Expeditionary ForceThe British Expeditionary Force was the name given to the British Forces in Europe from 1939–1940 during The Second World War.-History:...
. In May 1940 at the
Battle of ArrasThe Battle of Arras took place during the Battle of France, in the early stages of World War II. It was an Allied counterattack against the flank of the German army, that took place near the town of Arras, in north-eastern France. The German forces were pushing northwards towards the channel...
, the
Welsh Guards gained their second
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
by Lieutenant The Hon.
Christopher FurnessChristopher Furness VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
who was killed in the action. The
Welsh Guards were subsequently part of the legendary
Evacuation of DunkirkThe Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 24 May to 4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
that saw over 340,000 British and French troops return to the UK against all odds. In 1943 the 3rd Battalion fought throughout the arduous
TunisiaTunisia , officially the Tunisian Republic , is a country located in North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and Libya to the southeast. Tunisia is located southwest of the island of Sicily and south of Sardinia. Its size is almost 165,000 km² with an estimated population of just...
n
North African CampaignDuring the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 16 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers...
and
ItalianThe Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the invasion of...
Campaigns.
While they battled on in those theatres the 1st and 2nd joined the Guards Armoured Division, with the 1st Battalion being infantry and the 2nd armoured. The two battalions worked closely, being the first troops to re-enter
BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
on September 3, 1944 after an advance of 100
mileA mile is a unit of length in a number of different systems. In contemporary English, mile most commonly refers to the statute mile of 1,609.344 meters or the nautical mile of 1,852 meters...
s in one day in what was described as 'an armoured lash unequalled for speed in this or any other war'.
Postwar
Shortly after the end of the war the
3rd Battalion was disbanded while the
2nd Battalion was placed in suspended animation. In 1947 the
1st Welsh Guards were dispatched to Palestine, then under British control, while it was in a volatile and violent situation. The
Welsh Guards were part of the
1st Guards BrigadeThe 1st Infantry Brigade is a British Army formation with a long history including service during the First and Second World Wars .- History :Initially as 1st Brigade, the formation was part of 1st Division during World War I...
and performed internal security (IS) duties while there, before leaving in 1948 during the British withdrawal and the state of
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
was declared.
In 1950 the regiment arrived in
West GermanyWest Germany is a common English name for the period of the Federal Republic of Germany between its' formation in May 1949 to German reunification in October 1990, when the German Democratic Republic was dissolved and the five states on its territory joined the Federal Republic of Germany,...
as part of the 4th Guards Brigade, part of the
British Army of the RhineThere have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after World War I, and the other after World War II....
(BAOR). In 1952 the
regiment joined the
Berlin BrigadeAfter the end of World War II, under the conditions of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, Allied forces occupied West Berlin. This occupation lasted throughout the Cold War...
in
West BerlinWest Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. It consisted of the American, British, and French occupation sectors established in 1945. It was in many ways integrated with, although legally not a part of, West Germany...
, an enclave in Communist East Germany during tense times between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the
Warsaw PactThe Warsaw Pact is the informal name for the mutual defense Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance subscribed by eight Communist states in Eastern Europe, that was established at the USSR’s initiative and realised on 14 May 1955, in Warsaw, Poland...
. The
Welsh Guards returned home the following year and soon after deployed to the British-controlled Suez Canal Zone (SEZ) in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
. As in Palestine the
Welsh Guards time in Egypt was quite turbulent where they performed internal security duties. They remained in the SEZ until the British withdrawal in 1956, though only shortly afters the UK would be embroiled in the Suez War with Egypt though the
Welsh Guards would not participate.
In 1960 the regiment deployed to West Germany again. In 1965 the regiment arrived in
AdenAden is a city in Yemen, 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb.Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a low isthmus. This harbour, Front Bay, was first used by the ancient Kingdom of Awsan between the 5th and...
, another part of the UK's declining
EmpireThe British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom, that had originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height it was...
and would return home the following year. In 1970 the
regiment arrived in
MunsterMunster is a province of Ireland, located in the south-west of the island. The province is not used as an administration division as such, with the counties filling that role. Much of the area aside from Clare is represented internationally by the South constituency of the European Parliament...
, West Germany as part of
4th Armoured BrigadeThe 4th Mechanized Brigade is a British Army brigade formed during the Second World War in 1941, as an armoured brigade of the 7th Armoured Division...
.
In 1972 the regiment deployed to
Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and it is situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
(NI), them embroiled in violence that became known as "
The TroublesThe Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
". During their tour-of-duty the
regiment lost Sergeant Phillip Price in a terrorist attack by the
Provisional Irish Republican ArmyThe Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation which sought to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
on the Oxford Street Bus Depot in
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
, one of a series of terrorist attacks in the city which became known as "
Bloody FridayBloody Friday can refer to various events in history that occurred on a Friday:*Bloody Friday , also known as the Battle of George Square.*Bloody Friday...
". The following year the
Welsh Guards were dispatched to NI again and during their deployment lost Guardsman David Roberts in a
landmineA land mine is a target triggered explosive weapon. Their non-explosive predecessors have been used on the battlefield since ancient times. Landmines were designed to be used to deter, channel, delay and kill an enemy. They have been used in various formats, for centuries and have featured in all...
explosion.
In 1976 the
Welsh Guards were part of the British contingent of the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and the achieving of world peace...
force deployed to
CyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean, south of Turkey and west of Syria and Lebanon....
in the aftermath of the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.
In 1977 the regiment arrived in West Berlin again. In 1979 while the regiment was once more in the volatile situation in Northern Ireland, they lost Guardsman Paul Fryer to a booby trap bomb. On 9 July 1981, Daniel Barrett aged 15 years, was shot dead by a member of the Welsh Guards. He was sitting on the garden wall of his home in Havana Court, Ardoyne, north Belfast.
Falklands War
In 1982, the
Welsh Guards (CO Lieutenant-Colonel John Rickett) formed part of the
5th Infantry BrigadeThe 5th Infantry Brigade was a regular British Army formation from the First World War to disbandment in 1999.- History :During both World War I and the Second World War the 5th Brigade was part of the 2nd Infantry Division. It served in France in 1940, was evacuated to Britain from Dunkirk and...
of the British Task Force sent to liberate the
Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America, from mainland Antarctica, and from Africa. There are two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, as well as 776 smaller islands...
from Argentinian occupation during the
Falklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict/Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. On 7 June they were on board the ill-fated
Sir GalahadSir Galahad was the name of an LSL belonging to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, part of the British fleet. She was a 3,270 ton LSL built by Stephens and launched in 1966....
, which was accompanied by
Sir Tristram, waiting to be landed at
Bluff CoveBluff Cove Bluff Cove Bluff Cove (Spanish: Bahia Agradable or Hoya Fitzroy is a sea inlet and settlement on East Falkland, in the Falkland Islands, on its east coast...
though they were delayed from doing so. However, attack was imminent after the landing craft were spotted by Argentinian observers. At 2:00 pm, five
DaggerThe Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft...
and five
A-4 SkyhawkThe Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The delta winged, single turbojet-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas...
aircraft were seen over the Falklands. Shortly afterwards, the Daggers were the first to attack. They hit the frigate
HMS PlymouthHMS Plymouth is a Rothesay class frigate, which served in the United Kingdom Royal Navy from 1959 to 1988. She was named after the English city of Plymouth...
with cannon fire as well as bombs.
Only a short time later, the Skyhawks reached
FitzroyFitzroy is a settlement in Lafonia on East Falkland. It is divided into Fitzroy North and Fitzroy South.It is named after Robert FitzRoy who sailed with Charles Darwin on HMS Beagle, andis on the inlet known as Port Pleasant....
, with three of the aircraft hitting the
Sir Galahad two or more times with horrific consequences.
Sir Tristram was also hit which killed two crewmen, both ships were ablaze. The attack on
Sir Galahad culminated in dreadfully high casualties, 48 dead, 32 of them
Welsh Guards, 11 other Army personnel and five crewmen from
Sir Galahad herself. There were many wounded, many suffering from horrendous burns caused by fire from the burning ships most notably,
Simon WestonSimon Weston OBE is a former British Army soldier who became well known throughout the United Kingdom for his recovery and charity work after suffering severe burn injuries during the Falklands War.-Early life:Weston was raised by his mother, Pauline and adoptive father, 'Lofty'...
. The burnt-out
Sir Galahad was later scuttled at sea to allow her to become a war grave.
Sir Tristram herself was repaired and rebuilt in 1985.
The
Welsh Guards returned home soon after the war concluded. They had performed with valour and courage in their involvement in a war 8,000 miles from home, all the more astonishing with the fact they were more adjusted to the numerous ceremonial duties they performed in London. Members of the
regiment were awarded 1
Military CrossThe Military Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(MC) and 3
Military MedalThe Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
s (MM). The
regiment was awarded the theatre honour "Falkland Islands 1982".
See Casualties of the Battle of Bluff Cove
Present day
In 1984 the Welsh Guards
arrived in HohneHohne is a municipality in the state of Lower Saxony in Germany, to the north of Brunswick , about 25 km north west of Celle...
, West Germany as part of the 22nd Armoured Brigade and two years later arrived in Northern Ireland for another tour-of-duty before returning to Germany. The regiment returned home in 1988 and in 1992 arrived in NI for a 2-year deployment as part of 8th Infantry Brigade.
In October 1995 In the Company of Men
, Three 1 hour documentary films by Molly DineenMolly Dineen is a BAFTA and Royal Television Society award winning UK television documentary director, cinematographer and producer....
about "The Prince of Wales" company of the Welsh Guards
on a tour of duty in Northern Ireland was screened on BBC 2 Television.
On September 6, 1997, 12 Guardsmen of the Welsh Guards led by the adjutant of the 1st Battalion "The Prince of Wales" company Captain Richard Williams, hero of the Khmer Rogue incident in 1993 in which he was captured defending civilians there, were pulled from security patrols in South Armagh, Northern Ireland and together with members of the
King's Troop, Royal Horse ArtilleryThe King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery is a ceremonial unit of the British Army. It was named The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery in 1947 when King George VI decided that, following the mechanisation of the last batteries of horse drawn artillery, a troop of horse artillery should be kept to...
escorted the casket of
Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales, was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. Their sons, Princes William and Harry, are second and third in line to the thrones of the United Kingdom and fifteen other Commonwealth Realms.A public figure from the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, Diana...
, from
Kensington PalaceKensington Palace is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London, England. It has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century. Today it is the official residence of The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester; the Duke and...
to
Westminster AbbeyThe Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to popularly and informally as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster...
.
In 2002 the regiment arrived in
BosniaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
as part of
SFORThe Stabilisation Force was a NATO-led multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was tasked with upholding the Dayton Agreement....
, a NATO-led force intended to ensure peace and stability in the
BalkanThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
nation. During their deployment
HM the Queen MotherElizabeth Bowes-Lyon was Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions from 1936 until 1952 as the wife of King George VI. After her husband's death, she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
died. A number of officers of the Welsh Guards stood in vigil around the Queen Mother's coffin which was
lying in stateLying in state is a term used to describe the tradition in which a coffin is placed on view to allow the public at large to pay their respects to the deceased. It traditionally takes place in the principal government building of a country or city...
in Westminster Hall, one of a number of regiments to do so. The regiment returned home from their deployment to Bosnia later in the year. They were involved in
Operation FrescoOperation Fresco or Op FRESCO was the codename for the provision of basic emergency cover during the UK firefighter dispute 2002-2003 by civilian firefighters in the United Kingdom, in late 2002 and early 2003. The response to the industrial action was coordinated by the Office of the Deputy Prime...
, the British armed forces response to the
firefighters strikeThe 2002-2003 UK firefighter dispute began when the UK firefighters union, the Fire Brigades Union , voted to take strike action in an attempt to secure a better salary...
; the Welsh Guards covered the
MidlandsThe English Midlands, or the Midlands is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
area, primarily in
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
using the antiquated Army
Green GoddessThe Green Goddess is the colloquial name for the Bedford RLHZ Self Propelled Pump, a fire engine used originally by the AFS and latterly by the British Armed Forces. These green-painted vehicles were built between 1953 and 1956 for the Auxiliary Fire Service...
fire engine.
In 2003 the Welsh Guards experienced a unique moment in the their history when they moved from
AldershotAldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about 60 km southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
to RAF St Athan,
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
the first time the regiment has actually been based on home soil in Wales.
In 2005 The Welsh Guards were part of
Operation TelicOperation TELIC is the codename under which all British operations of the 2003 invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted. A total of 46,000 troops of all the British Services were committed to the operation at its start...
and were based in
BasraAl-Baṣrah is the capital of Basra Province, and had an estimated population of 3,800,200 as of 2009. Basra is also Iraq's main port, although it is incapable of deep water access, which is handled at the the port of Umm Qasr...
, Southern Iraq. Here they used valuable relationship-building skills, learnt from their time in Bosnia, to build a bond between the regiment and the locals.
In 2006, the regiment returned to London as a
public dutiesPublic duties are performed by military personnel, and usually have a ceremonial or historic significance rather than an overtly operational role.-Germany:...
battalion. It will alternate this role with the
Grenadier GuardsThe 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 regiment deployed to
BosniaBosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( or (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian Latin: Bosna i Hercegovina; Serbian Cyrillic: Босна и Херцеговина) is a country in Southeast Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula...
in October 2006, replacing the 2nd Battalion,
The Yorkshire RegimentThe Yorkshire Regiment is one of the largest infantry regiments of the British Army. The regiment is the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas of: the...
. In November 2007, the regiment deployed to
BelizeBelize , is a country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, composed of many cultures and speaking many languages. Although Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language...
at short notice to take part in
Jungle warfareJungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain.It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for both sides in many conflicts, including World War II and the...
training, they returned just before Christmas.
In 2008, the Welsh Guards moved from London to Lille Barracks in
AldershotAldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about 60 km southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
, and are preparing for deployment on
Operation HerrickOperation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
10 in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
in April 2009.
In April 2009 the Welsh Guards deployed on
Operation HerrickOperation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. It consists of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force and support to the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom...
10 in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
and have to date lost six members of the Battalion. Firstly, L/Sgt Tobie Fasfous who died whilst taking part in a reassurance foot patrol alongside the Afghan National Army in the vicinity of Forward Operating Base Keenan, north east of Gereshk in Helmand province, when he was killed as a result of an explosion.
Secondly, Lt. Mark Evison who died whilst leading a patrol when they came under enemy fire. He was hit in the shoulder by a single round, and was evacuated back to the hospital in Camp Bastion but despite the best medical treatment available, he was showing no sign of recovering, and he was flown back to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. His family were with him when he died.
Major Sean Birchall, OC Number IX Company, was killed by an explosion whilst on patrol in Basharan, near Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province, on June 19, 2009.
On July 1, 2009, Lieutenant-Colonel
Rupert ThorneloeLieutenant Colonel Rupert Stuart Michael Thorneloe MBE was a British Army officer who was killed in action on 1 July 2009 near Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. , Thorneloe is the highest-ranking British Army officer to be killed in action since Lt Col 'H'...
was killed, along side Trooper Joshua Hammond of the
Royal Tank RegimentThe Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
, following the detonation of an
IEDAn improvised explosive device is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
under their
BvS 10 VikingThe BvS 10 is an All Terrain Armoured Vehicle produced by BAE Systems Hagglunds of Sweden. This vehicle, referred to as Viking by the UK forces, was originally developed as a collaboration between industry - Hägglunds Vehicle AB - and the UK Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Royal Marines.The...
. Lieutenant-Colonel Thorneloe was the highest ranking British Army officer killed since Lieutenant-Colonel 'H'. Jones VC OBE, in the
Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located approximately from the coast of mainland South America, from mainland Antarctica, and from Africa. There are two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, as well as 776 smaller islands...
.
On July 5, 2009,
Lance CorporalLance Corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organizations. It is below the rank of Corporal, and is typically the lowest Non-commissioned officer, usually equivalent to the NATO Rank Grade OR-3.- Etymology :The presumed...
Dane Elson, Aged 22, was killed, following the detonation of an
IEDAn improvised explosive device is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...
in
AfghanistanThe Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in south central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia, South Asia, or the Middle East...
. His death brings the number of Welsh Guardsmen killed in Afghanistan to five.
On July 10, 2009, it was announced that Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Antelme
DSOThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.The DSO was instituted on 6 September 1886 by...
, will take over command of the Welsh Guards from Lieutenant-Colonel
Rupert ThorneloeLieutenant Colonel Rupert Stuart Michael Thorneloe MBE was a British Army officer who was killed in action on 1 July 2009 near Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. , Thorneloe is the highest-ranking British Army officer to be killed in action since Lt Col 'H'...
who died on the 1st July 2009.
Battle honours
First World War:
LoosLoos may refer to:Places* Loos, Nord, France* Loos-en-Gohelle, France* Loos Islands, Guinea* Los, SwedenPeople*Loos Other* Battle of Loos, a battle of World War I, which took place near Loos-en-Gohelle...
, Bapaume 1918, Somme 1916–1918, Arras 1918,
GinchyThe Battle of Ginchy took place on 9 September, 1916 during the Battle of the Somme when the United Kingdom 16th Division captured the German-held village of Ginchy. However the Irish Royal Munster Fusiliers suffered heavy casualties in the process...
,
AlbertAlbert is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It is located about halfway between Amiens and Bapaume.-History:Albert was founded as a Roman outpost called Encre, in about 54 BC...
1918,
Flers-CourceletteThe Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which began on 15 September, 1916 and lasted for one week, was the third and last of the large-scale offensives mounted by the British Army during the Battle of the Somme....
,
Drocourt-QuéantThe Drocourt-Quéant Line was a set of mutually supporting defensive lines constructed by Germany between the French cities of Drocourt and Quéant during World War I...
,
MorvalThe Battle of Morval, which began on 25 September, 1916, was an attack by the British Fourth Army on the German-held villages of Morval, Gueudecourt and Lesboeufs during the Battle of the Somme. These villages were originally objectives of the major British offensive of 15 September, the Battle of...
,
Hindenburg LineThe Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17...
,
YpresYpres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
1917,
HavrincourtHavrincourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in Nord-Pas-de-Calais in France.-Situation:The village lies about 14 kilometres south-west of Cambrai near the Havrincourt service area on the Autoroute A2...
, Pilckem,
Canal Du NordThe Battle of Canal du Nord was part of a general Allied offensive against German positions on the Western Front during the Hundred Days Offensive of World War I. The battle took place in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, along an incomplete portion of the Canal du Nord and on the outskirts...
,
PoelcappelleThe Battle of Poelcappelle marked the end of successful British attacks during the Battle of Passchendaele. Pitting the attacking forces against German defenses virtually undamaged by artillery and protected by a moat of quicksand-like mud, the main attack was a failure and only the diversionary...
,
SelleThe Selle is a river of Picardie, France. Rising at Catheux, just north of Crèvecœur-le-Grand, Oise, it flows passed Conty, Saleux, Salouël and Pont-de-Metz before joining the Somme River at Amiens.
...
, Passchendaele,
SambreThe Sambre is a river in northern France and Wallonia, southern Belgium, left tributary of the Meuse River. The ancient Romans called the river Sabis.-Course:...
,
CambraiCambrai is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department....
1917–1918, France and Flanders 1915–1918
Second World War:
Defence of
ArrasArras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
, Djebel el Rhorab,
BoulogneBoulogne-sur-Mer is a city in northern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department of Pas-de-Calais. The population of the city was 44,859 in the 1999 census, whereas that of the whole metropolitan area was 135,116.-Name:...
1940,
TunisTunis is the capital of the Tunisian Republic and also the Tunis Governorate, with a population of 1,200,000 in 2008 and over 3,980,500 in the greater Tunis area...
, St Omer-La-Bassee, Hammam Lif, Bourguebus Ridge,
North AfricaNorth Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the UN definition of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia,Mauritania, and...
1943,
CagnyCagny is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in north-western France....
, Monte Ornito,
Mont PinconMont Pinçon is the highest point of the département of Calvados, in Normandy, with an elevation of . It is in the west of Swiss Normandy about to the south-west of Caen, near the village of Plessis-Grimoult....
, Liri Valley,
BrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the de facto capital city of the European Union and the largest urban area in Belgium...
, Monte Piccolo, Hechtel, Capture of
PerugiaPerugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the Tiber River, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city symbol is the griffin, which can be seen in the form of plaques and statues on buildings around the city.Perugia is a notable artistic center of Italy...
,
Nederrijnthumb|right|250px|Edited [[satellite]] [[image]] of the [[Rhine]]-[[Waal |Waal]] fork showing the beginning of the Nederrijn branch .thumb|right|250px|Nederrijn in [[Arnhem]]...
,
ArezzoArezzo or Arretium is a city in central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about south-east of Florence, at an elevation of 296 meters above sea level. In 2009 the population was about 99,000 people....
,
LingenLingen is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. In 2008 the population was 52.353 in addition about 5,000 secondary residents. Lingen, specifically "Lingen " , is located on the river Ems in the southern part of the Emsland county and district respectively, which is bordering to North Rhine-Westphalia...
, Advance to
FlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence...
,
RhinelandThe Rhineland is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. After the collapse of the French Empire in the early 19th century, the German and Dutch speaking regions at the middle and lower course of the Rhine were annexed to the kingdom of Prussia...
,
Gothic LineThe Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of Nazi Germany's forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold...
, North West Europe 1940 and 1944–1945,
BattagliaBattaglia can refer to a number of things:*People**Jonathan Bates Battaglia, an American professional hockey player**Joseph C...
, Fondouk, Italy 1944–1945
Post Second World War
Falkland Islands 1982
Other details
The Colonel-In-Chief of the Regiment is
Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II is the queen regnant of sixteen independent states known informally as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,...
.
The Colonel of the Regiment is
Charles, Prince of WalesCharles, Prince of Wales is the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1952, he has been heir apparent to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms. After earning a bachelor of arts from Trinity College, Cambridge, Charles served a tour of duty with Royal Navy...
.
The buttons on their tunics are arranged in groups of 5.
The Motto of the regiment is CYMRU AM BYTH
(Wales for Ever).
The capbadge is a Leek, which is a national emblem of
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
.
The Regimental Quick March is the "Rising of the Lark".
The Regimental Slow March is "
Men of Harlech"Men of Harlech" or "The March of the Men of Harlech" is a song and military march which is traditionally said to describe events during the seven year long siege of Harlech Castle between 1461 and 1468. Commanded by Constable Dafydd ap Ieuan, the garrison held out in what is the longest known...
".
The Regiment, as with all in the Household Division has its own band, the
Welsh Guards BandThe Welsh Guards Band, often referred to as the "Band of the Welsh Guards", is the youngest of the five bands in the Foot Guards Regiments in the Household Division which primarily guards the British monarch.-Band membership duties:...
.
The Welsh Guards' colours were trooped at
Trooping the ColourTrooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment's colours, or flags, were used as rallying points...
2006 & 2008
Although known as "the Taffs" to their sister Guards regiments, no nicknames are officially recognized.
Victoria Cross winners
- Sergeant Robert Bye VC
Robert James Bye VC was a Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
- Lieutenant Christopher Furness VC
Christopher Furness VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
Order of Precedence
Alliances
- 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment -
HMS CampbeltownHMS Campbeltown is a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Ltd. in Birkenhead, she was part of the third batch of Type 22s, which were considerably larger than their predecessors and incorporated more advanced weaponry after lessons learnt from the Falklands...
External links